“My ears are still ringing,” Rapidfire said loudly.
“That’s how you know it was a good show!” Rainbow said with a wide grin.
“You’re a madmare, you know that right?” Rapid asked, shooting Rainbow a flat look.
“If the music is too loud, then you’re too old,” Rainbow answered with a sagely nod.
“I’m not old,” Rapid pouted, folding his forelegs against his chest and pursing his lips.
Soarin’ and Rainbow shared a laugh at Rapidfire’s amusing pout. Spitfire had excused herself from the table nearly ten minutes earlier;where to exactly, she hadn’t said. Still, Dash didn’t feel any particular compulsion to worry just yet. Appearantly, neither did Soarin’ or Rapidfire, given that they were engaging in idle banter and watching the other ponies in the bar with mild disinterest.
“So, Dash,” Soarin’ began, “I take it you liked the show?”
“Hay yeah! Didn’t you?”
“Yeah, it was pretty good,” he answered.
“Woulda been better if Mallow hadn’t been trying to cop a feel every time we danced,” Rapid chided with a playful wink.
Soarin’s rolled his eyes. “Ignoring you now.”
“Killjoy,” Rapid grumbled.
“Anyway, Rainbow,” Soarin’ continued, folding his forelegs on the table in front of him. “There’s a couple things I’m curious about...” His words trailed off, leaving Rainbow a way out if she really wanted it.
“Yeah?” Rainbow felt a nervous sweat start to form on her brow.
“You’re one of the most impressive flyers I’ve seen in a long time. Your speed and acceleration are amazing; not to mention you’re the only pony in the world that can pull off a Sonic Rainboom. Don’t know about your endurance flying—”
“I’d be the one to judge that,” Rapid interjected.
“As I was saying,” Soarin’ continued, giving Rapidfire a solid smack across the back of the head. “I’m curious, Rainbow, what makes you want to be a Wonderbolt?”
Rainbow balked for a moment. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not even a little,” Soarin’ answered. “Everypony should be able to articulate why they do, or do not, want something.”
“Why wouldn’t a pegasus want to be a Wonderbolt?” Rainbow asked.
“Antipathy towards the military nature of the organization, no interest in repetitive formation flying, stage fright, or hay, maybe they just don’t like the uniform,” Rapidfire answered, his tone making it obvious that he was annoyed at being left out of the conversation.
“You can already do a Rainboom,” Soarin’ continued. “I’ve seen you do it twice now. Once at the Best Young Fliers Competition—where you saved mine, Spitfire’s and Misty’s flanks,need I remind you—and again at the Royal Wedding. That’s something no other pegasus is able to do, though certainly not for a lack of trying. From what I hear you’re also one of the best weather managers around. So I find myself curious, why would a mare with your extraordinary ability want to limit yourself to being just another Wonderbolt?”
Rainbow folded her forelegs across her chest as she considered the question. For as long as she could remember it had been her dream. No pony had ever asked her to justify it before. “I...” Rainbow began, her voice quiet, “I guess I’ve always lived for competition, you know? I always had to be the best at whatever I did. I need that challenge, that competition. And being a Wonderbolt means you’re considered good enough to fly with the best.
“I can’t just sit still and let the world pass me by. I need somepony who can keep me on my hooves and force me to get better with every race. I need that pony who can make me work for my victories. And hopefully I can push them to get better too.”
Soarin’ gave Rainbow a warm smile. “That’s a good attitude to have, Rainbow.”
“R-really? Thanks!” Rainbow said with a grin.
Soarin’ nodded his head. “I look forward to flying with you someday, Dash.”
Rainbow’s cheeks flushed pink from the compliment. She gave Soarin’ a sheepish smile as she rubbed the back of her head. Before the conversation could continue, Spitfire returned, a noticeable bounce in her trot.
“Hey guys, what’d I miss?” Spitfire asked.
“Nothing really,” Soarin’ answered. “Rapid and I were just about to head out. It’s getting late.”
“Your marefriend called me old,” Rapid said, feigning a pout.
“I said if the music’s too loud, you’re too old,” Rainbow quickly added.
Spitfire pulled Rainbow into a sidelong hug. “This here is a smart mare, Rapid. She’s got a point.”
Soarin’ chuckled and mussed Rapid’s mane. “Come on, Gramps, let’s get you back to the old folk’s home. I hear they have pudding cups for snack time.”
Rapid glared daggers at Soarin’. “I hate pudding.”
“Well, that’s your problem,” Soarin’ said with a nod.
“You’re older than I am.”
“I swear to Celestia, you two should just rut and get it over with,” Spitfire interrupted with a snicker.
Both stallions glared at Spitfire, who simply offered them her most innocuous smile in return.
“You are sick in the head, Spits,” Rapid said after a moment of silence.
“It’s a dirty job, but somepony’s gotta do it,” Spitfire retorted with a nod.
“Anyway,” Soarin’ said, desperate to derail the conversation, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Spits. Don’t forget your appointment with Triage.”
Spitfire gave Soarin’ a crisp salute. “Sir, yes sir.”
Soarin’ blinked several times. “Never do that to me again. It’s... creepy having you call me that.”
Spitfire laughed out loud. “I’ll see you in the morning, boys.”
Both Soarin’ and Rapidfire saluted her before they trotted away. Rainbow waited for a moment before she turned to Spitfire.
“Who’s Triage? Is everything okay?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah. Triage is the Chief Medical Officerfor the Wonderbolts. He’s just gonna take a look at my wing. Nothing to worry about.” Spitfire answered, a warm smile on her lips.
Rainbow nodded slowly. “Okay. So, what do we do now?”
Spitfire’s smile widened to a broad grin. “Well, Dash, how would you like to meet the band?”
Rainbow sputtered, her eyes growing to the size of small plates “W-would I!” she exclaimed.
“C’mon,” Spitfire said, motioning for Rainbow to follow her.
Both mares trotted to a door near the side of the stage where a very intimidating earth pony was standing. Recognizing Spitfire, he gave a curt nod before stepping aside to let them pass. Rainbow kept close to Spitfire as they passed him.
“How did you manage to set this up?” Rainbow asked after a moment.
“Being a Wonderbolt has a few perks,” Spitfire said. “I found the manager of the club and had him ask their manager if I could speak to them for a minute. He let me in and I asked if we could meet them and hang out for a bit. They agreed in exchange for a few backstage passes for our next season. I guess that pegasus mare, Skysong, is a big fan.”
“That is so awesome!” Rainbow squealed.
Spitfire grinned and slipped her good wing over Rainbow’s back. After winding their way through the dimly lit hallway for a few moments, the two came to an open room lined with posters of hundreds of bands. The posters completely covered the walls and ceiling forming unique, and nearly overwhelming, wallpaper. In the corner nearest the door that Spitfire and Rainbow were standing in was a refrigerator and a fake hibiscus tree.
In the opposite corner, Rainbow spotted two griffons and the pegasus mare. The griffon she assumed was Kale had the acoustic guitar in his lap and was playing a blues groove by himself. Sky was leaning against his side, her eyes closed as she bobbed her head in time with the music. The other griffon, Niko, was sitting not too far away from them sipping a hot cup of tea. It was Niko who spotted Spitfire and Rainbow first.
“Ah, there you are!” he said as he set his teacup down. “Come in, come in! Make yourselves comfortable. Sorry it’s only just the three of us for now, Kick Bass went to get some food.”
“It’s cool. Thanks very much for letting us meet you guys,” Spitfire said, leading Rainbow in. “It’s very exciting.”
“The feeling’s mutual!” Sky chirped as she sat up, a fanfilly grin on her face.
“Easy there, Sky,” Kale chuckled, setting his guitar down.
“Quiet you,” Sky said, lightly bopping Kale’s beak.
“Don’t mind my little brother,” Niko said, “he’s thoroughly whipped. It’d be cute if it wasn’t kinda pathetic.”
Rainbow giggled. “So you’re really married? It not just, like, some show act?”
Sky nodded. “We’ll have been married for twelve years in a few weeks.”
“Congratulations!” Spitfire exclaimed.
“Gaaaaaaag,” Niko moaned loudly.
“Juuuuuust jealous,” Kale replied with a chuckle. “Anyway, I’m Kale Grivridge. Pleased to meet the both of you.”
“And I’m Sky Grivridge, it’s so cool to meet you Captain Spitfire,” Sky said.
“Likewise, Sky,” Spitfire said before motioning to Rainbow. “This is my marefriend, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat from being introduced as Spitfire’s marefriend. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the term; quite the opposite, in fact. It was more that until now, it had only been used in the private company of just herself and Spitfire. To Rainbow’s surprise Kale, Sky, and Niko didn’t even bat an eyelash from the term. Instead Sky looked even more excited about something.
“Oh, oh, I’ve heard about you!” Sky said.
“Wh-really?” Rainbow balked, her face reflecting her surprise from the notion.
“Hay yeah, you’re the mare who did the Sonic Rainboom! My family was at the Best Young Flyers competition when it happened. That is so awesome!”
Rainbow felt her cheeks burn again, having been reminded about that same incident twice in less than an hour. She felt Spitfire’s wing give her a light hug.
“Say,” Spitfire began as she waved a hoof between Kale and Sky. “How did you two get together anyway? It’s not exactly common for ponies and griffons to hook up.”
“That was my fault, actually,” Niko said with a laugh. “Kale and I were in our first band and doing a tour of the eastern Equestrian seaboard.”
“Well, that had been the plan at least,” Kale added.
“Yeah,” Niko nodded, “see, our keyboardist at the time was expecting his first kid. And the kid came right before we were supposed to go on the tour. He wanted to be there, and I was kind of a donkey about it and told him that his kid could wait a couple months while we did our tour.”
“Mom tried to teach him tact,” Kale added, jerking a thumb in his brother’s direction. “It never took.”
The mares in the room shared a chuckle while Niko made a lewd gesture in Kale’s direction.
“As I was saying,” Niko continued after a moment, “I acted like a donkey and he—with good reason, I might add—told me off and quit. So there we were, down a member and on our way to Baltimare. I talked to our agent and asked him to look around for a local musician we could use to fill in temporarily until we found a replacement back home.”
“That’s when I crashed the party,” Sky interjected.
“Made quite the impression on me, after a while,” Kale said with a laugh, wrapping his arm around his wife.
“Well, long story short, at the end of the tour I told her to take her money and bugger off,” Niko explained. “Kale told me that he wanted her to stay on full time as our regular pianist. We had a big fight as the band kinda exploded in spectacular fashion.”
“Kale and I started touring small clubs as a duet for a while, playing acoustic sets only,” Sky said.
“Those were pretty good times,” Kale nodded in agreement.
“So, uh, how’d you two become an item?” Spitfire asked.
“It just kinda happened, really,” Sky said with a shrug. “We got really close in the time we were together, and he made me happy. Took him a long time to work up the nerve to ask me out officially, though.”
Kale blushed a little as he laughed, pulling Sky into a tender nuzzle. “In fairness, I was scared of her for a while.”
“What for?” Rainbow asked.
The question earned a loud laugh from Niko.
“That was my fault again,” Niko admitted. “I was mad at her for something stupid during the early part of our tour. So one night when we were all eating dinner, I told her that I wouldn’t keep anyone in my band who refused to eat meat.”
“Which is when I swiped a piece of steak from his plate and ate it right in front of him,” Sky said. “I wish I had a picture of the looks on their faces.”
“What exactly is steak?” Spitfire asked.
“It’s the cooked muscle of cows,” Rainbow answered, a pallor having spread over her face.
Sky’s right eyebrow arched up curiously. “Now, how does a pony like you know something like that? Hang out with many griffons?”
Rainbow nodded. “When I was a filly I was best-friends with a griffon. She, uh, she dared me to try meat once.”
Sky slipped free of her husband’s grasp and flew over to Rainbow. Sky sat in front of the younger mare, her turquoise eyes full of understanding.
“Did you try it?” Sky asked, her voice soft and motherly.
Rainbow nodded.
“Swallow it?”
Rainbow nodded again, her hoof digging at the floor uncomfortably. Sky pulled her into a gentle hug. Spitfire’s wing slipped free of Rainbow’s back to allow the action.
“Were you able to keep it down?” Sky asked.
“Yeah,” Rainbow answered quietly.
“You did better than me then. Later that night Kale found me puking my guts out and sobbing.”
“Not most flattering look, hon,” Kale said, smirking in amusement.
“Do you know what meat it was?” Sky asked.
“Chicken, I think,” Rainbow answered after thinking for a minute.
Sky nodded. “Well if it makes you feel better, chicken’s much easier to eat than cow is.”
“You mean you’ve eaten it more than once?” Rainbow asked.
“Well, I did marry a griffon,” Sky motioned to Kale. “I kinda got used to one or two things that ponies normally don’t do.”
“But chicken,” Rainbow shook her head, “how can you eat it?”
Sky hummed and pursed her lips as she considered the question. Eventually she simply shrugged. “What can I say, I like cock.”
Kale and Spitfire burst into gales of laughter while Niko buried his face in his palms.
“Too much information, Sky!” Niko moaned.
“…Maybe that’s why I didn’t like it,” Rainbow mumbled.
The off-hoof comment sent Spitfire, who was only just recovering, into another burst of uncontrolled laughter. Sky held out her hoof, which Rainbow was all too happy to bump.
“Say, how would you two like to hear a song?” Sky asked.
“Really, Sky, you wanna do this now?” Niko asked.
“What better time?” Sky replied. “We’ve been talking about an acoustic set for a while, might as well do some market research.”
“We’d love to hear you guys play some more!” Rainbow said, her face split into a wide grin.
“Hey yeah.” Spitfire agreed, panting and wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.
Kale picked his guitar up and followed Spitfire’s example, wiping the tears from his eyes. “What song are we playing, Sky?”
“Hmm,” Sky thought for a moment, turning to look at Rainbow and Spitfire, “how about ‘Wind on the Water’?”
“Works for me,” Kale said as he quickly checked his tuning.
Sky returned to her seat, half snuggling up to Kale. Niko disappeared into a backroom for a moment before he returned with his own acoustic guitar.
“Mind if I help out?” he asked.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sky said with a smile.
Kale began to play a soft melody with his talons. Niko soon joined him with an understated rhythm. Sky closed her eyes and ran a hoof through her mane as she got into the music. Spitfire turned to Rainbow, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth as she held out her hoof. “May I have this dance?” she asked, her voice warm and gentle.
Rainbow smiled back and nodded, putting her hoof in Spitfire’s. Together they held each other close as Sky began to sing.
“The wind on the water doesn’t go very far,
Just ‘round this old world forever.
And the way that I love you, it can’t last long,
Just until this life, this crazy life is over.
“I see myself in different ways today.
I’m on the outside, I’m just looking in,
Finding myself wanting nothing but to be with you again.”
Rainbow nuzzled against Spitfire’s neck, her eyes closed as their bodies swayed in time with the song.
“Rainbows come from the tears of the sun,
And I’ve heard it said by some: rainbows chase the rain, And the wind on the water can make your dreams wander;
Pictures in the sky come and take your mind away.
“This is just a short song to say: I hope to see you home again to stay—one day…”