My Little Brave

Chapter 3

As Rainbow Dash was striking her bedposts in anger with her sword, Rarity entered the bedroom. "Mother! Suitors! Marriage!" Rainbow Dash said in anger with every swing at the bedposts. "Once there was an ancient kingdom." Rarity said. "Aah! Mom! Ancient kingdom!" Rainbow Dash yelled in anger. "It's name long forgotten ruled by a wise and fair king named Star Swirled The Bearded who was much beloved. And when he grew old he divided the kingdom among his four sons, Prince Artemis, Dusk Shine, Bubble Berry, and Butterscotch. That they should be the pillars on which their piece of land rested. But the oldest, Prince Artemis, wanted to rule the land for himself, he followed his own path and the kingdom fell, from war and chaos and ruin. "That's a nice story." Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "It's not just a story, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said. "Legends are lessons, and they ring with truths!" Rainbow Dash groaned, and said "Mom!" "I would advise you to make your peace with this." Rarity said. "The clans are coming to present their suitors." "It's not fair!" Rainbow Dash said. "Oh, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity said. "It's marriage, it's not the end of the world!" Rarity then walked out the door as Rainbow Dash slammed the door in anger.

Rarity walked into another room, and began to work on embroidering a tapestry of their family as she started to mutter to herself. Big Mac then walked in, and said "You're muttering." "I don't mutter." Rarity said. "Yes, you do." Big Mac said. "You mutter, Rarity, when something's troubling you." Rarity stopped working on the tapestry, glared at Big Mac, and said "I blame you. Stubborness is entirely from your side of the family." "I take it the talk didn't go too well." Big Mac said. "I don't know what to do." Rarity said. "Speak to her, dear." Big Mac said. "I do speak to her, she just doesn't listen!" Rarity said. "Come on, now." Big Mac said. "Pretend I'm Rainbow Dash. Speak to me. What would you say?" "I can't do this!" Rarity said. "Sure you can." Big Mac said. Rarity glared at her husband who said "There! There! That's my queen! Right here we go." He took a deep breath, and when he started to pretend to be Rainbow Dash, he said "I don't want to get married! I want to stay single, and let my mane flow in the wind as I ride through the glen, firing arrows into the sunset." Rarity glared at Big Mac, but playing along, she said "Rainbow Dash, all this work, all the time spent preparing you, schooling you, giving you everything we never had, I ask you, what do you expect us to do?"

Outside at the courtyard, Rainbow Dash was talking to Derpy Hoof as if she was talking to her mother as she said "Call off the gathering! Would that kill them?! You're the queen, you can just tell the lords, the princess is not ready for this. In fact, she might not be ever ready for this! So that's that!" In the room, Rarity kept looking at Big Mac, and said "I understand this must all seem unfair, even I have reservations when I faced betrothal. Hey! We can't just run away from who we are. Outside, Rainbow Dash still looked at Derpy, and said "I don't want my life to be over! I want my freedom!" In the room, Rarity said "But are you willing to pay the price your freedom cost?" Outside, Rainbow Dash said "I'm not doing any of this to hurt you!" In the room, Rarity said "If you could just try to see what I do, I do out of love." Outside, Rainbow Dash said "But it's my life! I'm just not ready!" In the room, Rarity said "I think you'd see, if you could just..." Outside, Rainbow Dash said "I think I could make you understand, if you would just..." "Listen!" Rarity and Rainbow Dash said at the same time. Outside, Rainbow Dash looked at Derpy Hoof, and said "I swear, Derpy, this isn't going to happen. Not if I can help it!" "But what are you going to do?" Derpy Hoof asked. "I don't know." Rainbow Dash said. "Something."

The next day, Rarity forcefully brushed Rainbow Dash's mane, and dressed her in a horribly uncomfortable and tight formal navy blue dress. "You look absolutely beautiful." Rarity said with a smile. "I...I can't breath!" Rainbow Dash said painfully. "Give us a twirl." Rarity said. Rainbow Dash stiffly twirled as she said "I can't move! It's too tight!" "It's perfect!" Rarity said. She looked at her daughter in compassion, and said "Rainbow Dash." "Mom?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Just...remember to smile." Rarity said. She then turned, and walked off. Rainbow Dash sighed in dismay.