Colfire

by solsticebrony888

Chapter 6

“Colgate, did you sell your soul or something? The Wonderbolt caption asked you out? It’s like impossible things keep happening left and right to you! You must have done something, this is just not possible! Well…?” Carrot Top said in her usual position on their couch, eating a hay sandwich.

“Well what?” Colgate question, hair slightly disheveled and with a worried expression on her face. She had only a few hours been at the party where Spitfire had asked her out, and its possible effect on her life was stressing her out.

“Well you said yes, right?”

“N-Not exactly..”

Carrot Top turned around on their couch to face the unicorn, with wide eyes, “You said NO?”

“Not exactly.” Colgate said with a sigh.

The orange pony sighed too, “Then what did you say?”

“I said ‘I don’t know’ because I was freaking out. Thoughts ran in my head about how my parents would react if they knew I went out with a mare, then I responded to her. I knew it was a mistake the second I returned to the party. But there’s such a stigma that comes with being with a mare…everypony thinks that mares date mares because they’re mad at stallions, or being with mares because they know immature little colts love it when two girls kiss.”

“Grow a backbone, Colgate.” Carrot Top said bluntly, then continued, “Imagine how hard it was for her to do that. You’re her first friend in ages, you’re attractive, you’re also a mare. Even as a Wonderbolt, she must have struggled with it for a bit. Especially with her fame. Never mind her parents, she had thousands of adoring fans, thousands of colts who are mainly fans just because she’s hot. She ignored the possible backlash from her fans, she ignored any sort of prejudgments ponies could have made about your relationship, and went for it. You obviously share her feelings, right?”

“What are you getting to?” Colgate responded snidely, purposefully not denying her friend’s assumption.

“She’s certainly feeling worse than you are right now. You should talk to her about it. Why didn’t you when you saw her after the party?”

Suddenly feeling the rising of her guilt, Colgate responded, “Wow, at first I was insulted when you told me I should grow a backbone, but wow did I seriously mess things up this time,” The unicorn said, thoughts plagued by how she made Spitfire feel, “I didn’t see her for long after the party. I think we both knew it’d be awkward. She didn’t seem sad; she even waited for me outside. When I caught up, he dress was already off, she looked back at me, and said ‘I’ll see you later, Colgate.’ Then left. She acted calm, she even grinned at me, as if nothing was wrong, but the crack in her voice convinced me otherwise. I…I feel as if I just wasted one of the biggest opportunities ever…”

“There’s no chance she’d just forget about you or ignore you. Colgate, she’s probably just as worried about losing you as you are about losing her. Tomorrow just go mend things, and see where things go.”

“Jeez, I need to thank you for all this advice. I’d be nowhere without your help, Carrot Top.” Colgate said with a smile, reaching over the couch to give her friend a hug.

“Don’t mention it, now get some sleep! I’m starting my own jogging-in-the-morning thing that you did.”

“Alright, goodnight!” The unicorn replied.

<><><><><><><><><>

“Ouch” Fleetfoot responded, after hearing the Wonderbolt’s explanation of the night before, “Where are you going to go from here? Or are you just going to quit?”

“Me? Quit? Pleh, I’ve been out of the dating game for a while, I’m not going to quit this easy,”

Fleetfoot flew to the other side of the training quarters where she acquired a drink from a vending machine and sat on the leather couches next to training equipment, facing Spitfire, “I don’t know, maybe it’s better if you didn’t pursue her.”

“What do you mean?” The yellow Pegasus responded quickly, heavy on the skepticism in her voice.

“You’re the captain of the Wonderbolts, you’re gone like five months out of the year, you work late, your fans might backlash at the idea of you being with a mare. Especially your insane amount of fans that are stallions, which seriously think they could someday be with you.”

“You’re saying that as if I didn’t already know that.” Spitfire responded snidely, then continuing in a softer tone, “I just don’t know if I can handle losing the one friend I’ve had in years that isn’t some famous snob. You don’t count of course,”

“Well, if you’re friends with her, you don’t have to worry about how long you’re gone when we go on tours. If you’re with her, like, dating, she may get lonely and regret taking such a chance.” Fleetfoot said bluntly, sipping on her carrot juice.

Spitfire sighed, “I can’t act tough all the time I guess. You’re being a downer right now, but it’s now like what you’re saying isn’t true.”

“I’m kinda known for being the buzzkill sometimes, but it’s just comes along with viewing things logically.”

“Well maybe sometimes you have to take chances, you know?” The yellow Pegasus replied to her light-blue coated colleague.

“You already did, Spitfire. And it didn’t work out. You can’t just take wild chances until something works out. I’m sure she wants to be friends still, and I doubt it’s because you’re a Wonderbolt, too.”

Spitfire sighed wistfully, “How does Soarin’ get every mare he wants, and I struggle to get even one?” Spitfire laughed, though it was tinged with a disappointed tone in her voice, “I feel like everything’s stacked against me at this point. I feel for her, and she let me fall.”

“Well, you should at least go make sure that you’re still friends and you can forget about it. Jeez, you’ll get over it like you got over Soarin’”

“Naw. It’s more logical to do that, but maybe I’d rather try and fail than not try and just be friends.”

The blue-mane Pegasus laid back in the couch and raised an eyebrow, “Then what’s your plan going to be?”

“I don’t know. She’s got a race in three days I believe, maybe I show up there and meet her at the finish line?”

“…that’s actually not bad to be honest. If you’re going to do this, greeting her at the finish line as a surprise at her own race sounds like a good plan to me.”

“Maybe. It seems good to me. But I think I should see her before then. I don’t know. I want to see her as soon as possible, I really wouldn’t want her to think I will completely ignore her after tonight. I need to make slower advances I guess. I was too quick, I didn’t really flirt with her much, I didn’t test the water. Maybe if I prove to her as a friend that I’ll treat her better than anypony else, maybe I’ll have a better chance?”

“Ha! You’re much too impatient for that. Wonderbolts are not patient. And I think she probably understands that.”

“Yeah, maybe I should just give it one more shot. I really couldn’t stand having to wait. I’d ruin it and be awkward. I wasn’t even awkward tonight until I realized It wasn’t going the way I had suspected.”

Fleetfoot sat up, “It’s weird giving you advice, Spitfire.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m used to you bossing us around and not giving an inch of detail on your personal life. You’re so much nicer when you’re not screaming at us!”

“Well, I have to be that way as Captain. I imagine my already limited social life would be a bit worse if I was already directing ponies like a drill sergeant. I’ve let my guard down, but whatever, I needed some advice for once. So, thank you Fleetfoot.”

“You’re welcome.”

So I was rejected. This is much more like my youngers years than I thought it would be. It’s like I’m reliving being a teenager. Well, teenagers give up. I don’t see why I should.

<><><> The Day of the Race <><><>

Stretchy sweat-bands around her hooves, mane in a ponytail, towel across her back, Colgate was preparing for the race. It wasn’t just a running of the leaves; it was for the best of runners in the region, which is something a lot of ponies train for months ahead of time.

Colgate wasn’t feeling very confident, or ready for the race in general. It had been so long that she wouldn’t her feel confident almost like a pre-emptive measure to not have her hopes be too high to be met. It was the feeling of obligation to complete this race competitively that kept her going. All the weight she lost and muscle gained seemed like enough of a reward to her, but doing pretty well in a race would be extraordinary for somepony who was out of shape just months ago.

Carrot Top wasn’t at their home, having been consistent with her own plans to lose weight by jogging across Ponyville as the unicorn did, so Colgate was left alone with herself and her thoughts.

The start of the race isn’t far from here, it won’t take long to get there.

She consciously drank a somewhat large amount of water, having consumed three full cups since the hour she awoke. The unicorn didn’t want to be dehydrated, so it was the focus of her morning to keep herself healthy and ready for the race.

I really doubt I can even place fifth…

With sigh for confidence, the blue pony exited her home and headed west towards the start of the race, where she’d meet the other contestants. It was within sight after about ten minutes of walking towards the edge of Ponyville, and she saw a larger crowd of spectators than she expected. While she walked, she contemplated strategies to avoid burning herself out early in the race and how she can develop a lead on some of the ponies that wouldn’t be at her skill level.

She saw a large rectangular start sign that was held above a painted white line. Nopony in the race was standing under it yet, and were instead interacting with each other in the crowd. She could see a few other ponies arriving just as she was, and from behind the crowd that were lined up on the sides of the racing road, was a large air-balloon from which an announcers would help keep track, and presumably look out for injuries and cheaters.

The day wasn’t too bad for a race. The weather team was supposed to keep it at partly cloudy in order to keep the temperature down, but without making the humidity too high for the athletes to endure during such a race.

The race was only going to be about two and a half miles long; though in most years it would be double. It was the same length of races that she participated in while a teenager in school, and she looked forward to comparing herself to how she did when she was younger.

Colgate wasn’t in the mood to make friends, she didn’t want to get distracted as she prepared herself for the race.

However, she did join in a little pre-race casual conversation.

“So what’s your best time?” A grey Pegasus female asked her friend, a green coated unicorn.

“In races this long or just overall?” The green pony responded, with a very raspy voice for a female.

“For races this long. I’m sure you’ve done one before.”

“Oh, let me think.. Ahhh, I’mma thinkin’ it was my time of 19:20 back when I was in Ponyville University. I can swear I’ve done better, I just really cannot think of a better time at the moment.”

“Pleh! That’s it!” A cocky male earth pony chimed in, “I’ve ran one in 17:00 minutes flat, it was a school record for years!”

“Hey, you’re an earth pony, earth ponies are naturally stronger. And you’re a dude. It’s nothing surprising, but I won’t be surprised if I beat you anyway!”

Seventeen minutes? My best was 21 minutes when I had been training for years…at this rate, it’s unlikely that I’ll even be in the middle by the finish of the race.

“How ‘bout you?” The cocky stallion said towards Colgate.

“Oh uh…I’ve done it in 18 minutes before, I believe.”

“Ohhhh, this is going to be a close one I see!”

I’ll need to slap myself later for saying such a pointless lie.

Colgate even chuckled at the fact she had just lied, considering it was such a trivial thing to lie about. She was genuinely a truthful pony, so her nerves were certainly getting to her. She took a deep breath and calmed down.

When she turned around, one of the security-ponies helping conduct the race placed a piece of paper over Colgate’s cutie mark denoting that she was number twenty-three. He then walked away without saying a word.

The crowd’s getting a little excited; it can’t be too far away now.

Comments

[Brony2893]

An update? Sweeeeet

[Delicious]

Gosh darned almost filler chapter. I was expecting something super awesome this chapter, but instead I got normal awesome. Maybe some super awesomeness next chapter?

[Skeeter The Lurker]

You be making this ship work well.

Eagerly await the next update.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[sonofjello]

Yay Awesome chapter can't wait for the next update.

[Dementia Ravenmane]

I almost wish for Spitfire to miss the race so that Colgate will feel less embarrased if she fails spectacularly...

[Rocfang50]

I believe in you Colgate, you only mingled with the group of ponies that would be 1-4 and you will place 5th still breaking your own expectation. Now continue onward my good author and make this rare ship sail.

[solsticebrony888]

2323346 Sorry, I have been going through really tough times, I really focused on a competent storyline, despite the lateness of the chapter updates and a need for me to finally wrap this story up

[Delicious]

2337312
I see nothing to be sorry for.

[ForceUser]

Loved the story so far, hope you get it finished :)

[solsticebrony888]

2670124 I'll try. I have memory problems that I've found out recently and it effects my writing abilities. I've always known I've had some sort of problem, but it's gotten pretty bad at this point. I'll try my best; I really do want to finish this story.

[Dormiens01]

Yo, randomly thought of this story while brushing my teeth just now. Saw the toothpaste I was using was Colgate, and remembered the Colgate/Crest joke out of the blue. Then I looked in the medicine cabinet and smiled, because sure enough, the other toothpaste was Crest.

[forbloodysummer]

This was lovely, I really enjoyed it, thanks for writing it

[vinviasshine]

No more chapters?