Chapter 2: Reunion of Old Friends.
Before Twilight or Spike could ask who this new pegasus was, Rarity made some sort of a squeal of happiness before jumping up and down for joy. She then proceeded to trot over to Sky Fire, her eyes sparkling with admiration. Spike folded his arms in annoyance as she did so.
"Oh, Sky Fire! It's been faaar too long since I last saw you! You must let us know where you've been all these years!" Rarity said, her grin spreading to each of her ears. Before Sky Fire could answer her, she hugged him around his neck with both of her front legs.
"Ack..." He gasped, barely able to form a sentence as her squeeze tightened. "It's...good...to...see...you...too...Rarity!"
"Let him breath, Rarity, before you suffocate him would ya?" Applejack asked, walking up from behind Rarity.
The self proclaimed diva gasped as she Sky Fire go. He took in a deep breathe of air before coughing a little bit. Sky Fire grinned a little bit as he shook his head.
"Someone's still got a strong grip apparently." He joked. Applejack snickered some as Rarity gave the work pony an annoyed look. Fluttershy slowly plodded up to him after Rarity let his neck go.
"H-Hi. Its been awhile." She spoke quietly, earning a smile from Sky Fire.
"It has been," He said, "I can see that you've grown some more as well."
Fluttershy gave a tiny smile. Before either could continue the conversation, Pinkie Pies suddenly jumped out of no where onto Sky Fire's back. Bouncing up and down again and again, nearly pushing him straight into the ground.
"OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD ITS YOU! ITS REALLY REALLY YOU!" She exclaimed loudly.
Sky Fire's eyes began to roll in his head with each jump until eventually Pinkie stopped jumping on his back. With a grunt he pulled himself out of the hole, eyes still swirling around.
"Still hyper active, Pinkie?" He asked, shaking his head.
"What else could I be?"
The other girls, save for Rainbow and Twilight, giggled at Pinkie's answer. Rainbow said nothing as she smirked at the sight of Sky Fire. Spike just looked around, before turning to Twilight.
"Uh...what's going on?" He asked.
Twilight nodded in agreement. She turned back to Rainbow with the same confused look Spike was wearing.
"I have to agree, who is this guy, Rainbow?"
Dash's smirk faded as she turned to Twilight and Spike.
"This is Sky Fire, one of our old friends. We used to hang out all the time before," She shot a dark look at him, "He just UP AND LEFT for YEARS without bothering to TELL ANY OF US!" She turned to Twilight and Spike again, "But beside that, he's a good guy."
Sky Fire smirked as Rainbow turned to them. He slowly walked up to her before tapping his front left hoof.
"I see that you haven't changed a bit," He remarked, "Then again, I didn't expect you to change much, if not at all."
Rainbow gave him a dark look as she turned to meet him head on.
"Oh look whose talking! Not five minutes back and you're acting all high and mighty." She said.
"You're one to talk. I've been gone for sometime now and I at least thought you might have matured a bit."
"I've matured plenty!" Rainbow snapped.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Prove it!" He smirked.
"Ugh!" Rainbow groaned, butting her head against his. "You're still the same bossy pegasus that you were five years ago!"
Sky Fire's eyes narrowed as he pushed his forehead against her's.
"And you're still the same egomaniac that you were when we were just fillies!"
"I'm sensing some bad blood..." Spike whispered to Twilight.
"Aw you're sensing nothing," Applejack said as the group walked up, "This is just how they usually act around each other anyway."
Twilight blinked before turning to the conflicting pegasai. There was a brief moment of silence between the two of them. Then both ended up cracking up in each other's faces. Twilight let out a sigh of relief as Rainbow whipped her eyes with her front right leg.
"Ha ha, it's great to see you again, dude." She said.
"Heh, likewise." He smiled, "I've been away for far too long."
"Uh, hello?" Twilight asked, waving one hoof, "Are we ever going to be introduced?"
"Oh! Darling!" Rarity said, instantly by Sky Fire's side with glittering eyes, "Sky Fire, deary, this is Twilight Sparkle. She's from Canterlot and she's sooo talented!"
Needless to say, Rarity's actions were not unnoticed by Spike. He watched Rarity, then shifted his gaze to Sky, then back again to Rarity before narrowing his eyes,
"Grr..." He growled, clenching his fists in anger. A small spark of green fire came from his nostrils, setting his spines on fire. Twilight noticed this and tapped his shoulder gently.
"Uh, Spike? You're on fire..." She pointed out to him as she quickly used a small water spell to douse the flames.
Spike's anger suddenly diminished at Twilight's touch. Blushing in embarrassment before Applejack chuckled lightly as she patted his back gently.
"Easy their partner," She said, "Sky Fire's not interested in her. Though I do know who he is interested in."
Spike and Twilight blinked at her statement. Applejack just continued to smirk as they glanced over to Sky Fire.
"Wait, seriously?" Spike asked.
"Yup," Applejack grinned, "Though the two of them are too darn stubborn to even admit it."
Spike shrugged before turning back to Sky Fire and Rainbow. The two laughed some as Rainbow nudged him gently.
"Well, you certainly changed." She said, "Last time I saw you, you might as well have had your Cutie Mark replaced with the word 'ANGST' in big bold red letters."
Fluttershy squeaked at this as she whispered in her friend's ear.
"Uh, Rainbow, I don't think now's the time for that."
Dash paused for a few seconds, then sighed in defeat.
"Yeah, you're right." She turned to Sky Fire again, "But seriously, Sky, where've you been all this time. I...WE were worried about ya."
Sky Fire sighed before turning away a bit. A frown now appeared on his face.
"I know. I'm sorry I've been gone for so long."
Rainbow said nothing for only a few seconds. Then she hugged him with one leg gently.
"I've missed you, you big lug."
"...I've missed you too." He said with a smile, returning the hug, "All of you."
"Oh! You know what this means? A welcome back party!" Pinkie exclaimed, earning a good laugh from the group. When they were done laughing, Applejack turned to Sky Fire.
"Rainbow does have a good point though, Sky Fire." She said, "Why were you gone for so long anyway?"
Sky Fire shrugged before he glanced up towards the clouds, smiling lightly.
"Let's just say that I went on a very long trip that I really needed...for the most part it looks like you did well in my spot for the leader here." He smirked as his attention back to Rainbow, "Not that I doubted your leadership skills, my second in command."
"Watch it..." Rainbow growled as Fluttershy chuckles and Pinkie laughed happily.
"Second in command?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rainbow sighed. She knew that there was no point in hiding it from Twilight anymore. She turned to her with a gritted smile.
"Yeah. Long before you came here, Twi, Sky here was the leader of Ponyville's weather team." She explained, nudging him with her shoulder, "But I proved that I could be just as good as a leader, if not better."
"You keep telling yourself that, Dashie." He smirked. Eventually he laughed with her.
"Oh man, this is great! Super duper great!" Pinkie interrupted. "We need to get everyone! This will be the best welcome back party! Mr and Mrs Cake, Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, Scootal-"
"PINKIE!" Rainbow and Fluttershy suddenly shout cutting her off. Fluttershy meekly looked away.
"Er, that is, maybe you shouldn't announce the invites right now..." She suggested.
Sky Fire for the most part didn't seem to react to the name she almost blurted out, but smiled a little as he brushed his tail in front of Pinkie's nose.
"And I thought Dash was the only one who hadn't changed. It's good to be home." He said. Twilight smiled some as she walked up to him.
"Hello there, it's nice to meet you. I'm Twilight Sparkle." She said.
"Oh? The Twilight Sparkle?"
"Y-you know of me?"
"When you're the head student of Princess Celestia, word tends to get around quickly." He explained, "Specially if you're the one to free Princess Luna from her corruption."
Twilight scratched the back of her head with her hoof slightly, blushing from embarrassment. Applejack meanwhile smiled before she pulled Rainbow aside from the rest of the group. The work pony nudged her friendly slightly with her front left leg.
"So, Rainbow, he's finally back in town, you've been waiting years for his return ya know." She said.
"W-Well yeah, why wouldn't I?" Rainbow stammered, "I mean, you all really liked him." She smirked as she looked over at the group. "Especially Rarity."
Applejack smirked as she gives her friend a 'I know your secret' look. Rainbow's face turned a bit pink before she regained her sense. She glared at Applejack before leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"You are evil, you know that?" She asked.
"Aw don't be like that, sugarcube." Applejack snickered, "I'm just pulling yer tail."
The two of them rejoined the group as they began to have a small conversation. Sky Fire learned about everything that had happened over the last year before he came back. He almost burst out laughing when he heard about Rainbow wearing a dress, even to the Gala. As their story came to an end, he finally noticed Spike by Twilight. He lowered his head to the baby dragon to his eye level.
"A baby dragon, huh? I always thought they stayed in Canterlot rather than come to quiet Ponyville."
"Hey, I'll have you know I'm Twilight's main assistant." Spike said, folding his arms, "And my name is Spike."
"Spike eh?" Sky Fire examined him carefully for a bit before putting a hoof to his chin, "You look familiar for some reason..."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked, now confused.
"Ah it's nothing." Sky Fire said, "Probably my imagination."
"In any case, it's great to have you home again, partner." Applejack said, smacking him on his back, "We sure did miss you."
"So did I." He said, "I even missed you painful back smacks".
Applejack smiled as she gave him another smack on his back. Sky Fire bit his lip to swallow the pain, Applejack always did pack a powerful punch to her friendly smacks. Rainbow smiled as she walked up to him.
"Say Sky, me and the gang are having a little shindig picnic a month from now. Wanna come with?"
Applejack smacked her forehead with her front hoof. Rarity blinked in shock as Fluttershy gasped. Pinkie just jumped up and down in one spot as Twilight watched in amusement. It was very unlike Rainbow to offer such a thing to anyone, especially since their picnic was only for their own group. But then again, Sky Fire was one of her oldest friends along side Fluttershy.
Sky Fire raised an eyebrow at his friend's personal invitation. He obviously was not expecting it from her.
"I'm invited to an all girl picnic eh? That's new of you to do, Dashie girl."
"H-Hey, what can I say?" Dash looked away some, hiding a blush, "We've all changed a bit over the years."
Sky Fire thought about it for a few seconds, then smiled as he gave her a nod.
"Sure, why not? It's been awhile since I had a regular lunch and picnic anyway." He flapped his wings some, "I just hope that the cloud home I have wasn't rented out, or else I got no place to stay."
"Oh oh oh!" Rarity starts, but Applejack places a hoof over her mouth.
"Don't even think about it, diva gal."
"Uh, yeah, about that..." Dash looked a bit uneasy, scratching her head with one hoof, "See, you were gone so long that the Cloudsdale Committee assumed you had moved on to a new town, so they...gave the place to me."
She looked at him, lighting up.
"But you can room with me if you want. I'm pretty sure there's enough space."
He blinked at her personal invitation. Did she really just invite him to stay in the same place with her? Just how long had he been gone? The Rainbow Dash he remembered would have never offered someone to bunk in a big fancy house before. Then again, Rainbow did say that they did mature over the years. Sky Fire eventually smiled.
"They thought I moved? I thought I gave the order to them that I was only going away for...oh whatever. Sure, Dash, that'd be nice. Race you there?"
She smiled back.
"You bet." She said, flapping her wings and flying up to him.
Fluttershy chuckled before turning to the rest of the group.
"So, how long do you think it will take before they both...realize it?" She asked in a hushed tone. Applejack smirked at the question.
"I give it about three days, how about the rest of ya'll?" She glanced to Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rarity, who was still heart struck at the return of their old friend. Twilight cleared her throat to get Rarity's attention. She blushed before she shaking her head.
"Oh! I'm sorry girls!" She hastily said.
Pinkie put a hoof to her mouth. Entering a deep thought process before turning to Applejack.
"Ummmm...I dunno." She admitted, earning a groan from the work horse. Spike shrugged his shoulders at the question.
"I think I'll go with what Applejack said. I'm a baby, and even I could read her feelings."
Fluttershy chuckled.
"Well...Rainbow never was subtle." She said.
Twilight chuckled as the two pegasai flew away. She had to admit that while it was odd to see Rainbow act like this, it was a nice change from the tough tompony who usually caused havoc whenever she got excited. What surprised her the most though was her inviting him to their picnic, especially after her last incident with her old flight school bullies/rivals from Cloudsdale.
"This should be interesting to see play out..." She mused.
To Be Continued..