Author's note: This story has already had it's run on fanfiction.net, I am just bringing it over here for anypony that likes short and sweet ship fics. Hope you enjoy!

Laughing, a blue Pegasus stallion stepped up to his hotel room. His usually windswept mane was a lot tamer this particular night, though still maintaining its messy look. He usually wore a blue Wonderbolts flight suit, but on this occasion, he was missing this garment.

“See ya in the morning, Soarin!” A white Pegasus pony with blue and white striped hair called as he walked past Soarin, who was currently fumbling through one of his saddlebags for his room key.

“Yea, see ya!” Soarin replied, he laughed again. Finally locating the room key, he entered the room and found all the lights to be on and a golden yellow Pegasus with fiery orange hair sitting lazily on the bed. Her hair usually stuck up like flames, but instead was lying in a mess around her face. She was reading a newspaper article while lying on her stomach on the bed.

“Spitfire?” Soarin asked as he noticed the Pegasus. “Is this where you’ve been all night??” He asked the Pegasus. She looked up from her paper and lightly acknowledged Soarin’s entrance with an affirmative grunt.

“What’s up with you, Spitfire? You can’t tell me you’re starting to get homesick, we’re only half way through our tour!” Soarin said. He set down his saddlebags and stood beside his bed, a look of concern etched on his face. “You remember what happened with Bolt last year…”

“Oh, quit worrying, Soarin!” Spitfire commanded playfully, “I’m just relaxing. That’s all.” She calmly said with her usual smile and air of coolness.

“Well excuse me for being suspicious.” Soarin said, flopping onto his bed and fumbling for the TV remote. “You’re never the one to say no to a night on the town, especially in Manehatten.”

“Sometimes it’s better to just enjoy a night alone, Soarin.” Spitfire said.

“Reading the newspaper?” Soarin asked suspiciously with a raised eyebrow, taking notice of the grey paper that sat in front of Spitfire on the bed and raising an eyebrow.

“Yes.” Spitfire said, smiling. She chuckled a little and let her eyes drift back into focus on the newspaper. “Reading the newspaper.”

“And not leaving the front page?” Soarin said, noting the fact that the paper seemed to not have opened at all. It was still perfectly intact save for the fact that it had been unfolded and the front page displayed on the bed covers. “

“Oh quit it and watch your TV!” Spitfire said, swatting the remote that was sitting by her the whole time, sending it flying right into Soarin’s flank.

“Hey, isn’t that that one Pegasus from the Gala on the front page?” Soarin asked, not giving any notice to the fact that Spitfire had just assaulted him with a remote.

“What? Who?” Spitfire faked badly, “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“That one right there, in the picture.” Soarin said, clueless, getting up from his bed and pointing at the picture. “She’s there right by those other ponies from the Best Young Flier Competition.”

“Oh… well, look at that…” Spitfire said, feigning surprise.

“I can’t believe you don’t remember her!” Soarin said. “She wouldn’t be very happy to hear that.”

“Well, lots of fans wouldn’t be happy to know that we don’t know they exist.” Spitfire said lackadaisically.

“Huh. Well, that’s too bad.” Soarin said.

Honestly, how thick can you be? Spitfire thought. She chuckled a little and shook her head. Soarin noticed this, but decided against saying anything and flipped on the TV.

“RURAL PONIES RUIN GALA” The headline read. The picture on the front page showed a candid photo of four of the ponies mentioned. Pictured right in the middle of the group shot, there stood a cyan Pegasus pony with a bright rainbow mane. Of course, Spitfire had to imagine seeing the vibrant color thanks to the grayscale picture. Spitfire DID remember her, unlike what Soarin apparently believed. Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t name a single other pony in that picture but her.

Spitfire had spent the entire night looking at that picture, from the time Soarin left with the other Wonderbolts to go clubbing.

“You don’t think I’m really that stupid, do you?” Soarin asked, a much more serious tone to his voice.

“You want me to answer that?” Spitfire replied lazily.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve had a crush on a mare you met on the road.” Soarin said, choosing to ignore the insult.

“And what makes you think I have a crush on Rainbow Dash?” Spitfire asked.

“You just told me that you don’t remember her, but you know her name.”

Dammit… Spitfire thought.

“Well, so what?” Spitfire asked, “Like you said, it’s happened before…”

“Well, just be more careful about these habits like staying in the hotel room all night.” Soarin said. “Unless you are finally ready to tell the rest of the team that you like mares.”

“No, no… I don’t want to end up like Silverwind.” Spitfire said, “I can’t pretend to forget how much tension there was. It’s the reason why she left the group.”

“Then just forget about Rainbow Dash.” Soarin said, “Odds are, you’ll never see her again.”

“No, you’re wrong there.” Spitfire said. “This mare’s goal in life is to join the Wonderbolts. We’ll see her…” Spitfire said dreamily, tracing the edge of Rainbow Dash’s face with the edge of her front hoof.

“Well, think what you want.” Soarin said, flipping through channels on the TV, “She’s probably not even a lesbian.”

“Oh, I really think she is.” Spitfire said.

“That’s just wishful thinking and stereotyping.” Soarin said. “You shouldn’t do the second one at least.”

“Yea…” Spitfire said. Soarin shook his head and finally settled on a TV show to watch. A few minutes of no sound but the TV passed, during which time Spitfire thought of ways to get in touch with Rainbow Dash again. It’s a shame the Wonderbolts’ touring schedule is so intense. There were a couple free weekends here and there, but Spitfire’s home in Cloudsdale may be hundreds of miles from wherever Rainbow Dash lived… right? She didn’t even know where Rainbow Dash lived…

Oh, listen to yourself, Spitfire! Spitfire scolded herself. You’re ogling this mare like a schoolfilly. Soarin’s right. She’s just some mare I met on the road that I have some feelings for. That’s it.

However, there was something that separated Rainbow Dash from the other crushes that Spitfire had. Spitfire knew it and dismissed it as simply something that anypony would do. Still, it crept into her mind every time she wondered what was so special about Rainbow Dash.

“She saved our lives…” Spitfire said quietly.

“What was that?” Soarin said.

“And she performed a Sonic Rainboom.” Spitfire said. “Do you know how long I have wanted to do a Sonic Rainboom?” She asked a little irritably.

“Spitfire, she…”

“No… she’s the most spectacular flier I have ever witnessed.” Spitfire said, “She’s spunky and energetic and… cute…” Spitfire said.

“Okay, I think I’m gonna need to start ignoring you.”

“I need to see her again, Soarin.” Spitfire said. “Especially after the Gala a few nights ago… I was such a fool!”

“Well that’s your fault for ignoring her all night!”

“I was nervous!” Spitfire said, not actually meaning to say that answer out loud.

I was nervous. Spitfire thought. Why was I nervous? If anything, she should have been nervous! I’m Spitfire! Lead flier for the Wonderbolts! Why do I act in such a way when I think of this Pegasus?

“I hardly even remembered her name… but I’ll remember it next time…” There was a pause, “she saved our lives, Soarin.” Spitfire reiterated.

“You know what? I think you’re just attached to this mare because of that fact. Spitfire, we can’t go after one of your crushes again! I have followed you all over Equestria in search of these ponies that you fall for, and every time it ends in a heartbreak, whether it be yours or the other’s.”

“Soarin, I know…” Spitfire said with a little irritation coming from her voice, “And… all those times were like this, I know…”

“So why haven’t you learned?”

“I don’t know, Rainbow Dash is… different somehow.” Spitfire said. Soarin then turned to Spitfire and looked at her face. He’d seen those eyes before. He knew what she wanted, but he didn’t want to oblige. He groaned loudly.

“Spitfire… this weekend is the only free weekend we have for two months. I promised my family I would go visit them, you can’t expect me to – “

“I’ll go alone.” Spitfire said. Soarin didn’t expect that. He and Spitfire always traveled together, even times like this.

“Y-you will?” Soarin asked a little suspiciously.

“Yep.” Spitfire said. “I need to see her again.”

“Uhm… okay.” Soarin said. “Do you even know where to look?”

“Won’t be that hard. I just need to make a quick trip to Cloudsdale and ask for their registry for the Best Young Flier Competition.”

“There’s no such thing as a quick trip to Cloudsdale, we’re in Manehatten!”

“A few hours of flight at the most.” Spitfire said, “I can make it.”

“Well, if you’re up to it.” Soarin said. “As long as you don’t miss practice on Monday.”

“I won’t.” Spitfire said, then smiled. “Trust me.”

“Spitfire…” Soarin said, looking at her with a worried expression.

“What’s with that look? It’s not like I’ve never done this before.”

“That’s why I’m worried, Spits.” Soarin said. “I don’t want to see you coming back to practice with bloodshot eyes again after a crying fit because it didn’t work out.”

“That’s not fair…”

“And how could it work out? You’re a Wonderbolt! You and she both have different lives, and yours requires you to travel all over the world all year long.”

“Stop it, Soarin.” Spitfire said, not wanting to listen to any reason why she shouldn’t be with Rainbow Dash. “I’ll… figure that out when I get there.”

“As long as you’re happy, I guess.” Soarin said, “It just goes to show that being a Wonderbolt means that there are sacrifices to be made… for being here so long, you don’t seem to have learned that very well.”

“Well, if her dream is to be in the Wonderbolts…”

“No!” Soarin said. Spitfire smiled at him and they both started laughing. Soarin shook his head and brought his attention back to the TV, Spitfire turning hers back to the picture of Rainbow Dash. “See ya soon.” She said softly.

“Well, this is it.” Spitfire said to herself, looking at the small town of Ponyville from a distance. She was amazed at how short the trip was from Cloudsdale. She was expecting a much longer distance to travel. Spitfire opened the small paper with the address that the lady in Cloudsdale gave her.

“I am so glad that they archive this information.” Spitfire said grouchily, for the paper only said three words:

The cloud house.

“That’s so bucking specific…” Spitfire cursed, bleeding sarcasm.

She stuffed the paper in her saddlebag and walked toward Ponyville. As the small town drew nearer, Spitfire felt the butterflies in her stomach increase by about double. She wasn’t used to feeling this way, even though she HAD gone after some of her hookups before. Some questions popped in her head as the town’s sign came into view:
Does she even remember me?

Well, that one would be easy to answer. Of course Rainbow Dash would remember her, the Pegasus idolizes the Wonderbolts! Rainbow Dash knew her name before Spitfire knew Dash’s.

Would she be happy to see me?

Again, Spitfire believed that Rainbow Dash would be happy to see her. The past two times she hung out with Rainbow Dash, the sky blue Pegasus was happier than any pony she had ever seen.

Would she be upset about the gala?

This one worried Spitfire a bit. She totally ignored her at the Gala thanks to a mixture of the ponies constantly nabbing her attention and the fact that her nerves kept getting the best of her.

Would she return my feelings?

This was the hardest question to answer of all. First off, Spitfire didn’t even know if Rainbow Dash was into mares. As much as she wanted to believe that she was… there is never a surefire way to tell unless you just ask them. But… even if Rainbow Dash was a lesbian… how could she return Spitfire’s feelings? They really had only talked for a few hours. The two hardly even knew each other.

By the time Spitfire had almost completely convinced herself that she had no chance, she was already in Ponyville. Spitfire marveled at the old-timey feel of the place. All the houses almost appeared to be straight from a different century, incorporating even thatched roofs, which was something that Spitfire found amusing.

She walked casually down a road that led through some houses before eventually reaching what she believed was the center of town. There was a very large, round, and ornate building that stood above all others in the center of a large, open circle. Around this area were the shops and other normal locations you would see in a town. The ponies that were out at the time had to do a double-take whenever they passed Spitfire. Most didn’t recognize her because her hair was flat, and she wasn’t wearing her flight suit, but those that did quickly began whispering to their friends or smiling

Ignoring the onlookers (for this was something she was all too used to), Spitfire took notice of some of the more interesting buildings: A brightly colored gingerbread-style house with a large cupcake atop it was across downtown from where Spitfire now stood. Beside it was a large carousel-looking round building with beautifully decorated windows and a white unicorn pony with beautifully styled purple hair standing outside talking to a cream-colored pegasus with flowing pink hair. The ponies Spitfire recognized from the gala as some of Rainbow Dash’s friends. Perhaps they could help her?

“Excuse me, ponies!” Spitfire called out. The two ponies looked at Spitfire for a second before their eyes becoming wide with awe.

“I beg your pardon, but aren’t you Spitfire, the Wonderbolt?” The white unicorn pony asked excitedly with her slight accent.

“Yep, that’s me!” Spitfire said, trying her best to keep her usual cool. The two ponies looked at each other exchanged surprised glances. The Pegasus averted her eyes. She seemed a bit shy.

“I hardly recognize you with your hair down!” The unicorn said, then approached Spitfire. She extended a hoof to shake, “My name’s Rarity.” Rarity said, then noticed that her friend was not going to speak, “And this is Fluttershy.”

“Nice to meet ya.” Spitfire said, shaking hooves with Rarity. “Any of ya know where I can find Rainbow Dash?”

“As long as she’s not working, she’s probably at home.” Rarity said. Fluttershy nodded in agreement.

“And where is ‘home’?” Spitfire asked.

“Just fly above town and look south.” Rarity said, pointing in the appropriate direction, “You’ll see it.”

“Um… alright.” Spitfire said. She turned to leave, “Thanks, and nice to meet you!”

“And you as well!” Rarity replied, waving. Fluttershy waved as well. Spitfire flew away from Carousel Boutique, leaving Rarity and Fluttershy with very little understanding of what just happened.

“Did we really just speak with one of the Wonderbolts?” Rarity asked Fluttershy.

“Um… well… you did most of the talking.” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Well, that’s nopony’s fault but yours, Fluttershy.” Rarity said, “I wonder why Spitfire’s visiting Rainbow Dash…?”

“You don’t think…?” Fluttershy said.

“That she, maybe…”

“Got into the Wonderbolts?” They both said out loud together, before turning their heads toward Rainbow Dash’s home. Both of them wore silly grins of excitement at the thought of their friend achieving her lifelong dream. Rarity squinted in the sun and tried to locate Spitfire, but the golden yellow pegasus was now completely out of sight.

“Well, let’s just hope for the best.” Rarity said.

Spitfire landed gracefully on Rainbow Dash’s front porch. She admired the wonderfully sculpted clouds and thought it to be an amazing sight. Rainbow Dash lived there! Well, that is… unless Spitfire found the wrong house, which is very possible.

Spitfire cleared her throat and walked up to the door, then knocked thrice. There was a short pause, then the sound of hooves on a hard floor behind the door.

The door opened, and Rainbow Dash was there.

“Hey there, Rainbow Dash.” Spitfire said a little nervously, though maintaining her composure.

“S-Spitfire?” Rainbow Dash asked, her eyes becoming twice their usual size (at least).

“The Wonderbolts have a free weekend, and I wondered if, you know, you wanted to… hang out, or something.” Spitfire suggested, smiling.

“You came all the way out to Ponyville… just to hang out with me?” Rainbow Dash asked, her excitement building and voice becoming very high-pitched.

“Of course!” Spitfire said. Rainbow Dash seemed to lose her breath for a second.

Then, she fainted.

“Oh my!” Spitfire said, worried. She looked around quickly, but then realized that being on a cloud meant that there was little chance that anypony saw that. Spitfire sighed with relief and looked down. Rainbow Dash lay lifeless in front of Spitfire, though her leg twitched a few times. Spitfire knew she needed to move Rainbow Dash, so she picked Rainbow Dash up and walked into her house with her.

She found the living room with ease and set Rainbow Dash down on a couch. Rainbow Dash was out cold, so Spitfire just let her snooze.

Oh Celestia… Spitfire said when she took a step back to look at her. She’s so beautiful…

Rainbow Dash, regardless of her fainting, almost looked to be peacefully sleeping. Her messy multicolored hair lay all over her face, her eyes gently closed, and her mouth closed. Her body moved up and down slowly with every breath… it was almost too perfect.

“Maybe a wet towel…” Spitfire said, regretfully turning away to find the kitchen.