The Fires of Darknessby JohnfreemanweponChaptersLament of a ComatoseAwakeningProposalLament of a ComatoseSpitfire flew over the landscape from Twilight’s library and blinding speed, carrying herself towards Rainbow Dash with all her might- she was in deep, deep trouble. As she arrived at the palace of the two sisters- the hiding place of the residual evil that was Nightmare Moon- she saw what appeared to be a hydra fighting 6 ponies- or, what was left of 6 ponies. All but one was struck down. That one in particular had a rainbow colored mane and a cyan body- Dashie. Spitfire swooped down low as the hydra charged at Dashie, taking one swipe at her as she made one mistake- a mistake that almost proved fatal. Flying as fast as she could, she rammed the hydra, sending it skidding across the ground as it swiped at her, knocking her into the ground. Bruised and battered, she once again flew up and rammed the beast- still, it seemed to have no effect. The hydra yelled something- probably a taunt- but Spitfire was too hyped on adrenaline to note what was said exactly. For the third time, Spitfire attacked the beast with all her might only to be struck down into the mud. As she slowly felt consciousness slip away, she crawled towards Dash while the hydra, fully under the control of Nightmare Moon, threw up obstacles to slow her. She powered through it, desperate to meet her lover in a kiss at least one last time- one final act of defiance from the great Spitfire. More was said by Nightmare, but again Spitfire paid it no heed. She was determined to see her lover’s face at least once more. After she finally reached Dashie- in what seemed to be an agonizingly long amount of time- she kissed her. Suddenly, a beam of rainbow colored light surrounded the two, and an amazing thing happened- all 6 of the ponies were revived, yawning as if they had just been in a deep sleep. All expressions turned first to that of awe, and then to that of determination as they saw the two surrounded by light, locked in a loose embrace. Dash herself, having been knocked out by her earlier altercation with the hydra, woke up to find herself in the warmth of Spitfire’s forelegs and pressed up against her, returning the kiss passionately. As a beam of light fired at Nightmare, finally eradicating that which was evil with the world, Spitfire slowly lost consciousness. This was the last she would remember from before the coma. *** Spitfire was confused. She had just passed out, and now she was in a dark, cold reality- floating in her own subconscious. Faces of friends, family, past lovers, fans, royalty... all passed in front of her eyes. But after a while, only two remained. Those two were Rainbow Dash... and Soarin. Even more confused now, Spitfire looked from one to the other, weighing her choices. She had known Soarin since before any of this business with Rainbow Dash- hell, she had known him since the Wonderbolts were simply a thing of her imagination. But then there was Dashie, the mare who had stolen her heart... The mare to turn her from 100% straight to a... what would you call it? Bi-sexual? … Whatever. She had so many good memories with Rainbow, even though all that had happened occurred during the past couple weeks. Even though it had to mix her up with what happened between her and Soarin... She didn’t regret it. None of the personal hardships, none of the emotional issues, none of the nights when she cried herself to sleep could make her regret what had happened between her and Rainbow. As quickly as she could think this, her lovers were whisked away and replaced by a familiar scene- one that had played in Spitfire’s mind over and over again for the past few weeks. It was the day Soarin decided to air out his feelings for her. *** It was a bright day, hovering near Stalliongrad in the Wonderbolts' track- the warm sun lit the tired faces of the five elite pegasi as they cooled off from the practice that they just completed. All were content and happy at another job well done- all but Soarin. Noticing that her second-in-command was noticeably vexed, she pulled him aside and asked him what was wrong, his eyes darting from side to side like he wanted no one in the universe to see this conversation. His response, at first, was unsatisfying- “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Don’t tell me that. I’m your captain, and your best friend. Whatever it is, you can trust me with it,” Spitfire replied. “...” “What? Spit it out, man.” “Have... Have you ever thought we could be more than just teammates? More than just friends?” She had never seen him this... defenseless looking... before. She was caught off guard by everything that had just happened- somewhere in between being hit by the moon, and a train. “...” “Spitfire?” “...” “... Oh Celestia, please don’t be mad. If it would help...” “Stop,” she said, simply. Spitfire stared into the eyes of her friend and teammate Soarin, her ever constant companion and one of the best fliers she knew. Gone was the smug confidence in his abilities, gone was the macho stallion persona she had seen so often since they hit it big, replaced by a boyish terror that he had just driven away one of the best friends he had. Sighing heavily, she opened her mouth, trying to form the right words for her to tell Soarin; “I... I’m not sure what to think about what you just asked. I...” “Don’t say anything, I can tell you don’t want to be anything more. Just friends, right? I’m ok with tha-” She cut him off, pulling him close and giving him a kiss. More than just a ‘friends’ kiss. “Just shut up, ok? I was going to say, I don’t know how well this will go, and I don’t know what could happen, but I know I’ll give it a shot. It seems like it means a lot to you.” Soarin’s expression immediately brightened, changing from one of self doubt and preoccupation to one she had seen so many times before- the Soarin she knew and... Well, did she love him? Of course, she knew she loved him like a brother, but was that the only way...? Time, she supposed, would tell. *** That faded all too quickly, replaced by the first time she met Rainbow Dash- crying on a cloud, weeping about what she had done to Derpy’s late husband. Still mulling over all that she had seen in the first flashback, she felt this next one replaced it all too quickly... Strangely, though, as she drifted into it, she heard the faint voice of Dashie in the background... through all the haze and smoke. If she were in control of her body, it would have put a smile on her face. *** Spitfire was flying. That pretty much described her life, though- fly fast, fly slow, eat, sleep, fly fast, fly slow... This time, she was flying slow and easy. Well, slow in terms of her. Most anyone else would be in awe of how effortlessly she pushes herself through the air. Most anyone, she thought, because of Soarin. Her lover. Her coltfriend. Perhaps, eventually, her fiance- if he has the guts. He was one of the best flyers she knew- not including that one pony, Rainbow Dash, that she met at the young flyers competition a few months back. Coincidentally, she saw the trademarked multi-colored mane on a cloud below. Seems like she’s napping... Or not. As she drew closer, she heard the faint but obvious sounds of sobbing coming from the cloud. Deciding to fly down to comfort her, she landed on the cloud softly. *** Sleep. That’s what this reminded her of. A troubled sleep. And it was only getting more confusing. This was only the beginning, she felt.... *** Spitfire finished practice with the Wonderbolts quite early. She was trying to step up the program, even instating a “Two weeks in hell” program before they could start training. Really, it was just to stop people from pestering her about joining so she could spend more time with Soarin, and in the process the team would get better. Soarin met her inside her office, smiling brightly. He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek, hugging her from behind. Spitfire giggled, saying “What’s up, babe?” “Oh, nothing special. Ten more of the recruits were out on medical reasons. Too much for their bodies to handle.” “That’s nice. Hell weeks are fun, aren’t they?” “For us, maybe.” “So? I can bet you not a single one of those recruits will ever regret what they’re going through, and we can’t just let every decent flier on this team.” “Fair. But still, don’t you think you should let that... what was it... Rainbow Dash on the team? She IS the only pony to perform a sonic rainboom.” “There are a lot of ponies who are the first to perform a lot of things. Doesn’t mean we can let them all on the team.” Soarin kissed Spitfire’s neck lovingly, garnering a shudder from the orange pony. “I love it when you get all ‘team captain’ like this... it’s really sexy...” he said, rather quietly as a smile grew across Spitfire’s face. Getting up from her seat, Spitfire turned around, a lustful look in her eyes. “So, you think I’m sexy, do ya? Or is this all just a ploy?” “Both.” Laughing softly, Spitfire kissed Soarin passionately, pushing him back onto a desk. Surprised, Soarin jokingly said “isn’t it the other way around?” “Only if you’re with someone else other than me, yeah.” Soarin was startled, before a cocky look came across his face. (A/N: I swear to god, this innuendo was not intended.) “You are seriously going to do this in your office? Not the most romantic environment.” “As if I could ever get any privacy in my own home. This place is at least guarded. And since when did you give a shit about romanticism?” “Since when did we have a two week selection process?” “Since I wanted to. Now shut up.” “Sure thing, babe.” *** Very unromantic, just as she remembered. Just how she liked it. Then again, it had grown on her with Dashie... Laughing softly, remembering all the times she had spent with Rainbow. Another fade out... it really was just the beginning, wasn’t it? *** Spitfire was perplexed. She had just met Rainbow Dash, a girl she had secretly admired from the day she met her... and in her weakened state, she had made her move and kissed her... Just then, Soarin walked into her office, smiling his goofy smile like always. “What’s up, ‘Fire?” “Not much, Soarin. Just doing some paperwork.” “Nice. Always fun. I was training the rookies, and I must say, they are very good fliers. Looks like the selection worked well.” “Good to know.” “...” “Soarin?” “Yeah... Uh... Spitfire, something seems wrong. Is there, or am I just imagining things?” Sighing, Spitfire got up from her desk, looking directly at Soarin’s eyes. “Listen, Soarin... I love you, you know that, right?” “... Yeah, why?” “I kissed Rainbow Dash. I think... I have a little bit of a crush on her.” “When you say a bit of a crush, are you just trying to soften the blow?” Soarin said, obviously hurt. Spitfire opened her mouth to speak, but stayed silent, simply nodding. “Well, I don’t know how you thought saying it like that would do anything to help. If she makes you happy, go after her. If I make you happy, stay with me. It’s that simple.” “... It’s really not, Soarin...” “You only really fucking knew the mare for a few days! In fact, LESS!” “Soarin....” “SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! I gave you all I had! I GAVE YOU MYSELF! IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!” “...I...” “Yeah. YOU. That’s what I thought. WHEN have we talked about how I feel, huh? HOW DOES SOARIN FEEL? WHAT DOES HE THINK ABOUT ALL THIS? Well let me fucking tell YOU something; I LOVE YOU. I thought you felt the same, but obviously you don’t...” Spitfire cringed, hearing Soarin yell like this... It wasn’t like him. He was never this... animated, violent, whatever you want to call this... monster. Soarin’s expression suddenly changed; seeing her like this was unbearable to him. Walking up to her and placing a hoof on her cheek lightly, he hugged her. “Oh.... Shit...” Spitfire leaned into the hug, crying into his mane. “I-I... I love you... I really, truly do...” “I know... I know...” “I just... I want to test this sorta thing out, alright? I don’t know if I’m ready for a huge commitment, and I want to know if we... if we’re right.” “Just.... do what makes you happy, Ok?” “Y-Y-you do make me happy, Soarin! That’s the problem! I don’t know how she makes me feel, not yet, at least!” “Well, maybe it’d be best to figure that out, ‘Fire. I don’t mind waiting. Just so long as you’re happy.” “D-do you mean it?” Soarin looked up, nodding wisely. “Love always has a way of finding the right person. I just know that if we’re right together, we’ll end up that way. Together. If not... there’s plenty of time for me.” Spitfire smiled weakly, leaning in and kissing him. That familiar adrenaline rush shot through her body, and she melted into him- just one more for the road, she guessed. Just one more. *** Darkness again. “Every time it’s about to get good...” This time, she didn’t go back to her memories. Was this an intermission of some kind? An interruption? A break from her own subconscious? Regardless, it finally gave her time to think. What was holding her back? Did she really care about Soarin that much? That even in the darkness of her own mind, he was one of the only focal points she had? One of the only two points of light hidden behind that fiery mane? A sudden realization hit her. Was he the last wall between her and Rainbow Dash? Was the bond between her and the blue pegasus mare really that strong, that it had obliterated every barrier of sex, location and now, the only one left... love? This is going to take a bit. Suddenly, she remembered a small black box... It was in her pocket the day she fought the hydra. Was it still there? Did she even know who she was going to give it to? Before she faded to black, her mind was filled with images of her, in a white dress, standing next to a faceless pony. It was... horrifying, to say the least. AwakeningRainbow’s house... a familiar sight. She saw herself, cuddled loosely in the arms of Rainbow Dash -- keeping the thoughts of betrayal and Soarin out of her mind. This was the only way she could keep herself away from the screaming crowds- and the saddened, dead eyes of Soarin. She didn’t realize at the time, however, exactly how badly either of those hurt her. Nuzzling Rainbow Dash lightly, she decided to bring up the one topic she never had. “R-Rainbow... H-how would you like to meet Soarin?” Rainbow gasped. “S-Soarin? Vice Captain of the Wonderbolts? R-really?” Spitfire nodded. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but I just.... I didn’t know if it would be an intrusion or not.” “A surprise? So you were planning this?” “Mmhm. Since day 1. So... what do you think?” “Hell yeah! I’d fucking love to!” Spitfire smiled, kissing her gently and resting her head on Rainbow’s chest. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all. *** Or maybe it would plague her thoughts for eternity. Fucking hell, this wasn’t just SHOWING her the old thoughts. It was giving her the old sensations, too. Nothing about this seemed to make sense—Nothing. All she could do was sit and watch as all of her heartbreak, all of her pain was given back to her. Was this what it was really like, back then? This... Pain... this suffering? She didn’t remember it being this bad. But... Was she hearing something? It... it sounded like... Rainbow Dash... Reading? *** “So... you and Rainbow.... Are you two a couple now?” “I... Don’t know. Soarin, I really do love you. It’s just.... Me and her.... We just... Work. I don’t know.” “What is it that makes her so amazing?” “I don’t know. She just is.” “...” “I know that it’s messed up. I know that it’s stupid. I know you feel wronged. Damnit, I feel EVERYTHING you’re feeling. I just don’t know what to say to you. I tried to resist... But... It makes no sense to me. What she does... how she acts... I can’t help but fucking love her for it.” “... You can’t love two people, Spitfire...” “Oh, really? Well, damn, I must be impossible,” Spitfire said, falling down onto the couch. Soarin trotted over to her, hugging her tightly and laying next to her. “I just want you to be happy. I love you, and regardless of who you choose I’ll stay your friend. I promise.” Spitfire looked into his eyes, stroking his cheek lightly. “Thank you...” “No need, ‘Fire. It’s out of self interest.” Spitfire giggled, leaning up and kissing him gently. Soarin took this as an invitation, pressing back up against her and holding her close, breaking the kiss and nuzzling her. “I love you, Soarin...” *** Spitfire’s eyes darted from pony to pony, with more questions than answers. “Why is this still happening? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ALL FOR?!” Her yells echoed across the vast emptiness, Dash and Soarin still oblivious to her presence. Spitfire wasn’t expecting an answer, but what she got— Total and absolute silence— was far from expected. Was she really alone? Lost in her own mind, waiting to be rescued? Could she force her way out? … Was she... dead? The darkness started coming back, fading her out of her own thoughts. Spitfire screamed out, “NO! DAMNIT! I’M NOT R-” and was silenced. *** The day had finally arrived; the day that Spitfire planned for Rainbow and Soarin to meet. Convincing Soarin had taken some doing—he wasn’t too keen on the idea of meeting the mare that had taken his fillyfriend away from him. However, in the end, he accepted it simply because she told him to. In all honesty, he really did seem to love her. Every single time she ever did anything wrong he just kept forgiving her and... He just... He never gave up. It takes a lot to forgive every mistake someone has made—especially when there are as many to forgive as in the case of Spitfire. There was probably more behind his mask, something she had done that he could never forgive her for. But he was damn good at hiding it. Spitfire looked up, realizing that she had been spacing out. In front of her were 20 pegasi, all looking at her expectantly. After minutes of awkward silence, one of them spoke up; “well,” he said, “are we done for the day or do you have something else we need to do?” Gathering herself, Spitfire responded “Yeah... we’re good. Good job today, guys. See you all same time tomorrow—it’s going to be a hell of a practice. I promise you that.” The crowd dispersed, chatting amongst themselves. Spitfire breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she was able to pull herself out of dreamland fast enough so they didn’t think something was wrong. A single pony lagged behind the rest: Soarin. “Well, you ready?” “As I’ll ever be.” *** “Hurry up, Soarin! We’re late!” Spitfire yelled against the roaring wind. “Aren’t you always?” he replied. Spitfire shot him a glance of disgust before shouting “there’s her house!” and landing softly on the cloud that supported it. She ran a hoof through her mane, hoping to make herself presentable. Soarin landed next to her with a dull thud, watching her fix her mane. “Ya look fine, ‘Fire.” “Really?” “I think so.” “Lovely,” she rolled her eyes, hesitating as she got to the door. “Soarin, you are going to be civil, right? I know how much she’s inadvertently hurt you...” “Inadvertently is the key term there, Fire. It wasn’t out of spite, and you care about her too. That’s enough for me. Besides, she saved my pie.” Spitfire giggled, thinking back to Rainbow’s antics to impress them at the Grand Galloping Gala. After a few seconds, Soarin stopped her by asking “Shall we?” “Oh... of course.” “After you.” *** Spitfire remembered that day. Rainbow meeting Soarin had been so much more successful than she had expected, and both had made a wonderful impression on each other. Even Soarin admitted she was perfect for Spitfire, and Rainbow never needed much convincing of that. Spitfire sighed lightly, looking from one to the other once more. Soarin was always going to be her friend, she realized this. Dash.... She seemed like someone who would try to make friendships work no matter what. Even so, it wasn’t about who would stay friends and who wouldn’t, it was about who Spitfire loved more... wasn’t it? She thought for a while, wondering who she could see living with more—of course, it was to no avail. Right now, the only 2 images in her mind were those forced upon her- the likenesses of Rainbow and Soarin. Is there even a way to find out who she loved more? Was there a way to figure it out at all? Either way, it would probably take a long time to figure out. For all Spitfire knew, she would be floating around in here forever... Unless... Well, that’s just it, isn’t it? She had all the time she needed to figure it out. She could probably just sit and think forever—or, whatever forever passed for now. But what was this place? She hadn’t even figured that out yet. It was obviously her own mind, but less than obvious was why she felt so... real inside of it. Was she dead? Did something happen? She knew she had saved Rainbow from... something. Hell, she was even forgetting what happened! Panicking now, Spitfire screamed “Let me out!” hearing it echo against the emptiness of her consciousness. She sat, crying, looking into the eyes of Soarin, and then to Rainbow. Curling in a ball, she would give anything for a hug. From who... it didn’t really matter. *** Spitfire woke with a start. Instead of the dark walls of her own consciousness, she saw the off white walls and soft lighting of a hospital room. She stretched her wings, groaning softly before seeing Dashie across the room from her. “How long was I out?” she asked, yawning. *** The next few days were more a time for thinking for Spitfire: deciding what she felt, figuring out who she cared more about... It took a lot of time, but eventually she figured out who she wanted to be with. She thought. A lot of the time, it seemed, you really didn’t know what you had until it was gone. Soarin? He wasn’t ever going to be gone. The chemistry between them was really just not as strong as it used to be, but they were still definitely friends. He did, however, start talking to her less and less as time went on—Spitfire wasn’t really sure what to make of that. Whether he resented her for leaving him in favor of another mare, or if it was simply coincidental was completely out of her control. Then there was Rainbow Dash. Recounting the days in the Hospital to her over dinner, helping her around town to make sure she hadn’t strained herself... She was being so... sweet lately. Well, this wasn’t really a recent development. Dash had always had to put up with Spitfire being late from practice, distant because she was in thought, conflicted between her and Soarin... the list never really ended. Tonight, however, Spitfire planned to make it up to her. She had one simple plan—just one—that would change both of their lives forever. And it all revolved around a little black box. (A/N: a little black box? A little black box!) ProposalIt took a long while for Spitfire to finally come to terms with what she planned to do in less than an hour. In fact, the reality of the subject had not fully sunken in by the time she landed at Dashie’s door- far from it, she seemed even less prepared than a few days ago when she bought the ring, were that even possible. She had less than an hour before she would ask this mare- this beautiful, beautiful mare- to live with her. For as long as they were both alive. Forever. The more Spitfire thought about it, the more she wanted it to happen- but more so, the more nervous she became. No biggie, she thought. She had performed in front of thousands of cheering spectators, how hard could proposing to the mare she loved be? *** It was taking FOREVER for there to be a “right moment”- hell, Spitfire had long ago considered just pulling her to the side and asking her. Dash kept moving back and forth, getting everything “just right”-- for whom, neither pony really knew. Spitfire had to make herself content with watching Dashie run back and forth, carrying random odds and ends and either filing them away somewhere or tossing them out. It was quite amusing, seeing her tail blur in a rainbow and watching her speed in and out of her room at top speed. The randomness of the junk thrown away was probably worthy of a late night comic routine in Canterlot. But it still wasn’t right. All the night, the task which Spitfire thought so readily at hand was pushed farther and farther from her mind, and it irritated her. Spitfire sighed, turning around and staring at the box in her hands. This really was gonna be a hell of a tough night to get over with. At least the audiences she performed for paid attention. There was one thing to say for this disturbed loneliness- if she tuned out Dashie’s antics just right, it was possible to hear herself think; A fact she decided to utilize to its full extent to contemplate what she was going to say. Hell, what IS she going to say? How is she going to ask? What if Dash says no? This isn’t like asking someone out for the first time. This is asking to be bonded to someone FOR LIFE. It isn’t exactly a one time thing. That’s all that Spitfire’s relationships were before she and Soarin started dating. Hell, she expected Dash to be a “hit it and quit it” kinda thing. Now her hooves were cold, and she needed to make a decision fast. “Come on, Fire. Just ask her. There she is right now, she’s finally ready to just relax... Jeez. Took her long enough,” Spitfire thought to herself. “Holyfuckshe’srightontopofmerightnowwhatdoIdo.” “Did ya mean to say that outloud?” “What?” “That. Right there. Did you mean to say that or did it just.... slip out?” Disregarding the innuendo, she answered “It just slipped out.” Rainbow snickered. Spitfire just sighed, silencing her. “Are you ok?” Rainbow asked. “Mmm....” “I’m serious. What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “Tell me. I need to know.” Spitfire stared into Rainbow’s eyes, smiling softly before hiding her head and exhaling. When she looked back up, Dash had her brow furrowed, with a cautious look in her eyes. “Am I doing something wrong?” Spitfire smiled “No. Celestia, no.” Spitfire lay there, thinking. She stared at the mare in front of her eyes; caring for her even when she didn’t know what was wrong, wanting to know without any regard for what she was feeling. Reckless. Stupid, to some degree. “You couldn’t be doing anything more right.” “Then what’s wrong?” “That’s the point, NOTHING is wrong. Dash, we’ve been through hell together. And that means the world to me.” Spitfire sighed, rolling off of rainbows lap and standing up. She reached into her pocket with her forehoof, grasping the object of the night’s activities. “This is it,” Spitfire thought. “This is what I’ve been needing to do the whole night.” Time slowed down as Spitfire finally kneeled over, still smiling and staring into the questioning expression on Dashie’s face. “Rainbow Dash...” “Spitfire?” “You’ve saved me more times than you can imagine. You saved me the night we both almost died, you saved me from my own mind....” “Huh?” “Without you, I’m worthless. I couldn’t survive a day alone without you anymore- however cliché that sounds.” Rainbow Dash gasped. Spitfire held her hoof to her mouth. “Let me finish. Rainbow Dash, I love you. Will you marry me?” “OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!!!” “Is that a yes?” “Yes. Yes it is,” Dash said, crying happily and tackling her new fiancé to the ground, embracing her. Spitfire teared up, the stress from the night releasing and the happiness she now felt coursing through her body. *** “Why does my wedding dress have to be RAINBOW?” “Because, Darling, you must- SIMPLY MUST- incorporate some of yourself into this dress.” “But what about all that... Fru fru lace and stuff?” “I’ll..... look into it,” Rarity said, almost gagging. It was obvious how little time Rainbow actually spent acting girly. She was terrible at it. “Great. I have to go talk to Applejack about the food for the reception. I’ll catch ya later, Rarity!” Sighing, Rarity turned to her cat Opalesence “Did you ever think you’d see the day that Rainbow Dash herself acted like a true mare?” Opalesence meowed in response, clearly bored by the question. Or perhaps her owner. Whatever the case, Rarity had a lot of work to do. *** “Rainbow, you should relax. Ah’m tellin ya, yer stressin out way too much ‘bout this.” “No, it kinda needs to be perfect. You usually only get one shot at a wedding.” “There is such a thing as over-preparing....” “Since when?” “Rainbow, Ah’m not gonna argue about this. Go home. Relax. We’ve all got this under control!” Rainbow sighed before saying “Okay. I’m just gonna stop off and see the surprise Twilight is setting up for me.” Applejack sized her up, making sure she was telling the truth. “Ya mean it?” “Yeah.” “You’ll go straight home?” “Yep.” “You won’t stress about this at all?” “Not even a little.” “... Alrighty then.” *** “Fireworks? What’s so special about that?” “It’s what KIND of fireworks they are, Rainbow. I had zecora help me make an enchantable gunpowder- capable of holding anything but the highest level of enchantments. All I need is a simple telekinesis spell, however, so it will suffice.” “And that means...?” “Let’s just say it will bring pyrotechnics to a whole new level.” “Meaning...?” “Imagine seeing the most awesome thing in the history of Equestria in the sky and made of fire.” “... That IS pretty awesome...” “Exactly. But until then, I need to be sure my math checks out and that I won’t kill anyone. Meaning I need you to go home and leave me to my work. I apologize if that seems blunt.” “It’s fine, I need to get some rest anyway. Spitfire probably misses me.” Twilight smiled as Rainbow left the house. Seeing her that happy is something to work hard for. Sighing, she flopped down on the couch. It was all she and her friends could do to keep her from being bridezilla, let alone actually enjoying herself and relaxing. Spitfire had taken care of all this in advance, maneuvering in the shadows, using all of her time to full potential. Double and triple booking, even. Maybe they both worked a little too hard, but like Twilight they were both overachievers. Nothing had ever stopped either of them from achieving their goals before. In a way, Twilight almost wished it were her getting married instead of Spitfire. *** Rainbow crash landed on her bed, groaning as she closed her eyes. The strain was killing her. Hopefully it would all be worth it in the end, but as of yet she wasn’t really sure what she was even supposed to be doing. “Maybe I should see if Twilight has any books on wedding planning...” She sighed, rolling over in bed “or I could just take a nap...” *** Spitfire chuckled as Twilight recounted Rainbow’s antics to her. Neither of them ever told the other what they were doing about the wedding, so they ended up doing the same things a lot of the time. It was a little adorable seeing Rainbow work herself to the bone, but it was also worrying. She didn’t need to give herself a panic attack; the wedding is still several months off. Twilight finished off her demonstration with a bang- literally. A final rocket launched into the night sky, exploding into the wonderbolt emblem. “Looks good.” “It should, for how much work I did.” “Thanks for letting me come out here, Twilight, but I need to get home.” “Hey, Spitfire?” “Yes?” “Is everything okay with you and Rainbow right now? You guys don’t really seem to get much time together anymore.” “I’m.... working on it.” “Well.... good luck.” “Thanks.” After Spitfire left, Twilight slumped over onto the couch. “That was probably one of the most awkward conversations I’ve ever had.” Sadly, that probably wasn’t entirely true. Twilight stared out into the night sky, wondering, just as she did the first time she had ever stared upwards, if there was someone else out there feeling just the same way Rainbow Dash did towards Spitfire, and vise versa. In a way, she doubted it. She wanted to doubt it. Something like what the two of them had- a life or death bond, honest to goodness love and lifelong companionship- was only once in a million, million years. Staring through her telescope, she suddenly had an idea- rainbows are created when light is refracted through a prism, as Newponian states in his Principia Mathematica, so wouldn’t that mean that stars- giant balls of FIRE- were made of rainbows? It was a pleasant, childish thought, but it surely made Twilight giggle. “I only hope it lasts a lifetime...” she mused, finally drifting off to sleep. To be continued.
Lament of a ComatoseSpitfire flew over the landscape from Twilight’s library and blinding speed, carrying herself towards Rainbow Dash with all her might- she was in deep, deep trouble. As she arrived at the palace of the two sisters- the hiding place of the residual evil that was Nightmare Moon- she saw what appeared to be a hydra fighting 6 ponies- or, what was left of 6 ponies. All but one was struck down. That one in particular had a rainbow colored mane and a cyan body- Dashie. Spitfire swooped down low as the hydra charged at Dashie, taking one swipe at her as she made one mistake- a mistake that almost proved fatal. Flying as fast as she could, she rammed the hydra, sending it skidding across the ground as it swiped at her, knocking her into the ground. Bruised and battered, she once again flew up and rammed the beast- still, it seemed to have no effect. The hydra yelled something- probably a taunt- but Spitfire was too hyped on adrenaline to note what was said exactly. For the third time, Spitfire attacked the beast with all her might only to be struck down into the mud. As she slowly felt consciousness slip away, she crawled towards Dash while the hydra, fully under the control of Nightmare Moon, threw up obstacles to slow her. She powered through it, desperate to meet her lover in a kiss at least one last time- one final act of defiance from the great Spitfire. More was said by Nightmare, but again Spitfire paid it no heed. She was determined to see her lover’s face at least once more. After she finally reached Dashie- in what seemed to be an agonizingly long amount of time- she kissed her. Suddenly, a beam of rainbow colored light surrounded the two, and an amazing thing happened- all 6 of the ponies were revived, yawning as if they had just been in a deep sleep. All expressions turned first to that of awe, and then to that of determination as they saw the two surrounded by light, locked in a loose embrace. Dash herself, having been knocked out by her earlier altercation with the hydra, woke up to find herself in the warmth of Spitfire’s forelegs and pressed up against her, returning the kiss passionately. As a beam of light fired at Nightmare, finally eradicating that which was evil with the world, Spitfire slowly lost consciousness. This was the last she would remember from before the coma. *** Spitfire was confused. She had just passed out, and now she was in a dark, cold reality- floating in her own subconscious. Faces of friends, family, past lovers, fans, royalty... all passed in front of her eyes. But after a while, only two remained. Those two were Rainbow Dash... and Soarin. Even more confused now, Spitfire looked from one to the other, weighing her choices. She had known Soarin since before any of this business with Rainbow Dash- hell, she had known him since the Wonderbolts were simply a thing of her imagination. But then there was Dashie, the mare who had stolen her heart... The mare to turn her from 100% straight to a... what would you call it? Bi-sexual? … Whatever. She had so many good memories with Rainbow, even though all that had happened occurred during the past couple weeks. Even though it had to mix her up with what happened between her and Soarin... She didn’t regret it. None of the personal hardships, none of the emotional issues, none of the nights when she cried herself to sleep could make her regret what had happened between her and Rainbow. As quickly as she could think this, her lovers were whisked away and replaced by a familiar scene- one that had played in Spitfire’s mind over and over again for the past few weeks. It was the day Soarin decided to air out his feelings for her. *** It was a bright day, hovering near Stalliongrad in the Wonderbolts' track- the warm sun lit the tired faces of the five elite pegasi as they cooled off from the practice that they just completed. All were content and happy at another job well done- all but Soarin. Noticing that her second-in-command was noticeably vexed, she pulled him aside and asked him what was wrong, his eyes darting from side to side like he wanted no one in the universe to see this conversation. His response, at first, was unsatisfying- “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Don’t tell me that. I’m your captain, and your best friend. Whatever it is, you can trust me with it,” Spitfire replied. “...” “What? Spit it out, man.” “Have... Have you ever thought we could be more than just teammates? More than just friends?” She had never seen him this... defenseless looking... before. She was caught off guard by everything that had just happened- somewhere in between being hit by the moon, and a train. “...” “Spitfire?” “...” “... Oh Celestia, please don’t be mad. If it would help...” “Stop,” she said, simply. Spitfire stared into the eyes of her friend and teammate Soarin, her ever constant companion and one of the best fliers she knew. Gone was the smug confidence in his abilities, gone was the macho stallion persona she had seen so often since they hit it big, replaced by a boyish terror that he had just driven away one of the best friends he had. Sighing heavily, she opened her mouth, trying to form the right words for her to tell Soarin; “I... I’m not sure what to think about what you just asked. I...” “Don’t say anything, I can tell you don’t want to be anything more. Just friends, right? I’m ok with tha-” She cut him off, pulling him close and giving him a kiss. More than just a ‘friends’ kiss. “Just shut up, ok? I was going to say, I don’t know how well this will go, and I don’t know what could happen, but I know I’ll give it a shot. It seems like it means a lot to you.” Soarin’s expression immediately brightened, changing from one of self doubt and preoccupation to one she had seen so many times before- the Soarin she knew and... Well, did she love him? Of course, she knew she loved him like a brother, but was that the only way...? Time, she supposed, would tell. *** That faded all too quickly, replaced by the first time she met Rainbow Dash- crying on a cloud, weeping about what she had done to Derpy’s late husband. Still mulling over all that she had seen in the first flashback, she felt this next one replaced it all too quickly... Strangely, though, as she drifted into it, she heard the faint voice of Dashie in the background... through all the haze and smoke. If she were in control of her body, it would have put a smile on her face. *** Spitfire was flying. That pretty much described her life, though- fly fast, fly slow, eat, sleep, fly fast, fly slow... This time, she was flying slow and easy. Well, slow in terms of her. Most anyone else would be in awe of how effortlessly she pushes herself through the air. Most anyone, she thought, because of Soarin. Her lover. Her coltfriend. Perhaps, eventually, her fiance- if he has the guts. He was one of the best flyers she knew- not including that one pony, Rainbow Dash, that she met at the young flyers competition a few months back. Coincidentally, she saw the trademarked multi-colored mane on a cloud below. Seems like she’s napping... Or not. As she drew closer, she heard the faint but obvious sounds of sobbing coming from the cloud. Deciding to fly down to comfort her, she landed on the cloud softly. *** Sleep. That’s what this reminded her of. A troubled sleep. And it was only getting more confusing. This was only the beginning, she felt.... *** Spitfire finished practice with the Wonderbolts quite early. She was trying to step up the program, even instating a “Two weeks in hell” program before they could start training. Really, it was just to stop people from pestering her about joining so she could spend more time with Soarin, and in the process the team would get better. Soarin met her inside her office, smiling brightly. He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek, hugging her from behind. Spitfire giggled, saying “What’s up, babe?” “Oh, nothing special. Ten more of the recruits were out on medical reasons. Too much for their bodies to handle.” “That’s nice. Hell weeks are fun, aren’t they?” “For us, maybe.” “So? I can bet you not a single one of those recruits will ever regret what they’re going through, and we can’t just let every decent flier on this team.” “Fair. But still, don’t you think you should let that... what was it... Rainbow Dash on the team? She IS the only pony to perform a sonic rainboom.” “There are a lot of ponies who are the first to perform a lot of things. Doesn’t mean we can let them all on the team.” Soarin kissed Spitfire’s neck lovingly, garnering a shudder from the orange pony. “I love it when you get all ‘team captain’ like this... it’s really sexy...” he said, rather quietly as a smile grew across Spitfire’s face. Getting up from her seat, Spitfire turned around, a lustful look in her eyes. “So, you think I’m sexy, do ya? Or is this all just a ploy?” “Both.” Laughing softly, Spitfire kissed Soarin passionately, pushing him back onto a desk. Surprised, Soarin jokingly said “isn’t it the other way around?” “Only if you’re with someone else other than me, yeah.” Soarin was startled, before a cocky look came across his face. (A/N: I swear to god, this innuendo was not intended.) “You are seriously going to do this in your office? Not the most romantic environment.” “As if I could ever get any privacy in my own home. This place is at least guarded. And since when did you give a shit about romanticism?” “Since when did we have a two week selection process?” “Since I wanted to. Now shut up.” “Sure thing, babe.” *** Very unromantic, just as she remembered. Just how she liked it. Then again, it had grown on her with Dashie... Laughing softly, remembering all the times she had spent with Rainbow. Another fade out... it really was just the beginning, wasn’t it? *** Spitfire was perplexed. She had just met Rainbow Dash, a girl she had secretly admired from the day she met her... and in her weakened state, she had made her move and kissed her... Just then, Soarin walked into her office, smiling his goofy smile like always. “What’s up, ‘Fire?” “Not much, Soarin. Just doing some paperwork.” “Nice. Always fun. I was training the rookies, and I must say, they are very good fliers. Looks like the selection worked well.” “Good to know.” “...” “Soarin?” “Yeah... Uh... Spitfire, something seems wrong. Is there, or am I just imagining things?” Sighing, Spitfire got up from her desk, looking directly at Soarin’s eyes. “Listen, Soarin... I love you, you know that, right?” “... Yeah, why?” “I kissed Rainbow Dash. I think... I have a little bit of a crush on her.” “When you say a bit of a crush, are you just trying to soften the blow?” Soarin said, obviously hurt. Spitfire opened her mouth to speak, but stayed silent, simply nodding. “Well, I don’t know how you thought saying it like that would do anything to help. If she makes you happy, go after her. If I make you happy, stay with me. It’s that simple.” “... It’s really not, Soarin...” “You only really fucking knew the mare for a few days! In fact, LESS!” “Soarin....” “SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! I gave you all I had! I GAVE YOU MYSELF! IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!” “...I...” “Yeah. YOU. That’s what I thought. WHEN have we talked about how I feel, huh? HOW DOES SOARIN FEEL? WHAT DOES HE THINK ABOUT ALL THIS? Well let me fucking tell YOU something; I LOVE YOU. I thought you felt the same, but obviously you don’t...” Spitfire cringed, hearing Soarin yell like this... It wasn’t like him. He was never this... animated, violent, whatever you want to call this... monster. Soarin’s expression suddenly changed; seeing her like this was unbearable to him. Walking up to her and placing a hoof on her cheek lightly, he hugged her. “Oh.... Shit...” Spitfire leaned into the hug, crying into his mane. “I-I... I love you... I really, truly do...” “I know... I know...” “I just... I want to test this sorta thing out, alright? I don’t know if I’m ready for a huge commitment, and I want to know if we... if we’re right.” “Just.... do what makes you happy, Ok?” “Y-Y-you do make me happy, Soarin! That’s the problem! I don’t know how she makes me feel, not yet, at least!” “Well, maybe it’d be best to figure that out, ‘Fire. I don’t mind waiting. Just so long as you’re happy.” “D-do you mean it?” Soarin looked up, nodding wisely. “Love always has a way of finding the right person. I just know that if we’re right together, we’ll end up that way. Together. If not... there’s plenty of time for me.” Spitfire smiled weakly, leaning in and kissing him. That familiar adrenaline rush shot through her body, and she melted into him- just one more for the road, she guessed. Just one more. *** Darkness again. “Every time it’s about to get good...” This time, she didn’t go back to her memories. Was this an intermission of some kind? An interruption? A break from her own subconscious? Regardless, it finally gave her time to think. What was holding her back? Did she really care about Soarin that much? That even in the darkness of her own mind, he was one of the only focal points she had? One of the only two points of light hidden behind that fiery mane? A sudden realization hit her. Was he the last wall between her and Rainbow Dash? Was the bond between her and the blue pegasus mare really that strong, that it had obliterated every barrier of sex, location and now, the only one left... love? This is going to take a bit. Suddenly, she remembered a small black box... It was in her pocket the day she fought the hydra. Was it still there? Did she even know who she was going to give it to? Before she faded to black, her mind was filled with images of her, in a white dress, standing next to a faceless pony. It was... horrifying, to say the least.
AwakeningRainbow’s house... a familiar sight. She saw herself, cuddled loosely in the arms of Rainbow Dash -- keeping the thoughts of betrayal and Soarin out of her mind. This was the only way she could keep herself away from the screaming crowds- and the saddened, dead eyes of Soarin. She didn’t realize at the time, however, exactly how badly either of those hurt her. Nuzzling Rainbow Dash lightly, she decided to bring up the one topic she never had. “R-Rainbow... H-how would you like to meet Soarin?” Rainbow gasped. “S-Soarin? Vice Captain of the Wonderbolts? R-really?” Spitfire nodded. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but I just.... I didn’t know if it would be an intrusion or not.” “A surprise? So you were planning this?” “Mmhm. Since day 1. So... what do you think?” “Hell yeah! I’d fucking love to!” Spitfire smiled, kissing her gently and resting her head on Rainbow’s chest. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all. *** Or maybe it would plague her thoughts for eternity. Fucking hell, this wasn’t just SHOWING her the old thoughts. It was giving her the old sensations, too. Nothing about this seemed to make sense—Nothing. All she could do was sit and watch as all of her heartbreak, all of her pain was given back to her. Was this what it was really like, back then? This... Pain... this suffering? She didn’t remember it being this bad. But... Was she hearing something? It... it sounded like... Rainbow Dash... Reading? *** “So... you and Rainbow.... Are you two a couple now?” “I... Don’t know. Soarin, I really do love you. It’s just.... Me and her.... We just... Work. I don’t know.” “What is it that makes her so amazing?” “I don’t know. She just is.” “...” “I know that it’s messed up. I know that it’s stupid. I know you feel wronged. Damnit, I feel EVERYTHING you’re feeling. I just don’t know what to say to you. I tried to resist... But... It makes no sense to me. What she does... how she acts... I can’t help but fucking love her for it.” “... You can’t love two people, Spitfire...” “Oh, really? Well, damn, I must be impossible,” Spitfire said, falling down onto the couch. Soarin trotted over to her, hugging her tightly and laying next to her. “I just want you to be happy. I love you, and regardless of who you choose I’ll stay your friend. I promise.” Spitfire looked into his eyes, stroking his cheek lightly. “Thank you...” “No need, ‘Fire. It’s out of self interest.” Spitfire giggled, leaning up and kissing him gently. Soarin took this as an invitation, pressing back up against her and holding her close, breaking the kiss and nuzzling her. “I love you, Soarin...” *** Spitfire’s eyes darted from pony to pony, with more questions than answers. “Why is this still happening? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ALL FOR?!” Her yells echoed across the vast emptiness, Dash and Soarin still oblivious to her presence. Spitfire wasn’t expecting an answer, but what she got— Total and absolute silence— was far from expected. Was she really alone? Lost in her own mind, waiting to be rescued? Could she force her way out? … Was she... dead? The darkness started coming back, fading her out of her own thoughts. Spitfire screamed out, “NO! DAMNIT! I’M NOT R-” and was silenced. *** The day had finally arrived; the day that Spitfire planned for Rainbow and Soarin to meet. Convincing Soarin had taken some doing—he wasn’t too keen on the idea of meeting the mare that had taken his fillyfriend away from him. However, in the end, he accepted it simply because she told him to. In all honesty, he really did seem to love her. Every single time she ever did anything wrong he just kept forgiving her and... He just... He never gave up. It takes a lot to forgive every mistake someone has made—especially when there are as many to forgive as in the case of Spitfire. There was probably more behind his mask, something she had done that he could never forgive her for. But he was damn good at hiding it. Spitfire looked up, realizing that she had been spacing out. In front of her were 20 pegasi, all looking at her expectantly. After minutes of awkward silence, one of them spoke up; “well,” he said, “are we done for the day or do you have something else we need to do?” Gathering herself, Spitfire responded “Yeah... we’re good. Good job today, guys. See you all same time tomorrow—it’s going to be a hell of a practice. I promise you that.” The crowd dispersed, chatting amongst themselves. Spitfire breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she was able to pull herself out of dreamland fast enough so they didn’t think something was wrong. A single pony lagged behind the rest: Soarin. “Well, you ready?” “As I’ll ever be.” *** “Hurry up, Soarin! We’re late!” Spitfire yelled against the roaring wind. “Aren’t you always?” he replied. Spitfire shot him a glance of disgust before shouting “there’s her house!” and landing softly on the cloud that supported it. She ran a hoof through her mane, hoping to make herself presentable. Soarin landed next to her with a dull thud, watching her fix her mane. “Ya look fine, ‘Fire.” “Really?” “I think so.” “Lovely,” she rolled her eyes, hesitating as she got to the door. “Soarin, you are going to be civil, right? I know how much she’s inadvertently hurt you...” “Inadvertently is the key term there, Fire. It wasn’t out of spite, and you care about her too. That’s enough for me. Besides, she saved my pie.” Spitfire giggled, thinking back to Rainbow’s antics to impress them at the Grand Galloping Gala. After a few seconds, Soarin stopped her by asking “Shall we?” “Oh... of course.” “After you.” *** Spitfire remembered that day. Rainbow meeting Soarin had been so much more successful than she had expected, and both had made a wonderful impression on each other. Even Soarin admitted she was perfect for Spitfire, and Rainbow never needed much convincing of that. Spitfire sighed lightly, looking from one to the other once more. Soarin was always going to be her friend, she realized this. Dash.... She seemed like someone who would try to make friendships work no matter what. Even so, it wasn’t about who would stay friends and who wouldn’t, it was about who Spitfire loved more... wasn’t it? She thought for a while, wondering who she could see living with more—of course, it was to no avail. Right now, the only 2 images in her mind were those forced upon her- the likenesses of Rainbow and Soarin. Is there even a way to find out who she loved more? Was there a way to figure it out at all? Either way, it would probably take a long time to figure out. For all Spitfire knew, she would be floating around in here forever... Unless... Well, that’s just it, isn’t it? She had all the time she needed to figure it out. She could probably just sit and think forever—or, whatever forever passed for now. But what was this place? She hadn’t even figured that out yet. It was obviously her own mind, but less than obvious was why she felt so... real inside of it. Was she dead? Did something happen? She knew she had saved Rainbow from... something. Hell, she was even forgetting what happened! Panicking now, Spitfire screamed “Let me out!” hearing it echo against the emptiness of her consciousness. She sat, crying, looking into the eyes of Soarin, and then to Rainbow. Curling in a ball, she would give anything for a hug. From who... it didn’t really matter. *** Spitfire woke with a start. Instead of the dark walls of her own consciousness, she saw the off white walls and soft lighting of a hospital room. She stretched her wings, groaning softly before seeing Dashie across the room from her. “How long was I out?” she asked, yawning. *** The next few days were more a time for thinking for Spitfire: deciding what she felt, figuring out who she cared more about... It took a lot of time, but eventually she figured out who she wanted to be with. She thought. A lot of the time, it seemed, you really didn’t know what you had until it was gone. Soarin? He wasn’t ever going to be gone. The chemistry between them was really just not as strong as it used to be, but they were still definitely friends. He did, however, start talking to her less and less as time went on—Spitfire wasn’t really sure what to make of that. Whether he resented her for leaving him in favor of another mare, or if it was simply coincidental was completely out of her control. Then there was Rainbow Dash. Recounting the days in the Hospital to her over dinner, helping her around town to make sure she hadn’t strained herself... She was being so... sweet lately. Well, this wasn’t really a recent development. Dash had always had to put up with Spitfire being late from practice, distant because she was in thought, conflicted between her and Soarin... the list never really ended. Tonight, however, Spitfire planned to make it up to her. She had one simple plan—just one—that would change both of their lives forever. And it all revolved around a little black box. (A/N: a little black box? A little black box!)
ProposalIt took a long while for Spitfire to finally come to terms with what she planned to do in less than an hour. In fact, the reality of the subject had not fully sunken in by the time she landed at Dashie’s door- far from it, she seemed even less prepared than a few days ago when she bought the ring, were that even possible. She had less than an hour before she would ask this mare- this beautiful, beautiful mare- to live with her. For as long as they were both alive. Forever. The more Spitfire thought about it, the more she wanted it to happen- but more so, the more nervous she became. No biggie, she thought. She had performed in front of thousands of cheering spectators, how hard could proposing to the mare she loved be? *** It was taking FOREVER for there to be a “right moment”- hell, Spitfire had long ago considered just pulling her to the side and asking her. Dash kept moving back and forth, getting everything “just right”-- for whom, neither pony really knew. Spitfire had to make herself content with watching Dashie run back and forth, carrying random odds and ends and either filing them away somewhere or tossing them out. It was quite amusing, seeing her tail blur in a rainbow and watching her speed in and out of her room at top speed. The randomness of the junk thrown away was probably worthy of a late night comic routine in Canterlot. But it still wasn’t right. All the night, the task which Spitfire thought so readily at hand was pushed farther and farther from her mind, and it irritated her. Spitfire sighed, turning around and staring at the box in her hands. This really was gonna be a hell of a tough night to get over with. At least the audiences she performed for paid attention. There was one thing to say for this disturbed loneliness- if she tuned out Dashie’s antics just right, it was possible to hear herself think; A fact she decided to utilize to its full extent to contemplate what she was going to say. Hell, what IS she going to say? How is she going to ask? What if Dash says no? This isn’t like asking someone out for the first time. This is asking to be bonded to someone FOR LIFE. It isn’t exactly a one time thing. That’s all that Spitfire’s relationships were before she and Soarin started dating. Hell, she expected Dash to be a “hit it and quit it” kinda thing. Now her hooves were cold, and she needed to make a decision fast. “Come on, Fire. Just ask her. There she is right now, she’s finally ready to just relax... Jeez. Took her long enough,” Spitfire thought to herself. “Holyfuckshe’srightontopofmerightnowwhatdoIdo.” “Did ya mean to say that outloud?” “What?” “That. Right there. Did you mean to say that or did it just.... slip out?” Disregarding the innuendo, she answered “It just slipped out.” Rainbow snickered. Spitfire just sighed, silencing her. “Are you ok?” Rainbow asked. “Mmm....” “I’m serious. What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” “Tell me. I need to know.” Spitfire stared into Rainbow’s eyes, smiling softly before hiding her head and exhaling. When she looked back up, Dash had her brow furrowed, with a cautious look in her eyes. “Am I doing something wrong?” Spitfire smiled “No. Celestia, no.” Spitfire lay there, thinking. She stared at the mare in front of her eyes; caring for her even when she didn’t know what was wrong, wanting to know without any regard for what she was feeling. Reckless. Stupid, to some degree. “You couldn’t be doing anything more right.” “Then what’s wrong?” “That’s the point, NOTHING is wrong. Dash, we’ve been through hell together. And that means the world to me.” Spitfire sighed, rolling off of rainbows lap and standing up. She reached into her pocket with her forehoof, grasping the object of the night’s activities. “This is it,” Spitfire thought. “This is what I’ve been needing to do the whole night.” Time slowed down as Spitfire finally kneeled over, still smiling and staring into the questioning expression on Dashie’s face. “Rainbow Dash...” “Spitfire?” “You’ve saved me more times than you can imagine. You saved me the night we both almost died, you saved me from my own mind....” “Huh?” “Without you, I’m worthless. I couldn’t survive a day alone without you anymore- however cliché that sounds.” Rainbow Dash gasped. Spitfire held her hoof to her mouth. “Let me finish. Rainbow Dash, I love you. Will you marry me?” “OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!!!” “Is that a yes?” “Yes. Yes it is,” Dash said, crying happily and tackling her new fiancé to the ground, embracing her. Spitfire teared up, the stress from the night releasing and the happiness she now felt coursing through her body. *** “Why does my wedding dress have to be RAINBOW?” “Because, Darling, you must- SIMPLY MUST- incorporate some of yourself into this dress.” “But what about all that... Fru fru lace and stuff?” “I’ll..... look into it,” Rarity said, almost gagging. It was obvious how little time Rainbow actually spent acting girly. She was terrible at it. “Great. I have to go talk to Applejack about the food for the reception. I’ll catch ya later, Rarity!” Sighing, Rarity turned to her cat Opalesence “Did you ever think you’d see the day that Rainbow Dash herself acted like a true mare?” Opalesence meowed in response, clearly bored by the question. Or perhaps her owner. Whatever the case, Rarity had a lot of work to do. *** “Rainbow, you should relax. Ah’m tellin ya, yer stressin out way too much ‘bout this.” “No, it kinda needs to be perfect. You usually only get one shot at a wedding.” “There is such a thing as over-preparing....” “Since when?” “Rainbow, Ah’m not gonna argue about this. Go home. Relax. We’ve all got this under control!” Rainbow sighed before saying “Okay. I’m just gonna stop off and see the surprise Twilight is setting up for me.” Applejack sized her up, making sure she was telling the truth. “Ya mean it?” “Yeah.” “You’ll go straight home?” “Yep.” “You won’t stress about this at all?” “Not even a little.” “... Alrighty then.” *** “Fireworks? What’s so special about that?” “It’s what KIND of fireworks they are, Rainbow. I had zecora help me make an enchantable gunpowder- capable of holding anything but the highest level of enchantments. All I need is a simple telekinesis spell, however, so it will suffice.” “And that means...?” “Let’s just say it will bring pyrotechnics to a whole new level.” “Meaning...?” “Imagine seeing the most awesome thing in the history of Equestria in the sky and made of fire.” “... That IS pretty awesome...” “Exactly. But until then, I need to be sure my math checks out and that I won’t kill anyone. Meaning I need you to go home and leave me to my work. I apologize if that seems blunt.” “It’s fine, I need to get some rest anyway. Spitfire probably misses me.” Twilight smiled as Rainbow left the house. Seeing her that happy is something to work hard for. Sighing, she flopped down on the couch. It was all she and her friends could do to keep her from being bridezilla, let alone actually enjoying herself and relaxing. Spitfire had taken care of all this in advance, maneuvering in the shadows, using all of her time to full potential. Double and triple booking, even. Maybe they both worked a little too hard, but like Twilight they were both overachievers. Nothing had ever stopped either of them from achieving their goals before. In a way, Twilight almost wished it were her getting married instead of Spitfire. *** Rainbow crash landed on her bed, groaning as she closed her eyes. The strain was killing her. Hopefully it would all be worth it in the end, but as of yet she wasn’t really sure what she was even supposed to be doing. “Maybe I should see if Twilight has any books on wedding planning...” She sighed, rolling over in bed “or I could just take a nap...” *** Spitfire chuckled as Twilight recounted Rainbow’s antics to her. Neither of them ever told the other what they were doing about the wedding, so they ended up doing the same things a lot of the time. It was a little adorable seeing Rainbow work herself to the bone, but it was also worrying. She didn’t need to give herself a panic attack; the wedding is still several months off. Twilight finished off her demonstration with a bang- literally. A final rocket launched into the night sky, exploding into the wonderbolt emblem. “Looks good.” “It should, for how much work I did.” “Thanks for letting me come out here, Twilight, but I need to get home.” “Hey, Spitfire?” “Yes?” “Is everything okay with you and Rainbow right now? You guys don’t really seem to get much time together anymore.” “I’m.... working on it.” “Well.... good luck.” “Thanks.” After Spitfire left, Twilight slumped over onto the couch. “That was probably one of the most awkward conversations I’ve ever had.” Sadly, that probably wasn’t entirely true. Twilight stared out into the night sky, wondering, just as she did the first time she had ever stared upwards, if there was someone else out there feeling just the same way Rainbow Dash did towards Spitfire, and vise versa. In a way, she doubted it. She wanted to doubt it. Something like what the two of them had- a life or death bond, honest to goodness love and lifelong companionship- was only once in a million, million years. Staring through her telescope, she suddenly had an idea- rainbows are created when light is refracted through a prism, as Newponian states in his Principia Mathematica, so wouldn’t that mean that stars- giant balls of FIRE- were made of rainbows? It was a pleasant, childish thought, but it surely made Twilight giggle. “I only hope it lasts a lifetime...” she mused, finally drifting off to sleep. To be continued.
