There wasn’t much that could catch Soarin off guard. As one of the Wonderbolts’ captains he had trained rigorously and was capable of anticipating most of what life could dish out. Stranded hikers or plummeting pedestrians he could handle. Deadly dragons and the terrors of Tartarus he’d had mixed success in dealing with but, ultimately had prevailed. Matters of the heart however were an entirely different matter.
Soarin hadn’t dated in years. The duties of his rank encompassed most of his time. The daily early morning training sessions, late night paperwork, coordinating and assisting in rescue operations, and the occasional airshow made up the bulk of his schedule. The rest of the time he often spent sleeping or tending to some of the injuries he may have sustained while on duty. So it had come as a surprise when earlier in the week one of the reserves, Rainbow Dash, had taken an interest in him.
It began on Monday with playful banter. In his case it was often followed up by an embarrassingly bad joke that not even his siblings would laugh at, yet she would. On Wednesday, during agility drills Rainbow Dash would gently tap one of the white pegasus’ wings or cut a turn a little closer to him than usual so that she would gently brush against him. Each time she did it Soarin would blush and swing wide of the mark in order to conceal his embarrassment from onlookers. When asked what was wrong he feigned injury and claimed that his wing was sore. He then gingerly flew to the medic for an examination and a quick rub down of the “injury”. After which, with the aid of a doctor’s note prohibiting him from performing his duties for the next four days, Soarin left the training facility.
As he glided home Soarin thought about the events of the past few days. He sighed quietly to himself knowing that what she had done had been a clear violation of the rules. It was completely inappropriate for an officer in the Wonderbolts to have relations with a subordinate flier. Such conduct could lead to not just her expulsion but his as well. The very thought of losing his position frightened him to no end. What would he do if he were dishonorably discharged?
What of Rainbow Dash? He’d always thought that being a Wonderbolt, no being the best Wonderbolt ever, had always been her dream. She’d certainly mentioned it several times when they first met. The very idea of flying with them was enough to make her ramble endlessly. He wondered what in the wild blue yonder could have changed to make her want to take such a risk as he slowly circled in on his house.
Soarin landed softly by his mailbox and retrieved his bills and a small package before entering his home and locking it behind him. He hummed to himself as he set the bills to the side and opened the package, a book he had ordered to replace the one his mother had sent him that somehow had been lost and needed to be returned. He set the book down, The Longest Flight by Sparks, and repackaged it as he continued to consider what it was he should do about Rainbow Dash.
“I’ll have to reprimand her,” he muttered to himself as he wrote his mother’s address on the new box, “There’s no doubt about it. She-she can’t just keep brushing up against me like that. It’s unprofessional. What if Spitfire had been paying attention? Then where would we be?” As he asked his last question the idea of the possibility of a ‘we’ made him smile in spite of himself.
Soarin quickly shook his head jarring the thought from his mind. It was ridiculous. There could never be a ‘we’ at least, not with her or any Wonderbolt. He grumbled and looked up at the clock and realized it was time to start dinner.
The aroma of the simmering carrot, potatoes, celery and various herbs wafted through the house as he toasted some bread and cheese on the skillet next to it. He’d resumed his humming as he smiled knowing that in a few minutes a hearty meal awaited him. After all, soup and grilled cheese was perfect for any pony.
Soarin flipped the sandwich over and it landed with an audible plop. He chuckled at the noise and turned the heat off on the soup. As he turned the dial the sound of the simmering vegetables slowly subsided. Soarin grabbed a bowl and ladle and spooned out a heaping portion of the soup and brought it over to the table. The sandwich soon followed.
Soarin took his seat and placed his napkin in his lap. It was then he noticed the low ringing that echoed throughout the house. He looked up from his food and glanced about. He’d eaten alone before. In fact, after he moved out of the barracks he’d eaten alone most nights. Yet, this was the first time he’d noticed the sound of silence. Soarin’s eye twitched in aggravation. He stood up from the table and muttered to himself, “Why is this bothering me all of a sudden,” as he grabbed a Louis Wingstrong record and tossed it on the turntable.
After a few moments the sounds of Wingstrong’s horn echoed throughout the small house. He nodded along to the melody and sighed quietly to himself as he sat back down to his meal. Was all of this unease really because of a few playful wing taps and grazes that made him uncomfortable or was it because it was her? He gnawed on the idea as he sipped his soup searching for an answer that wasn’t forthcoming and continued to do well after he’d finished his dinner and was in bed.
Soarin’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness by the time he’d begun actively counting each ripple on his ceiling. He remembered when he was a young colt how the darkness used to frighten him and how every sound that he didn’t recognize would propel him either deeper under his covers or into his parents room, much to their disapproval. He’d long since gotten used to the noises his home made. The occasional creaks, the whir of the refrigerator, even the odd tapping from outside his window didn’t faze him these days. Perhaps it should have. After all, maybe thieves had somehow come in during the night and stolen his mother’s book.
He chuckled at the thought. Of all the things to break in and steal, an overly sentimental romance novel would probably be the last thing any thief would want. Soarin still couldn’t believe he’d slogged through as much of it as he had before finally giving up on it. Heck he even felt silly at having to order a new copy of it after it went missing. “It’ll turn up as soon as I mail the new copy off,” he said to himself, “Then I’ll be stuck with the old copy. I could always give it to Spitfire for a laugh. Or maybe even Rainbow Dash, I’m sure she’d be all about it.”
Soarin’s stomach knotted up and his pulse quickened at the mention of her name. The pegasus grumbled to himself and flipped over on his side in response. His mind raced as he closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t have feelings for her. Why would he have feelings for her? He knew what the risks were. It had to be something else. Quickly he focused in on his dinner that night, “The carrots were old. That’s it. I have a minor bit of food poisoning. I should have thrown them out days ago. It serves me right,” he reassured himself, “It can’t be love. It can’t even be attraction. Besides, what mare in her right mind would-“
He stopped talking and growled to himself as he kicked off the sheets. He strode to the bathroom, flipped on the light and opened his medicine cabinet. Soarin quickly grabbed the anti-acids and popped two of them in his mouth, chewed them up quickly and swallowed them. He then looked over at the small bottle of sleeping pills. He hated those things. They usually left him feeling groggy the next morning. However, since his mind had decided not to shut up, he made the sacrifice and popped one of the pills into his mouth and swallowed. Soarin turned about and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He sighed quietly and closed his eyes, “What sort of crazy mare would want somepony that’s can’t even keep fresh carrots.”
That night Soarin dreamed. He was lighter than a moth’s wing and floated on the winds of time. The white pegasus was a spirit and watched as those in his life slowly entered and waltzed out of his slumber. He saw Spitfire standing on a podium with several gold medals adorning her neck from the Equestria games. It made sense, that she would have done so well, her diligence had always paid off and she was a fierce competitor.
He then dreamed of his parents and his siblings on a Hearths Warming Eve. They gathered around the table heads bowed in thanks of the food they’d received. He saw that his sister-in-law was heavy with a foal. She beamed happily as did the rest of his family, not unlike the time he’d graduated from the academy. Their familial love was as strong and unbroken as ever.
Soarin then dreamed of Rainbow Dash. It was autumn and she was in Manehattan’s largest park with a pony he couldn’t quite make out. She was happy and spun under the eaves of the trees. The red and gold leaves fell and swirled about her slowly transforming into a distant beach’s orange sunset. She laughed with the anonymous pony and they leaned into one another, their gazes fixed upon the horizon.
So it went from season to season. Their love grew stronger with each passing year, until well in the future he saw them again around an anniversary feast. Rainbow Dash had grayed considerably as had her husband. Their children and grandchildren gathered around and wished them many more happy years together. Even though he couldn’t see their faces he knew they were smiling. He could feel it.
Across that sea of time and space where everyone was reasonable and loved and the rules of a flight organization didn’t matter a hill of beans. Soarin could feel his eyes mist as he watched the scene play out. It felt real. Could that anonymous pony be him? There was only one way to find out.
Soarin acted with the utmost care when he asked Rainbow Dash out. He’d waited until she was alone when he approached her. Then he asked if she wanted to take a short fly with him to ensure that what he asked couldn’t possibly be overheard by the other Wonderbolts. When he asked her his voice cracked and a starling almost struck him in the face. “It-it’s just dinner and a movie,” he’d said his cheeks flushed as he could barely look at her.
Much to his surprise she’d agreed to it. She even brushed against him lightly as she flew off which made him smirk and giggle like a foal who had his first crush. Still, a date was a date and he flew home as quickly as he could, not caring if anypony saw how much “better” his wing was.
Upon his arrival at his home he took a shower. Then he ran a comb through his mane in an attempt to get each and every one of the dark blue hairs to cooperate. He nervously hummed one of his favorite songs to himself, before checking to see if his teeth were clean. He then donned a crisp dress shirt and buttoned it up. He knew he was over doing it for fast food but, he wanted to make a good impression.
Once done, he nodded in approval and began his search for his captain’s jacket located somewhere in the back of his closet. He only ever wore it for special occasions, like the Gala. This was one such occasion and as Soarin dug through the closet and could feel his fore-hooves start to tremble. The white pegasus ignored his nerves. “Just keep it together Soarin,” said the pegasus to himself, “It’s just dinner and a movie. Nothing to worry about. You two have been solid friends for a bit now. It’s not like she’s going to bite your head off or something.”
Upon finding the jacket he slipped it on, buttoned it up and placed his house key in the side pocket. He then grabbed the book along with a small bouquet of daisies that he’d picked up a bit earlier at a local florist before heading out the door. Once at his mailbox he placed the book in it and flipped up the flag before taking flight.
It wasn’t a long flight to Dash’s place. The cool evening air soothed his nerves and by the time he rang her doorbell he’d almost forgotten just how nervous he had been. After some shouting from within and the sound of a loud bonk Rainbow Dash flung open the front door. “Hey there Soarin,” said Rainbow Dash rubbing the side of her head.
“Are – are you okay,” asked Soarin, “Did you take a header into the railing or something?”
“No,” said Rainbow Dash, “Tank is just flying about. I forgot to duck. “
“Tank?”
“My pet turtle.”
Before Soarin could answer a large turtle with a propeller strapped to its back quickly buzzed by his head. Soarin dodged to the left as the reptile turned about and began a second run. Rainbow Dash to grabbed him and tugged him down as the turtle zipped by. “Now Tank you get back here,” shouted the blue pegasus before quickly apprehending the flying turtle and tying him up to a stake in her front yard. “Stay,” she commanded as she took the flowers and tossed them into the house.
Soarin blinked not sure what to make of the flying reptile. “H-how often do you have to wind that propeller?”
“Once every day and a half, but I do it every day to make sure he keeps hovering. We don’t need him discovering gravity the hard way do we?”
“I-I guess not,” replied Soarin with a chuckle as he eyed the floating turtle.
“You know you’re the first Wonderbolt to ask me out. Normally, if I’m going to hang out with somepony I do the asking and usually pretty quick. You’re kind of cool to take the initiative like this,” replied Rainbow Dash with a grin.
“Well, thanks,” said Soarin pleasantly.
“So what are we going to eat and what are we going to see,” asked Rainbow Dash, “I mean it was your idea and all.”
“I figured we could get a hay burger and catch a movie. I thought maybe something like -“
“Ooh Daring Do and The Ghostly Threat is opening tonight!”
“Well, I was going to say Allan Quarter Horse and the Lost City of Gold,” said Soarin.
“That rip off,” said Rainbow Dash raising a brow.
“Well, I mean the books predate Do’s.”
“Yeah but, this movie is sort of her origin story. I mean we had the first three movies based off of the books, which are awesome!”
“The books or-“
“Both,” began Rainbow Dash as she enthusiastically began to tell him all about them.
“I-I see,” said Soarin skeptically as they flapped toward the fast food restaurant.
Rainbow Dash spoke at length about Daring Do while on the way to the restaurant. She continued to gush about every aspect of the original trilogy of movies while they ate. Every detail spewed forth in rapid fire succession regarding the plots to each movie and story, who the lead actress was, what each character did and why they mattered and how she knew A. K. Yearling and that she’d approved of those movies even though they had to tone down the part where her friend got frozen or when the villains’ faces melted after looking at the Tabula Rasa.
Throughout the entire meal all Soarin could do was nod and say, “Uh huh. Really? No kidding? You don’t say,” at various points in the rather one sided conversation. While part of him was amazed at just how much she knew or thought she knew about the books and movies he’d really hoped to get to know her better and not just the fact that she was obsessed about Daring Do.
Truthfully, Soarin had read a couple of the books. In one adventure if Do hadn’t gotten involved in the plot the results would have been the same regardless. In the other story he'd read the hot steamy jungle she was in had to be saved from a curse of five hundred years of heat. Suffice it to say Soarin had found the tales silly.
As Rainbow Dash continued on Soarin couldn’t help but think that this scene reminded him of a scene earlier that in that book he’d mailed back to his mother. In it that story the main character dated a mare who was obsessed with the idea of flying across the ocean using only her wings in one trip. She’d talk endlessly on the science of it and all of the ins and outs of equestrian aviation.
Soarin continued to half listen as he began to wonder if the author had dated Rainbow Dash or a pony like her in the past and used it as inspiration for the character in the story, a pony so obsessed with one thing that it was all she could talk about. He certainly didn’t care much for that character. It was one of the reasons he’d quit reading the book in the first place.
“Well what do you think?”
The question brought Soarin out of his head with a shot, “About what?”
“Duh- about seeing the movie in 3-D? Were you even listening,” said Rainbow Dash her eyes narrowing accusingly.
“Oh I thought that was a given,” responded Soarin quickly as his gaze darted toward the clock on the wall, “Hey we’d better get going if we want to get tickets.”
“Good idea,” said Dash as she grabbed her trash and pitched it out and flew out the door.
The moon hung high in the night sky as Soarin and Rainbow Dash exited the theater. Soarin inhaled the night air deeply as he sighed. The movie had been an utter disaster. It wasn’t just that the movie was one of the worst he’d ever seen with poor dialog and an incomprehensible plot. It wasn’t even the fact that the 3-D effects gave him a headache and had made a couple foals vomit in the theater or that Rainbow Dash spent a large portion of the movie talking to the screen under her breath. It was all of that and more.
Soarin flapped slowly as he took another deep breath, his hopes thoroughly crushed. The realization that sometimes a dream was just a dream was now patently obvious. He was ready for the date to be over. He could feel Rainbow Dash’s gaze on him as he flapped silently next to her.
“Hey, sorry if I kind of dominated the conversation back there and if this wasn’t exactly what you thought it would be. “
“Hmm,” replied Soarin questioningly as he looked at her in the pale moonlight.
“I mean, Daring Do, next to my friends and flying and the Wonderbolts is probably my favorite thing in the world. So, if I kind of got carried away about her and didn’t let you say too much during dinner or anything I’m sorry. Sometimes I just get way ahead of myself I guess.”
Soarin sighed quietly, “It’s- it’s fine. I mean I guess we all have things we like. I like books about detectives and all.”
“Yeah they’re okay,” responded Rainbow Dash as she flapped along next to him, “So, what did you think of the movie?”
Soarin’s face twitched. It was involuntary. The ache of his hopes and expectations for the night being blown to the four corners of the world screamed at him. He could feel every muscle in his body begin to tense. His heart pounded furiously as his stomach turned. His mind begged him to reconsider what he was about to say, but his body had other ideas. “What did I think of the movie,” began Soarin between clenched teeth.
By the time they reached Dash’s house their argument over the movie was in full throat. “Look it was a stupid movie, with stupid characters and a stupid plot,” said Soarin heatedly.
“It was not! For the last time, it was thrilling! Probably the best movie of the year if not ever,” shot back Rainbow Dash as she opened her front door and stormed in followed by Soarin.
“Best movie ever? Are you kidding me? Har Har Jinx and his ‘Eesay ouyay aterlay’ talk? Who talks like that? He easily makes this stupid movie way more stupid!”
“Well, you must think I’m pretty stupid then for liking it!”
Soarin took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. Much to his surprise he’d been able to keep his frustrations limited to the movie they’d just seen. He undid his jacket and tossed it on an end table. Soarin didn’t want to fight with her. The last thing he wanted was for them to not get along anymore. “I don’t think you’re stupid. I think this argument and the movie are stupid, not you.”
“You just keep calling me stupid don’t you,“ said Rainbow Dash barely listening to a word he said.
Soarin looked deep in Dash’s magenta colored eyes, “Dash, I don’t want this movie, heck this night to ruin our friendship okay?”
“Then stop calling me stupid!”
“I’m not,” said Soarin his tone softening significantly, “Look, I’m going to take off. We can talk about this later after we’ve both calmed down.”
“Fine. Whatever,” responded Rainbow Dash as Soarin walked out the front door closing it behind him.
Soarin had barely shut the front door and taken two steps toward the flying turtle when he realized he had left his jacket with his house key inside. “Great,” muttered Soarin as he looked over at the turtle that hovered at his eye level with a peculiar grin attached to its face, “Oh you shut up.”
Soarin turned about and twisted the handle on Dash’s door; to his surprise it was still unlocked. He entered and said, “Listen I’m sorry I took things way too far and I hope that-“as he looked into the living room he could see Rainbow Dash cuddled up on the couch with a dark gray pegasus.
“Who in all the depths of Tartarus is that,” shouted Soarin in shock.
“Look, I’m sorry too. But, when you left I found somepony else!”
“But, I just walked out the door,” stuttered Soarin, “Like thirty seconds ago.”
“What was I going to do? Wait for you forever,” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Well, okay weird,” replied Soarin thoroughly confused, “But if you were dating somepony else you didn’t have to go out with me at all. I mean, isn’t that like cheating or something? Isn’t that like against the whole Element of Loyalty thing?”
“Jeez,” responded the gray pegasus, “Is that the sort of stuff you had to put up with? No wonder it took so long for you to say yes to our first date.”
“Listen Soarin,” began Rainbow Dash, “When you walked out that door I bounced from one shallow, pointless relationship to the next. It wasn’t until I met Thunderlane, that I finally felt safe and secure. When I first looked deeply into his eyes, I finally felt that somepony actually cared about me for me, so don’t tell me we’re not in love!”
Soarin blinked twice not sure what to make of what he’d just heard. None of it made the slightest bit of sense even if she was the fastest pony in Equestria. “Okay fine, I didn’t mean to intrude. You won’t have to worry about me bugging you anymore,” said Soarin as he turned about slowly and walked out the front door again.
Three steps later he paused and looked at the floating turtle again and realized that, yet again, he’d forgotten his jacket with his keys in it. “Aww nuts,” muttered Soarin.
Soarin slowly turned the knob on Rainbow Dash’s door with every intention of just grabbing his jacket, locking the door and walking out. Yet, as he stood in the doorway his jaw dropped. In the living room sat Rainbow Dash holding two bundles in her forelegs as Thunderlane sobbed on the floor.
“I-I just thought I could do this,” cried Thunderlane as he took a drink from the cider jug that rested in his hoof, “But, I now know I can’t. So I think it’s for the best if I just go.”
As he staggered to the door Soarin’s eyes widened and he moved to the side allowing the drunken pegasus to continue on his way. He watched Thunderlane continue down the block until he was out of sight. “What in the name of-“ began Soarin.
“So, are you back to stay,” asked Rainbow Dash, “The twins need a good father. They need somepony that can be a true role model for them.”
“Twins,” squeaked Soarin as he turned to face Rainbow Dash his mouth agape.
“Don’t you judge me. You left me remember?”
“But- but,” stuttered Soarin unable to process what was going on.
Rainbow Dash sighed sadly, “Why don’t you just go? That seems to be what everypony does.”
“No that’s what got us into this situation in the first place. I think,” said Soarin nervously, “Look how about we talk about this face to face.”
“I’d like that Soarin,” smiled Rainbow Dash, “I’d like that a lot.”
“I’ll make some hot chocolate,” said Soarin closing the front door as he headed toward the kitchen.
“The Quick mix is in the cupboard.”
“Quick,” said Soarin under his breath, “You’re telling me.”
It didn’t take Soarin long to find the chocolate mix and two mugs. He then, opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of milk and poured it in a nearby kettle and turned on the stove. Finally, he pulled out the whipped cream and set it on the counter and sighed. It had been one crazy night but, if they could talk this out they could get through whatever it was that was happening. After that the possibilities were endless. Even so, it was exhausting. Soarin decided to ask Rainbow Dash if she wanted whipped cream on her hot chocolate and walked toward the kitchen door.
When he opened it he saw Rainbow Dash hugging two guard ponies. One of which was a deep gray with a rainbow colored mane the other blue with an even lighter blue mane. They then turned and flew off. Soarin watched from the kitchen as Rainbow Dash wiped a tear from her eye. “Wait, what just happened?”
“Oh sweetie,” responded Rainbow Dash, “Well, you know the twins always wanted to be in the Royal Guard, and now that they are and now that I’ve finally gotten over my addiction to hard cider I can finally take some time for myself.”
“What?”
“Oh don’t think I don’t love you because I do,” said Rainbow Dash as she hugged him tightly, “But I need to see the world. I need to do this for me so I can grow not just as a mare but, as a pony.”
“The milk hasn’t even started to boil.”
“Oh, don’t make this any harder than it has to be dear,” said Rainbow Dash as she walked over to him. She then gently kissed him on the cheek.
“Um,” was all that Soarin could muster.
Rainbow Dash picked up her bags, “Goodbye! Stay awesome okay?”
Soarin blinked and watched as Rainbow Dash exited the house shutting the door behind her. “I guess I should clean up the kitchen and go home,” he said with a sigh, “I’d better not forget my house key this time either.”
As soon as Soarin walked back into the kitchen the doorbell rang, “Who in the world,” said Soarin as he walked to the door.
Without warning the door burst open, Rainbow Dash forelegs loaded with souvenirs, strode in quickly. “Hello babe! Did you miss me?”
“Wha-“
“You know Soarin,” began Rainbow Dash as she dropped her bags and souvenirs off by the door, “I’ve had plenty of time to think while seeing the world and I think it’s time that I slowed down a bit.”
“Uh huh,” responded Soarin numbly.
“I think I’m now ready for a serious long term relationship.”
“Really,” remarked Soarin flatly.
“Oh, my wonderful Wonderbolt,” said Rainbow Dash, “Let’s never be parted again.”
Soarin’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Rainbow Dash squarely in the face and gazed deeply into her dark green eyes. He gazed into her dark green eyes and suddenly everything that had happened that night made sense. “Just as I thought,” he muttered.
“What’s that dear,” said Rainbow Dash.
“You’re not Rainbow Dash,” growled Soarin dropping her, “You’re some sort of Changeling. Now where is she?”
“No. No, that’s just silly. How could you think-” began Rainbow Dash as several loud bangs followed by muffled angry swearing followed from the kitchen. The banging continued as Soarin eyed the faux Dash.
“You were saying,” asked Soarin.
With a growl the fake Dash burst into green flame revealing it to be just what Soarin had suspected. The changeling’s green buggy eyes and bizarrely fused insect and pony form stood before him only briefly before it darted out the front door shouting, “Sorry guys it didn’t work. I couldn’t remember what color her eyes were!”
Soarin poked his head out and saw four changelings arguing among themselves. “Darn it Kevin,” shouted the largest changeling, “After all of that work and study you couldn’t get one minor detail right.”
“I’m sorry but magenta is hard to remember,” shot back Kevin, “You try going from being a jug of cider to a pony in a couple seconds and see how well you do.”
“Wah wah wah,” shouted the smallest changeling, “That’s how you sound!”
“Oh Rick don’t blame him,” said the changeling who’d been quiet, “I blame this stupid book.”
“Yeah,” agreed Kevin, “Blame the book! Who reads this garbage?”
The largest changeling pointed at Soarin, “Him. I stole it from his house!”
“What a noob,” growled Rick snatching the book from his friend. He flung the book at Soarin narrowly missing him and shouted, “Why don’t you try real life sometime loser!”
Kevin sighed, “Come on guys, I hear there’s a spring formal at the local high school. If we hurry we might just be able to impress the wallflowers.”
“Hooray for awkward teenage romance,” shouted Rick as the changelings flew off.
Soarin picked up the book, The Longest Flight, and placed it on the table by his jacket. He then shut and locked the front door and went to the broom closet. He opened the door to find a bound and gagged Rainbow Dash. With little effort he released the petulant pegasus from her binds. “How long have you been in there?”
“I don’t know. I saw you heading over here from my bedroom window. The next thing I knew I was in the stupid closet.”
Soarin sighed quietly, “Ah, well that explains it then.”
“Explains what?”
The kettle on the stove began to whistle loudly. Soarin walked over to the stove, shut it off and poured the hot milk into the two mugs with the chocolate mixture already inside, “I’ll tell you over hot chocolate.”
Soarin calmly explained the events of the day and the date to Rainbow Dash. As he spoke, Dash sat quietly and listened while drinking her hot chocolate. When he finished she looked down at the book, The Longest Flight by Sparks, and then back at him, “So, they thought by cramming the sort of stuff that happened in this book into one date you were going to somehow fall madly in love?”
“It’s not just that,” said Soarin sipping his drink, “See, my mother wanted me to read this book. I never liked Sparks’ books but I said I’d give it a shot. It went missing after a couple of days and I had to go and buy her a new copy. Heck it’s sitting in my mailbox right now.”
“That’s kind of pathetic.”
“Yeah,” replied Soarin, “Also I never took you for that much of a Daring Do fan. I mean they made it look like you were obsessed.”
“Well,” began Rainbow Dash, “They are great books and movies and stuff. But, if I were on a date I wouldn’t go off like that. I mean, I kind of want to get to know who I’m with too. Know what I mean?”
“Of course,” said Soarin, “Ah well we can always try this again next week.”
“Do what now?”
“You know, the date thing.”
Rainbow Dash tapped her empty mug and looked down at it unsure what to say. Soarin looked at her and thought she looked like she wanted to just disappear. For somepony as brash as Rainbow Dash to instantly get so small so quickly told Soarin what he had hoped wasn’t true. “It wasn’t you showing me the extra attention all week was it,” he said quietly.
Rainbow Dash shook her head and didn’t look at him, “I got called away on a friendship matter. Gilda, Rarity and I had to,” she paused briefly, “It doesn’t really matter.”
Soarin nodded quietly as he sat back in his chair his own gaze now fixated on his mug. “Well, I guess that’s that then,” he said as disappointment crept into his voice.
The two ponies sat quietly not looking at each other as the clock ticked. Minutes passed and the silence lingered over the living room. Finally Rainbow Dash said, “You’re a cool guy you know that?”
“What?”
“I mean,” said Rainbow Dash slowly, “You’re a great flier and you’re pretty nice. You want the best from everypony and for them too. But-“
“Now’s not the time and you have other things you want to do before focusing on this stuff. Plus I’m a Wonderbolt captain and you’re in the reserve and it just couldn’t work for those reasons too,” finished Soarin.
“Pretty much, yeah.”
Soarin nodded, “Still friends though?”
Rainbow Dash blinked, “Well duh. Like you had to even ask?”
Soarin shrugged, “It’s just good to know. I don’t really have a lot of friends that I can hang out with. Sometimes it gets kind of lonely.”
“Well, I’m always game to hang out,” replied Rainbow Dash, “At least when I’m not on some Equestria saving mission.”
“Well then,” said Soarin awkwardly, “Want to get a hayburger?”
“Heck yeah,” said Rainbow Dash, “But you already ate.”
Soarin shrugged with a smirk, “There’s always room for pie.”
Rainbow Dash stood up and headed for the door. She looked over her shoulder at Soarin, “Hey you don’t have to twist my wing. Don’t forget your jacket.”
Soarin nodded and put his jacket on as he followed her out. “Right behind you.”
“Same as always,” said Rainbow Dash with a wink, “You know, if it ever happens that I end up a captain and if we’re both still available I might go for it. Just saying.”
Soarin blushed and looked away, “Oh, let’s not worry about that right now.”
“Good idea. Race you to McSoy’s,” said Rainbow Dash as she took off like a rocket.
“Oh I’m not letting you win!”
“You don’t have to!”
The pair of peguses darted among the clouds toward the fast food restaurant. Soarin smiled the entire way. The night hadn’t turned out the way he’d hoped. There weren’t any fancy dinners or vacation plans in his immediate future. There was however, a big white moon in the sky and a friend to share pie and burgers with and a race to win. For now, that was good enough.
