Skipping a Couple Thousand Feet

My life is bucking over.

I'm bucking done.

I missed a date with the most beautiful mare I've ever met.

No way would she give me another shot at it.

I laid around the house for...days? Weeks? Months? Years? It was all a blur. All I knew was that Vinyl had left.

Gleaming Shield, the most perfect mare I'd ever met, who I blew a date with, would never talk to me again.

There was no point in even getting up any more. I'd just go through the rest of my god-forsaken life in Equestria alone.

I guess this is it. Total soli-

Knock! Knock!

Wonder who that could be. I haven't told anypony to come over...

"It's open!" I yell.

The door opens, and I see a lot of ponies standing there. Rarity, Vinyl, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and...I think Derpy in the back.

"Hey. I don't know if you noticed, but I've not left the house in a while." I sighed, and repositioned myself on the couch.

"It's been twenty minutes, Sunspot. Geddit? 'cause he's not that bright...?" Vinyl attempted to make a joke. I have to giver her credit for trying. Can't say it didn't make me feel a LITTLE better.

"Nice try, Vinyl. Come on in, you lot." I sighed, which I seemed to be doing a lot of.

The five walked in, all taking a seat on some furniture I had. There was a long silence.

Rarity was the first to break it. "Hotshot, darling, we know that your date with Gleaming was important to you."

"No, really? I couldn't tell." I don't think I should have been getting mad at her, I mean, she was just trying to help.

"Regardless, you've helped us five in some way, and I wanted to remind you what you're living for." She smiled at me.

"Really?" I sat up. "Well, you had my interest before, but now you have my attention."

They were silent for a moment. I had to take into consideration that Hotshot may have done something in these two days that I didn't know about.

Applejack was the first to speak, "Well, since nopony's gettin' their head outta their hindquarters, I guess I'll go first." She cleared her throat. I couldn't believe it. I did something nice for her...and she was repaying me. "Hotshot, last applebuck season...and the one before that..and before that...ya did something nopony could have ever asked another to do. On yer own, while the rest of us were sleepin', ya went out, and bucked as many apple trees as you could. When I asked you, you said you didn't do it, but I know ya did. I could never ask for a better friend."

I looked to the ground. I spent all this time thinking Hotshot was a self-centered pony. That he was, by all definitions, a douchebag.  It turns out I was wrong. He was a kindred spirit.

Derpy's hoof shot up, and in the process, uppercut Rainbow in the jaw.

"Why you little...!" Dash started a lunge at her, but stopped. "You're lucky that I'm trying to be non-violent."

Derpy looked a little shaken, but started her story. "Well...I'm sure you know that I'm not the most graceful mare..and ponies treat me different for it. You, on the other hoof..."

My eyes widened. Hotshot was even nice to ponies like Derpy, who had serious mental issues. Not that I'd ever judge someone on a disability; I had a friend in high school called Irene who I think had Down's, and I was one of the very few people who treated her with respect.

"...you've never said anything to hurt me, or done anything. You treat me like a normal pony, like my strabismus doesn't exist. And I have to thank you for that." She smiled a goofy smile at me, which lightened me up.

Rarity cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose I should go next. To be quite honest, darling, I never really have liked you. But when you came to my boutique the other day, and treated me with respect, and asked for us to begin again...I saw a side of you I'd like to know. Your mature side, the one who's not afraid to admit he's wronged a lady, and wishes to make up for it. Plus...I think that your date with Gleaming was just a stepping stone in your life. Even if you missed her, I know you'll find another mare." She finished, her words actually starting to tug at my heart strings. Even RARITY, the pony I couldn't stand a few days ago, was admitting that we were friends, and she enjoyed my company.

Dash sighed. "You guys talking all mushy. Seriously, Hotshot, it's ONE mare. Grow a pair and find another."

I scowled at this. I thought those five were here to help me, not to make me feel like a horse's ass.

Applejack nudged her. "I don't think that's what we're here to talk about, sugarcube."

Dash rolled her eyes and sighed again. "Fiiiine. Hotshot, we've known each other since flight camp. I know you and you know me. Gleaming Shield, she wasn't good for you. You'd last maybe a week. When I was trying to make a Sonic Rainboom for the first time, who was my main competitor?"

I took a stab at it. "Me?"

Dash raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me? But yes. It was you. You were always the one who drove me to be more than I thought I could be, whenever I doubted myself, you were always there."

I couldn't believe my ears. Rainbow Dash was telling me, of all people, ME that I was the one who always motivated her. How could I respond to this? Dash was always a favorite, and I couldn't express ,my joy over hearing her.

Which left Vinyl. Everypony knew that she had some deep things to say about me, and I was anxious to hear they were.

Vinyl looked me in the eyes. "Hotshot.You and I have been together since high school. Ever since then, we've been an inseparable pair. You've taught me so much, and I have taught you a lot too. You're like a brother to me. We've gone on plenty of adventures together, and then some, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. If you let Gleaming overtake your mind, you're going to end up killing yourself. And I can't stand that. Which is why I set you up with another mare." She handed me a picture, and I looked at it, amazed at how the mare looked.

"Wow...Vinyl...I just...I don't know what to say." I kept staring at the picture, captivated.

"So, how about it, buddy? Want to go out for a drink?" Vinyl smiled. "Her name's Thunder Flicker, by the way."

"Thunder Flicker..." I repeated, associating the name with the face.

"Hello? Equestria to Hotshot?" Dash waved a hoof in front of my face. "You gonna come out for some cider or gonna sit there and make goo-goo faces at that mare?"

"The ladder doesn't sound too bad." I joked. "All right, I'm kidding. Let's go, I could use some cider."

We all stood, and I set the picture of the picture of the mare down. Then they all walked out the door, and I took one last look at the picture before closing the door.

Thunder Flicker.