The flight from Rapidfire's house had been harder than either of them expected, but that was mostly because of Rainbow. Her body was still sore it seemed from the original flight this way, and the odd chemical that she had inhaled while at Fleetfoot's bizarre club had made her feel even worse after it finally wore off completely. It was odd though that with all the rest she had, not much of a recovery was made.
After a few stops, Spitfire had made the call that the two of them would crash at her apartment. Even though she didn't have much there, the cyan mare could safely assume that her marefriend wanted to pick up a few more of her things before heading to Ponyville. Not that she was going to complain at all, this flight was really burning her out fast. After a nights rest they gathered what Spitfire felt she wanted to bring with her, and headed out for Ponyville again.
Halfway there Dash was panting hard. She felt like no matter how deep a breath she took, that there would never be enough oxygen to feed her hungry muscles. Spitfire looked to her with worry in her eyes and she could feel it burning into her.
"Hey hun, you doing okay over there?" Came the worried voice of the golden mare at last. "If you want we can--"
"Don't say stop!" the rainbow maned pegasus roared. "I can go a little farther still!"
Deep down though she didn't know how true her words really were. It was only a few moments after this that she began coughing and had to land. She came down on her hands and knees hacking furiously. After she managed to get control of her breathing again Spitfire grabbed hold of her and moved her about so that Dash's head laid within the golden mare's lap.
"Just rest for a minute hun, it won't kill you I promise." Spitfire said gently laying her hand on the cyan mares shoulder.
Rainbow let herself calm down and just breathe for a moment. It was a simple moment, a peaceful moment for the two of them. It was times like this that becoming reflective was hard to avoid for the normally bold flier. In her head were so many worries about her life and about her marefriend's life as well. She just needed to muse a little aloud, maybe that would help.
"Hey Spitty, do you ever wonder how things are gonna turn out for us in the end?"
"What's this now?" the golden mare began teasingly. "Getting deep on me all of a sudden isn't like you. You sure you're okay?"
"No seriously, what do you think the future holds for us hun?" the rainbow maned mare continued.
"I-I'm not sure myself." came her reply unsteadily. "I just try to live a day at a time Dashie. Looking forward can be dangerous when things are as unsure as they are right now. I mean I never expected things to come to this."
"Running off with me to be free of Fleetfoot?" Rainbow said in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Yeah, kinda." Spitfire answered with an unsure frown. "I'm a pretty weak mare hun, just remember not to bet everything on me. I don't want to let you down."
"Nah, don't say that!" Dash returned playfully. "You can't let me down when I'm holding you up after all!"
Spitfire just laughed and looked down at her warmly, leaning in for a brief kiss. Rainbow always enjoyed the wholehearted feel that came from her marefriend when they kissed. Yet, there was always something else there that she could feel. Something akin to pain. Looks like the golden mare was still having a hard time, and that meant that the cyan mare had to be her rock a while longer.
After roughly an hour of rest the two gathered their things together and continued their journey. Their immediate goal was Harmony Breads, and hopefully the shop remained unspoiled after Dash had been gone so long. Guess Signature wasn't going to have the level of sales he had probably wanted. Oh well.
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It was practically nightfall when they arrived overhead the shop. Dash was surprised to hear the sound of a full band and looked down at Harmony Breads. Lights were set up in the back of the store and there were four stallions from the looks of it down below. The entire place looked to be opened up, but why? It wasn't sight that told her why, it was sound as a guitar solo reached loudly up into the sky. It was a sound and style of it's very own. That style had a name and it was Signature Sandwich.
The two mares landed in front of the shop and quickly hurried to the back to see the forest green stallion hopping around in time with the rhythm of the song. He stopped hopping for just a moment to execute his final outro solo. Rainbow had never seen someone play the guitar with such freedom of heart before, and it surprised her as she watched the older stallion jam. As the last note faded they both began applauding their unsuspecting performers.
Sig turned around and upon making eye contact with Dash, his face lit up even more so than it was a moment ago. His other band mates seemed happy as well, they gave off quite the family vibe when the cyan mare thought about it actually. He removed his guitar and walked over to them rustling Dash's hair again.
"So what's the story Dash?" Sig started with a smile. "Thought I left you in charge of things here? Guess that mare has some powerful pull with you for you to abandon yer post like that!"
"Well I wouldn't doubt it since she is my marefriend!" Dash bragged.
"Oh really now, finally managed to convince her to tolerate you?" the guitarist jabbed lightly.
"Hey, what are you talking about man?" she returned easily. "She and I mutually agreed on this. Get yer facts straight Sig!"
"Oh my gosh, I-I can't believe it." Spitfire suddenly said. "It-It...It's Kirin Hoof! No way!"
"Oh, heard of us have you?" Sig began beaming at the golden pegasus.
"Wait what?" Dash looked to her boss for a moment. "What are you talking about Spitty?"
"I knew I recognized Sig from the first time I met him, and now I know why!" She sounded astonished. "Sig was the lead guitarist from Kirin Hoof, one of the most influential rock bands of the century."
"Thee most influential band...but I can forgive such a small mistake." Signature said with a knowing pompous grin.
"W-What, no way!" was all Dash could muster.
"Yes way kiddo, and in fact we are getting the band back together." the forest green stallion began with a new composure. "Hmm, now that I think about it Dash, you may have to manage the shop more often now. If you wouldn't mind that is?"
"Woah, woah, wait a minute now!" Dash had to interrupt him there. "I'm glad to hear you trust me to do that but Sig...after everything that has been happening lately."
She looked around the area for a moment before finishing her statement.
"You know what, can we just talk in private for a moment?"
Signature furrowed his brow in concern for a moment, "Yeah, sure Dash. If that's what you--"
The stallion cut off and looked tense for a moment. He walked back over to his band mates, got his guitar on and started into a new song. The song seemed to have been emitting a degree of magic that was almost protective feeling. Sig even graced the song with his own deep toned voice, which was a little scratchy in its full tone. From her memory of the band Sig wasn't often the lead vocals, but when he was it was surely a moment to remember.
What the heck, was he just ignoring me or was there something else to this?
Dash let him blast through the song and when he was done he took off his guitar again. He signaled them to come with him to the back house. After they headed inside they sat down, but before the conversation she had to know why he blew her off.
"Okay, seriously, why did you just suddenly blow me off to play another song?" Dash began irritably.
"It was nothing, I was just taking care of something right quick." He dodged her question. "Don't worry about it Dashie, maybe someday I'll tell you more about what just happened. But for now I sense there is something other than me blowing you off bugging you. Spill it."
So she did. She told Sig everything about what had happened. Why she left to be at her marefriend's side, why she had stayed there so long, and all the things about Fleetfoot that had made them flee here. It was a tough story to tell because a lot of it was still fresh on thier minds. Sig just sat there in silence listening to every bit of what she was saying.
"So you see Sig I was hoping we could help Spitfire out by letting her stay here like you promised me." Dash reminded him. "This is a time of need after all...please?"
He grunted as he continued to ponder things over in his head as he usually did when being confronted with this much information at once. His expression being unreadable just made the tension in the air that much thicker for Dash. Finally he let out a sigh, it was his cue that he had an idea settled upon.
"Oh stop looking so pleased would ya?" the forest green stallion began. "I know you can read my cues, but sometimes it's ridiculous how fast you catch 'em."
"So, what does it matter?" the rainbow maned mare returned. "I just want to know what your answer will be so excuse me for being happy to hear it."
"Fine then I'll give you my piece." Sig said crossing his arms grufly. "With all of what I've heard of this Fleetfoot, I agree with your team mate Wave Chill as to her obsession with you Spitfire. Yet, if she really is this dead set on you...I do not believe you will be able to keep her away too terribly long even if I did help you."
"So is that a no sir?" Spitfire's voice nearly cracking from her inner fear.
"Now don't go jumping the gun on me now, I just need to be sure I understand things right." he answered cocking an eyebrow at the golden pegasus. "There is danger in your past with this mare, and I can tell there is still a weakness for her in you. Even at this very moment. Could it be that you are biding your time until you can remove that weakness from yourself? Is that why you need a place she wouldn't think to look?"
Dash looked to her marefriend to see her reaction to his accusation of her faltering. She felt her heart skip a beat when no rebuttal came from Spitfire. The golden mare just continued on as if it was nothing, as if it was no big deal. Her worries about that night in Fleetfoot's club were starting to seem much worse, but she needed to push it aside this wasn't the time for a fight between them. She had to bear it so she could keep the one she loved strong.
"I guess that would be a way of thinking of it yes." Spitfire admitted solemnly.
"No bold rebuttal to tell me that I'm wrong and you love Dash entirely?" Sig tilted his head sounding shocked.
"Why should I waste our time with it?" she answered plainly. "I already know I'm not ready, being at that club showed me that. I love Dashie with all my heart, but I still have my animalistic drives which are quite the problem. I have to come to terms with a lot of things but I need the time to fully put them into practice."
"But Spits..." Dash whimpered.
The response had hurt her more than she would have liked, and she knew what the golden mare said made sense. Yet it still felt like that one statement tore a little piece off of her heart. She knew Signature was watching her closely, almost gauging how Spitfire's attitude affected her. Dash couldn't fathom why he would do something like that. She began to feel a rage build in her, and she had no understanding as to why.
"Why are you staring at me dammit!" she stood up and shouted at Sig. "This isn't about me, it's about Spitfire! Why does it matter how I feel to you, it's not like you're my father!"
"Rainbow I--"
"No forget it, I'm out of here!" she stormed past them and out the door.
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Spitfire just sat there in shock at the sudden explosion from her marefriend. It was beyond out of character for her. Signature Sandwich let out a heavy sigh as he put his hand to his brow in strain. What could be going through that stallion's mind right at this moment, she wondered. Then he looked directly at her through his fingers, and an odd flame burned there.
"When I pointed out the lack of rebuttal, that was me trying to get you to amend what you said quietly." he said in a deep grouchy voice that reminded her of Nydus.
"I just--" Spitfire tried to speak.
"No Spitfire, you don't get to amend things at this point...just listen to me now." Sig said moving his hand away and looking at her directly. "She may not be my daughter but that doesn't matter much to me. You need to go find her and apologize to her! Make her understand why you made it sound like you are unsure about your feelings for her, make her see what you meant by how heartless you just sounded. Simply put Spitfire, don't you go hurting her like that when she is trying to bear a great deal of emotions to keep your faith strong."
"But I didn't mean to--" Again she tried but was cut off.
"No stop it, go find her, now." Sig crossed his arms closing himself off for further discussion.
For not being Rainbow's father, he sure acted the part of the loving father. She couldn't do anything else at this point so she got up and went after her marefriend. The only problem was that she had no idea where Dash would go, especially at this hour of night. She flew all over town, asking the few ponies that were still out if they had seen her. Most hadn't seen or even knew she was back in town.
Four hours had she searched with no success, and she instantly wished she had her own personal cell phone. She had texted her doctor with Rainbow's phone, and it would be that much easier to find her marefriend with her own phone. That is if she would even speak to her right now. Why had Dash even been so hurt by what she said? She should have known how shaken she was after the club scene with Fleetfoot. The cyan mare was the one that smashed Fleetfoot in the face after all, and had asked on occasion since then how she was doing with her inner demons.
Maybe this really is my fault then...
She realized she always tried to act strong and told Dash she was fine, and maybe her marefriend accepted it at her word. It was possible that the cyan mare hadn't had a complete bearing on just how shaken she was.
Finally the golden mare couldn't fly any longer, and she came to land in a small park. She needed to sit for a while before continuing her search, and yet with each step the surroundings looked more and more familiar. She finally came upon a bench that was already inhabited, and the person on the bench was none other than Rainbow Dash. Spitfire then realized something she slowly began to hate herself for, the cyan mare had her legs pulled close to her body as she cried.
Oh geez, what have I done?
She rushed over and Dash looked up to see what the noise was. She instantly turned away noticing it was Spitfire. So she took out how she was feeling on Sig instead of me, but why would she do that? Was it really because she was trying to keep pressure off of the golden mare's shoulders? All Spitfire could do was ponder on this unless she could get her marefriend to talk to her, but it seemed as if that was an impossible accomplishment now. She had to try though.
"Rainbow, please...can we talk about this?" Spitfire said panting.
"What's there to say?" she returned bitterly. "Even with everything so far, you still are confused about your feelings for me the second an old fire shows itself! I mean I know I shouldn't be so upset by what you said but I can't help it...it hurts Spits!"
"I love it when you act like you aren't gonna talk and then you end up spilling your heart out anyway." Spitfire confessed coming close to Rainbow on the bench.
"Don't change the subject!" the cyan mare turned and roared at her.
"I wasn't hun." the golden pegasus returned softly. "I realize it hurt you, and I'm not sure I fully understand why...but I am sorry that my words caused you pain Dashie. Hurting you kills me inside even if I can't understand why or how I hurt you."
"That's the best you've got?" a little of Dash's usual personality showed in her impish reply. "I mean that is a pretty lame apology."
"Sorry it can't be perfect, but at least know I've been trying to find you since you stormed off." Spitfire smiled the crisis seemed to have passed. "By the way, why did you go off on Sig like that when it was me you were mad at?"
"Oh that, well..." Rainbow seemed to take pause to think things over before talking. "I don't really know myself. But if I had to say based on what I believe in my heart, it's because he reminds me a lot of my late dad."
"Late dad?" Spitfire was treading on dangerous grounds and she could feel it.
"Yeah, Late...as in dead." the cyan pegasus dropped a bombshell from her past for Spitfire. "And it was all my fault...both mom and dad died that day because I wouldn't listen to them. Dad was strong willed, passionate, grumpy, intrinsic, sorta quiet too, but you could always tell that he cared more deeply than words could ever say."
"Dash I--"
"Been more or less an orphan since I was five...I mean they cycled me through different caregivers, but it was never enough I guess." Rainbow began to sob again. "And I guess I just find it confusing when I notice Sig and I are so like father and daughter. I don't know what or how to feel when he is being all fatherly and stuff. I just...I don't know...I--"
Spitfire put a strong hand on Dash's shoulder before speaking, "I guess he was right in telling me deep down that there is much you are bearing just for me, but on top of that you are bearing your own inner burdens still too. May I sit with you for a moment?"
"He said--yeah sure Spits." Dash accepted in the middle of two thoughts.
She took a seat on the bench facing her marefriend for a moment and began, "You are an adult, and quite the accomplished one at that. But that doesn't change the fact that you feel the need for at least one parent bond in your life. I think that you should consider asking Signature to become your guardian father, even if it is just a title that gives you both some degree of comfort."
"I-I can't just do something like that, its not normal for an older pony." Dash became flustered.
"It doesn't matter sweetie, you've never followed the norm anyways." Spitfire said with a warm smile. "I'm not saying to go do it right away, I'm just saying you should think on it for a while. It may help ease the pain in your heart from the loss of your parents."
"You know what Spits...I accept your apology now." Rainbow said suddenly.
"Wh-What, where did that come from?" Spitfire answered in surprise.
"Heh, silly...let's go back to my place for now." the cyan mare smiled again. "Better we work out your living arrangements tomorrow, and you still gotta meet up with that doctor of yours. So let's go get some rest."
Spitfire just nodded her acceptance and they both got up and flew off to Rainbow's apartment, together.
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"Sig man what happened there?" Ace questioned. "Seriously things seem wrong in the air tonight, I mean you cut talking with Dash just to play a song, and I know you threw some magic in that too!"
Signature Sandwich walked out of his house after the two young mares had left, only to be greeted with more questions. As always it was his brother-in-law's fault. The whole band knew of his abilities, but the younger mares didn't know--nor did they need to. The forest green stallion had to admit that Ace was right, there was a particularly dark presence about the night air. It seemed like something was searching for a host, but it wasn't free to acquire said host yet. Like it was surveying the town.
"So what if I did man, it was a light of protection for all those who could hear it." Sig stated evenly. "You are right though...something is wrong, but I have no idea what just yet. I fear it is a darkness that will consume the heart of the one it seeps into. As for what happened with the girls storming off, that is their business."
"Wow man you really don't leave much for imagination anymore...you got old!" Ace jabbed at his friend.
"Oh shut up man, let's just get back to work on the music." the forest green stallion said picking up his guitar. "We gotta be ready for the comeback concert."
As the others got back to getting their gear ready for another jam, the stallion looked up to the night sky wistfully. A heavy worry in his heart.
I fear most for Spitfire's doubtful heart in this very moment...more so than Dash's aching heart...