Spitfire felt oddly uncomfortable with every situation that befell her this evening. First Dash picking the most showy, in her opinion, of the three outfits she had put together. Now the discovery of Signature Sandwich's son passing on. Something just screamed tonight was going to be far from perfect for the two mares.
They arrived at the movie theater as the sun edged its way beneath the horizon. Sadly it was as the golden mare had feared in her gut, things were not going their way. Across the ticket booth's glass window was a sign that read:
Entirely Sold Out!
Sorry!
"What how can they be entirely sold out on a week day?" Dash shouted incredulously.
"It happens hun, let's not worry about it okay?" Spitfire suggested gently.
"But Spits." the cyan mare turned to her with a hurt expression. "This was supposed to be a perfect night for the both of us!"
"And it still can be." the fiery maned mare walked over and put a hand on Rainbow's bare shoulder. "The night is still young, am I right?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right." the rainbow maned pegasus said looking down with a pouty face. "But what can we do, there admittedly isn't a lot to do in Ponyville."
Spitfire shrugged at the thought. She really didn't know too much about what Ponyville had to offer in the way of entertainment, dining, let alone first date material activities. There were a ton of thoughts that flew through her mind, but one stood out above all for its simplicity.
"Hey Dash?" the orange maned pegasus started.
"Yeah Spitfire?" the cyan mare looked up to her.
"Why don't we just go on an earthly little stroll and let the night take us where it will?" the amber eyed pegasus suggested innocently.
The rainbow maned pegasus seemed to ponder the thought over for a moment, as if considering exactly what Spitfire had said. Her soft smile told the golden mare what her choice would be.
"If it's with you Spits, then I trust your idea." her smile still warm as she hinted at her trust in the Wonderbolt.
Spitfire turned about and held her arm out indicting to the rainbow maned flier to take it. As they interlocked arms they just strolled about the town, casually taking in the sights together. The golden mare had to admit that for being a small rustic terrestrial town, it had its own inexplicable charm to it. So simple and yet so complex at the same time. It was mind boggling to think about, but there it was laying before her.
She noticed Dash tighten her hold upon her arm and she began paying attention to the ponies around them. They were getting varied looks from those around them, but it seemed the cyan mare was only noticing the disapproving ones. The orange maned mare could care less personally, it looked to be a beautiful night no matter what somepony else thought.
"Hey Dash." Spitfire said gently nudging the younger pegasus.
"Y-Yeah Spits?" Rainbow replied shakily.
"Would you stop worrying about other pony's opinions of us?" she answered her amber gaze turning to Dash kindly.
The cyan mare nodded and answered, "I'll try."
It was all the Wonderbolt could ask of the rainbow maned pegasus tonight. As they continued on she began to notice how in sync the city and it's buildings were with nature. It was a lovely sight to behold, and Dash got to experience it every day of her life. A bright half moon began to rise in the sky illuminating the surroundings with a soft gentle light.
Every so often they would pass a dining establishment, or some form of arcade, sports venue, or recreation shop. Rainbow would stop them and try to get them to go in, but Spitfire couldn't see any reason in her heart to do so. Arms now separated, she would make her opinion clear by leaving her arm where it was. The golden mare would start walking onward simply letting her date know what she felt in a few words.
"I'm enjoying this stroll more, but if you want you can go in." Spitfire would say casually.
Every time she did, Dash would silently drop the subject and retake her golden arm. They would talk casually about whatever was on their mind in between stops, but that wasn't all that bad in all truth. In fact, they got so caught up in one of their conversations that they scarcely realized they had wandered out of the town into a small park. Spitfire laughed with Dash over their blind voyage, and directed the two of them over to a small bench where they sat down for a moment.
They sat together on the bench, but they didn't feel together now that their arms weren't interlocked. Spitfire was surprised at how lonesome it made her feel inside. The golden pegasus was then stunned by how Dash slid her arm around her exposed lower back and pulled her closer. She felt her heart race at the sudden action taken by her date, who acted nonchalantly about it. The Wonderbolt Captain was used to being in charge of things, but when the younger mare took control for that moment it felt good.
The two of them sat there leaning into one another looking up at the evening sky admiring its simple beauty. The rainbow maned mare's hand was just warmly resting on her side, Dash had entirely slipped past her jacket she just realized. Deep down though, Spitfire didn't care. She was happy here in this simple quiet moment.
"Hey Spitfire." Dash broke into her whirring mind. "I've got a question for ya. Truth be told, I've been curious about this since we started getting close."
Something told the golden mare this was about the Wonderbolts hiring policies. A question she herself admitted couldn't be tackled right now, but she could tell her what she knew already about it. Once Dash turned 21 she could be hired into the flying core, and it was the most bizarre rule the founders came up with. Though she had to admit, after three years of being legally able to consume alcohol rooted out those who really weren't up to making the cut.
"Let me take a guess." Spitfire said sitting up and pulling away from the cyan mare a little. "It's about Wonderbolt hiring policy?"
"That apparent eh?" the younger pegasus smiled sheepishly. "Anyways, yeah it is. As you should know my birthday is coming up in two months, and with that I'll be old enough to join the team roster."
"Wow your birthday is that close?" the Wonderbolt Captain mused. "So what is your question about if you already know what to do?"
"You." Rainbow pointed her finger at Spitfire.
Me? What does she mean by that?
Seeing her confusion the cyan mare explained herself, "What does your policy say about dating fellow team members, or in your case, dating your subordinates? And to add to that, what will the others say about me in that case? Will it be one of those, she just got hired cause she's bedding the captain of the team! Or will it be something else?"
Spitfire's expression became one of pained understanding as she let the words Dash spoke aloud, sink in to the words she pushed away. It was true that the policy was you could not be romantically involved with your team mates. Even if they got around that, the public and other applicants would blame Dash being chosen on the fact that they were dating or sleeping with one another and got special treatment. The younger flier's pride couldn't tolerate that kind of shame daily, and the golden pegasus wouldn't ever want to put her through it either.
"That we aren't allowed to date one another, especially the Captain." Spitfire answered hesitantly. "I see why you're worried hun. We can't go thinking about that right now though, as it stands we don't even know if the Wonderbolts will get back together again."
"Spits, with your head back in the game." Dash reached over and took her hand firmly. "I have no doubt in my mind the Wonderbolts will fly again!"
It wasn't the hand holding she had wanted in her heart, but this determined hold showed just how much the cyan pegasus believed her words. It was so touching to know that Rainbow thought so highly of her abilities, she could feel her cheeks heat up at the simple praise. Even with the majority of her thought focused on the mare beside her a quiet thought whisked across her mind.
But neither of us know the extent of damage the others have suffered!
It was a small whisper of a thought but she shrugged it off. Tonight was not a night to worry about things, tonight it was just the two of them.
"Thanks Dash." she said genuinely. "But enough of this talk that brings up worries we just do not need right now. Shall we continue our stroll, or stay here?"
"I'm comfy right here..." the younger flier said reaching out for Spitfire again. "...Next to you."
Upon finishing her sentence she pulled the golden mare close to her again, but this time it felt more like Dash was holding her safely in her arms. Spitfire found herself leaning into the body of her date happily, and they just cuddled there on that bench underneath Luna's night sky.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile At The Train Station...
"Take refuge in your music, a talent you earned for yourself."
The words of his son echoed deep in Signature Sandwich's mind as he sat upon a bench at the station. He had told Dash he was off to plan his son's funeral, but that had been a total lie. He had left the entire ceremony planning to Focal Shot, permission was the only reason he would hear from his son's significant other.
Ponies were rushing about trying to catch their train, working on loading the train, or prepping it for its next voyage. No matter what happens generation after generation, life continues marching on against the wind. The forest green stallion was no stranger to these revelations as he had seen many of them through his long life.
"When Dash finally learns the truth, I wonder how she will react?" Sig mused to himself quietly.
In truth, there were many things about his life that many ponies were entirely oblivious to. His role in the world was a long journey over many years, but each time his destiny was different from his real purpose. Each time what he was created for was not what his cutie mark was telling him to do. It was both a blessing and a curse to him, but he always found a way to manage things in the end.
At this point in his life though, he felt it was time to start his last hurrah. It would take some time to put together and some time to complete, but deep down Signature knew it was worth it for the peace awaiting him at the end of that road. He had decided the moment he had heard that band playing in Manehattan's Central Park, that he had to do one last thing for the world.
Music had taken a turn for the worse in the years since he had retired from guitar. It was no longer about the heart and soul being expressed through song, it was about the paycheck it could bring you. The mere concept sickened the forest green stallion, and he had to put it right for an old friend and rival. It was time to bring the rain down once again.
It was late in the evening but he knew that of all the band members he could contact, one stood out as the most reliable at picking up his phone. Signature pulled out his simple silver flip phone, dialed a number he knew by heart, and put the reciever to his ear. It rang twice before an answer came, but that answer was a crashing sound followed by words.
"H-Hello?" came a stallion's voice sleepily.
"Hey there Ace." Signature started calmly. "It's time brother."
"Are you serious Sig?" was the excited reply of Ace.
"Yeah, if you can still do it that is." he taunted his friend.
"Oh yeeaaaahhhh!" Ace let loose a pitched scream. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for the chance to jam again!"
"Good to hear." the forest green stallion answered with a smile. "Get the other guys together, and meet me at my home in Ponyville this next weekend."
"Done, but why next weekend?" the stallion on the other end questioned. "We could make it there by this weekend."
"Ace, this is the last time we are getting together." Signature said grimly. "I have to go get the Rainmaker from where I left it...in the city we all met, Canterlot."
It was at this time a conductor called out from the boarding platform, "Canterlot Express is boarding now! This is the last train heading down the line, get your tickets now!"
"Look Ace, I gotta get going now. I'll talk to you again soon okay?"
There was a pause as if the stallion on the other end was speechless or the call had dropped. Upon checking his phone Sig knew the call hadn't dropped, so his friend and brother was speechless.
"Well, alright then man." Ace's reply finally came. "I'll let the guys know this will be the last storm. Talk to you later!"
"Later Ace." the forest green stallion said before hanging up.
He put his phone away, grabbed his light luggage, pulled out his ticket, and headed over to board the train. He wasn't afraid of what he knew would come of his actions, but he did worry about how Rainbow Dash would take it when it was finally time for him to be freed. She was like a daughter to him, and he hated the thought of breaking the young girl's heart. The cyan mare probably had her own father somewhere to console her once Signature was gone though, so maybe this wouldn't be too big of an issue for them.
It doesn't matter, this has to be done. Signature resolved in his mind. All I've ever had in my life is music, and that is exactly how I'll continue it!