Rainbow Dash and her teammates, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack had just changed back into their regular clothes and put their Blitzball uniforms into their duffle bags. Walking out of the girls locker room and toward the main entrance of Canterlot High they met up with Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer.
"Howdy Slammers." Applejack greeted her friends by their team name.
"Hey Zips." Sunset Shimmer greeted back, using Rainbow Dash's team name on them. "That was a great first coed Blitzball game."
"Yeah, it was so fun!" Pinkie Pie agreed excitedly.
"Congratulations on the win." Twilight Sparkle said.
"That was an amazing final shot you and Forest Thunder did in the end" Fluttershy added softly.
Rainbow Dash smirked. "Yeah, we were pretty awesome," Rainbow Dash said proudly.
"You and Forest Thunder make a great team." Sunset Shimmer said.
Rarity walked up closer to Rainbow Dash. "Yes you two are quite the couple" Rarity said to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity, surprised by her comment. Rarity giggled and patted Rainbow Dash on the shoulder.
"Sorry darling, I was just teasing." The rest of the girls giggled as well.
Rainbow Dash smiled and said "Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen."
As they turned the corner out of the hallway and into the front office of the building. Rainbow Dash and her friends heard somebody from behind them call "Hey, Rainbow Dash."
The girls all turned around to see Forest Thunder walking up to them quickly, like he was afraid he'd miss her before they walked out of the school. Forest Thunder was also out of his Blitzball uniform and back in his usual clothes, black shoes, dark green pants and a bright green hoodie with a picture of a dark green pine tree behind a yellow thunderbolt on the front. His neon green hair was still damp from the boys locker room showers.
Forest Thunder stopped in front of Rainbow Dash. "I didn't think you or your friends would still be here, the game ended over an hour ago." Forest Thunder said to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash looked at the clock on the wall next to the front desk. It was past ten p.m. "Wow, it is really late. How come you're still here?" She asked.
Forest Thunder gave Rainbow Dash an awkward smile "Ivory was going to drive me home but by the time I got my turn in the shower he had to leave early, I only just got out." He told her.
"How you gettin' home then?" Applejack piped up.
Forest Thunder's smile disappeared and he sighed "I guess I'm walking." he shrugged.
"Yeah, I'm walking home too," Rainbow Dash told him.
Forest Thunder's face brightened a bit. "Really, how about we go together, I'd like to have someone to talk about the game with me."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, uncertain, she scratched the back of her head and thought for a moment then said to Forest Thunder. "Sure, I wouldn't mind talking about the game some more." She said,
Forest Thunder's smile reappeared. "Great." he replied and opened the front door so they could exit the high school. Rainbow Dash took a step and then hesitated. Rainbow Dash turned to her friends, who all looked surprised by what just happened. Rainbow Dash gave them a shrug and waved goodbye before walking out the door with Forest Thunder.
The pale moonlit night sky greeted Rainbow Dash and Forest Thunder as they walked down the steps of the school, not saying anything until they passed by the wondercolt statue. Forest Thunder was the first to speak. "So, what street is your house on?" He asked Rainbow Dash.
My house is on Whitetail." Rainbow Dash told Forest Thunder.
"That's fine, it's only about five minutes away, and that street is on the way to my house." he said.
They stepped out onto the sidewalk and started walking their way to Rainbow Dash's house.
Rainbow Dash decided to bring up their Blitzball game."So, awesome game tonight, huh?" Rainbow Dash said, starting up the conversation.
"Yeah, it was pretty exciting, I had a great time, and it was amazing how many people came to watch us play it." Forest Thunder said back.
"Our story in the Canterlot Gazette's newspaper did give us a lot of supporters, and they all were pretty excited to see us play tonight" Rainbow Dash reminded him.
"True." Forest Thunder agreed. "But who would've thought that even Comet Chaser would be there watching our game?"
Rainbow Dash nodded and said "Tell me about it, after quitting the Canterlot High Blitzball team, I never would've imagined he'd show up at our school's first coed game, let alone change his mind on making Blitzball a coed sport." Rainbow Dash and Forest Thunder had reached the end of the street they were on and turned left onto Whitetail where Rainbow Dash's house was.
"Word's been spreading out about Comet's apology to you,how he admitted that he was wrong and that he's starting that Blitzball training league for girls at Canterlot High that you were talking about." Forest Thunder told Rainbow Dash.
"What can I say, I'm awesome like that." Rainbow Dash said proudly, as they reached her house.
"Yeah, I always thought you were awesome," Forest Thunder admitted. "And I knew that if there was only one person in the world who could get Comet Chaser to see how fierce girl Blitzball players could be it would be you, as strong, determined, inspiring and smart as you are. You're a very special person Rainbow Dash." Forest Thunder finished, looking into Rainbow Dash's eyes.
Surprised by the genuine sincerity of Forest Thunder's compliment, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but blush a bit. "Wow…thanks" Rainbow Dash said to Forest Thunder.
They looked at each other for a moment then Forest Thunder broke the silence.
"I gotta get home, I'm way past my curfew, thanks for talking with me, Rainbow Dash, see you at school on monday'' he smiled at Rainbow Dash, waved and walked away. Rainbow Dash stood there watching Forest Thunder until he was out of sight then went into her house.
Rainbow Dash quietly closed the front door behind her and crept up the stairs so she wouldn't wake up her parents. She entered her room, kicked off her shoes and changed into her pajamas.
After she was dressed she sat down on her bed and thought about what Forest Thunder had said to her before he left. He complimented her about being awesome, which is a compliment she's used to hearing from everybody, but after that he also called her strong, determined, inspiring and smart all at once, and he said that she was special too. Nobody at Canterlot High but her friends had ever given her a compliment as sincere and heartwarming as that.
During the Blitzball situation for the past few weeks Rainbow Dash's friends had been pointing out signs that Forest Thunder liked her. Rainbow Dash didn't think too much of it then, but now that Forest Thunder had spoken those words to her tonight, there was no more doubt.
"He really does like me." Rainbow Dash realized to herself.
She got into bed and pulled the covers up to her waist but she didn't lay down. Rainbow Dash thought more about the past few weeks with Forest Thunder, how they talked about Blitzball in class, how he stood up for her multiple times in front of Comet Chaser, their practices together and how they used their teamwork to win tonight's game. Rainbow Dash rested her head on her pillows and smiled,
"I kinda like him too" she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.