From Sky to Earth

by RaijingtheClockworkPony

Let's make a Date

The Dirty Stall. Not the most appealing name for a bar but it serves its purpose. The building itself was just like all the other Ponyville structures that surrounded it; bright, colorful, and designed to let ponies know what it was meant for. The structure looked like a stable and it played to that motif quite well from the hay in ever stall to the way the floor was laid out and in one corner of this bar was a pair of mares that came there not to drink but on a mission. That mission was to find Soarin' the perfect mare.

"And you think that there's a perfect mare for him in Ponyville?"

Spitfire placed her cider down on the table. "I don't see why not. I found my coltfriend here and I'm certain that Soarin' can find love here as well."

Spitfire put her hoof to her mouth. She hadn't meant to mention her coltfriend, least of all to Rainbow Dash. Dash choked on her drink at the mention of a coltfriend. It took a moment for her to recover her breath and composure.

"You have a coltfriend? From Ponyville? Who!?"

Spitfire fumbled with her drink for a moment. "Yeah. He made me promise not to tell. He doesn't want to get in trouble with you because he told me he would if you found out."

Dash narrowed her eyes. "Fire you better tell me. If it's one of my weather team I'll... Thunderlane!"

Her shouting of his name caused the bartender to look up from cleaning a glass. Dash apologized then returned her attention to Spitfire. Spitfire however was the one to talk.

"How did you know?"

Dash gave a smug smile. "He's been ditching practices more than normal. I give him some slack due to him being one of the few male members of the regular weather team but lately he's been skipping way more than normal."

Spitfire blushed at hearing this. "I guess that's my fault. Sorry about stealing him from your practice."

Dash shrugged. "At least he has an excuse this time. Anyways let's focus on Soarin', he needs us to help him."

Spitfire sipped from her cider. "Well I think the first thing we need to do is only pick mares that don't know he's a Wonderbolt."

Dash had her drink to her lips but lowered it when that condition hit her ears. "Well... that really brings the number down. I think it would be hard to find anypony that doesn't know who he is, let alone a mare."

Spitfire gave her own sigh. "Okay, let’s try it from a personality viewpoint. Soarin' is kind, really good listener, and he can get really passionate about something he loves."

Dash motioned for Spitfire to continue. "He's very loyal to his friends and the team, he really a bit of a sweetheart and to tell you the truth he's always sorta been... well he's shy."

Dash's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Soarin'? The Soarin' that performs in front of thousands of ponies at once and the same pony that helped you fight a giant greed filled Spike? Are we talking about the same Soarin' or did you meet a different Soarin' that works as a Wonderbolt?"

"Dash you of all ponies should know what it's like to do something you love. When we get in front of those crowds everything just disappears and we fly."

Both mares went silent as they both reminisced on the joy of flying. Spitfire cleared her throat after a few seconds to bring Dash back to reality.

"So you have any ideas yet?"

Dash tapped her hoof against her chin as she thought. "Kind, passionate, and kinda shy huh... I think I might know the perfect mare for this."

Spitfire couldn't help but join Dash in grinning when she saw the devilish grin on her face. Now all they had to do was plan the date.

"Are you sure about this?"

Soarin' was in the middle of combing his mane, not that he wanted to but he knew that when Spitfire got all giggly that he should do as she says. The afore mentioned golden pegasus was lounging on a sofa nearby looking at the ceiling.

"I told you I would find you the perfect mare and I think I have. Trust me you'll like her. She's nice, likes the quiet, and she's cute."

Soarin' looked away from the mirror he was using; abandoning the comb after deciding that his mane was fine. Not like the flight there won't mess it up anyways. He walked over to the sofa and tapped her legs. Her gaze fell onto him and moved so he could sit down. He moved onto the sofa and started fidgeting. Spitfire nudged him.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

He opened his mouth a few times but nothing came out. Finally after a minute he found his voice. "What if she doesn't like me?"

She sat up straight in the sofa and gave him a stern look. "What? Why wouldn't she like you?'

He mumbled something that she couldn't hear. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed slightly annoyed. She didn't speak hoping that he could catch the hint and much to her surprise he spoke up again without having to be coaxed.

"What if she's read some of those magazines? I'm certain that she's been told who I am and shes gone and read up on me. She'll know that I'm a Wonderbolt and she will start acting like every other mare and—"

A hoof to the mouth stopped him as he had started to freak out. Spitfire waited for a moment to let his breathing return to normal.

"Hey I promised I would find you a mare that doesn't know about your being a Wonderbolt. She will be meeting you for the first time tonight and she won't know anything about you. Just stop worrying about stupid things like articles. Remember what I told you about them?"

He nodded and gently removed her hoof from his mouth. "It's just ponies creating drama to make drama and money. Still... some of those stories where hurtful."

Spitfire sighed as she remembered the National Equestrian article that suggested that the reason Soarin' was never seen with a mare was because he was into stallions. Soarin' had refused to leave his home for a week and it took almost his entire squadron to convince him to leave. It also didn't help that less than a day after he was seen in public that he was hit on by a stallion. 'It took us another week to get him back to practice after that.'

She gave him a reassuring smile and a quick hug. "I know they were but you just need to ignore them."

Soarin' returned the smile and felt confidence for the first time that night. He knew that Spitfire was right; He could do this. He rose from the sofa and gave himself on last look in the mirror.

"Okay. I'm ready. Where am I going?"

Spitfire gave him the directions and wished him the best of luck. He launched himself into the air and felt the rush of wind on his skin and through his mane. The roar of the air in his ears was a sweet music that he couldn't describe in words even if he had all the time in the world to do so. He soared higher into the air, embracing a distinct ache that only a pegasus could ever know. His wings both begged him to stop but demanded he kept going. Finally after a couple of minutes he stopped his ascent and hung in the air weightless. Gravity reclaimed him and began to pull him back down. He flipped his body into a dive. He went through cloud after cloud until he could see the very earth beneath him. When he did he flicked his wings open and slowed his decent to a mere glide.

His trip to the small town of Ponyville proved to be relaxing. He no longer was worried; rather he was now focusing on the questions he was most interested in: What type of pony was he about to meet? Another pegasus, an earth pony, or a unicorn? He doubted it would be a pegasus. A vast majority of the fans the Wonderbolts were pegasai. So perhaps an earth pony? To him it was the most likely. Earth ponies lacked the distinct interest in them. To his recollection he had only met a few earth ponies that were fans.

He landed with a light thump and looked at the small cottage just up the path. He took a few steps then stopped so he could admire the home. The outside looked like a tree that somepony had decided to stick a door and a few windows onto. He took a few more steps up the path leading to door and stopped next to one of the many birdhouses that hung near the tree cottage. He couldn't stop the smile that crawled onto his muzzle. He felt at peace here. After a few moments basking in the serenity of the front yard of his mystery date he walked up to the door and lifted his hoof.

What if she's not ready?

The thought halted his hoof mere inches from the door. He didn't want to be rude and arrive before she was ready. He put the offending hoof down and took a few steps away from the door. Wait I've arrived when I was told so therefore I'm right on time. She should be ready by now. He marched right back to the door and lifted his hoof once more.

But then again Spitfire takes forever when she needs to get ready for a fancy party or her dates with Thunderlane.

Down the hoof went. He should give her the courtesy of a few more minutes. Besides he heard somewhere that arriving late was fashionable. That... makes no sense. Arriving late is rude. I should be a gentlecolt and show up on time.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Do you really think that this is a good idea?"

Fluttershy looked through the mirror she was using at the rainbow manned pegasus that was lounging behind her. An exasperated groan left Dash's lips.

"For the thousandth time 'Shy yes! I think you're really going to like this guy. He's nice, quiet, and is an athlete."

Dash put a special emphasis on the final attribute. Ever since Dash and Fluttershy had met at flight camp they had been like sisters, always sharing secrets and confiding in each other. She knew that Fluttershy had a soft spot for well-built stallions. With a slight grimace she remembered the Macintosh incident. Fluttershy had confessed to Dash that she had a crush on Applejacks older brother and had planned on confessing her love to Macintosh. Unfortunately that was also the same day that Big Macintosh told everypony that he and Cheerilee were a couple. Fluttershy acted cheerful and told them that she was happy for both of them but spent the next few days in her home crying. Dash was the only one she would see and it took her nearly three more days to convince her that everything would be fine.

Dash pulled her mind back to the present just in time to see the dreamy look on Fluttershy's face. After another moment though it was gone as a look of fear passed over her face.

"Oh, what if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't like my house? What if—"

She was silenced by Dash walking up to her and giving her a brief hug. She placed both of her hooves on Fluttershy's shoulders and gave her a smile.

"You are the kindest, sweetest, prettiest, and the greatest friend I have ever known. If he doesn't like you I'll buck him into next week."

Fluttershy gave a small giggle at the image then looked horror struck when she realized that Dash was likely to do it.

"Please don't. Even if he doesn't like me in that way I could still be friends with him."

Dash gave a chuckle. "That's the spirit." She checked the clock on the bedside table. "Oh, I need to get going. Applejack needed my help with something today. Sorry I can't stay longer."

Futtershy could only wave to Dash as she practically flew out the door. Standing in her home alone now she glanced at herself in the mirror. She ran her hoof through her mane as she thought about what Dash had said. 'I can do this. I just need to relax and be myself.' She left her room and entered her living room to wait. She sat down on her sofa and pressed her hooves together as she waited.

As the time passed she decided that she should get up and do something to pass the time. She walked toward her kitchen when she passed by her reflection. She stopped and took a longer look in the mirror. Should I do something with my mane? What if I do and he doesn't like it? Should I maybe— She was running her hoof through her mane when she heard a knock on her door. She jumped and let out a small squeak of fear but then realized that her mystery stallion had arrived.

I should just go upstairs and pretend I'm not home. Maybe he'll think I'm not here and leave. She almost turned around and went up the stairs but a small voice in the back of her head spoke up. You made a promise to Dash to give him a chance. You owe it to her. She took a deep breath and walked to her door. She laid her hoof on the knob and took a leap of faith.

Comments

[punisher143]

Ah, these two are practically made for each other!
I like this interpretation of Soarin, different from what I've seen but still recognizable.
By the way:

Finally after a minuet he found his voice.

[Frizzy]

I like shy Soarin.

[JellyDrivex64]

I think she should know soarin sice dash and her are praticlly the closest friends ever so RD would talk about them alot

[14squarefeet]

"Took a leap of faith" I love that series. Also, it's been a long time since I've read a straight shipping so I'm gonna give this a chance :)

[Celestia Royal Guard]

I want moar please

[Aziraphael]

Dash chocked on her drink at the mention of a coltfriend.

Would you believe that misspelling that word is a more common error than using the wrong "to"?

Nitpicking aside, good job on another fantastic chapter. I really like where you're going with this. Soarin x AJ might be my favorite pairing for him, but Fluttershy pulls a lose second. And with how you've built his character in this story their date promises to be wonderfully awkward.

[JakeFourLeaf]

I dunno why...but I think this is amazing!

[Music-and-magic]

Aww, they're both socially awkward.

[metroid_freak]

I'm okay with this...

[frostgiant]

I just love this story Its so awesome

[CanadianFluttershy]

Big Macintosh told everypony that he and Cheerilee were a couple.

YOU! YOU! I love you! Gimme a big wet kiss. I don't care if you're a girl or a dude! Come here you sexy you!