After dancing until her hooves ached, (barely) losing to Pinkie Pie in a punch-drinking contest, and partying until her eardrums could take no more of Vinyl Scratch's bass, Rainbow Dash made her way to her room for the night. Per Princess Celestia's orders, each of the Elements of Harmony were assigned their own royal suite to relax and recuperate after the Canterlot Wedding. In light of the chaos beforehoof, Dash was grateful for Celestia's generosity.

Beyond being all partied out, her dress—which, although it wasn't too froo-froo and frilly—was beginning to make her itch. She tugged uncomfortably at it while she trotted towards the suites, ignoring the objections of her pursuer.

"Awww, but we were just getting started!" Pinkie Pie pouted, stomping a hoof. Unwilling to take no for an answer, she followed the pegasus through the hallways of Canterlot Castle, protesting pitifully. "C'moooooon, Dashie! It's only—"

"Midnight," said Dash, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, Pinkie," she said apologetically, glancing briefly at her friend.

"But! But!" Pinkie groaned and hopped up and down, spry as ever. She flailed her hooves, little beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. She grabbed one of Rainbow's hooves, only to be nudged away. Frowning, her eyes dilated to dinner plates. "But we're still gonna have pin the tail on the pony, and karaoke, and a break-dancing contest! Oh, it'll be so much fun!"

Pinkie pouted, her lower lip quivering. Matching Dash's pace, she said, "And Applejack and Rarity already went to sleep, and Twilight's all tuckered out, and Fluttershy's in the gardens, and that only leaves you, Dashie, of all my bestest best friends to—MMPH!"

Rainbow Dash muffled Pinkie's rant with a forehoof, shaking her head. Finally reaching the door to her room, she turned around and released her, offering Pinkie a tired smile. "I wish I could, Pinkie, but I'm beat. Kicking flank does that to a pony, even one as awesome as me!" she said, throwing up her forehooves to shadowbox an unseen Changeling.

Pinkie giggled and nodded, satisfied with her explanation. "Well... allllright!" She huffed and blew a raspberry. "Suit yourself, Rainbow Dash! DJ-PON3 and I are gonna show these fancy-pants ponies how to really party!"

"DJ-PON3?" Dash said, blinking. It was too late. With little more than a hop, skip, and jump, the party pony scurried away, rambunctious as ever. There were, it seemed, no brakes on the Pinkie Pie train.

Dash rolled her eyes and smirked. Locating the key she'd tucked away in her dress, she unlocked the door and slipped inside. Locking it behind her, she quickly removed the bulky outfit, leaving only her lithe, agile fur and feathers beneath.

She gazed around the suite. It was spotlessly clean, not one speck of dust visible. Masterpieces decorated the walls, some of which made her tilt her head in confusion. That was what passed for art these days? Rainbow Dash shook her head and scoffed. However, in spite of all the sophisticated detail, there was one simple feature she was glad to see. This suite had a large window facing the wilderness outside of Canterlot, offering a perfect view.

Relieved to have some peace and quiet, Rainbow Dash sighed heavily. "Finaaaaaaaaaally!" She yawned and extended her wings fully, stretching her muscles. Other than performing the Sonic Rainboom in honor of Shining and Cadence, the pegasus hadn't gotten much flying time today. She sighed, relieved to have shed her wedding attire. "I gotta say," she said to herself, leaping over to the bed and falling onto her back, "Rarity did a great job with these bridesmaid's dresses. Still, I'll take my birthday suit any day. Heh heh."

She settled into the comforter for a moment, arching her back and splaying her limbs. But Rainbow "Danger" Dash wasn't one to go to sleep so easily. From the corner of her eye, she caught the glimpse of a beautiful full moon and a clear, crisp night—a gift to the newly-wedded couple from Princess Luna, no doubt. Rolling over, Rainbow Dash peered out the window, gazing at the mountains and rivers below.

Coupled with the masterpiece of the night sky, the scenery practically cried out to her, begging her to grace it with her presence.

She closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning the freedom of flight, the rush of thermals, the sensation of night air tickling her primaries. She relaxed, settling into the comforter, her worries washing away with the mere thought of flying.

A huge grin spread across her face. Sitting up, Rainbow Dash stretched both wings again and began to preen quickly, pushing several wayward feathers back into place. Once her wings were pristine, she hopped from the bed and trotted over to the window.

Rainbow Dash was far from a philosophical or introspective pony. Like all ponies, however, she needed something to lose herself in at times. Something to take her mind off the day's minor (or, like today, major) stresses. Everypony had an escape. Applejack's was farm work. Twilight's was reading. Fluttershy lost herself in caring for her animals, and Rarity did the same in her designs. Pinkie Pie (predictably so) ate enough sweets and threw enough parties to prevent stress from accumulating for more than a few minutes (except for that one time, of course, but neither Dash nor Madame LeFlour ever mentioned it).

And Rainbow Dash had flight.

Unlocking the shutter windows, Rainbow Dash thrust them open and climbed onto the windowsill, relishing the sensation of a pleasant, chilly breeze teasing her muzzle. Her wings flared in anticipation of flight. She flattened her ears and inhaled deeply, watching her breath become a mist upon exhalation.

She sat there for a moment, perched in one of Canterlot Castle's highest towers. The Canterlot Mountains dotted the landscape below her, appearing to be simple hills pointing their peaks towards the heavens. Rivers of pure blue cut through meadows and fields of simple green. Above it all, Luna's blue-and-purple canvas, dotted with diamonds of brilliant white, summoned her.

A perfect night for a flight.

With a kick off her hindhooves, Rainbow Dash shot into the night.

Her wings pumped powerfully, extended to their full wingspan. She began to ascend into the air, all four hooves stretched in a perfect, parallel arc. The gentle breeze intensified to a stronger current as she accelerated, whipping through her mane and tail. Rainbow smiled triumphantly. Higher and higher she climbed, gaining speed and velocity and losing herself.

There was no Chrysalis or her legions of minions up here in the cloudless skies. There was no imprisoned Celestia or hypnotized Shining Armor. There were no screams, no descent of black, no war in this peace. There was no doubt, or anger, or fear.

There was just Rainbow Dash and the night, dipping and diving, exchanging positions, as if they were lovers.

Catching the thermals, Rainbow Dash soared high above Canterlot Castle. The towers looked like chess pieces now, arranged for some cosmic game. Her hooves skimmed across the breeze, touching where the lowest cloud cover would be. Feeling dangerous, she smirked and dove quickly into a loop, falling down and pulling herself back up. Expertly turning with the simple shift of a hoof, Rainbow Dash was in complete control, dominating the skies.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes for a moment as she dove and twisted into another loop, in utter paradise.

Behind her, she heard a rush of wings, a bristling of feathers. She opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder.

What she saw reduced her voice to a high-pitched crack. "S-Soarin?!"

She blinked and slowed her pace, coming to a hover. She rubbed her eyes, sure she was imagining things.

Behind her, naked of his Wonderbolt uniform, Soarin glided skillfully. His peregrine wings carried him closer to her. The breeze teased his dark-blue mane, though not one strand was out of place. The stallion's emerald eyes found hers and he offered her a gentle, almost apologetic, smile.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash," he said simply, his voice smooth and deep, smoke on the water.

She shook her muzzle, disbelieving. If this was a dream, it was the best one she'd ever had. "S-Soarin? What are you doing here?"

Matching her speed, he hovered beside her, his smile genuine. "I saw you flying and thought I'd join you."

Of course! How could she be so stupid? Of course her idol and one of the most famous Wonderbolts wanted to fly with her! She was the awesome Rainbow "Danger" Dash, wasn't she? Who wouldn't want to fly with her? Of course Soarin enjoyed and desired her company! After all, he had danced with her at the wedding earlier! Well, next to her, and that counted, right? Certainly, he'd been impressed with her four left hooves, and wanted to watch her wings as well.

Despite her usual confidence, Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks growing hot. Weakly, she mumbled, "Oh! Heh! Well, uh, um—"

"Well, if you don't want to, that's alright, too, " he said, flashing her a confident smile. He spread his powerful wings and added with a smirk, "Just say the word."

Rainbow began to panic. "Oh, no, no, no!" She held up a forehoof in protest. She gulped and called upon every ounce of courage to reply. Her words were more dangerous than Nightmare Moon, Discord, or Chrysalis and her legion of Changelings, but she was miraculously able to reply, "N-No! Soarin... it's alright. I would lo—like it if you flew with me."

Soarin shifted back to her, making brief eye contact, and smiled again. Rainbow Dash's stomach twisted along with her muzzle, mustering a big, goofy grin. Without a word, the rainbow-maned pegasus pumped her wings and stretched her hooves, daring the stallion to chase her.

Soarin laughed, his cheerful baritone music to her ears, and zipped after her. Rainbow beat her wings faster, pulling them close to her sides as she plummeted. Soarin followed closely, churning his wings and his hooves, leaving a trail of gray clouds dotted with lightning behind his tail. The stallion flattened his ears and closed his eyes as he pursued the mare.

Glancing back for a millisecond, Rainbow Dash grinned deviously and pulled out of her dive, rocketing up into the atmosphere. "Oh, two can play at this!" Soarin said, shaking his mane playfully. The chase was on. The Wonderbolt willed his wings to pump faster and faster, his heart thundering in his chest. Rainbow Dash sliced through the thermals, piercing an altitude where clouds would've laid on any other night.

Higher and higher she flew, the intensity milking tears from her eyes. From the corner of her vision, Rainbow Dash watched her idol soar closer and closer, determination on his muzzle.

Feeling her forehooves growing hot, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and angled downwards. The pressure continued to build, until, eternal seconds later, the magic rushing through her veins—from the tip of her tail to the edge of her hooves—reached its zenith.

Breaking the sound barrier, Rainbow Dash pulled back up sharply and slashed through the night, a brilliant streak of rainbow shooting across the sky. The force of the Sonic Rainboom sent Soarin flying backwards. He flapped his wings frantically, struggling to hover. Once he recovered, he looked up, watching the mare's trail extend up, up, up, close enough to touch the moon.

Breathlessly, he mouthed the word, "Whoa."

Technically, this would be the third Sonic Rainboom Soarin had witnessed. Unfortunately, the stallion had been unconscious the first time. The second time, right after the wedding, had been wondrous—but nothing as amazing or beautiful as this. Soarin hovered in the air, tracing Rainbow Dash's pattern across the sky. He made no motion to pursue after her, just waited, grinning like a colt in a candy store.

Rainbow Dash rode her Sonic Rainboom for all it was worth, looping shadows over Luna's parish lantern. The thermals could neither guide nor impede her now, powered by the strongest pegasi magic. She laughed and laughed, victorious and wild.

Once she'd exhausted her streak, Rainbow flew over to Soarin, nudging him playfully in the ribs. "Looks like I won! Didn't put up much of a fight, did you, big guy?"

Her words immediately echoed in her ears. Her eyes widened in horror. Did she just touch and mock not only a Wonderbolt, but this Wonderbolt of all Wonderbolts?! The stallion she'd admired even more than Spitfire (if that was possible), the one who sent her heart near into cardiac arrest when he'd danced beside her, the stallion who—

Soarin laughed merrily and hovered closer to her. "That was amazing," he said, his grin wide enough to split his muzzle. Reaching over, Soarin brushed his wingtips on her shoulder.

"Um, t-thanks!" Rainbow silently cursed herself. Being reduced to a stuttering, boasting mess was decidedly not awesome. Running a forehoof through her mane, she quickly added, "But so were you! I just got lucky, what with another Rainboom and all. Heh, heh."

"I wouldn't call that luck in my line of work. More like 'skill'. How are you not a Wonderbolt again?" he joked, brushing his feathers against her fur once more.

They shared a chuckle. His confidence rising, Soarin asked, "Have you ever sky-danced, Rainbow Dash?"

The sky-dance was an ancient courtship ritual among pegasi. Unlike most of their history, which was cast aside or deemed irrelevant after the first Hearth's Warming Eve and the foundation of Equestria, the pegasi cherished this primal display. In modern times, two pegasi might sky-dance platonically, but its ultimate purpose was not forgotten; all possibilities aside, the significance of Soarin's question was not lost on Rainbow Dash.

If he weren't staring directly into her, she would've punched herself, praying she wouldn't wake.

Her forehoof found her mane again. She avoided his eyes, ashamed to admit that she hadn't. "Um..."

"So, I take that as a no?" He grinned sheepishly.

She began to stumble. "Ah, well, I, uh, in flight camp—"

"Here. Let me show you."

Before fear could paralyze Rainbow Dash, Soarin grasped one of her forehooves in his. Spreading his wings, Soarin propelled them forward. Rainbow Dash understood, flapping her wings in time with his. Side-by-side they flew at first, until they reached the moon, becoming shadows against the beacon.

The stallion lifted his partner's forehoof and dipped her back as they hovered. Rainbow Dash's breath caught in her throat. Soarin's eyes stared straight into her, reflecting her soul within her windows. For the first time in a very long, long time, Rainbow "Danger" Dash felt vulnerable, and did not shy away. Two pairs of wings flared and curled, the mare following the stallion's lead.

Soarin broke their connection and fell into a downward loop, coming up counter-clockwise. Rainbow returned the gesture, looping clockwise. They looped and dipped, forming an infinity sign as they passed each other in front of the moon. All the while, they stayed silent, studying the other's minute movements and patterns, the way their primaries bristled and connected as they flew.

Their tango continued, each pegasus sizing up the other, their eyes answering all unspoken questions. Pink and, eventually, red mixed with blue, cheeks reflecting the inevitable. The Wonderbolt and the Element of Loyalty tip-hoofed through the checkerboard of the sky, coming close, but not close enough.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash reached the top of her loop and soared upwards. Soarin finished his and followed after her, flying parallel to the mare. Entwining her forehooves in his, Rainbow Dash leaned backward, pulling the stallion down with her.

Mare below and stallion above, Rainbow Dash flew backwards while Soarin guided them forward. Holding forehooves, they slowed their pace, muzzle-to-muzzle close now. Alone, high above Canterlot, they leaned in closer, enough to feel the other's breath on their countenance.

Soarin lowered his eyes and said, "I'm sorry..."

Dash pulled back a bit, confused. "For what?"

"I never thanked you for saving us a year ago," he said. "And for ignoring you at the Gala. I didn't mean to. I guess I was..." He sighed, steering them along the thermals. "I guess I was too full of myself back then. I didn't see you for what you really were."

"What am I?" Rainbow said coyly, squeezing his forehooves in hers.

"You're one of the most determined, loyal ponies I've seen. You abandoned your routine at the Best Young Flyer's Competition, risking everything you'd worked for, to save your friends. To save me," Soarin said, his words skimming the surface between them, making it shimmer.

Rainbow forced an awkward chuckle. "Aw, it was—"

Before she could continue, he closed the distance, kissing her softly.

Rainbow Dash squeaked in surprise, then fell into the embrace, kissing him back. Moving her forehooves from his forelimbs to his neck, she deepened their kiss, holding him tight. The two pegasi entwined in lips and tongues and hooves, falling deep, deep into the black, into the depths above and below. Their wings synced their rhythm, slowing to a smooth glide. Stallion above and mare below, in ancient, primal tango, sharing a first and overdue kiss.

When they finally pulled away in need of breath, Rainbow Dash locked eyes with Soarin, amethysts meeting emeralds in the middle. "How... how long?"

A stallion of simple words, Soarin said, "Long enough."

Twisting her tail around his, Rainbow Dash flipped their positions in midair and kissed her idol once more. Falling into their embrace, they slowed to a halt, hovering high above Canterlot Mountain, angelic figures coming together above fields of green and rivers of blue.

~

Knock, knock.

"Rainbow Dash?"

Knock, knock, knock.

"Rainbow Dash? Are you awake?"

"Twi, we gotta get goin'!"

"I know, Applejack. Let's give her a few minutes."

"But, Twilight, darling, they won't hold the train forever! You need to knock louder!"

"Yeah! Or maybe I can pull out my party cannon and give her a big, happy, 'Hooray-for-waking-up-and-not-making-us-miss-the-train-to-Ponyville!' party!"

"Um... Twilight... perhaps you could try knocking again? If... If that's alright with you..."

Twilight groaned and face-hoofed. "Alright. One more try, and then if she still isn't up, I'm dragging her out of bed."

This time, Twilight pounded on the door to Rainbow Dash's suite.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

Her eyelids thrusting open, Rainbow Dash groaned, the sudden flood of sunlight temporarily blinding her. She rubbed her eyes and rolled over, flinging a blanket off herself. "Ugh, I'm coming! Just... hold on!" she said, silencing the knocking at the door.

Yawning, the pegasus slowly climbed out of bed and placed all four hooves on the floor. She strode over to her discarded bridesmaid's dress, still in the same place she'd left it the prior evening. Packing it into her saddlebag, Rainbow Dash looked around the suite, checking to make sure she didn't leave anything else behind. A toothbrush, toothpaste, and a copy of Hoof Beat joined the dress in the saddlebag.

Beyond the door, Twilight called to her again. "Rainbow Dash! We need to leave!"

"I'm almost done! Horseapples, Twilight." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. Satisfied that she was fully packed, Rainbow Dash hoisted her saddlebags onto her back and stretched her wings. As she extended them and leaned over, preening for a second, a light-blue feather drifted to the floor.

Tilting her head, Rainbow Dash leaned down, examining the feather. She carefully grasped its quill between her jaws and lifted it up to one of her wings. The feather—a primary, to be exact—was several shades lighter than her own hue. This primary was longer and less delicate in texture than her own—indicating that it was a feather from a stallion's wing.

Tap, tap.

Rainbow Dash spun around. Her shutter windows, left ajar, waited expectantly for her, a note taped to one of them. Galloping over, she swiped the note and read it once, then twice, then three times more:

"Thank you for the dance. Same time tonight, in Ponyville?"

Rapping furiously on the door, an exasperated unicorn shouted, "Rainbow!"

Instead of replying, Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches and clutched the note, heaving a sigh of relief.

It hadn't been a dream. It had been, instead, the beginning of one.