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// Chapter 3 - Wake Up Sleepyhead! 
// Story: YouDash 
// by Capulus 
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	As you jerk into consciousness you look around blearily, half expecting to see Spitfire’s enraged face inches from your own. But there is nothing but the white roof of the living room. This is one of the first times you have ever woken up late. You look around, and see the clock hanging from the wall. 5:03, three minutes after your usual wake up. Well, that’s better than nothing. You think, as you roll off of the couch and stand up, stretching your entire body as you do so.

You decide to take a few minutes to have a look around the house, before going to get Rainbow Dash for the training you promised her. As you stretch every part of your body --It pays to be thorough, after all-- you remember the aftermath of last night’s game. What happened there? You wonder. Rainbow had gone all quiet after your question, and the fear in that colt’s eyes were odd. I guess if I give it time I’ll find out. I should just focus on what I’m dong. An explanation will find it’s way to me in good time. You straighten up and shake your entire body.

You decide to start with the bedroom. From the floor plan you saw in the real estate agent’s office, it was at the far end of the house. So you could start there and work your way back to the living room. Down to the bedroom you go, taking in the smells so often associated with new houses. The quietness of the place is a little eerie, compared to the loud Dubtrot that had permeated the place last night. The bedroom is... Okay. Not the best, but at least the bed is suited for pegasi. You turn around, and take a look at the study next. It’s a little better, but the bookcase will have to go. You have never really been one for reading, and as such don’t really see the need to have a bookcase.

Alright, enough exploring, I feel like just getting out of here and getting to Rainbow’s house She’s probably waiting for me right now. You remember her pointing her house out to you last night just before the race --As it had been one of the checkpoints you set-- and you remember it vividly. It was certainly one of the most interesting houses in Ponyville. It wouldn’t stand out --in fact, it would be overlooked-- in Cloudsdale, or any of the other major Pegasi capitals, but here it was a sight to behold. You go into the bathroom to freshen up first, taking in the strong smell of soap, and other cleaning products. You brush your teeth quickly --The toothbrush and toothpaste a housewarming present from the resident dentist, Colgate-- and fill the basin while you shake out your mane. When the basin is full, you do what Spitfire taught you, and dunk your head in, holding it there for as long as you can. You pull your head out, relishing the new feeling of clarity. There was something about almost drowning that woke the body up, for some reason. You quickly run a brush through your mane, and then shoot out the door, slightly frustrated that you were wasting time. You made sure to remember to apologise to Rainbow for being so late. You had seen the time on a clock in the bathroom, and saw that it was 5:10. Not exactly a very Wonderbolt-ish time. If Spitfire was here, I would already have been through all of my pre-morning exercises. 

As you fly through the air above Ponyville, you decide to get a little more practice in, and close your eyes. You can feel the air currents pushing past you, and can tell that there is a large cloud on your left, --Dodge to the right-- a small raincloud --Fly under and shake off-- and from there it is clear skies. You open your eyes, letting the crisp, fresh air wake you up the rest of the way. In the cities, there is always a kind of... Fog on the edge of everything. It tends to block out the fresh air. 

But your enjoyment is cut short when you hear somepony yell out, then are hit by a large grey blur. You spin away, and your wings shoot out, lest you fall to the ground, so far below. You look around in confusion, wondering what it was that threw you off. You fins your answer in a grey pegasus pony, with a blonde mane, and, more noticeably, crossed yellow eyes.
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t see you!” She says.
“Never mind, it’s okay. Neither of us were hurt, were we?”
“Well, that’s good then. Why are you out so early?”
“Well, I promised I would help Rainbow Dash with the Wonderbolt tryouts later on this week.” You hold back a laugh as you remember finding this out from rainbow Dash last night, after the race, while she was bragging. You had been slightly offended that they had arranged them so quickly. But, you had rationalised, they needed somepony for the spot, as your departure had been quite unexpected.

Your attention is brought back to the pegasus when she says;
“Well, good luck with that!” She bursts into a fit of giggles, turning over in mid air. You thin about asking her what is so funny, but she would probably laugh harder. She slowly stops, then says;
“Well, my name’s Derpy! Nice to meet you!” She turns and flies away, letters slowly slipping out of the mail bag at her waist, and gently floating down to the ground. You smile and turn around, continuing towards ‘Dash’s house, hoping she isn’t too angry with you for being late.

You land on the cloud that her house is perched on, and can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia. You lived in a cloud home for most of your teenage life, or at least you spent your time in cloud hotels. But, this place seemed more... Welcoming. But, it was oddly quiet. If Rainbow Dash wants to train, shouldn’t she be up? You frown, and knock on the door. It rings with an oddly hollow whump. Hm... I always hated these doors. You can never get a good knock. You decide to try something different.
“Rainbow Dash! You up yet?” You yell. Knowing the lack of soundproofing clouds have, she would most likely hear. And yet... Nothing. Could she be sleeping in today? You fly around the side of the house, to what you guess is the bedroom, judging by it’s placement.

You knock on the windowsill, --Pegasus windows never having glass, as thy never stayed in place for long, and became a danger to anypony on the ground-- and look inside.
“Rainbow Dash?” You whisper. The room is dark, and you can hear quiet snoring. You scan the room, and see the cyan mare curled up on her cloud bed.
“Rainbow Dash!” You hiss. She starts and looks up groggily. Her bleary eyes focus on you, and she says;
“Wstfgl.” You can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. You had expected her to be up and ready; If this was her normal wakeup time, Spitfire would probably end up killing her. Ah well, it took me ages to get used to the wake up, too, You think. She shakes her head slowly and looks at you with slightly more focus. Then she looks past you, at the horizon.
“Sun’s down.” She states. You are getting a feeling that she isn’t very happy.
“Yep. It’ll be up soon. Remember that we were going to train?”
“Sun’s down.” She repeats.
“Yes. And?”
“S’all dark.”
“One of the best times to train. Come on!”
“Should be ‘sleep.”
“Not if you want to be a Wonderbolt.” The statement has an amazing effect on the groggy mare. Her eyes shoot open, and she sits bolt upright in her bed. She still looks tired, but Rainbow Dash’s determined air is definitely back.
“O-of course...” She yawns loudly and shakes her head. “I’ll be out in about ten minutes.”
“Alright. But as a Wonderbolt you’re going to have to be able to get ready quickly. We-- They wake up at 5:00 sharp. I’ll be waiting.” You fly around to the front of the house and sit down to wait.

About half an hour later, you realise that Rainbow still hasn’t come out. Frustrated, you fly back to her window, and you land softly inside. You walk up to the bed, and decide to take a leaf out of Spitfire’s book. You stomp a hoof, --although the effect of the moment is ruined by the soft whump, not the loud thud which you had learned to get used to-- and roar at the sleeping figure;
“RAINBOW DASH! DO YOU WANT TO BE A WONDERBOLT OR NOT?” She jerks into consciousness, and looks at you in shock. You feel yourself blush slightly, as you never normally raise your voice that much. But you ignore it, and lock eyes with her.
“Well, now that you’re up, should we get to training?” She blinks a few times in confusion, then nods slowly.
“M’kay... Sorry... ‘Fell ‘sleep.”
“I know. Come on, let’s go.” You go to leave, but remember just in time that you did that half an hour ago. You turn around, and see her asleep again. You sigh. This is going to be a long morning.