//------------------------------//
// The Race 
// Story: Wonderbolts - or not? 
// by Checkspark 
//------------------------------//

Scootaloo turned toward the sound of her name. “RAINBOW DASH??” She cried, surprised. She thought Rainbow had given up on being a Wonderbolt and went to work at the weather factory or something. Scootaloo galloped over to Rainbow Dash smiling. 
“Haven’t seen ya, Kid! Where’d you go to? You know, I looked all over ponyville for ya. It was like I lost a sister....” Tears welled up in Scootaloo’s eyes. She’d never heard 
Rainbow Dash talk like that before. “I missed ya, kid. I did. What’ve you been up to? Wonderbolts business, I see?” Scootaloo nodded. 
“You see, Dash, I, er, I was recommended by Soarin the day I learned how to fly. I left ponyville as soon as I could to start training. I can’t believe it’s been three years! How are Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom? Wait, how're you? I mean, you could’ve qualified for the test YEARS ago.”
“well, I had an accident. Couldn’t fly for a year.” Scootaloo gasped. “took me a while to get back on my wings after that.” 
Both mares heard Spitfire blow a whistle.
“Catch up with you later, Dash. Good Luck!” Scootaloo called
“Oh, I won’t need it” muttered Rainbow Dash.

Scootaloo closed her eyes and breathed. She heard the roar of the cloudsdale arena, she heard the commands of spitfire, but she just focused. This was what she was going to do. Going to achieve. She opened her eyes and pinpointed the end of the obstacle course. That was it. The gunshot rang out, the fans screamed, and Scootaloo took off. She looped in and out of rings, soared through clouds, rounded a pole twelve times then flew easily through a straight tunnel. 
Scootaloo easily passed and stayed ahead of all the other ponies. Now it was just a push for the finish between her and Rainbow Dash. The last obstacle proved to be an agility maze, with tunnels at different levels and confined areas. Scootaloo darted in just before Rainbow Dash. But the Blue Pegasus was catching up to her. 
Red clouded Rainbow Dash’s vision. This was HER  dream, not some petty ponyville filly’s. Even if she loved Scootaloo, she wouldn't let her steal the title. Angry,. Dash put forward a burst of speed. Wrong choice. She crashed into the wall the tunnel more than a meter above her. Scootaloo soared to the finish, amazed.
“YES! I DID IT! I DID IT!” she cried. “Hey, Dash, look, I-” She stopped mid-sentence, seeing the glare of fury in Rainbow Dash’s eyes. Suddenly, the victory didn’t seem so large. “I’ll catch up later, everypony. I - uh - im tired. I need to rest. I’ll meet you at the training complex tomorrow, Spitfire. Scootaloo sighed and turned around, flying off to her cloudsdale dorm, hot tears streaming down her face.