“That was a great practice every pony, keep up the good work, and no slacking off and that goes for you too, Crash,” Spitfire shouted, pushing her sunglasses down and staring directly at Rainbow Dash.
“Yes ma'am” Rainbow Dash murmured quickly raising her hoof against her forehead in a salute. A drop of sweat trailing down her face.
“Ah come on Spitfire be a bit easier on her. She's new and all, you can't expect perfection on the first day." Soarin said, putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder, winking.
Rainbow blushed, tilting her gaze away from Soarin. She felt her heart pounding against her chest, standing this close to him, feeling his hoof on her. She starred up into the clouds, eyes darting back and forth.
Soarin had removed his hoof from her shoulder, and walked off beside Fleetfoot and Spitfire heading towards the locker room to get showered and cleaned up.
"Are you coming Crash or just going to stand there all day long with your head in the clouds?" Spitfire asked, raising an eyebrow, her sunglasses tilted down. Any good leader always ensured the well being of their team mates, especially a rookie like Crash.
After all if you didn't have it in you emotionally, then any actual drills would be affected by it, and despite her role as leader, she did care about her recruits. She walked over to Dash.
Rainbow Dash tensed up a bit as she looked to Spitfire. She wasn't sure how to respond to her statement.
“No madam, I was um... admiring the beautiful weather we're having today. The Pegasi must be hard at work, though I still could've done it faster” Rainbow stammered, glancing around, eyes darting left and right. Rainbow blinked at Spitfire's dull stare, shrugging after a short moment and turning to the locker room."
Heading into the locker room, she felt her wings tighten against her barrel with Spitfire right beside her. She swallowed a breath and rushed right for the showers... Rainbow stepped under the stream, the hot water soaking through her fur. Standing there letting it wash away the grime and gunk from her workout; felt soothing... Closing her eyes, she reached for the washcloth lathering it with the fresh spring soaps, applying it to her body. Rainbow sighed, a strangle tingling coursed through her entire being. "Hmm... this is rather refreshing." She whispered to herself.
Stepping out of the shower reaching for a towel, and quickly rubbing it against her face. Rainbow tossed it to the side, it landed right in the hamper.
"Hey there, Rainbow. You did a great job today." Soarin empathized, giving her a love tap to her shoulder blade.
"Especially for a rookie, if you ever need advice, don't hesitate to ask!"
Rainbow jerked back, stuttering aloud. "Um, yeah... I'm totally awesome like that. Wasn't worried at all!" Her eyes narrowing as she took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
"Well, see ya tomorrow." Soarin said, waving to her as he trotted out of the locker room to head home for the evening.
Rainbow gawked at him, watching his every move. The way he walked displayed confidence. Drooling at bit, she shook her head to get herself out of it. She looked over to her locker, a smug grin raising upon her lips. "I'm a Wonderbolt, I am finally a Wonderbolt. This is the BEST day ever." Rainbow said, quickly surveying the room to make sure no one else was there, she let out a shrill of delight.
Rainbow held her head high, as she walked out of the locker room, spreading her wings out to each side. Staring up at the sky, she couldn't stop grinning. Flapping her wings against her body, she soared up into the horizon to head back home, and tell Tank about her day. Though, maybe not about crushing on Soarin.
"I can't believe I'm crushing on Soarin! What will I do?" Rainbow asked Tank laying beside her as she scooted herself deeper underneath her cloud blanket. Wrapping both her hooves around Tank, and pulling him tightly to her chest, she murmured aloud. "I could ask Rarity... it's not like she's never crushed on some pony before... "
Rainbow shook her head, and tilted her head back onto her floofy cloud pillows, groaning. Admiring the paint on her ceiling, covering her eyes with her hoof. "Ugh. What am I going to do about it?" Rainbow asked.
Tank let out a long yawn, before settling his head down onto his small feet. Closing his eyes and settling himself into the covers.
Rainbow heard the rapid raise and fall of her heartbeat, as it pounded against her chest. Letting out the breath she'd been holding, puffing up her chest. "I'll be fine, it's just a crush, it'll go away. I just can't let any pony know, and I'll be fine. No pressure whatsoever." Rainbow exclaimed, swallowing a breath.
She felt Tank nuzzling against her, as she snuggled her frame around him, enveloping her pet more into her embrace. Rainbow tossed and turned as she struggled to sleep. Her whole body covered with beads of sweat when she awoke in a stir shouting .
"SOARIN!" Rainbow yelled, eyes blinking as she slowly began scanning the room. She was in her bedroom, Soarin wasn't here, and she was alone. Yet, she couldn't stop thinking about him. That was it, she needed to consult some pony, but who?
"Oh my gosh... I really am crushing on him. What should I do?" Rainbow asked, feeling Tank nuzzling against her with his head, budging against her repeatedly. Rainbow blinked, looking at Tank. "What the matter Tank? You hungry or something?"
Tank opened his mouth wide, before closing it and yawning. He then curled back into his shell.
"It's daylight! It's not time for sleeping you silly turtle." Rainbow scoffed, rolling her eyes. Getting up from the bed, and stretching out her limbs, she had to think. "Who do I know, that would understand my um... problem."
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth, while she considered each of her friends. Narrowing her selection down to Fluttershy or Rarity. "Fluttershy won't judge me for crushing on any pony, but she's not the best at romance... Then again neither am I. Rarity's my best bet. Great."
Rainbow Dash stared at her door, reaching up to grasp the handle and head out for another day. She stood there, and found herself frozen. Her whole body wanted to move, and yet she trembled. "What if this isn't just a crush? What if I really like him, like him?" she asked herself.
Silence.
Shaking her head, she scrambled to open the door, making the handle clack as she fumbled to get outside, and shot up into the air. Flying straight for Ponyville, no matter how she looked at it, her best bet was talking about it, even if she had no clue what she should and shouldn't say.