//------------------------------//
// The Newcomer part 1 
// Story: Shooting Star 
// by Comet Burst 
//------------------------------//

The crowd was screaming with delight and some were chanting her name. The crystal clear sky seemed to shine even brighter than normal as she swooped down to the crowd below. With the wind whipping around her in her corkscrew spiral, she prepared for the grand finale. Mustering all the power her wings could give, she saw the barrier form. It was close to happening, the Sonic Rainboom. The crowd screamed even louder in anticipation, chanting "Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!"

"Um, hello?" Came an unfamiliar voice. Rainbow Dash whipped her head around, but nopony was there. "Huh?" She said in confusion as the voice spoke again. "Hey, be careful up there!" Rainbow Dash was puzzled by that remark. She was flying. How could she not be fine? "Hey, watch out!" The voice cried with greater urgency and Rainbow Dash felt a strange weightless sensation. She was flying, but it felt like floating.

A sharp pain woke Rainbow Dash from her nap as she felt a rather firm lump underneath her chest. Dazed, she looked down to see another pony underneath her. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She shrieked as she flapped her wings and lifted off of the pony quickly. The pony underneath rubbed his head as she continued a string of apologies and explanations. "Hey, it's no big deal." He replied as he rose to his hooves. At first glance, this pony seemed to be no different than any other stallion. Tall, lithe and muscular legs gave off his full grown status. His hair was an odd bluish white while his mane was jet black. He had no horn or wings, making him an earth pony in the most obvious way. He looked up to the airborne Rainbow Dash with vivid gold eyes.

"What were you doing up there? You looked and sounded like you were fighting sompony." He asked. Rainbow Dash laughed nervously and said "Oh, I wasn't fighting anypony. I was taking a nap." The white pony gave her a skeptical look but didn't press the issue. "So what brings you here?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Oh, I'm on my way to Ponyville." He replied in a friendly tone "I heard good things about the town, so I'm moving there from Fillydelphia."

"Oh cool." Replied Rainbow Dash "Yeah, I hang around Ponyville. Some of my friends live there."

"Neat." He said "I'll have to say hi to them when I find Ponyville." Rainbow Dash looked at him in an odd way and said "Are you lost?" He grinned at her sheepishly and said "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Well, I'm heading over there. I'll show you where it is." Rainbow Dash said in a friendly tone as she landed. She folded her wings and said "My names Rainbow Dash."

"Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash. My names Comet." He said with a smile. Together they set off down the road and headed to Ponyville. "So what have you heard about Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash asked casually.

"Oh, all sorts of things." Comet responded "A lot of ponies say it's Princess Celestia's favorite city outside of Canterlot, so that must be a good thing. I've also heard there are six ponies in Ponyville who've saved Equestria three times, so I'm hoping I can meet them."

Rainbow Dash grinned to herself and said "Yeah, wouldn't that be something?"

Comet gave her a look out of the corner of his eye and asked "You wouldn't happen to know any of them, would you?"

Rainbow Dash turned and gave him a sly look and said "Maybe I know a couple of them. One could be here right now."

She expected him to start putting two and two together, but instead he turned away from her and scanned the tree line. "I don't see anypony." He said in a serious voice. Taken aback, Rainbow Dash said "Oh, nevermind then."

It didn't take long to reach Ponyville after that. Standing atop the hill, Comet whistled. "Wow, now that's a sight you don't see in Fillydelphia."

"Yep." Rainbow agreed "It sure is a nice town."

"Well, thanks for your help, Rainbow Dash." Comet said as he nodded his thanks.

"Aw, it was no big deal." She replied "Have you got a place to stay? I know a couple ponies if you--"

"No, no. I have a room I'm renting. It's near a place called the Carousel Boutique. A pony named Goldengrape sold it to me. Apparently he used it as a wine storage room, but he managed to sell it all and had no more use for the place." Comet replied before Rainbow Dash finished speaking. "I do thank you, though. You've been a great welcome."

Rainbow Dash allowed a small blush and said "Well, if you have a place to stay, I should be on my way then."

"Okay." Comet responded "Maybe we could hang out sometime?"

"Maybe." Rainbow said, and with that she spread her wings and flew off to catch some rogue clouds, leaving Comet to navigate his way to his new home. As he strolled around the town, he muttered to himself "This looks like a fine place to settle down."