Those That Bond Together, Stay Together

After the situation with "Blossom," I feel I have to add this to my alerts. Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

Do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash listened attentively to Spitfire. She had just finished telling Rainbow Dash about how she had apologized to the rest of the Cadets after having acted so very arrogantly. The Cadets had welcomed her back into their good graces when she had promised to work harder at being a good teammate. Spitfire had also apologized profusely to Soarin' for having made rude assumptions.

"To my disbelief…," Spitfire added, "Soarin' forgave me without a second thought and even asked if we could be friends. I was so surprised. I had been horrible to him."

"I couldn't see Soarin' holding anything against anypony," Rainbow Dash reflected as she gazed up adoringly at the blushing stallion, "He is the sweetest stallion I've ever met."

"Unless, this 'anypony' tries to hurt one of his life mates," Spitfire explained seriously, "You should have heard what Soarin' said about Discord and what he would do to him if he could get a hold of him. Would have made your hooves curl up."

"Nopony or thing better touch my life mates!" Soarin' growled out as he pulled Rainbow Dash closer against his chest and reached for Spitfire getting angry just thinking about it.

It took some more cuddling and kissing by Spitfire and Rainbow Dash to calm the bonded stallion in Soarin. It was Rainbow Dash who pulled back first with a questioning look on her face. Once again, the rainbow-maned mare curled up against Soarin'.

"I guess it was hard to change after having thought about everypony being your rival?" Rainbow Dash asked as Soarin' tucked the blanket back around the young mare.

"A lot," Spitfire agreed, "But I worked hard with my team and proved to them that I could be a good teammate. We all became really close friends. Soarin' and I made a pretty good double act together and could solve issues in practice very quickly."

"She was great," Soarin' enthused looking at his golden life mate with pride, "Spitfire has always had a real knack for spotting ways to improve a pony's flight skills. It's like she can zero in on what the issue is with eagle-eye precision. She is amazing!"

Spitfire blushed bright red as Rainbow Dash clapped her hooves in agreement. The Pegasus mare hated getting compliments. It was embarrassing.

"Due to Spitfire's skills our squadron became smooth and seamless," Soarin' bragged, "Captain Thundercloud had been ecstatic at our progress and to our delight the Cadets were all added to the performing squadron less than six months after basic training began. We had really shown the whole Wonderbolts team what we could do. We were all so excited to finally wear the official Wonderbolt uniform and perform in live shows and it was all thanks to Spitfire. I couldn't get my mind off of her. She invaded all of my dreams at night. I had always realized from the first day I had met her that Spitfire was one bea-u-ti-ful mare."

"Did you know the bonding was coming?" Rainbow Dash asked innocently.

"No," Soarin' answered as he remembered back, "It took us both by surprise."

Flashback

Soarin' tossed and turned in his bed trying to get some sleep. No matter what position he got in he couldn't get comfortable or settle down. Visions of Spitfire danced in his head without end. Finally, Soarin' got up quietly and left his sleeping roommates behind to walk this nervous energy out of himself. Once outside, the stallion breathed in the crisp night air. Soarin' could feel the grip of fall starting to chill the winds. The moon was full and the stars always seemed to shine brighter on colder evenings.

The beauty of the night inspired the artist in Soarin'. He took flight. He had his father's speed and endurance, but he had also inherited the aero-balletic grace of his mother. He flew like he had not allowed himself to fly in quite some time. It was as if he was dancing in the air to only a song he could hear. Twisting and turning and then gracefully spinning, Soarin' danced as if gravity had no effect on him. He gave himself over to his dance and simply flew.

Spitfire's jaws dropped in utter astonishment at what she was seeing. Also not being able to sleep, the golden Pegasus had gone outside to get some fresh air. She was surprised when a distracted looking Soarin' came outside as well, but then he took to the air as if he didn't see her. His pale blue coat glowed in the moonlight and he flew as if he was a celestial being. He looked truly at home in the sky and it was a sight to behold.

"Celestia, Almighty," Spitfire breathed in amazement, "Soarin' is most certainly the son of Wing Glider, but he is even better!"

Spitfire followed the stallion's moves in the sky. How she longed to hear the song Soarin' must be hearing in his head. After awhile, Soarin' slowed and simply did simple swoops and barrel rolls. Spitfire flew up to join him.

"Hi," Spitfire greeted as Soarin' jumped in surprise.

"Oh…um…hi," Soarin babbled starting to blush, "Um…I know we are not supposed to be out this late, but I couldn't sleep."
"Me neither," Spitfire admitted as she timed her movements with Soarin's, "Let's just fly."

Soarin' grinned and did as the pretty mare wished. He secretly admired Spitfire's fiery-gold coat and graceful figure in the starlit sky. They flew together like they were one. It was as if the two were able to hear one another's thoughts. Each movement was perfectly executed and the two smiled at one another over the feelings of pure freedom.

"I think I am falling in love," Soarin' realized as he watched the golden Pegasus beside him, "She is a Sky Goddess."

Finally, the two wore out and landed back outside the dorms.

"You are amazing," Spitfire gushed truthfully.

"Oh. Thanks, but not really," Soarin' denied beginning to blush and looking down as he pawed at the cloud-ground, "I just get carried away sometimes. You are ten times better than I am."

"No. You were more graceful than a bird. It was beautiful," Spitfire said as she lifted the stallion's head with one of her hooves to look him straight in the eye.

Green eyes met amber eyes. Soarin' felt lost within those amber eyes as a jolt passed through him. He felt a yearning for the mare in front of him so strong it left him gasping. Spitfire must have also felt something because she backed up fearfully.

"What was that?" Spitfire demanded, "What did you just do?"

"I didn't do anything," Soarin answered honestly clearly confused, "I…I don't know what that was. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Spitfire said looking uncomfortable, "Are you?"

"Yes. That was weird," Soarin commented, "Maybe we both need to get some sleep? We might have overdone it tonight."

"Your right," Spitfire replied, "Good night, Soarin'."

"Good night," Soarin' echoed.

The two entered their rooms and crawled into bed. They both slept, but Soarin' had dreams that were all filled with amber eyes. He chased those eyes in his dreams for the rest of the night. When Soarin' awoke the next morning he felt worn out and grouchy. Plus, he felt…odd.

"You look like horse apples," Rapidfire commented receiving a hoof-punch in the shoulder from Lightning Streak, "OW! Well, he does!"

"You okay, Soarin'?" Lightning Streak asked in concern, "You really don't look like yourself."

"I'm fine," Soarin' replied, "I just didn't sleep well last night. I think that I will tell Captain Thundercloud that I am not able to fly today. I would be a hazard in the air."

Soarin' reported immediately to his captain and Thundercloud agreed with Soarin's assessment. The young stallion was ordered back to sleep and he gladly crawled back into bed. He was able to get a few hours of uninterrupted rest before finally rousing and feeling a little more like himself. However, he couldn't get thoughts of Spitfire out of his head. Beautiful, amber-eyed, fiery-maned, graceful, Spitfire. He felt a longing to see her so bad that his heart throbbed.

"What in all of Equestria am I thinking?" Soarin' asked himself as he scrubbed his hoof anxiously through his mane, "I know that I have feelings for Spitfire developing, but isn't longing for her this bad a bit too early?"

A golden sparkle caught his eye as his Pegasus crystal fell out of his mane. In stunned disbelief, Soarin' pulled his necklace off and held his crystal at eye level. The crystal was now fiery-gold instead of clear.

"Celestia's Grace!" Soarin' gasped finally realizing what was happening, "I've bonded. I've bonded to Spitfire! Last night that jolt was the bonding. I've got to tell her. What will she say? What will she do? Mom and Dad you never said that the Pegasus Crystal would make me feel like this. Hay! I've got to get it together. Go see her!"

With this last order, Soarin' quickly got himself presentable and hurried to the common room. At this time of day, Spitfire usually was there alone going over notes that she had taken during practice. Once he arrived and saw that indeed the mare was there, Soarin' froze up. The bonded stallion in him could only admire the beauty before him. Spitfire raised an eyebrow in question at the gaping stallion.

"Can I help you?" the golden Pegasus asked.

"Oh…yes," Soarin stammered out as he broke out of his daze, "I need to talk to you about last night."

"What about it?" Spitfire questioned going back to her notes.

"You remember that strange…um…jolt?" Soarin' continued, "The one we both felt?"

"Yes," Spitfire said giving the nervous stallion her full attention.

"Well…um…have you ever heard of Pegasus Crystals?" Soarin' asked and when Spitfire shook her head in confusion, Soarin' grew even more nervous.

"You see, some Pegasi are born with a crystal like this one," Soarin started as he showed Spitfire his necklace, "This is a Pegasus Crystal. Well, a Pegasus Crystal leads a Pegasus to his bonded life mate and I think…we may have…bonded last night."

Spitfire's pupils dilated as her eyes widened. Then the golden Pegasus started laughing hysterically.

"Good one, Soarin'," Spitfire giggled out, "You really had me there for a moment."

"I'm not joking," Soarin' cried out in denial, "You see when a Pegasus Crystal makes the bearer aware of his bonded it changes to the potential life mate's mane color. This crystal was clear until last night. I bonded to you. It's just like when both of my mother's and father's crystals changed to each other's mane color."

"Bonded?" Spitfire gasped, "As in, marriage?"

"Um…yeah. Something like that," Soarin agreed.

Spitfire froze in shock. Her mother's words to her on the day she left home echoed though her head, "Don't you want to settle down and raise a nice family?"

"No!" Spitfire shrieked throwing herself away from the startled stallion, "I don't want this! What would make you think I'd ever want to get married? Why are you trying to trap me?"
"Trap you?" Soarin' questioned holding himself perfectly still so he wouldn't frighten the spooked mare anymore than he already had, "I don't want to trap you. I have no control over any of this, I swear. When a Pegasus Crystal shows a bond to two Pegasi that means that they are soul mates."

"Soul mates?" Spitfire demanded, "So now I am just supposed to give all my dreams up to become your wife or something? Who said that I even feel that way about you? Who do you think you are?"

"Spitfire, I most certainly do not expect you to give up your dreams because of our bond," Soarin' denied desperately trying to calm the livid mare, "A bond just means that we are there for one another. My Mom and Dad were bonded and had a long career as Wonderbolts. I…I know that we could be right for one another deep down in my heart. I think…no…I know that I am falling in love with you. I have always been attracted to you and I just want to make you happy."

"You want to make me happy?" Spitfire accused as she slapped the startled stallion across his face with her hoof, "Leave me alone! Never talk to me again unless it has to do with the team. We can fly on the same team without being friends. I will never agree to be your wife or life mate or whatever it is you call it. You can take that bucking Pegasus Crystal thingy and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. I will not let some…some rock make decisions for me!"

Soarin' stood in numb shock as Spitfire fled the room. His bonded had rejected him and wounded him to the very core of his being. Soarin's heart felt shattered into razor sharp pieces that stabbed at him savagely. This hurt so bad!

"What do I do?" Soarin thought in despair as his cheek throbbed, "Celestia, this is not how I ever thought a bond would be like. Spitfire seemed terrified of the thought of being with me? I actually scared her."

The bonded stallion within Soarin' rose up fiercely. His soul mate had been frightened. Spitfire had been frightened by him. He knew a bonded stallion protected and kept his soul mate from harm. Soarin' sank to his haunches and thought long and hard. Finally, he came to a conclusion.

"I will do as Spitfire wants. I will leave her alone," Soarin' decided sadly, "If this is the only way I can ensure her happiness, then so be it. As long as she is happy, then I am happy."

To be continued…