Rainbow Dash stood behind the starting line of the thirty-seventh annual 'Ponyville 300' Pegasus race. Today was the day she was going to win her spot in the Wonderbolts! It was all set. She had a plan. A talent scout was rumored to be in the crowd this year. She would dazzle the scout with her speed and take the cup for herself. The racers this year were lightweights compared to her awesome skill. All except for one. A grey stallion with a black mane and a jet engine for a cutie mark. His name on the roster was Mach Cone and he was a young upstart from Fillydelphia.
Mach Cone held fourth position, two ahead of Dash, who threw the poll wanting to save her strength for the actual race. Everypony knew though, that starting position was unimportant on such a long race. The course began in the Ponyville town square and followed the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. From there it wound a wide arc through Whitetail wood before doubling back and rejoining it's start in Ponyville. While not a difficult course to manage it was less about maneuverability, and more about stamina. All that aside, Dash was out to impress. She had a finale planned that would blow the spectators away (Quite literally, in the case of those who were flying)
As the opening ceremony began, Rainbow readied herself mentally and physically for the grueling three hundred laps. All told it equaled to nearly seven hundred miles. It's the longest race in both the Luna Cup Series and the Celestia Cup Series. She had never won either but she was convinced that this was the year for her. She dominated in points and win ratios this year, with a close second drawn by Mach Cone, who seemed hot on her tail in every event. In the Cloudsdayle Circuit, he was neck and neck with her the entire race and only managed to pull a victory at the last second. This, along with the desire to join the Wonderbolts drove Rainbow to stomp the competition this time.
A trumpet sounded and the spectators roared in anticipation of the coming event. The Ponyville 300 was known on the circuit as 'The Gauntlet' for it's distance. Many Pegasi dropped form the running in the first 200 laps. But not Rainbow Dash, No! She put herself sixth in the poll and waited. A Pegasus carrying a checkered flag in his mouth fluttered into view. The announcer called over the PA.
"RACERS! TAKE YOUR MARK!"
Rainbow Flared her wings and crouched atop the starting cloud. The flag was lifted high in the air.
"GET SET!"
Her muscles bunched and she drew in a breath to add force to her liftoff. The flag bearer hefted the flag in anticipation of the announcers command.
"GO!"
The flag fell. She was off. The adrenalin beginning to flow, as she exhaled and forced her wings into action. Stroke after powerful stroke brought her up to speed and Ponyville zipped past below. This race was not like the Cloudsdayle Circuit or the Appeloosa Trail. She needed a strategy to best this beast of a race. Seven-hundred miles of sky between her and victory, but she didn't need the lead until the very end. The grandstands shot past as the pack spread open and they entered the Sweet Apple Acres straightaway. A good eighth of the track in a straight line. Here is where the positioning for the rest of the lap was mostly decided. Knowing this, Dash took the few seconds afforded to weave past the yellow mare ahead of her, using her slipstream to draft, and ducking beneath with the slingshot of speed given to her. Just a bit at a time. No rush.
Ahead, she saw Mach Cone, eating up the distance to the turn. He looked back, and spotted Dash, behind him. He grinned and turned ahead in time to take the turn easily. Dash just smiled inwardly. He won't be smiling when I wipe the track with his sorry mug, she thought, as the race drug on. Through the Whitetail woods, in its wide arc. Orange flags tied to the trees mark the course and here, judged swarm the woods to discourage cheaters. This was none of Dash's concern as she focused on the task at hoof. The wind whipped through her chromatic mane and her heart soared miles above her as she reveled in the freedom and challenge of flight.
As the pack emptied form the woods, the Pit came into view. Twenty nine tables, one for each of the racers stocked with water and pinion braces for when the wings got sore. Dash could see ponies from further back in the pack dropping down to take advantage of the water early on. This was a strategy that many employed because the first few laps are more or less used to feel out the course. Dash forewent this and pumped her way to closing the gap between her and a purple stallion ahead of her who had jumped ahead in the trees. She didn't need the lead but the further towards the front she placed in each lap, the better her score for the race, so she decided fifth would be acceptable for now.
The Race was in its one hundred and fiftieth lap when the pileup started. Several ponies had overtaken Dash in a gamble for the lead when two clipped a tree and careened into other racers. Quickly, Dash pulled away, having to relinquish another three positions as she righted herself and pulled back with the pack.the two that hit the tree were carted away , but several others rejoined the pack, albeit further in the rear. Rainbow was lagging as the pack emerged again from the trees of Whitetail wood, and she chose to take a quick rest. Down she flew to the pits where her friends were waiting to help.
"You're doing great!" Twilight Sparkle cheered as she levitated a water bottle to Rainbow, who drank gratefully. "Keep your pacing and save your energy for the big finish!"
"Yeah! You're doing super-duper great Dashie," Pinkie Pie exclaimed in her usual cheery attitude as she helped Fluttershy tend to Dash's wings. "Better than great! Amazing! Wonderful! ASTOUNDING! Twilight, What's better than 'astounding'?"
"Thanks guys," Rainbow Dash said, slightly out of breath. "I got this in the bag! Now, back to the race!" Dash's wings swept from her friends hooves as she shot back into the air, refreshed after a drink of cool water. She had a lot of sky to make up but with her friends backing her the whole way, she was sure that the trophy and the spot in the Wonderbolds was hers for the taking. A new wind caught, Dash shot past the rear fliers and quickly was in the lead ten again. These fillies and colts would be more of a challenge to take, but her opportunity was approaching fast.
The next turn brought then onto the straightaway leading to the starting line. With her skillful flying, she would make short work of the fore flyers and take the lead for the last half of the race. That was the plan anyway. The racers before her, and the laps behind her made advancing a trying and difficult task.
Lap two hundred and eighty seven, and Rainbow held third and was fighting off a very persistent orange filly who was trying to overtake her. After a time, the orange filly backed off and Dash redoubled her efforts to break into the lead. Less than fifteen laps to go and she had two ponies between her and the Wonderbolts. That was two too many in dash's mind. The Blue colt ahead of her was a very skilled defensive flier, holding her back and keeping her out of his slipstream. Try as she might, he wouldn't budge. Suddenly, she had an idea. Allowing the distance to widen between them, she flew high and let the orange filly pass her. The blue colt was then stuck trying to shoo off the persistant little mare as Rainbow poured on the speed and ducked around both of them before they knew what happened.
Lap two hundred and ninety eight and Rainbow was finally on top of Mach Cone. Both showing the sure signs of fatigue, but neither lagging or waning in the face of their rival. For half a lap, they flew neck and neck, Rainbow was pushing herself as fast as she dared go before the big finish, but it was still a chore to keep pace with this speed demon beside her. His gunmetal grey coat whipped wildly in the wind as he pushed his wings to their upper limit, trying to pull ahead of the chromatic mare matching him, flap for flap. They rounded the Whitetail bend and hit the lead into the Ponyville straightaway.
Now or never, thought Dash as they rounded the sharpish turn and rocketed towards the little hamlet. All bets are off. With a titanic effort, Dash pushed herself faster and faster. This last lap could only be flawless or her big finish would turn into an even bigger flop. Down the Sweet Apple Straightaway, Into the woods, piking up speed where she could find it and pulling all her energy into every flap. Out of the trees into the lead in, Mach Cone hot on her trail. But even as her rival used her wide slipstream to pull up behind her, his namesake began forming around Rainbow Dash, pulling tighter and tighter, flaring wide as she lost speed around the turn onto the straightaway. She gathered it back quickly and felt the wall begin to give as she pushed, and... ~-BOOOM-~ An explosion of chromatic light filled the air around her as the sound-barrier shattered under her force.
Just as she launched into the Sonic Rainboom, a panicked Mach Cone who had just pulled along side her on borrowed speed flailed and struck her in the flank as the energy of the blast cast him away like a mote of dust. Her vision blurred by speed and all semblance of control lost, she couldn't see the banner poll at the finish as she careened towards it. The crowd gasped as she missed, or seemed to miss rather. All Rainbow knew was that something was terribly wrong as she tail-spun and plummeted towards the ground at supersonic speed. The forces excreted on her body were too much and the rainbow Pegasus winked out of consciousness at the moment of impact.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A strange beeping noise permeated the darkness as Rainbow Dash lay, dazed, confused and Alone. She could hear muffled voices but in the darkness there was no way to tell where they came from. She tried to move, but her body refused her commands outright. Some of the voices sounded familiar. Her friends were there. That was good. What were they saying, she wondered as she lay in the oppressive darkness.
What felt like no time at all passed and suddenly, the darkness was gone. It was still dark, but now, less so. Like a veil had been lifted, and with the removal of that veil, came the dull pain all over her body. The beeping was still there too as well as the voices and she could hear them a little better now. Twilight was talking, but she couldn't tell what was being said. Now a voice she doesn't remember. Twilight again. She sounds sad. Why was she sad? Was someone making her cry? Totally not cool! No pony makes her friend cry! Somepony's gonna learn respect, Rainbow Dash style. But first, she needed to open her damn eyes.
Rainbow Dash, through sheer force of will alone began to open her eyes. It was slow, slower than Dash had ever gone before but that was all her body was going to give her, and she was ready to take it. The room around her was a blurry mass for a few moments as her eyes adjusted themselves and focused with geological slowness. She heard a gasp and hurried shuffling, and a distraught looking Twilight Sparkle came into view, tears in her eyes and a half smile on her face.
"T... Twi?" Rainbow said. Her mouth felt like it was packed with wet cement, but she managed. "You OK?"
"I should be asking you that," Twilight said softly. "That was a nasty spill you took."
"some... somepony, makin' ya cry..." Dash tried vainly to push herself up but barely managed to shift a hoof. "I-I'll clock 'em good," threatened Dash, lamely. Twiligt couldn't help but laugh, but it was short lived as Rainbow slipped back into unconsciousness. The next time Dash awoke, she was much more herself and that infuriating beeping had finally shut up. She looked around and saw Applejack and Fluttershy talking with Twilight. When they saw her shift and look at them, they quickly came to her side.
"How ya' feelin' sugarcube?" Applejack asked gently. "Y'all've been out for days now. Took a right nasty hit."
"I'm not even sure what happened, AJ," Dash said, groggily. She vaguely registered that her right shoulder hurt. "All I can remember is losing control and blacking out."
Just then Nurse Redheart walked in and smiled at the group. "Looks like someone's up at long last!" She intoned with a friendly nod to Rainbow Dash. "Have you girls had a chance to fill her in on everything that happened?" She asked less jovially of the other three. They shook their heads. "Oh, then I'll be back in a few." She backed out the door and closed it lightly, having retrieved some medical supplies or other from a cabinet in the room and could be heard trotting away down the hall.
After a brief moment of unsure glances between the three guests, Twilight took a breath and started to speak. "I don't know how to say it, So I'm just gonna say it," she began, but faltered as she tried to find the words. Even rushing in, the news caught in her throat.
"What are you talking about? I've knocked my head more than once!" Dash tapped her head for effect and winced at the contact. "What's the big deal."
"Sugarcube, it aint your head we're talkin' about." Applejack too choked as she was about to say it, whatever 'it' was.
"It's um..." Fluttershy paused, but stammered on. "It's your... uhm... Your..."
"My what?" Dash demanded
"It's your... wi... um..." Fluttershy quelled under Dash's increasingly worried glare.
"My what, Fluttershy? Spit it out!"
"Your wings..." Squeaked Fluttershy finally.
"My wi- What?" Dash let out an incredulous bark of laughter. "My wings are just fine! See?" She went to flair them out in demonstration but only the left extended. "Huh?" She tried again, but only the left responded. "What happened? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY WING?!" Tears were forming in her eyes as she extended and furled her wing, as if by sheer force of will alone, she could bring the missing limb back. She twisted around, trying to look at her back as she quickly slipped into panic.
"Rainbow, you have to calm down! Please" Twilight said urgently, placing a hoof on Rainbow Dash's Shoulder.
"Calm down? You want me to CALM DOWN!? MY BUCKING WING IS MISSING! WHERE DID IT GO?! IT CAN'T BE GONE!" She was crying hysterically now as Nurse Redheart rushed in, a syringe of medicine at the ready. Twilight Shook her head, and Redheart stepped back from the distressed patient, but not by far in case she got out of hand.
"Rainbow please," Twilight pleaded with the hysterical pegasus. "You have to calm down, let us help you." In her weakened state, Rainbow was quickly loosing steam, and was finally hearing Twilight again.
"Twilight, my wing..." she said forlornly to her friend tears pouring down her face. Twilight could have sworn she heard her heart brake when the Pegasus said what she said next. "how can I fly with the Wonderbolts with one wing?" She was weeping openly as Twilight pulled her towards her and held her. Rainbow felt the bandages around her chest and back constricting as she sobbed. "It's not fair..."
"I know, Rainbow," Twilight said gently, stroking the distraught Pegasus's mane. "we're here to help you though. This isn't the worst thing that could have happened."
"Oh yeah?" Rainbow challenged. "What could possibly be worse than loosing a wing? That'd be like you losing your horn!"
"Loosing your life?" Twilight ventured.
"I'd rather be dead." Muttered Rainbow.
"Y'all don't mean that," Applejack stated, nuzzling Rainbow's foreleg that was laying limply on the bed. "We wouldn't know what to do without ya."
Fluttershy settled next to her on the bed. "Yeah! Why, if it weren't for you, I'd still be as shy as I was in flight camp," almost as if to moot her point, she hid her face with a nervous squeak when she saw nurse Redheart smiling at her.
"Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. "Just remember, you've got all your friends to help you through this. You don't have face it alone."
Dash was still crying but she seemed less distraught than she had before, and the girls took that as a good sign. They stayed together for a while, not really talking when an orderly poked his head in. "Visiting hours are over girls." he said, and after a round of good byes and promises of further visits from the whole gang, they were ushered out of the hospital, leaving Rainbow Dash alone again.
Hollow. She felt hollow when she realized her wing was gone. Like a great chunk was missing. And it was. She had cried herself out before long and was just staring off at the far wall when she spotted it, sitting on a dresser. The Ponyville 300 trophy, gleaming in the setting sunlight that shone through her one window. She just sat and stared at it for the longest time, her mind not quite taking it in. When it finally clicked, she found herself wondering if it was the most wonderful or the most horrible thing she had ever seen. On the one hoof, she saw a symbol of her final victory, her triumph over her rival and her dreams were reflected in it's silvery surface. On the other, she saw the now unreachable sky and the binding shackles of gravity that now held her, and her dreams were reflected in it's silvery surface.
Dash sighed, and tore her eyes from the mocking trophy, looking instead out her window at the reddening sky. She saw the weather patrol sweeping across the sky, dragging with them the clouds for a nighttime storm. Groaning, she covered her eyes with her pillow and tried to forget the world, or the feeling of emptiness, and especially the now all too obvious sting below her right shoulder where her wing used to connect.
There was a knock at the door and the orderly from before came in. "You have one last visitor," He said. "make it quick."
"Who is it?" Dash asked, moving the pillow from her face, hoping to see pinkie pie, Rarity or even Scootaloo. Anypony, really. Anypony except who was waiting on the other side of that door.
"Says his name is 'Mach Cone'."