Cloudsdale stadium was as towering and impressive as always. The high rising columns of pure white were laced with decorative gold and blue banners and a huge line of pegasi stretched from the main entrypoint to ten blocks away. And standing somewhere in the middle of that line was a cyan rainbow maned daredevil and her yellow animal loving friend.
"Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy," Rainbow trotted in place giddily as Fluttershy did her best to keep from self-consciously hiding behind her mane as stares were drawn to the overeager bundle of excitement. "What time is it now?"
"Um, 8:58."
"STILL?! Your watch must be broken because that's the answer you gave me last time, which was what, twenty minutes ago?"
"Actually, it was twenty seconds ago."
"Same thing! Why can't they just let us in already? It's not like anypony else is going to be coming."
"Hey, kid," the orange stallion with a winged horseshoe on his flank called from in front of the two. "Simmer down. It's just a tryout."
"Just a tryout?!" Rainbow immediately switched from psyched to outraged. "Buddy, this is not 'just' a tryout. This is the annual auditions for Wonderbolt recruits, THE greatest air team this side of Equestria! They have been the pinnacle of aerial acrobatics and speed for countless generations, and today is the day, the one day of the year that they hoofpick the best of the best to add to their ranks of greatness. Five hundred of the fastest and strongest flyers are gathered here today, but only half a dozen of the most awesomest, amazingest, mind-blowingest ponies are going to be flapping out of that stadium wearing the super cool uniform that is the Wonderbolt! So don't just tell me this is 'just' a tryout. Cause if that's your attitude, you might as well take off now and head home since you're clearly not 120% awesome sauce."
The stallion rolled his eyes at her and gave a small shake of the head. "I take it this is the first time you've been selected to audition?"
"You know it! It's about time my awesomeness was recognized too."
"And you think you're going to be one of those lucky few to make the team?"
She puffed her chest out even further. "I don't think, I know!"
"I don't think you know either."
Every pony within earshot chuckled and giggled at the zinger Rainbow Dash just walked into. Her cheeks burned red as she stuck her face right into his, their noses touching. "You testing me, pal? You want a piece of the Rainbow Dash?!"
"Take it from a pony who's taken this thing five years in a row," her verbal tormentor continued cooly, "Nopony ever passes the first time they try."
"No pony except me," she smugly retorted. "In case you didn't get the memo already, I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria, element of loyalty/awesomeness, and sole practitioner of the patent pending 'Sonic Rainboom'."
"I know, I was at the young fliers competition last year," he replied dryly. "And I speak from experience when I say, those accomplishments aren't going to carry as much weight as you think they will, not in front of the proctors."
Rainbow Dash was ready to give yet another harsh rebuttal, but her train of thought was interrupted when she noticed the line was beginning to move. The argument was officially five seconds ago as she once again shuddered and shook in anticipation.
"Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy! It's finally time! I'm going to be a Wonderbolt! I'mgoingtobeawonderbolt!"
"Um...Rainbow?" her meek friend softly piped up. "M-maybe you are being a...teensy bit over-assuming? Uh, I mean. Everypony else here wants to be Wonderbolt too, and I'm sure they're very skilled as well in their own way. That is, if you don't mind me saying."
"Hey come on, Fluttershy. You know I'm not knocking them down like that. But I mean, comeon! I've saved the world, like, twice already? I can't even begin to count all the ribbons and medals I got in my trophy case. Oh yeah, and a couple of the Wonderbolts actually owe me their lives, literally? These tryouts are pretty much just a formality at this point. I got speed, dexterity, power, stamina, style(don't let Rarity tell you otherwise), and above all, awesomeness. What else do I need to be Wonderbolt material?"
"Um...well..."
"Now come on. I didn't bring you here just so you could be a neighsayer, now give me that good old fashioned Rainbow Dash is best pony cheer!"
"Oh, okay." Fluttershy sucked in her breath for a full three seconds, reared up with wings spread, and let out an ear-splitting, blood-boiling, soul-shattering...
"Yay."
Rainbow Dash groaned loudly. "Not this again..."
Rainbow Dash sat with about fifty other pegasi in a large lobby. A large door was only other notable feature in the crowded gray room. She had been divided amongst the participants into several large groups while Fluttershy and the other non-participants waited outside and then ushered into the rooms where she had sat and waited for about at least five hours while a pegasus was called in through the door about once every twenty minutes.
"Why aren't we in the open air? Isn't the purpose of the tryouts to be, I don't know, showing off my awesome airtime prowess?"
"For your information first-timer, if you bothered to study the tryout pamphlet that came with the letter, you'd know there are several stages to the process. This happens to be the interview stage, where you will directly interface one-on-one with a member of the Wonderbolts' managerial committee. FYI, this is the part where most newbies to the tryouts fail."
Rainbow scowled at the orange stallion sitting directly next to her.
Why couldn't he have been put in a different group?
"Fine, I need to get on the boss' good side first? No sweat, I'm a ponies mare. Charisma is my middle name. Give me five minutes in that room, and that guy will be eating out of my hoof, no sweat!"
"Next."
A green mare with a purple mane and a baseball cutie mark exited from the door, while a monotone voice sounded off beyond it.
"Rainbow Dash."
Confidently, she burst out of her seat and strode to the door, her tail making a flick at her neighbor as she passed. "Time to show you what this newbie can do."
The soundproof door shut behind her as she approached the single desk where a black, rose-maned stallion with half-moon glasses stood next to. His cutie mark was a clipboard with a large green check on it.
"Hey there, boss pony."
"Greeting miss Dash. I'm proctor Standard Set and-"
He paused as Rainbow ignored his outstretched hoof and flopped down in front of the swivel seat before the desk.
"...You may take a seat."
The stallion adjusted his spectacles and sat down to meet Rainbow eye to eye. "So, miss Dash. This is your first time auditioning, according to the files?"
"Yep." Rainbow Dash leaned back on her seat, her lower hooves placing themselves on the desk rim while her upper ones curled around the back of her neck.
"Then I'll need to ask a few additional questions about your background before we can actually begin, just for our records of course."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. You need to know just how awesome I really am. So, what do need to know? How many first place trophies I've won? My list of signature moves?"
"Your academic profile."
"Huh?" The proctor now had Rainbow's full attention as he pulled out a folder from his file cabinet.
"We've done a extensive background check beforehand, but for some reason we can't seem to find your flight school diploma on any of the educational facilities within the area. Tell me, what flight school did you attend?"
"Uh, Cloudsdale High."
"Really? That was the first place we checked. Perhaps we can double check with some additional information to narrow our search down. What year did you graduate?"
Rainbow Dash was suddenly starting to feel surprisingly uncomfortable. "Uh, graduate? I...uh...didn't."
There was a dead silence for a full minute. Standard Set pushed his glasses back from the bridge of his nose as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"You...didn't graduate? As in, you did not complete your education?"
Sweat began to form on Rainbow's brow. "Well, sure. It sounds bad when you put it like that. But I got all the know how I needed when I left. I mean...seriously, you don't really need to be an egghead to be a Wonderbolt, right? Stunt flying and aerobatics are all about athletics. That's where I'm top notch in. What would a Wonderbolt need to know about book smarts?"
A lump began to form in her throat as her interviewer stared her down. "You are performing in a stadium with a base radius of 5000 meters and height of 1000 meters. Assuming cruise speed is 100 meters per second, turning speed is half that amount, and it takes at least 3 seconds to perform a full 90 degree turn in any direction, at what point in the stadium must you begin a curve to avoid collision with a wall?"
"Huh? What kind of question is that? Besides, I can turn a full 180 in half a second and-"
"What point in the stadium must you begin a curve to avoid collision with a wall?"
Staring into the cold, unfeeling gaze of the proctor, her body went rigid and her mind blank. "I...I...don't know?"
"A wind of a velocity 50 meters per second is blowing from a northeast heading of 15 degrees. If you are performing an Immelmare turn in the direction of 0 degrees north to 35 degrees to the southeast at a speed of 220 meters per second, by what magnitude vector must you adjust your heading to take into effect the wind?"
"...what's a magnitude vector?"
"What is the ratio of ice to water in a cirrus cloud?"
"Seven?"
"What is the acceleration of gravity?"
"Aha! I know that's a trick question! Gravity can't accelerate, it's a concept, not an object!"
Her stomach was now actively twisting and re-twisting itself in knots as she watched Standard Set jot a few notes into a file in the folder, place it back in the cabinet, and stand up, casting a shadow over her.
"Thank you miss Dash. You may leave."
A feeling of dread washed over the nerve stricken mare. "Huh? But, we didn't do the interview yet."
"You may leave miss Dash," he repeated.
Slowly trudging towards the door, she opened it, only to find everypony staring at her like she had just grown a fifth leg. The amount of eyes on her only unsettled her more.
"Next."
She turned her low hanging head away from her senior tryout participant as she passed, knowing all too well the expression he was wearing on his face right now.
"Wow, I have to say. You certainly do know how to make an impression. That only took you four minutes."
Rainbow Dash solemnly walked towards her mailbox with a grim outlook for the day. It had been three days since the first stage of the tryouts. Today would be the moment the notice would be delivered to her, whether or not she had passed and proceeded to the second stage of the tryouts.
Sure enough, there was a large envelope in gold and blue in her box, just like the invitation she had gotten to come to the tryouts last week. She retrieved this one with reluctance as opposed to elation from before. She already had a gut feeling what it was going to say inside.
Ripping open the envelope, she scanned over the formal document inside, eyes skipping over every other word until it finally caught the phrase she dreaded.
...unfortunately, we have selected other educated candidates more suited to our requirements for the next stage of our auditions. Please continue to work harder and apply again next year...
Grouchily crumpling up the paper, she threw it as far as she could behind her. It had all been the perfect. All she needed was a chance to show them how awesome she was, and she never got it, all because of one simple word that flashed again and again in her mind.
Educated.
She glided down towards Ponyville square. Another year of pushing clouds and watching from the stands. Sure, this past thought always coursed through her head every year the tryouts rolled around. But this time it felt different, more bitter. She had actually had a chance this time around...or at least, she thought she did. How was she supposed to know so much math and science went into airshows? They were meant to entertain, not teach!
Maybe something sweet will put me out of this sour mood. And with that in mind, there's only one place to go.
The gingerbread building of Sugarcube Corner came into view as she touched down. Cantering over to the front door, she reached for the handle and-
"SURPRISE!"
Confetti and streamers sprayed all over her as she pulled the door open. Her five friends were all smiling in the center of the room with a huge cake on the table. Looking up, Rainbow Dash saw a big banner decorated in rainbow glitter.
CONGRATULATIONS ON PASSING THE WONDERBOLTS TRYOUTS FIRST STAGE RAINBOW DASH
Pinkie Pie bounced right up to her flabbergasted face. "You like it, Dashie? This party's just for you! And you can bet your bottom bit the bash we throw for you when you pass the second stage will be even better!"
Her hardened, curdled face looked ready to erupt, and with a tremendous heave, Rainbow Dash slammed the door on Pinkie's nose and took off screaming.
"RUB SALT IN THE WOUND WHY DON'T YOU?!"
Pinkie rubbed her nose and turned to the other four mares, their mouths open in a state of shock.
"Was it something I said?"