Soarin circled above the forest for nearly an hour. He wanted to go home, but something held him back. He felt angry–angry at himself.
“Ughhhh!!!” Soarin grunted loudly as he smacked the sides of his head with both fore hooves.
“How could I have been so stupid?! Even if the tent was closed, that thing still could’ve gotten in!” Soarin scolded himself.
Soarin circled around the air above the pine trees for a little while.
He stopped and hovered in the air, thought for a moment, put a determined face on, and then darted back to the campsite praying to Celestia that Rainbow Dash was still there.
When Soarin reached the campsite, he carefully landed on three legs, lifting his injured leg up a little so that he wouldn’t put pressure on it.
Soarin looked around searching for a certain, blue Pegasus, but the place looked empty.
Soarin sighed, and then saw the damaged tent that he had left behind.
He set down his saddle bag and slowly limped a short distance towards the tent and was about to open up the flap.
Soarin peeked his head in and whispered, “Rainbow Da–”
ROOOOAAARRR!!!
Soarin fell backwards onto the ground when he heard the ear-piercing roar from the inside of the abandoned tent.
Soarin began to hyperventilate, trying to get himself back onto his legs, just when a creature with glowing green eyes pounced right out of the tent, and stood right above him, snarling right in his face.
It was a timberwolf–the same one that attacked him from before.
“AAAHHH!!! WAAAHHH!!!” Soarin cried out and he quickly turned around onto his stomach and crawled away as fast as he could.
Soarin got up on all legs, forgetting that his back left hoof was injured, and fell back onto the ground from the pain.
“Oomph!” Soarin muttered when he hit the ground.
He looked behind himself with a horrified expression as he saw the timberwolf getting ready to pounce on him.
The timberwolf growled, and sprang into the air, aiming itself at Soarin.
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Soarin yelled as he looked away and covered his face with a fore hoof, waiting for what was about to become of him.
All was quiet. Too quiet.
Soarin saw a faint, orange glow behind his eyelids, and slowly started to open them.
He cautiously took his forearm away from his face, blinked a few times to clear his vision, and stood opened mouth at the sight in front of him.
Right there in front of him, thousands of fireflies were swarming all over the wooden beast, flying in and out of its eyes, ears, and mouth.
Soarin looked at the scene in disbelief, he couldn’t look away. It was disturbingly beautiful.
The timberwolf gagged and coughed, and tried to swat the bugs away with a paw, but soon enough, the timberwolf suffocated and collapsed to the ground, shattering into different pieces.
Soarin watched the whole thing come to an end; he felt dizzy and started panting and sweating.
The fireflies quickly buzzed away as Soarin sighed loudly in relief and sprawled out onto his back on the cold, hard ground. He felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest from how quickly it was beating.
As he was catching his breath, and replayed the scene a few times in his head, he noticed something sitting in the sand by the lake.
He couldn’t see what it was, but he thought it could’ve been another pony.
He quickly got up, and flew towards the lake and landed behind what he saw.
It was another pony sitting in the sand looking down at the lake’s low tides.
“Uhhh… Hello?” Soarin said to the other pony.
The other pony turned around and looked at Soarin.
Soarin saw the pony’s face, and instantly recognized them.
It was Pinkie Pie.
“Hey, I remember you; you’re the same pony from the bakery.” Soarin said. He noticed that there was something different about her. Her usually curly, pink mane seemed less bouncy and full, and the pink color looked faded, and instead of smiling and laughing, she was frowning.
Pinkie Pie’s eyes shot open wide when she realized who he was, and jumped up and grabbed his shoulders.
“Oh my gosh! It’s you! Please please please please oh pleeeeeaaaasssseeee don’t be mad at Rainbow Dash, this was all my fault!” Pinkie Pie pleaded, her blue eyes stared straight into his emerald ones.
Soarin didn’t understand what she meant and titled his head to the side in confusion.
“What are you talking about?” Soarin asked with a quizzical expression.
“This! The reason why your whole camping trip was ruined is because I made Rainbow Dash leave the tent and forgot to zip it back up!” Pinkie Pie shouted and let go of his shoulders and sat back down on the ground.
Soarin still didn’t understand what was going on or what she was talking about. He didn’t understand how she got here or why she was here in the first place, but he decided not to question it; he needed to find Rainbow Dash.
“Do you know where Rainbow Dash went?” Soarin asked. “I have to apologize to her before it’s too late.” Soarin said while sadly looking down at the ground.
Pinkie Pie looked up at him with a questionable face. “What do you mean before it’s too late?” Pinkie Pie asked, her voice high-pitched, but not as loud as usual.
Soarin stayed quiet for a while trying to think of the right words to say, but just mumbled, “I… Uhhh, errmmm…” He scratched the back of his head with a fore hoof.
Pinkie Pie sensed something, and then gasped.
“Oh my gosh! You like her, don’t you?!” Pinkie Pie said in a louder voice than before, her blue eyes grew wide.
Soarin stared blankly at her. How did she know? Soarin asked himself.
“I know these things!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully, her mane puffed back out to its normal state.
“Wait, what?” Soarin said. Did she just read my mind? He asked himself.
He looked over at Pinkie Pie who started jumping for joy, springy sounds coming from every hop.
“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!” Pinkie Pie chanted with glee.
Soarin slouched. “Yeah, but she hates me now…” Soarin sighed.
Pinkie Pie stopped jumping and walked over to him.
“You don’t know that!” Pinkie Pie said loudly.
“And plus, she doesn’t even like me…” Soarin said quietly.
Pinkie Pie was about to explode. Literally.
“ASDFGHJKL!!!” Pinkie Pie babbled, not wanting to reveal anything just yet.
“You okay?” Soarin asked the funny-talking mare.
“SUPER!” Pinkie Pie shouted, and bit her bottom lip, trying hard not to say anything about what she knew, or thought she knew.
Soarin looked down at his hooves, then saw the lake start to glow from the corner of his eye, and quickly turned to look towards it.
“Whoa.” He whispered in awe.
Pinkie Pie turned her head towards the lake as well.
“Ooooooo!” Pinkie Pie said in her high-pitched voice.
Above the lake, thousands of fireflies were hovering just slightly over the water.
“Where do they keep coming from?” Soarin asked.
The fireflies then proceeded to form a beeline through Pinkie Pie and Soarin; both ponies turned their heads around and saw that they headed straight through the forest.
“Hmmm, I don’t know why, but I get the feeling that they want us to follow them!” Pinkie Pie said.
Soarin couldn’t help but get that feeling as well.
“Then let’s go!” Soarin was about to take off into the skies, just when Pinkie Pie grabbed Soarin and threw him onto her back.
“WAAAH! What are you doing?!” Soarin exclaimed.
“I just know they’re heading for Ponyville! I just know it!” Pinkie Pie shouted and darted off into the dark forest that was being lit up by the fireflies.
ZOOM!
Pinkie Pie sped up quicker than the speed of light, jumping over tree roots and rocks as she ran through the forest with a serious, determined expression the entire time.
“AAAHHHH!!!” Soarin yelled as he hung on tightly to the racing pink Earth pony. He’s never moved this fast before, not even in the air. Pinkie Pie surely was something.
Soarin saw blurs of the trees and brush as Pinkie Pie ran through them, the leaves made flickering sounds as she ran straight through.
He looked over her shoulder and already saw that Pinkie Pie had surpassed all of the fireflies and both of them were now alone, the only light coming from the moon above lit their way.
Twilight and Rainbow Dash were still sitting down by the fountain discussing different things.
“Brrrr.” Twilight said as she shivered. “Sure is cold out here, you’re lucky that you at least have that scarf to keep you warm.” Twilight said while pointing at the scarf around Rainbow Dash’s neck.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes grew wide, and looked down at the scarf around her neck–she forgot that she was still wearing Soarin’s scarf.
Twilight saw Rainbow Dash’s expression change.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash stayed quiet, then showed the bottom of the scarf to Twilight, the part where Soarin’s name was stitched on.
Twilight looked at the scarf then realized. “Ohh…” Twilight said quietly.
Rainbow Dash sighed, “It’s okay…” A sullen expression on her face.
“How about you go talk to him? I mean, not right now since it’s late, but maybe tomorrow?” Twilight suggested.
“It’s too late…” Rainbow Dash sighed. “He doesn’t feel the same way about me, I mean, why would he? He’s a Wonderbolt and I’m just me…” Rainbow Dash said as she looked away.
Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash with a warm smile. This wasn't the confident Rainbow Dash she knew, but Twilight knew that she was just lovesick.
“You never know for sure, because you’re an amazing mare that will become a Wonderbolt one day!” Twilight said comfortingly.
“Don’t you see, Twilight? He’s too good for me.” Rainbow Dash sighed.
Twilight knew that she had to come up with some reassuring words soon, or else Rainbow Dash would probably cry again, and she did not want that.
“Remember when I said to take a chance?” Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash let out a loud sigh. “Yeah… But… Just forget it. He probably never wants to see me again anyways…” Rainbow Dash responded in an empty tone.
Twilight really wanted to help Rainbow Dash cope with this whole difficult situation, but she was running out of ideas, even a mare as smart as Twilight doesn’t know all the answers to every problem.
“AAAAHHH!!!” Someone shouted in the distance.
Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash turned their heads towards a couple of trees to see where the sound came from.
“Hold on! We’re almost there!” Another voice said.
Both mares looked at each other with a confused expression, just when two ponies, a mare with a stallion on her back popped out from right behind a bunch of trees, and fell to the ground right in front of the fountain where Rainbow Dash and Twilight were sitting.
“Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked, now very confused.
Pinkie Pie laid sprawled out on the ground with another pony on top of her.
“S–Soarin?!” Rainbow Dash stuttered, she tried to hide how excited and happy she was to see him.
“Twilight! Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie shouted happily and sprang up, letting Soarin fall down onto the cold, hard ground, and then grabbed both of her friends by their necks and pulled them into a loving hug.
Rainbow Dash was too focused on the stallion that was on the floor to realize that Pinkie Pie was still hugging her.
Soarin winced from the painful impact with the ground, and shook his head quickly to regain consciousness, then looked up at the rainbow maned mare with big, magenta eyes staring down at him.
Soarin’s green eyes grew wide. “Rainbow Dash!” Soarin said loudly as he jumped up onto three hooves, leaving his injured leg slightly lifted up above the ground.
Rainbow Dash sat quietly, still staring at him.
Pinkie Pie let go of the hug and sprang back next to Soarin.
“HE HAS SOMETHING THAT HE NEEDS TO TELL YOU!” Pinkie Pie yelled. The quiet night made her voice sound louder than usual as it echoed through the town.
Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie Pie with a raised eyebrow, then back at Soarin who was looking down and rubbing a fore hoof on his other arm.
Soarin looked back up at Rainbow Dash and stopped rubbing his arm.
“I–I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash! I really am! I was stupid; I ruined our camping trip, not you!” Soarin shouted, his eyes filling up with guilt.
Rainbow Dash stared at him; she was slightly taken aback by his apology. She saw by the look of his eyes and the tone of his voice that he was actually really sorry for what had happened between them.
Rainbow Dash got off from the edge of the fountain and walked over to the stallion.
She quietly stared at him thinking for the right words to say.
Rainbow Dash sighed, “Soarin, I–”
“Hey, look!” Twilight said and pointed a fore hoof towards the trees that Pinkie Pie and Soarin came from.
Everypony turned their heads around to look in the direction where Twilight was pointing.
The same group of fireflies from the lake finally caught up with Pinkie Pie and Soarin and made their way towards the four ponies.
“W–What? How?” Rainbow Dash muttered.
“Finally! See, I told yah that they were headed this way!” Pinkie Pie said with a smirk.
The fireflies slowly started to approach Soarin and Rainbow Dash, and wrapped themselves around Rainbow Dash’s left wing, and Soarin’s left back leg, encasing their limbs in a warm, yellow glow.
“What in Equestria…?” Twilight said quietly with a quizzical look as she stared at the insects wrapping themselves around the two ponies.
The fireflies’ warm glow felt oddly nice to the two Pegasi, they weren’t sure what was going on, but they let them do their thing.
Soon, the fireflies’ soothing glow grew dim, and they all proceeded to fly off and away from the two Pegasi.
“My wing! The scar’s gone!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed while flapping her left wing.
“My leg doesn’t hurt anymore!” Soarin stated, then proceeded to set his previously injured leg onto the ground and took off the bandages around it with his teeth, and found that the bite mark had also disappeared.
“That was… Incredible!” Twilight exclaimed with big, purple eyes and a huge grin.
The fireflies floated around the fountain, making the water light up.
All ponies stared at the fountain in awe.
Soarin looked at Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash turned around to look back at him.
“Please Rainbow Dash, forgive me. I don’t know what got into me, that's not how I usually act! I don't know why I acted the way I did!” Soarin pleaded with a crestfallen expression.
Rainbow Dash looked at him; the fireflies’ subtle glow reflected off of her magenta eyes.
Soarin stood there waiting for an answer.
Rainbow Dash stood there in silence.
Soarin sighed, “I understand if you don’t forgi–”
Soarin was cut off when Rainbow Dash wrapped her fore hooves around him and pulled him into a tight hug.
Soarin flinched in surprise; he wasn’t prepared for a hug from Rainbow Dash; he thought that she was still angry at him.
Soarin froze, but then quickly relaxed. He smiled, closed his eyes, and hugged Rainbow Dash back, enjoying the gesture that he knew for sure had to mean, “I forgive you.”
Both Pinkie Pie and Twilight looked at each other and both started to tear up a little.
Rainbow Dash let go of the hug and stared at Soarin with her big, beautiful, magenta eyes.
Soarin loved her eyes, he thought that they were amazing, and they made him feel some type of way when he looked into them.
Soarin cleared his throat. “Dash, can you please give me another chance?” Soarin asked.
Rainbow Dash smiled. “I think I can do that.” Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk, then looked at Twilight and winked.
Twilight smiled and nodded in response.
“OOOOOO!!! COME ON ALREADY!” Pinkie Pie shouted impatiently.
Rainbow Dash looked at her pink friend with a raised eyebrow.
Soarin smiled, he knew what she meant.
“Rainbow Dash.” Soarin said softly.
Rainbow Dash turned her head to look at him.
“Yes?” Rainbow Dash replied.
Soarin had a sheepish smile on his face, and was looking away from Rainbow Dash, slightly blushing.
“Would you like to… Yah know, go out with me?” Soarin slowly looked up at her expression.
Rainbow Dash stood frozen; her eyes opened wide and she was blushing heavily. This whole situation felt so surreal.
“Like… Go out, go out?” Rainbow Dash replied meekly.
Soarin smiled and nodded.
“I–I’m really starting to like you…” Soarin said quietly.
Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up, and she threw herself at Soarin giving him another extremely tight hug.
“Me too!” Rainbow Dash said ecstatically.
Rainbow Dash felt like she had let go of a huge weight that had been weighing her down since last week. She felt freer than when she flew. She was so happy that she couldn’t stop smiling. This was all she wanted at the moment.
Both Pegasi ended their loving embrace and smiled shyly at each other, slightly blushing.
“So, how about we take things slow and choose a place to hang out for our first date?” Soarin suggested; he didn’t want to rush things.
“Sure!” Rainbow Dash said happily.
All three ponies looked at Rainbow Dash, they’ve never seen her act like this before; it was adorable.
“We’ll leave you two alone, good night! Come on, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said and trotted off with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind her with a huge grin on her face.
“I told you she liked him!” Pinkie Pie said loudly as she bounced off, loud enough for both Soarin and Rainbow Dash to hear.
Rainbow Dash blushed after what Pinkie Pie had just said.
“Heheheh.” Soarin chuckled when he saw how embarrassed Rainbow Dash looked.
Rainbow Dash looked at him. “Hey! Shut up!” She laughed.
Both Pegasi sat down on the ground near the fountain where the fireflies still hovered around.
“Sooo… Winter’s in two weeks, wanna do something then?” Soarin asked Rainbow Dash with a smile.
Rainbow Dash smiled so widely that she felt her cheeks start to hurt. “Ohhh yea-uh!” Rainbow Dash cheered as she hoof bumped the air, she felt more comfortable being her true self around him now.
Soarin smiled heartwarmingly at her, just when a single firefly flew and landed right on top of his nose.
Soarin stared at the insect with crossed eyes.
Rainbow Dash looked at him and giggled; she thought he looked funny.
Soarin focused off of the firefly and looked at Rainbow Dash.
“Heh, I don’t know about you, but these fireflies sure are something.” Soarin chuckled.
Rainbow Dash leaned her head against his shoulder, just when the firefly flew off his nose and up into the dark sky, the other fireflies flew away from the fountain, and followed closely behind, leaving the two Pegasi to watch the beautiful scene that resembled floating lanterns.
“Hey Dash.” Soarin said, interrupting the blissful silence.
“Yeah?” Rainbow Dash said as she was still leaning against his shoulder.
“Cloudsdale is a pretty far flight from here; you think I can stay at your place until morning?” Soarin asked.
Rainbow Dash lifted her head up and gave him a smirk. “Race yah there!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she grabbed her saddle bag and darted off into the night sky.
“Hey!” Soarin laughed and flew after her.
Both Pegasi’s laughter and shouting faded away as they flew deeper into the peaceful darkness of the night; a single shooting star flew high above them in the distance, both knowing that only the best was yet to come.
The End