//------------------------------// // The Wonderbolts // Story: Take to the Skies // by Gallifrey //------------------------------// Take to the Skies by Gallifrey Chapter Two The Wonderbolts The locker door was wrenched open and slammed shut by an irritable pegasus. "You okay Spits?" asked a sky blue stallion, stuggling free of his sweaty flying suit and removing his flight goggles. The mare sighed. "No Soarin', I'm sick of being pushed this hard by Shooting Star," she answered, also struggling out of the tight outfit. "I admit he does like getting us in as early as possible and out as late as possible... If it wasn't for Celestia's laws on the maximum ten hours that a pony could work a day, I think we'd be dead from overworking ourselves." "I have half a mind to strike until he lets up on us," said the mare darkly. "Hey, chin up, how about we hit the bars in Canterlot?" asked Soarin', playfully punching her withers. "It's like you can read my mind." --------------- Canterlot has a wide variety of bars for all occasions and moods. Such a choice in fact, that the two pegasi were unsure where to go. "We could go to Hoof Beats?" suggested Soarin', as they walked down the city's winding and cobbled streets in the twilight. "I'm not really feeling it tonight to be honest Soar, I'd prefer somewhere more quiet." "Well, there is always the Cross and Arrow? Though it is all the way across town." "Yeah, because it's not like we have wings or anything..." said the yellow mare sarcastically. "B-but, unauthorised flying in Canterlot's airspace is forbidden!" "Pfft, rules schmules, they were made to be broken, c'mon let's go." "What if the Princesses see us?" he whispered, as if he were scared they might hear him. "What are they gonna do? Throw us in a dungeon? Come on Soarin', live a little, be the pegasus that inspired me to fly in the first place." "Woah, woah, back up. What?" "Like I said, when I was a filly, I used to see you at shows and stuff. You... um, were my hero," she finished lamely, her cheeks turning pink. "And it only took you six years to divulge this information?" he teased. "I guess." There was a moment of silence between them for a few moments, then Soarin' shook his head to bring himself back to reality. "So, we gonna fly or not?" he asked with a grin. ----------- The Cross and Arrow was a small, quiet and friendly little pub in a secluded area of Canterlot, away from most of the hustle and bustle of the city. Soarin' opened the polished wooden door for his yellow friend and they both entered the dimly lit pub. They sauntered up to the bar, Spitfire putting on what she liked to call 'the charm,' attempting to make eye contact with the earth pony barman. The light grey stallion soon made his way over to them, even though there were one or two ponies who were there before them. "Well good evenin' miss, what can I get you?" Spitfire fluttered her eyelashes subtley. "Could I get three, no four shots of firewhiskey please; what d'you want Soar?" The bartender looked away from Spitfire, only just noticing her blue friend, disappointment forming on his face. "Um... can I get some ginger beer please?" Soarin' asked, oblivious to the earth pony's inner thoughts. "Yeah, sure," he said, taking another glance at Spitfire, who was looking away, licking her lips, though he was sure she knew he was looking at her. He fumbled slightly while he prepared their drinks, stealing a look at Spitfire every so often. Soarin' finally picked up on his peculiar behaviour. "Why does he keep looking at you?" he muttered into her ear. "No idea," she replied innocently, then continued to bite her lower lip, closing her eyes halfway. His walk was odd when he returned, as if he was trying to hide something. "That'll be be ten bits all together miss." "Here ya go mister," she said, handing him a note. He leaned in slightly, she followed suit. "I finish at one ya know, you can ditch pretty boy here and come with me." "I'll bear that in mind," she replied. "What did he say?" asked Soarin' as they left the bar. "He just told me what time he got off tonight," she said, almost disappointedly as they sat at a table in a corner. "Isn't that a good thing? By Celestia, I'd be happy if a mare told me something like that." "Nah, I was only teasing him, he was way too easy." "Is everything a game with you Spits?" "Never really thought about it, but yeah, I suppose it is." Soarin' simply shook his head and had a look around at the fellow clientèle. He enjoyed pony watching, wondering who strangers were in reality, what their backgrounds were, experiences, lives... He saw a few couples, possibly on their first dates, perhaps they'd been lovers for years. In the corner on the other side of the bar, he saw a brief glimpse of colour. Squinting, he saw a few colours, red, orange, yellow, was that green? Oh yeah, there it is, blue, lots of blue, and purple. "Hey Spits, look over there. Is that who I think it is?" Spitfire looked over in the direction he was pointing. "Jeez, if you can't tell who that is, you need to get your eyes tested." "But what's she doing here? In Canterlot? Doesn't she live in Ponyville?" "I don't exactly ask Rainbow what she's up to all the time do I?" "Why not? You've met each other enough times now, surely that warrants keeping in touch?" "Maybe," said Spitfire, lowering her eyes. "Should we go and say hi?" "I dunno, she looks a bit glum... I think," he said, squinting again. "Yeah, she does look a bit down, we'll see how she is after a few drinks. Is she alone?" "Looks like it." "That seems odd, she's told me a lot about her friends before." The evening passed, with Soarin' getting another round of drinks, much to the bartender's disappointment. Rainbow Dash as well got a few more drinks herself, her walk to and from the bar becoming more and more haphazard. "Can ah get a *hic* get a umm... another fireblitz?" she asked on her last visit. "But miss, this will be your eighth! I strongly advise you that you call it a night soon." "Pleeeeeaaaaase?" she implored. The bartender looked slightly concerned but did as she asked, collecting the bits she placed on the counter. Rainbow thought this was a good time to break out into song one her way back to her seat. "A long long time ago, I was just a young mare, and that stallion used to make me smile, And I knew if I had my chance, If I could get up with him and dance, Then maybe I'd be happy for a while. But February made me shiver, All I did was fuss and dither, Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step, I can remember that I cried, I wept, I choked, fell down and sighed, And something touched me deep inside, The day my sweetheart died. "So bye bye, my dear Blue Sky, I loved you like the air and in the air we would fly, Until one day and I never knew why, You said, this will be the day that I die, This will be the day that I die..." She put her head in her hooves and sat morosely at her lonely table. The two Wonderbolts, along with the majority of the pub, had been watching Rainbow as she sang. "I think we should go over," said Spitfire, "she's clearly had too much to drink." They got up and made their way through the sea of chairs and tables to the intoxicated blue pegasus. Spitfire gently tapped her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" Rainbow looked up and saw just who was talking to her, but didn't seem to recognise who it was, given that Spitfire wasn't wearing her suit. The copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed didn't help much either. "Are you talking to me? What're you doin' umm here?" she asked, her eyes slightly crossed as she tried to focus on the yellow mare. "I could say the exact same thing to you." "Well, I don't really remember to be... honest, I can't remember-ember today all that well... I'm Rainbow Dash." "Sweet Celestia, how much have you drank?" "Not enough!" she said as she grabbed her drink and began downing it. "Something tells me that isn't the best idea," said Spitfire, wresting the drink from her grasp. "Hey! I was *hic* drinking that." "Let's get you home." "But I don't wanna!" Rainbow whined. Spitfire was thinking fast, and winked at Soarin'. "Or you could come round mine? Got lots of drinks that you can have, for free," she lied. "Wassat?" "Free drinks, at mine." "Sweet! You can count me in!" "Good, now put a hoof over my withers, and let's get going." Rainbow did as she was told, and supported by Spitfire, they left the bar in less than a straight line, the two Wonderbolts had been drinking too after all. Rainbow was dimly aware that the air temperature had suddenly become much cooler. She looked around and saw a blue stallion next to her. Quite an attractive blue stallion too. "Hey," Rainbow giggled, "what's a handsome guy like you doing around these parts of town?" Soarin's face flushed as he fumbled over his words. "Well I-I, y-you think, handsome, me?" Spitfire rolled her eyes and came to his rescue. "He's with me, Rainbow." "Oh!" exclaimed Rainbow, realisation dawning on her face. "So you two are together?" "Oh, you have no idea. But no, we're not." "If you're not together, then why are you here?" "We're friends," said Soarin'. "Awesome, I have loads of friends too. Don't know if you've ever heard of them, though you probably have, s'not like we're not all amazing and saved Equestria twice or anything. There's Twilight Sparkle, total egghead, but I love her for it ya know? Applejack, down to Earth, country gal..." After this, Spitfire and Soarin' zoned out the pegasus' babbling, until they reached the outskirts of the city. "Well, you're in no fit state to fly, so you'll have to fly on either mine or Soarin's back." "Pffft, whatever, I'm the best flyer in all of Equestria!" Spitfire and Soarin' exchanged glances. "Oh, you think so huh?" the yellow pony said smugly. "Think so? I know so!" Her wings sprung open and she jumped into the air, to show them her skills, but something was wrong; why was the ground coming up to meet her like that? And why was she now flat on her back? "Greatest flyer eh?" said the looming face of Spitfire, coming into focus over her. "I could've blitzed that," said Rainbow, getting to her hooves, "just didn't feel like it." Spitfire nodded in mock understanding and pounced before the cyan mare could react, grabbing her by the waist. "Hey! What're you doing? Put me down!" "Hey, listen!" she said to the struggling pegasus beneath her as she and Soarin' took off, "Look, there's no chance of you getting home safely on your own, so just trust me 'kay." "Hmmph! 'Kay." "Good, now just hang on tight." --------------- "Goodnight Mr Handsome Stallion!" called Rainbow as Soarin' left for his home upon arriving in Cloudsdale. "Um, goodnight Rainbow Dash!" he called back, clearly flustered. "So, where's your place?" asked Rainbow. "Not far, come on." "As if I'm actually going home to a stranger's house." Stranger? Didn't Rainbow know who she was? Apparently not as it turned out, but Spitfire was happy to maintain her anonymity for now. "Well, going out, getting drunk, going home with a 'stranger,' don't you think that might be implying something?" asked Spitfire. "I dunno, can do if you want it to," she replied with a wink and a flashing smile. Spitfire felt a tingly sensation inside her that had nothing to do with alcohol. Rainbow meandered down the road towards the Wonderbolt's home, with said Wonderbolt keeping an eye on her, while occasionally stumbling herself. "Here we are," said Spitfire, in front of a large house constructed entirely from cloud. She opened the door and let the mare in. "It's all dark, oof!" "Ouch!" yelped Spitfire, switching on a light and rubbing her snout. "Try not to do that again eh?" "Heh, sorry. Um, you got any drinks?" "Well, you really shouldn't. You seemed really drunk, and I planned on sending you to bed, but I suppose one can't hurt." Spitfire walked up to her bedroom, beckoning Rainbow to follow. The cyan mare clambered up the stairs as Spitfire rummaged through the drinks cabinet that she kept in a corner of her room. She retrieved a bottle of very sweet and strong spirit, called Luna's Moonshine, which was very, very expensive and manufactured by the Princess of the Night herself. She sat herself on the bed and poured out a measure of the opalescent, silvery liquid into two glasses, and topped them up with lemonade. "Here, have a treat," she said, passing her a glass. Rainbow took a sip of the odd looking silvery drink and her eyes lit up in delight, as the cool, sweet drink caressed her tongue and throat. "S'good isn't it?" "Buck yeah it's good!" she said as she got onto the bed too and lay on her front, very close to Spitfire. "Horribly expensive, but so worth it." "How much?" "You don't wanna know." "No I do," said Rainbow, putting on her best puppy eyes. Damn that's cute, she thought. Then she shook head slightly. "Ten thousand bits a bottle." "WHAT." "Told you you didn't wanna know." "Ten thousand... I don't even... How do you afford that?!" "Let's just say I have a very well paid job. "Oh? What do you do?" "Let's just say I get paid to show off." "I wish I got paid to do that." "You like showing off then?" "I don't like to think of it like that, I just love to perform in front of ponies. Though there are a lot who think I am just a show off." "Well, from what I know of you, Rainbow, you're not a show off, you are a kind and loyal pony, and... easy on the eyes as well," she added, testing the waters and downing the rest of her drink, the warm drunken haze washing over her. "Really? Ya think so?" the cyan mare replied, as Spitfire refilled her glass. She rarely received genuine compliments. Her tail swished over the bed. "Yeah, you're like totally sweet!" Spitfire said, pushing a hoof onto her withers playfully. Rainbow shivered. "You 'kay?" "Yeah, I'm fine. Umm, do you think you could do that again?" "What? This?" She pushed again. "Yeah, it felt, well, good." "Long story short, you want me to give you a massage?" asked Spitfire, who was never really a pony for subtle intentions and preferred a pony to just ask for what they wanted. "Y-yeah, if that's okay." "It's more than okay Rainbow," said the pegasus in a sultry tone, "just relax." "Oh, I am don't mmmm worry," Rainbow mumbled as Spifire gently worked out the kinks and knots in her muscles, the two of them taking a drink every so often, becoming increasingly intoxicated. "How is it?" whispered Spitfire. "So good," murmured Rainbow, tension unravelling. "Good, good. Maybe you'd like a lil' more?" "More?" "Mmmhmmm." She ceased with her massage and turned Rainbow over, so that she was now lying on her back. "You really are a beanti- be- beautilal, dammit. Sexy. You're sexy, Rainbow." "You- you being serious?" asked Rainbow, butterflies erupting in her stomach as she turned her head to look at Spitfire, her face inches from Rainbow's. "Come over here and find out," whispered Spitfire, eyes half lidded. She could feel the cyan mare's hot breath on her muzzle, smell her sweet, spicy aroma and see the excited, yet nervous look on her face. Rainbow wanted to kiss her, or did she? Her drunken thoughts were very indecisive about what she desired. She's right there Rainbow, more than willing, go for it, it'll be so awesome! It's been like forever since I did anything like this! But this might not be a good idea, I've made stupid as buck mistakes before when I was drunk, surely I've learnt my lesson by now? But maybe it won't be a mistake. Maybe this could be the start of something new. Celestia knows I get awfully lonely sometimes. Oh, I don't know! "You seem confused Rainbow, perhaps I can help you make a decision." She placed a hoof over Rainbow and gently pressed her lips against hers, causing Rainbow to sigh lightly, until Spitfire bit her lower lip slightly causing her to squeal in delight. The blue mare's senses were bombarded with amazing sensations, the spicy, cinnamon-like taste of the the pegasus, the touch of soft lips against hers, alive with heated passion, all seemed specially designed specifically for her pleasure. Spitfire withdrew and looked at her. "Well? Did my guest enjoy that?" she asked looking over Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow looked vaguely over to her, a grin etched on her face, then followed Spitfire's gaze over her shoulder to her flared wings. "Huh? Oh yeah! Definitely!" "Compliments of the house," said Spitfire lightly, waving a hoof. "I'm glad you enjoyed it Rainbow, though don't think I'm finished yet, I'm just getting started." She rolled from her side onto her back, giving a look with her warm, amber eyes that scares lesser ponies, intimidates stallions, and excites Rainbow Dashes. Rainbow's eyes widened excitedly and she ran a hoof through the yellow mare's fiery mane, leaning in for another, deeper kiss, which Rainbow delved into eagerly, setting her mind ablaze. A whirlwind of emotions descended upon her, and her lucidness was disintegrating rapidly. She was vaguely aware of Spitfire's tongue coming into contact with hers, and revelling in the feelings it brought. "Oh Rainbow, you're so amazing," was the last thing she could recall Spitfire saying. The yellow mare kissed Rainbow Dash again, and ran her hooves along the pegasus' wings, making her shudder violently, after that, her memory failed her...