How far/ Low Self-Esteem Rainbow Dash / Ugly RD

>RIIIING!
>You jolt awake in a panic, a half remembered nightmare still playing out in your mind.
>You shake your head and banish the thoughts.
>Morning, time for another day in, well, paradise.
>For you at least.
>How long has it been since you left home?
>Three years. Almost an eternity it seems.
>You hand strays to the jagged scar on your chest, a reminder of what you had given up to fulfill your dream.
>An all too familiar smell fills your nose.
>Coffee
>Who the fuck is brewing coffee in YOUR house?
>Slippers, motherfucker. Plus two to sneak!
>Creeping downstairs you hear the sounds of a mare cursing in a most unladylike fashion.
>A mare whom you happen to know.
>You poke your nose into the kitchen.
>There's only one pony with a mane like that.
>Like a quiet breeze you silently position yourself behind her. She's clumsily attempting to make latkes.
>"You're doing it wrong."
>SHRIEK!
>Like ninja you twitch out of the way of a speeding grater that clatters down the hall behind you.
"What the hell Anon? Don't sneak up on me like that!"
>You suppress the urge to start yelling back, she IS one of your closest friends after all.
>"You're making them wrong."
"How do you-"
>"Hush, you broke into my home to make food. I should be the one asking the questions."
>She looks down, embarrassed.
>"I'm just glad it was you. I'd hate to have to break out my sweet kung fu moves."
"What do you know about martial arts? You move boxes for a living."
>Still a ninja.
>"Anyway, little miss break-in, you're making them wrong. Let me show you."
>You run her through the steps just like your grandmother did for you. Grating, rinsing, frying.
>Old and warm memories flooded your mind as you made an old treat from earth.
>Your grandparents were the only members of your family that honestly cared for you.
>Good people like that were hard to come by back home.
>They were your only regret.

You set down a large plate full of food in front of your guest and get yourself one.
>You always liked their crunch.
"Soooo, what brings you to my little hovel and care to share how you got in?"
>She gestures toward the window with a slight grunt.
"I thought I could wake up my good friend with a bit of surprise is all"
>How cute.
>She even got your favorite coffee.
>A tasty brew from the Griffon province of France, "Benoît's Finest".
>"Are you doing anything today?"
"Work, I have a few orders to fill today."
>The smile she had beaming at you for the last fifteen minutes.
>"Oh, darn."
"Why?"
>"Nothing, really"
>She drew circles on the table with her hoof.
>"Don't forget about Saturday! The book club is going to our reading hike out in the Soaring Heights!"
>Ah, the Soaring Heights. Well known for their views and towing cliffs. You had arrived there, nice country.
"I hadn't forgotten, goofball."
>You look at the clock.
>Fifteen to nine, time to get dressed.
"I have to leave soon, Dash."
>"Can I walk you there?"
"Sure."
>You gather yourself to leave and grab your bicycle.
>It's one of the few things you brought with you.
>A trusty old machine that wasn't hard to maintain with Equestrian technology.
>You push it out the front door with the brightly colored mare hot on your heels.
>Pedal hard and pedal fast.
>Rainbow is flitting about above you and to your sides.
>Small talk ensues, little things, funny things. Good times.
>Your work, Bucky's Shipping, loomed large in front of you, ready to devour your time.
>Eager, really.
>You both stop in front and briefly embrace.
>She's warm and you feel her soft blue fur presses against your face.
>"I had a nice time today."
"Yeah, you like to go places you should at odd times."
>She grinned in an almost wick fashion before flapping her wings once and taking off into the sky.
>Well, the daily grind beckons.
>You push open the back gate entrance to Bucky's and step inside.

>Bucky's isn't a small place by any means.
>It sits on a hill just outside of town, a large brown rectangle with a big logo situated over the front entrance.
>The back held several large shipment carts that were pulled by brawny ponies whom most of the employees just referred to as the hauler crews.
>You're was a mover, being the tall guy with hands.
>Gotta love hands.
>"Mornin' Anon, got a big one for ya. Looks like we've got a new bakery moving into town so we've got to get the equipment to them by the end of the day.", your lead declared to you as you grabbed your hard hat off the rack.
>Gonna be a long day.
>Hours pass.
>Boxes, boxes, BOXES.
>Lift, shift, send off.
>Eight hours later you are sore and tired, a good kind of sore, though.
>Time for an after work drink at your favorite watering hole, Pepper's Flask.
>A nice place, good for a stiff drink.
>One of your coworkers, Brawny Legs, had beaten you there.
>Your seat is next to him, good times are likely to be had.
>Many drink, many laughs.
>"Hey, that mare's been giving you the eye."
"I know."
>"Why don't 'cha make a move?"
"No need."
>It had been quite some time, years.
>Not that it bothered you.
>"What, you been screwin' Dash? Whatever
floats your boat man."
>The fuck?
"What do you mean by that?"
>"Whoa whoa, don't get riled on me. It's just that there are better catches than her, you know?"
>You slam your mug on the bar, drawing more than a few stares.
"No, no I don't."
>You throw a few bits on the bar.
"And for your information, it's nothing like that.
>And with that you storm out of the bar without saying another word.

>Angry thoughts ran through your mind as you fiddled with the lock on your bike.
>Some voice in the back of your head told you that you were overreacting.
>Were you?
>Dash had ALWAYS been there for you. Always.
>Through thick and thin.
>She was even the pony that found you, clinging to life in the middle of nowhere.
>Friends like her are hard to come by.
>"Anon? Are you alright?", A voice sounded out behind you.
>Twilight Sparkle.
"I'm fine. It's not important, really."
> You turned to face her.
>The purple unicorn looked at you with no small amount of concern.
>No wings.jpeg
>Best part of this Equestria's Twilight.
>She's still her sarcastic self.
>"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of the Buffalo. What's up?"
>Sigh.
>She's a persistent one.
"I was at Pepper's with Brawny, he kind of insulted Dash."
>She looked shocked.
>"What? How? Brawny was always a nice stallion."
>You could see her hackles rising.
"He said that I could get a better mare than Dash-"
>"What? You two are..you know.."
"No, it's nothing like that, we're the same friends we've always been."
>She squinted.
>"Might I be frank, Anon?"
"Yes, of course."
>"Dash has never been, well, popular with others. She always found some way to push them away. Be they stallions or not."
"She hasn't tried to rid herself of you guys."
>Or you for that matter.
>"It seems that we, and more specifically you, are the exception."
"Isn't that a bit counter to her whole loyalty thing?"
>"I never said she was disloyal."
"True."
>"She's afraid of those she cares about getting hurt. By her, by being around her, by associating with her."
>That's new.
"How do you know that?"
>"Call it intuition. I must be off, Anon, I want you to think about what we've talked about."
>She left you there with a mind full of questions.
>Questions need answers.
>This could get interesting.

> Two boring days later...
>An excited know interrupts your morning exercise.
>Gotta keep up the good image, after all.
>All this vegan food will only get you so far.
>Well, mostly vegan.
>You open the door to a crowd of no less than ten overly excited ponies beaming infectiously cute smiles.
>You are immune to their siren call.
"You ponies are rather early, I'm not even dressed yet!"
>A particular blue mare was practically bounding with excitement.
>"Yeah! So hurry up! Daring Do and The Creature of Howling Pass won't read itself!"
>You're being pushed upstairs by a multicolored horse.
>The rest of the group has packed itself in your tiny living room.
>Oh boy.
>So many hooves on your carpet.
>Your cries of protest fall on deaf ears as the door to your bedroom is shut behind you.
"Well, here we are."
>You mutter under your breath as you pull on a shirt and socks.
>Rarity custom made your hiking gear.
>Much to her chagrin you wanted them simple.
>Simple but comfortable.
>You clomp down the stairs in your boots.
>Dash is waiting at the bottom with a soft smile on her lips and barely contained excitement in her eyes.
>"Took you long enough, slowpoke."
"I was less than five minutes!"
>She sticks her tongue out at you.
Then you look out into your living room.
>They're eating crackers.
>YOUR crackers.
>Fritz, your favorite brand. You wanted them with cheese.
>Ponies are like vultures, VULTURES!
>"Anon!" They all cheered in unison.
>Even after years of spending time around them, you still have trouble grasping how such little creatures could generate such sheer volumes of joy.
>Waves and greeting and hugs, so many hugs.
>"Anon, good to see you up and moving."
>Ah, one purple horse that was part of every single book club in town is here, too.
>She has cracker crumbs on her face.
"I Seem to remember mentioning something about you guys being early, Twilight."
>Yeah, yeah. It was Dash's idea."
>You heft your backpack onto your shoulders and head out the door.