Set My Heart On Fire

Set My Heart On Fire

Written by: Alex A

Chapter 2: A New Start

Rainbow Dash groaned as she awoke to a blinding light coming from a window in her room. She pulled the covers over her head as her eyes adjusted to the new day. She peaked outside to see the many clouds rolling around outside her home. Rainbow frowned, she didn’t like labour, but then again cloudbusting was fun when you could do it in ten seconds flat.

Leaping out of bed Rainbow quickly trotted downstairs to the cloud home’s kitchen area, her mind starting to catch up with the events of the previous day with a certain golden mare. A smile formed on Rainbow’s muzzle as she took out a box of cereal and poured it into a bowl.

Rainbow trotted over to the table in the room and sat down to eat. She knew that today would be busy, but she found herself thinking about her free time and what she could do next time when she hung out with Spitfire.

Come on Dash, you hung out with her once, it’s not like she’s your best friend.

Rainbow knew this was true, but her heart was telling her something different than her brain, she felt eager to hang out with Spitfire, get to know her more as a friend. Rainbow stopped eating at that point as she too came to the realization of how much she wanted to see the mare. Luckily her thoughts were dismissed when something prodded her hind hoof. Looking down Rainbow saw her pet looking up at her with hungry eyes.

“Oh hey Tank, wait right there I’ll get you something.”

Rainbow zipped over to a cupboard and took out another bowl, she then proceeded to take out some lettuce and other vegetables before coming back over and sitting it in front of the animal. Tank smiled slowly as he bent down to eat. Rainbow patted his shell before making her way outside to start her morning weather duties.

Back in Cloudsdale, Spitfire was already up and moving. She had just finished morning training and was heading into the mess hall for something to eat. Her mind was still focused on the friday ahead, with nothing to really look forward to it was the only thing Spitfire was thinking about, she wasn’t a very sociable pony when it came to the real world, she got cooped up in her work so often it lead to her not being able to hang out as much as the average mare could.

“Hey Spitfire,” Soarin said trotting over to his friend as Spitfire collected her tray and hovered over to a table.

“Hey Soar, how was yesterday...did everything go okay?” The captain asked curiously.

“Yeah it all went A-okay boss,” Soarin said cheerfully. “Though I can see why you're always in that office, that paperwork took me forever.”

Spitfire giggled slightly at that. “Yes that’s what you get for giving me the day off Soar, which reminds me...I need to ask a favour.”

“Anything,” Soarin said with a friendly smile.

“I um, need to get off friday early,” Spitfire said truthfully as she looked between Soarin and her tray.

The stallion smirked. “What, you finally found something other than the Bolts?” he asked in a mocking tone as Spitfire blushed in embarrassment.

Soarin laughed. “Alright Spit, I’ll make sure you can get of friday...can I ask why?”

“Just hanging out with a friend,” Spitfire said causally.

“Really, who is this friend...someone I know?” Soarin asked in innocent curiosity.

“Well...yes, um do you remember a mare called Rainbow Dash?” Spitfire asked.

Soarin pondered for a few moments before a smile came to his face, “Yeah I remember now, back at the Gala, she saved my pie.”

Spitfire rolled her eyes playfully. “Yes, well I’m hanging out with her on friday.”

Soarin nodded. “Well I’m glad your making friends Spit, I’ll see you later for practice.”

Spitfire nodded as Soarin left letting her indulge in her own thoughts. She picked up an apple and began to munch on it slowly as she thought what the sky blue pegasus was up to…

Back in Ponyville Rainbow Dash was just finishing up the last of her weather duties, she was lucky to be able to get it all done so quickly. It also made her nap times longer meaning she could get some rest after a good mornings work, but today her mind was too active for rest. Rainbow was still hot on topic with Spitfire. She had been thinking about different things she could do with the golden mare, but being in such a small town there wasn’t much for a pegasus to do except fly. Rainbow groaned as her mind churned, she needed to distract herself for a little while. She remembered talking to her friend Applejack about helping out with the farm. Mainly because her last scheduled rain storm over there fried most of the apples leaving one very annoyed farmer.

Taking flight the sky blue pegasus dashed off towards the farm. She quickly found herself speeding through the main streets of the small village, seeing everypony trotting around with ones they cared for. This brought Rainbow back to the festivities which would be coming soon, she wondered what everypony else would be doing on that day. Her mind quickly came back to Spitfire and what she said about not having a special somepony. Rainbow grinned at the possibility of another time to hang out.

Soon Rainbow reached the gates of the apple farm, and quickly found her friend. “Hey Applejack!” Dash said as she trotted over to the orange coated mare.

“Well howdy Rainbow Dash, what brings ya’ll over here?”

Rainbow sighed. “Nothin much, just need to find something to do.”

Applejack turned from her current job of counting hay barrels to face the mare, she raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t this usually the time a day where you just...you know, nap?”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, but I just don’t feel like that today, so...is there anything I can help with?”

Applejack put a hoof to her chin as she pondered. “hmmm, well I guess since you owe me...you can help take the apple buckets over to the container,” the mare said trotting over to one of the many tree’s on the ranch.

“Sure, I guess that’s okay,” Rainbow said as she followed the mare.

Applejack nodded. “That’s good sugarcube, now you mind tellin me why you're not up in them clouds slacking off?”

Dash shrugged. “I dunno, guess I’m just looking forward to hanging out with Spitfire this friday.”

“Spitfire...isn’t she that fancy Wonderbolt?” Applejack asked turning around to face her friend. Rainbow nodded in response.

“Yeah, she just happened to fly over to Ponyville the other day, me and her hung out together...she’s a really cool pony and we agreed to meet up again this friday.”

“So your minds hooked on this... Spitfire?” Applejack confirmed. Rainbow nodded again.

“Well I’m mighty glad your making friends Rainbow, what do you plan on doin with her?”

Rainbow scratched the back of her neck with a forehoof. “I dunno yet. W-What do you think I should do?”

Applejack shrugged. “I dunno, go to a race...or have one, that's usually what you ponies do isn't it?”

Dash nodded to herself as she watched Applejack turn back and continue trotting. Rainbow quickly followed after her earth bound friend egar to get on with the day.

…

“So Spitfire, what are you doing the rest of this week?” Fleetfoot asked, as she trotted down one of the many network of hallways in the Wonderbolt headquarters.

The golden mare shrugged. “I’m hanging out with a friend on friday, what are you doing?”

Fleetfoot smiled. “Oh a friend?... and I’m hanging out with Rapidfire for the most of this week.”

“Sounds...nice,” Spitfire replied cheerfully.

Fleetfoot turned a shade of crimson before speaking again. “So...who is this friend...or should I say special somepony?”

“She’s not a special somepony Fleet, we’re just friends...besides it’s about time I did something more than just sit in my office gathering dust.”

Both mares gave out a small chuckle at this as they trotted towards the exit of the large building. Fleetfoot spread her wings as she spoke, “Well, I’m glad Spitfire...you know seeing you find someone.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow before giggling and shaking her head. “You don’t get it do you...we’re just friends.”

Fleetfoot smirked. “Well...whoever this friend is I’m sure they’re very lucky,” she said sarcastically before shooting off into the sky.

Spitfire smiled. She’d never get Fleetfoot's antics, but she had more to think about now than just her work...for the first time she needed to start thinking about her social life.

To Be Continued...