//------------------------------//
// A New Challenger 
// Story: Flight of Fancy 
// by Mystic_Knightwolf 
//------------------------------//

Today was the Best Young Flyer Competition.

The aerial acrobatics were fun and all, but the main event was the race.

Bets were placed, bits were on the line, and now, the racers were coming down the final stretch. Clouds were blown astray, the wind screamed across the racetrack, and two blurs were neck-and-neck for the lead. But when the finish line was crossed, there was no telling which lightning-fast blur was ahead of the other. "It's too close to call! Too close to call!" The cloud arena erupted in unbridled cheers, hoots, and hollers as the leaders finished in a blue and cyan blur. Puffs of clouds in the way were blown into oblivion by the torrent of hurricane-speed winds that followed in the wake of the racers, quickly followed up by the rest of the competition. 

However, when the speed camera was used to determine the victor, a certain somepony was not happy about the results. "What?! That's complete bogus! I totally came in first!" It was her first loss in an official race, and Rainbow Dash was less than stellar. "This new guy just trots in starts showing me up?! Who does he think he is?!"

Soarin walked up, a fifth place medal adorning his neck. "Oh, him? That's Blue Angel. He's been making a name for himself ever since he broke Wind Rider's speed record last year. They call him the rookie sensation." he explained, looking over to the navy blue, pale-haired pegasus stallion across the way, surrounded by an avid crowd of cameraponies and screaming fans.

Huffing with an unimpressed scowl, Rainbow began to hover above the ground, freeing up her forehooves so she could cross her arms in that way she does when things aren't going her way. "If he broke that record, why haven't I heard about him?"

"Um, you broke that record quite a while before that. Actually, you still hold it." Soarin leaned in on this one. "And you're kinda hard at listening."

But Rainbow apparently didn't hear that last part. "What else do you know about him?"

"Uhh, I remember Spitfire asking him to try out for the Wonderbolt Reserve, but he said no, I guess."

That got under the rainbow pegasus' fur. Gasping in shock, she gawked at her teammate with a look of utter disbelief, her pupils the size of pinpricks. "Who in their right minds would do anything like that?!" Then her expression hardened to a glare. "He thinks he's too good for us or something?"

"Don't sweat it, Dash!" It was Spitfire who came up with her bronze medal, offering a hearty pat on the back. "We'll get 'em next week!" That was enough for her and the rest of her flying team, but it wasn't enough for Rainbow herself as she glared over at the first-place winner, watching him muddle down his newly adoring fans.

With a final pout, she flew off to join her team.

XXXXX

Next week rolled around, and the Cloudsdale Speed Rally was a blast.

But not for Rainbow, as her number one goal was staying ahead of Blue Angel. All things considered, she was doing just that for the majority of the race with with rookie directly behind her, feet, if not inches from her tail. 

All was going well until the finish line was in sight.

Rainbow grew a vengeful grin as she could practically taste the oncoming victory after last week's bogus loss at the hooves of the pegasus directly behind her. But no matter how fast she went, how hard she turned, or how much she slowed down, he stuck right on her heels, all while wearing that stupidly determined look. At least, that's what it looked like under those goggles. But once it was time to pass the finish line, Rainbow gawked, stupefied as he zoomed past her at the last possible second, taking the win.

All Rainbow could remember of that day was the shocked look on her face in the photo finish, and the blue pony in front of her.

XXXXX

There was a Wonderbolts derby in Canterlot the following week, and leading up to it, Rainbow practically twisted Spitfire's arm into not only offering an after-race race, which was enjoyed by the audience all the same, but also make it an open invite. Needless to say, Rainbow begged for it to lure in her target. Sure enough, Blue Angel attended, taking his spot at the very end.

But at the starting line, Spitfire took the time to speak to her obsessed wingpony. "Dash, don't you think it's time you let this go? I mean, it's just a race. How do you think I felt when you started beating me all the time?"

It was a valid question, but talking to Rainbow Dash about how serious winning isn't is like banging your head on a brick wall. And Rainbow was the one to teach her that lesson. "Yeah, but this is different! This stallion just comes on the scene, stealing my wins, taking my fans!"

"So..." Fleetfoot, taking the opportunity to rib, couldn't hide her teasing grin. "It's because he's a stallion?"

"What? No! I like stallions!" Rainbow's whole team, even Soarin and the stallions laughed at the unintentional innuendo that came out of Dash's hasty defense. This didn't sit well with her. "Y-you know what I mean!" she exclaimed, her cheeks as red as the streak in her mane.

Soarin waved a reassuring hoof. "We know whatcha mean Dash, we're just yanking your chain."

"Well knock it off! I gotta win this one!" With that said, Rainbow buckled down and got ready to take off. She looked off to the side, and sure enough, Blue Angel, along with the other non-Wonderbolt participants, were at the end of the line, just as ready to get the show on the road.

"You better report to training to clean the barracks, Dash." A friendly reminder of responsibility from Spitfire almost fell on deaf ears as the announcer began the countdown.

When the word 'GO!' sounded, the race was on.

The place tally for the top five came as follows:

"Coming in a number five, we have Soarin! Number four, Captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire! Number three, we have Lightning Dust!" Rainbow's heart was racing a mile a minute in the next few seconds. Her impatience and breathing grew with each passing moment. "Coming in at number two is Rainbow Das-"

"AUGHHHH!!!"

XXXXX


*Play intro*

*Skip intro shortly after to preserve your manliness*