"I think I'm starting to get the hang of this," Dahlia commented to her roommates, leaving the examining hall.
"Guess that studying's paying off, huh?" Bright Skies added with a smile.
"Definitely," Dahlia replied, "It's only mine to lose if we didn't study. Right Rainbow?" She added, looking over at Rainbow Dash trotting slightly behind her.
...But she received no response.
She glanced back over her shoulder, "Rainbow?"
"Hm?" Dash turned her head in Dahlia's direction, locking onto her eyes.
"I said it's only ours to lose if we don't study. Wouldn't it be a waste if we failed over something so...trivial?"
"Oh! Yeah, totally…" Dash replied half-heartedly before she started observing her surroundings again.
Dahlia raised an eyebrow. Something seemed a little off about Rainbow Dash's response, but she thought less of it right now. The thought was quickly surpassed by the idea of dinner.
They walked up to the canteen to get their food. The Wonderbolts had been generous enough to save them from the responsibilities of cooking for each other for their final week. "Everything alright Dash?" Dahlia muttered, scooping some potato salad onto her plate.
"Yeah, but...everypony keeps looking at me," Dash told her, glancing over her shoulders again before getting some food herself.
"If it's the guys, they're probably just admiring the view," Dahlia joked.
"I'm serious," Dash replied, "I'm hearing rumours...something about me being suspected of already been accepted because I'm friends with Princess Twilight and also an element bearer." Dash took her plate and got out of the way of the line.
"Well, what if it's true? Not a bad problem to have if you ask me." Dahlia deduced.
"I know, but...it might make the Wonderbolts think twice if they hear about it…" Dash explained.
"I understand what you're thinking," Dahlia agreed, placing her plate down on the bench. Being the first two to the bench, they sat next to each other. "And I'm willing to put bits on the pony I think started it." She said while subtly motioning with her hoof.
Dash rolled her eyes and looked over at Thunder Flash. She was occupied getting herself some food, but Dash was confident that she was the pony behind it. Although with a theory like her winning by default due to her status was a motive anypony could get behind. But she had more than enough reason to suspect Thunder. She was the only pony she had a history of not getting along with.
The air in the canteen seemed normal, with the eight of them chatting away while they ate as they would typically do. Dash kept an ear open for anything, but everypony seemed and acted normal. She couldn't help but feel the occasional stare behind her back, or have her ears twitching to what she thought was her name being mentioned.
Once they finished, everypony began taking their plates back up to the canteen. Dash had a plan, but she had to time it right. She remained seated until the last minute, so she could walk behind Thunder Flash. She had to be in a position to confront Thunder, but how? She couldn't just plainly ask her in front of everypony. Not to mention that tensions between them were high enough as it was, meaning she needed to be discreet.
As she was thinking about it, the problem suddenly resolved itself. Thunder peeled away into the bathroom. Dash watched closely at the ponies trotting along in front of her to see if anyone else would follow, slowly reducing her pace. She broke for the door, stopping it halfway through closing and walking through.
"Hey Thunder," she caught Thunder just before she went into a stall. Rainbow Dash stepped through the doorway herself, letting the door close behind her.
Thunder looked back at Dash, raising an eyebrow. "Can I help you?" She asked politely.
"Cut the act," Dash shot. "I know what you're trying to do, and I'm not asking you, I'm telling you; cut it out."
Thunder Flash closed her eyes and slowly inhaled for a few seconds, formulating an answer before opening her eyes. "I haven't got a clue what you're talking about." She responded precisely.
"Really? Because I can't think of anypony else who would start spreading rumours about me winning by default because of my friendship with royalty." Dash attempted to jog her memory.
"On the contrary," Thunder continued, raising her hoof and maintaining her calm demeanour. "I think anypony could have that motivation against you. It's quite an easy motive to figure out."
"Grr…" Dash gritted her teeth flinched forward. She was about to lunge at Thunder but knew that would be a bad idea. The way Thunder was acting so calm and professional about it only made it worse. It was obviously an act.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Thunder reiterated the thought in her head. "I don't intend to fight you. If you lay the first punch and get yourself disqualified, that's your fault."
Dash stomped a hoof on the floor in frustration. This demeanour was so out of character for Thunder Flash, but she knew she was doing it deliberately.
She sighed in defeat, "This ain't over," she finished with as she turned and left the bathroom, not giving Thunder a chance to respond.
She mumbled to herself as she walked back down the corridor. Things were wound so frustratingly tightly that she couldn't do anything. She couldn't be seen getting in any more fights. There had to be something she could do…
She made her way up the stairs towards the main offices. She stood outside Blaze's office and quickly knocked on the door.
"Enter," Blaze's voice instructed from beyond the door.
Dash entered through the door, seeing Blaze organising some papers on her desk. "Hello Rainbow Dash."
"Ma'am," Dash answered, closing the door behind her saluting.
"As you were," Blaze replied, waving a hoof at one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Take a seat."
"Thank you," Dash replied, taking a seat in front of Blaze.
"So, what can I do to help you?" Blaze asked, not lifting her eyes from her paperwork.
"I've just...well…" Dash tried to think of the best way to explain it without flatout accusing Thunder Flash. "I've heard some rumours recently...about my status that may be affecting the results. You know, making me preferred over the others?"
Blaze raised an eyebrow and looked up at her. "Have you now?"
Dash nodded, "I just wanted some advice on what to do and reassurance that... y'know, everything that goes on outside their viewpoints doesn't play a part in it."
Blaze stopped what she was doing and stood up, matching eye level with Dash. "I can assure you that we are aware of the rumours and are looking into it. But we have no solid evidence on anypony yet, so we can't just blindly accuse. However, if it does turn out to be 'her', then we will use that in our final judgement." she hinted.
Dash took in what Blaze was saying… "Okay…" she said flatly, "Thank you."
Blaze raised an eyebrow, "You seem unsatisfied. Is there a problem?"
"No, that's all you can do," Dash replied in agreement. "I was...just hoping for something more, I guess…"
Blaze smirked a little before sitting back down. "Lady Karma's a bitch. Just keep a stiff upper lip, and it'll work itself out."
"I will," Dash replied, nodding. "Thank you."
Blaze nodded and looked back down at her paperwork.
Dash stood back into the position of attention. "Permission to carry on Ma'am?"
"Carry on, Dash," Blaze replied, waving her hoof.
"Thank you, Ma'am!" Dash replied, saluting and turning to exit. She was really starting to get the hang of this, despite finding it hard to pick up the hints of when she should be doing or asking what.
She trotted back to her room, her talk with Blaze not really giving her any better ideas about what to do. Maybe Blaze was right, and all she needed to do was wait it out? Was she overthinking this? She did trust the Wonderbolts to figure it out for themselves…
She sighed as she walked into her room, rubbing her forehead as she neared her bed. She didn't take any notice of anypony else in there. She needed to take her mind off it. She thought about flying, but feeling her wings ache as she stretched them ruled that out. She opened up her footlocker, hoping that reading some Daring Do could take her mind off it…
...But was greeted with something she really didn't want to see.
Her head flinched backwards, and she swallowed a gasp. She extended her wings out to block the view of anypony next to her, but a quick glance left and right confirmed that there was nopony looking over her shoulders.
Lying in her locker was a picture she hoped that she'd never have to see. Or at least not here. It was a picture from her night out with Soarin and the other Wonderbolts. It looked quite late into the night, and they all had way too much to drink. Dash had her foreleg wrapped around Soarin's neck and was giving him a sweet little smooch on the cheek.
She glanced over her shoulders again before reaching in and picking up the photo. Where would this have come from? Who would've been there that night to spot them, let alone get a copy of it?
She flipped the photo over to reveal some writing on the back of it. 'You have 24 hours to leave or this goes public.'
Dash grimaced. This was only getting worse. Now not only did she have a mystery to solve, but she had to solve it within twenty-four hours. Not only that, but this picture perfectly symbolised a motivation for anypony if they could prove that she was given an unfair advantage by Soarin. While she immediately suspected Thunder Flash, the motive could go for anypony.
But who would stoop that low other than Thunder Flash? Dash was sure it was definitely her, but how would she prove it?
She tucked the photo under her wing and held onto it tightly, not wanting to let it go and make somepony see. That being said, she definitely needed help from one of her friends. But who could she trust? Not to mention get a moment in private with them where nopony could eavesdrop.
She closed her footlocker and sat on the end of her bed, scanning across the ponies in the room with her at the moment. Luckily nopony had been paying attention to her during her discovery. Bright Skies would be a good pony to talk to. But at the same time, Dash had a thought lingering in the back of her mind that she didn't exactly have the experience of these kinds of situations. She didn't know how Bright would react if she asked her to do something. So that lead to…
Dash watched Dahlia trotting down the room. She seemed like somepony who would be able to turn the situation around. Plus she also came across as somepony Dash could entrust with her secret.
Dash watched as she trotted towards the bathroom door, then gulped. She wanted an opportunity to talk in private with no eavesdroppers, she got it…but it was gonna be awkward.
She quickly walked towards the door behind Dahlia and stuck her hoof in just as she was closing the door. "Hey, Dahlly." She said as her hoof absorbed the thump of her closing the door.
Dahlia looked back at Dash. "Uh, what--"
"Can we talk?" Dash didn't even wait for an answer and pushed her way through into the bathroom with Dahlia.
"Dash, what the hell?" Dahlia immediately demanded, getting her footing back.
Dash locked the door then turned to face Dahlia, "I'm sorry for the surprise, but it's REALLY important, and I need your help." She explained.
"Whatever it is, can't it wait until after I'm done using the bathroom?" She requested, a confused look on her face.
"Usually yeah, but I need to talk to you in private and discreetly, and this moment appeared and...yeah... that's the best I've got…" Dash summarised, shrugging.
Dahlia rolled her eyes, "Can you make it quick? I really need to go."
Dash sighed, "Okay…" her ears folded back, "So...can you keep a secret?" She started with, looking hopefully into Dahlia's eyes.
"Of course I can, you know me," Dahlia replied with a smile.
"Of course," Dash added. "Well...remember back when you found the hickey on my neck and asked me who did it, but I wouldn't answer?" She recalled, tapping her neck with her hoof.
"Mmhmm," Dahlia replied, nodding and tilting her head.
"Well...would you believe me if I said he was Soarin?" Dash asked, smiling stupidly and feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.
Dahlia raised an eyebrow, "Really? That sounds too good to be true…"
"It is," Dash replied. "And I need your help. You've probably heard the rumours about the 'Bolts opinion against me being biased because I'm an Element of Harmony and also a friend of Princess Twilight. If the fact that me and Soarin are seeing each other gets out, I'm screwed."
"Then why are you telling me? Wouldn't keeping it a secret work better?" Dahlia reasoned.
"It would, but it's not a secret. You're the only pony I've told, but somepony else knows, and I need to figure out how." She took the photo out from under her wing. "When I got back, I found this slid through the gap in my footlocker." She held it out to Dahlia.
"Awww," Dahlia cooed, taking the photo from Dash as she rolled her eyes. "Any ideas?" Dahlia asked, flipping the picture and reading the writing on the back.
"No idea," Dash replied. "With the rumours that have been spreading, nearly everypony would have a motive against me. Of course, I suspect Thunder mostly, but how can I prove that?"
"Cute photo though," Dahlia added, looking at it.
Dash's cheeks puffed out, and she was pretty much glowing red. "Anyway, back on topic. What do we do? I can't exactly confront her because if we start fighting again, that'll be both of us gone." She groaned and put her head in her hooves.
"Hmm…" Dahlia looked at the back of the photo with the writing on it again. "Well, we could find out whose hoofwriting this is…"
Dash's ears perked up, and she bought her head up, looking Dahlia in the eye. "What?"
"Think about it, we all had to fill in application forms before we came here, not to mention all the papers for exams, reports, records etcetera we've had to write. So the 'Bolts have our hoofwriting on lots of stuff. If we handed this to them, they could compare it against the stuff we've written for them in the past and work out who it is."
That sounded...so simple. Dash smiled, trying to work out why she didn't think of that. "Dahlly, you're a genius."
Dahlia chuckled, "And judging by the photo, I'm guessing it's not exactly a secret between the 'Bolts right?" She asked, showing the photo to Dash and highlighting the other Wonderbolts in the background.
"Ahah…" Dash smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. "But yeah, I think you'll need to take it to them. If I do it, they might suspect me of trying to frame Thunder Flash. Take it to Blaze, she'll be able to help."
Dahlia nodded, "Got it, I'll play it like I found it lying around a hallway or something."
"Yeah, that works," Dash agreed, then sighed. "But seriously, you're the only pony I'm told. I'm trusting you to keep it a secret."
Dahlia smiled, "Rainbow, I'm honoured you chose to share this with me and come to me for help. Of course I'll keep your secret." She smiled reassuringly.
Dash smiled back at her. "Thanks, Dahlia," She reached in for a hug, which Dahlia gladly returned. "When this blows over, I owe you big time."
"I'll keep that in mind...but you can start with letting me pee already."
Dash suddenly remembered where they were hiding. "Oh right, yeah," She replied, chuckling. "Just let me know once you've spoken to Blaze. I'll wait in the corridor." She said, turning to the door.
"Will do," Dahlia replied behind her.
"Thanks again, Dal," Dash replied slightly quieter as she placed her hoof on the door handle, trying to come up with a convincing story in her head about why two mares were huddled in the bathroom together…
She slowly opened the door and poked her head out. She looked around, seeing nopony looking in her direction. She trotted out, hearing the door closing behind her and locking. It seemed nopony noticed that she and Dahlia went in at the same time. Either that or they weren't saying anything.
Dash smiled as she trotted back over to her bed. Thunder Flash may have been playing mind games, but she was confident that she was one step ahead this time. All she had to do was wait to hear Blaze's plan...
Blaze sat in her office, going through some paperwork. The paperwork just never seemed to end, but she knew that she just had to stick with it until the end of the assessments. Then the load would be significantly lightened. It was nearly the end of the day, and she was looking forward to finally getting some time to herself.
A knock at her door suddenly drew her attention. "Enter," She spoke loudly.
She glanced up as a purple pony with a mane that resembled the colours on a candy cane walked through the door. "Trainee Dahlia reporting, Ma'am," Dahlia spoke and saluted.
"At ease, recruit," Blaze acknowledged.
Dahlia closed the door behind her then approached Blaze's desk.
Blaze dropped the paper she was reading on the desk then looked up at Dahlia. "You weren't a face I was expecting to see tonight. What can I help you with?"
"I'm here because I have concerns that somepony is trying to tarnish Rainbow Dash's reputation, Ma'am. Since you're her tutor, I thought you would be best placed to advise."
Blaze raised an eyebrow, "The rumours? Don't tell me you believe them?"
"No, ma'am," Dahlia answered, shaking her head. "But I found this a moment ago." Dahlia pulled the photo out from under her wing and placed it on Blaze's desk.
Blaze picked up the photo and took a look at it.
"I found this placed on Rainbow Dash's bed. I got curious when I saw you and the other Wonderbolts also in the photo. I was just going to put it back and say nothing, but then I saw the writing on the back of it."
Blaze turned the photo around to look at said writing. "Blackmail, huh?"
"I agree, Ma'am," Dahlia nodded, "I think somepony is trying to set Dash up. Rumours are one thing, but a photo is pretty solid evidence."
"Hmm…" Blaze looked back at the photo. "So are you the only one that saw this?"
"As far as I know, yes, Ma'am," Dahlia replied.
"And when did you find it?"
"Uhh...we just finished our afternoon exam. I went straight back to our room, which is when I found it. Nopony else was in the room with me at the time."
"And is Rainbow Dash aware?"
"No, Ma'am," Dahlia shook her head. "I've bought it straight to you."
"Did you not think to tell Rainbow Dash?" Blaze asked.
"Well…I did, but...if I were in this position, with Soarin as my boyfriend... I'd want to keep it a secret. So I thought if I told her, she would panic. I didn't want to do that to her."
"I see…" Blaze kept a stern eye on Dahlia for several seconds. Dahlia did her best not to show any signs of nervousness. Had Blaze seen through the act her and Dash setup?
Blaze blinked, "Well, you're correct." Blaze opened a drawer in her desk and put the photo in there, closing it up. "Soarin and Rainbow Dash are in a relationship, have been for several weeks. It was a well-kept secret...until now…"
Dahlia exhaled slowly in relief but didn't let her guard down for long. "You and several other Wonderbolts were in that picture. What was your opinion when you found out?" Seeing that Blaze was willing to speak about it, Dahlia thought now was as good a time as ever to ask these questions.
"I've known about it from day one. The knowledge eventually trickled down through the grapevine. But Soarin has been given very clear instructions about where to draw the line, and I can assure you that this will not affect his judgements in the final results."
"I never doubted it," Dahlia replied. "But outside of that context, everypony else here won't believe that. I had an idea that we could--"
"Compare the hoofwriting on the photo to the hoofwriting we have from the paperwork of everypony else? Already planned to." Blaze immediately cut her off. "Leave that to me. For your own credibility, you should stop any investigation you had planned. As you've probably worked out, Soarin and Rainbow Dash's relationship is a secret and was intended to remain that way. I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but don't tell anypony about what you've found out. Since you now know the truth yourself, that also makes you a suspect."
Dahlia felt her brow tightening. This isn't the way she expected it to go at all. "But--"
"I'll take it from here, Trainee. Dismissed."
Dahlia swallowed a frustrated sigh, then saluted. "Ma'am," she turned to exit.
She closed the door behind her and trotted down the stairs. "Bitch…" she mumbled from under her breath. She went in trying to help, and now Blaze was suspecting her too. Although to be fair, it was a bigger situation than it came across as. The Wonderbolts wanted to give everypony a fair shot while at the same time trying not to tar their image.
The outcome of this would affect a lot of things…
Blaze sighed as she rested back in her chair. So much for clocking off on time tonight. She would now be spending her evening digging out and trawling through all the application forms they had received. At least they could narrow it down to pegasi that were still here instead of the hundreds that didn't make it.
While she suspected Thunder Flash and hoped it would be a pretty open and shut case, the more she thought about it, the more complicated it became. Everypony had a motive to remove one of their competitors from the competition, despite it being a dirty tactic. Especially somepony like Rainbow Dash who was at the top of the standings almost all the time. And then there was the matter of who else was there that night to collect the photo? There was no way she could prove something like that without getting witnesses involved, and that would be getting way too messy. Not to mention Rainbow Dash might not appreciate her relationship becoming public news.
Her thoughts immediately went back to that night. It was a fun night, despite the drama it cost her now. She opened the drawer to look back at the photo. There she was in the background, her wings wrapped around Misty Fly and Fleetfoot. And right in the foreground was Dash giving Soarin a cute little peck on the cheek. "Awww…"
Dash nervously paced up and down one of the many corridors inside the HQ, eagerly awaiting to hear what Dahlia had to say. Her ears perked up as she heard hoofsteps trotting around the corner. Both hers and Dahlia's eyes met as she appeared. "Well?" Dash asked.
"She's going to investigate, she wants you to meet her at lunch tomorrow," Dahlia explained quickly.
"Alright," Dash acknowledged, nodding. She sighed, "I guess we can only wait and see…"
"Yeah…" Dahlia agreed, "Is she normally that bitchy?"
Dash looked back at Dahlia, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean? She's never like that with me."
"She immediately accused me of setting you up along with telling me not to stick my nose in any investigations," Dahlia explained with a scowl. "Is that the thanks I get for helping?"
"Yeah, that is weird," Dash agreed. "But she's never been like that with me. I think it's because me and Soarin are probably a sore subject between all the 'Bolts right now because they can't work out what to do." Dash grinned awkwardly. "Guess this didn't help."
"Maybe," Dahlia agreed, then smiled. "But hey, Soarin is my tutor, and all I can say is you're the luckiest mare here."
"Heh, thanks," Dash replied, feeling herself blush. "And that's kinda the problem isn't it?"
Dahlia giggled, "Sort of. But I don't mind taking him off your hooves if you need me to," she suggested, winking. "Since when did you two become an item anyway?"
"Well…" Dash started recalling her memories. "He asked me out on the final day of the first phase, before the two-week break. And then one thing led to another and…" Dash shrugged, "Here we are."
"Wow, so you've been together for a couple of weeks then?" Dahlia figured out. "What's it like being secret lovers in this place? How do you hide it?"
Dash withheld her cringe as she was described as a 'secret lover'. "We're not actually seeing each other while we're here so I can concentrate. It's really been helping actually."
"That makes sense," Dahlia agreed. "Geez, going weeks without meeting each other. He must be begging for it…" Dahlia raised an eyebrow then looked at Dash. "Or are you the one doing the begging?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down at what she was implying.
"Um," Dash felt her ears flop down with all the blood that was rushing to him. "We haven't actually...gone that far." She reluctantly admitted. She still didn't know what the right answer was in these situations.
"Oh shut up," Dahlia teased back, batting a wing at her. "You totally have, don't lie to me."
"I'm serious," Dash replied, "The one and only time I did sleep with him we were both so drunk we pretty much passed out instantly."
"Pfft," Dahlia rolled her eyes. "You've got more self-control than me; I'll tell ya that. If it were me I'd be letting Doctor Soarin take my temperature all night long…" she said in a low voice, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Dallll," Dash groaned as she held her head in her hooves. "Not an image I wanted in my head." She banged her head against her hooves a few times to try and forget the image. Her face was burning red at this point.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Dahlia chuckled, batting a hoof at you. "Seriously though, I keep saying it, but you're very lucky. And I promise I'll keep your secret."
"Thanks," Dash replied, turning down the corridor. "Now let's go back to our room. Somepony might start wondering why we're standing here."
As they trotted back, Dash started to think about the outcome of tomorrow. Mostly because she wanted to get her mind on something else, so she didn't walk back into her room with her face looking like one of the bright red landing lights on the runway. She couldn't take her mind off the results of tomorrow. Would Blaze find out who it was? If she couldn't, it would only give her a matter of hours to work it all out. With everything else being out of hoof, she could only hope for the best...