The air was electric with anticipation, the entire kingdom abuzz with last-minute preparations for Rainbow Dash's coronation. Lanterns glowed along the palace gardens, casting a warm light over the evening. Rainbow had spent the entire day rehearsing for the big event, and she was finally taking a moment to herself on the palace balcony when Soarin found her.

"Hey, Rainbow," Soarin said, his tone unusually tentative.

She turned, catching the slight nervousness in his smile. "What's up?"

He scratched the back of his neck, looking down at the small box in his hand. "I was thinking... with everything happening tomorrow, maybe we could take a break tonight. Just the two of us."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "You mean, ditch all this and go walking?"

"Not quite." He grinned, holding up the box. "I've got something better in mind. A proper date. You deserve it."

"A date?" she repeated, her heart doing an unexpected flip. She recovered quickly, crossing her arms. "What, you suddenly turning into a romantic now?"

"Maybe," he teased, leaning closer. "So, what do you say? Give me tonight, and I'll make it worth your while."

Curiosity and excitement bubbling in her chest, Rainbow shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright, Skies. Impress me."

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Soarin led her to the palace stables, where two horses were saddled and waiting, their coats gleaming in the lantern light. Lily and Thunder.

"Riding?" Rainbow teased, mounting the mare. "Who even are you?"

Soarin chuckled. "Trust me, this'll be better."

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They rode through the countryside under the soft glow of the moon, passing fields dotted with wildflowers and quiet streams that reflected the starry sky. Soarin guided her to a secluded meadow, where the grass shimmered with dew under the starlight.

Rainbow dismounted, looking around in awe. "Okay, I'll admit it. This is kinda cool."

"Just wait," Soarin said, pulling a blanket and a basket from the saddlebag. He spread the blanket out near a small pond, the water mirroring the sky perfectly.

As they settled down, Soarin pulled out a small lantern from the basket and lit it. Inside, a tiny flame danced, casting a warm glow between them. He handed her a bottle of sparkling cider and a plate of sweet pastries.

"Did you... plan all this yourself?" Rainbow asked, genuinely touched.

"Maybe I had a little help," he admitted with a grin. "But the idea was all me."

They ate, laughed, and talked about everything and nothing. Soarin kept the mood light, cracking jokes and teasing her, but every now and then, his gaze would linger on her, his smile softening.

As the night deepened, he stood and held out his hand. "Come on. I've got one last surprise."

Rainbow took his hand, letting him guide her to the edge of the meadow. There, he pointed up.

A shower of shooting stars streaked across the sky, their light dazzling against the dark canvas of night.

Rainbow gasped. "How did you...?"

"Pure coincidence," Soarin admitted with a laugh. "But I'll take credit if you're impressed."

She laughed, shaking her head, but her heart swelled at the gesture. "Alright, you win. This is pretty awesome."

They stood there in silence for a moment, watching the stars. Then, Soarin turned to her, his expression serious but soft.

"Rainbow," he began, his voice low. "I know tomorrow's a big day, and everything's gonna change. But no matter what, I just want you to know... I'm here. For you. Always."

Rainbow felt her cheeks flush, and for once, she didn't brush it off with a sarcastic comment. Instead, she smiled, nudging his shoulder. "You're such a sap, Soarin. But... thanks."

He grinned, leaning closer. "Only for you, Dash."

She rolled her eyes, but her heart was pounding. When their eyes met, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them under the stars.

"Now," Soarin said, breaking the moment with a smirk, "does this count as the most awesome date you've ever been on, or do I need to try harder?"

Rainbow laughed, shoving him lightly. "It's up there. But don't think this means I'm easy to impress."

"Oh, I wouldn't dare," he teased, throwing an arm around her waist as they made their way back to the horses.

And as they rode back to the palace, Rainbow couldn't stop smiling, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks.

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As Rainbow Dash and Soarin rode back to the palace, the soft glow of lanterns guided their way through the courtyard. The night had been nothing short of magical, and Rainbow still felt the warmth of Soarin's words and the beauty of the evening lingering in her chest. She glanced at him as they dismounted, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips.

"So, this was your big plan, huh?" she asked, brushing some hay off her dress.

"Hey, don't act like you didn't love it," Soarin shot back, grinning.

Before Rainbow could retort, a high-pitched giggle broke the quiet night.

"Well, well, well!" Surprise's voice rang out from behind one of the palace pillars. She stepped into view, her arms crossed and a mischievous glint in her eye. "What do we have here? A late-night romantic ride under the stars?"

"Oh, this is gonna be good!" Pinkie Pie chimed in, bouncing out from behind Surprise. Her grin was so wide it practically glowed in the dark. "You two look like you're glowing! Did you kiss again? Oh, oh! Did you hold hands while riding?!"

Rainbow's face turned bright red, and she waved her hands in front of her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's not what it looks like!"

"Oh, really?" Surprise drawled, tilting her head and grinning like a cat who'd caught the canary. "Because it looks like two lovebirds sneaking back in after a very cozy little date."

"It wasn't—" Rainbow started, but Pinkie cut her off.

"Don't even try to deny it, Dashie! I can smell romance in the air! It smells like... like... cider and pastries! Did you two share a romantic snack under the stars?!"

Soarin, to his credit, managed to keep a straight face for about three seconds before bursting into laughter. "Okay, you got us," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "We went out for a bit. Happy now?"

"More than happy," Surprise said, elbowing Pinkie. "We've got fresh teasing material for weeks!"

Rainbow groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate all of you."

"Oh, come on, Dashie," Pinkie chirped, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Love is nothing to be embarrassed about! Just think about all the cute couple names we can come up with for you two!"

"'SoarinDash' has a nice ring to it," Surprise added thoughtfully.

Soarin raised an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading across his face. "You know, Dash, they might be onto something. SoarinDash is kind of catchy."

Rainbow glared at him, her blush deepening. "Don't you start!"

Pinkie and Surprise dissolved into fits of giggles, their laughter echoing through the courtyard.

"You two are adorable!" Pinkie declared, pulling out a camera seemingly from nowhere. "Quick! Pose for a picture!"

Rainbow darted behind Soarin, using him as a shield. "No pictures! And if you tell anyone about this—"

"—we'll tell everyone," Surprise finished with a wink.

As the two troublemakers scampered off, still giggling, Rainbow sighed heavily and looked up at Soarin. He was still smiling, his expression soft and amused.

"You're enjoying this way too much," she muttered, crossing her arms.

"Hey, if they're going to tease us anyway, might as well give them something worth talking about," Soarin said, leaning a little closer.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at him, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way," he teased, offering her his arm.

With a roll of her eyes and a reluctant laugh, Rainbow took it. Together, they headed back inside, ready to face whatever new teasing awaited them in the morning.