Hearts and Hooves day is only three days away and some ponies need to find dates in time.
What starts as a simple wager before Hearts and Hooves day turns into something much greater than Rainbow Dash ever expected. But everypony has a past, and that past can come back to haunt you at the worst times.
This story is dedicated to anyone who had their heart broken...and found the strength to move on anyway.
The stack of fan mail grew precariously higher. Soarin hated reading it all, the letters all said the same things over and over. Once, a long time ago, he had greedily opened every piece of fan mail. Spitfire and the others just chuckled when they saw him tearing through the stack. He didn’t understand at the time, but he did now. Some of the mail was nice, thanking him for visiting or a picture of him in a flattering light. Some of the mail included requests for autographs or visits to little podunk towns. He didn’t set the schedule and even with his generous salary he couldn’t afford enough stamps for all of the autograph requests.
Then there were the truly creepy pieces of mail. The first time he received a marriage proposal he nearly collapsed. Now he understood that was only the tamest of them. They always showed a level of obsession that went way over the line. They knew things even he didn’t know about himself. They often involved fantasy…encounters…with mares (or sometimes stallions!) that were quite explicit. They were sometimes very creative, one included feathers, but not for flying. Another included cupcakes in a way that was most certainly not their intended purpose. Besides obsession the only thing they had in common was they gave him the creeps. He stopped reading so much fan mail and the stack grew rapidly out of control. He flipped through the new arrivals. None of the return addresses caught his eye so they went unopened.
He sighed and glanced at the picture on his desk. The stunning mare in the picture smiled back at him, and the memories returned.
~~~~~
His cheeks hurt he smiled so much. His wings twitched with excitement. He should have been tired, but he felt like dynamite with an unlit fuse. The crowd was cheering but the blood pumping in his ears made everything else seem far away. Somepony put a ribbon with a medal around his neck followed by a heavy green wreath. Confetti rained down around him, caressing him softly. Spitfire was next to him on his left and opened her mouth to say something. He should have been able to hear her, but it was just noise to him.
Suddenly he felt something soft and warm against his right side. He turned just in time to receive a kiss on the cheek. Not a peck. It was the flame that lit his fuse. He turned to see a pure white mare on his right. She was stunning, with a body that belonged in fantasies. Tall and thin, her smile was nothing short of dazzling.
Soarin pulled his wings down, his right wing pulling her even closer. He hadn’t even realized when he spread them. He swallowed and felt soft static, like a velvet curtain drawn over his mind. She smelled sweet, like sugar. He leaned over and kissed her on impulse. In the background light bulbs went off like fireworks, unnoticed. The tabloids would get their pound of flesh today.
She quickly pulled away from him. “Well hi big boy, my name is Fleur.” Her voice was like her scent, sweet and soft. “You think I could spend a little time with the big winner?” She arched her neck and head just so, towards the cameras.
Through the static, nothing else existed but her. He felt more than heard himself say, “yes.”
~~~~~
SLAM
Soarin snapped into the present, his hoof knocking the picture face down. He had been idly holding it and slapped it face down on instinct. Spitfire was standing behind him. He hadn’t even heard her come in. “Are you ready for the party?”
“Um, what party? I didn’t know there was going to be a party today.” Cotton was rapidly clearing out of Soarin’s head. He was certain he hadn’t heard anything about a party today.
“Not today, the one at Sugercube corner. I set everything up so the team could get a few days of R&R in Ponyville, then off to the next derby.” Spitfire looked at Soarin, furrows creeping across her brow and her mouth becoming slowly flat.
“It’s just a goodbye party, did you want me to wear something special?” Soarin knew Spitfire took care of her team, but she also liked to take care of the fans. She tried hard to do both at the same time but for some team members it was more difficult. Sometimes making one happy meant making the fans unhappy or vice versa. She meant well, but sometimes she pushed Soarin into uncomfortable situations. He tried his best, but his performance was best on the race track.
“No, it’s more than a goodbye party. Don’t you ever look at a calendar?” Soarin looked at his calendar now. There was the party penned in, it was in three days, his heart skipped a beat. Oh no.
“You mean you set the party on…Hearts and Hooves day?!” Soarin put all of the pieces into place. “Uh, no I’m not ready for the party.” His voice was quiet. He had a good guess as to what was coming next.
“Well you’d better find a date pronto. That’s an order.” Spitfire gave him a look that would brook no argument. She could be very pushy sometimes. “It IS a thank you party but it’s also a couples party.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “That includes you.”
“Right…right…so Spitfire-” He began only to be cut off.
“Oh no you don’t, I already have a date.” Her expression softened, she sighed and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Soarin, it was over four years ago. Let her go.” She gently pushed the face down picture away from his hoof. “You need to try again.”
Spitfire had been his date for the last three years on Hearts and Hooves day. It wasn’t romantic, it was just a cover for the tabloids and fans. Spitfire refused to allow fraternization between Wonderbolts, but that policy was an internal matter that only the Wonderbolts knew about.
It was probably a good policy since Soarin had tried to make a few moves the first time, a few pathetic moves. Spitfire wouldn’t admit it out loud but he was good looking and if she allowed herself to it might have worked for about a month, but he was far too immature. And this would be swiftly followed by a break up and the inevitable fallout, followed by one or both of them getting kicked out of the Wonderbolts, their lives ruined. It was playing with fire.
“Get out there and take some R&R, if you can’t find a date while you’re out you can always return to the mail.” As she gestured to the stack of fan mail, Soarin grimaced. “Well it’s a last resort. Just, be open to the possibility, ok?” Soarin nodded. “In fact I think you have three candidates waiting outside…” Soarin groaned, Spitfire was throwing mares at him already. She guessed how this conversation would go and her powers of prediction were uncanny. As she cantered out she gave a parting shot. “I’ll tell them to wait.”
~~~~~
“Is it here?” Rainbow Dash said breathlessly, her face split by a grin.
“Yes it is.” Twilight Sparkle produced the item. Held aloft like a holy relic, the light of the morning sun spilled through the window and framed it perfectly. Its gilt edges caught the light just so. Dash’s heart beat faster and faster. She felt as if she were flying, the item floated closer. She reached out for it.
In reality Dash was flying, unconsciously she floated closer to her prize. Abruptly it snapped down to the counter, a dull thud escaping the back cover. Rainbow Dash fell sideways away from the coveted item, a Pink weight pressing her side. “One for you!” Pinkie bounced towards a frightened Twilight Sparkle, “And one for YOU!”
Twilight instinctively moved to protect the book from the bouncing Pink missile. She reflexively caught the note Pinkie was forcing on her. Fortunately Pinkie stopped once the note was delivered. “Oh thank you.” Twilight mumbled nervously as she leaned away from Pinkie. Rainbow Dash snapped upright and glared at Pinkie Pie.
“What’s the big idea!” Her voice had a sharp edge to it.
Pinkie Pie was totally unperturbed. “It’s an invitation to the couples party in three days! And the Wonderbolts are going to be there!” She said with mounting excitement. “I got a few extra invitations because I am throwing the party. It’s going to be so much fun!” Her smile was infectious. It jumped to the other two mares in an instant, although for very different reasons.
“I’ll be there.” Rainbow Dash said absent mindedly, still staring at the book. Pinkie Pie bounced out, humming a ditty about delivering invitations.
Twilight allowed the eager Rainbow Dash to collect her book. “So who are you going to bring?”
Rainbow Dash blinked, the book was already open to the first page. “What?”
“For the party.” Twilight said with her head tilted to the side.
“Why would I need to bring anypony?”
“Well, normally you wouldn’t, but this is a couples party.” Twilight Sparkle looked at the invitation her eyelids drooping as a sigh escaped her. “I don’t know much about dating and I don’t have a special somepony, I guess I’ll have to decline.”
“what…what…WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash set her prized novel down and ripped into the invitation. She read it as fast as her budding reading skills would allow. “Why would they make it a couples party!” Her chance at seeing the Wonderbolts again was slipping away and the thought was enough to start a headache creeping up Dash’s neck.
“Well the day of the party is also Hearts and Hooves day.” Twilight levitated a book out of a far shelf and cracked the cover. “You know, maybe I will go to the party. I haven’t spent any time studying relationships other than friendship. Maybe now is a good chance to gather some data. Of course I’ll have to get a date first…” She trailed off as she began to read “Romance for young mares.”
”heh…ha ha ha…” Rainbow Dash could not contain all of her laughter. Snickers, smiles, giggles, and more leaked out of her despite her attempts to hide it. “Good luck, egghead.” The sarcasm drew Twilight out of the book.
Twilight glared at Dash. She had enough of the teasing and knew Dash wouldn’t back down from a challenge. An idea was forming in her head and a slow smile crept across her face. The challenge would be far too tempting for Dash to resist. “Oh really? Then I have a little bet I’d like to make with you…”
“What?” Dash instantly perked up. Gotcha Twilight thought to herself.
“I will bet 20 bits I can get a date for this party and you can’t.” Twilight knew it was a win-win situation for her. At best both of them would get dates and there would be plenty of data. At worst she could observe Rainbow Dash and get data on how to start a relationship. And she really did want to go to the party with her friends.
“Deal, this is gonna be the easiest 20 bits I’ve ever made.”
~~~~~
Rest and Relaxation. Right. Yesterday his workout included 500 wingups. Something that Soarin always ended up exhausted from and like today, it left him without the use of his wings. It didn’t matter how sore they were, he wouldn’t need to use them today anyway. He knew he would be mobbed wherever he went, and he knew the best way to ward off a mob of fans was to make sure you had a few fans around you and to make it look like they were your entourage. Some subtle cues could even turn them into bodyguards. Rabid, ferocious, foaming at the mouth bodyguards. And he was in luck, a trio of earth mares were waiting outside his hotel room.
Spitfire winked at him from afar and closed the door to her own hotel room. Spitfire always tried to do more than be a team leader, she tried to make sure the Wonderbolts had their mental game right. It was something Soarin admired about her, even if she sometimes pushed him to do things he would rather not do. This was one of those times and one of those things.
The three mares looked at him, clearly ready to start squealing. Soarin decided to preempt the ‘squee.’ “Say, would you three like to spend the rest of the day with me? I don’t really know my way around town and today is the only R&R I'm really going to get.”
SQUEEEEE!
Sigh.
So much for trying to avoid that, Soarin began to walk towards the lobby and in a flash the trio surrounded him, stars in their eyes. “So what’s a good place to eat around here? I haven’t had anything sweet in a long time and I kinda have a sweet tooth.”
“Sugercube Corner!” The one with the rose cutie mark said.
“By the way my name is Rose.” “I’m Lily.” “And I’m Daisy.” “Sugercube Corner has the best sweets.” “Will you treat us to it?” “What’s it like flying?” “What kind of mares do you like?” “What kind of sweets do you like? I’ll bet it’s cupcakes!”
This sort of questioning was the sort of thing tabloids tended to ask and they were exactly the kind of vapid questions Soarin was very tired of answering. Hearing the same question over and over started to irritate you. But if Soarin wanted his entourage he would have to humor them. He answered their questions the best he could and kept his talking to a minimum. He showed just enough passive interest not to lose them but not enough so they knew he didn’t want to be bothered too much. It was a skill sharpened through trial and error.
Today there was not much error. Lily, Daisy, and Rose lead him into town and their proximity was like a magic talisman that warded off all but the most aggressive of fans. Even those fans just wanted an autograph before bowing out to the three lucky mares. Passing through the market Soarin spied an orange mare selling apples, and pie, heavenly pie! She seemed familiar.
“Hey, do you think we could get-” They were nearly to a very distinctive building. It looked like a full size gingerbread house, complete with frosting. Soarin could guess this was Sugercube Corner and the trio pulled him inside before he could finish his sentence. There were few customers inside at this time and they all just gazed at the star who just waltzed in. A mint colored unicorn mare waved at him from behind a rack of sweets. The three mares shot daggers into their stares. The smile vanished from her face so fast Soarin wasn’t sure he saw it in the first place. Soarin hated to see that, but it was that or get mobbed. He flashed the mint colored mare a trademark smile when he thought Lily, Daisy, and Rose weren’t looking, it worked.
Soarin walked up to the register but didn’t see anypony there. “Excuse me can I get a table for four?” He said loudly hoping the waitress was simply in the back. Instead a pink mare with a mane that looked impossibly fluffy burst from behind the counter.
“WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME!”
Soarin backpedaled, slipped, and fell onto his haunches. His suave demeanor totally cracked by this…mare. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs out and stood at his full height, trying to regain his composure.
“Ah, yes, could I get a table for myself and these three fine young mares.” He gestured and put on his best smile. Soarin figured if he was going to spend the day with the three of them he might as well make them happy. Just don’t get too friendly with one in particular or there will be a ponycide and two mares going to the clink Soarin reminded himself.
“Okey Dokey Lokey.” The pink mare said, without pause. She bounced…bounced around the counter and lead the group outside to an empty table. Soarin noticed this was not much of a restaurant but rather a candy shop. So much for lunch, he thought. But at least he would get the chance to check out where the real party would be held.
“Are you acting the waitress because I’m a Wonderbolt?” Soarin asked the question with a hint of flirtation. Just the thing to get good service.
“Nope, I just want to see you smile.” The pink mare said and bounced back inside. Soarin had the vague feeling he had seen her before. Maybe at the Canterlot wedding? He couldn’t be sure, there was a certain amount of…let’s just say ‘punch’ at that wedding and leave it at that.
The three mares almost came to blows over who would go inside and get cupcakes. In the end Lily won out. She returned with four cupcakes, one for each of them, Soarin sighed softly. He actually hated being waited on by fans, especially mares. It made him fell less of a gentle stallion and more like… well, like some puffed up celebrity. She had just set them on the table and turned to retrieve drinks when it began to rain. Not driving rain, but the kind of rain that drips everywhere and gets under your clothes and into your hair. Soarin was almost blinded by the sheets of water and weakening sunlight. The soft patter of rain drops and the splashes of hooves floated into his ears. Several of the locals ran indoors, while his ‘entourage’ got soaked.
“So much for R&R.” Soarin blinked and held up a hoof. Nothing. Not a drop, he was totally dry. He looked up and saw a cyan pegasus holding open a small patch of clouds open. The rain neatly missed him and the table but not his temporary companions. He yelled up at her, “I would help you but I’d rather not fly today.” The blue pegasus looked at him with a full smile. “Aren’t you going to stop the rain for everyone else?” He was hoping this was a friendly gesture to another, and not a celebrity special treatment thing.
“Oh well, I just wanted…to…uh…” She tried to find an explanation but the hesitation made any further explanation fall flat. I’m just a celebrity that’s too good for a little water.
“You should help out everyone.” Soarin secretly wished to relax alone, and didn’t want another tag-a-long. Besides, the three mares with him were getting very wet and it did nothing to improve their disposition. As much as Soarin wanted a little time to himself, he just couldn’t let them suffer like that if he could help it.
“Fine…” she sighed and opened the clouds wider. She flew away behind the cloud cover and was lost in an instant.
“Thank you…” Soarin’s gratitude was lost on her. She was already far away opening up little patches of clouds saving others from getting soaked. Soarin sighed and bit into his cupcake. It turned out to be very good. It was sweet but slightly spicy, he rather liked it that way.
~~~~~
Twilight put down her book and looked at her schedule. Sigh. Behind schedule again, and the rain outside didn’t help. She had cleared several blocks in her schedule in order to read and pursue her new subject, but could do little more than read while it was raining outside. She was delighted to see the rain had stopped when Pinkie Pie burst in again.
“HELP!”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Twilight said, apprehension turning her voice up an octave.
“I can’t carry all of the party supplies I need and I can’t find Fluttershy!” Twilight groaned inwardly. She recalled the latest chapter of "Romance for Young Mares" said meeting stallions at their place of business was best as they were more at ease and in their element. Maybe I can do both tasks at once.
“Alright I’ll help you, but you have to carry more than just the balloons.” The two cantered, or rather Twilight cantered and Pinkie bounced out of the library and towards the market, the door slamming behind them.
The noise awoke the sleeper with a start. He rubbed his eyes, and glanced at his clock. “oh no, I overslept again!”
Spike tip toed down stairs. “Twilight? Sorry I overslept.” Silence. A small smile appeared on his face. Sweet. She was out of the library, out of sight and out of mind. He darted towards the closet intending to start in on his chores. Halfway across the library’s main floor he noticed a book sitting open on Twilight’s favorite lectern. “Romance for Young Mares.” He giggled to himself. I wonder what this is doing out here. He closed the book and replaced it on a worn shelf. An open letter was hidden underneath the book and Spike’s curiosity got the better of him. It turned out to be an invitation, combined with the book it did not take much of a detective to put it together. Spike rolled on the floor laughing. Twilight is looking for a special somepony. I wonder who she’s going to get for the party.
~~~~~
Pinkie Pie was looking very carefully. She reached out a hoof but quickly drew it back. No, that one wasn’t right. The hoof slowly scratched her chin. Maybe…
“It isn’t a chess move!” Twilight said, they had been standing there for almost twenty minutes. “They’re just balloons. Pick a color, or all of the colors I don’t care anymore!” This little shopping trip was turning out to be a dud. Not only was Pinkie Pie taking an inordinate about of time to choose simple things like a color for the balloons, but the store’s proprietor was a mare. Twilight’s barn door didn’t swing that way.
“I’ll have you know that the choice of balloon color is very important to a party.” Pinkie Pie wore a very serious expression at this time. And she was puffing on a pipe Twilight didn’t remember her having only seconds ago. “Indeed, the color of the balloons determines the initial mood the party, and affects the third and fifth party games…” Twilight was quite sure this was not knowledge she wanted to infect herself with. She also guessed that Pinkie Pie was making it all up, but she couldn’t be sure. She sighed and went to the window looking forlornly out at the market square hoping to catch a glimpse of a suitable candidate. Instead she spotted Rainbow Dash trotting up to Rose’s booth.
She furiously began taking notes while Pinkie Pie continued on about the importance of confetti.
~~~~~
“Will you be my special-“ the cyan filly started. Her eyes were big and her breath was shallow. Sweat beaded on her back and flank, but she spoke without pause. She didn’t get a chance to finish.
“No way! I don’t need cooties!” The colt darted away from her giggling. She felt like a knife was digging into her chest. She didn’t ask again.
~~~~~
Rainbow Dash was in a sour mood as her first attempt for getting a date was shot down before she even started and it brought back painful memories. Soarin would have been a total blowout for her bet, getting a celebrity as your date would be a win for sure. She could see the competition was fierce however and decided to maybe a little scouting was in order. She had cleared the rain but by the time she returned to Sugercube Corner Soarin was long gone.
“So I noticed you were talking to one of the Wonderbolts today…” She tried to sound nonchalant. “Where did you meet him?” Rose smiled, but secretly sent psychic death waves at Rainbow Dash. Fortunately for Dash, Rose was devoid of psychic powers.
“Well, Lily, Daisy, and I met him after the derby last week. I gave him my best rose today, it’s almost as perfect as he is, don’t you think?” Her voice had a dreamy quality.
So he likes Roses, too easy! “They are very, uh, cool roses. I’ll take three.” Dash tried to speak without giving away her thoughts, but perhaps Rose did have psychic powers.
“And what pony are these for?” Her voice was slow and flat, her eyes narrowed slightly at Rainbow Dash. Dash gulped a small knot in her throat down.
“I’m…uh…hungry…yeah I just wanted a snack.” A smile suddenly appeared on Rainbow Dash’s face that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Rose’s expression didn’t change.
“Sure thing, 6 bits.” Rose carefully chose and wrapped three roses. She hoofed them over and slapped the 6 bits offered her into the register with a cha-ching! “Well?” Rose looked at Dash with a small smile on her face. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Oh…of course…” Dash bit into the first rose and instantly regretted it. Pain blossomed in her tongue. ”Ahhhh!” She stuck out her tongue, a single rose thorn sticking out of it.
“Oh silly me, how did I miss that?” Rose said with far too much sugar in her voice. “Let me get that for you.” With a swift motion she plucked the thorn out, a bright crimson globule appearing in its place. Rainbow Dash nearly screamed. Instead she snapped her mouth closed, a tear forming at the corner of her eye. Rainbow Dash gave a half smile and darted off before she could get stabbed again. “Enjoy the rest of them.” Rose called after her shrinking form. Once she was out of sight Rose allowed her smile to become truly wicked. That ought to teach her, roses have thorns!
~~~~~
Soarin straightened his jacket, an old tweed number that had seen better days. It had a soft lining made softer by wearing and washing. He finished by donning a dark brown bowler hat. His hope was to avoid attention, but this sort of ploy rarely worked. It was the best he could do however without some new clothes. He exhaled a breath and glanced at the picture on his desk once again, and closed his eyes.
~~~~~
They were seated in a restaurant with velvety seats. The booth was lit by a soft light that did not diffuse well. It created a cone of light on the table and its patrons giving an illusion of privacy. The table was worn but he could still see her reflection in it. Low voices about them chatted in their own private cones of light. He and his date were often the subject of conversations about them, but he took no notice.
“I’m allowed to order anything?” He nodded. His brain might as well have been replaced with soft, warm cotton. He tried to say something suave like, “Of course darling, you can have anything you desire.”
“Sure thing, whatever you want.” Is what actually came out. It didn’t seem to matter, she smiled at him and when the waiter took her order he had to stop and look at Soarin carefully. Taking in the size of Soarin’s satchel, which was absolutely bulging with bits, he nodded. He returned a short time later with a bottle of some rich wine, which literally cost three times its weight in bits. He hardly tasted it, his eyes fixated on her. There was some small talk but he didn’t remember exactly what was said. Maybe it was the wine.
Flash
The pop of a camera and the blinding light snapped his attention toward the source of the sound. The camera’s operator had a pencil behind one ear and a notepad behind the other. She peered through the glass pane of the restaurant’s window, the dull light of the far away city lights showing little more than a dark silhouette. There was another pop and flash. Soarin winced as his vision faded and his pupils shrank to pinpricks. All he could see was an afterimage of a photo bulb in the center of his vision. He opened his mouth to say something that he likely would have regretted.
She put one hoof under his chin and brought his attention towards her again. His expression softened instantly. Warmth crept up to his cheeks, it seemed to flow from her touch. Swiftly she leaned across the table and kissed him on the mouth. It was shocking, in more ways than one. Electricity shot through every neuron, every blood vessel, and every heartbeat. Every thought was washed away in soft static. More flashes went off unnoticed.
“Let’s get a change of scenery.” She breathed in his ear. It sent a little shiver down his neck. They walked out of the restaurant after he left a small fortune with the smiling waiter. They walked down the boulevard, oblivious to the small gang of tabloid journalists who followed at a short distance. They stopped on a bridge overlooking the city. It was breathtaking but he didn’t see the vista.
Lights and sounds floated past him. He couldn’t remember how long it had been, or how he had gotten there. He distinctly remembered the hotel door closing behind him. I’m alone in a hotel room with the most gorgeous mare in the world, he thought to himself. The room was lit only by fireflies in a small swarm inside of a lantern near the window. They gave off a soft light that gave the room a dream like quality, or perhaps his memory simply softened things he wasn't focused on. She sat on the bed, knocked off the extra pillows, and beckoned him closer. His mouth was suddenly dry despite all he had to drink this evening. He gulped and walked towards her and sat on the bed next to her, feeling her warmth. She leaned towards him and whispered something into his ear.
After that, his head was stuffed to the brim with cotton, and his wings were spread behind him, his every muscle tense like he had been struck by lighting. Every rational thought was washed away in a soft tide. She leaned over and snapped open the latch on the lantern, allowing the half dozen fireflies inside to scatter out the window. The room was engulfed in darkness.
The familiar flash of a camera pulled him out of his memories. He didn’t remember walking into the Ponyville market, but he was there now, without an escort. His wings had spread behind him causing his jacket to momentarily reveal his identity. Com’on Soarin, stay in the now. He was thinking he would just pick one of the three mares from yesterday. His figured his chances of falling for them were remote at best.
A small crowd was rapidly forming around him. Dasiy, Lily, and Rose were there, each with their namesake flower proffered. There were others, a mint colored mare tried to sing while playing a lyre to him while her friend offered him candy. Two more mares who looked like pink and blue mirror images of each other were saying something about a free message in a tone which implied…things. Another mare called out to him. She was pure white, with a red cross for a cutie mark. She wasn’t his old flame but had a certain resemblance to her. It sent a chill down his spine. From somewhere in the back of the crowd a cyan hoof with a rose was being forced towards him.
“Here, wear my Lily.” “Free message?” “What’s your favorite song?” “These are the best!” “Will you sign my autograph?” “Let’s get away from here, just you and me.”
“We’re perfect for each other.”
His eyes shrank to pinpricks.
~~~~~
“We’re perfect for each other.” More flashes and pops. Fleur was so close to Soarin they were rubbing against each other, not that he minded. The Fillidephian stadium was behind them creating a regal backdrop with its columns.
Soarin wasn’t wearing a medal or a wreath this time. He kept sucking in air, sweat dripping down his sides. Why am I so tired? He groused to himself. I put in the work didn’t I? Now that the thought was in his head he couldn’t seem to remember doing his regular workout routine in...seven… eight days? All he could remember were restaurants with Fleur, shopping with Fleur, photos with Fleur, and sleeping with Fleur. She kept a hellish schedule and demanded he be there for everything. He didn’t complain, just being near her was like a dream.
A dream that was turning into a nightmare, his performance at the race was terrible. It didn’t look awful on camera, he was moving fast of course. But to his team mates and those who followed the sport his performance was dismal, his worst track time. And he didn’t realize it until the race was over but he suspected he was wearing the wrong goggles for this temperature. That sort of rookie mistake was something fillies would do. It was beyond embarrassing for a professional.
“We will be at a photo shoot tomorrow afternoon, with an up and coming fashion designer by the name of Hoity Toity.” Fleur conducted herself with grace, the journalist ate up every word, every flutter of an eyelash, every kiss, every smile. The cameras miss nothing, Soarin restrained himself, he knew the cameras were watching and didn’t want to anger Fleur.
It took the better part of an hour before they were in the carriage returning home. As soon as the door closed he turned to her. “What photo shoot? I didn’t know there was a photo shoot tomorrow.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, creases appeared between his eyes. She shot him a look.
“I told you about it last week, don’t you remember?” She leaned away from him with her forehooves crossed.
“I have to train tomorrow, it has been over a week since my last session I’m way overdue.” He left unspoken his recent performance.
“Oh please, it’s no big deal, you looked fine, that’s what the crowd wants.” She waved dismissively, as if she could brush away concerns like cobwebs. “Besides you can do better next time.”
“Next time?” Soarin said, his voice rising. “Next time is six days away.” He did not remember a discussion about a photo shoot this week. He certainly wouldn’t have forgotten an unusual name like Hoity Toity. The suspicion she was lying gnawed at him. “I’m sorry I have to train with the team tomorrow.”
“No. you. don’t.” Fleur snapped off each word and gave him a cold glare. “I’ve worked too hard to set this photo shoot up and I promised some very important ponies you would be there. You have to be there, you’re my special somepony.” The last bit elicited a smile from her. But this smile was the same one she used when a journalist was near. Her body language didn’t shift one iota. Soarin didn’t miss it this time.
“Wait a minute. You promised? I never heard anything about important fashion ponies!” He felt tightness in his chest, like he had after the race. But no matter how much he breathed the feeling didn’t relent. He was certain he had never heard anything about a promise or important fashion ponies. More like important airheads.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?” Had he said that last thought out loud? Judging by her expression he had. Oops. She leaned in closer to him, her scowl was nothing short of frightening. Something about it made her features slip past the barrier from beautiful to terrible. Her voice grew very quiet, in contrast to her abrupt shout a moment ago. “You will be there tomorrow, or you will regret it.”
Soarin felt a chill down his spine.
~~~~~
That chill spread all the way to his pinions. His head felt detached from his body. The voices around him melted together, a brass marching band that seemed to all hit the ground at the same time. His heart beat faster and his mouth went dry. With a single beat he was airborne, in seconds he was six blocks away. He didn’t even realize it until he was at the edge of town that he was flying away. At maximum speed, which if this were a race would be quite impressive.
The ponies in the market were stunned. One second Soarin was in front of them, all smiles. The next he lost his smile. The next second he was just gone. Faster than anypony could react.
Well…almost everypony. Rainbow Dash trailed his shrinking form. The speed exhilarated her, yet Soarin was still a shrinking figure on the horizon so she poured on the speed. A shock front began to form in front of her, yet Soarin still wasn’t getting closer. He’s so fast! Her wings burned, the wind whipped past tearing at her eyes. Suddenly Soarnin darted down and landed with a thud in a small clearing. She shot past him and had to circle around.
She landed near him much more softly, almost silently. She approached him the way you would approach a rare and skittish bird. The rose was still in hoof, thank Celestia. As she drew near she could hear the soft babble of a creek. The creek was flowing just past the line of trees and Soarin walked towards it. He stopped at the edge in the shade, the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees made him look 20% cooler in Dash’s opinion. Rainbow Dash grinned, now’s my chance.
SNAP
As is customary when sneaking up on a skittish creature in a forest she stepped on a twig. As is customary for the stalked he turned and froze, she was caught much too far away. However the quarry this time was much more elusive than a fox or raccoon. She held her breath, with her ears flattened. His eyes looked a bit puffy and bloodshot. He sniffed once and said in loud clear voice, “Go away! I don’t want any more flowers!”
She swallowed a lump in her throat. This was not going as planned but Dash was not one to give up. “Uh…sorry I thought you liked roses. Roses are not cool.” She dropped the flower and stomped on it to prove her point. “See the rose has been killed now. All better.”
He looked at her and blinked. “Um…how…did you find me? You didn’t follow me from the market did you?” This was not the only thought on his mind, but he desperately grasped at any subject other than himself.
“You bet I did!” A grin split her face. “You were going so fast, but no pony is as fast as Rainbow Dash!” She puffed her chest out and flared her wings. Soarin could not help himself, he felt…awe. Never had anypony outside of a race track kept up with him. He blinked and shook his head slowly and wished he could clear the clouds out of his head the way he cleared them from the sky.
“That’s…impressive.” Dash beamed. “But I don’t really want to talk right now, not even to you.” Dash’s smile vanished in an instant.
“Hey you still owe me for saving your life. Look, I made a bet with a friend and I need a date for a party.” She furrowed her brow. “Please be my date? It’s nothing romantic we could just have fun.” He looked at her as his nose scrunched up and his eyes narrowed. That’s a horrible reason to go on a date he thought. “Com’on it’ll be fun. Besides we’re perfect for each other.”
At this utterance his expression shifted. His brow shot up, his lower lip opened. His hoof came up as if to cover his face. It only lasted a split second, he stomped and glared at her.
“How DARE you ask me like this! I am NOT some PLAY thing! I am NOT just a Wonderbolt! I am NOT a POSTER ON YOUR WALL! I AM REAL!” His volume rose with every word, by the end he was shouting.
He hadn’t realized it but with each word he drew closer to her. By the end he was nearly nose to nose with her. Her eyes were wide and her body leaned back as she stared at him unblinking. Without a word she left him alone. When she was gone, he fell to his haunches and wept.
~~~~~
Applejack called out. “Heya Dash. Care for a fritter?” Dash was drifting slowly towards the market, her eyes downcast.
“No thanks AJ.” She landed and looked around. “I have to meet somepony.”
“Ya mean a handsome staillion, ya still got time left don’tcha?”
“Yeah I do, it’s just that I was hoping…wait a minute!” Dash snapped around to face Applejack. “How do you know that?”
“Shucks, Spike told Rarity this morning. Then Rarity had a chat with Fluttershy over lunch. That silly mare told Pinkie Pie, trying ta help ya I reckon, but I think it done more harm than good. Cause Pinkie Pie told…uh…everypony I reckon.” Applejack finished and blushed realizing this may not have been the best time for total honesty.
Rainbow Dash softly banged her head on the apple cart and groaned. “Great, that’s just what I need. Dating help from Fluttershy and the Pink wonder. How did Spike find out?”
“I’m sorry I don’t rightly know. Buck up, you want me to rope my brother in ta playing gentle colt for a day?”
“Um…” Dash paused. She lowered her voice, “I’d rather do it myself but let’s keep that plan on standby ok?” Applejack nodded and smiled.
“Just what was it ya'll were hopin' n' prayin' fer?”
Dash sighed. “I might as well tell you, it doesn’t matter now. I tried asking Soarin on a date. I thought it would be a sure win. But he…” She trailed off looking for the words. “He said no.” She left it at that, but Applejack sensed there was more. Dash looked at the ground, hiding her face.
“aww don’t let that get ya down sugercube. Here, take this, it’s gonna get thrown out anyway if’n I don’t sell it in the next hour.” Applejack pushed an apple pie toward Rainbow Dash. “I reckon if’n you want a stallion ta take a shine to ya, go through his stomach.”
The apple pie stirred a memory for Dash. Soarin liked apple pie, at the very least these apple pies. "Thank’s AJ.”
~~~~~
Soarin was in bed staring at the wall. He tried to sleep but such succor was far beyond his grasp. He had been staring at the wall not moving for well over an hour. His mind slowly struggled with his heart, a battle that was interrupted only by the sound of the door shutting. The sound was not loud but in the silence of his mind it might was well have been a gunshot from a starter pistol. He sat bolt upright and turned to see Spitfire again.
“No dice?” His expression told her everything, she sighed softly. “You got even more fan mail, gifts this time too.” It was something that happened on rare occasion, but this time there were a number of gifts which was unusual. “I kinda like this one, classic.” She said as she held up a single rose in a ridged plastic case. The rose was still fresh, globules of water clung to its petals, leaves and the inside of the fragile case. Soarin just snorted.
“Can’t I just skip this one? I’ve had a rough day of R&R.” Spitfire raised an eyebrow but didn’t inquire further.
“Skip what, the party or this conversation?”
“Either… Both... Please?” Now it was Spitfire’s turn to think carefully. On one hoof she could allow him to skip the party and probably save him some grief now. On the other she could force him to keep trying. The second option would save him grief later. One did not become a Wonderbolt by shirking, either in training or in other matters.
She walked to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “No.” He didn’t shrink away but looked at his captain bravely. “I understand you don’t want to do this but you need to do this.” She drew in a breath, allowing her a moment to collect her words. “It’s just like doing wing ups. The more of them you do the easier it gets, I promise.” She smiled at him and despite himself he smiled back. “Just pick one of these” she dropped the latest pile of mail in front of him, “and write to the return address. You don’t even have to meet her beforehoof. Just tell her to meet you at the party.”
THUD
The sounds of a scuffle could be heard outside, along with muffled voices. Spitfire turned a curious eye towards the fisheye lens set into the door. Her smile became even wider. She opened the door and cantered out while Soarin just stared at the stack of fan mail. He picked up the rose in the case and opened it, it smelled nice. The return address belonged to the white mare with the two tone red mane. She was the perfect candidate, pretty and bland in his view. Soarin could think of no reason to say no.
Spitfire returned followed by Rainbow Dash. Soarin’s eyes went wide. Dash had a number of scuff marks on her and her mane was disheveled. Spitfire spoke up, “I got her past security, she’s very…determined to meet you.” Spitfire backed out with a Cheshire cat grin. That toothy smile was the last thing Soarin saw before the door closed leaving him alone with Dash again. He drew in a breath and put on his most neutral expression.
As soon as the door closed the normally chipper Dash placed an apple pie on Soarin’s desk. She turned towards him, her head hanging low. One hoof turned slow circles in the cheap carpet. Her eyes wouldn’t meet his. “I just wanted to say I’m...” This was turning out to be much harder to do than Dash imagined. “…sorry.”
There was a long pause. Soarin might as well have been a statue. “Uh…I guess I’ll find another date, so…see you at the party.” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Please don’t be mad at me.” She said in a tiny voice.
“What?” Soarin was broken out of his stone encasing and his ears flicked forward. He had never had a fan say they were sorry. He was suddenly interested in hearing what Dash had to say.
She cleared her throat. “Please don’t be mad at me, I don’t want a Wonderbolt to be mad at me.” Soarin let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding in since she walked in. So that’s what it is, not “I don’t want YOU to be mad at me,” but a Wonderbolt.
“Well, thanks. I do like apple pie. But I really don’t need any more fair weather friends or fans.” He wanted nothing more than to be alone with his thoughts now, but damn did that apple pie smell good. His stomach gave off a quite rumble. Dash’s ears picked it up.
She smiled and looked at him in the eye for the first time since she entered. “You don’t have to worry about that. I am the element of loyalty, I’ll never stop being a fan. I’m your number one fan!” He squeezed his eyes shut, but the memory assaulted him again.
~~~~~
“YOU WILL BE MY NUMBER ONE FAN OR ELSE!” Her voice reached a terrifying level. The hotel room appeared to have been ravaged by a monsoon. No less than three vases filled with flowers had been shattered against the walls, soaking the carpet with their watery contents. The flowers had long since been trampled and the petals scattered like leaves. Shoes had been thrown so many times, he lost count (and horse shoes hurt when they hit you in the head). The wall had a crack in it. There were clothes all over the floor, the bed, and any solid ledge they could hang from. Thankfully the door was intact and closed. This argument had lasted over three hours.
“OR ELSE WHAT? YOU’RE GOING TO SCHEDULE MY DREAMS TOO?” He didn’t even remember what started this argument. She had a maddening ability to jump from subject to subject, to connect them in convoluted ways that his brain had difficulty following. Each new subject seemed to increase her volume and propensity for violence. It didn’t help that he always seemed to be one topic of conversation behind.
“YOU MEAN YOU DON’T EVEN DREAM ABOUT ME ANYMORE?” Now came the waterworks. It’s exceedingly difficult to argue when your opponent is crying. It’s even worse when you yourself are screaming at them. “FINE THEN YOU CAN JUST SLEEP ALONE.” She stormed out like a rolling thundercloud, bucking the door so it slammed behind her. Soarin looked around at the devastation around him. He threw the detritus off of the bed and collapsed into it, falling into fitful sleep.
~~~~~
“Are you ok?” Soarin’s eyes opened, they looked as if he had been crying behind his closed eyelids.
“Please, just leave me alone.” His voice was flat and quiet as if he didn’t have the energy to put life into it. Dash hung her head. He turned his back to her and looked at his desk, his eyes unfocused.
“Ok.” The door closed softly after a moment leaving him once again alone with his thoughts. He focused on the picture once more as the smell of apple pie entered his nose. It made his mouth water. He picked up the picture and his eyes narrowed. Why do I have to feel this way? It isn’t fair! With a jerk he threw the frame at the wall. It shattered the glass and bent the frame, the whole mess tumbling into the wastebasket with a tinkling of glass and a crunch. That felt good.
He glanced at the stack of fan mail. The smell of apple pie beckoned to him from inside the package. His stomach rumbled again. I should just write to that white mare with the rose. Cinnamon tinted the apple smell.
He opened the box and the smell became irresistible. The next thing he knew the box was empty and crumbs were all over his chest. He was lying in bed and the clock had skipped ahead 25 minutes. He sighed. Escapes never lasted for long did they?
At least his stomach wasn’t growling. He was left alone with his thoughts, the only things that would never leave him alone. I can’t do this again. I won’t survive another hit like that. That thought overrode all others. Spitfire will not let me out of it. That thought too was impressed upon him. I could try and not go to the party, but the consequences will be... He knew all too well what might happen if he disobeyed a direct order like this one. It would be the start of the end of his career. It wouldn’t happen overnight but it would be the first rock in an avalanche. Spitfire would reprimand him, the tabloids would pick up on it, and from there all it would take would be another derby loss and he would be on his way out. Spitfire had little tolerance for bad press and even less for insubordination. He could argue all day that she had no business in his personal life but that just wasn’t the way she worked.
I have to choose one I have no hope of falling for. And with that the solution was obvious. He sighed and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper. He looked at the empty box which held the apple pie. It had a three apple emblem on it and the name of the manufacturer but no return address for Dash. He facehoofed, of course it wouldn’t be that easy. He took the box under his wing then donned a fresh trench coat and wide brimmed hat he had delivered yesterday. It was time for a little detective work.
~~~~~
Dash looked pleadingly at the stallion, grey with a dark mane. His blue eyes blinked at her query. He started to back up and Dash had a sinking feeling. He seemed to be looking past her. His cheeks grew a bit red. Maybe I have a shot, Dash thought to herself but did not break her expression.
“Excuse me! What did you just say?” Dash turned her head, a cream colored pegasus mare was standing behind her. Her eyes bored into Dash, restrained fury danced behind them.
“I just wanted to bring my friend to a party, is that so wrong?” The mare trotted around Dash, her nose in the air. Dash’s head and eyes followed her around until she stopped and stood next to her target. Very close to him, they were almost touching. He looked sheepishly at the mare next to him. A light bulb went off in Dash’s head. Uh oh.
“A friend? Really?” She turned to the stallion beside her, her smile dangerous. “Is this a good friend of yours, Lucky?”
At the sound of his name Lucky quickly recovered. “Uh no no no, this isn’t anything special” he stammered. He turned to Rainbow Dash, unable to meet Wildfire’s nuclear hot gaze. “I’m sorry but I can’t go with you.” The two trotted off into the market crowd as he gave his special somepony some extra special attention.
Dash took to the air searching for another target. This had been the fourth and each time she was shot down it got tougher to try again. She saw a tan colored earth stallion leaving the library and considered asking him. Maybe Twilight asked him, time for some recon. She was by his side in a flash with a toothy smile. He stopped short, and looked at her with surprise.
“Uh…were you always there?” He said as he put away a book titled "How to Improve Your Memory with Menomics". Dash shook her head.
“So, how ya been Caramel?” She put a wing around him and sidled up close. “Wouldja like to go to a party with me?” She put on her best smile.
“Oh that might be fun.” Dash’s heart skipped a beat. “But…um…I’m supposed to say something here…” Her heart skipped another beat. “I just can’t remember what my marefriend wanted me to say in this situation.” Dash’s heart died in her chest. “Well, uh, I don’t think I should go with you. I don’t think she would forget about it, or let me forget about it!”
“That’s-ok-I-got-to-go-bye-now.” Dash’s words were almost as fast as herself. She was in the air and away before anypony could see the wetness that was forming in her eye. She circled Ponyville twice before slowing down to search for another candidate. I’ve gotta find somepony, anypony!
The entrance to Sofa’s and Quills opened. It was a shop Dash had been inside exactly once to buy a sofa years ago. She recalled the proprietor was a well groomed stallion and sure enough there he was. He had a smile on his face which made his green eyes simply sparkle. He’ll do just fine. Dash looked him over, brown yet well groomed hair (meh), tan coat (nice), sofa and quill cutie mark (obviously), and flanks which…she couldn’t see as a pink mare with a daisy in her mane exited the shop behind him and obscured her view. He waited until she was next to him before closing the shop and trotting down the street together. Dash didn’t even try, their body language might as well have been a forcefield.
Dash hit her special cloud with too much speed, it almost broke it apart. Rainbow Dash sighed into the white cottony softness and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain in her chest to stop. It was the middle of the day but she wanted nothing more than to sleep, for this day to be over.
~~~~~
Their faces were different each time. They started young, and slowly got older. Each time the background was different, yet the same. It was Heart’s and Hooves day, she was in her second year of flight school. Or was it the third, or the fourth, or the fifth, or the sixth? Red, white, pink background colors. Couples smiling. She always seemed to be the one asking the question. The faces always shook and mouthed, “no.”
Every time the answer was given, that same night she was flying, it was the only thing that made her happy afterwards. The flight after her third year in school took her to the edge of Everfree and back. After her sixth year she took a circuit of Manehatten and back. After the last time, she flew until the land stopped and yielded to sea, beyond the breakers, beyond the horizon. She almost died, so exhausted she almost didn’t return to land before her wings gave out. Plummeting to the beach she hit the wet sand with nothing left. She lay there, the mournful cry of gulls the only company for what seemed like days. The sobbing had finally stopped when the sun touched the horizon and the cold tide rose to splash against her.
~~~~~
He entered the market on hoof, he didn’t want to risk using his wings and giving away his identity to anypony that decided to look up. His trench coat with its tall collar and hat seemed to be working so far. Luck smiled upon him, as he found a familiar orange earth pony with a Stetson selling apple pie in the market very easily. All he had to do was follow his nose and it brought him right to her. He stopped in front of her and his eyes shifted about the market. It was a bit slow in the market as it was not yet lunch time and most were still preforming their morning routine. The orange mare in front of him gave him a suspicious look.
“Can I help ya?” She tried to get a look at his face but Soarin just tilted his head down allowing the rim of his hat to cover his face. He produced the empty pie box and spoke without looking up.
“This is your stuff right?”
“Uh…I reckon it is. It’s just apple pie, not…somthin’ else.” Her eyes shifted about. It took him a moment to realize what this must look like.
“heh heh, I didn’t say it wasn’t.” Her expression did not change. He cleared his throat, “I just wanted to know if you can get a letter to the mare who bought this from you.” The relief she felt was almost palpable, but then another thought came to her.
“I know er’, but who’s askin’? Some kinda creepy stalker?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Should I call the police?”
“Wait! No, I just want to give her a letter. I…” What could he say that would convince her he meant no harm? He didn’t think this all the way through and it was going south. “I’d like another pie, I’ll pay you double…triple, to deliver the letter and not open it or read it.” He produced the bits which did have the desired effect on the vendor.
She slid the bits into her bag carefully counting them, checking for counterfeits. Satisfied she placed a fresh apple pie into the empty box. She trotted around the cart to give it to him. “Alright I promise I will deliver the letter, I Pinkie Pie swear.” She did some very strange motions which culminated with a hoof in her eye. He didn’t understand any of that but it momentarily distracted him giving her time to swiftly buck the hat off of his head. She glared at him only for a moment before her eyes went wide, “Soarin?”
The name was like a dinner bell, others started looking in his direction. He thought fast, “Here’s the letter, thanks for the pie, gotta go!” He slapped the letter into her hoof, snatched the pie, and took wing before a crowd could form. Applejack looked on in surprise, standing in the market being stared at by everypony holding a sealed letter. She quickly tucked it away, no sense in drawing attention to it. Thank Celestia Rainbow doesn’t have some weirdo stalking her. Sometimes, it pays to be famous.
~~~~~
Rarity arrived at the front of the cart, eager to buy Applejack’s wares. The food was a bit low brow for her, but she always found bits to spend here and the Apple family always seemed to need them. It’s too easy being generous to a friend. “I’ll have…what’s this?” Rarity pointed at a sealed envelope peaking underneath one of the apple baskets.
“Oh, it’s a letter from-”
Suddenly Pinkie Pie burst from the bucket of apples. A bucket which could hold perhaps half her volume if you squinted just right, “FOREVER…” She crunched into an apple while staring at Applejack.
Rarity looked on with her mouth hanging open. While she did enjoy the latest gossip, she knew better than to cross Pinkie Pie. “You know what, never mind, I am sure it’s not important.” This seemed to satisfy the pink pony as a smile spread across her face.
“Uh…hey Pinkie could ya do me a favor?” Applejack glanced at the letter like it might explode. “I need ta find Rainbow Dash. It would help me keep my…promise.” At that Pinkie instantly perked up.
“Of course I’ll help you, let me just get warmed up.” Applejack completed the last transaction of the day and Rarity trotted off, eager to get away from Pinkie Pie who was doing some very odd stretches.
Pinkie continued to prepare for physical activity, although what kind only Pinkie Pie could say. She ensured her eyelids were flexible, her tail was swishy, and her legs wobbly. Applejack looked on but said nothing. Suddenly Pinkie turned to look at Applejack and said, “are you ready?”
“Ready fer what? Deadliftin’ weights with ma eyelids?”
“No silly to find Rainbow Dash, oh oh oh! Twitchy flank and tail! Lets go!” She bounced off down the main boulevard towards the edge of town. Applejack followed with the letter tucked under her Stetson. In less than ten minutes they arrived at a field when Pinkie started to bounce in a circle around a particularly boring patch of grass.
“Uh…sugercube? I still need ta find Rainbow Dash.” Applejack looked around and up, just to be sure. “I don’t see…”
“She’ll be here.” Pinkie Pie said matter-of-factly.
Applejack snorted and whispered under her breath, “I shoulda known better than to trust…”
THUD
Rainbow Dash slammed into the boring patch of grass, which made it significantly less boring. Applejack just smiled, how could I doubt Pinkie sense? Rainbow Dash groaned and looked up into the faces of her friends. Applejack picked her up and dusted her off, Dash looked terrible as if she had not slept in days.
“heh, I caught a little down draft.” Dash said with bits of grass still clinging to her face and mane.
Applejack pressed on regardless, “I got this here letter for ya sugercube, it’s from…an admirer.” She dared not say more with the pink one so close.
Dash felt horrible both physically and emotionally. But she perked up at that last word. Applejack’s smile grew wider, as speculation ran wild in her mind. But the bits in her saddle bag and Pinkie Pie prevented her from saying anything. Mostly Pinkie Pie. Dash tore open the letter on the spot like a hungry pony would tear into an apple. Applejack was curious and leaned in to get a look at the letter’s contents. Just then she felt herself being lifted off the ground, “what in tarnation!”
Pinkie Pie was lifting Applejack with a strange candy striped flying contraption. “I’ll give you a lift back to town AJ.” She said with a smile, “we wouldn’t want to break any…promises…and look at a letter that belongs to our good friend Rainbow Dash now would we?” She had a very dangerous edge to her voice but her smile was wider than ever.
Applejack’s ears went flat as she gulped. “uh…I reckon not.” Applejack said quietly as she floated away.
Rainbow Dash watched them go for a moment before turning back to the letter.
Rainbow Dash,
I will meet you inside of Sugercube Corner tomorrow. Wear something simple.
-Your date
She hugged the letter and smiled brightly. Maybe one of those stallions I asked changed his mind? She didn’t care, just the fact that somepony out there found her to be special was enough. She flew home, away from the beach, away from the breakers, and away from the setting sun.
~~~~~
The dreams just wouldn’t leave him alone.
They were at a fashion show, and Photofinish was there. There were so many lights, cameras, assistants, clothes, and shapely flanks that Soarin felt like it wasn’t real. Fleur had just finished her photo shoot wearing a white scarf with red stripes, like a candy cane. She was rubbing up against his left flank. She was so warm, and every time he caught a whiff of her scent he rolled his tongue around in his mouth as if he could taste her. Or maybe it was the wine. His head and mouth felt like they were full of cotton. The former because of her, the later because of his hangover from yesterday.
Photofinish had risen rapidly in the last year to become the premier photographer in the industry. In small part, Soarin liked to think, because of Fleur. Photofinish herself trotted up to the couple. “Ah ze lovers are close yes? You,” she pointed at Soarin, “make with the loving, you must make her shine!”
Fluer drew herself up at the words, “yeah, get us a drink Soarin.” His expression soured instantly. He trotted off to get a pair of drinks muttering under his breath about being a big shot Wonderbolt and not a fashionista’s assistant.
When he returned he found some other stallion next to her. And she was flirting with him, the cotton in his brain told him so. Photofinish was snapping pictures of the two of them while Soarin’s blood began to boil. He trotted towards them past a pair of chatting assistants, another aspiring photographer, and a table with a dozen movie posters. He glanced at the movie posters and saw the stallion who was next to her splashed across them. For some reason the posters made Soarin even more angry. “Ah yes, zis will be excellent for the movie magics” he could hear Photofinish say as she snapped more pictures.
Soarin ping ponged down the aisle of photo equipment toward them. The drinks he was carrying were magically empty and he curiously felt a burning sensation in this throat. When he reached them the cotton whispered to him what he should do. He smiled, his heart pounding in his chest. He put a hoof around Photofinish, “hey good lookin, how ya doin?” He swayed on his hooves while he glared at Fluer and her companion. ha, two can play at that little game.
The stallion just looked on a bit surprised, Photofinish even more so. Fluer looked at him the way you might look at a repulsive insect. The next thing he knew there was a stinging liquid running down his face. Apparently the second drink wasn’t so empty after all. He didn’t even remember giving it to her. He stumbled and fell, too woozy to stay standing. He looked up at their faces all having this sort of smirk using only one corner of the mouth. She laughed at him, “you’re pathetic, I never want to see you again.” With that she turned and walked away followed by the pop of photo bulbs.
The pictures appeared in the tabloids the next day, the headlines read, “Playboy Finishes Last Place.” It nearly ended his career, in more ways than one.
~~~~~
Outside it was snowing softly, little flakes of ice floating down to settle on everything. It wasn’t windy so the snow just drifted down to dust everything in a thin coat of white. There was a dull roar of the crowd outside, kept in check by numerous members of security. Occasionally a pony who actually belonged there and had an invitation squeezed past security and entered Sugercube Corner. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were in overdrive, the kitchen was well hidden but anypony that glanced inside quickly left them alone to their maelstrom of bread and sugar. Spitfire was in the center of the party, keeping an eye on her team and the guests, quick to keep everyone happy. Pinkie Pie was belting out a ridiculous song and dance number on a small stage, something about smiles. The fishnet stockings were not exactly the sort of thing that the Wonderbolts were used to, but several secretly enjoyed the change of scenery. Soarin was in the corner, nursing a drink and drawing disapproving looks from Spitfire.
The front door opened and he looked at the newcomer. No, not her, this one was a lavender colored unicorn with a…baby dragon? The little reptile was dressed in a tuxedo and top hat. Soarin had to keep his laughter in his chest. She glanced around, satisfied at what she saw as she took up a position near him with her own drink. The little dragon scampered away to join the party. “He’s cute, is that your date?” He had to lean close to her in order to be heard over the din of the party. Pinkie Pie entered the chorus and drowned out all other sounds.
“Yeah, to be honest I couldn’t find a date on short notice. I just hope I don’t embarrass myself in front of my friend or one of the Wond-” She finally set her eyes on him and immediately jammed a hoof in her mouth. Blush rose to her cheeks in seconds. Soarin felt sorry for her, he knew what it was like to have a hard time with dating.
“Don’t worry about it your secret is safe with me. Besides, I don’t have a much of a date either, I think I got stood up.” Soarin hated to admit it but the party was in full swing and he doubted there would be many more guests arriving. He was going to get a serious lecture from Spitfire, but that wasn’t the worst part. Looking at all the happy couples at the party while he stood off to the side alone, that hurt more than anything.
The door opened again and he forced himself to look up, there she is. She was wearing a white and red scarf, like a candy cane. She looked around but with so many ponies, sounds, and smells Soarin thought he could simply say nothing and get through the night without so much as another word. Spitfire shot him another look, and he knew he was going to pay for it later. He set the drink down, this is stupid, I should just go up to her and spend the evening with her. What’s the worst that could happen? I can’t fall in love with her, she just sees me as a Wonderbolt. Yeah, this can work out, drink a little, dance a little, go home, no biggie.
He waved to her and her eyes went wide when she saw him. She slalomed through the crowd never taking her eyes off of him, she again approached him like a small animal that might bolt at any second. “Uh, hi. I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I was a little hard on you. I just wanted to have a nice evening, and I owe you one for saving my life. We’re even after this.” He wore a small smile but it didn’t reach his eyes. She was at his side looking like a kid in a candy store. Which wasn’t hard because she was in a candy store.
“Great, we can talk about flying!” They actually had a conversation that interested him. By the end of it his smile started to creep up his cheeks. Spitfire tossed him a wink when he glanced her way. Well at least that was one problem solved.
“Get us some drinks will you?” it came out of nowhere like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, the smile dropped from his face.
“Why, can’t you get your own drinks? What am I your assistant?” She leaned away from him as if she had been struck.
“No, I just thought…stallions should…never mind I’ll get us some drinks.” She started to weave through the crowd. Soarin smacked himself in the forehead. Idiot, not every mare is the same. Get that through your thick skull! He looked down at his glass, a single ice cube still melting at the bottom was all that remained, yet he felt clear as a bell. Why don’t I feel like I have cotton in my head?
Before he could finish the thought he heard a commotion on the other side of the room and looked up. His date was in a chase with the lavender colored mare, saying something about winning a bet. She had a look of glee on her face while the lavender mare shrunk away and mumbled something totally inaudible with the noise of the party. Rainbow Dash started to look around for something, something small and scaly. She looked under tables and between legs, the lavender mare blushing with downcast eyes. Pinkie Pie was telling jokes punctuated by rimshots. Dash looked under another table when she bumped into Fleetfoot. Fleetfoot stumbled and fell with a crash onto the punch bowl which launched across the room directly onto Soarin’s head with laser like precision. All he could see was the distorted colors of the party through the glass, all he could hear was laughter, and all he could feel was the cold sensation of dripping punch and horrible memories.
He sat on his haunches his breath shallow, he just wished this night to be over. All I need now is… and there it was, the unmistakable pop of a photograph. He closed his eyes, I can’t do this again. I give up - I’ll quit the Wonderbolts and live alone on a cloud far away. At least I won’t have to feel this way ever again.
Suddenly the punch bowl was lifted off of his head. Rainbow Dash was there, her brows furrowed, “Sorry are you ok?” He looked at her wishing the familiar cotton in his head would tell him what to do, but right now everything was clear. Crystal clear in fact, he could see every detail of her. Her multicolored mane, her cyan coat, her flanks…no no no, eyes up, I don’t need that, I just need to leave and never return.
He sat there frozen, looking pathetic and dripping with punch. Several ponies at the party snickered at him, which was not lost on Rainbow Dash. She whirled on them with her wings flared, putting herself in a protective pose, “next pony who laughs at him is going to get a free punch bowl as a door prize!” The room was quiet for a moment, then Pinkie Pie started in on another song which grabbed everyone’s attention. Rainbow Dash turned to him and pulled him upstairs grabbing a few napkins and a lantern with a dying candle.
The sound of the party was much quieter, muffled by the carpet and door which closed with a soft click. Dash had never been upstairs, but figured the Cakes wouldn’t mind if she had a little alone time, besides they were busy. The room was very dark, but a window allowed a bit of starlight to enter revealing a small nightstand. She pulled him towards it setting the light down. She began to clean him off, the care she showed touched something in him.
No…no no NO! He swallowed hard. This is impossible, this can’t happen, I won’t let it happen.
His expression must have betrayed something. “I told you, I am not gonna leave you in the cold, I’ll always be a fan.” She continued to clean him, working her way past his face, mane, and neck. His heart was beating very fast. He could see every hair on her, every twitch of her eyes, feel every touch. He closed his eyes trying to calm himself.
He could still feel her drying him out with the napkin, moving lower on his body. It sent his heart and mind racing. He opened his eyes and drank her in. It was getting darker, the little candle flame was guttering out. They were so close, all he had to do was lean in. The room was enveloped in darkness.
~~~~~
He was flying down, as fast as he could, the white unicorn was screaming. If she hit the ground it was lights out for sure at this height. He was close and then everything went black.
The next thing he knew he was flying through the air, but he wasn’t moving. He looked up and saw a rainbow colored mane. They were flying so fast. He saw her face, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like he had a clear head, as if the hoof to his head knocked the cotton out. Despite the pain in his eye he could smell something like cinnamon or peppers.
~~~~~
…
Never in his life had his mind felt so clear. His heart was beating so fast, and he could feel hers beating even faster. She was so warm, like there was a fire inside of her. I love this feeling he thought, and it occurred to him that everything was still crystal clear. He saw only her outline in the dark, but he could feel every heartbeat, he could smell her, taste her. She tasted sweet but slightly spicy, he rather liked it that way.
…
It took her by surprise, but it was perfect. She couldn’t see anything but she didn’t need to. She closed her useless eyes. This is the most awesome day ever, I don’t ever want it to end. She pulled him closer. He smelled like punch and clouds.
…
Neither could tell how long they were there in the dark. It was just the two of them, without words, without a past, without memories that tore at them, it was just now.
…
Suddenly the room was flooded with light. Soarin and Dash broke apart and each fell on their haunches. Their faces were flush, their wings spread, and they breathed as if they had just finished a marathon. The scarf lay on the floor in between them. Pinkie Pie stuck her head into the room. “Time for…hey watcha doing in here?” She bounced into the room. “You didn’t wake them did you?” Soarin swallowed again, silently cursing the Pink one.
Dash looked about the room trying to regain her composure. There were a lot of pastel colors in here, a chest of toys, a crib…wait a crib? Sitting in the crib were two foals, looking at Soarin and Dash with unreadable expressions. Each had a pacifier in their mouth but neither had made a sound or even moved. Pinkie Pie bounced up to the crib and looked in. “Well that’s odd, I guess they were already awake, they would have cried otherwise.” She glanced under the crib, good I have a bag of flour just in case. She popped the pacifiers out and was about to lay them down again when they both started to clap their hooves and giggle.
“What? You want to play? Sorry it isn’t play time…” Pinkie said sadly, but brightened up and started to laugh at the two foals. “No Pound, that’s for mares other than your sister!” Pound was making kissing motions toward his sister and she was laughing and stretching her neck back like a fainting movie star. Pumpkin continued to look at Soarin and Dash, laughing. “Don’t foals do just the silliest things?” Pinkie said without a hint of sarcasm. She laughed again as the two foals tumbled into the blankets of their crib still laughing, “oh, Pound, you’re going to be a heartbreaker in school!”
“Heh, I never could figure foals out. A great mystery, right Soarin?”
“Uh yeah, a great mystery. Uh, thanks for drying me off, should we return to the party?” They left the scarf behind, forgotten, finally.
~~~~~
He was still nursing his drink, but he didn’t care. The drink was unimportant, Spitfire’s glances in his direction were unimportant, the journalists outside were unimportant. He slowly took a deep breath, he wanted to remember everything. He could feel the mare at his side, under his wing, her warmth, her heartbeat, her breath which tickled his neck and promised so much more. He never wanted to lose this feeling of clarity ever again.
Dash nuzzled his neck, drinking in his scent. As long as he kept her close with his wing, she felt no reason to move away from him. He wasn’t very soft, being mostly athletic muscle, but she rather liked it that way. For her, the rest of the party was taken up by the scent of punch and clouds.
~~~~~
Dear Rainbow Dash,
I would like to see you again, no I HAVE to see you again. It will be some time before we are in Ponyville again, but maybe we can meet somewhere else. I will be back in Canterlot in five weeks, please tell me you’ll meet me again. I think about you all the time.
your Wonderbolt,
Soarin
Dash read the letter again, this was the fifth time today. The Wonderbolts had left the morning after the party. They hadn’t separated until it was time for the team to leave, and Spitfire had to separate them. Dash suspected Spitfire had delayed their departure just for the two of them but time marched on. They never got any time alone either, as the Wonderbolt’s schedule allowed for no down time. She smiled and read the letter again. She reached for a quill and paper.
He was flying. He loved flying, the wind rushing past, the sun at his back. The sun was ready to set and the light from Celestia’s star played across the horizon to paint the clouds red, purple, and gold. He kept turning his head this way and that trying to catch a whiff of... There it was again! To the right a bit? The scent was intoxicating. It was something like a cross between sugar and cinnamon. Just the smell of it was enough to make him content. He wanted to smell that scent again, more than he wanted food, or water, or even to fly.
sniff
He caught a faint breeze and with it the smell of something spicy. He followed it like ancient sailors would follow the tradewinds. The scent was his north star. He landed on a small golden cloud. The ground was little more than a blurry green mass far below. The sun touched the horizon, or at least he thought it did. The mountains were just a dark blur in the distance. He set the six pack of hard cider down and waited. He somehow knew this was the right spot to be. He idly picked up one of the bottles of cider but couldn’t read the label, the letters were just a meaningless jumble.
A hoof traced around his withers and around his neck. His smile threatened to split his face. He turned around without breaking contact and looked into her face. She was just like he remembered. Her multicolored mane was windblown and a stray bang floated in front of her. He brushed it away and their eyes met fully. “Would you like something to drink?” He hoofed her a bottle of cider. They sat on the cloud and watched the sunset, drinking. Several minutes passed without words, but each could feel the other on the cloud.
The sun dipped behind the horizon. A freewheeling bird found them both lying side by side, each with an empty bottle of cider. Each had a second bottle half finished. He gazed at her while she just looked at the sunset. The viridian bird flit by behind her, little more than a blur against the sky. He couldn’t stop staring at her. He wanted to remember every detail of her, her scent, her hair, her wings, her eyes...her flank.
He smiled and spoke once he finished the second bottle, “You know, this cloud is magic.”
“Really? It feels like a regular cloud to me.” Her voice was a bit raspy, but he found he liked that about her too. She always spoke directly and didn’t mince words. It was refreshing. He filed her voice pattern away along with the rest of the details.
“Yeah, legend has it this is the first cloud pegasi ever made in Equestria. They say it’s magic, that it can bring out the best in a pony.” He leaned closer so they were face to face, their lips almost touching. “I know you bring out the best in me.”
He slowly closed his eyes and just went for it. He wasn’t sure if it was too forward of him but he couldn’t help himself. When they touched it was like an electrical current flowed into him.
In the next instant he found himself pinned against the cloud. He snapped his eyes open and found she had pounced on him like a tiger and was staring at him with an intensity he had only seen in other Wonderbolts before a race. But this was different, more intimate. The look was just for him. She leaned in closer and pushed. They sank into the cloud. She used her wings to pull the cloud around them, like a soft white blanket.
He could smell nothing but cinnamon. His eyes were closed but he was allowed to trace her form. He mentally filed away her shape as well. Another detail he couldn’t forget. He would never forget so many details about her. Her taste for example. Slightly spicy, he could taste that now as well. But he wanted to know more, to know it all.
Oooohhh
He was falling. He could still see her and wanted nothing more than to go to her. But for some reason his wings wouldn’t work.
Thunk!
“Ooohhhh, what-?” Soarin groaned and sat up blinking. The room came into sharp focus. He was cold and speckled with sweat. Light spilled into the hotel room from a square window. It played across the bed and over the sheets. He was on the cold, hard floor beside his bed. And now he had a small lump on the back of his head from the fall. He rubbed his mane and felt the lump, touching it made him wince. He could still faintly smell something like cinnamon and taste something spicy.
He blinked again, he really was cold. Only the sheet covered him as it has gotten tangled in his limbs and a good portion of it was still wrapped around his lower body. Why am I so cold? He looked down and noticed the sheets were soaked with sweat. It made his entire body chilly. He surveyed the bedding he had turned into a swamp. He found the reason he felt so cold.
His eyes went wide when he realized just what had happened. His ears burned despite there being no pony around to witness anything. He gulped and thought, I haven’t done that since I was a colt. He kicked the sheet away and tossed it into the corner of the hotel room. He found a spare sheet in the cupboard and replaced it on the bed before he settled back into it. He tried to sleep but found it difficult because every time he closed his eyes his nose caught a whiff of something spicy that made his heart race.
~~~~~
Meanwhile in Ponyville...
“I’m delighted you could make it today. I have several ideas, I’m sure we can find something you’ll fancy.” She flipped open the portfolio to the first page showing a rough sketch of a pony wearing a flamboyant dress. It would make the wearer look something like a cross between a tropical bird and a spoiled debutante. The client looked bored and shook her head without so much as a second glance at the sketch.
Rarity swallowed and wiped away a drop a sweat that had formed behind her ear. She was able to make the motion appear as if she were simply preening her mane. She flipped past several pages in the portfolio trying to find something fresh, something new, something impressive. The waiter approached them. “I am so sorry madames, but the weather calls for rain today. Perhaps you would like a seat inside?”
At this Rarity smiled, “I think not darling. I wanted to have lunch outside today and I have arranged for the weather to cooperate. We shall have no rain till late this afternoon.” The waiter gawped at her, even the client raised an eyebrow.
“Very good ma’am, can I interest you in an aperitif?” Rarity nodded and selected a champagne she hoped would please her client. They were seated outside of the restaurant. It was an overcast day with several dark clouds. Rain was indeed scheduled but so far not a drop had fallen. The day was still warm and the last minute change in the weather’s schedule created a quiet atmosphere as Rarity looked out over town square. Sunlight bled through the clouds like Celestia herself was giving a spotlight for Rarity and her client. Of course that wasn’t an accident either as a certain pegasus was opening the clouds on Rarity’s command. Now if only the client would cooperate and choose a dress or five, things would really be going her way.
“How did you manage get the rain to stop?” The client asked as the waiter returned with the champagne. Rarity took the opportunity to pour each of them a glass before she replied.
“One of my very good friends is the local weather pegasus, I just asked her to hold off on the rain so we could have a quite and dry lunch while we discuss business. I have quite the eye for detail, I promise not a single button will be out of place if you choose one of my creations. How about this one?” She finally found a piece halfway through her portfolio that was both new and not so flamboyant. It wasn’t a terribly bold design choice as it was influenced by several classics. Rarity prayed the client wouldn’t find the design old fashioned.
“Hmm not bad, but I want something a little more... fresh.” Rarity sighed and continued into her portfolio. There was a particularly good design at the end but she was hoping to sell more than one dress to this client. The client was introduced to her by Fancypants some time ago. He had said she was a model and certainly looked the part. An all white unicorn with a body that would make stallions stare. In fact there was a stallion across the market who was staring at her now, halfway through a transaction with the asparagus vendor. Only the vendor’s exclamation brought his wandering eye back to reality.
By the time the waiter brought them lunch Rarity still hadn’t gotten more than a few passing compliments about her designs. The client sighed and opened a tabloid she had brought with her. Rarity noticed it was last month’s edition. How boring am I that she would rather read a tabloid from last month instead of paying attention to me? Rarity thought to herself. She was starting to get desperate when the client spoke up, “I would like to thank this friend of yours.” Rarity blinked, she didn’t want any distractions but this wasn’t the sort of client she could deny, no matter how inane the request.
Rarity waved a hoof to the break in the clouds. She couldn’t see Rainbow Dash with the sun in her eyes but she knew Dash was there. A normal pegasus would have taken several minutes to reach them from such a lofty perch. Dash landed next to them on the other side of the short wrought iron fence that partitioned off the restaurant from the street in less time than it took for the waiter to return with a refill for Rarity’s drink. The client slapped the magazine closed and slipped it into her saddle bag. For the first time since the meeting started she smiled warmly. She gestured for Rainbow Dash to join them at an empty seat. Rarity’s brow twitched at the intrusion but she could think of no way to prevent it.
“Um, hi.” Dash said as she took a seat. “You don’t have to drag me into lunch, I’m not hungry.” Rarity forced a smile at Dash. The client leaned a bit closer to Dash and began speaking in warm, fluid tones that Rarity wished were directed at her or the portfolio instead.
“Oh it’s no trouble at all dear. I just wanted to thank you for keeping the rain away. It’s dreadful what water can do to my mane and makeup. I could use some of the waterproof brands but they just don’t have the same luster. You know how it is, right?” Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded. Rarity rolled her eyes, Rainbow Dash had no idea what waterproof makeup was. She probably didn’t even know much about regular makeup for that matter.
“How rude of me, I didn’t even introduce myself. My name is Fleur, Fleur De Lis.”
“Oh, uh, nice to meet ya Fleur, my name is Rainbow Dash.” Dash glanced at Rarity with a pleading look asking what do I do? Rarity just gave a weak smile and shrugged.
“Oh non, the pleasure is all mine.” Fleur pushed the portfolio back towards Rarity so there was nothing in between herself and Dash. Rarity stifled an indignant gasp and settled into her seat. Generosity was her virtue, not patience. Today she was going to generously allow Dash to take up some of her client’s attention.
Fleur reached out and brushed a rainbow colored lock of hair out of Dash’s face. To her credit, Dash had the presence of mind not to shrink away but it was obvious to Rarity she didn’t enjoy such close physical proximity to what amounted to a stranger. “You have such beautiful hair. Have you considered modeling?”
Rainbow Dash’s face flashed into something you would expect to see had she bitten down on a rotten apple. She recovered quickly and replied, “Nope, I don’t think I would make a very good model. I hate fril...uh, photographs. Yeah.” If Fleur was offended she didn’t show it.
“Oh such a shame. How did you get to be such a good weather pony?” Dash’s face lit up, this was a subject she could talk about and not fib every five seconds.
“I always wanted to join the Wonderbolts as a filly. Being a good weather pony was just a logical step towards that goal. Besides I love flying, who wouldn’t want to fly as part of their job? I mean...uh, not that there’s anything wrong with being on the ground.” Dash’s ears began to burn and her face was flush. Great job Dash. Why don’t you just shove both hooves into your mouth she thought bitterly.
Fleur smiled and waved it off, “I do wish I could fly sometimes. But we each have our talents, non?” Fleur used her magic to fill a third glass with champagne and placed it in front of Dash. “You know I might be able to help you get admitted to the Wonderbolts. I have a friend of a friend who just might help you with your dream.”
“Really? I was going to submit an application soon but a recommendation would be great! Who do you know that can help me?” Dash’s mouth went dry when she thought about getting into the Wonderbolts. She idly gulped down the liquid in her fluted glass without thinking. Her face flushed as the bubbles burned their way down her throat. She coughed a bit while Fleur took the opportunity to close her eyes and enjoy a sip of her own drink.
“Well I have a few friends in high places. I don’t want to say too much. A girl has to have her secrets.” Fleur looked over her drink at Dash and smiled. “Let’s just say you will owe me a little favor in exchange for a good word, deal?” She extended her glass carefully, the champagne still bubbling. Rainbow Dash clinked her nearly empty glass against Fleur’s.
“Deal.” Dash smiled and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. Rarity’s mouth was set in a line as she rested a chin on her hoof watching Fleur and Dash make deals while her portfolio sat open in front of her. She blew an errant lock of hair out of her face and called for another glass.
~~~~~
crinkle toss
crumple toss
crinkle toss
sigh
Rainbow Dash missed the wastebasket in the corner of her room yet again. The pile of crumpled up papers overflowed the wastebin and onto the floor. She started with a fresh sheet. She sighed again when she realized her inkwell had run dry. “That’s just great. The store is probably closed at this time of night. Hmm... who will have spare ink... egghead!” Dash exclaimed out loud. She turned to find tank on her bed, holding an empty inkwell in his mouth, looking at her with dark eyes. He blinked slowly and wetly. Dash knew this meant he didn’t want her to leave him alone. Or he was hungry, she wasn’t sure, “Back in a bit Tank. I got an application to write.” She was out the door before Tank could do more than blink. In less than ten minutes she was in front of the Golden Oaks Library.
knock-knock-knock
“The library is closed.” Twilight opened the door at the sound of rapid knocking. “I’m sorry but- oh hello Dash.” Twilight’s face brightened up at the sight of her unexpected visitor. “What brings you here at this hour? I was about to hit the hay.”
Dash rolled her eyes, “Really? You sure you weren’t about to read a book before bed?”
Twilight flushed and replied, “Well it was only one book. And it’s short one, only 450 pages.”
Dash used a hoof to stifle a laugh, “Right, a nice short read. Anyway I came by because I need a little help writing and I’m out of ink. Do you have any extra ink lying around?”
Twilight looked indignant, “I most certainly do NOT have ink lying around.” Dash’s ears fell. “I have plenty of spare ink organized by color and expiration date in the cupboard but none of it is just ‘lying around.’ I’d tan Spike’s hide if I found spare ink out of place.”
Dash’s ears perked back up, “Oh, right. Well, can I use it?”
“Of course you can, I’ll even help you write. What is it you’re writing?” Twilight knew Dash liked to read but she hadn’t ever known her to write anything more than a letter.
Dash trotted inside with Twilight following her. She pulled out a stack of papers, it was a blank form of some kind. “This is my application to the Wonderbolts. I’ve gone through like, a hundred of em’ and I’m still not happy with the results.”
Twilight gasped, “Oh Dash this is so exciting. I know how much you want to join the Wonderbolts. I would be honored to help you write your application.” Twilight found her best bottle of black ink and the two mares began to fill out the blank form one more time.
While they were writing even Twilight could see how nervous Dash was. After the first few rejected forms were tossed into the wastebasket Twilight spoke up. “You’re not nervous just because of this application are you? You’re the best flier in Ponyville, what would you be worried about?”
Dash sighed and her face flushed, “I just don’t want to mess this up. I’ll have to wait a whole year if I don’t get accepted.”
Twilight looked at her friend and noticed her expression. The ghost of a smile that lit her features and the blush in her cheeks. Twilight took out a notebook she hadn’t used in about four weeks and said, “Are you sure this is all about the application and not about say... Soarin?”
When she said his name it was like Dash was hit with a lighting bolt. Her face grew very red and that ghost of a smile became reality. Twilight started to giggle and thought that’s it for sure!
“Well, yeah, I guess I’ll get a chance to see him at the academy. So it makes this application really important.”
Twilight scratched a few more notes into her notebook. Working at the same occupation as a potential mate improves one’s chances for success. She glanced around the library and sighed. Maybe next time I visit Canterlot I’ll spend more time in the library but less time reading. “Don’t worry Dash, we’ll get this application perfect so you don’t have to worry about anything.”
“Thanks Twilight.”
~~~~~
KNOCK KNOCK
“You may enter, state your business.” Spitfire was seated on the couch. The coffee table in front of her was covered with papers. She had a single inkwell in the middle of the mess but several quills. It was midday and the windows were open letting in plenty of light into the suite but Spitfire still had a lamp lit and focused on the mess before her. She adjusted the aviator sunglasses sitting on her nose and straightened her uniform.
Fleetfoot and Soarin entered the hotel suite and gave a short salute. “You called for us colonel?” Fleetfoot glanced at the stacks of papers. Her expression looked as if she had just popped a sour candy into her mouth. Soarin had a faint smile on his lips and his eyes were unfocused as he seemed to stare off into space.
Spitfire rapped a hoof against the coffee table once and spoke, “Sit down you two. You drew the short straws this year. You get to help me process recruit applications.” Fleetfoot sighed as they sat down on either side of Spitfire and picked up a quill. “I don’t want to hear it Fleet, you know this is an important job and I trust your judgment.”
Fleetfoot shrugged and pointed at Soarin with a quill, “What about him? He’s never done this sort of thing before. All he’s done is respond to his fan mail.”
Spitfire took off her aviator sunglasses and folded them before slipping them into her breast pocket. She looked at Soarin who just looked a bit surprised to be the center of attention all of a sudden. “You’ve been going through that overgrown stack of fan mail? And writing back?”
Soarin smiled sheepishly, “Yeah I’ve been trying to read some of em’ and respond when I can. Nothing fancy just a few lines, you know, thank you for your letter, hope to see you soon, here’s a signature and your photo. That sort of thing.”
Spitfire smiled, “I’m proud of you Soarin. This is sort of the same thing but much more serious.” Fleetfoot had already begun scratching notes and either check marks or large Xs onto the applications. “You don’t have to do anything more than read the application and use your best judgment to accept or reject them. Keep in mind the applicants who get two out of three check marks from us will be the fresh new faces at the academy this year. And we need some fresh blood, Fleetfoot is getting ready to retire.” Spitfire glanced at Fleetfoot with a wolfish smile.
“Hey now, I’m not that old. Not yet anyway.” Soarin knew Fleetfoot wasn’t old by any stretch of the imagination. But being a Wonderbolt was a young pony’s job. Once you were over the hill, retirement from the Wonderbolts wasn’t far behind. Sometimes you “retired” to a higher rank that involved paperwork but no flying. Other times you retired to teach in flight school or got command of your own weather team. Private schools and municipalities paid plenty of bits for a retired Wonderbolt to work for them. Soarin and Spitfire still had many years ahead of them but Fleetfoot's career was in its sunset. Soarin thought she would be a wonderful flight instructor. His own foalhood flight instructor was an old Wonderbolt and set him on his life’s path.
Soarin continued to work his way through the stack of applications with a critical eye. Many of them were rejects. He felt bad when he put an X down, like he was crushing a little dream with each stroke of the quill. It always felt good to put the check mark on an application. But some of them were just terrible. One years work as a weather pony, junior grade? Maximum wing power of 8.5? Soarin sighed and crushed another little dream. It would be better this way. He knew all too well how much more painful it would be for Spitfire to crush those dreams at the academy. At least this way there was always the tiny hope they could try again next year.
Hope was important. He glanced at Spitfire and Fleetfoot, they were concentrating on the paperwork. He allowed his thoughts to drift to his dream last night and he smiled.
~~~~
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S TOO LATE!”
The mail mare shrunk away from Rainbow Dash. Dash had waited outside all morning for the pegasus to arrive to give her the signed and sealed application. The wall eyed mare just looked at her with an expression of sorrow.
“I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but Wonderbolt applications have to be post marked by the first of the month. It’s already the third. I think I reminded you a few weeks ago but maybe I forgot. I’m so sorry; I usually remind all of the ponies who want to apply. I just don’t know what went wrong.” She looked sad despite her crossed eyes. A tear began to form in each of those yellow orbs.
Rainbow Dash was about to shout again but recalled the conversation. It was two and a half weeks ago when Derpy had reminded her to hoof over her application before the deadline. She had been so caught up in making the perfect application she forgot the deadline entirely. She let out a breath and placed a hoof gently on Derpy’s withers. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the stupid one. Stupid-stupid-stupid.” She punctuated each word with a hoof to the side of her own head. “I forgot about the deadline.” Derpy’s eyes cleared up but now it was Dash holding back tears.
“Oh, that’s really too bad Rainbow Dash. I wish I had an idea to help you. You should ask a smart pony with lots of ideas.”
Dash’s face lit up, she nearly crushed Derpy in her hug. “That’s it! You’re a genius Derpy!”
“I am? Uh, glad to help.” Dash released her. Derpy continued her mail route with a smile on her face.
Minutes later Dash entered the library. Business was in full swing today. Several earth ponies were wandering aimlessly about the library quietly, several were reading various books around the central table. Twilight was smiling as she worked. She enjoyed seeing so many patrons.
“TWILIGHT I NEED HELP!”
Everypony in the room glared at her, none more than Twilight. She brought a hoof to her mouth and shushed Dash. She spoke in a hushed and irritated tone, “What is the matter with you? This is a library.” She motioned for Spike to take over her post and led Dash outside. The little dragon wore an oversized grin as he got his impromptu promotion. Twilight closed the door behind her.
“Sorry Twilight.”
Twilight placed a hoof against her chin and her eyes rolled up for the moment. “I don’t mean to pry into your personal life but...,” I REALLY want to know “are you going to meet up with Soarin sometime soon?”
“Yeah the Wonderbolts are passing through town on the way home and I’ll get a chance to see him.”
Twilight’s smile was warm and encouraged Dash to think. “Right, and when you see him-” Twilight leaned in just a bit, waiting for the lightbulb to go off.
Dash thought for a moment and right on cue the light bulb lit with a ding. “I can give it to him personally!” Twilight smiled and nodded.
“I hope that doesn’t put Soarin in an uncomfortable position.” Twilight said thinking out loud.
“I’ll make sure he’s comfortable when he gets it.” Dash said with a grin. “I’ll make sure he’s in an awesome mood when he gets my awesome application.”
“Uh, Dash that’s not the sort of comfort I was talking-” But Dash was already gone. Twilight sighed a made another note in her notebook: try not to mix romance with business.
~~~~~
The next day
“Are you sure this isn’t too tight?” Rarity used her magic to pull the girdle tighter around Fleur. It was already pressed tight against Fleur’s form, making the dress show off her lines. But every time Rarity tried Fleur just demanded something even more sheer. It was rapidly approaching the point of being unhealthy.
Rarity popped a kink out of her neck and focused. Her horn glowed with such intensity Fleur had to squint, the fabric around Fleur stretched even tighter. Rarity was sweating when she slipped two pins into place in order to hold the fabric. Fleur exhaled a tiny breath and it was done. Rarity panted out, “How about now?”
“Perfect,” was all Fleur could manage to breathe out. Rarity quickly took the measurements and removed the pins and fabric. You’re CRAZY if you want to wear a dress that tight, Rarity thought to herself. The finished dress would prevent Fleur from doing any talking, or possibly even breathing for that matter. But that was the price models paid for their art. Once the fabric was removed Fleur breathed in and out deeply for a moment before she stepped off of the little platform and settled into Rarity’s favorite red divan.
Rarity continued her work with the prototype dress using the new measurements. She had to use a very slim ponyquin in order to work, a ponyquin that, were a real pony, would have died from malnourishment. She disliked using it but for this client no other frame would do. Fleur was reading from that old tabloid again when there was a knock on the front door. Rarity set down her work and trotted to the front door passing by Fleur on the way. It irked her that she was using her favorite seat. Fleur quickly stowed the tabloid into her saddlebag. Rarity hadn’t read that particular one yet but could have sworn she saw a tiny rainbow colored mane on the front cover. She was about to ask about it when the knock at the front door repeated itself.
“Hello Dash,” Rarity’s tone was flat as she opened the door. She knew Fleur wanted to discuss something with Rainbow Dash and now was a good time. She still didn’t like the fact that Fleur ignored her whenever Rainbow Dash was nearby. At least Dash seemed to make Fleur happy and a happy client tended to spend more bits. The two friends trotted inside. Rarity returned to her work while Dash sat on a cushion near Fleur. The way Fleur and Dash were seated gave the impression that Fleur was some sort of guru and Dash was her disciple. “Can I get you two anything to drink? Perhaps some carrot juice or cider?”
Dash’s eyes lit up, “I’ll take some cider!”
“Just water for me, thank you.” Fleur said in that liquid tone she used when Dash was near. Rarity trotted off to the kitchen to get drinks. Fleur turned to Dash, “I am afraid I must call in that little favor.”
Dash’s ears perked up, “So soon? This is actually good, I don’t really like having debts pile up. You’re sure you can help me get into the Wonderbolts?”
Fleur wore a tiny smile, her soft eyes gazing at her, “Consider it done, trust me.”
“So what’s this little favor? Oh thanks Rarity.” Rarity had returned with the requested drinks. She smiled and nodded at Rainbow Dash. She always enjoyed playing the host.
“It’s just a little thing really, I would like to know a bit of gossip.” Fleur said as she took her own drink. Rarity returned to her work and pretended to be oblivious but she was still listening.
“I’m not really into the whole gossip thing.” Rainbow Dash and Rarity briefly had a memory of a certain gossip column. Rarity involuntarily shuddered.
“I just want to know where the Wonderbolts will be staying at while they are in Ponyville. It will give me a chance to put my little plan into motion.” At the word ‘plan’ Fleur’s smile stretched just a bit wider and her eyes seemed to shine. She took a sip of water.
“Oh is that all? They’re going to be staying at the Four Hooves Hotel.” Dash smiled when she said it. Rarity’s right ear swiveled around toward Dash and Fleur. How did Rainbow Dash know that? And what are you planning Fleur? Rarity thought to herself as a cold knot formed in her stomach despite having nothing to drink.
Fleur’s smile grew wider still, “Wonderful, now I just need to take care of a few things and everything should work out nicely.” Rarity pinned the last piece of fabric into place. The ponyquin wore a magnificent dress, but the slender frame created a result that looked severe.
~~~~~
It was late. The moon had risen hours ago and now most ponies were going to bed. However there was one place that had no sleepers. At least not by design, a stallion who couldn’t hold his cider was slumped against the wall near the bar but he wouldn’t be there for long. The bartender of the Two Bits Pub wouldn’t allow a non-paying patron to take up valuable real estate and would throw him out on his flank as soon as he had a free moment. The place used to be a barber shop but now served drinks over the din of some very modern music. The barber’s pole outside and the name of the pub were the last remnants of a bygone era.
Now the inside boasted a long oak bar and noisy patrons. It was just now becoming rowdy as the crowd slowly sank into intoxication, and the usual debauchery would soon follow. The barkeep was a large tan stallion with a blonde mane and a cutie mark to match his name. Golden Barley filled mugs of cider as fast as he could, sliding them down the polished oak with practiced ease. The pounding bass made it hard to think and the surface of every liquid in the place vibrated constantly in time with the music. Eligible bachelors were jam packed into the pub but the only single mare Golden Barley considered good looking tonight was the DJ. To her credit, DJ-Pon3 kept the beats going and the crowd happy. Her tinted glasses and occasional toothy smile made the patrons happy, but Golden Barley wondered just how long it would be before a drunken stallion said or did something that would cut the music and start a brawl. He hated the damage and the clean up afterwards. He silently prayed for a good looking single mare to waltz in and take some of the attention away from the DJ to keep the stallions happy and drinking rather than angry and fighting.
And there she was, the answer to his prayers. Golden Barley couldn’t stop staring, cider was overflowing the mug he was filling. Every eye in the room followed his gaze to the front door and the sight that had entered like the sun cresting over the horizon. She was a pure white unicorn with a body that could grace the cover of the magazines Golden Barley kept hidden under his bed when he was a growing colt. Every other stallion in the room seemed to agree with him as they began to whistle cat calls at her.
“Check out that flank!” “What I wouldn’t give to have a sip of that, if you know what I mean.” “Can I buy you a drink?” “Hey babe, do you like my mane?” “Two white unicorns? It’s my lucky night.”
Golden Barley slid the overflowing mug to it’s destination at the other end of the bar and shook his head to clear it. His initial reaction was worry, she was almost too beautiful and the crowd was drinking heavily already. If she acted like most mares, that is, to blow them off, then they would get bitter and angry in short order. Pretty mares like that were used to having lots of attention and they tended to ignore stallions in droves.
But not this one.
Golden Barley could hardly believe his eyes. She winked at a few of the more forward stallions and said a few things which he couldn’t hear over the pounding bass. Her technique was flawless and Golden Barley had seen some real pros work a crowd in his day. As the only sober stallion in the room he could see her working one stallion against the others. Keeping just enough interest in each one to keep them happy and competing for her attention. It was a dangerous game to play with drunks; at any moment one might decide to violently get rid of his competition. But she was so good at keeping attention focused on her the males never seemed to really notice.
It took almost twenty minutes but she finally arrived at the other side of the bar surrounded by no less than four stallions. “I’d like a drink.”
“Two bits,” Golden Barley had to raise his voice to be heard over the music. The response was a reflex but this time was quite foalish. She just raised a polished hoof to her mouth but it didn’t hide her grin. Before he knew it, there were a dozen bits on the bar and calls for drinks.
He poured her a drink and leaned across the bar so she could hear him, “I guess you don’t pay for drinks very often.”
“Drinks cost money?” She replied with a tilt of her head and an innocent pout. His mouth almost fell open when he saw her subtly wink at him. He closed his eyes and shook his head. The crowd cheered and when he opened his eyes he found an empty mug in front of him and a wolfish smile on her face. More bits clattered onto the bar followed by calls for even more drinks.
She strode around the bar and walked right up to Golden Barley. The swinging wooden half-door that separated the employees area from the bar proper was a force field against most patrons. She ignored it while still looking at the crowd. She leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear. The music and her proximity was an effective form of privacy. He couldn’t help but blush while she brushed up against him. But the things she said to him...
It took all of his willpower not look startled. There were many sets of eyeballs on him, the stallions in the crowd looked angry since he was getting so much attention from her. When she finished and strode back around the bar Golden Barley spoke up.
“Hey! the lady has asked for a little bet! Any stallion that can out-drink her gets free cider for the night!” He had to shout to be heard but the message got through at the mention of ‘free cider.’ Stallions lined up at the bar nearly crushing her. Bits skipped across the bar so fast it was all Golden Barley could do to keep up. The speed he was moving at before was a snails pace compared to what he was doing now. And he had to be very careful, because she required a special drink.
She snatched one of the full mugs with her magic. It was destined for one of the stallions next to her but it instead ended up in front of DJ-Pon3. “LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!” The gorgeous one said to a deafening cheer. DJ-Pon3 took the cider and the cue. The bass started to pound even louder.
Two hours later...
Groan
The pub was nearly empty. Normally this would be the time Golden Barley would say, “You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.” But there was almost nopony to say this to. He had just kicked the last stallion out on his flank. He was so intoxicated Golden Barley was briefly worried he would die from alcohol poisoning. How many did that one have? Forty six?
The drop dead gorgeous mare just kept knocking them back like a pro. It took a while but after two hours even the most hardened stallions gave up or simply passed out. Now the bar was empty save for the mare, DJ-Pon3, and Golden Barley.
“Thank you barkeep. I trust you got what you wanted?” Golden Barley nodded, the strong box with the bits was literally stuffed. It was by far the most lucrative night Golden Barley ever had. “Good, now I would like you to leave. I want some privacy for this conversation. I promise I will not break or steal anything. Well, no more than your patron’s hearts.” She laughed, a musical thing that sent a shiver up his spine.
Your promises aren’t worth an iron bit you con mare. Golden Barley felt unclean. He had just helped this mare swindle his patrons. Sure, they all had a choice, and sure they could have stopped at any time. But the opportunity to get free drinks and be the last stallion standing with a drop dead gorgeous and drunk mare was a sirens call not many stallions could ignore. The smart ones just quit while they were ahead and went home. Not like Mr. Forty six, poor guy. He didn’t stand a chance. Outdrinking another pony, even a light weight mare, is exceedingly difficult when your opponent is drinking water.
“Damn girlfriend. I’ve never sheen anypony drink like you ...hic.” DJ-Pon3 spoke up as Golden Barley locked the strong box and put away several of the more valuable bottles of alcohol. “Don’t worry Mr. Barley I’ll clean up fer an extra five bits.” He nodded and started towards the door. The mare just smiled at him and the DJ while he walked out of his own bar but left the lights on.
DJ-Pon3 began to pack her gear. The amps were heavy and the turntable was delicate. The fact that the floor kept shifting didn’t help. It often took her over an hour to set up and break things down. She silently thanked Celestia for the company... for many reasons.
“My name is Fleur. Would you like another drink?” She was standing right behind DJ-Pon3 with two mugs of cider floating near her head.
“What’re ya shome kinda alcoholic? ...hic How’re you shtill shtandin’?” DJ-Pon3 watched her and licked her lips. She was thirsty and the mare in front of her looked like some kind of cider goddess.
“Oh that? Just a little ploy to get us some alone time. I hear you might want some alone time with me, oui?” DJ-Pon3 swallowed. She had been so careful to prevent any rumors from following her from Canterlot. But Fleur seemed to know too much. DJ-Pon3’s mind churned with the possibilities and a haze of alcohol. How was she to get out of this unscathed?
Something in her face must have betrayed her thoughts because Fleur just started to laugh that tinkling, musical laugh of hers. “Don’t worry Miss Scratch, I won’t tell anypony your little secret.”
DJ-Pon3 breathed a sigh of relief and swiped a mug of cider out of the air with her own magic. She downed in in one gulp. “Ya had me a little shcared there fer a minute. The rumorsh aren't true ya know.”
“What rumors would you be referring to?” Fleur’s smile showed joy but it was still sinister.
“The rumorsh that I’m ...hic a...a...filly fooler.” DJ-Pon3 continued before Fleur could say anything. “I’ve never done nothing-I was just curious thish one time. It was nothing an’ I was wrong. I’m NOT a filly fooler. ...hic Sho I’m shorry if you thought...that...I...I...oh...” DJ-Pon3 shuddered as Fleur brushed up against her. Blood rushed to her cheeks and ears. She could smell something sweet, like honey.
“Are you sure it was just idle curiosity? If it was it would be such a shame. I owe a pony a favor and I think she would just love to meet you.” Fleur breathed into DJ-Pon3’s ear. DJ-Pon3 took the second drink Fleur offered her without thinking. Fleur used her magic to levitate two more drinks from behind the bar.
DJ-Pon3 swallowed the lump in her throat while one hoof drew little circles into the floor. Fleur nuzzled her withers making her let out a little gasp. “I don’t want ta damage my career. It’s hard enough gettin’ a gig at a place like thish without ...hic letting everypony know you might want to try playing fer the other team.”
Fleur nuzzled up her neck and whispered in her ear. It made a shiver follow the touch and even more blood rush to the DJ’s head. “Don’t worry I have it on good authority that this mare thinks just like you do. All you have to do is meet her and give her a little kiss. Everything should fall into place after that.”
“What if she don’t like it? Or what if she don’t feel the ...hic way I do? What if-”
“Shhhh,” Fleur breathed into her ear. “Don’t worry, if things don’t work out I might be able to step in and help you in some other way. You’d like that wouldn’t you?” DJ-Pon3 let out a ragged breath, she couldn’t keep it even. She had been luckless when it came to love. Something in her mind tried to warn her that she was being used, but she so badly wanted to believe love was just a short trot away. Not to mention she didn’t want to anger another pony that knew how she really felt. She was quivering putty in Fleur’s hooves.
“Ok.”
“Good!” Fleur abruptly trotted away from DJ-Pon3, almost causing her to fall. She had been leaning into the other mare without realizing it. She removed her glasses for a moment and blinked a bleary set of eyes. When did I drink nine ciders? Somewhere along the line she had polished off all four of the the ciders Fleur had retrieved along with five more over the course of the evening. And now Fleur was getting another pair of drinks. “Let’s drink to love. It brings us everything we’ve always wanted.” DJ-Pon3 held a weak smile and downed her tenth cider of the night.
“NEXT STOP, PONYVILLE.” The conductor’s voice boomed down the train car. Soarin’s heart skipped a beat. The train wheels screeched and the train slowly halted. Today is the day, he thought as the Wonderbolts stepped off of the train.
There was a blinding wall of flashes from the photo bulbs. Soarin blinked and idly wondered when he would no longer be surprised by these ambushes. A veritable wall of photographers blocked the train platform. Spitfire sighed as she pushed her aviator glasses on to block the light. She grinned and turned her head to the other Wonderbolts, “Attention Bolts, its time for a race. Last one to the hotel buys the first round of drinks.”
The Wonderbolts took wing with a rush of air. They didn’t have their flight suits or goggles on but this wasn’t a sanctioned race. Soarin was in high spirits and was the first one to reach the hotel. The others weren’t far behind. The whole race was worth it just to see the look on the photographer’s faces as they darted past. One of these days, a quick pegasus is going to get his hooves on a camera and we’re going to be in trouble. Then again, if they can keep up Spitfire might just recruit them on the spot. Soarin sighed as the rest of the team landed next to him. Several of the locals stopped to stare at them. They could get some privacy as soon as they got inside. The entire team followed Spitfire into the posh lobby...
Rainbow Dash was reading the letter telling her which hotel they would be at for the fourth time. She was seated in an overstuffed chair mostly hidden by faux plants. She could peer through the fake foliage and see the front doors. The lobby seemed to eat sound. There was way too much carpet and all of it was very thick. Hooves hardly made a sound when they sank into the plush fabric. A cello was being played in the corner of the lobby by a grey mare with a dark mane. It set a relaxing tone for everypony present.
A white unicorn mare with a shock of neon blue hair sat down next to Dash and leaned in close. “Uh, hi.” She breathed out with an uncomfortable smile.
Dash leaned away just a bit from this stranger. She was acting bit too familiar for Dash’s taste and she could detect cider on her breath. That might explain the violet tinted glasses and the invasion of personal space. But why was this mare sniffing the air like she was trying to catch a scent? Maybe I put on too much perfume? Dash thought. Dash wasn’t one to preen herself too much but she had brushed her hair and wore some of Rarity’s perfume just for this occasion.
“You smell really nice. And I really like your mane.”
“Uh, thanks.” Rainbow Dash normally liked compliments but for things she did, rather than the way she looked. That was Rarity’s arena.
With a tinkle of a bell the front doors to the hotel opened and the Wonderbolts entered. Dash stood up and so did the white mare next to her. Dash smiled and that’s when it happened.
The mare just leaned over and kissed her. Gently, but right on the mouth. She was so shocked her entire body went slack. There was a soft pop almost inaudible in the lobby. The Wonderbolts trotted up to the front desk to check in and Fleetfoot spied the two mares. She nudged Soarin and pointed with a hoof. Soarin’s expression went from happy at the sight of Rainbow Dash, to confused at the sight of the other mare. It settled on seething anger. Dash was still in shock when he stomped off.
The mare backed off a step and smiled. Dash blinked several times, “What the hay!”
The unicorn looked at Dash with a quizzical expression over her tinted glasses. “Uh, that was good for you...right?”
Dash’s brow furrowed and her nose scrunched up, “Who the hay are you?!”
DJ-Pon3 had a sinking feeling she had made a mistake. But she couldn’t have made a mistake, how many ponies had a rainbow colored mane and tail? She shook her head, trying to clear the liquid courage out of it. She had a few ciders in her to build her confidence up before this moment. The moment that was going horribly wrong. “Uh, you mean you aren’t-”
She yelped as she was dragged away. Before she could get more than a few words out she was hauled out of the lobby by the porter and tossed into the street. The security at the hotel had an extra set of muscles today because of the Wonderbolts. The concierge was a haughty looking stallion with a waxed moustache and a black tuxedo with tails. He rapped his hoof against the marble countertop and nodded towards Rainbow Dash, “We don’t like ruffians, pickpockets, or filly foolers in the hotel. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.” By the look of the porter that was marching towards Dash, it wasn’t a request so much as a command.
“Hold on there.” Spitfire held up a hoof. “It isn’t fair when ponies aren’t given a chance to explain themselves.” She looked at Dash and tilted her head forward to look at Dash over her aviator glasses. “And I can’t wait to hear this one.”
Moments later...
Rainbow Dash’s heart was pounding and she was trotting in place. The porters were still carrying the Wonderbolt’s luggage from the train station to their rooms. Spitfire had to order the rest of the team into their rooms so as to give Soarin some privacy. Fleetfoot was still hanging around when Spitfire knocked on Soarin’s hotel room door. It wasn’t latched and swung open without a sound. Rainbow Dash almost galloped inside with Spitfire right behind her.
Soarin was sitting on an easy chair staring out the window with an empty glass in one hoof. An open bottle sat on the nightstand. Spitfire facehoofed, she hating the paperwork required to approve extra hotel room charges and here Soarin was racking up a charge even before she had set a hoof into her own room. Dash was next to him with a pleading expression.
“What the hay was that all about! Who was that mare? How long were you going to wait before you told me you were a filly fooler?” Soarin stood with a stomp which still didn’t make much sound on the carpet. His brow was set in a flat line and his eyes bored into her.
“I don’t know! I’ve never seen that mare before in my life. And I’m NOT a filly fooler, honest!”
Fleetfoot had quietly snuck in behind Spitfire and sat down on a chair around the little kitchenette table. She pulled a fresh bag of popcorn out and sat back to watch the show. With a deft flick she tossed back a fluffy white piece and caught it in her mouth with a tiny crunch. She enjoyed the taste and tried again. She was surprised to find another hoof in her bag of popcorn and looked down to find it attached to a pink pony seated next to her. The pink one took a hoof full of popcorn and crunched into it.
“Who the hay are you?” Fleetfoot whispered after the initial shock wore off.
“Pinkie Pie,” the pink one whispered back without looking away from the drama.
“What are you doing here?”
“Watching the show, duh.” She took another hoof full of popcorn.
Fleetfoot blinked several times and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. “Where did you come from?”
“The refrigerator silly, where else?”
“The...the WHAT?” Fleetfoot made the fatal mistake of speaking too loudly. Spitfire whirled around.
“OUT Fleetfoot, and, uh, whoever you are.”
“Awwww” the two said in stereo. Fleetfoot sighed and trotted out. Pinkie Pie sadly opened the refrigerator door and disappeared from sight.
Soarin continued as if nothing had happened, “Well you could have fooled me.”
“I didn’t wait in the hotel to fight. I came here to see you and to give you this.” Rainbow Dash hoofed over her application. Soarin looked at it but the anger was still in his eyes. Spitfire walked over and opened her mouth to speak when she saw the form. She snatched it away from Soarin.
“HEY!” Soarin was too angry to prevent himself from shouting at the colonel.
Spitfire scanned the page just to be sure it was what she thought it was. She carefully folded the application and placed it into her breast pocket. She then slowly took off her aviator glasses, folded them and placed them in the opposite breast pocket. She looked at Rainbow Dash. “Thank you for your application to the Wonderbolts. I will take it into consideration along with the other applications. Consider yourself lucky since we don’t normally receive any more applications at this time,” she said crisply.
“Who the hay cares about the applications!” Soarin nearly shouted at Spitfire. Spitfire looked at Soarin, cool as a cucumber.
“You should care, Soarin. Isn’t it nice that your little mare friend wants to join the Wonderbolts?”
Soarin’s anger flickered out to be replaced by confusion. “Uh, yeah, it is. I don’t see-”
Spitfire cut him off, “And don’t we have rules about this very situation?”
Soarin’s dawning realization hit him like a ton of bricks. No fraternization between Wonderbolts, he could hear Spitfire’s voice in his head repeating the rules to him. “Oh hay.”
“Oh hay is right, Soarin. This is fine little mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. But I can see a couple of solutions.” Spitfire’s gaze held him, her eyes like a pair of ice chips. Soarin felt like all of heat was being pulled out of him.
“Boss, we can fix this. We could-”
“Oh I know exactly what I can do about it. But I would rather you took care of it.” Spitfire trotted towards the door. In case it wasn’t clear enough, Spitfire left Soarin with a parting shot, “If you don’t take care of it Soarin, I WILL.” She was out the door leaving Rainbow Dash and Soarin alone in the hotel room. The two looked at each other in the oppressive silence. Soarin felt as if the walls were closing in on him.
Dash just looked between the door and Soarin, “What was that all about.”
Soarin’s eyes snapped back to Dash, “Don’t try to change the subject.”
~~~~~
It had been almost an hour. Fleetfoot and Spitfire were in her hotel suite with stacks of applications sitting between them. They had exchanged only a few words of greeting. Spitfire didn’t want to talk and Fleetfoot didn’t want to set her off. After years of time with her commanding officer Fleetfoot knew when Spitfire was irritated. Subtle twitches of the brow and ear told Fleetfoot that Spitfire was about to live up to her name at the slightest provocation. It wasn’t difficult to be quiet. Not with the racket next door. They shouted and fought, creating a wild racket. Spitfire and Fleetfoot could hear parts of the shouting match through the thick walls. They both wished they were deaf right now.
CRASH tinkle-tinkle
“Stop lying!” “I’m not lying!” “Then what the hay was that in the lobby?” “I don’t know!” “Just some random filly fooling?” “I said I don’t know!” “Liar!”
Kishhh
“Don’t call me that!” “You were just waiting to betray me weren’t you!” “How dare you!” “Oh looks like I struck a nerve!” “Do you know who I am!” “Yeah, a filly fooler!” “That does it! We’re through!”
SLAM STOMP STOMP STOMP stomp stomp stomp
Spitfire dropped her quill and brought both hooves up to her face. She rubbed her temples. For a brief moment she appeared to be very old. As if the weight of responsibility wore away at her vitality like water dripping on a stone. Fleetfoot finally spoke, “I guess they’re done. Do you want me to go in there and get him in here to finish these applications?”
“I’ll take care of it.” Spitfire’s hooves fell to her sides. She still looked older than she was but as she drew in a breath she regained the dignity that made her the commanding officer. “But first we need to take a look at this application. Soarin isn’t allowed to judge this one. And if she makes it, he isn’t allowed to judge her final exam either.”
“That might be a little hard to pull off, won’t the others notice?”
“Oh I’ll let him sit in and submit a score. I’m just going to throw it out.”
Fleetfoot snickered, “Lets take a look at the amazing Rainbow Dash.” She picked up the creased application and used an extra critical eye to appraise it. She read it twice and sighed. Damn. She put a checkmark in one corner and handed it to Spitfire.
“Please tell me she’s a one time local derby winner with a wing power of nine point zero.”
“Sorry boss,” Fleetfoot said sadly. “Seven years as a weather pony. Three of them as the local captain. Top marks at flight school. Wing power at sixteen point five.” Even Spitfire raised an eyebrow at that. “And I don’t think I have to tell you the rest. Winner of the best young flyer competition last year and the only pony to perform a sonic rainboom in over three decades. It’s like the perfect application.”
Spitfire’s ears fell, “That’s what I was afraid of. This would have been so much easier if she wasn’t qualified, or even marginally qualified. But these other recruits...” Spitfire sighed and spoke at the paper, “Time for me to face the music. See you at the academy, Rainbow Dash.” She put the second check mark on the application and tossed it into a short pile of papers. Spitfire stood and walked towards the door. “Keep working, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Spitfire took off her aviator glasses even before she entered Soarin’s room. The door had a pair of hoof prints on the outside. Somepony had bucked the door closed with considerable force. The door creaked open slowly. She walked in and had to fight a nauseating wave of deja vu.
The hotel room was a disaster zone. At least three vases filled with flowers and water had been thrown around against the walls or table, spilling their watery contents. The two chairs and the bedsheets had been treated much the same way but luckily they were undamaged. The bottle of cider was now in tiny pieces and scattered across the floor. Since there wasn’t any cider soaking the carpet Spitfire assumed that Soarin or Dash had consumed the contents. Considering the state of the room that was going to be the cheapest clean up charge by far. Soarin himself was lying on the bed with his face buried in the pillow. He was breathing heavily but otherwise didn’t move.
“When I said take care of it, I didn’t mean you had to do it so...” Spitfire searched for the right word. “Loudly,” it was a lame way to say it but it got the message across.
“You heard?” His voice was muffled by the pillow but it sounded flat.
Spitfire felt it was undignified to be addressing the back of her subordinate’s head but let it go for the moment. “Most of it, hard to ignore you two when you’re being so loud. I still need you to finish the applications for this year. Fleetfoot and I took care of Rainbow Dash’s application. She’s in.”
Soarin’s sigh was audible even through the pillow. “Somehow I knew that was going to happen. Well, there’s no mess anymore. I fixed it for you ma’am.”
Yeah you fixed one mess and made another, Spitfire thought to herself. “Fleetfoot and I will finish the applications and I’ll let you do your part tomorrow. They have to be filed before the end of next week.”
Soarin’s response took Spitfire by surprise, “I’ll be in there in a few minutes. I just need a moment to myself. Please ma’am.”
The deja vu lifted like morning fog in a fresh wind, “Okay Soarin, take your time.” She slowly exited the room and closed the door with a soft click.
Soarin rolled off the bed and took in the state of the room. He rubbed his eyes and trotted over to the mini bar again. He took out another bottle of cider and poured himself a drink. His hoof shook and he spilled a bit on the dark marble counter. He took in a deep breath and finished pouring his drink. He sipped it slowly. “It’s gonna be alright Soarin,” he quietly told himself. He took a few minutes to finish his drink and allow his quaking limbs to settle.
~~~~~
“Can we talk about the elephant in the room?” Rarity looked at her friends while she knit her brow.
“She’s not an elephant, she’s a pegasus. And she’s not in the room silly.” Pinkie Pie was talking, bouncing, and drinking chocolate milk all at the same time. And apparently doing all three perfectly.
It was dark in the Golden Oaks Library. Spike had already gone to bed. Twilight enjoyed her little sleepovers, especially when all of her friends could be there. She almost had to hit Pinkie Pie with a spell to wipe her memory to prevent her from throwing a party. Dash’ acceptance letter from the Wonderbolts was due to arrive tomorrow. Or her rejection letter, but they all acted as if she was already in, even as nervous as they were.
“I’m sure she’s going to be accepted. She just has to be.” Fluttershy spoke up for the first time in over an hour.
“That’s not what I’m talking about darling.” Rarity was sitting comfortably on her red divan. Spike had dragged it into the library from her boutique after Rarity mentioned in passing how much she liked this piece of furniture. No amount of persuasion could prevent him from delivering the heavy piece once he started the task. Rarity didn’t really try too hard. The task exhausted Spike, so he went to bed early and was out of the way.
knock-knock
Twilight opened the door, “There you are Rainbow Dash. We were worried you wouldn’t make it.”
“Sorry, I’ve just been a little under the weather.” Dash looked healthy but worn. Like a blanket that had been washed too many times, she looked frayed around the edges. She trotted inside and forced a smile when she saw her friends. The fireplace was lit, casting long shadows behind the ponies and any pieces of furniture. The shadows danced across the bookshelves, black and oversized doppelgangers that mimicked their owners. “Where’s Applejack?”
“Right here sugercube.” Applejack appeared at the door to the kitchen rolling a keg, the golden liquid inside sloshing with each bump. Applejack set it on a short stand just to the left of the fireplace, half hidden in shadow. Pinkie Pie was right behind her with a dozen mugs, her tongue hanging out and watering. “Let’s see if’n this is still good.” Applejack said as she took a mug from Pinkie Pie and filled it from the keg’s tap. She took a sip of the frothy beverage and smiled. She turned to her friends and announced, “Sweet Apple Acre’s special reserve, ya don’t git no more’n this here pony keg. So enjoy it.”
“Sweet!” Rainbow Dash took a mug and filled it before anypony could stop her. She didn’t want to miss out on cider again. She sat in one of the library’s few semi-comfortable chairs. Most of the library’s chairs were simple, hard wood, but this one had some upholstery. She watched as Twilight and Rarity filled their mugs as well. She turned to find Pinkie Pie with a foamy beard and three empty mugs of cider. How did...?
“Um, I would like some cider, if that’s ok with you.”
“Course it is sugercube, here ya go.” There were five chairs set in a semicircle around the fireplace. Fluttershy hovered above Rainbow Dash near the wall cloaked in shadows. She sipped her drink quietly and tried not to draw attention to herself.
Rainbow Dash set her mug down and zoomed across the library to retrieve another chair. It wasn’t the comfortable kind, but Dash wasn’t going to allow her oldest and best friend to spend the night standing or flying while the rest of them sat in relative comfort. She set the chair right next to her own. “Sit down Fluttershy. You deserve to take a load off too.”
“Oh, um, thank you.” She sat in the chair and folded her wings. She wouldn’t look directly at Rainbow Dash. In fact, none of her friends seemed to be looking at her directly. Silence settled into the library like an unwelcome guest.
“Hey why the long faces? The Wonderbolts academy isn’t going to be forever. I’ll still see you.” Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to leave on a sour note if she could help it.
“Well that’s only if you get admitted. They are a very prestigious institution aren’t they?” Twilight sipped her cider and was the first to really look Dash in the eye.
“You don’t think I’ll get in? Even after we wrote the perfect application?”
“Of course you’ll get in darling. No pony doubts that. Do they?” Rarity scanned the room and every pony nodded their heads. They all smiled and looked at Dash. She could feel their eyes on her and for some reason it made her shift in her seat. She polished off her cider.
“Hit me again AJ!” Dash held out her empty mug with a grin. Applejack glanced around the room and refilled Dash’s drink.
“That’s the last one sugercube. I’ma cutting ya off.” She tipped her cowpony hat as a way of apology.
“What? I’ve only had two so far.” Dash had a silly grin on her face as she said, “What do you think is going to happen? We’re all going to get drunk and play spin the bottle like a bunch of fillies?”
Twilight blushed and looked away. Fluttershy and Rarity grimaced. Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves over her mouth barely containing her laughter. Applejack took her hat off and held it to her chest. More than anything that action made Dash pay attention. Applejack only did that when she was going to say something serious. “Well sugercube, ah...uh...we’re your friends.”
“Yes, yes we are.” Twilight repeated, “No matter what.”
“Right, no matter what,” Applejack nodded. “You understand that? No matter what.”
“Yeah-I get it.” Rainbow Dash was starting to get annoyed. She settled for taking another gulp of cider. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to insult me?”
“No no, we ain’t gonna insult ya Dash. We jus...need to lay down some boundaries. That’s all.”
“Why?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head. She didn’t really like rules but these were her friends. She was willing to follow rules for them.
“Oh for the love of Celestia.” Rarity spoke up exasperated, “Darling, it’s because of this.” She held up the most recent tabloid. Dash and a white unicorn were on the front cover. Rainbow Dash looked at the front cover and the realization slowly dawned on her.
Twilight picked up where Rarity left off, “Rarity showed us the latest article in the Equestrian Sun. I don’t normally put much stock in them because their articles aren’t...shall we say...scientific. But it’s hard to argue with a photograph.”
Applejack spoke next, “That’s what ah meant by boundaries. We’re your friends and we like you. Just not...like you, like you.” She replaced the cowpony hat on her head and smiled warmly.
Pinkie Pie finished the blows to Dash’s ego, “We just wanted you to know that we’re all going to support you. In fact I support you so much I’m going to throw you a party. Unless you don’t want me to throw you a party. That’s how good of a friend you are to me Dash. I won’t throw you a party if you ask me not to. But can I? Please-please-please?” She was in front of Dash begging, complete with big blue eyes and a quivering lip.
“STOP!” Rainbow Dash had caught up to the flow the of conversation. Her expression was dumbfounded while her friends spoke but now her brow furrowed. “I am NOT a filly fooler! I don’t know who that mare is. She kissed me, not the other way around. Honest! Back me up on this Fluttershy.” Dash used her wing to push Fluttershy forward.
Fluttershy squeaked with all the eyes upon her. “Um, I think...maybe...it could be true. But-maybe-not-please-don’t-be-mad-at-me!” Dash just looked at her dumbstruck.
“How can you all think I’m a filly fooler?” She said quietly with downcast eyes.
Fluttershy stepped closer and answered first, “Please don’t be mad Rainbow Dash. It’s just...” Her voice caught in her throat. She just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Rainbow Dash was her oldest friend.
“Look, Dash, it’s simple really.” Twilight settled into her lecture mode. Dash looked at her with an explosive mixture of anger, frustration, sadness, and possibly relief at getting a straight answer. “You just follow certain conventions that most ponies associate with filly foolers.”
“Like what?!”
“Well, you tend to act a bit tomcoltish sometimes. And you like to work out a lot.” Twilight could see Rainbow Dash was chomping at the bit to answer so she paused and let Dash vent her anger.
“Right, and every filly fooler acts tomcoltish. So obviously that makes me a filly fooler.” Dash’s words oozed with sarcasm. “You don’t really think I’m a filly fooler just because I do a few wing ups every morning do you? That fact is, I like working out. It makes me feel good afterwards and it’s good for you. Is that a crime? When was the last time you took a jog egghead?” Twilight blushed a bit as Dash poked her in the stomach with a hoof. She didn’t like to admit it but she hadn’t put any time in her schedule for ‘physical education.’ And the paunch she was slowly developing was a testament to her bookish ways. Pinkie Pie sank in her chair while everypony was looking at Twilight and surreptitiously slipped a pillow over her stomach.
Rarity cleared her throat and spoke in a measured tone. She didn’t want to anger Dash but what they were saying wasn’t going to be nice, “That may be true darling but what about the way you dress yourself? I almost never see you in makeup and never with any product in your hair. It’s such a shame too, you have such beautiful hair.” Rarity figured the compliment would soften the blow, “I rarely hear you talk about something being pretty, it’s always awesome this or cool that. You don’t hear many mares talk that way.”
Rainbow Dash turned to stare at Rarity with her mouth agape. “What? You think I’m a filly fooler because I don’t primp my mane? What about Applejack? Is she a filly fooler too?” Dash gestured with a hoof at the farm pony. Applejack blushed and shook her head in denial. “And I do have an awesome mane. Rainbow colored? Talk about unique, special, in a word: awesome. I like myself. More mares should think like me, how can you be happy if you don’t like yourself? And I do like pretty things. I just don’t call them pretty out loud.” Dash sighed and quietly said, “For example, I think your mane is pretty Rarity.”
Rarity smiled and flipped her hair at the compliment before she realized the context, “Wait a minute. Dash are you saying-”
“NO, I am NOT saying I want to go on a date with you. Is it so unusual to give my friend a compliment? You just said you think I have beautiful hair, does that make you a filly fooler?” Dash held a small smile when Rarity shook her head. She was winning, she could see doubts starting to form in her friend’s faces.
The element of honesty had to lay down the ‘big one.’ “Ah guess what ya say makes sense Rainbow Dash. But like Rarity said, what about yer hair?” Dash titled her head at Applejack quizzically. “It’s all rainbow colored. Pretty like, but you know what a rainbow stands for.” All five of the mares nodded at this.
Rainbow Dash face hoofed. “That’s the worst reason to think I’m a filly fooler ever. I was born this way for Celestia’s sake. I didn’t choose a rainbow mane, this isn’t rainbow dye you know. Like Rarity said, I don’t often put product in my hair. Does that mean I’m a filly fooler because I have a little rainbow on my cutie mark as well?” Applejack looked at Dash’s cutie mark. “I got this for doing a sonic rainboom. For being a talented flyer. Flyer, not filly fooler.” Dash sighed again, “Ok I guess I can see how you might think I’m a filly fooler, but I’m NOT. I’m telling you I’m not. Doesn’t that count more than anything?”
“Um...I...believe you Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy spoke quietly and looked down at her hooves. In the silence everypony heard her loud and clear for once. Fluttershy cursed her luck. A huge toothy grin appeared on Dash’s face as she used a wing to pull Fluttershy close. The other ponies looked a bit embarrassed, they thought a united front would convince Dash to admit to it and allow them to iron out any problems. This was not the way they had predicted things would go.
“Thanks Fluttershy.” Dash kept Fluttershy close, like a physical shield against the other pony’s accusations. “It’s time to for everypony to get some cider and we can all let this blow over, right AJ?” Applejack couldn't think of a response so she just filled their mugs and passed them around.
They all drank in silence for a few minutes. But it wasn’t long before the cider took effect and they were talking about other things. Friendlier things, just small talk. The kind of small talk where it doesn’t matter what is said, only that friends speak to each other and connect only like true friends can. Except Twilight was curiously quiet and both Twilight and Applejack weren’t drinking too much. Applejack, because she had to keep refilling every other pony’s mug and Twilight, because she was still fuming over Dash’s comment about her nonexistent physical regiment.
As soon as she got the chance Twilight pulled Applejack aside and spoke quietly, “I have a plan...” She continued to whisper and plot with Applejack for several minutes. Applejack’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and sheepishness. Twilight broke away from Applejack and gave her a meaningful look. Applejack nodded once and approached the group.
“Ah’d like ta make a toast. To Rainbow Dash, the next Wonderbolt!” Cheers erupted across the room and Dash found herself surrounded by smiles. And cider. Lots of cider. They kept pushing drinks at her, especially Applejack. It wasn’t long before the keg was almost dry. Dash wobbled on her hooves and let out a hiccup that shook her frame. She giggled at a joke only she could hear and collapsed onto her side, her eyes lolling about unfocused.
“Oh Dash,” Fluttershy was beside her friend with a look of concern. She hadn’t drank half as much cider as the others. She was still in command of herself and knelt down to hold Dash’s head up. “Girls, help me,” she pleaded.
“Ah’ll help ya. Let’s get er’ upstairs and into bed. Ya don’t mind Dash barrowin’ yer bed fer a bit do ya Twi?”
Twilight smiled with a devilish grin, “Not at all Applejack. Why don’t you take her up there and make sure she’s ok. I think she’s had plenty to drink.” With Applejack under one front leg and Fluttershy under the other, they dragged Rainbow Dash towards the stairs. Both hind legs and her tail dragged against the floor uselessly. Dash giggled again for no apparent reason.
When the reached the base of the stairs Dash’s eyes fluttered open but were still unfocused. She wore the silliest grin on her face. Applejack leaned in closer and whispered, “Sorry bout callin’ ya a filly fooler Dash. But ya know we love you no matter what don’t ya? You can tell ol’ AJ anythang. Aint that right Fluttershy?” She smiled while she spoke but kept her gaze intent on Dash for any movement or reaction.
“Oh...um...yes,” Fluttershy nodded. “I would never hurt my best friend,” Fluttershy smiled as she looked at Dash.
“See ya’all can tell us anythang. Who’s yer favorite pony Dash?”
Dash’s hind hooves make little thunks as they bounced over each step. She smiled but her eyes were still unfocused. They had reached the top of the stairs when suddenly Dash straightened up and with more coordination and strength than Applejack expected, hugged Fluttershy in an overly friendly way. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise but held herself and Dash upright. Dash slurred out, “Thish ish my favrit pony.” She ran a hoof over Fluttershy’s withers and along one wing. Applejack just stared with wide eyes and her mouth in a slightly open smile.
Fluttershy was far less amused. She bit her lips together and stood rigid as if bugs were crawling all over her. Dash giggled again, “I love thish pony right here.” Then Dash nuzzled up Fluttershy’s neck and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. Fluttershy had already lost the ability to move, now she had lost the ability to speak as well.
“AH HA!” Twilight was standing right behind them. Fluttershy’s only change was the blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. “I knew it. You saw it right Applejack?”
“Ah sure did Twi.” Rainbow Dash slumped and fell to the floor with a heavy crash. Her eyes closed and she began to snore softly.
“Tell the girls we still have to go through with the plan. Rainbow Dash is in love with-”
“Soarin,” Dash breathed out. She was still caught in the twilight state between awake and asleep. Her hooves paddled through the air as if she were scooping water. Twilight and Applejack’s ears fell as they looked at each other with guilt written on their faces. Fluttershy regained control of herself and swallowed a lump in her throat. She sniffed once and wiped her cheek.
“Let’s get Dash into bed. Tomorrow is her big day.” Fluttershy said as she picked up Dash one more time and with Applejack’s help got her into bed.
Rainbow Dash trotted into the main academy hall after their first day, her hooves making little sound on the cloudy floor. They pushed through the crowd of cadets in the main hall taking in the sights. It was everything she had dreamt of and more. She had performed so well her first day, she was just sure she was going to be made a leader. She would get a golden badge. She would impress Spitfire. She would even make a new friend in the form of Lighting Dust. They had only just met and already the two were talking like old friends. They were on the same wavelength, so to speak.
They trotted through the main hall like they owned the place. Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash wore euphoric grins and trotted like they had springs in their hooves. Nothing could stop her now, her dream was within reach. She rounded a corner.
Her stomach dropped into her hooves.
Soarin and Fleetfoot were walking down the hall. They really did own the place. The crowd of cadets parted around them as if they were predators surrounded by tasty prey. Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash realized just where they stood in the grand scheme of the Academy. Lightning Dust whispered to Dash as they pressed against the wall to allow them to pass, “I want us to be just like those two by the end of next week. Let show these jokers that we’re the only two worthy of the Wonderbolts. The other cadets aren’t worth horsefeathers, isn’t that right Dash? Dash?”
Dash wasn’t listening. She was staring at Soarin with an unfathomable expression. Soarin himself seemed relaxed until he saw Dash. At that point Fleetfoot stopped mid-sentence while Soarin glared at her. As they passed he held his nose in the air and looked away as if she were of no consequence. The other cadets looked on whispering.
“DASH!”
“Huh?” Soarin and Fleetfoot had turned the corner and the sounds of the world returned to Dash’s ears. “Sorry I was thinking about, uh, tomorrow's exercises.” Dash’s plastic smiled stretched wide. Lightning Dust raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t get distracted Dash, we’ve got a good thing going here. Let’s not ruin it.” Lightning Dust had a fleeting second thought about Rainbow Dash but brushed it aside. Thinking twice was not something Lightning Dust did. Even if Dash was easily distracted she was far better than any other cadet. Oh yeah, this is going to work out for me. For both of us, Dust thought with a smile.
~~~~~
Twitch
Fleetfoot walked into the break room the next morning. She had retrieved two cups of coffee, one for herself and one for Spitfire. You could get the cadets to bring you a cup of coffee but odds were they would just screw it up. And Spitfire was always a bit high strung at this time of the year. Being a drill instructor put her in a particular frame of mind that was difficult to shut off until the training season was over. A morning cup of coffee and the Canterlot Times usually put Spitfire in a good mood. At least until she got out onto the training range. But Fleetfoot could have sworn-
Twitch
There it was again. The right eyebrow quivered. This was a bad sign. That sort of twitch only occurred when Spitfire was about to... well... spit fire. Fleetfoot had only seen the display a few times. Her mane would catch fire, her coat would turn white, and her eyes would turn blood red. It was something Canterlot mares were said to be able to do when truly angry. The last time it had occurred was when a cadet had abandoned her wingmare during an exercise. It was a cardinal rule that you didn’t do such a thing. But the eyebrow had to twitch three times before-
Twitch
Oh goddess NO!
FWOOSH
Fleetfoot winced and quickly backed away from Spitfire. Surprisingly, Spitfire didn’t move but continued to stare at the morning paper. Two hooves pressed the paper flat into the break room table with Spitfire towering over it. Flames were rising from her mane and heat radiated out of her. The paper wasn’t going to last long. It began to curl at the edges and greasy black smoke began to rise from the points where Spitfire’s hooves touched it. Orange cinders began to form and spread out along the newspaper. Fleetfoot took a risk to defuse the situation at great sacrifice to herself.
She poured her coffee over the paper to extinguish the flames. It also had the side benefit of obscuring Spitfire’s vision of the paper for a moment.
HISSSSssssss
The fire hissed and sputtered out. Spitfire returned to normal as well. She was still glaring at the morning paper, or at least what was left of it. Fleetfoot set the empty cup down on the table and gingerly approached Spitfire with a forced smile. “What’s the news boss?” It was better to let Spitfire vent her anger rather than bottle it up. She wasn’t on fire anymore and Fleetfoot knew that meant things could only get better. The cadets should be kissing my hooves for what I’m doing for them now, Fleetfoot thought to herself.
“I’ll tell you what the news is. LIES! ALL OF IT! I swear if I find this ‘confidential source’ I’m going to string them up by their hooves to four different Wonderbolts and tell them to fly and not stop till they hit the four corners of Equestria!”
Fleetfoot had to chuckle at the colorful mental image of dismemberment. “It can’t be that bad boss.”
Spitfire glared at her, “Read it yourself.” Spitfire stood still like a smoldering volcano. Fleetfoot carefully placed a hoof on the remains of the paper and slid it across the table. She turned it around and scanned the front page for anything that might pertain to Spitfire or the Wonderbolts. It was difficult as the paper was stained brown with coffee and singed black with fire. She found the offensive article below the fold, thank Celestia for small miracles. It was titled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Just Show Off.” Fleetfoot’s eyes narrowed as she read through the article.
Sources close to the highest levels of government have recently reconsidered the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. This policy prevents open homosexuals from serving in Equestrian armed forces. The change in policy may already be undergoing a trial run at the Wonderbolts academy. Pictured is an academy cadet who may be the military’s poster mare for a new era of inclusion.
A small picture of Rainbow Dash and DJ-Pon3 was printed beside the article. The Wonderbolts were in the background, making the picture all the more damning. Fleetfoot’s left ear twitched as she remembered seeing the same picture last week in the Equestrian Sun. She didn’t want to admit that she read tabloids to her superior officer. Spitfire looked down on that sort of thing, she only respected real newspapers. Although perhaps now she would be canceling her subscription to the Canterlot Times. The article continued:
Spitfire, the commanding officer of the Wonderbolts, was quoted as saying: “It’s time we did away with this outdated policy. The Wonderbolts need to find talent in whatever form it takes.” A proposal to remove the restriction of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is currently slated to be brought before the Diarchs for consideration next month...
The articled continued on for several paragraphs on the back page but Fleetfoot didn’t get to finish it. Spitfire slammed a hoof down right over the picture and shouted, “See? LIES! Slanderous lies! I never said any such thing! Rainbow Dash is friends with Twilight Sparkle isn’t she? And Twilight is friends with the Princesses. I swear if this is her doing...” Spitfire continued to mumble conspiracy theories.
“Hold on there boss. If this isn’t true can’t you just write a letter to the Times and tell them it isn’t so? They’ll print a correction, they do it all the time.”
Spitfire’s face didn’t soften one bit. “Sure they will. On page E32 right next to an advertisement for stallion’s mane restoration potions.” Spitfire sighed and slumped into her chair as if she had been deflated. Oh good, it’s almost over, Fleetfoot thought with relief. “I just don’t understand it. Why would some pony lie like this? Now I’m stuck.” As Spitfire spoke that tired look came over her again.
Fleetfoot titled her head at Spitfire, “How so?”
“If I don’t accept Rainbow Dash into the Wonderbolts I’m going to look like I hate filly foolers. That’s a ball of hay I don’t want to deal with. If I do accept her everything will be fine.”
“So...accept her. Is that so hard?”
“Excuse me?” Spitfire looked up at Fleetfoot dangerously. Fleetfoot backed away not wanting to ignite Spitfire again. “Are you telling me I have to do something in order to look good? What if she’s a washout? What then?”
“Uh...Well, she is good. Isn’t she? New academy record on the Dizzitron and all. That’s a good sign right? As long as she’s a good little cadet everything is fine. Let’s wait till she screws up before we start to worry.”
Spitfire sank back down in her seat. “I guess you’re right. Thanks Fleet.” Fleetfoot smiled and nodded. “I just can’t help but wonder why some pony wants Rainbow Dash accepted into the Wonderbolts so badly. I’ll write to the Times, tell them the whole thing is a lie. In the meantime we need to keep an eye on Rainbow Dash and those around her. I want to know who’s trying to manipulate me.”
~~~~~
crunch
Soarin bit into the carrot and noisily munched away. Spitfire’s ear twitched once at the noise and Soarin took the subtle cue to eat with less gusto. The cafeteria was full, cadets and Wonderbolts were eating dinner after a difficult day of aerial maneuvers. Of course the Wonderbolts were at a table set apart from the others. Can’t be seen eating with the rookies after all. That privilege was reserved for those who had earned it. Spitfire seemed unusually relaxed at this time of day, she wore an abbreviated smile. Most of the cadets were waiting in line to be served what amounted to slop while Spitfire and the Wonderbolts were served beet steak by a small but dedicated wait staff. Rank had its privileges.
“I hear you have a really good team this year boss.” Soarin said after swallowing the last of his carrot. He tossed his white cloth napkin on the table near his empty plate and looked at Spitfire with a smile. He nodded to a mare who took his plate and returned with another brimming with steamed carrots and a slice of apple pie a la mode. He didn’t even need to say anything since he ate the same thing almost every evening.
“I do. I think they deserve a reward. I hope you can stomach a civil conversation with them Soarin.” Soarin gave Spitfire a quizzical look while Fleetfoot suppressed a laugh when she saw what was about to happen. “There they are now, LIGHTNING DUST,” she called out over the chatter of the dining room. “Over here you two.” Lighting Dust and Rainbow Dash trotted over surprised, but elated to be called to the Wonderbolts table. Several other cadets shot envious glances at them as they trotted past.
Soarin tossed his fork down on his plate after a only a single bite. The clatter echoed in Dash’s head, like the tone of a brass gong. “I think I’m full. It’s time for me to clean up for tomorrow anyway,” Soarin’s glare in Dash’s direction did little to convince the other ponies at the table of his sincerity. He left and stood in the line to dump his plate out. He didn’t even give the waitress a chance to take his plate or silverware, he took those items himself.
Spitfire sighed as Soarin walked away but turned to Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash. “I just wanted to congratulate my best cadet team,” as Spitfire spoke Lightning Dust nodded with a massive grin. She ate up every word. “We’re going to have a serious training session tomorrow. I want you two to be at your best.” Spitfire spoke mostly to Lightning Dust since Rainbow Dash seemed to be looking over her shoulder and across the room.
“Yes ma’am. You can count on us. I promise we’ll blow you away.” Dust’s enthusiasm was over the top but Spitfire liked that about the mare. She always pushed herself to the limit. Dash was... a great flyer but she always seemed to have her head in the clouds. Like something was distracting her. Spitfire glanced at Soarin, or maybe distracted by somepony.
Lighting Dust continued to smile in Spitfire’s direction but under the table stomped on Dash’s hoof. Dash almost yelped but held it in. Dust whispered harshly out of the corner of her mouth, “Equestria to Rainbow Dash, get your flank back to reality.”
Dash nodded vigorously to make up for lost time. “Yes ma’am, don’t worry we’ll make you proud.”
Spitfire nodded but still one eyebrow was raised. “I don’t want to give away too much but tomorrow we’re going to be doing some exercises with the weather. I want the two of you in high spirits. Since you two worked hard and finished today’s exercise ahead of every other cadet I’m giving you an hour off. I suggest you use it to sleep a bit more but try to relax at the very least. You’ve earned it. Just remember it’s lights out at 10pm along with the rest of the cadets.” Lighting Dust nearly squealed and clapped her hooves together.
Dash’s eyes slid over Spitfire’s shoulder again towards the exit. Soarin was at the head of the line and placed his plate on the rack for the wait staff to wash along with the hundreds of other plates. Dash’s eyes traced his form stopping at his flank. He trotted out of the room and Dash bit her lower lip. Lighting Dust spoke up, “Isn’t this great Dash? How about we push it and try doing an extra hour of wing ups?” Spitfire smiled at the suggestion but kept silent.
“How about 30 minutes instead. I’m really sleepy and I want to be ready for tomorrow.” Dash finally turned and spoke directly to Lighting Dust.
“What? Weak. Only if you promise to push yourself to the limit tomorrow.”
“I promise. I’ll get a good night’s sleep and be ready to go tomorrow morning.” Dash smiled warmly and Lightning Dust nodded with approval.
~~~~~
Wow. What a day. I didn’t expect that to happen. Rainbow Dash slowly walked down the hall towards Spitfire’s office. It had been an incredible day. She touched the golden badge pinned to her chest once more. It was surreal but in a good way. Moonlight spilled into the hallway from the windows set at regular intervals. Her friends had gone to bed at the academy but would have to leave tomorrow morning. After the harrowing day they’d endured it was no surprise when they received special treatment. Dash still had to finish the training course. She was exhausted but so very happy. Things were going her way. Everything was going her way.
The door creaked open and she peered inside. “Don’t just stand there, get in here and take a seat.” Spitfire was seated at her desk and gestured to an empty chair across the from the oak slab. Dash trotted inside and sat down with a satisfied smirk. Spitfire leaned back and gently steepled her hooves against each other. She regarded her new head cadet with a cool gaze from behind her aviator glasses. “Quite a day we’ve had.”
“Yes ma’am,” Dash wasn’t sure where this conversation was going but she could see no reason to be nervous.
“I’d like you to prepare a training plan.”
Dash smiled and replied, “That’s easy.”
“Is it? You think you can make a training plan that all of the recruits will find challenging but gives them a fair chance to succeed?” Spitfire looked at Dash over her aviator glasses.
Dash gulped, “I can make a training plan that will be tough but fair. You can count on me.” Her smile returned but she wasn’t quite so smug.
“Do you understand I am going to be using your training plan to judge how well you lead? And if the plan isn’t good enough to incorporate into the Wonderbolts training regiment then I don’t see you having much of a future in the Wonderbolts. Quite a bit is riding on you Dash. If you don’t meet my expectations...”
“I...but...today you said I was the lead pony.” Dash was riding a high after the day’s events and Spitfire was raining on her parade.
“And you are. I didn’t say you were a Wonderbolt yet, did I?”
“No ma’am.”
“You think I’m pushing you harder than the other cadets don’t you?”
“...Yes ma’am, I do. But that’s ok! I can handle it. I won’t let you down.” Dash’s smile returned with a vengeance.
Spitfire carefully removed her aviator glasses and slipped them into her shirt pocket. Her motions were languid and her eyes were closed. When she opened them, the intensity of her gaze pinned Rainbow Dash to her seat. “You’re on thin ice Dash. Much thinner than you realize. The problem here is that you truly are a great flyer.” Dash was nearly euphoric at the compliment. “Don’t get smug. One slip up, just one, and you’re gone. Outta here. Do you understand me? I will not clean up your mess. I expect your plan in writing by the end of the day tomorrow.”
The words chilled Dash to her core, she gulped and nodded. Spitfire’s eyes burned into her with that intense, knowing gaze. Sweat began to break out on her coat yet she couldn’t move a muscle. She felt like a bow string stretched so tight even the slightest movement would snap her in two. She didn’t even breathe. Spitfire snorted and turned to her dwindling stack of paperwork, “Dismissed.”
Rainbow Dash was out of the room in the blink of an eye. She had a training plan to write. As she darted out of the office she saw Soarin standing just outside. She didn’t stop to talk to him when he gave her a look.
~~~~~
The clouds spun after she darted around them. It was the trick Fluttershy liked best. She felt it would make a good addition to the training plan but she wanted to run through each exercise before submitting it to Spitfire. The instructor’s words from last night still rang in her head. She touched the golden badge one more time on her flight uniform. I’m the lead pony. Everypony believes in me. I won’t let em’ down. No screw ups.
She was going to get everything just perfect. She couldn’t afford to mess up now, not when everything she wanted was so close. She ran the exercise one more time. She hadn’t even stopped for breakfast this morning. She was running on pure emotion at this point; if she stopped to eat something odds were she would lose it before lunch. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pulled out of a steep dive. She rose higher and higher into the air. She looked about for a place to rest.
She landed on a small golden cloud set high above the land. It gave her a fantastic view of everything around her. The air was thin and bracing at this altitude. She settled into the cloud and tried to even out her breathing. Her hooves tensed and bunched up the cloud between them. She slowed her breathing to normal but her heart still pounded away inside her. She waited.
thud
Something heavy landed on her back. She squirmed around and found herself pinned to the cloud by Soarin. He was breathing heavily, sweat beaded on his flank. She tried to stand but he held her in place and didn’t let her move. Her eyes went wide and her heart raced even faster. “I can’t believe you almost quit after all we’ve been through,” he growled. “Don’t you know what’s at stake? Don’t you remember what we said in that hotel room?”
Soarin’s eyes snapped back to Dash, “Don’t try to change the subject.”
The door closed as Spitfire left to return to her own hotel suite. Soarin trotted over to the refrigerator to ensure the pink mare had indeed left. He opened it and found nothing more than a few bottles of cider with expensive price tags on them. He pulled one out and popped the cork. He tossed the cork and the price tag onto the counter and refilled his glass. “Well?”
Rainbow Dash blinked at him, “I’m telling you I’m not a filly fooler.” She was on the verge of tears. “Please, you have to believe me.”
Soarin furrowed his brow, “You’re telling me a random mare kissed you in the hotel lobby? Doesn’t that strike you as unbelievable? And right when we entered the hotel? How did she even know you were there?”
Dash’s ears were flat against her head. “I don’t know!” she pleaded.
“You didn’t invite her? And you didn’t tell anypony where you were going to be?”
“NO! I-” Dash stopped herself from shouting and thought about the meeting in Carousel Boutique. With her ears still plastered to her head she spoke quietly, “Um...I...might have told a pony where we were going to be.”
Soarin looked even more cross, “WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?” His voice carried throughout the room and pierced the walls.
“BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A WONDERBOLT!”
Soarin snorted and took a moment to drink his cider. When he was finished he shook his head and said softly, “That doesn’t make any sense. Start at the beginning.”
Rainbow Dash started to talk a mile a minute, “I met this client of Rarity’s that’s my friend the fashion pony and she told me I had pretty hair and was a great weather pony and I told her I wanted to be a Wonderbolt and she told me that she could help me get into the Wonderbolts and after that we met at Carousel Boutique and I had to tell her where the Wonderbolts would be staying in order to get Fleur to help me so somehow that mare must have found out from her when she-”
“STOP!” Soarin’s eyes went wide at some point in the middle of the explanation. Dash gasped for air. He spoke quietly, almost a whisper, “Did you say Fleur? As in Fleur De Lis?” She nodded still out of breath. Soarin looked at her and his eyes narrowed, “This is all part of her plan. She’s doing it just to hurt me. And she doesn’t care if she hurts you too.”
“WHAT?” Rainbow Dash looked at Soarin like he had grown a second head.
Soarin sighed, “Listen, a long time ago I dated her. I really thought it was love. But it wasn’t. Eventually she grew tired of me when I couldn’t keep up with her constant need for attention. One time I got kinda drunk and did some things that I’d rather not talk about. They weren’t very nice. She took revenge. She’s still taking revenge on me, every chance she gets. This is how she does it. She poisons the relationships around me. If it weren’t for Spitfire I might actually have gone crazy a long time ago.” He refilled his own drink and filled another glass for Dash with the rest of the bottle. “When we first met you sort of reminded me of her.”
Dash’s expression started to turn sour, she didn’t shout but her voice was loud and incredulous. “What? Are you telling me I’m a manipulative mare?” She eyed him critically.
“WHAT? NO! Not at all. Look, can we just forget about Fleur? She’s just trying to manipulate things so that I’m unhappy. At least this time we talked about it before things got out of hoof.” He wore a weak smile which she returned. “So she knows you want to get into the Wonderbolts?” She nodded and Soarin sighed, “If you told her that she probably will do something to ensure you get accepted.”
Rainbow Dash kept a nervous smile and tilted her head. “Well that’s good isn’t it?” She blinked once and raised one brow. “How can joining the Wonderbolts hurt you? You’re not some JEALOUS CHAUVINIST are you?” She grew a bit angry at the end of her sentence and her voice rose.
Soarin quickly diffused her, “Of course not!” He lowered his voice, “I would love you to fly with me, uh, the Wonderbolts, us. Yes. But there’s a rule that only the Wonderbolts and those close to them know about. It’s why Spitfire encouraged me to continue to date Fleur even after the relationship was going sour. You see, Wonderbolts aren’t allowed to fraternize.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head slowly, “You mean...?”
“As a matter of policy I cannot be romantically involved with a Wonderbolt of significantly higher or lower rank. And before you ask, yes this applies to cadets as well.” Soarin sipped his cider quietly and let his words sink in.
“No...no...NO!” Dash shouted, “I WON’T LET THIS STAND!” She started for the door.
“GET BACK IN HERE!” Soarin darted around her and blocked the door with his body. He lowered his voice, “I know Spitfire much better than you do. Trust me when I tell you she won’t change this policy just because you ask her to.”
“This isn’t fair,” Dash’s ears went flat. “I wrote the perfect application and everything. I’ve dreamed about this since I was a filly.” Her eyes darted about the room searching for an escape but no doorway would offer her an escape from this predicament. “What can we do?”
“Just what Spitfire implied. We can break this off now or Spitfire will reject your application.” Soarin’s sorrowful expression infected her like a plague. She seemed to deflate on the spot. Her flank hit the floor and her limbs grew weak. Her wings drooped and her eyes found the little circles her right forehoof was making in the carpet. Her vision started to blur as tears threatened to fall. “I...I can’t let you make this sort of mistake.” Her head snapped up to watch him as he started towards the door. “I’ll tell Spitfire we broke it off. I’m...sorry Rainbow Dash. I like you too much to let your dream die.” Her mind worked furiously to find a solution.
“STOP RIGHT THERE BUSTER.” He froze in his tracks. A sultry smile spread across her face. “We can have it all. We just have to act like we’re broken up. You ex has given us the perfect opportunity. Just act like you think I’m a filly fooler and we can have it all.”
Soarin frowned, “That won’t work. And if we get caught it would mean the end of both of our dreams. I’d rather not get into a serious relationship and then get burned again. And if Spitfire catches us it’s going to be me in the really hot water because I’m the superior officer. What if-?”
She kissed him. Swiftly. Fiercely. Neither of them made a sound for a full minute. Their eyes closed. When she withdrew their eyes slowly opened and they looked at each other. Each breathed in sync with the other. She traced a hoof gently on his chest. “I’m loyal to my friends and to you. If you don’t believe anything else, believe that. I understand you’re having some trouble trusting me but you have to. If you don’t...this isn’t going to work. I won’t betray you, I promise.” She waited for a response. She stifled a giggle when she noticed how slack his face had become.
She waited. It took another minute before he returned from orbit. His brain worked perfectly fine during the encounter but had become totally disconnected from his mouth. He had a million responses but was simply unable to speak any of them until the entire system rebooted. And through it all he could smell something like cinnamon. He always breathed in through his nose when she was near. “Um...Okay, you aren’t a filly fooler.” She smiled. “And I trust you. You’re sure it’s alright if everypony thinks you’re a filly fooler?”
“As long as you don’t think so, I’ll handle it. How bad can it be?” She wore that sultry smile again.
“You know, Spitfire is right next door. Let’s give her a show. Or at least a broadcast.” Soarin’s heart beat faster with excitement. It wasn’t every day he did something so clandestine. It excited him.
“Sure...” Her devilish smile made him shrink back just a bit. He wasn’t sure what she was planning.
smack
His hoof reflexively came up to his stinging cheek. He blinked several times as she shouted, “HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!” He was too stunned to make any sort of response. After a short pause she looked at him with worry and whispered, “Say something!”
“Uh...I’LL CALL YOU WHATEVER I WANT!” He found that he enjoyed acting. Or at the very least he enjoyed the deception, the excitement of getting caught made the adrenaline pump into his blood. By the look on her face she was feeling the same thing. Soon they both wore silly grins. He slammed her into a wall knocking over a vase filled with flowers. She continued to yell as he kissed her neck, breathing in her scent.
He was about to work his way lower when she pulled his head up with both hooves and shouted into his face, “DO YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?” With one hoof she pushed him into the table, knocking over another vase. The flowers and water inside spilled out over the table and dribbled onto the floor. He was about to respond when she tackled him and slammed him onto the table with a thud.
“I WANT THE TRUTH!” He shouted while they were face to face but the anger in his voice just make their silly grins wider. She nuzzled his neck and he ran a hoof through her mane. They continued to scream at each other until their voices were sore. All the while knocking things over, slamming into walls, and generally horsing around. It was so physical and so much adrenaline was in their veins by the time they ended up bouncing into the bed kissing each other they were both light headed and giddy. He whispered in her ear making her blush. Plotting with her was turning out to be fun. He was surprised he enjoyed it so much.
Soarin just lay on the bed trying to trace her outline. She allowed him to for a moment but it passed too quickly for his liking. She breathed into his ear, “Time for the big finish.” He looked at her wistfully but nodded.
“Stop lying!” “I’m not lying!” “Then what the hay was that in the lobby?” “I don’t know!” “Just some random filly fooling?” “I said I don’t know!” “Liar!”
She smiled and bucked the last vase across the room. It skipped over a fallen chair and hit the refrigerator door.
Kishhh
“Don’t call me that!” “You were just waiting to betray me weren’t you!” “How dare you!” “Oh looks like I struck a nerve!” “Do you know who I am!” “Yeah, a filly fooler!” “That does it! We’re through!”
They kissed one more time before they broke apart and Dash opened the door with far too much force. He watched her go as she bucked it closed. His entire body was shaking. He knew the aftereffects of an adrenaline high but this was on a whole new level. He’d never felt so excited before and so he had never felt so tired afterwards. He artfully arranged some of the furniture before he collapsed into the bed face first. He was breathing heavily. He tried to calm himself while he waited for Spitfire to enter his room. If she didn’t try to talk to him now he would have to go to her. It would look odd, it would be out of character for him in this situation. He waited and thought about what he would say to her.
creak
He felt his heart quicken as he heard the door open.
“When I said take care of it, I didn’t mean you had to do it so...” Spitfire searched for the right word. “Loudly,” it was a lame way to say it but it got the message across.
“You heard?” His voice was muffled by the pillow. He carefully controlled his voice to sound flat.
Soarin’s heart beat so loudly in his chest he wondered how Spitfire couldn’t hear it. She spoke and he almost let out a triumphant cry at her words. “Most of it, hard to ignore you two when you’re being so loud. I still need you to finish the applications for this year. Fleetfoot and I took care of Rainbow Dash’s application. She’s in.”
Soarin’s sigh of relief was audible even through the pillow. “Somehow I knew that was going to happen. Well, there’s no mess anymore. I fixed it for you ma’am.” I can’t believe this is going to work! He thought without moving his head. He was sure if she saw the smile on his face it would be a dead giveaway.
“Fleetfoot and I will finish the applications and I’ll let you do your part tomorrow. They have to be filed before the end of next week.”
Soarin was careful to keep his voice even. “I’ll be in there in a few minutes. I just need a moment to myself. Please ma’am.”
He could almost hear the surprised look on her face, “Okay Soarin, take your time.” She slowly exited the room and closed the door with a soft click. He knew it was risky to interact with Spitfire right now, but it was a calculated risk, and he knew it needed to be made. If he brooded like last time she would be the one to try and pick up the pieces. That was an overwrought act he wouldn’t be able to keep up. Best to at least appear more mature this time around.
Soarin rolled off the bed and took in the state of the room. He rubbed his eyes and trotted over to the mini bar again. He took out another bottle of cider and poured himself a drink. His hoof shook and he spilled a bit on the dark marble counter. He took in a deep breath and finished pouring his drink. He sipped it slowly. “It’s gonna be alright Soarin,” he said quietly to himself. He took a few minutes to finish his drink and allow his quaking limbs to settle.
~~~~~
She squirmed a bit more and got a hoof loose. They both smiled when they looked at each other. “Of course I remember what we agreed in the hotel room.” She wrapped a hoof around his neck and pulled him closer. “Don’t you remember what happened once I got to the academy?”
His cheeks reddened, “How could I forget.”
~~~~~
At the academy two days ago...
“I think I’m full. It’s time for me to clean up for tomorrow anyway,” Soarin tried his best to glare at Rainbow Dash for the benefit of the other ponies. It was tough glaring at her while she wore that pained expression. He wanted nothing more than to tackle her to the ground and breathe her in. He left and stood in the line to dump his plate out. He didn’t even give the waitress a chance to take his plate or silverware, he took those items himself.
Soarin sighed as he walked away. He put emphasis on the just the right words. He reached the doorway to the galley before he looked over his shoulder at Dash. He wanted to confirm she understood. I think she’s got it he thought to himself. He stood in line with the other cadets to deliver his dirty dishes to the the kitchen staff. He could have cut to the head of the line but instead he tried his best to give Dash a view of his flank. He suppressed every inclination he had to smile.
Dash was looking at him too much, Spitfire looked in his direction. He made a quick exit.
“Cadet! What time is it?” Soarin called on the first cadet he stumbled across, a charcoal colored stallion with a light blue mane with white streaks. Soarin never bothered to learn their names if he didn’t have to. It was too easy to get attached to them before being rejected by Spitfire.
“Its 1845 captain!” He said crisply. Soarin nodded and continued down the hallway lost in thought.
He planned the rest of his evening carefully. He could spend the next hour preparing the weather machines for tomorrow's exercises. Then take 15 minutes at the guard shack to set the schedule for the night. He could spend another hour working out in the weight room and then put in 45 minutes with the other Wonderbolts in the recreation room. It was important that he was seen going to bed.
The evening went just as he planned it. It was 15 minutes till the hour when Soarin produced a wide yawn on cue. He had been careful to mention just how tired he was after his workout. Fleetfoot teased him endlessly about being an old swaybacked stallion. Normally he would have playfully returned the banter but his mounting excitement and the act he was putting on kept him from doing more than just chuckling at the comments.
He moved down the darkened hallway without so much as a whisper of sound. He chose this location precisely because it was almost never used and because it was several floors up with a cloud floor. It’s easy to be quiet with the floor so soft. He opened the door to the dusty old broom closet and ducked inside.
“You’re late.”
Soarin produced a lantern with a half dozen fireflies inside. They cast a ghostly light on the dusty shelves filled with cleaning supplies. The closet was so cramped it could barely hold two ponies. The light made the mare’s face almost white. It washed out her face and mane, giving her an eerie look. She slammed him into the only wall without any shelves on it. It was all he could do to not drop the lantern. He fumbled around with the lantern while she was all over him.
He finally found a purchase for the lantern and wrapped both hooves around her. He breathed in that spicy scent and the smell alone nearly caused euphoria. He felt light headed as he ran his hooves through her mane and down towards her flanks. “You’re lucky I’m the one in charge of the guard’s schedule. I might have accidently left a 15 minute gap in their patrols for this hallway. Oops.” He nearly burst out laughing. His hooves found her cutie marks.
“Slow down there buster.” She pulled away from him. “You knew we only had 15 minutes and you were one minute late. I don’t know if I even want to do anything with you now.” His lip quivered and his heart clenched in his chest. That spicy smell still permeated the tiny space but he had lost contact with her. It was almost physically painful.
“Please don’t be mad. I did the best I could.” She smiled at him sheepishly. His anxiety lifted instantly.
Still snickering she nuzzled up to him, “I’m just kidding. Don’t you know when mares are playing hard to get? You’re supposed to chase us while giving us compliments.” He was still unnerved so he settled for holding her close. He buried his nose into her mane.
“Chase you huh? I guess I’m out of practice. You smell really nice. Did you know that?”
She looked at him in the face with one eyebrow raised. “I smell good?” She started to giggle. “That’s the worst compliment I’ve ever got. And that weird mare said the same thing right before she kissed me.” Sweat began to bead on Soarin’s brow. She ran a hoof through his mane and traced around his withers. She ended by rubbing little circles into his chest. “I was wearing perfume at the time, just for you. I’m not wearing anything now. Do you really like...that?” She looked at him dead in the face when she asked.
“Y-yes. If I could get that scent bottled I’d never be sad again.” Her giggling stopped and she pursed her lips. Her eyes widened as she held his gaze.
“You’re serious aren’t you?” A grin broke out on her face. She nuzzled him in the chest and neck putting her mane right under his nose. She listened to his heart while he breathed in her scent. Soarin’s heart rate slowed down to a steady rhythm. He ran a hoof through her mane over and over. Neither wanted to end this moment.
She spoke after a minute, “If it weren’t for you I might have quit already. I’m so frustrated. And if I quit it would make this all... easier, simpler.”
“Don’t quit. You made a new academy record. Spitfire speaks highly of you. Uh, act like you don’t know that. She won’t compliment you in public unless you do something really extraordinary.”
“If she thinks I’m so great, why didn’t she make me the lead pony? I know Lightning Dust is a great flyer but she’s so reckless. Just today she had us blow past another team. They spun out and when I asked her about it you know what her response was? ‘You snooze, you lose.’ What kind of team leader does that?”
Soarin paused before he replied, “We know. The other Wonderbolts and I keep telling Spitfire that Lighting Dust is too reckless but she’s got an agenda.” Soarin snorted, “Have you seen the other cadets?”
Dash nodded but kept her mane more or less under his nose. “Yeah, they’re not very good are they?”
“That’s an understatement. It’s a bit ironic. If the other cadets weren’t so bad you’d be the lead pony.”
“What?” Dash turned to look up directly into his face. He used one hoof to gently hold her to his chest again. She relaxed into her previous position.
“Spitfire is hoping that Lightning Dust will push the rest of you to meet her standards. Don’t underestimate her, she’s a sharp one. And she’ll do anything to help the Wonderbolts. I just hope she knows what she’s doing.”
“Anything for the Wonderbolts huh? Even if that means kicking us out for fraternizing?” Her response took Soarin off guard. He didn’t know what to say to that so he just continued to brush her mane with a hoof.
He sighed, “We’re out of time.”
“So soon?”
“I’m sorry, sweet dreams.” He opened the closet door and looked up and down the hallway. “You’d better go first. Take the second hall on the right, it should get you back to the mare’s dormitory without running into any patrols if you hurry.”
“Goodnight.” She trotted down the hallway and just before disappearing from sight she blew him a kiss. He sniffed once and rubbed his nose before he closed the closet door.
~~~~~
gasp
He drew away from her. Their lips had been pressed together so long he was out of breath. She looked at him hungrily.
“Dash you need to listen to me. Yesterday morning before everything with you and Lightning Dust and your friends and...everything. I got called into Spitfire’s office...”
~~~~~
Yesterday morning...
“Sit down.” Spitfire’s tone was hard as diamond. Soarin closed the door behind him sharply and gave her a salute. He sat down straight with good posture. A massive stack of unmarked and unsigned pieces of fan mail sat on one side of Spitfire’s desk. Her standard hoof print stamp sat in front of her. She was little more than a dark silhouette with the window behind her. The curtains were drawn open and the sun was just now rising. Soarin suppressed a yawn with discipline; now was not the time for any sign of disrespect. “I’m going to give you one chance to explain.”
Sweat began to bead on Soarin’s brow but he kept calm. “What would you like me to explain, Colonel Spitfire?” He tried not to stare into her aviator glasses. For one it could anger her further to stare into her eyes. But it was mostly because Soarin found it unnerving to stare into mirrored shades. It was creepy to see yourself distorted on the lens.
“Explain your recent behavior. I want the truth.” The mirrored lenses each held an image of Soarin and neither moved one iota.
Soarin gulped, “I am very sorry I drank all of the cider at the last derby. I was just so thirsty but that’s no excuse. Every Wonderbolt deserves a drink after a derby. I promise it won’t happen again.” He was about to stand and leave the office. He was eager to get out of there.
clack
Her hoof slammed into the desk. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” The aviator glasses came off. Soarin knew he was in much deeper water than taking more than his fair share of cider. When he met her eyes he wished to see himself in the mirrored lenses once again. Anything was better than the pair of eyes that held him now. They had all the warmth of a wendigo’s heart. If Fleetfoot were here she would joke about having Spitfire look at her mug to frost it before filling it with cider. “You’ve been meeting Rainbow Dash behind my back.”
Soarin’s heart seized in his chest. How did she find out? Nevermind, what do I do now? His mind raced with the possibilities. He felt like he was balanced on the edge of a knife blade. There were many directions this conversation could go. He thought about them while he just blinked at her. None of the possibilities ended well. “You are correct ma’am.” He hung his head.
“At least you have the decency to be ashamed of it. And you didn’t lie about it either. So we’re off on the right hoof.” Her voice had a deadly calm. Her hooves came together in front of her. “So what should I do with you, Soarin? That thought has been on my mind all morning. Even before the sun came up.” She looked wistfully at a spot above his head. He was just thankful she wasn’t staring him down.
He stood at his full height. She blinked and focused on him once again. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He knew it might come to this. But it was so sudden. Instead he could just...No. Rainbow Dash means too much to me. I know it’s scary but this is the right thing to do. He stood there for a moment trying to compose himself. She blinked several times. He looked...noble. He reached up and pulled off his Wonderbolt’s flight suit and goggles. Spitfire blinked again trying to figure out what he was doing.
He tossed the suit and goggles on the desk. He gently rested one hoof on them. He looked at them lovingly then turned to Spitfire, “Ma’am. I apologize for breaking your rules. I meant no disrespect to you. Cadet Dash and I...” His voice caught in his throat. “Cadet Dash is the future of the Wonderbolts. I’ve been putting myself ahead of everypony else-of the squad and the rules-and for that I apologize again. I am now going to do what I should have done two weeks ago. I am going to put the Wonderbolts first. I’m afraid I must resign. It’s the only solution that will keep Dash in the Wonderbolts and allow me to see her. Her happiness takes the number one slot in my list of priorities.” He began to smile. It was strange, he felt at peace. “You know she’s a good flyer ma’am. She’s going to be better than me someday. Please don’t punish her on my account.”
He turned to leave. He felt so alive, so free. He had given up something of immense value, but in return he had something that was priceless. He felt this was a worthy trade, he just prayed his sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain. He opened the door.
“WAIT.” Soarin froze with one hoof on the door. He could see into the hallway through the open door. The threshold felt like it opened up into space, into a vast chaotic ocean that was terrifying and liberating. He knew if he just stepped out into the hallway, his life would change. He closed the door. He owed it to Spitfire to hear what she had to say. “Sit down Soarin. We need to have a little chat.”
For the first time in memory, Spitfire looked worried. As Soarin sank into the seat across the desk he tried to diffuse some of the tension. “I’m sorry boss. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry you have to deal with the mess I’ve made. I’m doing my best to clean it up. At least you get a good new cadet, right?” Soarin felt so open, so naked without his flight suit. Unconsciously he raised his head ever so slightly exposing his throat.
Spitfire didn’t slice his head off. “It’s a little more complicated than that.” Spitfire looked over Soarin’s head again, as if she was looking far off into the distance. He simply waited, she spoke after a moment of reflection. “How are the cadets this year?”
Soarin was expecting a great many questions. This was not one of them. He blinked a few times but answered simply, “Terrible. Just awful. I worry for the future of the Wonderbolts. Except for Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust I don’t see any of them making the cut without some serious training.” Spitfire nodded but still didn’t look him in the eye. An uncomfortable moment passed in silence. Than another. “Boss, say something please.”
Spitfire’s eyes snapped to his and she answered almost instantly. “Am I too harsh Soarin? Too authoritarian?” Now Soarin’s world was completely in freefall. One moment he was quitting the Wonderbolts the next his commanding officer was asking for his opinion on some fairly personal matters.
“No boss. I guess since I’m not a Wonderbolt anymore I can give you an honest answer without fear. You can be harsh. But it’s okay, because I never felt like you were doing it to hurt us. Loyalty is a two way street and I always felt like you had my back.” He smiled for a moment but it didn’t last. “I hope we can still be friends after...this.”
Spitfire winced when he said ‘loyalty.’ Soarin could see her mind working in overtime as she stared at him. He was about to say something when she blinked once, slowly. When her eyes reopened Spitfire drew in a deep breath and spoke, “I have a little story to tell you Soarin. When I’m done I would like you to reconsider your decision.” He leaned back into the chair and crossed his hooves. He was willing to listen to her but could imagine no story which would change his mind.
“When I was given command of the Wonderbolts I was given some very good advice. I was told what you already know. That loyalty is a two way street. That if I was loyal to those under my command they would be loyal to me. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I had been groomed for the position for years and I was ready to take up command. I was told that day, that I would need to groom the next pony to command the Wonderbolts once I found the right candidate. I have been searching for a suitable candidate for years. My time is running out. If I don't find a good pony soon I’m going to leave the Wonderbolts in shambles when I retire.”
“You still have plenty of time-” Spitfire cut him off before he could finish.
“No I don’t. It takes years to groom a pony for command. And you never know what will happen between now and then. Accidents, wars, disease, or even just a change of heart. There were a few ponies over the years I’ve tried to groom but none of them lasted more than a year. Something always happened to derail my plans. I was looking forward to the candidates this year. And what do I get? Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash. That’s it. Only two good ponies. But they are really good. Great flyers, excellent weather ponies, and they’re both eager to prove themselves.”
Soarin’s eyes went wide, “Wait a minute. Are you saying Lighting Dust or Rainbow Dash are going to succeed you?”
Spitfire had fire in her eyes, “Yes.” Soarin felt like he did when he was back in the hotel room. Untethered by gravity and floating in orbit. Except this time he wasn’t elated, he had a queasy feeling in his gut. “I feel like Lightning Dust is just what the Wonderbolts need to keep in shape.”
“What? But she’s too reckless! And she cares nothing for the other cadets!” Soarin blurted out. He felt almost drunk he was so uninhibited.
“You may be right, you’re not the first bolt to say so. I do have some doubts about Lightning Dust but I am hoping today’s exercise is going to prove all of you wrong. I also have a suspicion that if I let you go it will damage not only to the Wonderbolts as they stand today, but to Dash as well. And as you said, she is the future.”
“So choose Rainbow Dash.” Soarin’s cheeks blushed, “Uh, maybe you should get a second opinion. I might be a little biased there.” Spitfire took out her aviator glasses and idly fiddled with them while she wore a satisfied smile.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that. You’re mature enough to know not to trust your own judgment when it comes to Rainbow Dash.” Spitfire looked at the mirrored lenses resting in her hoof, she watched her own distorted reflection. Something clicked in Soarin’s brain.
“Wait one second. If you’re grooming Dash for command, you’ll have to promote her first. She’ll be a second lieutenant after cadet! She’ll be close enough to my own rank to make any relationship acceptable!” Hope blossomed in his chest. Spitfire set the glasses down on her desk.
She placed a hoof on his uniform and slid it back across the desk but didn’t let go. “Before you put this uniform back on I want some promises.” The authoritarian voice returned, “They are not up for negotiation and there are no second chances. I will kick your flank out of here myself if you cross me Soarin.”
He nodded solemnly as she continued but hope bubble in him, he felt as if he would burst. “First, I want you to make sure Dash succeeds. If Lightning Dust fails Dash is my backup plan.” He smiled and nodded his head vigorously. “Second, you two will come up with a solution if and when she becomes the commander of the Wonderbolts. The rules still apply and it won’t do having the commander break them.”
“Yes boss, I’ll quit if it comes to that. By then I’ll be near retirement anyway. Or maybe I’ll just have to get myself promoted.” Spitfire chuckled at his ambition.
“Third, the two of you will keep your relationship secret until it’s acceptable. If this gets out I’ll see both of your careers go down in flames. Are we clear?” She growled.
Soarin nodded slowly, “Crystal clear boss. We’ll be even more careful than we have been so far. You won’t know even if you set a spy on us. And if it does happen, you won’t have to kick me out. I’ll resign so you can save face.”
Spitfire eyed him, “Try to be a little more careful next time and don’t leave any paperwork.” She straightened up, “As an extension of that promise I don’t want to see any foals. I don’t think I need to explain why.”
Soarin’s ears began to burn and blush tinted his cheeks, “O-of course. No foals.”
She held his gaze for a moment. “And you have to do half of my paperwork in addition to your regular duties.” She was pushing it now but she held all of the cards. He nodded with a smile still on his face. “I’m going to make you two regret this. I’m going to run both of you so ragged you won’t have time for each other. You’ll be too tired to do anything other than complain about me.” His smile didn’t waver.
She released the uniform. He pulled it onto himself and smoothed it over like a second skin. He felt good, whole, complete. He was balanced on the edge of a knife, his loyalties stretched thin in two directions. But he had never been so happy. Spitfire stood and trotted towards the door as she said, “I have to run the next training course for the cadets. Cloud busting today. If Dust and Dash do well I might send them for a special training course. You know, one on one with another Wonderbolt. I might assign Fleetfoot or Blaze.” She mused with a mischievous grin. “I certainly can’t assign you, you’re too busy with paperwork.” She glanced over her shoulder on the way out.
Soarin was kneeling with his head bowed towards her like she was one of the diarchs. “Thank you, ma’am. I won’t let you down.” A pair of tear drops splashed onto the carpet below his face. She couldn’t see his eyes as his forehead was nearly touching the floor but she didn’t have to. She closed the door quickly.
“What did I say about keeping things secret? Compose yourself.” He sniffed and stood. His face was impassive and boring without any hints of emotion. She nodded. “That’s better.” Without another word he circled around her desk and sat down. He grabbed the first form off of the towering stack in her inbox. He set to the task with vigor and a badly contained smile. It made him look demented. “Now that’s what I like to see. Try not to look too happy while filling out paperwork or I’ll have to get you a psych eval to keep up appearances.”
She put her aviator glasses on and slipped into the role of drill instructor. As she trotted out she closed the door behind her. Now lets see how Dust and Dash will handle weather control.
“Wait, she knew? Why didn’t you tell me?” Dash’s lips formed the cutest pout. He couldn’t help but try to kiss them again. She stopped him with a hoof and pushed him roughly away. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She repeated.
“I didn’t get the chance. After the exercise your friends hogged all of your time. Then you were in Spitfire’s office and I figured she would spell it out for you. I guess she didn’t want to overload you. Then you got your promotion to lead pony and you had to spend the rest of the day with the other cadets and your friends. When should I have interrupted? When your friends were hugging you or while the other cadets were giving you hoof bumps?”
Dash looked sheepish, “Now that you mention it, Spitfire did say something about cleaning up my mess. I wasn’t a-hundred percent sure she knew about us and I didn’t want to confirm anything. Plus I had a few other things on my mind.”
Soarin chuckled, “I can imagine.”
“So...you’re supposed to help me?” Dash squirmed a bit more, the cloud underneath her subtly shifting. “I have to come up with a training plan for the other cadets. How much time do you have today to help me?” She wore a warm smile and her eyes slowly were growing wider.
“All day today. Spitfire set up the schedule at the last minute so I get today off. How much time did she give you?”
“Just one day. I figured I would run through the exercises myself to make sure they’re ok. If it’s my training plan I’ll have to demonstrate it first. I want to make sure it’s something I can do perfectly. And the opinion of another Wonderbolt is going to help.” A sultry look crept into her face.
Soarin’s heart rate started to rise but he looked pained. “Only one day? That’s not much time and here I thought she had given both of us a day off to work things out.” Soarin looked pensive for a moment. “I think I know what she’s doing. She wants me to help you make a training plan. She wants to see if we can work together without our feelings getting in the way of actual work.” He looked at her again with a tired smile, “This isn’t going to be easy. I might have a hard time giving you an honest critique.”
Dash looked at him with a mischievous grin. “Then I guess we’d better get started...NOW!” She had slowly slipped her wings into the cloud like a pair of knife blades. With a single powerful beat she pulled them apart and tore a hole in the cloud. Soarin wasn’t ready for it and before he knew it, air was tearing at his face and blowing his mane and wings back. He fumbled with his goggles while his wings flailed about uselessly.
She was more than ready for the sudden drop. She was airborne and circled above him. She hovered with a hoof on each hip waiting for him to recover. Just as he got his goggles strapped over his eyes and his wings made the first useful flap she called to him. “Not much of a recovery for a Wonderbolt. I’ll bet you can’t even catch a cadet in the middle of her flight.” She still had that mischievous grin and she took off towards a group of clouds leaving a rainbow streak behind her.
He laughed, “I’ll get you. I’m a Wonderbolt, you’re not getting away from me.” He had to slow his descent and by the time he did she had a healthy lead. He’d won races before. He pushed himself to fly as fast as he could when he trained and even faster during a derby. It was a shame Spitfire wasn’t there to witness his speed today. His form was a bit sloppy but his speed was superb. Dash darted behind the first cloud and he followed the vanishing rainbow trail as quickly as he could.
She spun four clouds before shooting off towards a mountain range. He followed her trail, making the clouds whirl into sculpted forms as he spun them himself. She glanced back and grit her teeth, you’re not going to outshine me! She shot past a snowcapped mountain, blowing snow off of the top like dandelion seeds. He followed through the dusting of snowflakes blown off the mountaintop in Rainbow’s turbulent wake. She flew high while her head weaved this way and that looking for something. He was gaining on her. Just as he caught the first whiff of something spicy she changed direction too quickly. He couldn’t match it with his speed and he darted past her trail. He huffed and with a powerful beat surged towards her while she put more distance between them.
She dove into a chasm, weaving through the tight turns. A blue river rushed below them but he kept his eyes on the prize. The canyon narrowed but he was getting closer. She kept weaving left and right following the canyon, he lost sight of her several times for a few moments, but each time she came back into view she was closer: she was losing speed. He was close to her as she rounded a corner, he could almost reach out and grab hold of her hind hooves. His eyes were focused on her flank when she banked to the left in a hairpin turn. He took the turn with plenty of speed. “I’ve got you-,” he slapped into the canyon wall. His vision went blurry and he tumbled down the wall bruising himself several times. He recovered quickly this time, a good thing since he had to dodge a few rocks that had shaken loose from his impact.
She was far above him laughing, “Don’t watch my flank too much, flyboy.” She took off again. He chased her again into the wild blue yonder. She dove into a massive white cloud. He circled around above it looking for her. She had to exit at some point.
There she is. He spotted her as she popped out of the far side. She dove at a dark cloud and picked up speed. A shock front began to form in front of her. Soarin was too far behind her to stay in her draft. He tried to keep up but she was pouring on the speed. The dark cloud was rapidly approaching. She hit it at just the right time.
BOOM
Thunder, lightning, and color exploded out of the black mass. Soarin couldn’t see past the chaotic display, it was like looking into the a setting sun reflecting off of the ocean. He closed his eyes and pressed on. All around him was nothing but sound and light. He pressed his ears against his head. Where did she go? He was flying so fast and he was getting tired. He gasped for air. He smiled.
Rainbow Dash looked around. Far behind her the remains of the thundercloud drifted away. She slowed down. A sonic rainboom always took it out of her. Did I over do it? She was flying slowly looking for Soarin. He wasn’t below or behind her. He wasn’t to the left or right. She had only the tiniest warning before Soarin dropped out of the sky. “Hey-!”
He tackled her with both forehooves. They wrapped around her barrel and pinned both of her wings as they tumbled down. He guided their decent to a small fluffy white cloud. She squirmed as they fell. They both hit the cloud with a soft whump. She landed on her back, the two of them face to face. He almost shouted with triumph, “Now I’ve got you right-”
“-Where I want you.” She pressed her lips to his. It happened so fast. Maybe it was the confusion of the last few minutes, or maybe it was because he was tired. But in a flash he found it was he on his back while she ran hooves through his mane. His forelegs found her cutie marks again and this time she didn’t push him away. A minute passed. Then another. She finally backed away from him just enough to break the kiss. He arched his head forward for more but she stopped him with a hoof.
“I still have to actually write that training plan.” She said with a sultry look. He looked at her and smiled.
“Right I almost forgot.” He glanced at the sun, it was sinking towards the horizon much too fast. It wasn’t fair, the day was coming to an end instead of freezing for the two of them.
She giggled at him. “Oh? Why would that be?”
He snorted but still grinned, “This dumb cadet is distracting me. Making me chase her. Wait a minute. Wasn’t I the one chasing you a minute ago?”
She barked out a short laugh, “Oh Soarin you have so much to learn about mares.”
He snorted again, “I’m older than you.”
She traced little circles into his chest with a hoof and sighed. “Yeah but that’s stallion years. That’s like, half when it comes to mare years. So really, I’m older than you.” He sniffed a few times inching closer to her mane when she spoke again, “How did you find me? I thought I had lost you after that sonic rainboom.”
He blushed, “I just followed my nose.”
She sniffed her own hoof and heat flowed into her ears. She decided to change topics, “Were you really going to give up the Wonderbolts? Just for me?”
“In a heartbeat.”
Her lower lip began to quiver and her face scrunched up. Little tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes as she sniffed back even more. She arched her back away from him and wiped the tears away. He smiled when she opened her eyes again. “Well that deserves a very special reward.” The look she gave him sent a little shudder down his spine. She pressed her nose to his and shifted her wings again. They dipped into the cloud. A nervous flash raced across Soarin’s face but instead of dropping into the sky they were slowly enveloped by fluffy whiteness.
He was surrounded by white. He could trace her outline with a hoof. He had her voice, her look, her size, her shape, all committed to memory. And he could smell something like cinnamon with a hint of sugar. For some reason, it wasn’t until now that the smell etched itself into his memory. I finally know it all. He thought to himself. He found himself a little disappointed. It wasn’t until this moment that he realized a bit of mystery was important. She ran a hoof down his flank. He shuddered and realized there was so much more to her than what he had committed to memory. I have so much more to discover. His smile grew wide as his limbs set out to do just that.
~~~~~
The next morning...
Thunk...thunk...thunk
Spitfire was trying to relax with a cup of coffee. She was displeased with the cadet’s results. Except for Rainbow Dash, each and every one of them had a long way to go before they could be Wonderbolts. And she expected Dash to do more than just make the cut. She glanced over her aviator glasses to check how far Soarin had gone. He was nearing the end of her nearly inexhaustible supply of paperwork. She could have done some of it herself but she needed to review the cadets progress reports and Dash’s new training regimen. Where is she? I’m too busy to wait around for a cadet to get off of her lazy flank and...
Knock knock knock
“Enter and state your business.” The door opened and Dash stood in the doorway already decked out in her cadet uniform ready for the day.
“I have something to say to you ma’am.” She spoke with a crisp professional tone. She took two steps into the office and stood there with a tiny smile as she looked at Soarin. His ears had flicked forward and he leaned back to look at her.
“Close the door or leave.”
“Uh, yes ma’am.” Dash gently bucked the door closed with one hind hoof. Once it clicked shut the two started to smile at each other, they couldn’t help it. Soarin just looked at her without moving, the quill hovering over a blank form.
“I don’t hear the scratching of a quill or the thump of a stamp hitting paper. So my paperwork must be finished.” Spitfire said without looking up from the report in front of her. Soarin’s smile vanished as he fumbled for the stamp.
Thunk-thunk-thunk
“That’s what I thought.” Spitfire sighed. These two are just too easily distracted with each other, she thought. Fear crept up her spine. I’ve already lost Lightning Dust. If I lose Soarin it will damage the Wonderbolts today. If I lose Dash it will damage the Wonderbolts tomorrow. She set down her coffee but couldn’t retrieve her hoof. It was suddenly pulled straight with little kisses being placed on it. She looked up to find Dash had grabbed her hoof with her head bowed. Dash was kissing her hoof as if she were wearing a royal horseshoe. She jerked her hoof back, “Compose yourself. Honestly...” Spitfire rolled her eyes.
“Thank you...so much ma’am. I won’t let you down ever. I’ll show you just how loyal I can be. I’ll meet your every expectation, I promise.” Dash wasn’t crying yet but Spitfire could see just how close she was to starting the waterworks.
“What I expect of a leader is to stay cool and composed even when things get tense.” Spitfire fixed Dash a look from behind her lenses, her face a perfectly composed mask.
Dash sniffed once and swallowed with her eyes closed. She straightened up and opened her eyes with a salute. “Yes ma’am. I will stay composed ma’am.” Dash’s expression reflected Spitfire’s and for once she felt confident.
“I take it lover boy over there explained everything to you yesterday.” Spitfire pointed with a hoof at Soarin who didn’t look up but continued to work through the pile of papers. He was smiling but didn’t dare stop working.
“Yes ma’am. I understand everything ma’am. I know I’m on thin ice and can’t make any mistakes. I won’t let you down.” Dash kept her cool and her eyes forward as Spitfire stood and paced around her watching for any reaction.
“Oh I don’t think you know everything. Because of some meddling pony and a slow news cycle, even more is riding on you.” Spitfire tapped a hoof on a letter sitting face down on her desk. Dash blinked and reached for it. “Not so fast cadet.” Spitfire held out a hoof. “I want to see your report.”
“Yes ma’am, right away ma’am.” Dash hoofed over her new training plan. She and Soarin had worked on it late into the night. His input had been invaluable. Spitfire took it and sat again with her coffee while she began to read. Dash took the letter off of the desk. The two stole a glance at each other but she sat down with the letter and began to read it. For the next few minutes the only sounds in the office were those coming from the hoof stamp as he worked through the stack.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes scanned the letter. She and Spitfire finished at roughly the same time. Each looked up at the other. Spitfire seemed content but Dash’s brow furrowed and her mouth was slightly open. “Um, I’m not sure what to make of this ma’am. Congratulations I guess. You’re speaking with the Diarchs about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. What does that have to do with me?”
Spitfire’s smile grew wolfish. “Oh you didn’t know? There’s this new cadet at the Wonderbolts academy that’s a filly fooler.” Dash’s eyes began to grow wide. “So in additional to all of your other responsibilities if any journalist asks you will neither confirm nor deny that you are a filly fooler.”
Dash sputtered, “But...If I say that everypony in Equestria will just assume I am a filly fooler.”
Spitfire chuckled, “I know. That’s the beauty of it.”
Dash gulped as a cold pit formed in her stomach. She spoke quietly, “Yes ma’am I’ll do as you ask. But...why?”
“Two reasons: The first reason is obvious. If everypony thinks you’re a filly fooler it will throw off any suspicion between you and flyboy over there. Second: somepony has been trying to manipulate things so that you get into the Wonderbolts. Either I accept you as a filly fooler or else I’m going to be seen as a bigot. I will not allow the reputation of the Wonderbolts to be sullied under any circumstances.”
Soarin looked up and spoke for the first time. “Fleur.”
Spitfire stopped and turned her head slowly in his direction. “What. Did. You. Say?”
“Fleur, she’s the one who’s trying to manipulate you, boss. I don’t have any proof but...I don’t know who else would do it.” Soarin gulped as he watched Spitfire grind her teeth. She drained the rest of her black coffee in one gulp and set down the empty mug with a sigh.
“I’ll let you two deal with that as well. Keep your ex-marefriend out of our business.” Spitfire grumbled. She pushed the aviator glasses up her nose. “Cadet, repeat after me: ‘I will neither confirm nor deny that I am a filly fooler.’”
Dash paused while Spitfire looked at her expectantly. She sighed as her eyes and wings drooped. “I will neither confirm nor deny that I am a filly fooler.”
“Good. You keep doing what you’re doing. And you keep your mouth shut and your head down. We just might get out of this little mess without anypony the wiser. If you make the cut everything will be alright. You’ll still have to keep your relationship secret. And don’t play up the filly fooler angle. That sort of thing can be a black mark on your career. I’m hoping it will all blow over after the next news cycle anyway. Since you know what I plan to do and how far you are likely to rise in the Wonderbolts, I’m going to push you even harder. And I don’t want to get any lip. Got me?”
Dash flared her wings and stood at her full height. She spoke with confidence, “Yes ma’am. You can count on me.” She felt alive but at the same time she felt the full weight of the responsibilities on her back. There was so much more than just her dream on the line.
Spitfire trotted towards the door and opened it. “Well? Aren’t you coming? Don’t you want to see just how badly a fresh recruit can screw up your training plan? It might surprise you just how inventive they can get.”
“So...It’s a good plan?” Dash had a rapidly growing smile.
“Don’t get smug cadet. The real test is when it’s put into practice.” Spitfire trotted out of the room leaving the office door open.
Dash leaned in over the desk instead of following Spitfire. She whispered, “As your future commanding mare, I have an order for you.”
Soarin looked up with a twinge of irritation. He whispered back, “Now is not the time to get over-confident! One slip and were both done. And don’t presume to order me around I’m-”
She cut him off, “I order you to get your hot flank to the fourth floor broom closet at 2145 for clean up. That’s an order.” She had a wild grin on her face as she spoke and gave him a sultry wink before she trotted out the office and closed the door.
It was hours before he finished Spitfire’s paperwork. His smile still hadn’t faded.
~~~~~
“And that’s why I need your help. I don’t think I can pull this off on my own.”
Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash with an open mouth. “Is this some kind of joke? You want us to say you’re a filly fooler?”
They were all safely ensconced in the library after hours. All of her friends felt like they owed Dash something after saving their lives at the academy. When she had returned from the academy she had called them all into the library to tell them her story. She left out the parts they already knew and some of the details concerning her private time with Soarin. Rarity kept pestering her for the sordid details but Dash felt it would be disloyal to Soarin to speak about such things. So Rarity continued to pout on her red divan while the others sat enraptured by Dash’s tale. Retelling the story caused Dash’s mind to drift to another sort of tail, one she was more than enraptured by. She noticed her friends watching her, waiting for a reply. She shook herself out of her reverie.
“Not exactly, just don’t deny it if anypony asks. Just repeat the stuff you said to me the night before I left for the academy. None of it is a lie. Just let everypony draw their own conclusions. It worked on the five of you didn’t it?” All of the mares except for Applejack nodded. Dash looked at her, “Com’on AJ, don’t leave me hanging.”
Applejack pulled her cowpony hat down so the brim covered her eyes. “Ah ain’t gonna lie for ya.”
“But it isn’t lying.”
“Taint bein honest neither. If ah thought you were really a filly fooler ah’d be ok sayin all that junk cause ah thought it were true.”
“But you do think it’s true!” Dash was getting exasperated. It wouldn’t do to get so far only to have everything fall apart because of Applejack.
“No, ah thought it were true at the time. But after hearin yer story ah don’t think that no more.” Applejack reset her hat and fixed Dash with a sheepish smile. “Sorry Dash, I truly believe ya now.”
Rainbow Dash facehoofed, she just couldn’t win with this pony. “Okay okay, how about you just say you know I have a special somepony but you cannot say who it is. That’s both true and if anypony draws the wrong conclusions from that it’s their own fault.”
The hat came off while Applejack scratched the back of her head in thought. She replaced the hat, “Ah suppose that’s true, but it still seems like lyin if’n ah know they suspect yer a filly fooler.”
“Please AJ? Cut me a little slack here. If they draw the wrong conclusions, it won’t be your fault. It will be my fault. You can’t tell me you have to be both honest and some kind of fact checker. I’m just asking you to keep a secret of mine. Friends do that for each other right? This isn’t any other pony’s business anyway. If they were polite they wouldn’t ask you in the first place.”
“Alright Dash, ah’ll keep yer secret. Ah won’t lie for ya but I’ll keep ma mouth shut and let the chips fall where they may. And if somepony makes a mistake bout you, well, ah won’t straighten em’ out.”
“Thanks AJ, that’s all I’m asking.”
Twilight was furiously writing in her notebook. She had many notes to add after Dash’s story. She started to giggle when she started to put it all together.
“What’s so funny egghead?”
“Did you find the secret to everlasting love? Is it cupcakes? I’ll bet it’s cupcakes. Or banjos. No wait, is it quesadillas? Cherries? Chimichangas? Cherry-chimichangas?” Pinkie Pie produced all of these objects from the potted plant in the corner of the room, from a seemingly empty teapot, and her own fluffy tail. “Or is it rainbows? Is that how Rainbow Dash found a special somepony?”
Twilight closed her notebook and held a content smile. “No it’s not cupcakes or rainbows.” Pinkie shrugged and stuffed the cupcake and chimichanga in her mouth in one bite. She began to chew noisily as Twilight continued, “I thought it would be something special, something different. Something I would never have expected. It turns out the same things that make for a solid friendship make for a solid romance as well.”
The other five ponies looked at her with wide eyes. Dash pursed her lips, “How do you figure that?”
“Easy. At some point in your story somepony showed the other an element of harmony.”
“It was very generous of Soarin to give up the Wonderbolts just for you,” Rarity interjected. “I know he didn’t have to in the end but he was willing to. And mark my words, I’m still going to get the details of what happened between the two of you,” she said with a grin.
“No you won’t,” Dash spoke with a certain smile. At this point it was a game between the two. Rarity badly wanted to know and Dash was too competitive to let her have it.
“Plus you spent that day together trying to form a training plan. You were letting him chase you weren’t you? Why did you do that?” Pinkie bounced in place on four hooves with a toothy smile and bright eyes.
“I...wanted him to be happy.” Dash never expected to find wisdom in the form of Pinkie Pie, but there it was.
“It was very kind of you to help Soarin at that party. You didn’t expect anything in return did you?” Fluttershy looked away after she spoke, embarrassed to have eyes on her.
“No I just...wanted to help him. I knew he was feeling blue for some reason and I just wanted him to feel better. I didn’t expect-” Dash silenced herself when she noticed Rarity leaning in closer with an expectant look on her face and both ears flicked forward. “For stuff to happen.” She finished. Rarity flashed a disappointed frown.
“Ya showed each other honesty when ya’ll were in the hotel room arguin’ bout that strange mare smoochin’ ya. If ya weren’t honest with each other ya never woulda built trust.”
“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Dash nodded.
Twilight finished, “And you both showed incredible loyalty when you didn’t take advantage of each other. You had lots of chances to do so. You could have stomped on his heart or let him take the fall for you. He could have told Spitfire to reject your application. Or he could have just broken up with you to further his own career. Instead you stayed loyal not only to him but to the Wonderbolts too. And us, by the way. Thanks for trusting us to keep your secret.”
“Well I knew I couldn’t pull this off without you guys. It never occurred to me you might run off to a tabloid and spill the beans. My friends would never do that. And I would never let Soarin or any of the Wonderbolts take the fall for me. It’s just not right.”
“And that’s why you’re the element of loyalty and my friend,” Twilight said with pride. Four mares vocalized, “Awwww” before crushing Twilight and Dash in group hug.
“Wait a minute.” Dash had a pensive expression. “What about magic? How does that even fit in? C’mon egghead, you’re supposed to be the expert on that.”
Twilight blushed, “Well it’s hard to explain. Even with the other five elements there’s just something special between the two of you. Some spark that brings you together.”
“Like what?”
“It’s like...a smell I guess. Sometimes you just like a pony even before you set eyes on them.”
Dash’s ears fell, she had left that little detail out of her story. It felt too personal and it was a bit embarrassing. And yet...right now she could smell something. It was something slightly sweet mixed with clouds. It was difficult to put into words, yet she understood it perfectly. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” She closed her eyes and held her friends close. Tucked into her saddlebag was a letter. Although it was a small thing, she could detect the scent from the paper even through the layers of envelope, her uniform, and the cloth of the saddlebag itself.
The embrace ended. They had lunch and welcomed Dash back to Ponyville. Twilight was going on and on about the new letter she would get to write to Celestia. Pinkie Pie ate at least a dozen cupcakes after lunch. Rarity continued to needle Dash for the details of her encounters and got nothing but evasive answers. Fluttershy said little as usual but did give Dash a jar of blueberries. “For Tank,” she said without further explanation. Dash didn’t remember much more about lunch. When she got home, she greeted Tank and opened the letter. It was like opening a bottle of perfume and it made her content. It’s true, I’d never be sad if I could just bottle that.
“Are you sure this is where we’re supposed to meet her? It’s awfully noisy.” Fancypants adjusted his monocle and looked up at the neon lights of the club. It was a new nightclub in Canterlot called “Moonshine.” Judging from the pounding bass and the youthful clientele it was the sort of place designed to have wordless fun rather than serious business. “How are we even going to talk to one another with all of this music?” He could hear it even muffled by several walls.
“We’re going to meet her in the VIP lounge where it will be a little quieter. I need to be seen by the target audience of the next fashion line. Don’t you want to spend some time dancing with me afterwards?” Fleur gave him a pout that covered her smile.
They were slowly walking past the queue of youth that stood in the cold outside of the club. A mountain of a stallion guarded the door with threatening eyes. A few papers sat on a thin podium beside him. Every few minutes he would check the papers and allow in a few eager youths. Sometimes they would get turned away and after heated words they would leave with sour expressions. Fleur and Fancy strode to the front of the line with confidence. Fleur turned every male eye towards her and Fancy wasn’t going wait in a queue for something so low class.
They stood on the other side of a velvet rope from the bouncer. A trio of young stallions standing in the cold waiting to enter looked at Fancypants with daggers in their eyes. Fleur addressed the bouncer after a dismissive glance. “Were on the VIP guest list. I’m meeting an important contact and I don’t want to be late.” The velvet rope seemed to magically vanish for her as she walked forward. Fancy tried to follow only to be stopped by a mountain of muscle in his way.
“Pardon me good sir.” Fancy tried to step around but found his path blocked. He narrowed his eyes at the face of the bouncer, a broad face hidden mostly in shadow with intense eyes. He wasn’t accustomed to such treatment and anger was slowly rising in his gut. He kept it in check but everything about this place made him feel like a fish out of water.
“You’re not on the list. It’s 200 bits to get into the VIP lounge.” Despite the size of the stallion in front of him his voice came out smooth and low. He was almost whispering. Fancy’s eyes went wide for a split second. 200 bits? That was outrageous. Fancy considered 200 bits pocket change but it was the principle of the matter. He was about to say as much when a hoof appeared on the bouncer’s shoulder.
“Oh I think he is on the guest list. He’s with me after all.” Fleur’s voice was low like the bouncers, Fancy had to strain to hear it.
“Are you sure? I don’t know about that suit, it looks kinda cheap.”
Fancy was in shock. He had never had anypony call his suit cheap. Probably because it wasn’t. It was 15,000 bits for the suit. That was more than some ponies made in a year. Fleur returned fire as if this comment was expected, “Oh that’s a shame.” She took a few steps out from behind the bouncer and into full view of the other hopeful patrons. She put on a particularly flashy pose that she only used when in front of a camera. Fancy wondered why she would act this way. She flipped her mane and released a languid sigh, “I suppose I’ll just have to leave then.”
Fancy felt like the world was being turned upside down. He was about to let the bouncer have a piece of his mind when suddenly the mood changed like somepony flipped a switch. The velvet rope and the bouncer moved aside giving him a clear path into the club. He didn’t get a chance to protest as Fleur pushed him forward none too gently. As he passed the podium he glanced at the papers sitting on it and saw the top page was the menu for a cheap take out restaurant several blocks away.
“What was that all about?” Fancy blurted out as they trotted down a rapidly darkening hallway. The sound of the music grew loud and he could feel as much as hear the bass.
“Oh my dear Fancypants, its just a little game that ponies play at the entrance to places just like this.”
“It doesn’t seem like a very nice game, I don’t know the rules.”
Fleur giggled, “If you want to win just bring a pretty mare with you and let her do the talking.”
“I’m not one to let mares fight for me. If the game is about wits as I suspect it is, then I’m sure I could win if I just knew the rules.”
Fleur began to laugh, a musical sound that died when it hit the thick walls. “Oh Fancy, a pretty mare has a much better chance of winning that game.”
“You must be very good at this game then, you are very pretty after all.” He smiled hoping that his comment would put a smile on her face. He always like to see her smile.
She did hold a self satisfied smile, “It’s a game I’ve never lost.” They trotted around another corner and the music hit Fancy like a wall. It blasted into his ears and set his organs vibrating. The music was repetitive and while he would never admit it he found he liked the beat. It made him want to dance. But the volume of sound was just too much. He grit his teeth and stumbled into a large room that could barely contain the ponies inside of it.
It was dark except for flashing lights on the far side of the room. In the strobe he could make out the shadows of dozens, maybe hundreds of ponies. There were all on the dance floor cheering and moving in a way that suggested much but in the dark revealed little. He was about to push his way onto the rim of the dance floor when Fleur pulled him in another direction. He found himself trotting up a set of black stairs. They were so dark and well hidden he didn’t even see them until he tripped onto the first step. When they reached the top they rounded a corner and ducked into another room overlooking the dance floor.
The ringing in his ears didn’t allow Fancy to hear much for the moment. Another massive stallion moved past him without a sound on the shag carpet and closed the door with a click. Wait, did we just play another of those little games? I didn’t even see... Fancy wasn’t given the chance to ponder his situation as Fleur almost dragged him to a seat across from her contact.
They sat on a comfortable loveseat with a short glass table between them and another identical couch. The glass table was lit from below with a diffuse red light casting every face around the table in an eerie ruby hue from below. Fancy recognized Photofinish and her assistant seated across from him instantly. The other ponies seated a short distance away in another booth he didn’t recognize or couldn’t see from the front.. To his left was a large glass pane that served as a wall. Fancy felt like he was in a fishbowl. It granted him a fantastic view of the dance floor below and was perfectly designed to muffle the music but not block it entirely. He could still make out the beats and the voice of the DJ but everything else was indistinct.
“Right on time. Zis is good. You wish for a drink ya?” Fancy and Fleur nodded, something sweet and heady was placed in front of him. He sipped it gingerly and listened.
“Thank you for meeting me here. I know how important it is to be seen by those beautiful young mares down there.” Fleur leaned over and waved to the crowd below. Several of the youths below responded with a wild cheer that sounded more like the crashing of distant waves on an unseen beach instead of dozens of voices. She blew them a kiss like she was Miss Equestria.
The assistant looked coolly at her clipboard and continued to scrawl notes. Photofinish pushed a portfolio across the table. “Take a look at ze new line. Tell me which von you like and ve can get started next week.” Fleur used her magic to lift the binder and flip through the first few pages. Fancy could see the smile begin to grow on her face. It was the wide happy smile he liked to see. That’s when the delivery arrived.
A mare with a bland sort of beauty and a crisp apron had set down a mug with a frothy beverage sloshing inside. The assistant’s quill stopped scratching away and Fleur set the portfolio down. Fancy gathered that something was off since the three mares looked at the mug and then at the server with question marks on their faces. “This is a gift from the DJ. I believe there is a note attached.” The mare said crisply, as if she regularly delivered free drinks. Maybe she does deliver free drinks all the time in a place like this Fancy thought to himself.
Photofinish smiled, “Ah another fan ya? Vut does it say?” Fleur slid the mug closer and the smile vanished from her face. Fancy could see the mug had the words “Two Bits Pub” etched into the glass. It didn’t mean anything to him but it seemed like it meant something to Fleur. There was a note stuck to the bottom of the glass. Fleur peeled it off and unfolded it. Fancy was reminded of fillies passing notes in a classroom.
Fleur began to read aloud, “Please enjoy this mug of Golden Barley’s finest cider while I dedicate this song to you.” Fancy could see there was more to the note but the DJ’s voice cut through the glass at just the right time. Fancy looked out across the dance floor. From his vantage point he could see the DJ was a white unicorn with electric blue hair. She wore a pair of rose tinted shades.
“This one is dedicated to a special mare friend of mine.” The DJ’s voice pierced the glass to make itself heard inside of the VIP booth. Fleur looked at the DJ and from her expression Fancy knew the night was about to take an unhappy turn. Sweat began to form on Fleur’s temple as the song started.
Fancy tapped Fleur on the withers. “What’s wrong darling? Is there something I can do to help?”
Thats when he caught a few words of the song.
“I kissed a mare and I liked it The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a mare just to try it...”
Fancy’s brow furrowed as he listened to more and more of the song. “Fleur, what is the meaning of this?”
Fleur stood suddenly with the portfolio held in her magic. “We need to leave now Fancy.” She started towards the door and spoke to Photofinish as she trotted away, “I’ll look at the rest of the portfolio and get back to you.”
Fancypants stood to follow her but the note on the table drew his eye. He read the whole note before her slipped it into his jacket pocket. The words played over and over in Fancy’s head. Please enjoy this mug of Golden Barley’s finest cider while I dedicate this song to you. Just remember, two can play at this game. And if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!
Fancypants followed Fleur as she quickly exited the club, the pounding bass seemed to chase them out. Fleur, just what games are you playing at?
Once the two white unicorns made their exit Soarin couldn’t help but chuckle. Moonlight and Shining Star, the club’s owners, sat across from him. “Are you sure I can’t get you to make an appearance on the dance floor? I’m sure there are some nice young mares who would be thrilled to meet you.” Moonlight swirled his martini glass and took a sip.
“No thank you, I got everything I wanted tonight.” That should keep her busy and off our backs Soarin thought with a wolfish smile. It was Rainbow Dash’s idea to contact the funky mare with the tinted glasses. She wasn’t too difficult to find. “DJ-Pon3” turned out to be very cunning and more than willing to take revenge on Fleur. Something about being manipulated had angered her. Soarin didn’t know the details but wasn’t surprised to find Fleur manipulating others in the least. Tartarus hath no fury like a mare scorned, he thought to himself.
It was mostly DJ-Pon3’s plan. All Soarin had to do was get her a job as a DJ in this club on this night. The extra business the DJ got didn’t hurt any either, and Soarin didn’t object to giving her some help. She deserved a break after running into the likes of Fluer De Lis. It turned out to be very easy for him to get her the job since the club’s owners were huge Wonderbolts fans. One little promise from Soarin in exchange for giving DJ-Pon3 the job. They agreed without even listening to her music. It’s a shame Dash isn’t here, Soarin thought. I would have liked to hang out with her here and she would have enjoyed seeing this. Sadly a Wonderbolt cadet didn’t interest the club’s owners. Soarin wasn’t entirely sure what DJ-Pon3 was going to do, but after seeing the plan he had to give her credit, it was gutsy.
“Would you like a drink?” Shining Star clapped her hooves together and summoned the serving mare.
Soarin shook his head. “No thank you, I’ve got to, uh, clean up, later tonight.” His smile made Moonlight and Shining Star raise a single eyebrow each. They had never seen anypony refuse a free drink. Soarin stood to leave.
“Ah-hem.” Moonlight coughed and Shining Star looked like a filly who had just dropped her ice cream. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Oh, of course.” Soarin whipped out his quill and signed the pair of oversized photographs each pony presented to him. “No offense, but I have somewhere I need to be.”
The two tried pleading, begging, and bribery but Soarin didn’t spend much more time with them. He felt a bit bad, they had been so cooperative. Plus he believed them when they promised to keep quiet about the whole thing.
When he finally stepped out of the club he already had his hat and coat on. The moon was only a sliver tonight and most of the stars were covered by clouds. The darkness hid him from everypony. Well, almost everypony.
“Going my way?” The voice called out to him from the open window of the cab. The stallion pulling it seemed more than ready to earn his bits. Soarin climbed inside and settled into the empty seat in the back. He didn’t need to say anything to the cabbie, they just took off as soon as he got inside. “So how’d it go?”
Soarin smiled like a cat who had eaten a canary. “Have I got a story to tell you...” He leaned in closer to tell his little story. He could smell something spicy inside the carriage. It made him smile. I really am the luckiest stallion in the world, he thought as he began his story.
