“Love is in Bloom!
A beautiful bride a handsome groom!
Two hearts becoming one...”
“Urgghhh!” Rainbow sighed, she was bored. The sonic Rainboom at the end of the ceremony had been cool, but all this lovey dovey stuff was making her feel physically ill! She glanced over the marriage reception to Pinkie, who was still going crazy with Vinyl on the turntables. The crazily animated pony made her laugh a little; at least someone was having fun at the moment!
The cyan pony glanced around the open garden where the reception was taking place. Actually, everypony seemed to be having fun accept her. Well that sucked! Her dress was annoying her, she knew the wedding was a formal event, but why did she still have to wear this stifling gown now?
Giving another bored sigh and an uncomfortable tug at the dress, Rainbow resigned to listening to Twilight’s song. She was good, and the music was defiantly getting the audience going, but it wasn’t really for her. Too... Lovey dovey! Geez those words were on her mind a lot lately! Maybe it was Pinkie and all her talk of her romantic dreams these days.
Rainbow didn’t really like the idea of romance. At least not any more. Not since she blew it last year! She’d had the perfect chance to impress him, to make him see her as a goddess! Soarin’, the deputy of the Wonderbolts. When she won the day with the Pegasus squad in the young flyers competition, she had thought she could easily make him fall for her.
But romance was...complicated. Whenever she began to speak to the stallion throughout that day she had frozen up. She could perform a mile high dive through the air, but the very thought of speaking to her crush struck fear in her heart. ‘What they hay is up with that!’ She thought frustratedly. She watched as Fluttershy and Rarity took to the dance floor, the platinum unicorn was far more open with her dance moves, but even the usually shy yellow mare was quite flamboyant for once.
As she watched, her memory drifted to the day of the Grand Galloping Gala. That night, yet again she had set out to impress the light blue stallion. She’d even saved his pie from being crushed on the floor! At that moment, she thought she’d hooked him, but no, he’d seemed far more interested in the pastry than her.
Maybe she wasn’t cut out for romance, which was a laugh considering that Pinkie, the oddest pony she new, had seemed to have found it! Even if it was all in her head and those silly dreams! Even Twilight had started to hang out with that stallion! What was his name again? Tuneworthy? Noteworthy? Something like that anyway.
Bored and miserable, she turned away deciding if she was going to stand around alone, she may as well get drunk! As she turned, her hoof slipped on the long gown that trailing on the floor beneath her. She tumbled around, and then fell forward.
“Yoh! Rainbow Dash right? I was hoping I’d see you here!” smiled a handsome blue furred Pegasus stallion as he saw the mare’s face. By the time he realised she was falling, and more importantly where she was going to fall, it was too late to act.
Rainbow toppled forwards, vaguely aware that a familiar voice had begun to speak to her. As she fell forward, she felt her chest slam into something. Even worse, she felt her muzzle fall onto somepony else’s! ‘Oh my gosh! Not cool!’
She quickly regained her balance and pulled away from the startled Pegasus. “Sorry ‘bout that!” She muttered, blushing pink.
“Uhhh... no problem...” The gruff voice chuckled smugly. Rainbow knew that voice! Her vision bolted up to the face she prayed wasn’t there, sure enough it was. Soarin’ stood before her, his face a little flushed with surprise, and his lips slightly smudged with the hint of the red lipstick Rarity had insisted Dash wore to the event.
“You know.” The stallion laughed awkwardly. “I’d have been fine with just a ‘Hi Soarin’!” Dash blushed an even deeper red.
“Ummm...” She said, lost for words. Soarin’ gave another nervous laugh, reaching up and wiping the lipstick off his mouth. “Hi...” Rainbow said meekly, her usual bravado and self pride gone in the moment of sheer embarrassment. “Soarin’”
“See, much easier!” he laughed, Rainbow gave a small laugh too, her eyes trying their best not to make eye contact with the stallion she liked.
“Soooo?” he asked, determined not to make the mare feel bad about what had just happened. Rainbow frowned at him.
“So what?” Soarin’ smirked.
“What do you think of the new Wonderbolt formal suite?” He threw his head back and posed as best he could in the slightly tight collared shirt. Rainbow forgot everything in a blur of fangirl squeals!
“That is so awesome!” She began to bounce around, him taking in the dark blue shirt from every angle, she eventually ended by admiring the black tie that hung from his neck.
As her amazed eyes watched it sway back and forth, almost hypnotically, she was interrupted.
FLASH!
Rainbow and Soarin’ were both taken by surprise; they turned to see a small colt holding a camera. “Perfect!” cried –Who Rainbow recognised the little young one as- Feather Weight. Happily taking out a long list of names from his saddle bag, he licked the end of the pencil and then ticked off both Rainbow Dash and Soarin’. Before either Pegasus could protest, the young colt trotted away with his task of documenting the night for the newly married Shining Armour and Princess Cadence.
The two adults glanced back at each other, before starting to laugh again, the awkwardness of the previous situation finally gone. “So, enjoying the party?” Soarin’ asked glancing over the crazy decorations and killer sound system. “Your friend Pinkie’s done a stellar job here!”
“Yeah she has, I can-t believe she...” Rainbow paused. “You know Pinkie’s name?”
“Well duh! Silly, everyone does, you guys are the elements of Harmony!” Rainbow face hoofed herself. ‘Stupid, stupid! STUPID!’ she thought between each little strike to her forehead.
“Hey, no worries!” Soarin’ reassured her. “I’m the same, when strangers know my name it throws me off for a moment! So don’t worry about it.” Rainbow felt a little better.
“But... you’re a Wonderbolt! That’s such a big deal!”
“And being the element of Loyalty isn’t?” He retorted, striking Rainbow dumb. He laughed again, and began watching the dancing. Rainbow did the same, subtly glancing up at his strong build! Geez he was hot!
Rainbow shook her head, “Come on, be cool!” She thought, not realising she did so out loud.
“About what?” Soarin’ asked nonchalantly. Rainbow blushed an even deeper red than before! Soarin’ noticed, and couldn’t help feel a little proud that he was having this effect on the cute Pegasus!
“Umm...” Rainbow began, Soarin’ did a double take! She wasn’t actually going to say it was she? “I was kind of trying to keep cool so you’d like me.” Rainbow grimaced awkwardly. Soarin’ stared for a moment.
“Oh...” She really was brave! “That was...honest.” he observed. Rainbow shrugged, a little more confident with the slight praise.
“I don’t play games.” She explained simply, standing a little straighter, showing of her figure as best she could in her stupid dress! Soarin’ decided honesty had been the best policy with the mare, so he should use the same one.
“Dance with me!” He said suddenly, grabbing her hoof and pulling her a few feet towards the Dance floor. Rainbow’s eyes spread in sheer horror.
“Woooooooooohhhhhhh no! You’re not getting me on there!” she protested, digging her hooves into the soft grassy ground. Soarin’s eyes glinted devilishly.
“So the fastest flyer, bravest daredevil, and all-around hero of Equestria...” Rainbow blushed at the compliments, smiling girlishly for the first time in living memory! “Is afraid to dance with me?”
Rainbow’s demeanour collapsed, her girlish blush vanished, her shy smile replaced by a huge toothy grin at the stallion’s challenge to her. “Fine!” She said, trotting ahead of him as the happy song of Twilight’s came to an end, replaced by a far faster paced one thanks to Vinyl who spotted Rainbow approaching. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you pretty boy!” She laughed. Then the two danced, well into the night, until the bride and groom left the party, and once they’d gone, they kept going as the celebrations were set to go on for the entire evening!
Finally the night ended with a slow dance between the two. The night was winding down, and as the final note quavered and the last few dancers bowed to their partners. Soarin’ leant in to Rainbow, and gave her a single long kiss, before retiring to his room for the night. Leaving an awestruck, ecstatic Rainbow Dash squealing and trotting off to find her friends.
.....
Seed reached up and knocked on the puffy cloud door lightly, and for a moment nothing happened. Then a faint voice called out from within the house. “Yeah, it’s open! C’mon in!” Seed proceeded, unperturbed by the usual greeting from the inhabitants of the house, none of them really minded friends just coming in. Neither was he perturbed by the fact he was about to step on clouds, Misses Twilight Sparkle had long since cast a spell on the house to allow the earth ponies and the unicorns of the town, step on the floor of the house as they pleased.
The living room was spacious, a small coffee table lay to the right of the room, flanked by a single sofa. The only thing atop the table was a small framed picture. It depicted Miss. Rainbow Dash, her husband the amazing flying Wonderbolt Soarin’ and their son Thor. As he glanced around the familiar room, he saw his favourite picture in the whole house! Rainbow Dash was with her friends, Apple Seed’s mother could be seen smiling out to him from the little window of memory. Miss. Rarity was in it as well, along with a far smaller childish looking version of Mr. Spike. Seed liked the picture’s because it showed how the cool adults in town had once been a lot like him and his friends, maybe that meant that growing up wouldn’t suck as bad as Thor was always saying it would.
But besides Apple Seed and the white cloud furniture, the room was empty. “Ummm... Hello?” The young colt called out. He heard movement from the kitchen which was connected to the living room through an archway and a sharp turn. He heard a plate being put in a sink and a small splash following it. An unseen voice called out, it was loud and strong, but just like Mr. Spike it was warm and kind as well. It had a gruff quality to it which made the speaker sound pretty cool... for an adult anyway.
“One second! Nearly finished these dang dishes!” shouted the proud voice, followed by a wide array of clanging and crashing. The roar finally died down and Seed heard movement getting closer from the unseen room. The mystery dish cleaner now came into view.
Rainbow’s husband stood before him, he usually wore clothes that showed off the colours of his flying team ‘The Wonderbolt’s’ But today seeing as he was relaxing at home he simply boar his pale blue coat and his dark wispy mane. He stood there, wringing his hooves with a towel, smiling at the young visitor.
“Yoh Seed, how’s it going buddy?” He asked as he tossed the towel back into the kitchen and strode into the living room.
“Hey Soarin’!” chirruped the young colt happily. Yeah Soarin’ had a very different kind of way of speaking, but it wasn’t much different to Mr. Spike, he was cool! He was always nice, he was funny, and was able to do the most amazing things ever in the sky outside! Everypony called him a ‘Legend’ which Seed understood, he obviously was a pony with unbelievable talent!
Soarin’ sank into the sofa joyfully. His head rolled back as he let out a long sigh of relaxation brought on by the soft cushions. Seed waited, this was the usual around this house. Either of the supposed ‘Adults’ who lived here would tend to do this exact thing nearly once a day... Each!
Soarin’’s head now rolled to one side to look at the colt who still stood reasonably close to the doorway. “Well, you can come in, I’m not gonna bight.” He laughed, and so did Seed, who sauntered further into the room. He walked past a large open fire, its logs weren’t lit, but the smell suggested it had only been put out sometime in the past day or two. Soarin’ began to speak as Apple Seed admired the many knickknacks that littered the mantle above.
“So, I’m guessing you want Thor?” He asked, now rising to his hooves.
“Uh-huhhh.” Seed confirmed absentmindedly, not realising what he was saying as he stared at a small necklace of gold set with a red Lightning bolt ruby, ‘is that Rainbow’s? Doesn’t look like her kind of style!’ He thought to himself.
“Ok hold on a second.” Soarin’ walked over to a door closed to the rest of the house. He leant against it and wrapped hard. “Thor! Get your butt outta bed! Seed’s here for you!” It was then that Seed realised what he had done.
“Nononono! Wait! I’m sorry! I was sent here by my mom for Rainbow!” He rushed trying to fix what he had done. Soarin’ raised an eyebrow at the colt, he then looked to the door he had just yelled through, and then back at the colt. “Hehehhh, Sorry?” The young pony laughed nervously. Soarin’’s eyebrow dropped and he smiled to show he was joking. He swaggered back over to his seat and slumped back down.
“He needed to get out of bed anyway.” He smiled as he fidgeted to get comfy on the seat. “Sorry kiddo, but Dash’s out at the moment, think she was helping Fluttershy with something. Why what’s your mom need?” He perked up suddenly checking everything was alright. “It isn’t too vital is it?”
“Nah,” The young colt waved his hoof aside. “Not this second. Mom just wants Rainbow to delay that big storm commin’ by a couple of days.”
“Aaaaahhhh.” The Pegasus said knowingly, settling back into his seat. “She won’t mind that, she loves storm control. She’ll be happy to do it! THOR! GET UP!” He suddenly shouted to the closed door again.
Apple Seed couldn’t help but laugh. Thor was his best friend, and Soarin’ and Rainbow’s son. To say he was lazy would be the understatement of the millennia! That is, until he got up, then you could never stop him, he’d run, climb, fly, jump, wrestle, do pretty much anything if it took energy. He made no sense at all sometimes! Being so lazy, and yet so energetic, it... was unusual!
Finally the two in the living room heard movement from the room beyond. The door opened, and out stood Thor. He was a Pegasus (obviously with two Pegasus parents), with a jagged and vibrant aqua mane set against his burgundy coat. Though he had only been able to fly for the past year and a half, he had already discovered his love for the sky, and his talent at weather manipulation. Because of that talent and passion, he now bore the image of a single storm cloud on his flank. It suited him, both his whole demeanour, and his name.
Thor had been exactly like his parents from the moment of his birth, he was brave, loyal, and loved to show off. In fact, he had been born the same year as Apple Seed, so when the two friends Rainbow Dash and Applejack introduced the two colts, they became fast and furious friends very easily.
Thor yawned and rubbed his eyes dozily, still in the twilight realm of sleep and consciousness. He took in the room, his father lounging on the sofa, the same old mess along the floor and... He noticed Apple Seed. Immediately, all tiredness seemed to evaporate from him. He lowered himself, ready to pounce giving an evil little smile. “Here for a rematch I see!” He chuckled. Seed smiled back, and assumed the same position as his friends, preparing his toned farm legs to propel him at his friend at the slightest bit of notice.
“I seem to remember that yesterday, I won.” The copper colt purred back at his friends challenge.
“Ehhh, lucky shot.” said Thor, waving the comment aside with ease, locking eyes with his best friend. “This time, I won’t hold back.” He finished. The two stared at each other for a moment, and then the atmosphere was shattered, as Soarin’ burst out laughing on the sofa.
The two colts stopped. They straightened up and watched the stallion with confusion; all elements of their tussle gone in a flash as they watched Thor’s father as he chortled loudly in his seat. “You two!” He laughed. “You two are too much like your mothers!” he patted his knee repeatedly as his laughs died down. He shook his head in amused disbelief, at the unbelievable comparison from these colt’s and to the rivalry between Applejack and Rainbow Dash that spanned for so many years!
“Daaaad...” moaned Thor, in protest at the embarrassing comment. “We’re not... we’re just...”
“Foolin’ around.” finished Apple seed. Soarin’ stood and walked behind his son.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You just don’t realise how similar to your parents you actually are!” he laughed again as he planted a hoof behind his sons rump and pushed him playfully towards the door. “Go on then, the two of you! Don’t go messing up the house...” He looked around to the messy surfaces, and the clothes occasionally scattered along the floor. “More than it already is I guess.” He finished bemusedly.
Thor and Seed made their way to the door. Seed was now free to do whatever he wished, he’d done his job. Now the day was his. He smiled at his best friend. Ok, the day was theirs! The two colts opened the front door and tore off into the town, Apple Seed headed for the library and Thor soon followed from above as she shot into the morning air, heading to call on their third close friend, and to also get Apple Seed’s book.