Surprise, was one fast pony,
Each class got three runs. I won the first, but she beat me by a nose on the second.
She took last on round three. She said she winded herself, I didn't buy it. I wanted to ask for a rematch when it wasn't my party. I felt like she let me win and it made me feel sick.
I have to admit I actively wanted to lose. Being faster than any of the modern Wonderbolts made me feel like they had gotten soft. It was a little irritating.
I had to watch the next round because Gilda was flying in it. Thunder Lane won the first two, but she was right behind him and managed to pull ahead on round three.
Once the match was over I made my way to the stage where Rainbow Dash and Spitfire were discussing the prize for the winning crowd member. Wonderbolts just got bragging rights.
"Jerry!" Spitfire said, "I thought you would run off until you were called up to take a bow."
"I was actually thinking," I cleared my throat. I wasn't sure how good my idea really was but my pitch picked up quickly once I started spitting it out, "Maybe, after the bow, the two of you could join me to put on a show." I was so excited I hadn't noticed myself lift off the stage until I was doing a flip as I said 'put on a show'. I landed and cleared my throat again, "if you think it's a good idea."
Rainbow Dash trotted up and laid a hoof on my forehead.
"You don't have a fever," She seemed genuinely worried about me, "what's come over you?"
With perfect timing, Scootaloo flew up and hugged me. I just looked at Rainbow and winked. She got the idea.
"That was awesome!" Scootaloo said, "I can't wait until the Wonderbolts in training class comes up! I don't know if I'll win the race, but it's my first race so I don't care. Did you see mom fly?"
"I sure did," I said, "She's not so slow herself."
"About your idea for a show," Spitfire said, "I like it, but I have a suggestion."
"What show?" Scootaloo asked.
"The show you three are going to put on with Gilda," Spitfire answered.
"What?" all three of us asked but all with a different tone. I was shocked Spitfire had taken herself out, Rainbow Dash was confused, and Scootaloo was excited.
"Yea," Spitfire said, "a routine with you and your family is a great idea! We just gotta find Gilda and a routine that isn't too hard to learn without a practice run. I actually have one in mind. It's simple, and perfect for the situation."
"You mean I get to fly in a routine with my whole family!!!" Scootaloo was doing flips herself.
"Calm down or you'll fatigue your wings," Spitfire warned, "you have a lot of flying to do."
Scootaloo landed, "Good point. Can I go tell my friends? They said they were gonna wait by the snack table."
"Just come to the stage when the winners are announced," Spitfire said, "I won't be surprised if I'm calling your name anyway."
Scootaloo hugged Rainbow Dash before galloping off the stage.
"Just to make one thing clear," Rainbow said, "I accept being Scootaloo's sister makes me part of the family, but you are not my dad. I think I'm a couple years older than you."
"Well if you only count my human age," I had to laugh, "I'm not even human right now."
"You have a point," Rainbow laughed as well, "So how old are you now?"
"Depends on how you look at it," I said trying to scratch my beard with a hoof, "I lived to eighty-five as Daylight Dreamer. I think the twenty-five I've lived so far as Jerry count so that puts me at one hundred-ten... and a half. If you really want to make me sound old, I was born six hundred years ago."
Rainbow seemed to shake off a little surprise, "I guess I didn't consider how old you got as a pony. Wouldn't that make you grandpa?"
"Well if Scootaloo never told you," I laughed, "I actually am her grandfather, with a dozen or so 'greats' in front of it."
Rainbow just stared at me. Spitfire seemed to silently laugh. I assumed she already knew about this. If my family had any records aside from those of the bat-ponies, the Wonderbolts would have them.
"Let's go over the routine I have in mind," Spitfire suggested, "It's super easy because it's really just a stylized defensive formation. Right up your alley."
-
I was tasked with finding Gilda so I could go over the routine idea with her.
I also wanted to find her to watch the rest of the races together. Scootaloo hadn't gone yet.
I didn't want to cheat and have Vinyl call her up, So I started thinking of who she could be hanging out with. I could already rule out her best friend. I figured I may as well find my own best friends and ask if they had seen her.
Looking around from the stage I could see a silver saw blade shaped mane sticking out in the middle of the crowd. I started planning a route through the mob when I got an itch in my wing and felt like an idiot.
I flew over the crowd and hovered over Sawdust and Pinkie. The crowd was watching from the time I took off so they gave me plenty of room once they realized I wanted to land.
I was swarmed with quills and parchment as soon as I was on the ground. I couldn't even get the three feet to my friends with all the random ponies asking for autographs.
"Everypony back off!!!" a deep thunderous voice shot through the crowd, "I said MAKE WAY!!!" the crowd parted to reveal Big Macintosh in a black shirt with a badge and sunglasses. He trotted up with a serious look on his face. He was staring the other ponies down as he walked, "Are these ponies bothering you?" He asked.
"Kinda," I had to shout myself to be heard over everything going on, "what's with the getup?"
"Pinkie asked me to help with security," he said, "it's not my style, but ah think we're both stepping outside our comfort zone."
"You could say that," I agreed.
"Ah should stay with you," he said, "the crowd ain't gonna let up cause ah yelled at them once."
"I would like that," I was overjoyed to be with a familiar pony, and him being in uniform definitely helped keep the fans from swarming. Even if I wanted to sign autographs, I have bad handwriting when I have thumbs.
Before we moved along I figured I may as well ask Big Mac, "You haven't seen Gilda have you?"
"Nope," he replied.
"That was exciting," Sawdust said as Pinkie bounced around behind him.
"Sure was," I said, "say, have you seen Gilda around?"
"She was hanging out with Thunder Lane," he said, "Over that way." He pointed a hoof to the edge of the crowd, "We should go together, These fan ponies are relentless."
We made our way as a group to the spot Sawdust had seen Gilda. Just as we were about to arrive a magic field extended slowly pushing the crowd away from a spot a little way in front of us.
"Outta the way!" Big Mac shouted, "Security!"
The crowd cleared a path to the shield revealing Slag and Fluttershy standing in defense around a cowering young pony in a Wonderbolt uniform. Slag saw us and opened a hole in his shield for us to enter.
"It's ok, Sweetie," Fluttershy turned to comfort the young pony, "these are all friends."
"What's going on?" Sawdust asked as Slag closed the shield again.
"I'm not really sure," Slag replied, "we just heard her scream for help and found her with a swarm of ponies practically attacking her for an autograph. All I could think to do was push them back so she could breathe."
"I'm sorry," a familiar voice came from the balled up Wonderbolt, "I shouldn't have wandered off without a security guard."
"It's ok," Fluttershy laid a hoof on the filly's back, "I'm sure you had a good reason."
"I was looking for my dad," She was starting to cry as she looked up, "I thought I saw him so I just flew into the crowd, but I was mobbed. He told you the rest." She wiped a tear from her eye and looked in my direction. Her dark blue mane was a mess and she had dirt on her orange face. Once she saw me her eyes went wide and she couldn't look away.
"What does he look like?" Fluttershy asked, "Jerry and I could fly up and look for him."
She seemed to be trying to regain her composure but in the end, she started bawling, "He looks just like him, but an earth pony." She managed to squeak out pointing a hoof at me.
I knew she was embarrassed to be seen in this state by somepony she respected, but I really didn't know what to say to put her at ease. So I just nodded to Fluttershy and took off straight up when Slag opened the shield for us.
Once in the air, I looked to Fluttershy. I used hoof motions to point her to one side of the crowd and took the other side myself. It was pretty easy to look for beards considering most of the ponies looked directly at me as they saw me fly overhead. I was halfway through scanning my half of the party when Gilda flew up to me.
"There you are. Dweeb," She said, "I've been looking for you since you left the stage right as I was about to get to it, Dash told me about the show, I think it's a great idea."
I had to laugh, "I was actually taking off to find you, but now I need to find an earth pony that looks like me."
"Is this a game?" she asked.
"No," I said, "although it does remind me of Where's Waldo on hard mode. I see a lot of black coats, I see plenty of dark blue manes, even a few with beards. but not all three things at once on an earth pony."
"What about that guy?" She pointed to a rather distressed looking stallion in a straw hat, not twenty feet from where the others were still hiding in Slag's magic shield. I had previously looked over him because I didn't see his mane-he had been one of the few not to look up-but on second look he indeed had my features.
"I really am an idiot," I face hoofed.
"I just have good eyesight," she said, "eagle eyes."
"So how do we get close to him?" I asked. The entire area was filled with ponies. Everypony was being friendly, but our landing meant the potential for another mob, "We gotta get him to that magic shield over there. Assuming we have the right guy."
"I'll keep the crowd back while you talk to him," She said, "if he's cool with it, I'll carry him there."
"It's as good a plan as any," I said, "ready?"
"On three," she said, "one... three!!!" she bolted down and landed in front of the pony we were looking at.
She said something to him then started shouting for the crowd to stay back.
I landed and looked at the nervous stallion.
"Are you Sweet Harvest's father?" I asked.
"Yea," He said, "I'm Harvest Moon, is something wrong?"
"Nothing a little dad talk won't fix," I said, "If you don't mind. Gilda here can give you a lift to her." I motioned to Gilda who at this point was just sitting there smiling as the ponies kept their distance.
He seemed to weigh his options before asking, "Why you guys doin' this for us? It's your party."
"Because she needs her dad right now and I just look like him," I said.
"Well it'd take ages to walk even that far," he said, "ah better take yer offer."
"Don't worry," I assured him, "I trust her with my life."
I let Gilda know the plan was on and she gently got a hold on him and lifted off.
Once we were above ponies heads again Gilda looked back to make sure I was there.
"I better let Fluttershy know we found him," I said, "just fly over to that shield and Slag will let you in."
She nodded and flew off.
I spotted Fluttershy frantically darting about. I flew up and shouted her name. She spotted me and I just waved for her to follow me back.
We got back to the group to find them in the middle of the tearful reunion. They both looked at us. Sweet Harvest stepped back from her father and saluted me.
"Please forgive me for my lack of composure, and acting on impulse, Commander Dreamer. It won't happen again." She just stood there saluting... and trembling.
I wasn't sure what to say or why she was just standing there nervously saluting until I remembered that I was her superior, and I had just caught her bolting into a crowd without backup, something that would get her a night in the hole if I saw it fit.
I obviously had no room to talk as I had done the same thing.
I saluted back, "At ease, soldier," We both lowered our hooves, "I think you know better than to do that again. Let's just get you cleaned up and I'll make sure Spitfire isn't too harsh when she hears about it."
"I better go get ready," She said, "assuming I still get to fly."
"We better go as a group," I suggested.
"I was kinda hoping to slip out of here unnoticed," She said.
"It's too late for that," Big Mac said, "it's between races. We're the center of attention."
"So how do we get her to the track without causing a big stir?" I asked, "We can't wait for the next race when it could be the one she's in."