//------------------------------// // Meeting the Friends // Story: Starlight // by aynstainxpenelope //------------------------------// “Rainbow Dash,” I felt a hoof poke my back. “Wake up.” Soarin took the corner of my blanket in his mouth and pulled it off the bed. The cold air hugged my coat and I gathered into a tighter ball. “Five more minutes…” I muttered. “You told me to wake you up at eight, so here I am.” “Soarin,” I complained. “Lemme sleeepp…” “Nope.” And with that he pushed me off the bed. I fell on the marble floor with a thump, but quickly got up due to the fact that it felt like ice. “You’re unfair.” I sulked. “Your mane needs to be brushed.” He looked at it trying not to laugh. “Don’t think I’ve noticed that?” I snapped. “See! I told you your grumpy when you don’t get enough sleep!” He laughed and gave me a smirk. “Soarin!” I playfully tackled him to the ground. I stood over him laughing, and we locked eyes. “Am I interrupting anything?” I turned my head to look to where the voice came from. Cloudchaser stood there in the doorway trying not to laugh. I quickly stepped away from where Soarin lay on the floor. “Spitfire wanted me to make sure you're up,” She giggled. “Obviously you are, I’m surprised your wings aren't.” Soarin and I blushed. He looked at Cloudchaser with a cocked eyebrow. “Oh, come on. It’s obvious you’re a hunk and Dash likes you and you like her. Stop trying to deny it,” She trotted briskly out of the room. “Don’t forget it’s your free day.” She left us there both dazed embarrassed to death. *** We landed on the outskirts of Ponyville near Sweet Apple Acers. I breathed heavily, taking in the smell of apple blooms. Soarin gave a low whistle. “Sure is pretty.” “Yeah,” I laughed lightly. “Miss it.” “Bet you would.” He sighed. “I’ve always lived in Cloudsdale, and we go there a lot for shows. So I don’t really miss it that much. Kinda getting bored of seeing the weather factory, or the cloud pillars, the arena… I wish I had a place like this to call home.” I look at him. I see a piece of sadness in those emerald green eyes. “Cloudsdale isn’t that bad. I grew up there, it was nice. I wished I’d stayed there with my parents longer. Moved out when I was a month away from sixteen.” His eyes widened. “Sixteen? You moved out when you were sixteen?” I laughed. “Almost sixteen.” He laughed. We reached the bridge into Ponyville. Ponies greeted and welcomed me back as we traveled towards Twilights tree house. Nopony asked for Soarin’s autograph. Ponies in Ponyville were considerate, trying not to bother anyone else. He looked around with a glint of happiness in his eyes. He was about to say something when we were interrupted. “Hiya!” Derpy flew upside down in Soarin's face. “Aren’t you the Wonderbolt, Soarin?” “Yeah.” He smiled at her as she landed on the ground. She looked my way. “Rainbow Dash!” She gave me a hug. “I haven’t seen you in a million years! Last I saw you was at a Wonderbolt derby.” I looked at her confused. “Derpy, I’m not a Wonderbolt yet.” She cocked her head. “But-” She was cut off. “Ditzy! We must get going, 1987 is waiting for us, oh hello Rainbow Dash,” A colt with a green tie on and an accent trotted up to a confused Derpy. “Nice seeing you!” He trotted off with her scolding about how she ‘was about to reveal the secret’. Whatever that meant. We walked along laughing about Derpy and her weirdness until we reached the tree house library. I stood behind a tree with Soarin. “Well,” He asked. “What are you waiting for?” “Just you wait.” We stood behind the tree for a few moments until I was attacked by a giant ball of pink happiness. “RAINBOW DASH!” Pinkie Pie shouted engulfing me in a lung crushing hug. “My Pinkie sense told me that someone important was here hiding behind a tree and I knew it was you!” “Pinkie Pie,” I choked out as all of me other friends came out of the house. “I can’t breathe.” She let me go. “Oh right,” She giggled. “Sorry.” Soarin laughed at the pink pony’s antics. My friends came up to me and gave me a hug and hello. “So, guys, this is my friend Soarin.” I know I didn’t have to say that, they knew who he was, but now that he was my actual friend, I felt the need to introduce him just as a normal guy. “Is he your coltfriend?” Rarity asked.” I looked back at his blushing face. I’m sure mine was like that too. “No,” I said shaking my head. “No we’re just friends…” “Yeah,” Soarin added. “I train her at the academy.” Rarity frowned slightly. “That’s a shame,” She eyed us. “You’d look cute together.” Before Rarity could embarrass us any further Twilight cut in. “Well it’s nice to meet you! Is Rainbow Dash doing well there?” “Yup,” He smiled slightly. “She’s one of the top students. Almost a guaranteed spot in the group, but I wasn’t supposed to say that.” My friends laughed. “That’s wonderful to hear.” Twilight told him. “Well I better get going,” Soarin unfolded his wings. “I’m going to meet my parents for lunch.” “It was mighty fine meeting ya’.” Applejack tipped her hat. My friends agreed. “Bye Soar.” I told him. “Be back to HQ by one in the afternoon tomorrow,” He smiled hovering above the ground for a bit. Our eyes locked. “Bye Dash.”