A Story of Hearth's Warming
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I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.
Chapter 8
Rainbow Dash was ecstatic that she and her friends were going to be able to dine with The Wonderbolts for Hearth's Warming dinner. That meant that she was going to be able to sit near her life mates. Soarin' guided the rainbow-maned mare to the main table and pulled her chair out for her while Rapidfire and Spike assisted her friends to their seats nearby.
"Thank you, kind sir," Rainbow Dash giggled out as she sat.
"You are most welcome, my dearest Lady," Soarin' stated as he gave a great bow while Spitfire chuckled at his silliness.
"Little One, Soarin' and I still have to greet the remainder of the guests with the rest of the team for Princess Celestia," Spitfire explained as she nuzzled her youngest life mate, "We will be back shortly. Save our seats."
"Okay," Rainbow Dash agreed cheerfully as she placed a napkin across two seats beside her.
"Ain't tha sweet," Applejack cooed teasingly at the cyan Pegasus from across the table.
"Oh, hush," Rainbow Dash fussed with a smile on her face, "I'm in too good of a mood to let your teasing bother me. I get to spend Hearth's Warming with both my friends and my life mates now. This day just got 120% cooler! Best Hearth's Warming Day ever!"
"We are so happy for you," Fluttershy said from between Applejack and Rarity, "I'm glad everything worked out."
"Absolutely-doodley-doo!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she plopped down in a seat beside Rainbow Dash, "Now we can really get down and party tonight."
"You bet," Rainbow Dash giggled getting a frown from Twilight and Rarity.
"Just remember to mind your manners," Twilight warned from beside Pinkie Pie, "Princess Celestia has important guests tonight."
"We'll be good," the pink pony and cyan Pegasus promised as Spike sat down beside Rarity.
"When is the food going to get here?" Spike whined loudly, "I'm starving."
"The food will get here once all the guests arrive and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna makes their entrances," Rarity whispered, "Please use your 'inside' voice."
"Excuse me?" a voice asked from behind Rainbow Dash, "Is this seat taken?"
The cyan Pegasus turned to see a rather handsome Unicorn stallion. The crème Unicorn was standing tall while giving her a rather dashing smile and was gesturing to the saved seats beside Rainbow Dash with a hoof, but before she could answer another voice broke in.
"That seat is most assuredly taken," Soarin' snapped with a challenge in his voice from behind the startled Unicorn stallion as Spitfire cantered over as well with a frown on her face, "You will just have to find another seat. Sorry."
"I see," the Unicorn said as he looked between Rainbow Dash and Soarin' and realized that the two were together, "My apologies."
"No problem," Soarin' agreed with a stiff smile as he blocked the Unicorn's view of his youngest life mate with his body, "See you later. Happy Hearth's Warming Day."
"Soarin'," Spitfire groused as she and her stallion sat down beside the laughing filly while their team also sat at the table, "Behave!"
Rainbow Dash's friends and the rest of The Wonderbolts all exchanged gleeful looks. They loved when Soarin's bonded stallion showed up and made a scene. It was always amusing to watch. Less than a minute later, trumpets sounded letting all guests know to get to their seats and stand. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna made their entrances as all the guests bowed. Behind the two Princesses was an assortment of other ponies being led by two stallions and a mare wearing golden crowns. Rainbow Dash had to look twice to believe what she was seeing.
"Where are their cutie marks?" the rainbow-maned filly whispered to her life mates in bewilderment, "Aren't they a bit old to not have discovered their special talents yet?"
"New Brit-trot-onian ponies are different from Equestrian ponies," Spitfire quietly explained as the whole Ponyville group listened, "They do not have cutie marks at all."
"Welcome my dearest guests," Princess Celestia's voice interrupted, "Happy Hearth's Warming Day. Let me introduce to you my most esteemed guests. This is His Majesty, King Titan, his wife Queen Lady Fair, his son Prince Nobility, and the lords and ladies of his court from New Brit-trot-onia. Please help me make them all feel welcomed in the name of friendship. Let the feast begin!"
Stewards quickly brought the food to the tables so that the guests could make their selections. Each dish was simply divine and Rainbow Dash ate with gusto and chattered happily with her friends and life mates. The cyan Pegasus did use her best table manners and when she was unsure of what to do then Soarin' or Spitfire would lean over and give her tips. It wasn't until she reached for a delicious-looking purple liquid in a crystal ewer that Soarin' batted her hooves away gently.
"No, Baby," Soarin' began as he gestured to the rest of Rainbow Dash's group to listen, "That is Brit-trot-onian Hard Apple Port. That is extremely, strong liquor. I don't want to see any one of you touching this. Do you all understand?"
"Absolutely," Rainbow Dash agreed as her friends nodded their heads, "I won't touch it, promise."
"How strong is it?" Applejack asked curiously, "Ma family makes hard cider and it makes ah pony act tipsy at times if ya have ah lot, but it ain't dangerous or nothin'."
"That stuff makes a pony plain stupid with just a single glass," Spitfire answered before turning to her team, "Wonderbolts, you are still expected to uphold our codes and image even during the holiday. Soarin' and I do not want you touching any liquor at the Ball and that is a direct order. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the team chorused together and then chortled when they saw Rapidfire guiltily pushing an untouched glass of the Apple Port away.
When dinner was finished the guests all entered the ballroom and watched as Princess Celestia danced with King Titan and Princess Luna danced with Prince Nobility to officially begin the Hearth's Warming Ball. Once the Ball started the guests scattered throughout the palace to dance or simply mingle. Rainbow Dash watched as each of her friends were invited to dance which resulted in happy blushes. Fluttershy looked especially startled when Rapidfire asked her for a turn on the ballroom floor.
"I…I don't know," the yellow Pegasus stuttered out.
"Come on," Rapidfire urged gently, "We'll just dance as friends. No pressure."
The rainbow-maned filly giggled when she watched a heavily blushing Fluttershy allow herself to be pulled onto the dance floor. Rainbow Dash was innocently oblivious to the fact that many stallion in the room were looking in her direction in admiration. Soarin' and Spitfire noticed and didn't like it one bit. The two quickly flanked the pretty mare.
"Lets dance, Baby," Soarin' coaxed as he noticed his youngest life mate swaying to the music.
"Oh…oh, I don't know," Rainbow Dash denied as she began to blush, "I'm an athlete not a frou-frou pony. I really don't know how to dance to music like this anyway. Plus, what about Spitfire? I don't want her to be alone."
"Go on, Little One," Spitfire urged as she gently nudged the young mare over to their stallion, "I'm not a 'frou-frou' pony either, but even I love to dance at a party. Don't refuse to try new things just because you have decided you are an athlete. Soarin' will lead and show you what to do. We can take turns dancing. It'll be fun."
"Are you sure?" Rainbow Dash asked and when she received a nod from the golden Pegasus allowed herself to be led to the dance floor.
The cyan Pegasus was very nervous at first, but quickly got the hang of the slower dancing. To her surprise, Rainbow Dash realized that dancing with Soarin' really was fun. The stallion spun her expertly around the ball room and the song ended too quickly for her tastes.
"That was great," the rainbow-maned filly chirped as she and Soarin' trotted back to Spitfire.
"See? I told you," Spitfire chortled as she nuzzled her youngest life mate.
"Your turn," Rainbow Dash affirmed happily as she pushed the golden Pegasus in Soarin's direction.
"Oh…um…I'm not so sure," Spitfire hedged, "Soarin' and I don't usually do anything 'couple-y' while in uniform."
"Come on, Beautiful," Soarin' cooed happily, "We are life mates all three of us. Let me dance with each of my bonded. Please? You said that you and Rainbow Dash would take turns. I want to dance with you."
"Okay," Spitfire agreed while flicking her eyes meaningfully towards their youngest life mate.
"Hey. Lightning Streak," Soarin' called to his nearby, best friend as he got Spitfire's meaning, "Have you told Rainbow Dash about your newest move yet?"
"New move?" the rainbow-maned mare exclaimed excitedly as she turned to the Wonderbolt, "You have a new move? What's it like? Tell me while Soarin' and Spitfire are dancing. Please?"
Lightning Streak smiled at the young filly's excitement. He enjoyed the company of Rainbow Dash and had had many chats with the mare about flying moves in the past. The stallion also knew what his co-captains were doing, the sneaky, little devils. Lightning Streak had noticed that Rainbow Dash and her friends were getting a lot of attentions from other stallions tonight. The Ponyville group had always been rather pretty mares, but tonight all six looked stunning in Rarity's Ball gowns. The Wonderbolts were all keeping an eye out for Rainbow Dash's friends or any other mare to make sure to run interferences if any stallions got too forward with the younger more innocent mares. Lightning Streak knew that he was being asked to guard his co-captains' life mate so he settle down on his hunches for a good explanation and debate on technical flying.
Soarin' and Spitfire left to dance with good feelings. Rainbow Dash was being watched and was enjoying herself.
"Do you think she noticed that I got her a babysitter again?" Soarin' asked nervously as he danced with his life mate.
"No," Spitfire replied, "Good thinking with mentioning Lightning's new move. Rainbow Dash doesn't even realize that we just played her. Thank Celestia, for small favors."
The two bonded Pegasi were able to dance a second time when they noticed that Ice Wind had also joined the discussion with their youngest life mate. Rainbow Dash's eyes were twinkling and she looked like she was having a great time. Finally, Soarin' and Spitfire rejoined the rainbow-maned filly. Then Soarin' quickly led a giggling Rainbow Dash back onto the dance floor.
"Thanks, you two," Spitfire breathed out to her teammates once the cyan Pegasus was out of hearing range, "Do you see how some of these stallions are looking at my life mate?"
"I see how a lot of stallions are looking at a lot of the mares," Ice Wind answered, "I think some of the stallions sampled that Brit-trot-onian Hard Apple Port at dinner. Usually being in uniform makes other ponies standoffish, but tonight I have had a lot of stallions hitting on me and saying some rather inappropriate things."
"Uh-oh," Spitfire hissed looking around nervously for the rest of her life mate's friends.
"Don't worry," Lightning Streak reassured as he realized what his captain was doing, "The team has it covered. We are keeping an eye out for Rainbow Dash's friends…well…most of her friends. Trust me. Rarity can handle herself just fine. That mare has very politely refused a lot of offers that were way to forward in my opinion. Plus, that little dragon hasn't left her side once tonight. That…what is his name? Spike seems to realize what is going on."
"Rarity is older than my Little One, but she is still young and Spike is even younger. I doubt he understands the full situation," Spitfire advised, "Please make sure that there is somepony near if the 'offers' get too rough. Ice Wind, why don't you go and let the Princesses know what you have noticed? That way the two can intervene if they need to without drawing too much attention."
Lightning Streak and Ice Wind nodded and left just as a laughing Soarin' and Rainbow Dash rejoined Spitfire.
"Having fun?" Spitfire asked as the rainbow-maned mare snuggled up to her side while Soarin' watched his two mares fondly
"I never thought dancing could be so much fun," Rainbow Dash admitted breathlessly, "Thought Balls were for frou-frou ponies. This isn't even one of Pinkie Pie's parties, but I'm having a great time. I'm so glad you two are here!"
"So are we," Soarin' crooned to his youngest life mate as he nuzzled her cheek, "Spitfire and I have already talked with Princess Celestia while you were getting ready for the Ball. She has promised that The Wonderbolts will not have to work on Hearth's Warming Day ever again."
"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" Rainbow Dash crowed, "Are you serious?"
"Totally serious," Spitfire grinned out at her life mate's excitement, "Hearth's Warming is a time for a family to be together. Soarin' and I promise we won't make you feel the way you did earlier in the holiday."
"You didn't make me feel that horrible," Rainbow Dash denied starting to feel bad, "I was just acting like…"
"Stop, Baby," Soarin' gently ordered as Spitfire leaned her neck over her youngest life mate to draw her closer, "You finally have a real family again for the first time in years and then we had to leave you. Even if the 'leaving' was temporary, our absence still felt like an abandonment to you just like it would have felt for any other pony. Your emotions were perfectly normal. Spitfire and I will not stand for you to feel that way ever again if we can help it."
"Not ever again," Spitfire firmly stated, "We love you."
"I love you too," Rainbow Dash whispered as she cuddled her two life mates.
The Triad turned when they heard Twilight calling their names. She had a surprise escort.
To be continued…
