For once, Rainbow was the first to awake. And she was busting.
She poked Soarin' awake. "Whu...?"
"Soarin', I need to go take a leak."
Soarin' blearily stared at her before collapsing. "Then why are you telling me?"
"We're gonna be stopping soon, and I was gonna get you to watch the stuff, k?"
"K..."
The carriage's wheels screeched to a halt and the door opened, dropping a set of stairs into the dirt. "AlrightseeyaSoarin'watchthestuff!" She immediately dashed out before she could hear his sleepy reply, and took to the sky. "I'm back here..." She eyed the duster-wearing stallion bothering two mares, whom she recognised as Lyra and Bon Bon from Ponyville, with Soarin''s mother walking up behind him, steps full of duty.
She was about to intervene, but common sense and her bladder wanted her to get going. She glided down to the toilet area and nearly broke open a cubicle door.
Skipping the whole time in the cubicle, she stepped out, feeling refreshed. She spotted Sunbright dragging Duststorm off, though she stopped to wave at her. She waved back, and trotted over. "Morning, Sherriff."
"Morning, Miss Dash."
"What's she doing here?" Duststorm growled.
"Just going for a pit-stop." She smiled, flicking her tail casually. "But don't you have anything better to do than to bother innocent ponies?"
"Innocent?" Duststorm raised an eyebrow. Sunbright facehoofed and mumbled something like 'darnit, here we go again'. "As you can plainly see, they're-"
"Two ponies deeply in love." Rainbow interrupted. "There's nothing wrong with love. Just because they're two mares doesn't make a difference at all."
"Yes it does." He eyed her up and down. "It isn't acceptable."
Rainbow sneezed. "Sorry, I'm allergic to nonsense."
Duststorm's eye twitched. "Watch your manners, dyke."
"Dyke?!" Rainbow screamed. "I'm completely straight!"
"Oh really?"
"Not that there's anything wrong with being a lesbian, but I'm not one. I'm just a tomboy." She smiled. "In fact, I actually have a coltfriend."
"You do?" Both of the two ponies said, and apparently Lyra too when the she and her partner walked up to see what was going on.
"Yeah, I do. His name's Soarin'."
The reactions were mixed. Sunbright was initially stunned, but obviously happy. Bon Bon gasped, almost unbelieving that it was possible. Lyra stood on her hind legs and did a hoof-pump after the initial shock. Duststorm was still skeptical. "Can I see this 'Soarin''?"
"Give me ten seconds, I'll see if he's awake." She dashed off back to the station by way of wings, and was very much surprised to see Soarin' standing on the platform. "Hey Soar!"
"Hey Dash!" He greeted her as she alighted in front of him. "I've locked the room, don't worry."
"Cool. Whatcha doin'?"
"Going to see mum and tell her the news about... well, us."
"I saw her on the way back, and I... may have already told her, sorry."
Soarin' smiled. "Well, that'll save some time. Where to?"
"Follow me." She kicked into the sky and waited for Soarin' to follow. The two set off back to the four ponies and landed in front of them. Before Soarin' could get his bearings Sunbright tackled her son, squealing congratulations, much to the Wonderbolt's embarrassment. Duststorm looked for an escape route, and just as he was about to dash off Lyra grabbed his tail in a gold aura.
"No you don't!"
Sunbright released Soarin' from his grip and trotted up to Duststorm. "Soar, Rainbow, you're welcome to come by in a little while." She turned to Duststorm. "Duststorm, this is your last warning. Do this again, and you'll be punished far more severely."
"Stuff like stocks? I wanna smash an apple onto his stupid face." Lyra grinned, earning an elbow from Bon Bon which only made her laugh more.
"We'll see." The two ponies trotted off, leaving the four ponies there.
"Oh, I've gotta introduce some ponies. Soarin'," She pointed at the mint-green unicorn. "This is Lyra," She moved her hoof to the beige earth pony. "And Bon Bon."
"H-hi..." Bon Bon replied shyly, still shocked at the presence of a famous pony in front of her.
Lyra, being the... strange... mare she was, immediately stuck out her hoof and shook his vigorously. "Hey! My name's Lyra Heartstrings."
"Soarin' High." He replied, voice somewhat shaken due to the force Lyra was applying.
"These two are sorta-friends of mine." Rainbow spoke up. "Sorta because we don't know that much about each other aside from the obvious."
Lyra nodded, then turned to Bon Bon. "You ok?"
"Fine, honey." Bon Bon replied. "Just not used to... such famous company."
"Eh, he's just a pony like us." Lyra grinned, wrapping a hoof around the beige mare's neck. "If anything, Dash is the more unusual one." She paused for a moment. "Oh, and you owe me ten bits."
Bon Bon rolled her eyes and passed her a sack of bits. "For the record, you're the strangest one here."
"But seriously, this is awesome. I mean, I always knew you weren't completely gay, Rainbow, but this settles the argument."
"Argument?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, me and Bons made a bet on whether you were a lesbian or not. I won the bet."
Soarin' chuckled. "Is it really that important in Ponyville about knowing another's sexuality?"
"A bit." Bon Bon raised her hoof and made a rocking motion with it. "It's mostly a curiosity/friendship thing. If you know a friend's sexuality, it makes it a lot easier to help them find a partner."
"Not that I had to do that." Lyra added, nuzzling Bon Bon's cheek.
"What about that date Pinkie-?"
"Doesn't count."
"But-"
"Doesn't. Count."
Bon Bon rolled her eyes again.
"Well, we should get back to what we were doing, and stop holding you up talking to us." Lyra said. "Bons, you can go on ahead, I'll be right over."
The beige pony nodded and trotted off happily.
Lyra turned to face them. "How long have you two been together?"
"About two days, why?" Rainbow replied.
"Right, word of advice: Don't restrict your lives around each other. You're two separate ponies, with your own individual lives. And be yourselves." She placed a hoof to her chest. "I mean, if you have to hide yourself for somepony you love, then you're not really good for each other."
Rainbow smirked. "I'm always me. It's what ponies find so awesome about me."
"Likewise." Soarin' added.
Lyra smiled in reply. "Good. Well, best of luck to you, and may winds be in your favour." She turned and trotted off merrily.
Rainbow blinked. "Soar?"
"Yeah?"
"Did she just use an ancient pegasus farewell?"
"At least it wasn't a unicorn one."
Rainbow smiled. "That's kinda cool. Ok, let's go have a chat with your mum."
An hour later, the two left the sheriff’s office.
"Your mum seemed pleased."
"That's an understatement." Soarin' grinned. "Well, the train's gonna be leaving soon. We should get going."
"Yep. Race you there?"
"You know we're just gonna argue about who won."
"Unless I beat you."
"Or I beat you."
Rainbow smirked. "Well, let's see who will then."
The two ponies took off gently to begin, reaching an altitude that wouldn't damage anything or pony with the backlash.
"On three."
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three!" Both yelled and took off. In less than ten seconds Rainbow had landed in front of the door to the carriage, Soarin' a split second behind.
Surprisingly, when Rainbow opened the door, Soarin' flew directly into the carriage and opened their cabin door, and before Rainbow could react properly he had stretched himself over the seat.
"I won." Rainbow said proudly as she entered, though inwardly not as sure.
"We never said the door to the carriage was the finishing point." He smiled.
"Ah, but we never said we'd make the cabin seat the finishing point either." Rainbow replied matter-of-factly.
"Touché."
Rainbow took a seat on the opposite side of the cabin. "So, it'll be a good while before we reach Ponyville station. Any ideas for boredom relief?"
"Well, there's reading and napping as the basics." He sat up. "There's... well, kissing too, but we don't have to do that if you don't want to."
Rainbow thought for a moment. "Well... I'm up for the latter, and we'll see how it goes."
Soarin' smiled and shifted to the other seat, wrapping his hooves around her. "After you."
Rainbow gently pressed her lips onto his. Soarin' replied with a stronger kiss, which Rainbow replied to that with poking her tongue through their lips. She allowed herself a smile as they continued, and fortunately uninterrupted.
After some very... vigorous... kissing they decided to go with Option 2, which was napping. Of course, they couldn't sleep, not after all that, but simply enjoyed each other's company.
The train screeched to a halt, and a conductor pony trotted through, announcing their stop of Ponyville. The pegasi unravelled each other and grabbed their gear, heading out of the carriage. Rainbow smiled as she recognised her home town, taking to the familiar air. Soarin' followed quickly.
"So, Dashie, where to?"
"Well, I think we should head to Cloudsdale, deal with the whole box thing. Then we can chill at my place."
"Sounds like a plan."
After a minute of flying, Soarin' paused.
"Hey, what are we gonna tell Spitfire?"
"Huh?"
"About us. She was planning to confess her love once she got her box back."
Rainbow hovered in place. "Well... Hm..." She shrugged. "Dunno. We could just improvise."
"That's a little dangerous, isn't it?"
"Probably, but it'd be better to tell her than to leave her in the dark."
"True."
The pair continued flying to Cloudsdale, eventually reaching the hospital that Spitfire was at. The vapourglass doors opened.
"Well, we're here." Soarin' mumbled, and trotted up to the front desk.
Rainbow looked around the foyer. There wasn't much, just health-based ads and similar stuff. She was brought back to reality when Soarin' tapped her on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's go."
The two took the stairs, which conveniently had a thermal machine to aid the flyers up to their level. Rainbow drifted in front of the door, and pressed her ear to it.
"...you, I'm ok to fly." The fire-maned Wonderbolt's voice could be heard.
"No, Spitfire, you have to stay here so that your wing can rest properly." A stallion's voice this time.
"But-"
"Please, Miss Spitfire." Fluttershy? "You need to rest. I'm sure that Rainbow will be back soon."
Rainbow, being the dramatic type she was, entered at that exact moment. "Hey guys."
She scanned the room quickly. There was Spitfire, fire mane still down, dressed in a patient gown or whatever they were called. The stallion looked like a nurse or something, wearing a simple uniform and trying to keep the Wonderbolt from flying out of the room and then falling due to her wing being damaged or gone or whatever happened while she was gone. And then there was Fluttershy.
"I'm back."
Spitfire turned to face Rainbow, and grinned hugely. "Rainbow, you're back!"
"I just said that."
Spitfire wrapped her hooves around Rainbow, drawing her into a big hug. Rainbow gave Fluttershy a 'why is she so huggy?' look, to which the yellow-coated pegasus simply shrugged.
"So, did you find the box?" Spitfire asked as she let Rainbow go.
Rainbow nodded, and set down the container and pulled out the box. "Here you go."
Spitfire grabbed the box and looked it over. "Seems to be in good condition." She opened it and rifled through the contents. "And everything's there. Yay."
"Good to see that." Rainbow smiled genuinely, then glanced at the clock. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I've gotta go."
As she turned to leave, Spitfire called out. "Wait a second." Uh oh. She turned around to see Spitfire almost literally in her face. Spitfire closed the gap, pressing her lips onto Rainbow's. It didn't feel quite right to her. She glanced at Fluttershy, who was silently gasping, then at Soarin', who was wide-eyed. Then she braved a glance at her wings, and saw that they were open along her sides, covering her cutie mark. Oh crap, emotional attraction. Spitfire pulled back slowly, looking into Rainbow's eyes. "I'm in love with you, Rainbow."
Rainbow gulped. Do or die time. "I think I knew that."
Spitfire smiled. "Then why didn't you do something... sooner..." Her smile dropped as implications hit her.
"I'm really sorry, Spitfire." She drew the Wonderbolt into a hug, tears welling up. "You're a great pony, but I'm simply not attracted to mares."
She felt the Wonderbolt going partially limp, especially her wings. "Damn..." She pulled back, wearing a bittersweet smile. "Well, it could be worse..."
"Don't think about how it could be worse." Rainbow comforted her. "At least, if things go right, you'll have me as a sister."
Spitfire looked up, then between Rainbow and Soarin'. She let out a single laugh. "Well, at least that's something." She started laughing more, and Rainbow joined in.
"Besides, I know a pony who likes you." She stood up, offering a hoof to Spitfire. "A mare, too."
"Don't tell me, I want to find out on my own." Spitfire, now full of her usual confidence, replied. "If I like them back, it's all good."
The nurse cleared his throat. "Well, while this reunion is nice, I believe it's time for Spitfire to get some rest. That means you too, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy nodded and walked to the door, following the two out. She turned to face Spitfire and gave a shy wave, and giggled slightly when she got a reply. As she turned to go she spotted Rainbow eyeing her wings.
"Fluttershy's got a crush on Spitfire~" She teased.
"D-Do not!" Fluttershy yelled back before covering her mouth out of fear that she was being too loud.
"Well, we've gotta get going. Wanna grab some lunch, 'Shy?"
Fluttershy, still thoroughly embarrassed, nodded, and followed the two of them out to the sky.
Three months later
"And that's when we returned to give the box back." Rainbow leant back on her chair.
Twilight smiled. "So that journey made you realise your feelings for each other?"
Soarin' nodded. "Lyra's advice worked, thank goodness."
"I told you it would!" Lyra's voice called out from the street.
"So, do you have a pony in mind, Twilight?" Rainbow rested her elbows on the mushroom-style table, leaning closer to the blushing unicorn.
"Well..." She tapped her hooves together. "I'm actually in indecision about that."
"From Twilightese to Equian, please."
"I have a few ponies I'm interested in."
"Oh?"
"Don't tell anypony about this, ok?" She leant closer. "One is Cheerilee."
"You mean Scoot's teacher?" She smirked. "Yeah, I can see why."
"Another is the dentist, Minuette Romona."
"Colgate, huh?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
"And obviously there's Big McIntosh, but what sort of mare wouldn't be attracted to him?"
"Fluttershy, Cloudchaser, Derpy, Redheart..." Rainbow muttered.
"I have calculated that... Well, I'm not going to bore you with the details, but his body has the right ratio to nearly everything."
"Putting science to attraction." She clapped. "Congratulations, Twilight, you just applied science to everything possible."
"Don't mock me, Rainbow." She took a sip of her tea. "You don't want me to mention your embarrassing secret at your wedding, now do you?"
"You mean the one where she-" Soarin' grinned.
Twilight smirked. "That one, yes."
"Guys, cut it out!" Rainbow waved her hooves around. "Ok, I'm sorry I mocked you, but I have to admit its kinda fun."
"Apology accepted, though to take some care next time."
"So which one are you going for?"
"As in my interest ponies? Well, I did put them in order, so probably Cheerilee if at all."
"Awesome." Rainbow smiled.
The three ponies continued eating in silence until Fluttershy alighted next to them, seeming full of joy.
"Hey Flutters."
"Hello. Mind if I sit here?"
Twilight telekinetically pulled a seat out. "Go for it."
Fluttershy sat down, smiling slightly. "So, how's everypony?"
"I'm great." Rainbow grinned.
"I'm pretty good." Soarin' replied.
"I'm better than I was a week ago." Twilight replied. "How are you?"
"I'm doing wonderfully." She hummed.
"What's got you in such a perky mood?" Rainbow asked.
"Oh, nothing."
"Come on..." She smirked.
"Alright, I may have... asked somepony out."
"Who'd you ask?"
Fluttershy mumbled something.
"Pardon?" Twilight tilted her head.
Fluttershy mumbled at a slightly higher volume. Slightly.
"Out with it, 'Shy."
"I... I asked Spitfire out..."
Everypony looked at her in surprise. "Seriously?"
The shy pony nodded. "And she said yes."
More silence.
"Stop staring at me like that."
THE END