Soarin slumped in his seat, watching Spitfire drill instructions into the Wonderbolt cadets. Rainbow Dash stood beside her, a cocky smirk settled on her face. After she had made it into the Wonderbolts two years ago, Spitfire recently requested her to help out in training the newbies, which is what she called them. Rainbow Dash still looked the same as she did before, if not more athletic. All the harsh lectures and brutal training sessions looked like they had paid off.
Grumbling a bit under his breath, he continued to watch them, eventually getting bored and heading back to headquarters. They would meet him and the others in the mess hall, anyways. During the flight back, Soarin thought long and hard about the changes in his life after Rainbow Dash had suddenly appeared.
He still remembered the first time he met her. She had saved his and a couple of other pony’s flanks back at the Best Young Flier Competition. And of course, taking the grand prize. Then there was the Grand Galloping Gala, where she swooped in at the last minute and rescued his beloved apple pie from certain destruction. Even at Rainbow Falls she was there.
When he saw her do a Sonic Rainboom, Soarin saw the lightning in her eyes as the flare of colors blasted off into the air. She rocketed past him, a trail of brightly colored rainbows following after, and he smelled the faint scent of rainbows. Even now, he could still remember what the faint spice of rainbows smelled like.
Soarin was never good at confrontations, or anything similar. He would run away from the things he wanted, and he knew that everyone else, including Rainbow Dash, would laugh and agree with him. But he decided that this time, he wasn’t going to go anywhere before he tried first. He knew that he was scared. Soarin didn’t know if Dash could feel it, but every time she glanced his way, or whenever they accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway and snickered over Fleetfoot’s impression of an angry Spitfire, he felt it. A connection. There was something between them, but he tried so hard to ignore it. What chance did he have? He decided that he wasn’t going to try so hard anymore. He wasn’t even going to deny it. After it, it was the truth.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Rainbow Dash, and she held her arms open for him, enveloping him in a comforting hug. She saved him, and he was so thankful. Soarin wasn’t one to believe in higher powers, but if everything she had said to him was true, then he believed her. He would always.
If nothing else, Rainbow Dash, I believe in you.
It wasn’t easy being a Wonderbolt. Soarin knew that, and so did she. They struggled to keep their world from falling apart, and it took a lot of effort. After every show they would come back sore, bruised, but in good spirits. Flying was a part of them, after all. And no matter what, they wouldn’t let anyone or anything take that away from them.
Whenever Soarin saw another guy on the team talking with her, he felt a pang in his chest. He found himself thinking ridiculous thoughts, wishing that she wasn’t already in love with someone else. It was silly, because they weren’t even together. But Soarin couldn’t stop these thoughts from clouding his brain. He would go up to the other stallion, and the word vomit would rush out and assault the other pegasus. He knew he lashed out, and he knew his anger wasn’t right, but he couldn’t help it. Rainbow Dash would get upset and skyrocket into the air after yelling at him. He would always watch her become a tiny speck in the sky, and lower his head.
I’m just afraid of losing you, Rainbow Dash.
And suddenly, mid-flight, he realized that he would do anything for her. If she asked for a star, he would fly up into the sky and pick the brightest one. If she wanted some of his pie, he would gladly give it up for her. He would stay by her side, and he would hold her until she fell asleep. He’d do all that, because Rainbow Dash was worth it.
A new resolve burning inside of him, Soarin pumped his wings harder in an effort to get to the Wonderbolt’s HQ as fast as possible. He wouldn’t wait another second. He had already waited too long for this. Soarin crashed into the roof, skidding down the hallways and finally tumbling into the mess hall, right at someone’s hoofs. Looking up, he saw a frowning face. The face of Spitfire, to be exact. He quickly stood up and tried to explain.
“Haha, Spit! Um, I mean, Captain! That was my bad, I accidentally crashed into the roof because I was in such a hurry and I didn’t mean to but I’ll pay for the damage, don’t worry about th-”
He was cut off by the loudest and most obnoxious, yet oddly comforting, laughter. Two seats away, Rainbow Dash was unable to control herself, bursting into laughter. Rapidfire had to catch her before she fell off the bench and hit her head.
With nervous laughter, he slunk into a seat, right across from Rainbow Dash. After exchanging greetings, someone else engaged in a conversation with her about the new cadets that had arrived. As always, she said that they were okay, but they’d never match up to her awesomeness.
Trying to calm his nerves, Soarin looked at the successful Wonderbolt in front of him. Her multi-colored mane was still something spectacular, even after all these years. And he was confident that it would continue to be. Her magenta eyes gleamed and seemed to flash for a second as he saw the lightning again. Soarin tapped the floor impatiently, feeling a drop of sweat trickle down his neck.
I’ve been searching for the words to say this ever since I saw the lightning in your eyes,
We both know I’m good at running from the things I want but I’m not going anywhere this time
‘Cause there’s something here between us that I’ve been trying so hard to ignore,
But I’m not gonna try so hard anymore,
No, I’m not gonna deny this anymore
‘Cause when I opened my eyes, it was you I saw, standing there with open arms
Holding me up above the wreckage, and cradling my hell-scarred heart
I’ve never been one for higher powers, but if everything you said to me is true,
If nothing else, Rainbow Dash,
I believe in you.
We’ve been struggling to keep together this world of ours that always seems to fall apart,
And after every battle not a single thing I care about comes home unharmed,
I know that I get angry and I know that I lash out,
But it’s only ‘cause I’m scared of losing you
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do,
Dash, there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for you
If nothing else, Rainbow Dash, I believe that I might be falling in love with you.
“Rainbow Dash, can we talk?”
He had never been more nervous in his entire life.
Author's Note
Hello! Thank you for reading my fanfiction, and I do hope it was alright.
