//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Golden Crests and Apple pie. // by Swagg //------------------------------// Soarin slipped out of bed with a huge, happy yawn. Feeling well-rested and pleased after a good sleep in, he stretched out and took a moment to pop a few stiff vertebrates in his back. His bed-mane swished wildly out of place as he sat up and shook his sleepiness away. Looking at the dusty mirror hanging on his wall, he shrugged nonchalantly and made no attempt to fix his bed-mane, before beginning the casual trot down the flight of stairs his home so proudly displayed. To anypony else, this was more of a mansion than just a mere cloud-house. It was big and roomy, and what little furniture he had was much larger than it needed to be, especially in the living room. But even so, it left lots of space for knicknacks like pictures and trophies to be scattered about. He hadn't done much with the place since he moved in about a year ago, mostly because he was hardly ever in here anyway, and he didn't get many visitors aside from family or the obligatory annoying reporter. Spitfire would drop in every now and then, primarily to inform him about any changes their group had for upcoming shows, but that was about it. In fact, if it weren't for Soarin's hired sleep-in butler, Stuffy, the place would have been past the point of 'trashed' by now. Speak of the devil. As Soarin stepped into his beloved kitchen, he spotted the old blue-maned grey stallion walking past on healthy legs with the usual collar and tie hanging from his neck. He appeared to have just finished tidying up the mess Soarin had made not three hours ago- all for a messy burger, too. "...Oh! Good afternoon, Master Soarin. Would you like some hay-fries to go with that mess?" Soarin chucked to himself as he sat himself down at the large table, grinning in amusement. Stuffy was quite strange to say the least, and hard to wrap one's hoof around. While he simply insisted on calling Soarin 'Master' all the time, he would never let down the odd opportunity for a humourous joke or an admittedly stupid comment here or there during the day. He was also the best pony to go to when you needed advice. It was like he had an answer for everything! Soarin loved him for it. Stuffy was so trustworthy, he might as well have had the word "trustworthy" tattooed onto his forehead. "You know, on any other day, I might've just taken you up on that offer, Stuffy." The Wonderbolt replied, balancing on the back legs of his tipped chair and leaning back, his own back legs crossed over the table. He closed his eyes and that grin never left. "But, you just make something for yourself, I got plans for today." Stuffy shot a quick glance through the window of the destroyed kitchen. "...What's left of it, you mean." He replied. Soarin easily picked up on his butler's attempt at hiding an accusing tone. Really, they were more like roommates than boss and employee. Soarin waved a hoof in the air dismissively. "Eh, I felt like sleeping in. Did I tell you Spitfire let me off for the week?" He raised a quizzical brow at the grey stallion. Maybe he'd had too much punch or something last night, because he honestly couldn't remember if he'd mentioned anything at all. The butler looked surprised. "Oh? What lead to this sudden act of kindness?" the old pegasus asked, moving to make some breakfast/lunch. Part of his job was free food and sleeping arrangements; it was an awesome gig that paid pretty well for someone like Stuffy, a pony barely inching towards his retirement. But life with the young, fun-loving and cocky Wonderbolt had defiantly brought a great new perspective of life to the butler's eyes, and he'd grown to know and love this colt as if he were long lost family. "She said I needed a break." Soarin replied to his question rather quickly.... almost too quickly. Stuffy's curiosity grew. "Don't you have some practicing to do?" he asked, retrieving some salad leaves from the well-stocked refrigerator. "It's not that important." "What about the show in Canterlot? Surely you cannot perform if you have not properly mastered the routine?" Soarin sat up, opening his eyes fully. "They can do it without me. Besides, Spitfire said I needed a break. You know, get away from the public for a while? Think she was right too, I haven't had any time to myself since that hell of a party she threw for the coach." He chuckled at the memory. "He got totally smashed that night! And he had the cheek to tell all us other hung-over ponies to shuddup and do some laps the next morning!...Jerk." Soarin laughed. Stuffy just chuckled at him, like he always did, the faint memory of Soarin's hung over breakfast came to mind as he cooked. A comfortable silence flew over the two after a while, Soarin thinking about and re-remembering some forgotten memories. Stuffy's pan spat and crackled as he tossed in some freshly cut carrots, making some kind of vegetable stir fry. Steam from the odd mixture softly rolled up into the quiet oven fan above. Aside from the brunch-making, Soarin's house was essentially quiet, until a loud knock at the door caught both ponies' attention. Stuffy trotted over to answer it, but Soarin beat him to it. The famous young colt opened the door curiously, finding a familiar grey mailmare hovering at his doorstep, struggling to hold up a heavy sack of letters. Soarin had seen this mare around often, although he couldn't recall her name. But, he always remembered the crossed eyes and cheerful grin she always seemed to have. He smiled at her, even though he had no idea if her gaze was locked on him or the ceiling lamp. "Mail!" she chirped happily, dumping the large sack at his hooves. Soarin didn't look all too surprised at the huge sack meant for him; he got one almost every week, but his casual expression became confused as the grey mare rummaged around in her smaller pouch, then handed him another letter. It had an official Wonderbolts stamp and logo on it. He raised a brow, even more confused as he took it. Spitfire was always the one to update him regularly; she was like an older sister, so getting a letter from her instead of her showing up in-person just seemed...weird. Grabbing some spare change he always leaves on a small stool next to the door, he happily handed a large amount of it to the grey mare and looked the curious letter over while she left. He didn't even regard the sack on the ground, which was obviously fan-mail, and closed the door. A few seconds later, he reopened the door and took the sack inside. "Stuffy." Soarin called, throwing himself on the living room couch lazily to open the letter. Stuffy's greyish/blue head peeked around the corner. "Yes, Master Soarin?" "When you're done with eating or whatever, can you take this sack up to the room?" The colt had a distant look in his eyes as he waved a hoof in the general direction of the sack. "I'll deal with it later." Stuffy nodded to confirm his understanding and disappeared again. Once he was gone, Soarin's emerald eyes greedily scanned the open letter word-for-word. His curiosity quickly turned to excitement. When he'd finished, he read it over again, more carefully this time, and an excited grin flew onto his soft features. "YES!!" The old pony in the kitchen dropped his pan in fright, startled by the sudden shout. --- 'Ughhh... Finally' Rainbow Dash found herself a spare moment to actually flop down and REST on her super-soft cloud couch. It was four hours from noon, and after spending the whole day keeping an eye out for rouge storm clouds and filling out boring reports, she was exhausted. ...Man, Featherwing owed her, Big time! Her entire body ached with stiffness, and all she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. But, yet AGAIN, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, another thing jerked her away from her almost-achieved slumber. A knock at the door. Her magenta eyes snapped open and she glared at the ceiling, growling violently. She rolled off the couch and fell to the floor with a barely audible 'thump'. Cursing intensely under her breath, she stomped to the doorway, her hoofsteps unfortunately giving her no audible satisfaction; clouds made no noise when stepped on. Her sour mood did nothing to influence a positive response to whoever the idiot at the door was. No matter who it was! She opened the door, her gaze hot enough to melt iron. "WHAT!?" Silence. Nopony was there! She looked around, but couldn't see anyone in the sky either. Did somepony SERIOUSLY just prank her?! Turning to go back inside and slam the door with enough force to shatter all the glass in Appleloosa, she felt a soft crunch under hoof as her back leg stepped on something. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted a letter, creased and folded slightly from her small trampling. It was a very light shade of blue and was face-down. She picked it up and turned it over. Her eyes almost popped out of her head, her enormous rage disappearing like rainwater down a storm drain. This wasn't just ANY letter! It was from the Wonderbolt Spitfire herself! Dash tore it open as quickly as possible. ~Dear Rainbow Dash, How's it hangin' down there in Ponyville? I know you must be really excited to get this letter (probably tore it open at first glance) But don't think me and the other 'Bolts have completely forgotten about you! After all, you did do a Sonic Rainboom AND saved three of our lives, Dash. May I call you Dash? Anyway, I've just taken a break from training and decided to deliver to you the good news myself, instead of having some boring desk pony do it in a language neither of us understand. Soarin, our youngest 'Bolt, is taking the week off from flying. He'll be heading down your way for a bit. Though we're still yet to hear HIS response to our request, the other Wonderbolts and I agree to have him observe and train you. How's that for a head start to the upcoming tryouts? You've already got a hoof in the door, Dash. Xx Spifire.~ Rainbow Dash's jaw was on the floor. But by the time she finished, she'd already let out a huge fan-filly squee from the pit of her stomach, and all tiredness and thoughts of sleep left her brain immediately as she catapulted herself into the air, performed an Immelmann Loop, and sped back towards Ponyville to tell all her friends the awesome news. --- A/N; Bloody Spitfire and her sneaky ways, eh? xD Turns out I still don’t write very big chapters