Thunderlane was impressed. He had never seen something quite like what he was looking at. Sitting on the same cloud that Soarin's home was a pillar of fog easily twice the height of the house it was covering. Thunderlane was floating midair wondering how Soarin' had managed to keep the fog from spilling off of the cloud. He glanced over to see Spitfire rubbing her temple.
She sighed. "Well... he seems to be taking this well."
She dove down into the fog. Thunderlane stayed in the air for a moment then followed Spitfire into the fog. He entered it and slowed himself until he felt the more solid surface of the cloud. His vision was limited to barely a few feet ahead of him. He had to give Soarin' some credit. He knew how to make a good, thick fog.
He yelled into the fog. "Spitfire! Where are you?"
Her voice reached him from off to his left. "Over here. I'm on his porch."
He made his way slowly over to her. As he drew closer to where her voice had reached him a shadow loomed out of the fog. He realized that the shadow was Soarin's home and moving near the home was the smaller shadow that he knew was Spitfire. He drew closer and was able to better see her. She was walking along the wall, poking it with her hoof every other step.
The grey stallion walked next to her. "What are you doing?"
She glanced at him then motioned for him to come closer. He drew close and she leaned in so she could whisper in his ear. "I'm looking for the spare key."
She pulled away and continued to poke the cloud wall. She came to a stop. "Aha! Found it."
Her hoof went through the cloud and she pulled out a small bronze colored key. She walked back to the front door and unlocked it. She quickly went back to the small hole in the wall, placed the key back, and covered the hole with a small tuft of cloud.
She winked to Thunderlane. "Shall we check on the damage?"
They walked into the house and made sure that they shut the door. The first thing that they both noticed was that the entire house was dark. Not a single light was on and all of the curtains had been drawn. Spitfire walked through the darkened house and searched for a light. The second they both noticed was the shrill cry that came from the kitchen.
Spitfire found a lamp and turned it on. "What in the name of..."
She was staring at the eagle standing on the cage sitting on the table. She walked closer to it and reached out to touch it.
The eagle gave another cry, a much softer one, and leaped onto her leg. Thunderlane walked closer to the Wonderbolt captain but stopped when he heard a noise from up above him.
He approached the stairs and listened closely. "Is that music?"
Spitfire placed Shade back on the cage and walked over to Thunderlane. She listened with him for a moment. "Green Hay... Basket Case. Well at least he’s not listening to Equestrian Idiot."
They walked up the stairs and followed the music to the closed door.
"... Sometimes I give myself the creeps, Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me, It all keeps adding up, I think I'm cracking up, Am I just paranoid? Uh, yuh, yuh, ya"
They opened the door as the guitar blasted out of the speakers in the room. Thunderlane was impressed with what he saw. Soarin' was bench pressing well over five hundred pounds worth of weight and was lifting one hundred pounds of weight with each of his wings. Spitfire walked over to the sound system and turned it off. Soarin's head snapped to the intruders and placed the weight back on the bench.
He sat up and started to remove the weights from his wings. He took a drink from a water bottle sitting next to the bench. "What are you doing here?"
Spitfire gave him a deadpan look. Soarin' got up from the bench and walked over to the calendar. He marked some numbers down and looked over at the yellow pegasus.
His ears pinned at the stern look she was giving him. "You read it huh? I guess it was nice while it lasted but by now she's already read it and now she'll hate me."
He grabbed a small towel and wiped his forehead. "Thanks for trying but I guess I was never meant to have a special somepony." Spitfire walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder. He looked her in the eyes.
She gave him a confused look. "Why would this change anything? She's a nice mare and I'm certain that a little article won't change how she feels."
Soarin' shrugged her hoof off of his shoulder. "She'll believe that article like every other pony has. You should have seen them on the street. They were all glaring at me and... they all thought I was some sort of... of..."
He trailed off as he failed to find the word that they thought he was. He sighed and walked past Thunderlane into the hallway. Thunderlane let him past but stopped Spitfire.
He raised his hoof to stop her protest. "Let me try talking to him."
She bit her lip and looked uncertain. "He's not very open to many ponies. He needs someone he can trust."
Thunderlane gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You always tell me he's like a brother to you. If we’re going to make this work then that makes him family to me as well. A little stallion on stallion talk should help him."
Spitfire sat there for a moment still biting her lip. Thunderlane gave her a confident smile and she felt herself blush. "I hate it when you smile like that."
His smile grew mischievous. "Last night you had no issues."
Her blush deepened. "Just go talk to him."
Thunderlane gave her another quick kiss on the cheek and walked down the hall to the room he assumed was Soarin's bedroom. He was proven right when he opened the door and took a few steps into the rather bare room. He looked around and spotted Soarin' laying on his bed, his gaze to the ceiling
He cleared his throat to get Soarin's attention. "Hey, do you mind if I talk to ya for a moment?"
Soarin' sighed. Thunderlane took that as a sign that he could. "I, uh, noticed the bird downstairs. Was that a gift from Fluttershy?" Soarin' nodded. "That was really nice of her." A small pause as the grey weather pony hoped that the Wonderbolt on the bed would talk. When he did Thunderlane walked into the room a little more and looked at the poster.
He looked at Soarin' again. "I worked with her a couple of times on the weather team. She seemed really nice."
Soarin' sat up on the bed. "She's a wonderful mare. The nicest I have ever met and I don't deserve her—"
Thunderlane smiled as he cut Soarin' off. "I know that feeling. I feel the same every time I look at Spitfire. How could I measure up to a famous Wonderbolt?"
Thunderlane took another quick glance at the poster on the wall. He realized that it was signed by the entire band. He looked back at Soarin'. "And you know what? At first I thought I couldn't, but after some time with her I came to realize that she felt the same way about me. She thought I was too good for her."
Soarin' was about to talk but Thunderlane lifted his hoof to silence him. "I read the article. I understand that it hurt you, and it hurt me too, but I know that it was filled with complete crap. I've known you for a few weeks now and I can tell that you would never do that to anypony. I know for a fact that Fluttershy will believe you when you tell her that it's all a lie."
He took a few steps closer to the bed. He noticed some movement in the door way and saw Spitfire with the eagle. He nudged Soarin' and pointed to the door.
Shade flew over to Soarin'. "A gift like that isn't the sort of thing a pony gives unless they really care about you and you wouldn't be so beat up over this if you didn't care about her. Just tell her how you feel and she'll trust you."
Soarin' pet the eagle as he looked between Spitfire and Thunderlane. "What if she believes the article? What if she does think I'm just using her?"
Spitfire walked into the room and joined Thunderlane's side. "Then tell her the truth, tell her that you love her and that you would never do anything like that to her. If she doesn't believe you then she lost out on getting to know the kindest stallion I have ever met." She quickly smiled playfully as she looked at the slightly hurt look on Thunderlanes face. "Don't worry Thunder, you’re the sexiest."
Thunderlane puffed his chest out at the complement then returned his attention to Soarin'. "Next time you see her just talk to her. Simple as that."
Soarin' nodded. "Simple... right."
Soarin' landed in front of the small tree cottage, his stomach fluttering as he felt something he wasn't familiar with. He was nervous, not the kind of nervous that he felt when he was in public or about to perform. This was the kind of nervous that bordered on fear. He swallowed his fear and adjusted the tie of his suit. He approached the door and knocked.
He heard a faint noise like a pony squeaking in fright and a moment later the door opened. Soarin' found himself once more under the effects of a feeling he wasn't used to, this time he was speechless. The front of Fluttershy's mane was almost the same as every other time he had seen it but had small green flowers clipped onto it. The back of her mane was done into a tight bun and had small green threads that looked like vines intertwined in it as well as the small flowers. She was wearing a tight fitting mint green dress that seemed vaguely familiar.
She wore something similar at the Grand Galloping Gala. His mind was filled with images of that night as he recalled her as a rather crazed mare screaming at small animals. Her dress then was a darker shade of green and was in a much worse state than the more slim dress she was wearing now.
He tried his hardest to stop the stupid grin from spreading across his face but failed as he gave a small cough. to regain the use of his vocal cords. "Wow... you look amazing. Now I kinda feel under-dressed."
He gave a weak chuckle as she blushed at his complement. "Thank you." She walked out of the cottage and closed the door behind her but not before Soarin' caught sight of a small white bunny giving him a death glare. This image lasted only a second as the door closed. Soarin' returned his attention to the beautiful mare next to him. She was stretching her wings as she turned to him with a forced smile.
He shook his head. "We’re not flying to Canterlot. I thought we could take the train."
She folded her wings in. "The train? Oh, okay. I guess that's fine."
Soarin' unfurled his wings and gave her an apologetic smile. "Well... we will need to take a quick flight to the train station but after that we can walk for the rest of the night."
Their flight to the train station was short and silent. They landed down on the platform and drew the attention of a few of the nearby patrons but this lasted for only a second as the trains whistle sounded in the distance. Fluttershy let out a terrified squeak and jumped to Soarin's side. He looked down at her and gently wrapped a wing around her. If this is the last night we share together before she leaves me for lying to her, then I'll make it a night she can look back on with a smile.
Fluttershy looked up at Soarin' then took a step away as her cheeks grew red. The train came to a stop and she started to walk to one of the boarding doors but Soarin' stopped her. He motioned for her to follow him. They walked towards the back of the train. Soarin' walked up to one of the conductors and showed him a pair of tickets.
The conductor smiled and motioned for them to follow him. They reached the final car on the train and opened the door for them to board. Soarin' helped Fluttershy up into the car then followed her in and they both took a seat in the empty car. It was very similar to the car Fluttershy and her friends had ridden in when they traveled to Appaloosa. However this one only had two occupants.
Fluttershy looked around. "Where are the other passengers?"
Soarin' rubbed the back of his neck. "I booked this car for us." She turned her head sharply with an almost shocked look. "I upgraded all of the other passenger’s tickets to better seats or another train."
Fluttershy gave him a small smile. "That was nice. Did it cost you much?"
Soarin' shrugged. "Wasn't cheap but was worth seeing you in that dress. You really do look amazing."
Fluttershy blushed more at the compliment. "You look nice too. I really like the suit. I hope I'm not over dressed for the restaurant."
Soarin' shook his head. "You'll be fine."
As the train pulled out of the station they fell into an awkward silence. Neither one of them could build up the courage to say anything or to even look at each other for more than a few seconds.
After almost ten minutes of silence Fluttershy took a deep breath and bit the bullet. "Soarin' I need to talk to you about something."
Soarin' felt his heart stop for a moment as he feared the question that he was expecting. He looked over to her. "Yeah."
She looked him in the eyes. "That magazine you threw away, was it the one with the article about us wasn't it?"
Soarin' nodded. For some reason his voice failed to work. Fluttershy pressed on. "Why did you try to hide it from me?"
Soarin's eyes fell to the floor of the train. Now was the moment where his life came crashing down. "I... didn't want you to see it. I thought that you would believe it and then this would have to end."
Fluttershy lifted his head so she could look him in the eyes. "I just want to know the truth. Is any of what that article said true?"
He shook his head. "I would never do anything like that to anypony. That's why I hid it from you. I knew that you would believe it and now this happy week has to end. I guess this dinner will be the la—"
He was cut off by the yellow lips meeting his. For a brief moment he froze in shock then melted into the kiss. Fluttershy pulled away and half her face became hidden behind her mane.
Soarin' gave his head a quick shake. "I thought you would be mad and never want to see me again." In his almost panicked state of mind he touched his lips. “Why did you kiss me?”
She only smiled. "All I needed to hear was the truth. If you say you would never do that then I believe you." She moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. “And kissing you was the only way to shut you up.”
The rest of the evening didn't matter to Soarin', all that mattered was that he knew that the article hadn't destroyed the most precious thing in his life. He nuzzled Fluttershy as the train rolled on to a dinner they would enjoy. He knew that the next challenge would be introducing her to the family but he pushed the thought aside. For now there was only being with this spell binding mare.