After a short walk and an even shorter carriage ride, you find yourself standing outside Ponyville’s most luxurious hotel, the Gilded Horse Shoe; its beauty rivaled only by its sister branch in Canterlot.  Over three stories tall, the Hotel only catered to high society ponies. But because of a lack of celebrity foot traffic through Ponyville, it often remained closed. The owner, one “Maxamillion Rockefeller” stands outside the immense double doors of the luxury building, giving you and Rainbow Dash a smug look from over behind his monocle. You were used to high profile places like this; your father had often frequented the hotel when he needed a place to house business associates who were visiting from out of town. Like a bad stereotype, dressed in a black tuxedo with hair greased down in a snooty comb over, Maxamillion addressed you and Rainbow with a exaggerated, aristocratic accent that made you want to sigh.

“I say…” His voice deep and droll, “Are you two lost?”

Before you could tell him your name, Rainbow Dash practically rushes the door, stopped only by an extension of Maxamillion’s back leg to black her path.

“Umm… We’re here to see the Wonder Bolts?” Rainbow Dash smiled at the gentlecolt, her eyes sparkling and twinkling like they had been since they left the event.

“The Wonder Bolts are away at their show I'm afraid. And even if they were here, I could not let you just waltz in to see them.”

Rainbow looked a bit offended by the Stallions remark. “But… Spitfire said we could hang with them…”

“Young lady… If I fell for every pony when they said that a celebrity said they could “hang” with them, I would lose all patronage and have to shut down my hotel. Now be off with you before I have to call security and have you escorted off my premises.”

Rainbow simply narrowed he eyes, staring daggers back at Maxamillion as she walked towards to you.

“Can you believe this guy? Who does he think he is?”

“He’s the owner of the hotel, Dash.”

“So? That doesn’t give him the right to be a jerk!” Rainbow simply turns to face Maxamillion from where you two stand, and plops herself down on the ground, not taking her eyes away from the front doors of the hotel. “This is just great… now we have to wait outside for the Wonder Bolts carriage; no doubt it’s going to be swarmed with fans following them. We’re never going to get inside!”

You look at Dash as she continues her silent protest. Even with an angry face on, you can see her eyes shimmer with tears as she tries to blink them back. After a moment, you sigh and shake your head, walking over to Maxamillion. You’re going to hate yourself in the morning for this. Flaunting your name around is something your father takes delight in, not you. But you can’t stand seeing dash upset, even if she is doing her best to hide it.

“For Dash.” You think, putting on your most serious and important looking face.

Maxamillion has been standing at his podium reading over a list of names when he looks up to see you approaching and he lets out a long, drawn out sigh as he blocks your path to the doors.

“Sir, as I just told your friend, I simply cannot let you inside.”

“She’s telling the truth. Spitfire told us we could visit them in their room.”

Maxamillion rolled his eyes and sighed again; the sound was starting to annoy you.

“And pray tell why exactly I should believe you mister….”

You tell him your name, followed by your fathers. His eyes widen and his ears fall back against his head as he rushes back over to the podium and begins frantically flipping through his book of names. After a few minutes, the earth pony, now profusely blushing and stammering, walks back over to you and puts on his best smile.

“I am terribly sorry sir! Please, come in and enjoy your stay! The Wonder Bolts are in room 309, and please, don’t hesitate to ask for anything if you need it, it’s all on the house for the child of one of our hotels best patrons!” Maxamillion bows as you turn back and whistle at Dash. She looks over at you and you motion with a nod of your head for her to follow. Moments later, the two of you are standing in the swanky yellow and red interior that is the hotel’s lobby.

“Whoa… How did you do that!?” Rainbow Dash looks at you with amazement plastered to her face as the two of you walk up to the reception desk and request the key to the Wonder Bolts room. “You just, went up there and he totally let us in!”

“Oh… uh… I just… you know, have a way with words!” You smile and let out a nervous chuckle before taking the key from the receptionist in your teeth and lead Rainbow over to a flight of stairs.

“Really now? What else can that tongue of yours do?” She gives you a bump with her hips, and you almost swallow the key, room tag and everything.

“Wha...what?” you stop on the stairs as rainbow dash continues up, chuckling as she reaches the landing.

“Come on, pink cheeks. I wanna see what the Wonder Bolts room looks like!”

You place a hoof on your face and feel the heat coming off your cheeks. You shake your head a bit and continue on up with Rainbow Dash as she hurries to the other end of the room and up another flight of stairs. After another that one, and another stair case, you reach the three hundreds floor of the building. Compared to the green wallpaper, brown paneling, and polished brass candle holders on the walls of the previous two floors, the third story is significantly more impressive. The walls are marble white with various friezes depicting ancient ponies doing various activities; lounging, performing, eating and drinking, the edges and contours stamped with gold leaf. The floor is polished to a brilliant sheen and crystal adorned chandeliers hung above your heads; the ceiling painted in a old style with Pegasus ponies flying around, draped in fabric.

“Wow… Swanky place…” Rainbow dash walks slowly as she looks around the hallway, impressed with her surroundings. It was obvious to you, someone who had seen places like this and fancier that this was her first taste of high society life.

“Yeah it’s… Something else… Oh! Here’s the door!”

Rainbow Dash stops as you point to the big, gold numbers on the white ivory door; a small sign under it read “WONDER BOLTS” in embossed gold lettering. You adjust the keys in your mouth and lean down, placing it into the lock and turning it until you hear the familiar “click” of all the tumblers falling into place.  

You open the door slowly, but rainbow dash, in her unbridled excitement, barges through and causes the keys to be pulled from your mouth.

“Oh… My… GOSH!”

You wander in after making sure you weren’t cut by the keys flying from your lips, and set your eyes on the room that has caused the young Pegasus to gasp. The room was bigger then you had thought, with several red velvet couches seat in a semi circle in front of a brass embossed fire place. On the wall facing the doorway was a large window, taller then you and three times as wide, overlooking the rest of the town. The walls were the same smooth marble as they were outside, but with fake, pillar like corners. There was a door on the far way to your left; you imagined that it lead to the bed and bathrooms.

Rainbow walks around for a moment, then hops over the back of the couch and makes herself at home, sprawling out amongst the large red throw pillows.

“So this is how the other half lives, huh? I could definitely get used to this.”

You simply shrug and sit yourself on the couch to the right of her. Rainbow Dash is impressed by her surroundings, but you still dare not tell her about your background. Dash was the complete opposite of everything that your family was; rough, wild, unbridled, adventurous and in-your-face. These qualities were the ones that made your heart flitter. She was something different, something new that you had never experienced before. She lay on her back, fore eggs crossed behind her head and one back leg rested on top of the other. The paint under her eyes had become smeared, and blurred her cheeks in yellow and orange blots. Rainbow faced the fire place, and you couldn’t help but look at her from the corner of your eyes.

Your father had explained to you shortly after you hit puberty that there were certain ways to act in proper society. You do not kiss in public. You do not act overly affectionate. You do not hold hooves, but instead lock legs; a colt will guide his mare where she goes this way. And sex, sex is a matter for AFTER MARRIAGE. Your father put heavy emphasis on these rules of his, saying that proper etiquette is key to resisting your more “primal” urges. Perhaps this was why you never had a significant other before. Who would want to date someone so dated? But as your eyes followed the flow of Rainbow Dashes tail, along the contours of flank, down her back, over her chest, up her neck and coming to rest on her soft, blue lips, you found that you really couldn’t care less what your father thought.  

Rainbow dash glanced up and offered you a soft smile, sitting up and patting the cushion next to her. “You know you don’t have to sit alone of there, come on over.”

You nod, your heart racing as you get up and take the seat next to her. Rainbow adjusts herself and leans against you, her back pressed your right shoulder.

“So uh…. When do you think the Wonder Bolts will get here?”

Rainbow shrugged. “I dunno, soon I hope. I have soooo many questions for them!” The Pegasus stretched out a bit more, her mane brushing against your cheek in the process.

Before you can think of another question, the door swings open, and a group of Pegasus in jumpsuits rushes in, a screaming crowd hollering their names as the group forces the doors shut.  

“Oh my gosh!” Rainbow jumps up from her seat and zooms over to her idols. You had grown so comfortable that you didn’t realize how much weight you had put on her by leaning until you practically fall over when she leaves.

“Are you guys ok!?”

Spitfire takes off her goggles and wipes her brow with the same shirt Dash had given her earlier. “Oh yeah, were just fine. Turns out a whole bunch of fans were waiting for us outside the hotel and just followed us in. You would not believe how mad the stallion outside was after that! I think he’s still back out there trying to get ponies to leave.” She tossed her toggles aside and undid the zipper along the front of her jump suit. Spitfire was a brilliant blend of yellow and orange, the pattern on her body resembling a flame. Her mane was large and free flowing, and her orange eyes seemed to light up when she smiled, which was often. She made her way to the couch on your right and laid herself down as the others took off their jumpsuits, rainbow dash leaping back over the couch and taking the side opposite the one she previously occupied so she could be closer to spitfire.

“So, new pony, what’s your name?” Spitfire looked over you with tired eyes that sparkled with interest.

You introduce yourself, first name only. No reason to blow your cover. You didn’t know if the Wonder Bolts had even heard of your family, but you were all grown up ponies, and grown up ponies often drank grown up beverages. Last thing you wanted now was for one of them to make the connection between your family’s name, and the name on the label of one of the most popular equestrian wines.

“First name basis huh? I like that, Shows your hip. So tell me, what did you think of the show? Be brutal, I wanna know what you thought.”

You shake your head and think for a moment. “It was… Incredible, amazing. I never knew flying like that existed. What you guys did was like some sort of … aerial ballet, beautiful and exciting all in one. I didn’t want it to end!”

Spitfire throws her head back in a hearty laugh. “I like this you! Where did you run into this one dash? Another hook up at the bar?”

Hook up? Spitfire’s words cut you. Was this all you were to dash? Granted you weren’t even sure if this was a real date or not, but surely you weren’t just some fly by night romance. Even your sheltered, socially inept mind knew what that was, and Dash certainly wasn’t that kind of girl… was she?”

“Oh no, not this time. This guy is just someone who hadn’t seen your show before. I was hanging flyers, I thought his house was empty, he answered the door, I stumbled in…”

“Into his bed I bet.” Spitfire and Rainbow Shared a good laugh at that, and you felt like someone had kicked you in the gut. Ok, so she was that kind of pony… what had father called them? “Mare’s of loose reputation?”

“So what ever happened to that hot piece of flank you met at our last show? What was her name?”

Her. So she was a filly-fooler to. Wait, but she liked guys to, didn’t she? So she was a bisexual. Nothing wrong with that, you had a open mind. But the fact she was the kind that was of… “Loose reputation” made you feel like a rag, a wet rag left on the side of a rusty bucket after being used to clean the gunk from under a carriage. Flapping your wings for a full minute wouldn’t generate enough pain to match how bad your heart was hurting right now.

“So newbie, you ever gone night flying?”

Spitfire’s words derailed your train of thought. You look over and cock your head to the side.

“No… I can’t say I have.”

Spitfire nodded and looked out the window. “Well me and the others always unwind with a night time fly after a show, you guys wanna go with us?”

You look over to your left and see two of the four members laying on the couch, and one walking through the door that lead to the other room.  One of the ponies on the couch nodded you, and the other, a stallion with a purple-blue mane pointed at rainbow dash and silently mouthed something at you.  You glance at the Pegasus and tap her on the shoulder.

“Something up?”

“He was telling me to tap …” You stop talking when the significance of what the other Pegasus was mouthing finally hits you.

“Never mind.”

Dash shrugs and turns back to Spitfire. “So you really mean it, we can fly with you guys!?”

Spitfire nods. “You bet your flank. I mean, if your friend is cool with it. I know you can keep up but I don’t wanna leave them behind.”

Damn. This is exactly as you feared. You’re the only non flyer in a room full ace fliers, and now they all wanted to fly. If this situation were a snake, you would have died hours ago from its venomous bite.

“You bet he is! He can fly almost as fast as I can!”

What? Did Rainbow dash just blatantly lie to the leader of the Wonder Bolts about your flying abilities? This was bad, very bad, red alert, ultra danger, oh-crap-I’m-about-to-be-hit-by-a-carriage bad. Bail out, bail out now while your chute still works.

“Rainbow… you know I sprained my wing…”

Dash blushes and speaks to you through gritted teeth, flashing a nervous smile as she looks back at Spitfire. “Ha ha! I'm sure you can put up with it for a little bit… you’re a… ace flier after all!”

What was she doing? Was a flight with the Wonder Bolts really this important to her? She was cute… even if she was “of loose reputation”, but even if you wanted to, you couldn’t fly. You knew the consequences of trying. For years, doctors would say that at their size, the bones in your wings would snap like day old bread sticks, and that was a feeling you really wanted to avoid experiencing.

“I want to… but I really can’t…”

“Yes you can! Give yourself some credit!” You can tell she was trying to be motivational, or at least fake it, but from her tone you can tell she was getting desperate. It didn’t take a magically gifted unicorn to see that this was a big deal to Rainbow. But not snapping your wings in two was important to you, and on the list of things that were important, fully intact bones was pretty high up there, even though Rainbow Dash’s feelings were surprisingly close to surpassing them.

“I’m sorry Rainbow. ..”

“Come on, you can do it!” She grips your leg. Tightly.

“Rainbow, if he can’t fly because of his wing , we can do this some other time…” Spitfire leaned up off the couch, her voice was losing it’s fun filled tone, and taking on one of more worry.

“Ow… Rainbow… that hurts…”

“Come on, don’t be a wimp!” He grip tightened.

“Rainbow, that’s really starting to hurt!”

“Come on!”

“Rainbow…”

“Come on!”

“RAINBOW! STOP!”

Your voice echoes throughout the room, every pony looking at you in surprise. Even Rainbow, who had suddenly let go, shirking back a bit on the couch. Your chest rose and fell as you panted, your mind reeling with fright at what you just did. Before anyone can say anything, you leap from your seat and race out the door, breaking into a gallop as you hit the stairs, almost knocking Maxamillion to the ground as your sprinted out the lobby doors and down the street, heading in the direction of your house.

Next Chapter: The Apology Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 51 Minutes