//------------------------------// // Backfire // Story: Running Late // by FlashFoward //------------------------------// “Are we there yet?” Pinkie asked in a dull tone. “No.” Spike replied. “Are we there now?” Pinkie asked. “No.” Spike repeated. Pinkie waited a few moments before asking again. “Are you sure we aren’t there?” Pinkie asked. “Pinkie, we just started flying.” Spike said with a heaving sigh. His patience was wearing thin. “This is taking too long. I bet my “secret” equipment can make this balloon get to that theater within minutes!” Pinkie whined. “What is this “secret” equipment anyway?” Spike asked a hint of curiosity in his voice. “Well,” Pinkie took a box from out of nowhere “I rather show you.” Pinkie popped open the lid of the box and Spike noticed what looked like fireworks inside. They were of many varying sizes in colors, though mainly pink. “These are fireworks?” Spike asked, obviously bemused Pinkie would use such a thing. “What, no. That would be dangerous!” Pinkie replied. Oh good, she actually has a sense of safety. “Okay then, what are these then?” Spike asked, picking up one of the projectiles and examining it. “There rockets silly!” Pinkie answered with a giggle. Spike was about to ask why on earth she had rockets and where she gets them, but he knew his questions would be in vain. The exploits of Pinkie were for her knowledge and hers alone. Pinkie gave out a load yawn and her eye’s started to droop lazily. Go figure, Pinkie actually sleeps. That or she must have been bored out of her mind. Spike went to the edge of the basket and looked down to look at nothing in particular. Everything looked so small and tiny. Clouds were floating lazily about and everything seemed so much calmer up here. Spike’s mind began to wander from the scene in front of him to other things, Octavia to be exact. She was a topic that constantly drifted into his mind whenever he had time to think. Not to mention, he had his fair share of dreams about her as well. Yet, his dreams no longer had him being a super macho grown up dragon to impress mares. No, it mostly was just him playing his piano while Octavia lay on top of it. Her light purple eyes just started at him admiringly as he played his piano and once he was done, she would give him a kiss on the cheek. Oddly enough, his cheek felt a warm burning sensation whenever she kissed him on the cheek. It was almost like she was actually kissing him on the cheek for real. But then he would wake up, disappointed to see the lack of a gray mare near him. That wasn’t the only thing Spike felt disappointed about when waking up from his fantasies. He always expected…more. Lately, Octavia has been kissing him nearer to the lips lately. He wanted nothing more than for her to finally kiss him right on the-. “Spike mind untying me?” Rarity asked, breaking Spike of his thoughts. “Wait, what?” Spike asked in confusion. “Can’ you see I am tied up?” Rarity asked impatiently, showing her hog tied hoofs to him. Spike looked at her hoofs for a moment. “I see nothing wrong.” Spike replied with a drawl. “What? Are you blind or something? This not the time for jokes Spike!” Rarity snapped angrily. Spike looked down at Rarity in pity. He couldn’t believe he actually was obsessed with her for a while. Here she was, flailing about and yelling at him to undo the ties. All her beauty was gone and was replaced with a look capable of knocking a poor pony out. Her mane was in tangles and her dress was wrinkling as she continued to struggle. Spike figured he might as well help her out; he wasn’t into her yelling at him that much. Blowing fire on one tip of the rope, the ties and knots curled and became ash before long. Rarity stood to her full height and began to dust herself off. “You could have done it more neatly. My dress is covered in ash now!” Rarity scrutinized. Spike had a moments urge to tell her that he wished he didn’t burn the rope off her. But, he knew getting in an argument in a confined space was never a good idea. It would have to wait. Rarity was busy dusting herself off while Spike returned to staring into the clouds. Spike wondered vaguely how it felt to sleep on a cloud. They looked to plush and fluffy. Clouds might offer the best night of sleep in ever, which sounded appealing to Spike. He really needed to ask Rainbow Dash that, after all she napped on clouds on a daily basis. The hot air balloon started to move noticeably slower and Spike guessed that Rainbow Dash was going to take a break. He was right. Rainbow Dash was flying back to the basket a little slower than her usual speed. When she finally got in the basket though, she started to whine. “Gosh, do you guys weigh a few tons or something? Moving this thing is hard!” Rainbow Dash complained. Pinkie bolted upright quickly. “You’re done flying?” Pinkie asked with a raised eyebrow. “Yep, I am not going to drag this giant balloon one bit anymore.” Rainbow Dash replied with finality in her tone. “It’s okay, I came prepared!” Pinkie said with her usual giggle. Soon, Pinkie strapped her rockets to the back of the basket and fooled around with the fuse. Before Spike could wonder how she would light it, Pinkie dragged him toward the fuse and pulled on his tail as hard as she could. Spike let out a yelp of pain, which was accompanied by a burst of fire. The green flames licked at the fuse playfully, which started to smoke and spark. Soon, the fuse started to wither all the way to the rockets. Spike started at the rockets, transfixed by what might happen next. Nothing happened. “I guess there duds. Guess we will be here for-“ Pinkie started to say before the rockets roared to life. The thrust coming from the rockets made the balloon move at break neck speeds. Pinkie’s face was stretched back, sticking her tongue out like a dog, due to all the wind and just pure speed rushing past her face. Rarity let out a yelp and stayed low to the basket’s ground as possible. Rainbow Dash at first tried to beat the balloons new found speed, but quickly gave up. “I could have beaten it, if I hadn’t pulled this thing beforehand.” Rainbow Dash bitterly mumbled to herself. At the rate this balloon moved, Spike felt he would make it more then on time to the theater. Octavia wouldn’t be disappointed with him and maybe, just maybe, she would reward him with coming early and… “Um, Spike?” Pinkie mumbled, poking Spike on the shoulders. “What is it Pinkie?” Spike asked, turning around and noticed how frantic and nervous she looked. “Well, how should I put this…?” Pinkie muttered softly. “Come on, just tell me.” Spike asked nervously. The fear in her face was contagious. “WE ARE CRASH LANDING!” Rainbow Dash yelled out. “WHAT?” Spiked blurted out. “The rockets are burning the cords keeping the basket attached to the balloon!” Rainbow Dash explained to a shocked Spike quickly. “Whoops.” Pinkie said bashfully. Snap “Um, what was that?” Spike asked nervously. “The cords finally gave up.” Rainbow Dash replied darkly, holding onto a scorched cord. The basket plummeted straight to the ground at break neck speeds. Rainbow Dash tried to fly underneath the basket and tried to push up on it to slow the fall. But, the basket was just too heavy and moving too fast to be stopped. “Pinkie, didn’t you say something about a parachute?” Spike asked quickly, nerves plaguing his voice. “Oh, about that…” Pinkie replied, hold out a backpack. She opened it to show to Spike and he saw there were only cupcakes inside. “Cupcakes?!” Spike yelled hysterically. “Sorry.” Pinkie replied sadly. “What do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked nervously. The basket was still too high to drop off from without risking breaking a few bones. Spike gulped and stared helplessly at his friends. Maybe it was better to have just walked all the way to Canterlot. At least then, Spike would know he would make it in one piece rather than fifty. The last thought going through his mind was Octavia. What would she do once she heard word about his crash landing? Would she be upset about his accident or angry that he failed to show? Spike took out his invitation and stared at where Octavia’s her kiss stain. It made him feel slightly warm and happy inside, even when the chance of death wasn’t all that far. With this letter clenched to his chest, Spike could almost feel Octavia’s warm kiss on his cheek.