"Loyalty" Begins With an L

by shortskirtsandexplosions

ix

The morning came like a warm glaze of golden polish over the eastern horizon. The grayness melted away as the sun rose, casting brilliant rays over the rooftops of sleepy Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash sat alone atop the rooftop of town hall. She breathed in the warm air as the dawn's mists around her dissipated. Slowly, her eyes opened, and when she saw the bright aura of the sun burning towards her, she smiled and winced at the same time. It was neither a painful nor a joyous sensation. It was something simple, something manageable, and she reveled in it.

"Uhm... Were you out here all night, Miss Dash?"

Rainbow's ears flicked. She turned around to see Thunderlane perched on the rooftop behind her. "Something like that. Why do you ask?"

Once more, Thunderlane shifted nervously in her presence. "Oh. I... I was just curious, is all. I'd hate to think that our weather captain was losing sleep or something..."

"Losing sleep? Maybe. Losing awesomeness? Not in a million years." Rainbow Dash gestured his way. "Since when were you such an early bird? Planning morning gymnastics with Blossomforth?"

"Eh... Eh heh heh heh..." Thunderlane chuckled. He stood at a sharp angle from the sunrise, as if the resulting shadows might hide the blush in his cheeks. It was an utter failure. "Really, though, uhm... I was just about to fly Rumble to school. The little squirt's got some bullies who are giving him a hard time, and I figured I'd teach them not to mess with the guy or else they'd have to deal with his big brother."

"Well, that's awfully swell of you," Rainbow Dash said in a low tone. "What's their problem with Rumble anyways? He seems pretty harmless."

"They think he's got a girly mane."

"Heh. You don't say?" Rainbow Dash squinted up at him. "And why doesn't he just cut it?"

Thunderlane shrugged. "Cuz he likes it the way he has it, and he's not about to let anypony tell him to do it differently."

Rainbow Dash smiled and faced the rising sun once again. "Well... Good for him."

"Hey, uhm..." Thunderlane shuffled over to the edge of the rooftop. "I did some reading last night after stopping by the Cider Station..."

"You went to the library instead of the lake house?"

"No! I mean, yes... I mean—Nghh—Stop doing that!"

"Heheheh..."

"Seriously, though," Thunderlane said. "I did a bit of research... about Commander Hurricane."

Rainbow Dash's nostrils flared slightly. "Oh yeah?" she droned.

"Yeah. Uhm. Late last night at the cider station, I got into talking about the Hearth’s Warming Pageant, probably because of our conversation and all. Heh. Anyways, somepony stated some supposed fact and it got me curious. So I read up on Hurricane; I did some old school brushing up on history, I guess. Did you know that she single-hoofedly rounded up the entire population of Stratopolis and led them on an exodus to the newly founded land of Equestria?"

"Uh, yeah. And so does every pegasus who was foaled in Cloudsdale. What's your point?"

"Well, the point is that I learned about something she did after she retired."

"And what was that?"

"Well, the history scrolls tell the story a bit differently, but one thing they can all agree on is that she went to a secluded cloudbank hovering above Dragon Mountain several hundred years ago." Thunderlane smiled slightly. "Only, she wasn't alone."

"Oh?"

"No. She was last seen with Snow Pansy, formerly 'Private Pansy' of the Pegasus Sky Militia. After Equestria founded, the two of them spent their last days together in peaceful seclusion. Records even say they were entombed together. Y'know... like a married couple."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "And just what's your point?"

Thunderlane opened his mouth, hesitated, then slumped back on his haunches. "Erm... well..." He gulped. "My point is this. I... I-I didn't know about that earlier. And when I—y'know—made those comments about comparing you to Commander Hurricane..." He winced slightly. "You gotta understand, I had no idea about that little tidbit of her life. So, like, I wasn't trying to imply anything about you or your—"

"Hey Thunderlane..."

"Yes, Miss Dash?"

"What did Commander Hurricane do for the entire population of Stratopolis?"

He blinked. "Uhm... Just like I said, she saved all of them in a controlled exodus to Equestria. She preserved the very core of pegasus civilization."

Rainbow Dash nodded, staring at him steadily. "Then does anything else really matter?"

He stared back. Very slowly, he smiled, matching the warmth of the sun cascading down on the two of them. "No. No, I guess not."

"Then swell." Rainbow Dash looked once more towards the burning horizon. "I'll see you at this exact spot twelve hours from now, six o'clock sharp."

"Uhm... Miss Dash?"

"Yesssss?" She stood up, flexing her legs and wings. "What now, Thunderlane?"

"Just... Just so I don't make an idiot of myself in the future," he looked at her sincerely. "What... What would you have me call you, while we're weather flying and all? From now on, I mean? 'Miss Dash?' 'Ma'am?' 'Miss?'"

Rainbow Dash looked at him, at the sunrise, then at him again. She smiled softly. "How about 'friend?'"

He smiled at that, breathing with relief. "Yeah. Yeah, okay."

She stretched her hoof out.

He slapped the flat of his against hers, smiling.

"Get a haircut," she grunted, fluffed his mohawk, and flew towards the other end of town.

"Where are you going?" Thunderlane asked.

"I just remembered," she called back. "I've got a picnic to go to."

Comments

[ProofNegative]

Ok, I cant believe that there are no comments on this series. If this had likes like facebook or youtube, I'd give this a thousand likes. I love how you delve into the the personality of Rainbow Dash in this story, crumbling the well-built facade of her toughness and showing us her vulnerable inner self. I have so much more to say, but I dont think I'd be allowed to write that much, so I'll leave you with this: Keep doing what you're doing. You are fantastic at this.

-With much admiration , AppleDash

[Csquared08]

No matter how much I may end up liking or disliking this, this is masterfully written, as always, Skirts. Well done

[SatoshiKyu]

1197194

If this had likes like facebook or youtube

*Looks at like system that is exactly the same as the one on Youtube*

Yeah, if only!

[Ponky]

D'awww... Cute scene.

[Ice Star]

Nice extra bit of lore.