As the days continued to tick by, Soarin and Rainbow continued to train for the up and coming Equestria Games. Both had really started enjoying each other’s company now, spending more and more time together outside of their busy lives. Though the pair had only been training for a little over a week, Soarin really felt like he and Rainbow had gotten along well, not to mention the mare had begun warming up to him more and more. Of course this didn’t stop the jokes Soarin was still gullible for, something Rainbow loved teasing him on every time she got the opportunity to do so.

It was now coming into mid-week for Equestria, luckily Soarin had managed to keep both his Wonderbolts training and Dash’s at an even level so not to strain himself too often. Dash had been busy with her weather work, but was still up for normal training with Soarin when they both got the chance to. However, today was a day for a little relaxation, Rainbow had still held the stallion to a night out for the two, which pleased Soarin because it meant neither of them had to cook. But thanks to his lessons Dash was able to make a few simple meals that actually involved using her untouched oven. Soarin had picked a rather nice place in Cloudsdale for the night out, but of course this would all come later in the day for both of them. For now the rest of the busy day still laid ahead for the stallion that was arising from another night on the couch. Soarin put a forehoof to his head, he didn’t like having to get up this early in the morning, but then again not all days consisted of being able to sleep in.

Rainbow yawned as she trotted down the stairs from her upstairs room, spotting Soarin slowly making his way into the kitchen. She smirked to herself knowing full well the stallion hated early rises. “Work becoming a little to hard for you, Soar?” the mare asked, following the Wonderbolt into the room.

“No, I’m just,” Soarin paused as he let out a wide yawn, “tired, besides it wasn’t everyday in the ‘Bolts I had to get up at this hour to train.”

Rainbow smiled as she walked over to the fridge to grab a drink. “You’ll get used to it… maybe, but for now this works well for me, so I’m glad you’re still up for kicking flank at this time in the morning.

“Mnhm,” Soarin replied as Rainbow returned to the kitchen table with two bottles of water and two energy oat bars. She slid both over to Soarin, giving him an apple flavoured bar to keep him happy.

“Well, it’ll be over soon, the Equestria Games are only a few weeks away now, then you can kick back and do whatever you do at the Wonderbolts.”

Hopefully by then, Rainbow, you might be saying something a little different, Soarin replied in his mind, bringing a smirk to his face in the process.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

Soarin’s eyes widened slightly. “Nothing, just uh... thought of something funny, do you wanna hit the skies then?” he asked curiously. Rainbow nodded in response.

“Yeah, lets do this! Come on, I got something to show ya,” the mare said encouragingly as she sprinted to the door. Soarin followed quickly to see Dash already launching into the skies. He rolled his eyes before chasing after her into the morning air.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?” Soarin asked. Dash gave a nod in response. The stallion looked over what the mare was pointing at again with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure this is in any way safe?”

Rainbow took a look again for herself. “Hmmm, no not really, but it’ll be fun, right?”

Soarin kept his eyes fixated in front of him for a moment, the gorge laid out before him was vast. It led all the way into the outskirts of Ponyville itself, but like the Everfree Forest, it was riddled with many dangerous creatures. Soarin just kept his hopes high in the possibility that they would all be taking nap or something.

“So, you ready?” Rainbow asked, slightly more excited than Soarin would have thought for a task so dangerous.

“So, a race, right?” Soarin asked, repeating the instructions Dash had given him on the way over. The pegasus mare nodded in response.

“Yep,” Rainbow answered. “A race through Ghastly Gorge, loser has to buy breakfast!”

Soarin sighed, already knowing the outcome. “Okay then, Dash. three… two-”

“one, go!” Rainbow finished in quick succession, leaping from the starting line and taking off into the land below. Soarin gulped slightly as he, too, dived off the cloud they had both been conversing from, and fell down into the gorge.

Rainbow blitzed towards the upcoming gorge, with Soarin managing to follow very close behind. The sky blue mare suddenly switched down a small tunnel, leaving Soarin to wonder where she’d headed off to, as he turned his head back to see what was in front of him, a wall of spiked vines greeted his eyes. The Wonderbolt quickly reacted, moving in and out of the vines, trying to avoid the many spikes, a few nearly clipping his wings. He breathed out a sigh of relief once he was free of the deathly vines, quickly spotting Rainbow darting back out in front of him. Soarin grinned, picking up the pace again until he was on her tail once more.

The two kept like this for a while, dodging rocks and rounding corners before Rainbow quickly flew downwards, leaving Soarin with a clear view of a large hydra dead ahead. His eyes widened, taking quick action he tilted his wings as he spiraled downwards so he was neck and neck with Dash.

“Look out, here it comes!” Rainbow exclaimed, her tone full of excitement. Soarin took quick glance behind him to see the giant monster give chase after them with an earth shattering roar. Rainbow could see the finish line approaching and quickened her pace. Soarin squinted his eyes at the sight ahead, seeing the small opening Dash was aiming for where a gap consisted between a pile of rocks. Soarin too, quickened his own pace as another roar sounded from the hydra not too far behind them.

Rainbow went into a knife's edge move, darting through the opening and soared up into the open sky once again. Soarin was next closing his eyes as he too sliced through the small opening. Once they were at a safe height, Rainbow looked back down onto the vast land where the hydra stood, roaring in utter rage towards the pegasi. Rainbow smirked and stuck her tongue out at the monster, only aggravating it further.

Soarin meanwhile was breathing heavy gulps of relieved air. The giggles from his partner caused him to turn and look at Dash who was still making faces at the monster on the ground. He chuckled slightly at Rainbow’s antics, the blue mare smiled as she turned around and lightly punched Soarin on the shoulder. “So what did you think of that?!”

“I think the word we’re looking for is ‘insane’,” Soarin started. “But I think that my excitement is filled for the day,” he concluded.

Rainbow nodded. “Sure thing, you wanna hit Sugarcube Corner?” she asked. “You’re buying.”

“Of course I am, what proper gentlecolt wouldn’t?” Soarin asked, Rainbow giving a snicker in response to Soarin’s failed attempt at a Canterlot accent. Rainbow took off again, heading back towards the village as Soarin followed, hoping Rainbow didn’t come up with anymore idea’s along the way.

The doors to the famous Sugarcube Corner were thrown open as two pegasi trotted into its main cafe area. Twilight turned around from her seat on one of the many round tables, her friends doing the same. The alicorn smiled as she watched both Rainbow and Soarin enter. “Hey, Dash, over here!” she announced. The pegasus turned to see her five friends at the table. Soarin felt reluctant to follow, not wanting Rainbow to be embarrassed and simply made his way to the counter to collect Rainbow’s ‘winnings’

Dash watched the stallion head towards the counter as she turned back to see her friends. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”

“Could be asking you the same question, darling,” Rarity asked with a wide smirk, taking a glance at the stallion buying a few items at the counter. “How have you and Soarin been?”

“We’ve been great, Rarity,” Rainbow replied with the best fake smile she could muster for her friend, who was clearly already going at the stallion Rainbow had recently become close friends with. Twilight was keen to steer the conversation away as quickly as possible.

“Only a few weeks now until the Games, how is your training together?” Twilight asked with full curiosity. Dash smirked as she recalled not only their latest event, but all the other times they’d trained in the past week or so.

“It’s been pretty awesome, I’ve been keeping him on his hooves, but he’s keeping up.”

Pinkie gasped. “Woah! So that means he must be like super duper fast to keep up with you, Dashie!” the party pony cheered happily.

Rainbow gave a slight chuckle. “Well of course, Pinkie, that’s why he’s a Wonderbolt, but you’re right, it’s pretty hard to be this awesome.”

At this point Soarin returned with a small brown bag within his grasp. He set it down on the table before turning to Dash and smiling happily. “I got your breakfast, I would sit down and talk with you all,” Soarin started, giving a friendly smile at all the mares around the table. “But I should get going to Cloudsdale to meet up with the team. I’ll see you at sundown, you know where the place is, right?” Soarin asked quizzically, Dash hearing a slight nervousness in his tone.

“Uh, I don’t actually, remind me?” Rainbow said, giving the stallion a small smile while quickly glancing around the table.

“It’s… wait, probably best if I write it down,” Soarin said looking around for any available writing utensil.

“Here you go,” Twilight said proudly, levitating a quill over. “I keep one handy just in case,” the alicorn explained, not noticing the shaking heads of her friends.

“Thanks, Twilight,” Soarin replied happily grabbing the quill from its magical aura and grabbing the brown bag that contained his friend’s food. He began to write the information down, Rainbow tried to lean over to see what it was he was writing, but couldn’t see a thing. After a few moments the stallion tossed back the quill before trotting towards the exit. “I’ll see you at sundown, okay, Dash?” Soarin asked again. Rainbow smirked.

“Sure thing, Soar, I’ll be there and you better not be late!”

Soarin only shook his head playfully in response, before darting into the sky with a quick flap of his wings. Rainbow looked back to her friends who were all staring at her with either grins or smiles. Dash however was looking at mostly Rarity and Pinkie who were both ready to start a conversation.

“Darling, I am very surprised, how could you not have made a move on that handsome hunk of a—”

“Rarity, please,” Rainbow groaned facehoofing. Twilight levitated out a chair for the pegasus to sit on.

“I was only mentioning that you have a very nice stallion staying in close proximity to you, I’d suggest you make a move before it’s too late, he is one of your idols.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Rarity, I like him as a friend. I’m not just gonna waltz right in like a fan filly and ask him out.”

Dash watched as all the other ponies gave her looks of sadness, but they kept their smiles. Rainbow could feel her heart ache slightly, she didn’t really know why at this point, but then again, she didn’t understand any feelings besides being awesome.

“So, how about we all try my new cupcakes! I call em’ Soaring Rainbows!” Pinkie shouted excitedly, changing the subject and the mood all at once. Everypony including Dash chuckled in response to the name. Rainbow leaned back on the chair as Pinkie shot off to acquire the food. Her mind was switching back to the stallion that had left only a few moments ago, she wondered where it was he was taking her. Then she realised, her eyes quickly travelled over to the bag of cupcakes with the scribbled writing of Soarin, her eyes widened slightly as she read the words on the bag:

To Be Continued...