Under The Blue Sky

"Oh, no he didn't, did he?" Rarity gasped in shock.

"He sure did!" Rainbow said as she started to burst into maniacal laughter. Suddenly everyone started laughing along with her, including Alfred. They had all gotten together at a local restaurant to talk about what was recently going on. They were all sitting around a small table outside. It was a nice feeling, to be surrounded by smiling faces while the moon was out shining through the crisp, clean air. Alfred sunk back into his chair, feeling more relaxed than ever.

"How are you doing, Alfred? We haven't heard much from you dear," Rarity said winking at Alfred as she directed the group's attention towards him. Alfred didn't move from his comfortable position, but simply smiled back.

"It's been great, really. I suppose nothing important has really been going on for me, besides you guys are way better at telling stories."

"I can see your wearing that amazing shirt and trousers I made you, doesn't he just look smashing," Rarity said, almost blushing from her own compliment. The others nodded their heads while inspecting Alfred's outfit. He was wearing a black shirt complete with a pattern of small white flowers that popped up in multiple places as well as matching trousers. Alfred gleamed with glee and raised his glass of tea to Rarity.

"The clothes are rather exquisite as always Rarity," he said in a jokingly fancy way, "I couldn't begin to thank you for all of this."

"Don't worry dear, it's all part of the job, being the element of generosity and all that jazz." The whole group started to chuckle quietly with Rarity.

"Rarity, is there anything you can't do?" Twilight quickly added.

"Thank you all, seriously, but enough about me, Alfred there has to be something that's gotten your interest. Are there any questions you'd still like to ask?"

"No, I think I'm familiar enough with this crazy place already. Oh, of course how could I forget? I guess there was something that me and Twilight found slightly strange one night. Uh, would you like to tell them, Twilight?" Twilight jumped at the opportunity to speak but the others looked at the two of them a little suspiciously. Pinkie started to giggle immaturely.

"That's right, Alfred. Apparently he's immune to magic," everyone suddenly stared at Twilight with their mouths hanging open in suspense. "I know it seems a little weird, I definitely did but it could well be the case. We spent an entire night trying spell after spell but he wasn't changed at all after each one."

"What could this mean?" Applejack asked, sounding a bit lost.

"I don't know Applejack, we both went to Celestia the day after but she didn't have a clue either."

"Hey, I'll tell you what it means, it means that Alfred can't be stopped, he's invincible!" Pinkie screamed in joy. Everyone smirked except for Twilight. She turned her head to Alfred, beginning to examine him. She pondered over that idea while Alfred began to speak.

"Thank you, Pinkie. You never fail to use that incredible imagination of yours. It doesn't mean anything. It shouldn't change a thing."

"I suppose it shouldn't," Applejack replied, trying to change the subject. "Hey Alfred, you still up for that challenge on Thursday?" Rainbow quickly snapped her head up from her drink.

"Yeah, you ready to get your ass bucked again?" Rarity and Fluttershy looked to her slightly worried, but Alfred was ready to reply.

"Hey there's no need to rub it in! The only reason I lost all those times was because you were both cheating!" Applejack began to shake her head slowly and laugh.

"Really? You're gonna blame this all on us. We could beat ya with our eyes closed."

"Ha, you better bring blindfolds on Thursday then," Alfred responded proudly, returning to his now empty drink. He placed his glass on the table began to stand up before them. "Anyone up for another drink?"

"Yeah sure, thanks you big liar," Applejack said, laughing out loud.

"I'll also take another Alfie Walfie!"

"Okay, that's another for Applejack and Pinkie, what about you Fluttershy?"

"Erm, yes please, if that's okay with you," Fluttershy murmured in her adorable way.

"Don't worry, I'll pay for it, consider it a thank you for all those visits." Alfred said, winking at Flutterhy as he turned to Rarity and Twilight.

"Oh, go on dear. It is a get together after all. Twilight?"

"Oh, no thanks, I'm good." Twilight still seemed to be wondering about what Pinkie said. Her mind was beginning to come across many questions about Alfred's condition, but she tried not to think about it and join in with her friends.

"I'll come with you, Alfred, you know, to help bring the drinks out." Rainbow nervously added, getting out of her chair and heading in alongside Alfred. They slowly made their way up to the counter which was looking a little crowded. Surprisingly, it was a busy night. Many ponies were seated at tables, chatting normally. Some of them noticed Alfred and started to stare. Although he had been here for two months, it was still a strange sight for most of the ponies. Fortunately it didn't phase Alfred though, he just simply walked up to the counter's line, waiting with Rainbow patiently.

Rainbow Dash felt pretty nervous being close to Alfred. She figured that after all of this time she would be comfortable around a human, but apparently not. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she just did. It wasn't disgust or fear but it was more of a 'warm' feeling.

After a rather awkward amount of time later, they had finally managed to reach the front the of the line, only to find that they had to wait a little while for Fluttershy's drink. Alfred wasn't particularly impressed but he didn't feel like arguing, and after looking around at the ponies staring at him he figured he was already making a scene. He sat down with Rainbow Dash on the stools next to the counter and started to look around, a little sadly.

"Huh, where's the whiskey when you need it."

"Whiskey? What's whiskey?" Rainbow said, trying to get a conversation going.

"Oh, sorry, whiskey was just a little drink I used to have quite a bit back home, but its probably best you don't go anywhere near that stuff."

"What? You think I can't handle it?"

"Oh, I know you can't," Alfred said beginning to laugh to himself quietly. He thought about how often he used to drink back then. He would never do it around Luke, but he did become a little addicted at one point. Luckily nothing got out of hand, so he quickly returned to Rainbow who was trying to look away. She noticed him starting though and met him with a smile.

"So, what do you think?"

"Huh?"

"Equestria, do you like it here?"

"Honestly, I'm beginning to feel like its the best thing that ever happened to me, being brought here."

"What about Luke," Rainbow said looking up towards him. He stared at her for a slight moment and quickly went to respond.

"Oh, well of course. I still miss him, I really do."

"I'm sorry that you lost him, I can bet that hearing that news must've been really hard."

"Yeah, it was. It was really, really hard," he looked over to Rainbow sitting beside him and she looked back. Their eyes met and neither of them moved. They looked deeply into each other's eyes. Alfred suddenly felt like he wanted to tell her everything. About going to Celestia's, about crying for what felt like hours with Twilight, about his suicide attempt. He wanted to tell her everything now that he was staring into her soul, and she was into his.

While staring into Alfred's bright, blue eyes, Rainbow began to feel more comfortable. There was something really different about Alfred that she couldn't seem to figure out. Suddenly that 'warm' feeling came back and she began to blush. She struggled to move her eyes away but before she could, Alfred began to speak.

"I tried to kill myself that night. I just wanted it all to stop. I couldn't take it, but before I did it, before I was about to go, I heard a voice in the back of my head. It told me everything I needed to hear. It brought me back from that miserable and lonely place I had fallen into. It pulled me from the darkness..." Alfred said with tears in his eyes, "...and into the light."

After saying this, Alfred began to wipe his eyes. He felt a lot better now that he had gotten it off his chest. Rainbow just kept staring into his eyes, beginning to tear up as well. She was mesmerised by his story, and after hearing it she felt nothing but sympathy for this broken man. She placed her hoof on Alfred's hand that was resting on the counter. Alfred looked up to Rainbow and began to get himself together. At that moment, Rainbow had discovered just what that 'warm' feeling was.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

He was interrupted by a kiss from Rainbow Dash. Alfred was completely taken by surprise and had no choice but to take part. She tasted sweet and colourful, like candy. He couldn't think straight, and neither could she. Rainbow had completely forgotten that she was in public, but she didn't care. She needed this. Alfred was different to anyone she had ever met. Everything changed when he showed up. She had only now realised that that 'warm' feeling was love.

It only lasted two seconds, but Rainbow wanted it to last forever. She wanted to hold him in her arms and take him home, as her lover. As she pulled back from the kiss, she grinned at Alfred and fluttered her eyelids. Alfred was stunned. All he could do was stare blankly at Rainbow, with an empty mind. Her rainbow mane suddenly looked more bright and beautiful than anything he had ever seen before, and her soft blue fur reminded him of the calming sky. Her eyes glistened like the stars above them, and all he could do was stare at them. He didn't even stop staring when the drinks arrived. To him the drinks didn't matter. Nothing did, not the drinks, nor the people who had seen them and we're now whispering closely to their friends, nor the bartender who started to become annoyed by Alfred's lack of attention when he was called for. Nothing mattered to him, except Rainbow Dash.

"Come on," Rainbow Dash said, getting up and smiling at Alfred, "the others are waiting."

Alfred suddenly snapped out of his train of thought and headed outside. He stood in the doorway, observing all six of them, especially Rainbow. After swallowing dramatically, he returned to his seat with the rest of the drinks.

After everyone was finished with their last drinks, except for Alfred, they started to leave one at a time. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie had all left, leaving Alfred, Twilight and Rainbow left. During the conversations outside, after the incident with Rainbow, Alfred didn't look at anyone. He simply sat in his chair looking out into the darkness, with his drink in his hand. Rainbow had noticed this but decided not to get Alfred's attention. She figured that he had enough to think about anyway. Twilight also didn't speak much during their conversations, she was still worrying about Alfred's condition, so after they were left alone, none of them spoke a word.

"I think I'm ready to go, there are some things I need to think over, goodbye Rainbow, uh Alfred I guess I'll see you back at the library."

"Goodbye and goodnight Twilight." Rainbow said pleasantly. Alfred still didn't respond, he just kept staring into the darkness.

With Twilight now gone, Rainbow and Alfred were left listening to some sappy love song that was playing from inside the restaurant. There wasn't many ponies left in the restaurant, maybe a couple but neither of them noticed the ones inside.

After a few seconds, Alfred turned his head to Rainbow very slowly, keeping a straight face the entire time. Rainbow Dash was waiting patiently for Alfred to say something, but he didn't. He just continued to stare. Rainbow became worried. This wasn't the same stare as the one inside, this was different. She was about to speak up when Alfred leaned towards her on the table.

"Just what the hell was that back in there?" He said menacingly. Rainbow just stared back, slightly frightened.

"I'm sorry, I know it wasn't appropriate, but, but I just couldn't help myself."

"I can't believe this. I mean why would you... You do know I'm married, right? Her being back home doesn't change a thing," Alfred suddenly snapped at Rainbow. Rainbow jumped back terrified, thinking she was in danger. What did she just do? Why didn't she stop herself? She started to think of more questions that made feel ashamed of what she had done.

Alfred wasn't angry, he was just confused. He didn't know how to feel. He had just been kissed by a pegasus and was now considering the possibility of them being together. At first it troubled Alfred, he was a human and she was a pegasus, why would the thought of them being together even cross his mind? It was a ludicrous idea...

...but then he turned to look at her again, and felt guilty. She had clearly shown her true feelings for him back inside and now she was being put down. It wasn't fair and he knew it. His suicide story was met with a supportive response but this was just mean. Alfred started to breathe heavily after realising how much of a horrible person he must seem like to Rainbow. As he looked at her one last time, he was reminded of how similarly he used to be treated back home.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt that way. I promise I'll never do it again," Rainbow began to say with tears in her eyes, "we can just forget about it and move on." Alfred began to see her wiping her eyes and got up from his chair to comfort her. He knelt down beside her and placed his hand on her back.

"No, please don't cry. I'm sorry, I was acting too harsh. It's just..." Alfred began to hear her cry and realised what he was doing. He was acting like a complete asshole. He could see that this meant a lot to her and he immediately felt extremely guilty. He was reminded of all those times he cried back home. He didn't want to see her cry like he has many times before. He had spent the entire two months trying to move on, and now he was letting others suffer like he had. At that moment in time Alfred thought deeply about them being together.

Rainbow was a thousand times more loving then his wife ever was, and he had only know her for two months. If they were to get together, who would stop them? Why would they stop them? Would it be because it was unnatural for a human and a pegasus to be together? Did it all really matter?

Did Alfred truly love Rainbow Dash back?

Rainbow's crying was suddenly cut off by a kiss from Alfred. She immediately joined in and kissed him back with so much passion. Alfred didn't worry anymore. He felt complete when he was with Rainbow Dash. He felt something he had never really experienced before, he felt what it was like to love and be loved. He had never felt this way about his wife before, this feeling was unlike anything she could ever bring him. He suddenly realised all the time he wasted with his wife, pretending to love her like he was meant to, but now he knew what it was like to really love, and he loved it.

It was like a dream that had come true. They were both filled with pleasure and hope as they made out outside the restaurant to a generic love song. Eventually they pulled away from each other and stared at each other's eyes. Alfred had never been so complete, and Rainbow only felt the same. Rainbow was so happy that she wasn't rejected. She wouldn't know what to do if Alfred actually meant the things he had just said, but luckily that second kiss confirmed it.

Rainbow Dash and Alfred loved each other.

"We meet here tomorrow, at noon," Alfred said quickly, "we have much to discuss."