//------------------------------// // New Friends and Old Friends // Story: Peace and Quiet // by ArtsyUnicorn //------------------------------// It’s been a year since the Crystal War ended, slowly but surely Equestria is being re-built and everything is going back to normal (or whatever normal is). Everyone has been building homes, getting new jobs according to their cutie mark. Maud has gotten interested in rocks again and is currently doing research in Canterlot. Pinkie has started working in a bakery call Sugar Cube Corner; she hopes to open her own bakery soon. Rainbow Dash and Soarin have gotten jobs in the weather factory (and not the rainbow factory cause who wants to work there?) Rainbow has been employee of the month for about two months now because she is the best when it comes to cloud busting and weather control of everything so far. Soarin mainly works in producing rain, snow, thunderstorms basically, but he wishes to do some extreme flying stunts one day, just like Dash. It’s been different getting used to not kicking flank every day, but that’s good! Dash is using those skills to bust the clouds every day and keep the weather clear for fun sunny days instead of dark, gloomy, depressing days like they used to endure. Now it’s just been days of relaxation, sleeping in till 8:00 instead of 5:30, life has been pretty good for everyone so far. Now we tune into Rainbow and Soarin’s house where it’s their day off. “Is that the new Daring Do book? I knew you would like A.K Yearlings stuff” Soarin said as he sat down on a very hard pillow. “Yes in fact it is, is that Tank you’re sitting on?” Dash asked, Soarin noticed that it was in fact Dash’s pet Tank he was sitting on. “Just because we moved in together doesn’t mean that you get to sit on my pet Soarin.” Dash said with a laugh. Dash and Soarin had begun to live together shortly after they were sent home when the war ended; they haven’t killed each other yet so that should be a good thing! All of a sudden a knock was heard on the door of the small cloud house. “Telegram for Soarin!” it was the mail mare Light Wing, this time with a telegram from another pony. This pony must not live in Cloudsdale since he or she didn’t come to meet him in person. As Soarin looked over the telegram, an expression of excitement and curiosity washed over his pale blue face. “Whoa what did you get in the mail? I haven’t seen you this excited over paper when I got you that comic book for Hearths Warming” Dash said as she put her book down. “Huh? Oh it’s nothing but I got to head down to Canterlot for something real quick” Soarin said as he gathered his saddle bag, he took the telegram with him so that Dash couldn’t see it. “I’ll see you in a little bit, and comb your mane, its better now that your growing it out” Soarin said as he kissed her forehead. Rainbow Dash was a bit confused, not because of the fluttery feeling she got whenever he kissed her, because he got a telegram from a stranger and just left to go somewhere. It was definitely weird because he really never did this, maybe it was nothing and he was visiting a friend but after reading all of those mystery novels she was a bit curious. Time to do some sleuthing, so she flew down to the little town of Ponyville to pay her friend pinkie a visit. "Rainbow you are over thinking things, take a break from reading those mystery novels, get some rest, and have a cupcake cause I just baked a batch of marble” Pinkie said as she gave her a cupcake, Pinkie did make really good treats in fact the Cakes had more business than they did a couple years ago. “But if you really think the stallion of your dreams is being strange maybe you should talk to Maud, she’s in Canterlot right now though”. “Well actually the truth is I like going places with him where ever he goes, today he just left” Dash said with a pout. “Just how many ponies have you killed with that adorable pout? I didn’t even know you were possible of being cute.” Pinkie said as she cleaned the countertops. “Well I’ll see you later, don’t steal too many cakes” Dash said as she flew about the sky for a while, Rainbow loved to just fly around the sky, it was so relaxing, you could see everything from the sky, and resting on the clouds was always fun.‘Pinkies right, I read too many mystery novels, it’s ok if he leaves without me sometimes, I’m just letting my heart speak for me’. Soon she saw a familiar Pegasus in the distant and went to find her. “Hey Fluttershy! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you that you had long hair when I last saw you” Dash said as she caught up to the yellow Pegasus. “Oh Rainbow Dash, you’ve changed a lot too, your hair is so short compared to the long ponytail you had back in flight school” the two sat on a large cloud to catch up on lost times and memories, now as they talk about the present, some interesting questions are asked, and some beans are spilled. “I heard that your dating Soarin now, is that right?” Fluttershy asked as she laid on her back. “Yeah, for about four months now, it’s pretty interesting too because I never imagined myself having a boyfriend, then I again I thought I wouldn’t live past 20, but I’m 21 years old right now and here I am” she said, “what about your love life? I barely know anything about that, but I know you had a crush on Rain Cloud back in flight school”. “That’s right I did, but that dream died once Clear Skies started dating him and stuff. I have a crush on this one guy, Big Macintosh but I doubt he would like a little weakling like me” “Come on Flutters it’ll be okay, I know you’ll find someone, you just have to have the courage and let your heart take control! But if your following your heart just remember to take your brain with you” Dash says as she sits up getting ready to take off, “I’m going to head home now, it was great talking to you again though Flutters” Rainbow Dash flies off to home, it’s been awhile since she had seen an old friend that wasn’t buried deep in the earths soil, but it was always nice to know that you have friends.