//------------------------------// // Canterlot to Baltimare // Story: Ex-Bolts Rising // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Blaze was minding her own business, flying over the train tracks, heading for Baltimare, when Blood Moon knocked into her. "Hey! Stay in your lane!" Blaze objected, swerving to get away "Gladly. Have fun with that cliff." Blood Moon sneered "What cli-" Blaze rammed into something and pulled back wincing "So not cool." she muttered, rubbing her head as she struggled to catch up. "Hah! Later loser!" Blood Moon called "I'm coming back after I give this to Heat Wave. I love the taste of blood after a long flight." she threatened "You...cheater." Blaze moaned as she collapsed, a cloud nearby breaking her fall. She lay there, immobile, trying to recover Two years ago "Come on Blaze, let's go!" Spitfire yelled to Blaze from the ground. Blaze was in the air, trying to perfect a move for an upcoming show. It was a complex barrel roll followed by an upwards twist. She tried again, spun at a wrong angle, and fell, wings useless against the wind that was pinning them to her side. Suddenly, she landed in a soft cloud, and looked up to see Spitfire staring at her "S-sorry ma'am." Blaze said, standing and saluting her "It's no problem. Just remember: however many times you fall, no matter what, you get back up." "Get...back...up." Blaze grunted, pushing herself to her hooves, pain stabbing her in the head "I'm coming Wave Chill." she muttered, picking up the blue horseshoe in her uniform-clad hoof, and taking off once again Wave Chill was waiting in Fillydelphia, he could see a pegasus in the distance. Whether it was Blood Moon or Blaze was hard to tell. Heat Wave hovered nearby, muttering to himself "...Should have been here by now." He mumbled "There they come!" a Earth Pony yelled from below the two. Wave Chill looked up and saw, sure enough, two pegasus mares heading straight for them "Wave!" Blaze yelled, she seemed to be having trouble flying "I've got the horseshoe!" she held it out, and Wave reached out his own hoof for the hand-off. Heat Wave was still hovering "What took you so long?" Heat Wave spat "This one didn't stay down. Pity, I could have used the energy her blood would've given me." Blood Moon snarled "Give me that!" Heat Wave snatched the horseshoe from the mare, then took off "Blaze, you okay?" Wave Chill asked "Blood Moon made me crash. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, just catch up with him." Blaze answered "On it." Wave Chill agreed "Be careful, they cheat!" Blaze called after him, then landed on the ground, rubbing her head "Miss Blaze, are you alright?" the Baltimare reporter asked "No." Blaze replied, wincing "She made you crash?" Princess Celestia asked "Yes Princess. Blood Moon shoved me, so I was forced to turn, then she distracted me so I wouldn't see the cliff until it was too late." Blaze reported "We had better look into this Celestia." Princess Luna advised "You're right." Princess Celestia turned to the other projected reporters "You heard my sister. If any of the relay racers turn up with injuries from the other team, have them stand in front of the projections so I can speak to them." she commanded, and the reporters all nodded "Shall I mark it down Princess?" Raven asked "If you would be so kind Raven." Celestia agreed "I am curious, if you were badly hurt, how were you able to continue?" Princess Luna asked "I remembered something Spitfire told me 'however many times you fall, no matter what, get back up'." Blaze responded, using her wings to make quotation signs "I see." Princess Celestia murmured "Very wise of her." Princess Luna remarked "Of course it was wise. Spitfire is the best Captain the team has ever had."