//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Building Bonds // Story: Happiness and Tears // by flaminkomage //------------------------------// Happiness and Tears RDcrystalheart Chapter 6: Building Bonds "Seriously? That's what happened?" Firefly asked her daughter the next day. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Well, to be honest, it wasn't entirely my fault. If AJ hadn't-" she started, before being interrupted. "Hey hey, don't blame this on Applejack. It was your fault you even crashed that silly party!" Firefly exclaimed. Dash rolled her eyes. "Mom, haven't you ever wanted to see what a Cloudsdale party is like?" she asked, leading her on. Firefly slumped down in distress Dash smirked in victory. "I know that look." "Yeah yeah, whatever. But that doesn't give you an excuse to enter a high-class party with no invitation!" Firefly said. Dash sighed once again. "Okay, okay, fine. I know what I did was wrong and it won't happen ever again, 'kay?" she said, turning her statement into a question. Firefly shook her head. "Actually no, Rainbow. It's not okay. You need to go apologize," she said. Dash gaped at her mother in shock. "Wait.. what?" she said in a low voice. Firefly simply nodded. "Yeah, you need to let the Wonderbolt family know that you're sorry. You can take Scootaloo with you," she said. Dash raised her eyebrows. "Take Scootaloo with me where?" she asked. Firefly rolled her eyes. "Take her with you to Cloudsdale to tell Mr. Skies you apologize," she explained. Dash groaned. "Aw man... Mom, do I have to?" she whined. Firefly nodded sternly, stiffling back her silent giggles at her daughter's childish attitude. Dash moaned quietly, before slowly fluttering off the ground. "Come on, Scoots. We have to go apologize for something that totally wasn't my fault," she said in a bored tone. Scootaloo popped her head into the room, and laughed. "Shouldn't we take AJ with us or something, she was partially the reason this whole thing happened," she said. Dash shook her head. "I wish. But AJ's out of town with Key, something about wanting to get to know him more," she said. Scootaloo shrugged, and hopped down to her sister's level. "Oh well, should we go then?" she asked. Dash nodded. "Whatever." "Okay so, you're saying the Princesses need to get a show in Vanhoover by next week?" Spectrum Skies asked his agent at the cloud mansion. "But Rapidfire's on leave currently." Soarin silently strutted into the room and looked upon the situation. "What's this about a show in Vanhoover?" he asked. Spectrum sighed, and looked over to his son. "Princess Celestia's friend from another part of Equestria is going to Canterlot for a visit. We need to somehow fit a show when she's on her way as a surprise," he said. Soarin nodded. "Oh... but what about Rapid?" he asked. Spectrum nodded. "That's exactly the problem... without Rapidfire in Squad Three, we won't have enough flyers to complete the ariel triangle in the middle of the current performance we're rehearing. And we can't leave it and make a new routine, since there's barely enough time," he explained. Soarin furrowed his eyebrows. "Can't we just modify the triangle?" he asked. Spectrum shook his head. "That's basically impossible considering the amount of pizazz it would amount to in the show. We don't have enough time to create a new crowd-attractor," he said. Soarin sighed. "Sweet Celestia... what are we going to do then?" he asked hopelessly. Spectrum closed his eyes. "I don't think there's really anything we can do, Son. Unless we get some amazing flyer in on time... but the chances of that happening are very-" His voice was interrupted by the front doorbell ringing, and Cloudy Quartz entering the room. She smiled towards her son and husband. "Don't worry, I'll get it," she said, before trotting to the door and opening it wide. There in front of her, stood the last pony Spectrum wanted to see at that moment. Rainbow Dash. Soarin's eyes widened as she entered the room and turned to Spectrum. Spectrum eyed her angrily, still not forgetting what had happened at his wife's birthday party a few days ago. "Oh... it's you..." he said in a displeasing tone. Dash looked up at him with big eyes. "Uh..." she started. "He...llo..." she mumbled, cutting her words. Spectrum raised his eyebrow. "Why are you here? We're very busy at the moment," he said curtly. Dash gulped. "Right," she said, turning to her little sister for moral support. But Scootaloo had her focus elsewhere- she was looking directly at Speedy who was on the stairs looking down upon the ponies. Scootaloo glared at him, as the colt happily returned the gesture. Realizing she wasn't getting anywhere with her sister, Dash turned back to Spectrum Skies. "Sorry for intruding upon you like this, Sir," she said, regaining her confidence, "but I wanted to tell you something." Spectrum sighed. "Go on." "Uh... I just wanted to say... that I'm really very sorry for what happened at Mrs. Quartz's birthday party," Dash explained. Spectrum tilted his head. He never expected an ordinary village mare to apologize to such a high-class pony like himself. "It's fine," he said with a wave of his hoof. Dash bit her lip, before noticing Soarin standing behind Spectrum. He though, was busy laughing hard to himself. Dash glared at him, but at her angle, it seemed as if she was looking at Spectrum. "Is something wrong...?" Spectrum asked her, noticing her facial expression. She quickly looked to him, and shook her head politely. "Oh no, nothing at all, Sir," she said cautiously, only making Soarin laugh harder. Spectrum was beginning to lose it. He didn't know what was wrong with this mare, she was just so... agh. He didn't like her one bit at all. "Look, if you don't have a real reason for being in my house, I suggest you leave instantly," he said. Dash's eyes widened, as she backed away. She definitely wasn't expecting that, and neither was Soarin. He looked between her and his father in shock, before clearing his throat. "Uh... Rainbow Dash," he said, their eyes making perfect contact with each other. Soarin's instantly looked over to the exit, as Dash took the hint and nodded. "Oh! Yeah... okay, I'll just... be off now!" she said, scampering over to the door, her wings outstretched. But of course, that wasn't the smartest idea. Her wing bumped into a giant trophy on a table in the middle of the room, as it rocked off and fell with a smash onto the floor. Even though it was made of cloud, it was still a hard hit, and the trophy cracked. Dash stopped dead in her tracks, and looked behind her at the broken figurine. She gasped, and diverted her eyes to look at Spectrum, who was wearing an unreadable expression at that moment. Cloudy instantly flew over to her husband, in fear of him lashing out. Spectrum was a wee bit tender when it came to this sort of thing; especially when it included one of his trophies or achievements. Spectrum gaped at Dash, his ears lowering and turning redder by the second. Dash gulped, she knew what was about to happen. "You... you... you IMBECILE!" he yelled. Dash's eyes widened as he shouted at her. "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE YOU PATHETIC LITTLE-" "DAD!" Soarin's voice cut into his. Spectrum looked at his son in shock and anger. Soarin flew between him and Dash, and held a hoof out to protect her. "SHUT UP, WILL YOU?" Spectrum tilted his head back. "What... what are you doing? Taking the side of this middle-class mare?!" he exclaimed. Soarin shook his head. "It was just a simple accident! We all make mistakes!" he persisted. Spectrum took a few deep breaths, as Cloudy looked at her son with a concerned look. He would never defend a mare like Dash without a good reason. Rainbow Dash on the other hoof, was looking more embarrased than she ever had before. Her hoof was to her mouth, as she looked upon the scene in shock. "An accident like this has already occurred once, it ruined my beloved wife's birthday party!" Spectrum started, before turning back to Dash. "And it was all because of her!" he said, pointing an accusing hood towards the cyan mare. "Dad! Just let it go! What's done is done!" Soarin exclaimed, turning around and walking back to the paralyzed mare. He put a protective hoof around her, and snorted. Cloudy eyed the two curiously; something was definitely up between them. She saw it at the party, and now here. She was positive they had met before. She then thought back to what Spectrum had told her at the party a few days ago- he already had Soarin's plan for the future set, but Cloudy was certain Soarin would argue until daylight's end about the matter. Though it wasn't like she had any say in her husband's decision. He made the rules around the house, and everyone honestly preferred it that way. Not until now, at least. "Okay, so now that this is settled," Soarin started, turning around to the front door. "I'll be out for a little while, follow me, Dash." And with that, Soarin led the cyan mare out the house, Spectrum standing stone still looking out after the two of them.