//------------------------------// // Chap 9 // Story: Soarin and Rainbow Dash // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// When Soarin woke up, he found himself in a dungeon of some kind lying on the cold stone floor his wings feeling like they were on fire and hurt if he even moved a feather. Looking around for a way out, he as quietly as he could made it over to the cell door to see nopony at it. At that moment the dungeon door opened and in walked that yellow Pegasus from before holding a first aid kit, and the pink Earth Pony from the party. Slowly they walked over and the Pegasus looked to him and said strongly but merely above a whisper. "We're here to help you Soarin, I'm going to open the door and come in to bandage your wings while Pinkie will keep look out for anyone coming. That is if that's alright." she said hiding behind her mane. Shocked a bit, Soarin backed away from the door and the Pegasus came in. Trying to show how strong he was, Soarin tried not to wince or cry out in pain as the mare set the wings straight and put bandages around them. "I'm Fluttershy, by the way. One of Rainbow's friends." she said being as careful as she could. "So I take it you two are... Alright... With me and her liking each other?" Soarin asked. "More alright than her father is." she said "I have never seen him so mad at anything before." "What did he mean by daughters?" Soarin asked trying to change the subject. "Scootaloo is gone as well. She's Rainbow's sister." "And no one knows where either one is?" "No. Spectrum and Firefly sent out everypony to look for them after they came back here with you, but so far, somehow, no one's come back yet." she said finishing one wing and going onto the next. "What made Rainbow run away and drop her uniform anyway?" Soarin asked thinking he knew the answer. "When she came back from seeing you, Spectrum told her she would lead a squad to disrupt the show you would be doing in Canterlot, but they got into an argument. Then Skye Storm came back home and said something about a skills challenge she did with your cousin and something about a crash... Then for some reason she flew off and hasn't come back yet." Fluttershy said finishing on the other wing now and packing up and backing away. "Fluttershy some pony's coming," Pinkie whispered coming over and they raced for the shadows. Skye Storm, un-uniformed with bandages around her waist came into the dungeon and walked up to Soarin. "Nice to see you again loser," she said "How do you like feeling broken? Huh?" "You know you wouldn't be if you didn't want that skills duel." Soarin said happy that the door was there to free him from her fury. "Well, in case no one's come in to tell you, or it hasn't gotten into you tiny brain yet," Skye Storm said with slitted eyes "You're at the Shadowbolt Head Quarters in the Everfree Forest, and Spectrum Dash said you'd be staying here until Rainbow and Scootaloo come home. "But don't worry, when they are, we'll let you go. Not that you can go anywhere with those busted wings." she said laughing and leaving the dungeon again. Slowly Pinkie and Fluttershy came out anger written on their faces. "I never really liked her." Pinkie said "She was always the one who pops balloons at my parties." "Well since it seams I'm going to be here a long time either way," Soarin said looking to Fluttershy "Fluttershy, can you go and find my cousin Spitfire and tell her where I am?" "I'll try," she said scared about all that was going on. "Er... Where will she be?" "Well since she has a busted wing and I left her back home with Fleet Foot," he said thinking "I'd try Cloudsdale first. She the one with the attitude and the orange hair." he said smiling. Fluttershy didn't know what to say. "You... You want me to go up to Cloudsdale? But... But I'm a Shadowbolt. Well, I'm not a Shadowbolt but I've grown up with them, will... Will they accept me being there?" "I don't know, but I need them to know where I am," Soarin said shaking his head "Please." "O... Ok." she said bravely as she and Pinkie left him with his thoughts and worries. Fluttershy was right under Cloudsdale wondering if this would work. Knowing she wouldn't be brave enough to talk to anyone she would meet up there, she and Pinkie first went to Rainbow's room and fished Soarin's mask out from under her pillow, and like before wrote a note and was now holding it in her hoof. "Ok, you can do this Fluttershy," she said to herself looking up and spreading her wings. Slowly flapping them she made it up to Cloudsdale and landed on the white fluffy material that was the 'ground'. Holding her breath she looked around for any sign of Soarin's cousin so she could hand over the note and go home. Not seeing any Wonderbolts around her, Fluttershy started walking along the clouds towards the Cloudosseum to see if she would be in there. Inside she saw a few Wonderbolts two of whom were instructing the others, while one was sitting in the stands looking slightly bored. Taking in a deep breath, Fluttershy started her way over to the pony in the stands noticing as she got nearer she had a broken wing and orange hair. "Um... Spitfire?" she asked quietly, but was heard by the pony in question. "Yes?" Spitfire asked looking at Fluttershy. "Um... I... I'm a freind of Rainbow's and um...." Fluttershy stammered playing with Soarin's mask with the note. "And er..." quickly she handed the note over. Dear Spitfire, My name's Fluttershy, I'm a friend of Rainbow Dash of the Shadowbolts. I've come to tell you that your cousin Soarin is in our dungeon and Spectrum Dash broke his wings. This is NOT a ransom note, it's a just so you know one. He's alright I bandaged his wings before I came up here. Fluttershy. Finishing the note, Spitfire looked up saw Lightning Strike and Fire Blitz were distracted and motioned Fluttershy to follow her back out of the Cloudosseum. "Ok so Soarin's in your dungeon, with broken wings. Right?" Spitfire asked. "Um. Yes." Fluttershy said hiding behind her mane. "Great..." Spitfire said rubbing the ridge of her nose. "Apart from that is he alright?" "Yes. But Spectrum said something about him staying until Rainbow and Scootaloo come home, or someone finds them." Fluttershy answered. "How's that going then?" "Not very well..." "Spitfire. There you are!" A loud voice cried. "Eepp!" Fluttershy cried and curled up with her hooves over her ears. "Oh I'm so sorry dear," the owner of the voice said coming over. "Dear me I don't recall meeting you before. I'm Lightning Strike, co-captain to the Wonderbolts and this here's my niece Spitfire." she introduced "And you are." "Her name's Fluttershy," Spitfire said for the quiet Pegasus. "She's a friend of Soarin's special-somepony and she's come with a note to say he somehow broke his wings and is at hers resting. But he's alright." "Well... Thank you for that my dear." Lightning Strike said letting out a breath. "I hope you can look after him until he's better. Should I come and see him?" "That... That wont be necessary," Fluttershy said getting back up. "Alright," Lightning Strike said "But now's that's two of the team who can't fly." she screamed as she walked back in to tell Fire Blitz and the rest of the team. "Wh... Why did you er... Save... me?" Fluttershy asked cocking her head a bit to Spitfire. "What do you mean?" Spitfire asked in return. "Well you could have told her that I'm a..." quickly she looked around "A Shadowbolt, but you didn't." "As much as I hate to admit this," Spitfire said "I agree with my cousin and Rainbow Dash. This things gone on far too long in my eye's we're all just skilled winged ponies." "Well I should be getting back." Fluttershy said smiling "I hope you get better too Spitfire." she said as she closed her eyes spread her wings and left Coudsdale.