A mare with ruffled flame streaked hair strode across an apartment that she had been renting for the past month or so, her wings gently swaying side to side. It had been a hard journey seeking her redemption, but in the end it would all be worth it she knew. She finally came to a simple wooden radio and promptly turned it on, tuning it to try to find something to listen to. Her lithe athletic figure covered only by a large blue Wonderbolt's sports jersey as she shuffled through the music.
"Come on!" she growled. "Where is the good music?"
She finally stopped on a station as a song started in with a strong piano line and the singer coming across just as powerfully. She smiled a light in her amber eyes as she headed for the small kitchen, it was about time she started her morning. First a stop at the coffee pot to get it churning, and then to get some form of food prepared for herself. The fridge offered her no sustenance though as she had been running short of funds to stock it with.
Since she had started rehabilitation, she had taken temporary leave from the Wonderbolts. Based on her contract this left her with a lump sum payment till she could work again. This part of her contract would be one of the biggest hurdles of her healing.
"Nothing in here again." the golden mare sighed. "What will I do for food today I wonder?"
Looking over to see the coffee pot churning out its liquid gold she shrugged. At least she could have her morning coffee, she would die without at least that much. As she turned to head back for the coffee pot a different sound caught her ears over the radio, the ringing of a phone. She changed her route and headed back towards her bedroom where the phone was located, a warm smile across her face.
The phone calls she had been receiving the past month had been her light as she fought the demons in her head. Those demons being her worst vices, which had almost cost her everything of true value in her life. Before, she had been living a partying lifestyle that lead her down a road of alcoholism, drug use, and sexual addiction.
Checking into rehabilitation had helped her to find out some of the reasons why she did this to herself, and lead to the most difficult treatment pattern to get back to her old self. Her apologies to every pony she had wronged would take dedication of the highest degree. She had to start with the last pony she wronged and work her way back from there. Little did she expect that within the first three she would find a new reason to fight, the one mare's words that impacted her most.
She picked up the phone and said, "Hello, Spitfire speaking."
"Hey there Spitfire." came a voice that was sweet music to the pegasus' ears. "It's Dash in case you've forgotten!"
She chuckled, "How could I forget you, rainbow butt!"
The fiery maned mare heard Rainbow Dash laugh on the other end before speaking, "So mornin' to you too! Anyways, how are you doing today?"
Spitfire sat on the bed softly, "Well I guess since I have my coffee I'm immortal, but without food or the bits for food." she paused. "I will have to find some temporary work soon!"
"Yeah you had better do that soon, wouldn't want you coming back a skeleton!" the cyan mare stated with a laugh. "Oh yeah! So Spitfire, who is next in your long list of apologies?"
She didn't even have to check the list her and her therapist had worked to make together to know who was next. The next entry was the one she knew would be hardest to redeem.
"Well Dash." she started laying back on the bed her legs hanging off. "It's the team actually. My final task before I can return to the doc's."
"What, and you're going into that on an empty stomach?" Dash shouted in surprise.
The golden mare sighed and sat back up, "Yeah, not much I can do about that sadly. But if it's the price I have to pay, then I'll gladly pay it."
"Wow." was the only reply she heard.
"What?" Spitfire stuttered in surprise.
Rainbow just laughed, "I never would have thought, that my words that day would have you going so far to change!"
The golden mare felt her cheeks heat at the veiled praise from the cyan mare. She knew she was attracted to the mare more than sexually that day she gave Dash her phone number. Yet, she had still resolved to not act until her own vices were put to rest. It killed her to resist the urge, but inside she knew that the moment would come for both of them. They both had their own pains to be one hundred percent at terms with first, after all, Applejack wouldn't be forgotten easily. Spitfire didn't want to tread on that pain in the least.
The quirky voice of Dash brought her back to reality, "Hey Spitfire, you still there?"
"Hmm, yeah. Sorry 'bout that Rainbow got lost in thought." she replied sheepishly rubbing her head.
"Well then, you must have missed my offer to treat you to breakfast then, didn't you?" Rainbow inquired.
The fiery maned mare's eyes shot open at this, and if she had had coffee in her mouth she would have just spit it out. The powers that be had thrown her one massive curve, and she was ill ready to receive it.
"D-Dash are you serious?" Spitfire stammered still trying to compose herself.
"Yeah of course I'm serious!" the rainbow maned mare declared. "I can't let ya go into your biggest hurdle yet at any less than one hundred percent!"
"I. Ah. Um." she fumbled through speech.
Dash laughed, "What is it that surprising." she paused before adding with humor, "Captain."
With the humorous tint to the mare on the other end of the call's voice Spitfire felt unsure of what to feel. Exhilarated or crestfallen. The Captain bit sounded sarcastic, but she couldn't be certain that was the meaning. In the end the Wonderbolt decided to leave it alone for now and just roll with the punches, for better or for worse.
"Well yeah miss full time waitress of a rock and roll sandwich shop!" she playfully jibed at Dash. "All matters aside though, where did you have in mind? You of course remember the distance between our homes right?"
Rainbow had noticeably stopped for a moment that Spitfire took as her blushing before she replied, "Of course I remember that, and in fact I will demonstrate that right now."
It was at the cyan mare's last sentence that a strong knock came at her front door. Was Dash serious, she hadn't even gotten dressed yet! She couldn't let her see her like this!
"So now you know I'm here, but I'll give ya a minute Spitfire." the rainbow mare sounded sheepish now. "I know I probably got here before you could fully get dressed."
"But how did you know? I mean how could you have planned for all of this?" the golden mare replied stunned.
"Well I just paid attention to how hard things kept getting for you as the days have gone by while we spoke. But really, I guessed at today possibly being one of your worst uphill battles yet." she said modestly. "Now come on Spits and get your flank movin'!"
With that Dash hung up her phone, and the firey maned mare did the same. She stood and jumped into the air raising a fist in triumph, feeling as happy as the day she was promoted to the position of Captain of the Wonderbolts. Now the thought came into her mind, But what should I wear?
Spitfire had to wear something that wasn't dirty, and something that was in no way too provocative for her meeting with the team afterwards. For a moment she felt like just going the provocative route for her breakfast with Dash, but she scolded herself for even having the thought. She strode over to her dresser to try to get some semblance of an outfit together.
It was a short lived experience though, her only clean clothes were very simple at first glance. A simple comfortable fit blue button up t-shirt, and a pair of denim jeans that if you looked closely you would notice were a little tight on her rear. She also combed her hair over for any knots, and flared it back quickly. As she began to head toward the front door she grabbed her official Wonderbolt captain's jacket. She had to anticipate it being cold on her return journey.
As she opened the door she was quickly blinded by the morning sun reflecting brightly off the rainbow mane in front of her. She hadn't seen Rainbow Dash for about a month now, and it was surprising to see the flyer had let her hair grow a little longer. She was sitting on the stairs to her apartment her back to the Wonderbolt. In fact looking at her friend, her overall physique looked almost entirely different. She looked to be entirely made of lithe toned muscle now, barely any trace of fat was visible on her.
The flame maned mare was so fixated on the mare in front of her that she wasn't paying attention to the door as she shut it on her own tail. With a yelp of pain she turned to remove her tail and try again, succeeding this time around. Turning back around she saw the cyan mare had gotten up and now faced her, a smile glowing on her face.
"Careful Spitfire, wouldn't wanna lose yer tail just yet!" Dash joked lightly.
The golden mare looked Dash up and down in one quick assessment. She wore a deep red tank top that accentuated her figure, and a pair of white washed denim jeans as tight as her own. She then saw something as the pegasus adjusted her hair that she could not believe.
"Dash, are my eyes playing tricks on me or do I see you have braids in your hair?" the golden mare said shocked. "I thought it was odd you let your hair grow, but wow! Color me impressed!"
The rainbow maned mare blushed ever so slightly, "Oh, so you noticed that already did ja?" The mare shrugged trying to regain her composure, "Yeah, well, guess I just felt like a change of pace is all."
"Well." the Wonderbolt started stepping closer to Dash a warm smile on her face. "I gotta say I like the change!"
The blue mare practically fell off the top step she stood on, but Spitfire caught her easily.
"Really Dash? Don't let me knock you off your hooves that easily!" the golden mare said with a silly grin upon her face.
The younger flier kicked up and away in a moment of flustered confusion landing at the base of the stairs. A look of bewildered anxiety smeared across her face, but most noticeable within her magenta eyes. Maybe she shouldn't have said what she did, but she had been honest with herself in her words. Was that really so bad?
"Hey Dash." Spitfire fretted as she came down the stairs. "Was that too forward of me?"
The young flier looked up at her for a moment before answering, "Maybe a little bit, but it was more that I wasn't ready for it at all. I mean I know you were just kidding but still."
The golden mare reached out a hand and sat it on Rainbow's shoulder, "Don't worry I got cha Dash. I'll do what I can to keep myself in line! After all, I'm gonna have to do that with the team today anyways!" As the cyan mare looked up and into her eyes she smiled, "So how about that breakfast then Dash?"
"Yeah sure, lets go!" the blue mare declared turning around to fly off. "By the way Spitfire, we are going to Ethereal Soul. That new cafe in the center of town, think you can keep up with me?"
"Is that a challenge I hear Rainbow Dash?" the older mare asked a spark in her amber eyes. "I know the place, but if you think you can outpace me just cause I haven't been practicing, you are in for a surprise!"
Dash bolted into the sky with a fierce speed, but Spitfire wouldn't be outdone as she broke into a sprint spreading her wings and catching the breeze. She soared into the skies high above the terrestrial city of New Trottinghem, the air felt crisp and sweet under her wings. Birds called out as they flew near her, but she couldn't stop to admire the scenery as she had a challenge to win.
She began flapping her wings with vigor quickly gaining speed, and her smaller overall build and frame allowed her great maneuverability. Yet Rainbow Dash was still able to keep just ahead of her no matter how hard she tried to gain speed; she couldn't believe she was going to lose to the younger flier. If Soarin' saw this he would never let her live it down, and it hit her in that moment. Her best friend Soarin', how had he coped with everything that had happened? The thought at the forefront of her mind though was, Will he ever find it in his heart to forgive me?
The Wonderbolt had fallen behind in her reflective state of mind, and before she knew it she had landed in front of the rainbow maned mare cheering in her victory. The look of concern and contemplation did not leave Spitfire's face however, and Dash quickly noticed this.
"Hey what's wrong with you Spits?" Rainbow said with a hint of concern in her own voice.
"Huh?" the firey orange maned mare replied. "Oh sorry, guess I just got distracted is all! I'll get you next time rainbow butt!"
"Can I ask you what the thought was?" the cyan mare inquired gently.
Spitfire's stomach roared loudly in its emptiness, "Yes but let's get some breakfast first please? I'd rather not have my stomach throwing a full on rebellion today!"
The two mares laughed wholeheartedly as they both walked into the Ethereal Soul Cafe. It was nice today with such a small crowd of people out and about, things might not go so bad today. Spitfire was hopeful, but deep down she wondered what was on Rainbow's mind over today. Even though she had been a bundle of smiles and energy this morning the golden mare couldn't help but feel like the younger pegasus was hiding something just under the surface.