//------------------------------// // Pictures // Story: Failed Confessions to an Oblivious Friend // by FerociousCreation //------------------------------// It bothered Vapor Trail as she stepped into the showers when she forgot to get another dry towel. Instead of getting a much less moist one, the mare kept to her cool shower instead. Vapor Trail’s body was still warmed by the spa’s comforting waters. The less hot liquid cascaded over the mare, the pegasus enjoying the change of temperature. Vapor Trail grabbed her shampoo, squirted some onto her hoof, and started to scrub her mane. As Vapor Trail cleaned herself, the pony thought about Sky; once again proving she was well fit for the nickname Daydreamer. Her heart was filled with emotion for Sky Stinger, a fact she couldn't deny. All she wanted was to be with him. And the more delay Vapor Trail had, the more she wanted him, which was driving the poor mare crazy. Perhaps she needed to approach him with a different phrase. Instead of telling Sky Stinger she really really liked him, she would say to him that she loved him. Vapor Trail ran her head under the cool cascading water, her face smiling and blushing, imagining the entire scene play out… ...She would have him alone at lunch time by the waterfalls of the Wonderbolt academy. Sky Stinger would ask her why she would choose such an interesting place to eat. Then, she would lay her heart on the line for him. And Sky Stinger would have no choice, but to accept her as his special somepony. That's how I am going to do it. Tomorrow at lunch; when he and I are all alone. Vapor Trail reached for the shower nozzle and turned the water off. It did pain the mare to have to wait an entire day before telling Sky Stinger the fullest extent of her feelings. But it was best to prepare. Taking her damp towel, Vapor Trail started to dry her mane. The stink of chlorine clung to the rag and the mare began to wish she had gotten another one. But dealing with what was at hoof, it didn't take long before she was finished with drying herself clean. Thanks to her shampoo, Vapor Trail’s mane smelled like sweet rose. If any scent of chlorine tried to stick to her, the rose smell will overpower it. With her towel around her neck, Vapor Trail went to her locker. She opened it and saw a mirror that hung to the inside of the door. Grabbing her brush, the mare began to groom herself. As she brushed her mane, a bundle of pictures clung to the back of the locker. Doing her best, Vapor Trail tried to not look at them. She knew what was contained on them. One picture was with Vapor Trail and her parents. She was a teenager in the picture, and her expression screamed, “give me some space, Mom and Dad.” Her parents practically had their faces pressed against Vapor Trail’s cheeks, and the filly could only look embarrassed in front of the camera. However that picture was easy to bare. It was the other two that Vapor Trail had to keep out of her peripheral. Unfortunately, the locker door couldn’t become detached and placed in front of the memories they bore, so the mare had to deal with those pictures being in sight. The first picture was of her and Sky Stinger chasing a ball around his backyard. Vapor Trail remembered that day when she and him were playing a simple game of soccer. His goal was a cardboard box, and hers, two sticks stuck in the ground with the space in between. Because of the filly’s ability to pick up on things rather quickly, Vapor Trail was able to score a few goals on him in a matter of minutes. His older brothers began to tease him because he was losing to a girl, which was starting to get to Sky Stinger. So after Vapor Trail told the Sky Stinger a few pointers, not before he shook off the advice, saying he was only going easy on Vapor Trail, she decided to fumble about and let him win. After Vapor Trail’s “crushing defeat,” Sky Stinger was hoping his siblings would appreciate his victory. But the older brothers only told him that winning against a girl does not count. The next game was Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger on the same team versus his two heckling siblings. After the score reached 10-0, the brothers got “bored” and left, losing their game in a forfeit, though they would have lost because of their lack of points. That evening, Sky Stinger gloated all day about how good he was, despite how Vapor Trail did most of the running. All he did was kick for the goals. Vapor Trail knew better than to put a damper in his pride, and kept that secret from him to this day. After thinking about her silly fillyhood story, Vapor Trail realised she put him in the spotlight in order to make him shine. She felt bad that Sky Stinger never stood out in his family, even with his amazing flying abilities. Or at least, his amazing flying abilities with Vapor Trail’s unknown help. The last picture was Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger wearing graduation caps from high school. At that point in their life, he was the star of Cloudsdale High School, one of the best flyers in the campus’ history. Of course, a very small amount of popularity shed on Vapor Trail. But when it did, she quickly brought light to Sky Stinger; after all, she didn’t want any attention. As of the day she became a Wonderbolt, Vapor Trail realized she did want to be recognized. And as of several weeks ago, she wanted Sky Stinger’s attention- Why can’t I get my mind off of him?! Finished with grooming her mane, the pegasus lightly lobbed her brush into the locker. The stick of bristles landed with a hard thump as it hit the back of the metal wall. In the mirror, Vapor Trail saw herself with a fluffy mane ready to bounce with every move she made. Her expression was not as pretty as her mane, however. She glared back at herself, trying to intimidate her reflection. As the staring contest continued, the pony couldn’t grasp why Sky Stinger was plaguing her heart and mind all of a sudden. Today was supposed to be the day Vapor Trail was going to confess her feelings to him. And every attempt ended in him being oblivious to her proposal. The days prior to the present didn’t seem to affect her at all. But those days are gone and the mare had to face that reality. Why all of a sudden can’t I avoid thinking about him?! Why now?! “Having a staring contest with yourself, Daydreamer?” Spitfire asked with a raised brow. The sudden question made Vapor Trail flinch before giving her captain a slightly irritated stare. A sneer inflated on Spitfire’s mouth as she read the white mare’s flushed face. “You are not the only one to admire yourself in the mirror.” With her shining armor now in the locker room, Sky Stinger walked up to the captain with a smile that matched hers. “Did you enjoy the show while you were on the ground? I bet even for flying at the end of the pack, my skills almost outshined the others. Except for Vapor Trail, of course.” Vapor Trail blushed, flattered by the compliment. “You and the others did well.” Spitfire didn’t feel like playing Sky Stinger’s game and complimented him instead; but didn’t want to glorify him either. “As for your friend, she did do a great job with leading everypony in the V formation.” “I agree,” Fleetfoot replied as she trudged into view. “Same here!” Rainbow Dash agreed. Several other Wonderbolt members who were in the locker room shot their compliments at Vapor Trail, their voices echoing off the walls. The color in Vapor Trail’s face lit up even more, too much attention being drawn to her. “Stop, please,” the white mare giggled, half lying. “After all, I am only the leader of just one act.” “So,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “During my first performance, I didn’t have any lead rolls.” “Speaking of her rolling…” Spitfire snickered at the rainbow maned mare. “...I remember what Rainbow Crash did during her first Wonderbolt’s performance.” Rainbow Dash’s ears retreated, along with herself. But she bumped into Fleetfoot who gave her a mirrored image of her captain’s smile. “Do tell,” Sky Stinger asked. With team members surrounding Rainbow Dash, she had nowhere to escape to. As Spitfire began telling the story of how Rainbow Dash attempted to showboat during her first performance, the cyan-furred mare needed to think of a way out of her predicament. With her wet rag around her neck, Rainbow Dash had an idea. Glancing around, she noticed everypony was staring at Spitfire, laughing at how Crash collided with the earth. No one payed attention to the one Spitfire was talking about. Wrapping her towel in a tube, Rainbow Dash cracked it at Lightning Streak’s back ankle. He yelped, the sound of a wet rag smacking against skin.