//------------------------------// // Team Dynamics // Story: The Race of Dreams // by Hoof of Approval //------------------------------// “Okay, so have you already figured out what you’re gonna say to them?” Lightning Dust shook her head. “I haven’t exactly hashed that out yet. I mean, what do you say to somepony you could have hurt really badly? Especially since one of them is a princess. I could get in some deep trouble for this if it goes wrong.” Her eyes widened. “I could even be barred from the Wonderbolts if she—” Rainbow laughed. “Now you’re just being paranoid! Twilight might be upset—even disappointed—but she won’t just fly off the handle.” She directed her gaze toward Mount Canter as it loomed on the horizon. “I’d like to think she’s past that phase by now. Besides, even if she does try that, my friends will get her to see reason. Especially Applejack.” Lightning cringed at the name, and her ears folded back. “From what you’ve told me about that one, I don’t think she’ll take it as calmly as everyone else. I think the shy one will just be scared of me, and that dressmaker might snub me entirely.” “Maybe, but she’ll warm up to you.” Rainbow glanced back at Lightning. “Don’t worry about AJ. She’ll know if you’re real about apologizing or not. And Pinkie won’t care—she’ll just try to make you laugh.” Her eyebrows tilted upward. “You might be right about Fluttershy, though. I’ll have to convince her you’re not out to get her.” Dust grimaced. “No, I’ll do that. It’s my mess—I’ll clean it up.” Mount Canter’s silhouette swelled in size as they approached. Rainbow picked up speed with a grin, Lightning following in her wake. “So, do you already have an idea about who’s best for what position,” Lightning called out over the rush of wind, “or are we gonna work on that as we go?” Rainbow kept her gaze trained forward. “I’ll tell you when we land!” They touched down in Canterlot Square, and the crowd parted as they glided toward their landing zone. Rainbow turned toward Lightning with a smile. “I told the others to meet up at Pony Joe’s. Their train should be here in a few minutes; we have time to head over.” She headed east from the fountain at a trot, Lightning at her right side. “I won’t have much to say besides introducing you. If you haven’t planned out what you’ll start with—” Lightning chuckled. “I can’t script something like this. No matter how much time I’ll have to think about it, it won’t be enough. So I’ll just wing it.” The two pegasi walked into the cafe, and Joe greeted them from the bar. They picked a booth near one of the windows and sank into the plush leather cushions with sighs of relief. Rainbow ordered two boxes of doughnuts and several shakes of various flavors, and Lightning quirked an eyebrow. “Trust me, we’re gonna need ’em,” Rainbow said as she fished a doughnut out of one of the boxes. “So about the positions...” “Yeah, I was just about to get to that.” Lightning took in a breath. “We need two grease ponies, one on either wing; a markspony to put the sign up for your position in the pit lane; and somepony to refill the water trough, because that thing runs out quick. Four ponies in total.” “Right. Here’s who I was considering.” Rainbow took a sip from her shake. “The grease ponies are gonna have to be Applejack and Pinkie Pie. They’re not afraid to get dirty, and Pinkie would have a field day out there, because she thinks everything is fun. Fluttershy will be the one to refill the water trough. I don’t think she’ll be up for anything more than that, even though she’s braver than she looks.” Lightning nodded. “That leaves this Rarity you keep talking about. Don’t you already have her making your flight suit?” “Yeah, and she’ll do an amazing job of it. But I think she should be the markspony.” Rainbow held a hoof up before Lightning could respond. “I only know one other pony who can tolerate holding a sign up for that long, and she’ll be busy with something more important. Besides, it doesn’t get her dirty, so she’ll be fine with it.” “Fine with what, exactly?” Rainbow turned toward the entrance to find Rarity on her way toward their table with Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie in tow. Rainbow grinned as their faces lit up with surprise and delight at the food laid out before them. “Well, how about that? You came prepared for once,” Applejack chuckled as she sat next to Dash. “That’s because Dashie is serious!” Pinkie scooted next to Lightning, who pulled away from her with wide eyes at how she’d come almost out of nowhere. “Hey, I know you! You’re—” “The one that tried to blow us out of the sky.” Rarity’s eyes narrowed. “I do hope you haven’t come here to be casual with us after that.” Applejack turned toward Rainbow. “I sure hope you got a good explanation for this, sugar cube...” Dash nodded. “I do. But I’m not the one that’ll give it.” She glanced at Lightning and gave her a nod. Dust nodded back and turned toward Rarity. Then she closed her eyes and turned away with a sigh. “I don’t deserve to be here.” Rarity blinked and tilted her head to the right, one eyebrow raised and her eyes wide. “You girls have every right to be angry, and probably need to talk this whole thing over without having to worry about me. I did some more research on you guys; turns out I almost hurt some very, very important ponies. As if Rainbow chewing me out wasn’t enough—” Rainbow pounded the table with her right forehoof, jostling the plates. “I did not chew you out!” “Let me finish.” She waited a moment before glancing around the table, her eyes heavy with regret. “I knew I was in trouble when I lost control of that tornado. When I got tossed by the wind, I didn’t see where it was headed. By the time I saw what happened, it was too late for me to do anything, so I let Rainbow handle it.” She sighed. “Should’ve taken care of it myself.” Nopony replied, and after a pause, Lightning cleared her throat. “I got tossed in the brig after that, and the thing that probably hit me the most was when I was told Rainbow almost quit because of what I did. You guys won’t believe this, but I liked having her around. Somepony that flew as well as I did, pushed herself just as hard, and was just as confident that she’d ace this whole thing? I couldn’t have asked for a better pony to hang with! She wouldn’t slow me down—wouldn’t hold me back.” “No wonder you two got along so well.” Everypony turned toward Fluttershy, who had that rare surety in her eyes when she knew exactly what to say. “Rainbow doesn’t like to be held back or slowed down either. But she does it anyway. If she didn’t take time out to do that, I don’t know where I’d be.” She turned toward Lightning with a smile. “None of us would.” Applejack nodded. “I’m gonna assume you weren’t there to make friends, not necessarily. You were there to be a Wonderbolt, to prove you were the best out of everypony else. But there’s a snag to that plan.” She leaned forward, just enough to make Lightning turn toward her. “Being the best doesn’t mean trampling over everypony else, especially when you’re part of a team. Sometimes you gotta be the one on the bottom, so somepony else can climb up to where they need to be.” Lightning stared at Applejack for a moment, glanced at Pinkie—who was still grinning—and then turned to Rarity, meeting her gaze. “I just wanna say I’m—” Rarity lifted her right hoof. “Not another word.” She took a sip of the shake in front of her. “If you apologize after all that, I may very well not forgive you.” She smiled. “You seem to have learned your lesson and want to make up for it. The question is, how?” “Well, has Rainbow told you her plan?” “By proxy or otherwise, yes.” Rarity turned toward Dash. “Speaking of which, what were you saying earlier?” Rainbow looked up from her doughnut, eyes wide. “What? Oh, that!” She brushed the crumbs from her muzzle and cleared her throat. “I know you’re already in for making my flight suit. I don’t even have to ask that. What I’m going to ask is something you probably don’t wanna do, but you’ll like it anyway, because it doesn’t get you messy.” Rarity lifted her chin. “There are many things I don’t want to do, but I do them anyway. Ask, and I’ll try it once.” Rainbow nodded and looked around the table. “Before I do, I need to tell everypony what a crew needs. We need two grease ponies—ponies that keep a racer’s wings oiled—one for each wing. We need a water pony to keep that water trough nice and full, because if it runs out, I run out of steam. And we need a markspony to help me find my stall in the pit lane via a sign. That’s one job for each of you.” Rarity nodded. “I’m going to assume that you want me as the water pony, correct?” Rainbow shook her head. “No, that’s Fluttershy. AJ and Pinkie will be the ones keeping my wings oiled. You’re going to be my markspony. It’s one of the most important jobs, because that pit lane is going to get crowded, fast.” Rarity rubbed a hoof under her chin. “And if you get lost out there, you won’t be able to make a stop when you need to. So it will be on me to show you where your place is.” “Exactly! And you can hold something like that up longer than anypony here.” Rainbow shrugged. “Sure, you’d still have to deal with the smell and the noise, but we’ve all got things we gotta deal with. This way, the grime will be off your hooves.” Rarity’s eyes narrowed again, this time in thought instead of ire, then she nodded. “I do believe I can manage it.” Rainbow grinned. “All right! So we’ve got everything set up and ready to—” “Hang on just a minute.” Applejack looked around the table. “Aren’t we supposed to have a leader, somepony who keeps everything running smoothly? I mean, none of us here can really lead besides Rainbow, so the only other viable option would be...” Lightning glanced up from the table for a moment. “Now you see why I said I don’t deserve to be here.” “Um... you’re the only one that thinks that.” Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Lightning and put a hoof under her chin to lift her head upward, enough that their eyes could meet. “I’m sure you’ll make a great team leader.” “Yup! And even if you don’t, we’re all behind you one hundred percent!” Pinkie joined in the hug, and Lightning blushed. Rarity and Applejack glanced at each other before the dressmaker cleared her throat. “Terribly sorry, darling, but aside from the two of you and Rainbow, not too many of us hold that same opinion. After what she did at Wonderbolt Academy, and despite her apology that we all accepted, I don’t think she’s in the best position for that. That would have to be—” “It’s not gonna be Twilight.” Rainbow shook her head. “She’s gonna be part of this, but she has something more important to do than just lead the race team. I’ll tell you when we go see her today, but trust me when I say there’s nopony better I can think of to be a crew captain than Dust here.” Lightning took in a breath. “Before you go anywhere else with this, I have something I want to say. Been thinking about it for a while now.” The rest of the table went silent. Lightning sighed and closed her eyes, still in the midst of Pinkie and Fluttershy’s hug. After a few moments, she opened her eyes. “I’m glad you’re all just letting me sit here with you after what I did, and I’m glad you forgive me. But I came here to make up for it somehow. When Rainbow came to me with this, I didn’t think half of you would accept it so easily. I knew some of you would chafe at it, and I understand.” She looked up from the table, toward Rarity. “But I have to do this. And besides, I’m not really the leader.” Lightning pointed a hoof toward Rainbow Dash. “In Sky Racing, the racers are the ones that win the races. They’re the ones that run the laps, that fight for position, that give their all to be one of the first three across that line when it’s over. That would put any final decisions in Rainbow’s hooves, and for some reason she picked me to be her coach and crew captain.” She turned toward Applejack. “You said something about having to stand under somepony to help them get where they needed to be. Well, that’s my job. I wasn’t any good at it in Basic, and I didn’t learn anything about it while I was there. But now that I’ve seen all of you and gotten the chance to talk... I want to learn, starting right now.” Silence fell over the table again. A few moments later, Applejack shrugged. “She’s got my vote.” “I suppose after that, she’d have anypony's vote, wouldn’t she?” Rarity nodded. “All right; I did say I’d try anything once. I can tell when somepony is trying to change for the better—believe me, I’d know what that looks like.” She smiled. “So then, what say we show those other teams how a real race is run?” She put her right hoof forward, toward the middle of the table. Applejack nodded and did the same. “Like I said before, I’m already in it—for better or worse.” Fluttershy and Pinkie broke from the hug long enough to follow suit. “This is gonna be the best Grand Prix ever,” Pinkie squealed. “We’re gonna have so much fun!” Rainbow put her hoof forward as well. “Once this starts, I won’t accept anything less than victory. We either win, or we go home. With you girls behind me, there’s no way this’ll be anything less than awesome!” Everypony looked to Lightning, who sat there wide-eyed. “You guys...” She smiled. “You guys have something that I really, really want. I don't even know what to call it, but I want it." She put her hoof in the circle. "We're gonna bring the cup back to Ponyville, whatever it takes!" Twilight Sparkle peered at Celestia from the corner of her eye, her teacher levitating a cup of honey tea and taking a sip. The captain of Manehattan’s weather team was giving his monthly report, his gaze shifting back and forth between Celestia and Twilight as he spoke of the storm front that was planned to hit the city in the next week and refill the reservoir. She didn’t like how he kept glancing at her. She already felt awkward enough, sitting here next to her mentor. “Very good,” Celestia said with a nod. “I’ll leave it to you. Let me know if you need any assistance from the Royal Weather Patrol; I’ll have a few members sent out. You need all the rain you can get.” The pegasus bowed, the badge on his vest glinting in the sunlight as he rose. “You’re most kind, Your Highness. If there’s nothing else you’d ask of me, I’ll take my leave...” He looked back at Twilight and smiled half heartedly before turning to leave. “Just one more thing.” The captain stopped in his tracks. “Is there a problem with having my student sit in for this?” He tensed. “N-no, not at all! I’m just unfamiliar with having another—” He cleared his throat. “A new royal to speak with.” He turned to face Celestia again. “I don’t really know Princess Twilight all that well besides what I’ve heard about her. I wasn’t even able to come to the coronation—business at home, y’see.” Celestia took another sip from her tea cup as she opened her eyes to regard the captain. “Well, you do have a point there.” She turned toward Twilight. “Rest assured, she means you no harm. But if you would rather she study the workings of Day Court somewhere else, it can be arranged.” She frowned, her brows tilting upward. “I believe, however, that the experience she would lose in reading about it would be a tragic thing indeed.” She turned back toward the captain. “Don’t you agree, April Showers?” The stallion ran a hand through his frost-blue mane, equally blue eyes resting on Twilight. This time, he gave her his full attention, and she squirmed under his gaze. He sighed and took a few steps toward her. “I agree.” He bowed to Twilight. “Forgive me for doubting you right off the bat; it’s somewhat unfair of me. This changes a lot of things for all of us, though.” Twilight relaxed as he rose from his bow. “I know that. I’m trying to learn as quickly as I can, but it’s going to take time to get it all right.” She smiled at him. “I’ll be fine, though. Sooner or later, you’ll see me holding court instead of Celestia. We all know she needs a break from it!” There was a round of polite laughter from the crowd of ponies in the room, and a genuine smile from April. “Glad to hear it. I wish you the best.” He bowed to Celestia again and turned to leave the room. She leaned down toward Twilight. “Very well done,” she whispered. “I didn’t expect him to just walk up to you like that. He doesn’t do well with sudden changes, I’m afraid. You set him at ease.” Twilight looked up at Celestia with a grin. “Did I?” “You did.” Celestia sat back up again and lifted her right forehoof over a small pedestal just near her throne. “Is there anypony else?” The room fell silent. “Then we recess for lunch and some music.” She tapped her hoof twice on the pedestal, and the ring of her golden horseshoe echoed across the room with each knock. Murmurs of conversation filled the hall as the nobility headed through the doors at the front of the audience chamber, and she turned to Twilight again. “I think that’s enough for today. Why don’t you go join them and socialize a bit?” Twilight shook her head. “No, thanks. Honestly, they still scare me.” She chuckled. “Yeah, the Princess of Friendship, Element of Magic, scared of a few ponies. I don’t think any of them really want to be my friends.” Celestia regarded Twilight, her gaze calculating. “And how do you know this?” The student stared at the marble-tiled floor. “I-I dunno... I can just feel it. Most of them are watching for any mistakes I make, ready to use them against me.” She frowned. “It’s just a pit of cockatrices out there for me.” Celestia smiled. “It’s all right. You can retire to your tower. Just one more thing, though.” She tilted her head to the right. “You said ‘most of them,’ not ‘all.’” “Yes—yes I did.” Twilight looked back up at Celestia. “Why?” “Who exactly can you exclude from the number of ponies that don’t like you?” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Is this... a test or something?” Celestia shook her head. “Not at all. It’s just an observation I’m starting to make. Now please, answer my question.” Twilight lowered her head again. “Well...” She frowned, eyes narrowed with focus. “I remember seeing my mom and dad here today, but I think there were two others. They were—what were their names?” She tilted her head to the left, as if doing so would help her remember. Her eyes widened after a few moments. “Ah, that’s right! Fancy Pants and his Prench wife, Fleur de Lis. They’re more curious than anything—at least, that’s what I think.” “And you could tell all that without even looking at them?” Twilight blushed. “Yeah, I could. I don’t know how I did it, I just—” Celestia placed a hoof atop Twilight’s head. “The Elements of Harmony are unpredictable things, Twilight. Many researchers have tried to gauge what they’re fully capable of, but the crystals have defied every attempt at analysis. There may very well be no explanation for it.” She ruffled her student’s mane. “I can’t say for certain, but I think this may be first of your new abilities.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “You mean I can tell how somepony’s feeling?” “I don’t think that’s exactly it.” Celestia looked upward for a moment. “It’s more like you may be able to read their intentions. How they feel and what they intend for you are two different things.” She looked down at Twilight again. “You will know the difference soon enough. In fact, you have to know the difference, or else the less scrupulous nobles will take advantage of you.” Twilight gulped before nodding. “I understand.” Celestia nodded back at her. “You need to see your friends today, right?” Before Twilight could respond, Celestia put a hoof just under her chin, closing her student’s mouth. “Go to your tower and get ready, then. You’ve more than earned some time with them.” Twilight grinned, gave Celestia a quick bow, and leapt out of her chair before breaking into a sprint toward her personal chambers. Before long, she raced up the stairs to her bedroom and opened the doors with her magic, skidding to a halt just in front of the etching of her cutie mark. “Oh, I hope I’m not late! There’s no telling when they’ll be here!” A distant voice in the back of her head told her to calm down, but the rest of her ignored it in favor of dashing around the room, rearranging things that didn’t need to be moved and checking her wardrobe for something to wear. Another voice pointed out that ponies don’t normally wear clothes, and it made her giggle before closing the cherry oak doors again. “I really should relax. I mean, it’s not like this is anything important, it’s just a day out.” She headed for the vanity just to the right of the wardrobe and dragged a brush through her hair. “Though I do need to apologize to Pinkie for missing that party she had planned for me.” “That’s okay, Twilight! I had another one planned just in case you missed it!” Twilight sighed. “Well that’s a relief, because I thought—” Her eyes widened, her magic losing its grip on the brush. She wheeled around and found Pinkie right in front of her, her grin a mile wide. Twilight leapt three feet into the air with a shriek. Pinkie giggled. “I always love surprising you like that. It’s so easy to do!” “Well, stop it! You’re gonna give me a heart attack before I become an old mare.” Twilight took a moment to stop her heart from pounding. Once she calmed herself, she lifted the brush again and ran it through her hair to straighten out the tangles Pinkie gave her. “How did you get past the guards, anyway?” “There aren’t any guards on the outside wall, silly! I came in through the window!” Twilight blinked. “But I’m three stories up—oh, never mind.” She gave Pinkie a brief hug before heading for the door. “So if you’re here, where’s everypony else?” A knock on the door answered her question, and she trotted over to open it, only to be tackled by two ponies. “Twilight!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash almost knocked her over in their pounce, with Rarity and Fluttershy preferring to walk in. “It’s been too long, sugar cube,” Applejack said with a nuzzle. “We missed you!” Rainbow grinned as she mussed Twilight’s mane. “You been using those wings of yours yet? I mean, somepony’s been teaching you that too, right? ’Cause if they haven’t, I could totally do that!” Twilight smiled and let her friends rough her up as the others joined in the cuddle pile. “So then, how’s life in the castle been for you? I know all that work must be a terrible strain on you,” Rarity said worriedly. Twilight backed away from the hug with a huff. “Honestly? It’s been tiring. I’ve had to learn so much about actually being in charge that I never knew about before, not to mention that most of the nobles don’t like me all that much.” Rarity sniffed. “That’s because most of them are fools. They don’t take the time to look at anything they’re not comfortable with.” She glanced around the bedchamber. “But enough about that unpleasantness. This place is absolutely wonderful!” She trotted toward the four-post bed and ran a hoof along the velvet comforter. “I’d love to stay in here for a night or two sometime. I bet I would sleep like a rock.” “I can arrange that, if you want. Matter of fact, you girls should stay the night.” Twilight gasped. “We could have another sleepover!” Applejack’s eyes widened. “I sure hope you don’t try to, erm... go by the book. We all know how the last one went when you did.” Rarity turned toward the princess. “She does have a point. Surely you know by now that books are not the ultimate authority on everything. Life is learned by living it, not reading a book on how to live it.” Twilight blushed. “I’ll keep that in mind when we actually get to it.” She cleared her throat. “So then, what are we doing today?” Rainbow peered around the room. “Wait, we’re missing one.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “We are?” Glancing toward the doors, she sighed. “Consarn it... hang on, everypony.” She marched toward the exit but stopped halfway when Fluttershy stepped in front of her. “Um, I’m sorry, but...” She dipped her head behind her mane. “Maybe I could try to bring her in?” Applejack blinked, peered toward the doors, then shrugged. “Long as she gets in here, I’m fine with it. I don’t know what she’s so skittish about—it’s just Twilight.” Twilight chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t think anypony can say I’m ‘just Twilight’ anymore.” Her ears swiveled toward the bedchamber doors as Fluttershy headed out to look for this last guest. She picked up faint snatches of conversation, and her eyes narrowed as she tried to focus. “Who is this pony you brought with you, anyway?” “Well, she’s—” Rainbow fell silent as Fluttershy came back inside. Another pegasus trailed behind her, her head lowered and eyes turned to the left, brows tilted upward. Twilight’s eyes widened. “Lightning Dust.” The pony’s head snapped up, her eyes the size of pinpricks. “Y-you know me?” Twilight closed her eyes. “Age sixteen; from Cloudsdale. Top marks at Junior Speedsters Camp, with instructors praising her for her boldness and drive. Family moved to Hoofington afterward, where she joined the local weather team upon meeting age requirements.” Twilight opened her eyes and took a few steps forward. “Selected to participate in the Wonderbolt Basic Training Course two years later after exemplary conduct in the Weather Service. Cited for endangering lives during the course; confined to the brig for forty-eight hours.” Lightning wilted under Twilight’s gaze. “If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s conducting research.” Twilight stopped three feet in front of the pegasus. “But you know what I found the most interesting?” Lightning shook her head, her eyes squeezing closed. Twilight smiled. “You ended up placing in the top five percent of the class.” She glanced toward Rainbow. “Friend of yours?” “Yup!” Rainbow grinned. “She was my wing pony—well, not the whole time, but you get the idea. I figured I’d bring her over to meet you, since she said she’d never heard of you before.” She scoffed. “Imagine, a pony that’s never heard of the Twilight Sparkle!” Lightning opened her right eye. “Well I learned a little bit about you from Dash here, but not all of it.” Twilight nodded. “I see.” She tilted her head to the right, the gears in her brain coming to life. The eerie feeling she’d gotten from the nobles in Day Court came back to mind, as well as what Celestia had told her afterward. If there was any way to test it, this was it. “Well, one thing you’ll learn about me is that I don’t hold grudges. If you’re really sorry about what you did, then I’ll believe you.” Twilight reached for the sensation again. Lightning opened her other eye and nodded. “I really am, about all of it. If I’d held back more, that wouldn’t have happened. And then I brushed it off as if it were nothing, because Rainbow stopped you guys from really getting hurt. But it was my fault, and I want to make up for it.” Something in the back of Twilight’s mind whispered to her, and she nodded. “Well, there is one way—but before I say what it is, could you please stand up?” She blushed. “I’ve had enough ponies bow to me for one day, thank you very much.” Her friends chuckled as Lightning got to her hooves. “Sorry, I just—” She shook her head. “Sorry. What did you need me to do?” Twilight smiled. “Gimme a hug.” Lightning raised an eyebrow. “Huh?” “Give me. A hug.” Twilight tilted her head again. “What, can’t you do it?” “Oh I can, just... it’s weird, hugging a princess.” “Oh, really?” Twilight giggled. “Come on, girls.” Her friends pressed in around her and all hugged her at the same time. “See this? They’re not even nobility. Technically they’re not even supposed to be here, let alone touch me, but here they are. If they don’t care about my title, why should you?” Lighting stammered, her ears drooping. Twilight stepped away from the hug and walked toward Lightning. “The biggest thing about friendship is that you have to abandon what you’re comfortable with, put on a blindfold, and jump into the unknown. Not that I’m calling you a coward, but it takes a different kind of courage to do that than to face down a drill instructor.” Lightning's eyes shifted between Twilight and her friends, but the ponies did nothing but stare back, waiting for her to move. Lightning sighed and closed the distance, wrapping a foreleg around Twilight's neck. Pinkie groaned. "That's your best hug?" Rarity frowned. “You know, she does have a point. With how passionate you were with us earlier, I’d have expected you to have a bit more gusto when it came to this.” She sniffed again. “Clearly, I was mistaken.” Lightning stepped away. “Well, what do you want me to do? I mean, it’s just—” She shook her head. “It’s just uncomfortable.” Fluttershy gasped. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! That hug that Pinkie and I gave you must’ve been—” “No, that was okay.” Lightning smiled. “That was more than okay; it made me feel great!” Twilight nodded. “Then just reach for that feeling again. Close your eyes if you have to.” She smiled again. “We’re not leaving until you give me a good hug.” “You’re a weird princess, you know that?” Lightning closed her eyes. Twilight watched her, the buzz in the back of her head no longer audible. She lifted one eyebrow as the sensations returned—first a slight tingle at the back of her neck, then an itch that she couldn't scratch. She ignored Rainbow Dash’s yawn in favor of the rising anticipation, and her smile turned to a grin. She met Lightning halfway once the pegasus walked forward, and they both reared back to wrap their forelegs around each other. Twilight held tight, the buzz shifting into a clear, bright hum. “That any better?” Lightning was silent for a few moments before she opened her eyes. “Yeah. I think I’m good now.” She broke away from the hug, and Twilight felt the sensation abate. “Wherever you guys are going, take me with you. I don’t have anything better to do, and we need to discuss a few things when we get there.” Rainbow shook her head. “No, better to get this over with now; everypony’s been wondering about that, anyway.” Twilight turned to face Dash. “What do you mean? Was there something you needed from me?” Rainbow looked at the other ponies as she took in a breath. “Actually, there is. Something really big. It has to do with me getting into the Wonderbolts.” She lifted her right hoof. “No, I’m not asking you to make them accept me on the roster. I can find a way on my own—in fact, I already have an idea.” She gestured around the room. “Everypony else here is in on it, except you. Trust me, you’re gonna like this one.” Applejack nodded. “It’s one of her better-thought-out plans. Figure it’s worth a shot.” Twilight nodded. “Just tell me what it is, and I’ll help you out in any way I can.” Lightning cleared her throat. “I think I’ll explain this one.” She walked until she stood in the center of the room, and the other six fillies surrounded her. “The Pegasus Grand Prix is the biggest series in Sky Racing. It’s mostly run on special cloud circuits, each twist and turn designed to test a racer’s limits.” She paced in a circle as she pressed on. “Final victory is not based on wins, it’s based on points. This means that there are no minor tracks—every race counts.” Twilight’s eyes widened as Lightning spoke. She could feel the passion that Dust had for the sport. Twilight put a note in the back of her mind to research it later, but for now she tuned her ears forward. “Each team that enters puts their all into recruiting the best pegasi. They put in countless practice hours on each track. Everypony in that race has something to fight for. They’re either there because this is the highest form of flight, or they’re there because they need to win; winning will help them achieve something more. It’s why it’s called the Race of Dreams. “But more than that, everypony spends a good amount of bits to keep their racers going. Wing oil, flight suits, license fees, equipment, water, and places to stay during the race weekends—all add up.” She stopped pacing just in front of Twilight. “What I’m saying is that each team has a sponsor to pay for all this.” “And you want me to be yours. Is that it?” Rainbow nodded. “I can totally understand if you say no. You got princess stuff to do—we can find another. But...” She sighed. “I trust you more than any other pony out there. You’d look out for us—you always have. Will you help me?” Twilight dipped her head. This was a lot they asked of her, supporting a racing team. They’d be counting on her for so much, and she knew it wasn’t all about the money either. But Rainbow was right in the fact that she had so much to learn still, and that meant she couldn’t spend a moment away from Celestia or Luna. She looked up at Rainbow. “How long until this starts?” Rainbow grinned. “It’s in pre-season right now; we still have a few weeks.” Twilight nodded. Plenty of time to ask for some advice. “Give me two days.” Rainbow nodded, still grinning. “I’ll give you all the time you want. I just hope you say yes by the end of it!” “If nothing else, I’ll cheer you girls on from wherever I am, even if it’s not in the stands.” Twilight just wasn’t sure it would be as their sponsor. Not yet, anyway. “But this isn’t the time to decide on that—we’ve gotta go have some fun!” She trotted toward the double doors. “Let’s paint the town, girls!” Pinkie pouted. “But I don’t even have my brushes! How am I gonna paint anything without those?” Lightning sniggered. “Is she always like this?” “You’ll get used to her, darling,” chuckled Rarity. “We all had to, at one point.” The seven fillies walked out from Twilight’s room and headed downstairs, Pinkie bouncing every few steps. Rainbow trotted up to Twilight and slowed to match her pace. “So then, about that whole flying thing. You got anypony teaching you yet?” Twilight shook her head. “I’d ask Celestia or Luna, but they have so little free time. Cadence is leaving for the Northlands again soon—she won’t be able to coach me. So that leaves only two ponies.” “Well, I know for a fact that I don’t have anything better to—” Rainbow blinked. “Wait a minute. Two?” Twilight turned her gaze toward Rainbow. “Well yeah. I mean, you’re going to be busy getting ready for that race, right? And from what I can tell, it’s going to be a whole bunch of them.” Rainbow’s brows tilted upward, her eyes wide. “But that’s weeks away! I’ll have plenty of time—” “No you won’t, because you’ll be busy training with everypony else for the season opener at Wonderbolt Stadium,” Lightning snorted. “I’m not about to take any chances when it comes time for the big show. If you wanna do this, we need to start tomorrow, all of us.” Twilight shrugged. “Well then, that leaves one.” Rainbow scoffed. “Well who else could there be? I mean, I don’t know anypony more awesome than me to teach you how to fly.” She smirked. “I’ll have those wings of yours working full time before the Grand Prix starts, and still be ready for the race!” Rarity chewed on her bottom lip. “You do know you’re putting an awful lot on yourself, do you not? Perhaps this other pony would be a more suitable candidate.” Applejack shrugged. “Well, Twi always has a plan, and she’s never steered us wrong before. Whoever she picks, I’m sure she’s given it a lot of thought.” She glanced at Twilight. “Right, sugar cube?” “Actually, no.” Everypony stopped moving to stare at Twilight. Applejack was the first to recover. “Say again?” Twilight turned toward the others. “I just thought of this a few minutes ago, while we were talking. I was right when I assumed Rainbow would be busy getting ready for the race, so I’d already ruled her out.” She glanced in Rainbow’s direction. “Sorry, but this is the way it has to be. Getting ready for the races is more important for you than helping me fly.” Dash pouted. “Fine, but at least tell me who you picked.” “In a bit.” Twilight directed her attention toward Lightning. “What position do you have on the team?” Lightning lifted her head slightly. “Crew captain. My job is to help Rainbow pick her lines and pick her places to overtake other racers, and to make sure everypony does their best to get Rainbow in, refueled, and out before she loses too much distance.” “So you’re the coach, right?” “Yeah, that’s right.” Lightning tilted her head. “Why?” Twilight settled her face into a mask of authority, her brows in a slight frown even as she managed to keep her eyes relaxed. Her posture shifted as she straightened her back and stretched her neck slightly. Relaxed, yet regal. “Because if I’m going to trust you with my friends, I need to know what you’re capable of—how good of a trainer and coach you are.” Rainbow’s eyes widened. “You’re not saying—” Twilight nodded. “Lightning Dust is going to teach me how to fly.”