Rainbow Dash was awakened by the sound of a trumpet blazing in her ears. She jumped out of bed, “I’m up! I’m up!” She yelled, forcing her eyes open. She looked around but nopony was in her room. She let out a groan and slowly laid down on the floor. Her entire body was throbbing with pain from practice the day before.
The trumpet sound blared again, quieter this time. She looked up and saw speakers in the headrest of her bed. She groaned again and stood up. She changed into her uniform, stretched and walked outside to start practice. The sun had just breached the horizon.
Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts were standing in a circle going over today’s practice drills. Rainbow Dash trotted over to the group and listened in on what drills they would be doing today. Her face was stuck in a grimace as she imagined how much her body would hurt after doing all these drills.
As Spitfire was going over the drills Rainbow Dash yawned. The other Wonderbolts turned to look at her and Spitfire stopped reading over the list. Rainbow blushed, embarrassed. “I guess someone’s not used to the Wonderbolt’s hours,” She said with a chuckle. The others laughed too and then turned back to Spitfire to learn the rest of the drills.
Once Spitfire explained the drills for the day, she blew her whistle and the Wonderbolts took off. When Rainbow opened her wings to take off a burning pain shot through her wings and her back. She held a straight face while screaming on the inside. She needed to stay strong and not show any weakness. She ignored her pain and took off into the air, quickly catching up to the others and working with them on their drills.
Rainbow Dash pushed herself to keep up with the others. For most of the day, she was able to stay with the other Wonderbolts and keep up with them and their drills. Noon hit and they all flew to the ground to take a short break. While the other Wonderbolts talked, Rainbow stood by herself, stretching her wings and drinking water.
Spitfire blew her whistle, indicating that the break was over. The Wonderbolts gathered around her as she explained the second half of drills for today. Rainbow stood near the back of the small group, listening to Spitfire while still stretching. Her face fell into a grimace as she worked on stretching her wings.
“Dash?” Spitfire asked, pulling down her sunglasses to look at Dash as she stood near the back stretching her wings.
“Yes ma’am?” Rainbow asked, straightening up and looking at Spitfire.
“Do you need to take a break?” Spitfire asked, looking genuinely concerned at Rainbow’s condition.
“No ma’am!” Rainbow said, trying to fill her voice with energy and confidence.
Spitfire eyed her for a moment longer, “Alright…” She said skeptically. She finished reading over the list and then blew her whistle to indicate she was done. The Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash took off into the air to work on the rest of their drills.
As the day went on Dash slowly lost energy. After each drill her speed decreased. She flew slower and slower, too weak to push herself to keep up. As time passed she flew behind the others.
Spitfire watched from a cloud below, watching the practice and noticing how she was lagging behind. She blew three sharp blasts on the whistle and the Wonderbolts stopped in midair and looked at each other, confused. They all flew towards the ground and crowded around Spitfire. Rainbow Dash did the same, slightly behind the others.
“Practice ends early. Go to the barracks and get some rest,” She said. They turned and started walking towards the barracks. Rainbow Dash followed behind, but Spitfire stopped her, “Except you, Dash.”
Rainbow Dash stopped for a moment then turned around, “Y-yes ma’am?” She asked nervously, still breathing heavily from practice.
She took off her sunglasses and rested them on the breast of her suit. “Are you okay?” She asked, genuinely concerned, her eyebrows scrunched together with worry.
“Psh,” Rainbow waved her hoof and scoffed. “Yeah, I’m fine,” She drew in a deep, wheezy breath and coughed. “Ok… So maybe not. I’m just not used to these long tough practices.”
“Tomorrow you should take breaks more often and drink more fluids.” Spitfire said.
“No ma’am!” Rainbow Dash said, straightening up. “I don’t need any special treatment. I’ll work even harder to keep up with the others.” She said proudly.
“Alright... “ She said skeptically. “If you think you can handle it. I just don’t want one of our best fliers to get hurt.” She said, winking and elbowing Rainbow in the side. Rainbow winced but smiled at Spitfire.
“Thank you ma’am,” She said, then walked away to the barracks.
She walked slowly to her room and collapsed on her bed without taking a shower. She stared up at the ceiling. “It’s only the second day of practice and I feel dead.” She thought to herself.
“Ugh!” She groaned and rolled over, stuffing her face in her pillow. “Why did I have to tell Spitfire that I could do this? I’m so stupid. But now I’ve got no choice but to push through no matter what happens.”
Rainbow rolled out of bed and stumbled into the shower. Her entire body aching. She took off her uniform, trying not to hurt herself anymore. She threw it in the wash and stepped into the shower. She sat down as the water rushed over her body. She looked up with her eyes closed and let the water pour over her face.
She sat on the floor of the shower, water running over her and pooling around her. She sat, immersed in her thoughts and her doubts. By the time she got out of the shower, she was clean, but too worried and nervous to sleep.
Her body felt less sore from the warm water. But she was still tired. She knew that she needed sleep, but she just couldn’t stop thinking long enough to drift off. She tossed and turned all night. She missed her friends in Ponyville. She missed Tank. “Oh, I hope Fluttershy is taking good care of him.” She thought nervously. “Wait... Fluttershy takes care of animals all the time. I’m sure Tank is fine.” She thought with a soft chuckle to herself.
She rolled over, tangling herself in the sheets. She tossed and turned all night long. Unable to get a wink of sleep. Before she knew it, trumpets were blaring in her ears again. She groaned and rolled out of bed. She yawned and changed into her uniform and then walked outside where the other Wonderbolts were gathering around Spitfire, ready for today’s practice.
Rainbow Dash tried to keep herself from yawning, she didn’t want anyone else to know that she couldn’t sleep last night and that she was exhausted. She hoped none of them noticed the dark circles under her eyes. It had only been two days but all this practicing had taken its toll on her body.
Spitfire explained the drills, gave the team a short pep talk and soon enough, they were up in the air again. Rainbow Dash watched her teammates fly almost effortlessly through the air. None of them seemed sore or tired like she was.
She yawned again as she was flying through the air. Everytime she lagged behind, she did a short burst to catch up. She dodged clouds and worked on formation with the others, practicing the tricks and flips that would be needed in the next show. She yawned again. Her eyes began to droop closed, everything became fuzzy and she began to feel dizzy.
Her eyes closed and her body relaxed. She went unconscious and began falling. The Wonderbolts gasped and panicked as she fell, none of them knowing what to do. Some continued to work on the drill, thinking it was just an act. Other’s began to fly towards her, trying to save her from crashing to the ground.
As she neared the ground, none of the Wonderbolts were close enough to catch her. She remained asleep, unaware that she was falling.