takes place after S6 E8, (A Hearth’s Warming Tale.) and after the chapter Crash, Cider, and Cleanups

“Hey, Crash, you coming with us tonight?” Spitfire asked, taking a bite of chicken.

Dash tilted her head curiously. “Coming where?”

Wave Chill stood up, gathering his, Spit’s, Dash’s, Soarin’s, and Fleetfoot’s plates with his wing, confidently balancing them on his back. “Feather’s bar,” he replied, smiling at her. “Well all go there every Friday night.” He walked away at that, carrying the plates towards the dishwashers.

“Oh, well, sure!” Dash said enthusiastically. She was eager to try to find her place on the team, and to do it by not impersonating her friends and ruining shows with crazy stunts.

Fleetfoot nodded and stood. “Let’s go freshen up and get going!”

Faces washed and manes brushed, (which Dash couldn’t be bothered to do), all the ‘Bolts were chatting on the short walk to the bar.

“So,” Rainbow said, catching up to Soarin. “Every Friday night, huh?” She could have easily asked Spitfire or Fleetfoot, but she found herself wanting to talk to him. And she would while Rarity wasn’t around to tease them.

He jumped a little and quickly regained his composure, coughing awkwardly. “Yeah, every week. Kinda like a ritual.”

Dash nodded. “What do you do? Besides drink, of course.”

“Well we’re always talking. Make sure you have some cough drops for tomorrow.” He smiled. “Sometimes we do drinking games, cards or darts or pool. We go back whenever and we get the whole VIP section to ourselves. It’s pretty great.”

She smiled and saw a bar up ahead. “Sounds fun.”

He nudged her as the team made their way through a different door. “They got apple cider.”

Dash’s ears perked up at that, and she cast a sideways smile at him. “Then pick up the pace, Clipper!”

She heard him chuckle as she eagerly made her way into the bar, scanning the whole room. Dash was fairly impressed. It had nice hardwood floors and a solid bar table, with lots of different glasses behind, as well as many different types of booze. There were a few small tables with chairs, a pool table and dart board in the corner, and a black sheet that hid the rest of the place. Flashy lights were flickering a little as the team sat down at the bar, starting to order from the bartender.

The grey coloured bartender made it’s way down the line. “Whatcha looking for tonight, Soarin?” he asked.

The ice blue stallion shrugged. “Just the usual, Feather.”

Feather’s eyes narrowed as Dash watched him bite back a smile. “You have a couple of ‘usuals’,” he teased.

Dash smiled a little as Soarin laughed lightly. It sounded like him, a little indecisive when it came to simpler things. “Scotch on the rocks.”

Feather nodded and moved to Dash. “And for you, Miss Dash?”

“You know my name?” Dash questioned, cocking her brow. It was already starting to become loud, electric dance music pumping and the loud laughter of other ponies.

“You’re kind of a hero, Crash,” Soarin replied casually. “And formally known as our best reserve.” He grinned, green eyes flashing and glowing from the lights.

Those eyes were beautiful, she decided. The exact colour of a light emerald, glimmering with a spark of hope wherever he went, filled with kindness.

“Apple cider, thanks,” Dash ordered, giving a little nod. Seeing as she was at the end, Feather turned and started mixing ingredients, serving Soarin and then Dash.

“Alright Crash!” Lightning Streak yelled, walking over to her. “To you! The most talented flier we’ve ever had!” He raised his vodka and tonic.

“To Crash!” Misty and Fleetfoot shouted and everypony around them echoed.

Dash beamed, taking it all in. Her first few days as a Wonderbolt had been a struggle, bringing loads of bad memories and embarrassment over her nickname. But the nerves had worn off, and she was having the time of her life. Her goal had been accomplished and she was looking forward to setting new ones for herself, ever enjoying the challenge.

“Yeah, yeah, thanks guys,” she acknowledged, taking a sip of her cider. It wasn’t Applejack’s, but it would do for tonight. “And uh, thanks for not kicking me off the team, Spitfire.”

Spitfire shrugged as she gulped back some tequila. “You’re still on probation, newbie. Don’t forget that.”

Dash just grinned, mindlessly tapping her hoof to the beat of the song.

About fifteen minutes later, most of the team was on their second or third drink, and were happily recalling some of the stupidest things they had ever done.

“I can do no wrong,” Fleetfoot announced loudly. Soarin and Spitfire both looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Dash smirked. Fleetfoot, while an excellent flyer, had a reputation. Outgoing, sociable, and a bit of a party girl. “What’s the story?” Dash called over the music.

Soarin smiled wickedly. “Fleetfoot here once hit on a teacher in front of half the class ‘cause she thought he liked her.”

Fleetfoot’s purple eyes widened as she smacked Soarin across the head lightly. “You said you wouldn’t tell anypony!”

“I can’t lie to our newest member, Fleet.” Soarin made puppy dog eyes.

Dash snickered. “What was his reaction Flatfoot? Did he fall for you too?” This was not a topic Dash was normally interested in, but it was at the expense of her friend and all in good fun.

“I’ll have all you know that he called me very pretty after class!” Fleet protested.

“You don’t have to lie, Fleet. It’s okay,” Misty reassured sarcastically.

“Anyways, what about you, Crash? Dumbest thing ever. Go,” Spitfire ordered jokingly.

Dash chuckled as she felt all their eyes on her. She had quite a few stories, but preferred to call them adventures or thrill seeking. Not... stupid. Even though Applejack and Twilight had both called her reckless on countless occasions.

“I’ll be happy to share some of my daring exploits,” she offered instead. “Nothing I do is stupid.”

Soarin nudged her jokingly. “What about flying into a trash can twice and messing up your first official appearance as an official celebrity?”

Her gut tightened for a moment, but loosened when they all looked at her with relaxed, teasing smiles. “At least nopony needed to save me when that happened!” she teased, finishing her drink and motioned for a refill.

Soarin slicked his dark blue mane back, and Dash wondered what it felt like. Would it be filled with gel? Or soft to the touch, hairs tickling her hoof as she... Snap out of it, Rainbow.

“You got me there,” he admitted. “But I’m sure saving us only made you more confident. I am a reason of your greatness.” He poked her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Nah, I was just born awesome. Had nothing to do with you guys.”

“We were your inspiration,” he pointed out.

Sensing the two had started talking on their own, the team stopped listening and formed their own hearty conversations, enjoying one another’s company.

Dash scoffed a little. “Were? You still kind of are.” She saw a blush appear on his cheeks at that and smiled. “Don’t you get a lot of compliments, Soarin?”

“Wh-what?” He tilted his head, leaning slightly more forward.

Dash shrugged, drinking some more cider. “You’re blushing,” she noted. While not always, he seemed to blush around her more often than not, despite his usual laid back, calm persona.

“I...” He took a hoof and placed it on his cheek, offering her a weak smile. “I’m just hot,” he said lamely.

Dash raised an eyebrow, not believing him. He’d been acting a little stranger recently. Not too out of sorts, but one minute he’d be her friend, all sweet and smooth, and the next he’d be blushing and making excuses for his behaviour. She decided not to question it, not wanting to worry. Tonight was supposed to be fun. Instead, she just nodded her head and smiled. “Okay.”

After a moment of awkward silence, his flush disappeared and he pierced her eyes with his. “So tell me, what is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?”

“I don’t do stupid things,” she deadpanned. “Too awesome for that.” She sent him a cocky smile that he would interpret as friendly. Soarin seemed to get her. He understood without ever trying hard to do so.

She expected him to nod, but instead he just rolled his eyes. “Everypony does stupid things. Now respectfully... tell me!” he demanded.

Dash raised her eyebrows. She was half expecting him to back down, but that wasn’t exactly Soarin either, despite being usually very relaxed. “Gee, didn’t know you could be so stubborn.”

“Me? What about you?” he asked.

“What about me?” She placed a hoof to her chest.

He smiled. “I may not know you that well Crash, but I know you’re stubborn.”

“Am not,” she huffed, though she smiled. He was right. He didn’t know her that well, but he knew enough. He’d already seen her some of her bad parts, and here he still was, being her friend.

Soarin smirked triumphantly and Dash flattened her ears, understanding what he was trying to insinuate. She was too stubborn to admit that she was stubborn.

“Care to tell me now?” He smirked.

She chuckled a little at how proud he seemed of himself. Dash gave in. It was okay to let your guard down a little sometimes after all… “Dumbest, huh? Probably...” She tapped her chin in thought, recalling events during her younger years. Lots of stories came to mind— much more than a twenty-three year old should have. A memory came to the front of her brain. “Alright, fine. As long as you tell me one of yours,” she proposed.

Soarin pretended to consider before nodding. “Deal.”

She grinned. “Okay, I was thirteen years old, and my parents took me and Fluttershy for a picnic on a mountain. After eating, I decided I was bored.”

He looked her up and down, trying to figure out where she was going with her story.

“Then I saw two pretty solid and wide pieces of wood from a tree trunk, so I grabbed them and tried to make Fluttershy ride down this very rocky mountain with me.” She remembered this day perfectly, still etched into her head.

She saw his eyes widen as he made sense of what she was going to tell him. “You didn’t...”

“I went first and she came after, but Flutters was smart and actually flew back up before she got hurt. Me? I went almost all the way down before crashing into a boulder on my side. Hey, hurt this wing and rib pretty badly.” She motioned to her right side. “My parents? Not impressed.”

“Really?” he mocked jokingly. “I thought they’d be impressed,” he said sarcastically. He turned away for a moment and faced Feather. “Can I have some whiskey?”

The bartender nodded and quickly poured him some, setting it in front of Soarin. “Thanks!”

“Woo hoo! That’s how it’s done!” came a voice.

Soarin and Dash both peered over and saw Rapidfire and Surprise doing some dangerous looking dance, twisting back and forth while moving their hooves around the wood rapidly, while Lightning surprisingly was the one to try and stop them.

“Ah, the rare sight of Lightning Streak being responsible,” Soarin commented.

Dash took the opportunity to not tell him that after she had crashed down the mountain, she had thrown up her lunch due to not waiting after eating to do her stunt.

Eventually, Lightning, with the help of Blaze and Misty Fly, managed to get Surprise and Rapid out the door, signalling their exits for the night.

“Alright Clipper.” Dash tapped him on the back and he turned to face her again. “Story time.”

Spitfire, overhearing them, butted in as she nudged her best friend. “You’re in for a laugh, Crash.”

Soarin shoved her lightly. “Shut up,” he hissed.

The captain just shrugged and winked at Dash, facing Fleetfoot and Wave Chill again.

“So, care to tell?” Dash questioned, resting her chin on both hooves. She was definitely curious now.

Soarin cast one more glare at Spitfire. “It’s not reckless stupid,” he warned. “It’s just...”

“Stupid stupid?” she guessed.

He confirmed it with a nod.

Dash got comfortable, willing to listen. Soarin was entertaining. Surely she’d enjoy whatever he had to tell.

“Okay... Here goes nothing,” he muttered. “I was fourteen, and I decided to try and impress this girl I liked...”

Dash’s mind went a little blank. Something moved on the inside, and she felt weirdly annoyed that Soarin had liked another girl. Currently, she had no interest in seeing him as more than a friend, but a friend could dislike the idea of her attractive, sweet coworker having a crush on another girl, even if it was years ago. Right? Totally.

A hoof waved in front of her face. “Uh, Rainbow Dash? Equestria to Rainbow Dash.”

Blinking, Dash tucked away her thoughts and shook her head. “Sorry. Guess I’m getting a little tired.”

“That’s cool, that’s cool. Means I don’t have to tell you,” Soarin replied nonchalantly, pushing away his glass that was now empty.

Dash frowned and gave him a playful shove with her wing. “I’m gonna have to announce you to the world as a deal-breaker, Clip.” She took the liberty of putting her face closer to his. “Would you like that?”

Soarin presented a facade of horror so real that it took Dash a moment to realize he was just acting . “Not that,” he groaned dramatically. “I give in. Listen closely, young one, to the riveting tale of—“

Dash cackled. “You’re such a dork.” A cute one. She cringed on the inside. Shut up, no he’s not.

“No interruptions!” he bellowed playfully.

Dash rolled her eyes. “Sorry sir,” she quipped sarcastically.

He smiled and relaxed. “That’s better. So anyways, school, fourteen, I decide to try and impress this girl and I dragged Fleet into helping me with it. I’d been practicing my flying every day, so I thought I was ready.”

Dash nodded, showing she was indeed listening.

“At break time, I stood up and put myself in a canon, which Fleetfoot lit for me...”
Dash snorted and shoved a hoof over her mouth. This was going to be hilarious.

“Everypony saw as I blasted into the sky, unable to fly because I was scared shitless and going way too fast.” He looked away. “I cannot believe I’m telling you this.”

“Don’t stop on my account. Keep going,” Dash urged, charmed and amused at his embarrassment.

He sighed and chuckled. “Well, gravity took it’s toll and I started plummeting. Eventually I was able to gain control of my wings, but I was too close to the ground. Fell right on top of her and her apparent coltfriend.”

At his ending, a wide smile spread over her face. Dash knew Soarin was smooth and professional, talented and handsome, the apple of plenty of mare’s eyes— but apparently he too could make stupid decisions and have a silly side that she really got to see even more of tonight. All their previous encounters, except for when she started the team, had him being very sweet and focused, never goofy and teasing.

He just felt very easy to be around, somepony Dash has always been able to talk to naturally from the get-go. And while she adored her friends, would do anything for them, she couldn’t say that her first meetings with them had been quite so... natural. Her and Soarin on the other hoof, had a connection, rooted in the thing they shared the same intense passion for— flying. But the other ‘Bolts felt the same way about the activity, so why did her friendship with Soarin seem more special?

“Um… you guys have done tricks in shows that have you going at like, the speed of light.”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t a professional stunt flyer or a Sergeant in the AirForce.”

She always forgot that the ‘Bolts were a part of that. They too, in their own right, we’re non-magical heroes of Equestria. Loyal to their team, Cloudsdale, and Celestia. She liked that. Feeling tired all of a sudden, she let out a yawn and tore her eyes away from him, realizing they were the only ones left. How long had they spent here? An hour? “We haven’t even been here very long...” she managed.

“We don’t always last for a great amount of time,” he replied. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired.”

Dash nodded, clumsily standing up, alcohol rushing to her head. How many ciders had she drunk? Four? Five? “Me too,” she agreed.

“Let’s head back to HQ,” he suggested and started to walk, Dash following as the two stumbled their way to the door.

“Woah, hey, hey,” a calm voice yelped. Feather flew right in front of them. “You guys aren’t going unescorted. You’re drunk. I’m gonna close down the VIP section and then I’ll take you back. Don’t. Go. Anywhere,” he demanded.

Dash nodded lazily, okay with the idea of just sleeping on the floor. From the dazed look in his green eyes, it seemed like Soarin felt the same way as well.

A few minutes later, Feather took them outside, keeping them close as they made their way back.
“Hey! The sky’s purple!” Soarin shouted, pointing forwards. Feather changed the direction of his hoof to up.

Dash looked up. Indeed the sky was radiating a deep purple over the midnight blue. Soarin turned to her, laughing like a little foal. There was nothing remotely funny about his comment, but being a little drunk always made things seem way funnier. Dash started laughing too, trying not to be mesmerized by his brilliant green eyes, illuminated by the glow of the moon. Good thing she wasn’t drunk enough to say stupid things, or she would have some serious regrets the next day... if she remembered.

“Here ya go, folks,” Feather said, opening the doors to the locker room and gently shoving them inside. “Goodnight.”

Soarin stumbled again. “Night night.”

Dash frowned. “Where’s the beds?” she asked.

Her companion shrugged and just plopped down on the floor. “Too tired to go buy a bed... I’ll sleep here,” he mumbled, shutting his eyes.

Dash could fall asleep anywhere, and promptly took advantage of that fact right now. Settling herself at the opposite end of the room, she fell into fitful sleep, the growing fondness developing further for her second-in-command.