Cloudsdale Cumulus (4-1) vs. Manehatten Maelstrom (2-3) Air Hockey Game!

Thunderclap stood and cheered when Cloudsdale scored. "Yes! I knew we would come back around!" He looked down at his friend. "See? You just gotta be positive!" He said. He then playfully tipped Spring's hat. "I'm glad you brought me out tonight. I'm having an awesome time!" He smiled. "And you have to admit, the game is a lot more exciting if it is closed."

An announcer then announced that a game would be played on the field. A seat number was called. Thunderclap was shocked when he heard his seat number called. He looked at Spring Shower in a bit of shock. She looked back at him equally shocked. "I guess I should go out, eh?" He flew off quickly to the cloud platform in the middle and landed.

Spring Shower grinned and slapped Thunder on the back as he got up to go out to the platform. She yelled something sounding like 'good luck'.

The announcer happily greeted Thunderclap as he arrived at the platform.

"We have a winner!" he called, "Good sir, what is your name?" he asked

"Alright Thunderclap!" he said, "you've got the chance to win a great prize-- IF you can make a goal on one of our exceptional Cloudsdale Cumulus!" He announced motioning to a pegasus moving infront of the goal. Not the same one that had been playing, though.

"What do you say, Thunderclap," He said with a smile, "Do you want to take on the great Silver Hoof?" the announcer asked, holding out a xistera and ball for Thunder to take.

Thunderclap snatched up the xistera and the ball. "OK Silver Hood, go easy on me. I've never played before." He said, but instantly regretted it. Saying it to a friend one on one was OK, but in front of a crowd of fans was another thing. He put the xistera over his hoof. He wanted to look good in front of Spring Shower. "OK! Let's do this!"

Now although he never played air hockey, he did practice martial arts. And if martial arts taught him anything, it was precision. He needed to be precise for his plan to work. Thunderclap would fly a variety of loops and twirls to disorient the goalie. He would then make a sudden shot at a corner of the net. But that shot would be fake. When the goalie lunged to block the fake shot, he would then shoot at the opposite corner.

It was the best plan he could come up with. He took the ball and executed it. He flew several loops and twirls. He then threw his fake shot at net, followed immediately by his real shot. After the shot, he closed his eyes, hoping he made it.

Silver Hoof barely moved from his stance as Thunderclap made his approach. He was clearly a trained player and was not going to be as easily distracted as one would think. As Thunder made his fake shot Silver Hoof reached to block it, but as the real shot came at the opposite corner, his head focused on the ball and he kicked out his rear legs, hitting the ball with his hooves causing it to miss the goal floating on the cloud. The crowd, which had been cheer, let out a disappointed Aww as the shot was missed.

"Awh thats too bad!" The announcer said in just as cheerful of a tone as before as he flew up next to Thunderclap, "It was a great attempt, though, lets hear it for Thunderclap everyone!" he called as the crowd applauded again.

The announcer motioned for Thunderclap to return to his seat as some of the players began to reenter the playing area.

Thunderclap slowly flew back to his seat in disappointment." Well that sucks." He said as he sat down. He sighed. "Oh well, you can't win them all, eh?" He said and smiled. 'So much for looking good in front of Spring Shower.' He thought. "I can't be great at everything, right?" He said, trying to be cheerful. "Maybe if I tried for a shot between the legs, it might of worked."

He watched as the players got back out onto the arena. "Go Cumulus!" He yelled, "Let's win this thing!" He looked down at Spring Shower. "Thanks for inviting me out. I've been having a lot of fun." He said, his smile getting even wider.

When Thunderclap returned to his seat, Spring Shower jumped on him, giving him a big hug, "You did so good!" she said excitedly, "You almost scored against Silver Hoof! he was an amazing Goalie some years ago!" she exclaimed.

"You didn't even know anything about Silver Hoof going up against him," she explained with her forelegs still embracing him, "if you had known about his great kicks you could have planned a better stratagy!" she said, ending her hug.

She gave Thunder a small kiss on the cheek before sitting back in her seat, looking over at him with a slightly embarrassed but affectionate smile. "Go Cumulus!" she yelled right after Thunder, sharing his enthusiasm.

Thunderclap sat in bewilderment. His eyes stared blankly ahead of himself. She hugged him. And kissed him. He felt like he could fly. Wait, he could fly. He felt like he could use magic then. "Ya, better strategy." He said. Thunderclap blushed slightly.

He continued to watch the game. He had gotten more used to the fast pace of the game. "So much faster than chess." He mumbled. His mind still wasn't entirely on the game, but on the kiss.

The game resumed and the Cumulus kept up their strength from the previous period. They scored early and then turned on an extra hard defense. The game finally concluded with a 2-1 score with the Cumulus coming ahead over the Maelstroms.

Spring watched the clock anxiously as the final seconds ticked down until finally there was a horn indicating the end of the game. She cheered happily and got up from her seat and began stomping her hooves on the ground-- which didnt make much of a sound, although the collaboration of many of the many pegasi doing it make for some noise.

"We won!" she said, turning happily to Thunderclap.

Thunderclap stood up and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Ya! You showed them!" He smiled and stamped his hooves as well. "See? I told you! You just gotta stay positive!" He said, and tipped Spring Shower's hat. He then embraced her with his own forelegs and lifted her off the ground.

He placed Spring back on the ground. "Well, this was fun. We should do something like this again sometime. Maybe soon, we could go get dinner, or maybe see a show....." Thunderclap trailed off, obviously very nervous.

"Hey, I was still confident even after that first period," Spring Shower said with a playful smile to Thunder over all the noise of the cheering ponies. She then let out a surprised squeek as Thunder embraced her. After she got over her surprise, she returned Thunders hug happily, even resting her head on his shoulder for a minute-- a little surprised how he could lift her off the ground so easily-- she wasnt THAT small...

After Thunder set Spring down, did he just ask her out...? Spring stared up at him in complete surprise. All the noise and movement around them seeming to slow down some as a blush crossed her white muzzle. She wasn't used to stallions asking her out-- maybe once or twice before-- but she's always been just one of the colts. When she was playing sports or doing weather stuff, the colts just kind of were her friends, and while she may have liked a few of them, she never really got to go on dates with them.

She blinked a few times and then smiled a little nervously, "Sure, I'd love that!" she said happily.

Thunderclap sighed in relief when Spring Shower answered yes. "Phew! Thanks. I was kinda nervous if you couldn't tell. I was afraid I would make things awkward." He said. He noticed that Spring was blushing. "So um ya! This is great!" He laughed. "Looks like this night went really well, eh?"

"So ya, we can meet up tomorrow, figure out what to do. I'm not one for planning, more of a spur of the moment kinda guys. But supper sounds fine to me. Considering I'll be signed up with the Psycho Squad soon, I'll be able to pay." He said. "Sorry, I tend to talk a lot when I'm nervous, does it show?"

Spring Shower smiled up at Thunderclap with a genuine smile and nodded a little with her eyes closed, "Yeah," she said softly, just barely audible enough to be heard over the crowd which was now filing out of the stadium, "It really was," she said still smiling happily.

"Maybe it showed just a little" Spring said with a big smile as she turned to walk towards the exit, brushing Thunder's side with her flank encouraging him to come with her.

Spring looked over to Thunder, "Wherever you want to go its your choice," she smiled, "It's a date." she said happily.

Thunderclap followed her out. "Ya, I just mentioned supper cause I don't really know what one is supposed to do on these things. But you just said anything I wanted, didn't you. Ok, we'll go for dinner. How does tomorrow sound? I think my Psycho Squad application would have made it through by then."

Thunderclap watched as the pegasi slowly filtered out of the stadium. Most of them with large smiles on their faces. "Oh, ya. Do you want your bandana back?" He asked, pointing at his neck.

Spring Shower smiled over at Thunderclap as they exited the stadium, "Nah, keep it," she said happily, "It looks good on you." she said

They reached the edge of the clouds and she looked down at the land scape, "race ya," she said as she flew off the clouds.

"Hey! That's no fair! I wasn't ready!" He yelled as he chased after Spring Shower. Thunderclap's large wings began to beat rapidly as he slowly picked up speed. "I'll catch you yet!" He said as he raced through the clouds.

He eventually caught up with his friend. "Cmon! Surely you can do better!" He joked.