A Conversation Among Wonderbolts
The Wonderbolts had done one of their most anticipated performances in Canterlot as a new royal garden was opened to the general public. Now, they were celebrating their accomplishment at a dinner that was hosted by Princess Celestia herself. It was very much like the night before when this all began, but it was a lot more formal and many of the Wonderbolts were in their dress uniforms. After getting themselves ready, Rainbow Dash and Rarity soon joined the festivities wearing their gala dresses from the first Grand Galloping Gala.
"A successful day of performing, Wonderbolts," remarked Spitfire as she was making a toast to a group of Wonderbolts at a nearby table. "Once again, we have all done Equestria proud and here is to the next performance!"
"Hear! Hear!" cried the other Wonderbolts as Rainbow Dash and Rarity trotted over to them. It had been a tense day for Rainbow Dash when she was initially accused of writing a letter to send Spitfire away to take care of her mother, Stormy Flare, who had been in Canterlot the entire time. Had it not been for Rarity, then Rainbow Dash would have lost everything she had worked for her entire life.
"Glad to have you perform with us, Rainbow Dash," chuckled Spitfire as she nudged Rainbow Dash's chest. "I must say that you certainly improved in the short time you have been a reserve."
"Hey, no prob, Spitfire," remarked Rainbow Dash, who then noticed that there was a Wonderbolt that was M.I.A. "By the way, has anypony seen Soarin by any chance?"
Rainbow Dash looked around but Soarin was nowhere to be found and they were bringing out a selection of pies and everypony in the Wonderbolts knew how much Soarin loved his pies.
"Yeah," added Fleetfoot in her raspy voice. "It's not like him to not be here, Spitfire. Where is he?"
"He said that he wasn't feeling well," answered Spitfire, lowering her head down for a second before lifting it back up. "So, I decided to leave him alone to rest. A lot of what we had been through took a great toll on him."
Rainbow Dash began to guess that Soarin was not really feeling well, but rather that something heavy was probably on his mind. He did have to assume command of the Wonderbolts in Spitfire's absence and that took a lot of energy out of him. This gave Rainbow Dash the conclusion that the only way to find out about Soarin was to talk to him face to face.
"Um, if you don't mind," said Rainbow Dash to Spitfire. "I can talk to him and see what is wrong."
However, Spitfire knew that it was a lost cause in the sense that Soarin was a pony that would be difficult to get through to. She knew Soarin as much as anypony and knew that he had a side that was nothing like the one that he was known for.
"Well, you can try, Rainbow Dash," sighed Spitfire, trotting over to her. "But, he can be very stubborn with ponies. I tried to talk to him, but he said that he would only talk to you and you alone."
"Guess I'd better find out what's wrong," replied Rainbow Dash, as she trotted over to the doors of the ballroom. "I'll be back and save me some broccoli, would you?"
So, Rainbow Dash left the liveliness of the ballroom behind and headed over to Soarin's room which was up the stairs and down the hall from Celestia and Luna's private quarters. Stepping up to the door, Rainbow Dash quietly knocked on the door and for a moment, she couldn't hear anything on the other side, only the sounds of a frustrated groan on the other side.
"Soarin?" she called, knocking on the door again. "Are you feeling all right? It's me, Rainbow Dash."
"What is it?" moaned a grumpy voice on the other side. "Can't you see I'm not feeling well and that I am resting right now? Come back later, Rainbow Dash."
"Everypony's worried about you," retorted Rainbow Dash. "And so am I, Soarin. So, can we please talk about this? I promise you that nopony else is with me."
After a few moments, Rainbow Dash heard the sounds of hoof beats trotting towards the door and the door opened to reveal Soarin on the other side, his mane ruffled and heavy bags were underneath his green eyes. Furthermore, Rainbow Dash saw what appeared to be red lines in Soarin's eyes, evidence that he had been feeling much worse than before the royal garden opening.
"I guess Spitfire must have sent you to talk to me," sighed Soarin as he led Rainbow Dash over to his bed. "Sorry if I am not myself, Rainbow Dash. I've just had a lot on my mind."
"So have I," replied Rainbow Dash, feeling her fellow wonderbolt's inner pain. "Had it not been for Rarity, I…"
But, Soarin stopped Rainbow Dash for a moment with his hoof and it was at that moment that Rainbow Dash noticed a piece of paper that was hidden underneath Soarin's pillow.
"I'm actually glad that you were cleared of what had happened," said Soarin, rubbing his forehead with his front left forearm. "Wind Rider was a traitor to everything we stand for and he will suffer the consequences rather than you. But, still..."
"What is it, Soarin?" wondered Rainbow Dash, taking notice of the paper that was under his pillow.
"There has been something on my mind," replied Soarin, taking out the piece of paper from underneath the pillow. "Rainbow Dash, what I said to you when this whole thing started has haunted me to the point of exhaustion."
Rainbow Dash was then starting to think back to when Soarin offered her a chance to prover that she didn't send Spitfire away. She could very well remember in her mind how stern Soarin was in his words as he spoke to her:
"I have to warn you," he said, his eyes locked onto Rainbow Dash as he pushed Rainbow Dash against a red curtain. "If you sent that letter, then the bylaws are clear. I'd have no choice but to ban you from the Wonderbolts forever. Understand?"
"But, you didn't end up banning me, Soarin," remarked Rainbow Dash. "So, why shouldn't you be beating yourself up over this? You've got to let it go!"
"I can't let it go," groaned Soarin, his voice filled with despair as he paced around his bedroom. "Can't you see Rainbow Dash? If I had no choice but to ban you from the Wonderbolts, then…"
He then walked over and picked up the piece of paper that was underneath his pillow, handing it Rainbow Dash for her to read. After a few moments, Rainbow's eyes opened wide as she dropped the paper on the floor.
"Resign?" cried Rainbow Dash, looking right at Soarin with cold darting eyes. "You were going to resign…?"
"If I banned you," finished Soarin, sighing heavily. "The truth is, Rainbow Dash, I…I couldn't stay with the Wonderbolts because I would feel so guilty. How do you think I would feel if I had to ban you? I would feel sick and regretful of my actions. I wouldn't care what Spitfire or the rest of the Wonderbolts would say, the day you are banned from the Wonderbolts is the day that I turn in my badge."
Rainbow Dash could understand that Soarin was the one who had always said that Wonderbolts always looked out for one another, but this was going to be a little bit on the level of extremes.
"Soarin," cried Rainbow Dash, her voice filled with exasperation. "I know that you had to follow bylaws, but you could not just give up on your dream of being a Wonderbolt just like that because of me."
"You don't understand, Rainbow Dash," cried Soarin, taking in a deep sigh. "Ever since you became a wonderbolt, I've always wanted to look up to somepony just as ponies look up to me."
Rainbow Dash let out a sharp gasp upon what Soarin was trying to say to her. For the first time in her young life, Rainbow Dash was beginning to sense that this elite member of the Wonderbolts had more than just respect for her.
"Rainbow Dash," grunted Soarin, his words jumbled up and causing him to not say what he needed to say clearly. "I've admired you for how dedicated you are to the Wonderbolts and I could never live with myself if you were banned from us. So, after I told you what I said, I drafted this letter of resignation if I had to ban you."
It was becoming clear to Rainbow Dash that this letter was no longer valid now that she had been cleared of any wrongdoing in getting rid of Spitfire. What was important was that Spitfire was back and that Wind Rider was on the streets, looking for a job.
"Then tear it up," she said, smiling. "You don't need it anymore Soarin and no matter what happens, I'm always going to be a Wonderbolt, whether I get banned or not."
This caused Soarin to smile as he took the letter and ripped it up into pieces, knowing now that Rainbow Dash was always going to be a Wonderbolt to him.
"Now, I'd better make my way down to the hall before anypony wonders where I am," said Rainbow Dash. "Guess I'd better leave you to rest, Soarin. You've had a long day after all."
But Soarin had other ideas as he threw on his dress uniform. This was a sign to Rainbow Dash that Soarin had come to his senses and was now clearing his mind of the depression that he had put himself under.
"Are you kidding?" he cried excitedly. "I wouldn't miss all this for the world, Rainbow Dash! Not to mention the pies! Come on! We'd better get down there before all the pies are gone!"
So, Soarin was dressed and he followed Rainbow Dash down to the ballroom, knowing that Rainbow Dash was always going to be in his life, whether they were Wonderbolts or not.
