Based on two romantic stories. Over hundreds of years old, now told together with the romance of Rainbow Dash and Soarin.
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SAD SCENES Soarin is a regular pegasus who wishes to join the Wonderbolts, yet he struggles to care for his ten year old sister Sky Jayne. Rainbow Dash lives a life of luxury, thanks to her husband, yet the world will never understand her pain. She goes on a regular trip to the floating ship Cloudsdale for reasons she will never understand. He goes to seek money and his dream. The love that cost lives is told through this tale, Love Will Go On And On.
Rainbow Dash sighed as she exited the carriage. She wore a simple lilac dress, although many ponies would be honoured to wear such a thing, but the cyan pegasus found it a waste of time. She looked at the crowd of ponies who had parted to let her carriage through. She rolled her eyes as her husband walked out of the carriage. Thunder Lane stood with pride in his black tux.
The couple looked up at the flying ship, meters from the ground now but soon will be flying in the sky.
"What do you think my dear?" Thunder Lane asked his wife. She looked back at him with a plain expression.
"I don't see why we can't just fly on our own."
"Well, you’re very hard to impress, aren't you?" he laughed as he stroked her mane. She felt her body stiffen, he was her husband yet his touch never felt right.
A stallion came up to them; he was wearing a red uniform and moving a small wagon for their bags.
"Where would you like these sir?" he asked.
"In Room 552." Thunder said pointing to the piles of bags pilled on the carriage, and also another carriage with even more. The stallion gulped as he started to climb the back of the vehicle. As Rainbow Dash and Thunder Lane walked towards the building, the stallion was shocked when the luggage was encased with a blue aura.
"Let, me handle it dear." said a white unicorn. "It's my job to care for Rainbow on her trip to the Crystal Empire anyways."
"Thank you miss."
Soarin strapped his saddle bag onto him as a small blue filly began to walk towards him, her green eyes focussed on a book she was reading.
"What ya reading sis?" he asked. Sky looked up.
"Just the physics of Cloudsdale, apparently they have this flight lockdown which stops intruders flying in without a ticket and the relax pegasi and alicorn wings when out in the open."
"Interesting, want to see it up close?" Sky beamed as she hopped onto the stallions back as he spread his wings and flew out of the door. As they flew through the air, Sky brought up a conversation.
"What do you want to achieve in the Crystal Empire?" she asked.
"Well, the Wonderbolts will be commanding the ship. If I get a job there we can survive better and I can live my dream."
"I'm sure you'll get in."
"Thanks Sky." Sky smiled as she looked ahead. She gasped as she saw the beautiful cloud ship; she had recognised it from the book.
"Did you know that the clouds are especially designed to hold non-pegasi types?”
“No, but I’m sure it would be interesting to see earth ponies and unicorns walking freely on clouds.”
“Yeah,” Sky’s smile disappeared as she noticed one by one, the paths to the cloud city disappeared.
“SOARIN! GO FASTER THEIR LEAVING!” she screamed.
Soarin flew as fast as he could to the ground and ran to the last pathway. Before the two could get on, they were stopped by a grey pegasus stallion.
“Tickets please?” Sky passed them to the stallion who looked over them and the ponies. The stallion nodded as the two pegasi jumped onto the soft clouds. The stallion closed the gate as the ship began to levitate.
Every pony who made it to the railing waved at the crowd of ponies. Rainbow Dash looked through her window at the smiling ponies, their lives a challenge yet they get to live it. Her eyes looked passed a light blue stallion and filly pushing their way to the very front of Cloudsdale. The front was pointed like a ship would be, each cloud designed in such a way it was a ship of skies. Sky waved at the crowds of ponies with one hoof on the railing. Soarin raised his eyebrow. “Do you know any pony?” he asked. “Nope!” She smiled as Soarin joined in on the waving. “Canterlot, I’ll never forget you!” he laughed.
The ponies below thought that they ponies above them were so lucky, yet in reality, those ponies below were the lucky ones…they just didn’t know it.
Rainbow Dash and her servant Fluttershy were going through her luggage, the majority of them being Wonderbolt or Daring Do related. Thunder Lane rolled his eyes as he walked into the room.
“Really Rainbow, why do you read such fiction and not reality?”
“Reality is boring; I wish I could live the adventures of Daring Do. Reading these is as close as I’m goanna get.”
The couple looked as Fluttershy struggled to carry a large green safe. Worry came over the male pegasus as she dropped it. She gasped as Thunder Lane came rushing over, just in time to catch the heavy thing.
“You know what? Let me carry it.” Fluttershy nodded shyly as she walked out of the room.
“You don’t have to be so hard on her, just because she’s free to make her own choices.” Rainbow Dash mumbled. This ship was supposed to be the ship of skies, clouds and dreams, but to her it was just another ship, bringing her to another formal event that would not change her life one bit. Her soul was a prison in her body and every pony made sure she never escaped.
Soarin and Sky ran through the corridors of the ship, searching for their room. It wasn’t long before the pair started counting.
“36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42!” they cheered as they slipped into the room.
There was another group of earth ponies sharing the same room, a stallion, mare and filly. The stallion was rather big and was apple red with an orange mane. The mare looked a lot like the stallion, presumably his sister; she was orange with freckles, a cowboy hat sitting on her blonde mane. The filly looked ten; her coat was yellow, a pink bow tying her red mane.
“Howdy there partner.” The mare greeted.
“Hi,” Soarin replied taking his saddle bag off.
“I’m Apple Jack,” she pointed to the stallion. “This here is ma brother Big Macintosh.”
The filly went up to Sky.
“Hi, I’m Apple Bloom.” Soarin smiled. “Well, I’m Soarin and this is my little sister Sky Jayne, or Sky.” “Well, ya’ll wanna hang with us tomorrow tonight?” Apple Jack asked. “Sure, why not?” he turned to his sister, her smile full of excitement. “Wanna go to the front again?” She nodded enthusiastically. The two raced out of the room and made their way to the deck. “Wonder what happened to their parents,” Big Macintosh muttered.
Soarin and Sky stared down and the ground below, green and brown fields. Soarin stood at the very point. “I’m King of The World!” he yelled, although the only one who heard him was his giggling sister. She stared at the birds flying by, it was amazing. “Look at that one!” she cried, Soarin looked at what she was pointing at, he smiled.
Rainbow Dash sat among the many high ponies, her mind not focusing on any of their conversations. A recently rich pony named Rarity sat next to her; she looked slightly concerned but shook the thought away. Rainbow Dash noticed the jug of apple cider, only a few centimetres away. She reached for the jug and poured herself a glass, before she could take a sip; her mother looked shocked at her.
“Rainbow Dash, don’t you know what that does to you?” Firefly said. Rainbow stared at her as Thunder Lane took her glass away.
“She knows.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and stood up.
“Excuse me,” she said as she left the room.
Soarin sketched certain positions of a flight performance, planning his audition for the Wonderbolts when they got to the Crystal Empire. Sky was playing a game of tag with Apple Bloom.
“Tag!” Apple Bloom cried as she tapped Sky on the shoulder.
Soarin smiled at the two fillies. He saw Apple Jack walk over to him.
“How’s it going?” she asked.
“Fine,” Soarin asked “hey, I was wondering, do you know if Canterlot pegasi made this?”
“What? No way, this is made of 100% Ponyville folk. That’s where I’m from, visiting family in the Crystal Empire. “Why are you here partner?”
Soarin was silent, he wasn’t even looking at her, she looked to where the stallion was looking. His eyes were focused on a cyan mare standing on the upper level with a flowing rainbow mane and sparkling magenta eyes, two wings poked through her purple gown. Apple Jack smirked at Soarin.
“Looks like some pony’s got a crush.” Soarin blushed when he heard this, even more when he heard Sky and Apple Bloom’s giggles. Though he didn’t stop staring at her, she was beautiful. He was shocked when he noticed her eyes were locked with his. She looked away as a dark grey pegasus wearing a black tux walk up to her angrily. Soarin saw them arguing from afar, though he couldn’t hear them.
“Sorry partner,” Apple Jack started, “looks like she’s taken.” Soarin looked confused, but then saw the wedding ring on her hoof. He sighed as she walked away, both in sadness and delight.
Rainbow Dash sat in complete silence as the other ponies walked through the crowd. She was glad there were so many ponies, she was gladder that no pony could tell it was her. The party was full of the masked rich, even their cutie marks hidden behind expensive clothing. Her breath was shaky under the scent of cider, her eyes glued to the ground. She glanced at her gown. It was rather uncomfortable, plus the purple and yellow, though she didn’t care much for fashion, didn’t go well with her. Her mane was pulled tightly with a purple bow matching her mask. She lowered her head as she saw Thunder Lane pass her, he wore no mask yet he still looked presentable for the occasion.
‘Why? What would change?’ she thought.
Soarin felt guilty, but at the same time proud he was still alive. In his hooves was an orange tux and mask, Sky sitting on her bed.
“What are you doing again?” she asked.
“Getting food remember?” Soarin said trying to fit his wings through the holes. “This is what you get for overreacting and making me give up my food.”
Sky looked worried.
“But, what if your caught?” she took deeper breathes, “What will happen to me? What if you die?! What if I die?!”
Once Soarin buttoned up his tux, he put a wing around her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be quick as I always am, now you get some sleep.”
Sky nodded, climbing into bed.
“Wake me up when you come back.”
“I will.”
Rainbow Dash stared at the happy crowd, how could they not hear her scream? How are they so calm and relaxed when she was dying? She shook her head in realization; they were all blind to the sadness, money had stolen their sight. Her thoughts were disrupted when she saw Thunder Lane head over to her. She had to get out of there. She made her way across the room, before she made it, she bumped into a pony.
“Excuse me?” she said in frustration. She calmed down when she saw the stallions green eyes. She could see he was staring right into hers.
“Um, sorry, miss.” He said, he didn’t move though. He recognised her from before.
“Uh, yeah, it was my fault.” She looked down nervously. He saw no need for her to be, her beautiful, raspy voice was full of confidence, but hidden beneath the embarrassment she seemed to be feeling. The two stared for a while as both their minds went bazaar. They looked up as a grey-ish brown mare with a black mane began to play a slow song on her cello. Just then, Soarin said what he thought was the worst thing he could ever say.
“Want to dance?” he asked quickly.
Rainbow Dash looked up quickly, her face covered with shock. As she noticed his nervousness, she smiled.
“Why not?”
Soarin looked back up at her in disbelief, but soon he smiled and offered his hoof to her which she took with a curtsy.
The pair smiled as the tune controlled their hooves, they hadn’t noticed the other couples join them, but they didn’t care, they were happy.
“So,” Soarin started, “why are you going to the Crystal Empire?”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
“Don’t know. You?”
Worry grew inside the stallion.
“Um, nothing in particular, just wondered how this ship worked.”
“I’m pretty sure there is a book about it.”
“Well, I have no care for reading, seeing is more my speed.”
Rainbow Dash frowned at the ground.
“I see,”
“Well, clearly you do if aren’t stepping on my hooves.”
She looked back at him chuckling at his joke. Her laugh was so perfect.
“Well, you have your flaws good sir, but you can back it up.” She said in a posh voice, only ending up in more giggles. He smiled.
“Beautiful,” he whispered to himself, but she had heard causing her laughter to stop subtly.
“Any mare in your life?” she asked curiously.
“No, just me,” he answered.
“Well, I’m sure you have more opportunities than a mare anyway.”
“Really? Name one.”
“Well, for starters, I am not qualified to fly.”
He chuckled at this, the thought of a pegasus not flying was ridiculous, yet she took it the wrong way.
“Well, if you find my dreams of flight so funny, I guess I shall leave.” She parted from him and made her way through the crowd. His smile disappeared.
“Wait, I didn’t mean-”he trailed off as the clock stroke eleven. “Oh dear.”
He quickly rushed through the crowd to the dining table and grabbed an apple. He then rushed through the door to return the tux and mask.
He returned to his room seeing a sleeping filly. He smiled at her, as he ate the apple he shook his sister lightly.
“Hey, I’m alive.” He whispered.
“That’s nice, I didn’t want you to die.” She muttered, her eyes still closed. He chuckled as she returned to her deep sleep. As he lay in bed, he remembered the cyan mare, he remembered how she laughed, how she talked, her beautiful eyes.
‘What are you kidding Soarin?’ he thought, ‘it was a one off, when Cloudsdale lands, she’ll be just a dream.’
As he threw the core to the corner of the room, he got up and headed for the deck.
Rainbow Dash sat in her room in thought. That stallion had proved her point, all ponies of high money laughed at her beliefs. No pony would understand.
As she removed her mask and brushed her mane, she saw Thunder Lane enter in the mirror, still in his tux and holding a black box.
“Rainbow Dash?”
“Yeah?”
“I was saving this for when we dock, but now seems a good time as any.”
Thunder Lane opened the box, revealing a ruby necklace, shaped as a lightning bolt.
“This used to be one of the rarest jewels of all, a fire ruby, but different than others. Now, it was carved into this known as the ‘Loyalty of the Heart’.” He said as he wrapped it around her neck. “I hope you appreciate this, it cost me a fortune.”
Rainbow Dash stared at its reflection in wonder. It was truly the most beautiful object she had ever seen.
“It’s amazing.” She said.
Thunder Lane smiled in satisfaction as he left the room. When the door closed, tears fled out of the young mare’s eyes. She couldn’t out up with this, not anymore.
She ran, she was unsure where exactly where, but she couldn’t keep on going on with this life. She didn’t care about all the other ponies on deck, even if they did see her, no pony could stop her choice. Her eyes were full of tears as she pushed past obstacles and ponies, she didn’t notice the pony who did.
Soarin watched as Rainbow Dash ran across the deck. He was shocked that she would be out here so late, why wasn’t she at the party? He got up from his seat and slowly followed behind, hoping that she wouldn’t notice.
Would any pony notice this? She released her mane from her bow and wrapped it around her wings. Although flight would be impossible for the first few meters, she knew her wings would somehow try to save her. She slowly started to climb over the rail. She looked down at the ground below, hard, cold, and painful. She closed her eyes, prepared to let go when-
“Don’t do it,” some pony said quickly.
She turned around; the pony behind her looked familiar, yet different. She shook her thoughts away; she wanted to have a clear mind when she did this.
“Go away,”
Soarin smiled slightly.
“I can’t, I’m involved, and I can’t stand by.”
“Well, you aren’t going to change my mind, I will jump.”
“You would of already,”
She turned her head, as if he had said one of the most insulting things ever.
“Well, maybe I’m waiting to say my last words, but I can’t with you here.”
“Who would hear them?” he asked as he walked towards her, leaning on the rail beside her. “You know if you jump, I’ll jump too.”
“You’re crazy; you wouldn’t be able to get on the ship again.”
“I wouldn’t be able to see my sister again either, she’ll probably have to stay with my friends, wondering why and where. Reason being you jump.”
She stared back at him, why was he going to risk this?
“Well, that’s your choice.”
“You know it won’t be as quick as you think, it isn’t as high as that, you’ll survive, barely though. Your bones will probably break, leaving you in the middle of the country, no pony to help. Your pains staying for days until you die of hunger.”
That got her scared.
“How do you know?”
“I know my altitude, plus good eyesight. I also want to mention that I am much better at stunts than racing. I’d have to stop flying to keep up with you, hey; maybe I won’t catch you and fall too? Well, I guess we could keep each other company until one of us dies, considering all I had was an apple I’ll probably die first.”
How as he so calm when talking about death? It was as confusing as why the rich only cared about money, but, logical, as if the answer was written in front of her yet she couldn’t even read.
“I,” she whispered.
“I’m sort of hoping you’ll come over the rail and let me have another apple… once I find one.”
Rainbow Dash looked down, then back into his green eyes. Soarin smiled, he reached out his hoof, as if telling her she had a choice. She nodded slightly, as if she expected him to know what to do. He slowly took her hoof, using his other to untie the ribbon around her wings; she turned once her wings were free.
“Name’s Soarin Skies,” he said, “You never asked earlier.” She thought he meant when he first came up to her, though he was actually referring to when they danced.
“Rainbow Dash,” she replied.
“Cool name, very fitting.” He chuckled, she smiled back. “Nice necklace.”
Rainbow Dash hadn’t noticed her necklace was still around her neck.
“Don’t think about stealing it.” She laughed. Soarin began to pull her over the rail, as she climbed over; she slipped on her long dress. She screamed as her grip on the rail fell, the only thing keeping her on was Soarin’s hoof.
“Don’t drop me,” she cried. Using both hooves, he held onto her.
“Don’t worry,” he said, though it was clear he was panicking, “I’ll never let go.”
She looked up at him with hope. She tried to climb onto the bars; her dress wasn’t doing any help though.
“Stupid dress!” she yelled in annoyance as she continued to climb up the railing, Soarin trying his best to pull her up. As her body leaned over the railing, she fell on top of the stallion with a squeal. The two blushed as they realised just how close together they were, slowly moving away, yet never losing eye contact. As the two stood up, they soon realized that Rainbow’s scream didn’t go unheard. Two Wonderbolts arrived at the scene, one of them a white stallion with an orange and grey mane, the other being none other than Spitfire, the captain of the Wonderbolts AND ship. They were soon followed by Rarity, a mare called Twilight and Thunder Lane, they all looked shocked, except Thunder Lane who was furious.
“What do you think you’re doing with my wife?!” his voice filled with anger.
Soarin, was too scared to speak, all he did was change his view from the mare to the stallion, to the mare to the stallion, to the mare to the stallion. Rainbow Dash looked sadly at the ground, but this went unnoticed, except for Soarin.
“Thunder Lane,” she muttered.
“Do you have any idea who she is?!”
“Thunder Lane,” she said again, this time at normal volume.
“Do you have any idea who I am?!”
“Thunder Lane!” she shouted, this time getting every pony’s attention. “It was an accident; I wanted to stretch my wings with a quick fly, when I forgot the flight lockdown. If Mr. Skies here hadn’t saved me I would have been stuck outside of the ship.”
Twilight smiled.
“Well, the boys a hero,” she beamed.
Thunder Lane said nothing; he simply helped Rainbow Dash up, putting a wing around her. As the high sophisticated group left, Spitfire walked up to him.
“Good instincts.” She said. “Almost good enough for her.” She winked, pointing at Rainbow Dash.
Soarin fell down onto the bench in exhaustion, trying to wrap his mind around what had just happened, Rainbow Dash never leaving his thoughts. Yes he had already danced with her, yet, it was if they had just met. He had been himself, not hidden behind a mask. He smiled at the memory of her; he had sensed her personality hidden in her words, spoken by her raspy, yet hypnotic voice. He was brought back to reality as he felt something next to him. He lifted his hoof, which was holding her ribbon which had flown onto the bench before. He held it closely, cherishing it. He smiled at the thought of meeting her again.
