~4 months later~
"Run!"
"What do you think I'm doing?!"
"Run faster! We're going to miss it!"
"Don't worry! I'm sure we'll make it in time!"
-----Meanwhile-----
"Okay everypony, listen up! By some sort of weird coincidence Ponyville will be responsible for moving water up to Cloudsdale for a second year in a row!" Whispers could be heard through the fairly large crowd of pegasi that occupied the building. "But all that means is we get a second chance to show the Wonderbolts what we're made of!"
A single cough was heard from the group.
"Thunderlane!" she growled.
The stallion awkwardly smiled as he pulled out out some cough drops and tossed a hoof full of them in his mouth.
"There will be absolutely nopony getting sick this year! Now then, we—"
Boom!
Everypony's head snapped to the back of the room where two panting stallions came rushing in.
"We're here!" the lighter of the two yelled.
"Lorio?! Rito?!" Rainbow Dash's face perfectly reflected just how confused she was.
The two stood in the middle of a small crowd, greeting some of their friends.
Rainbow snapped out of her bewildered state with a quick shacking of her head. "O-Okay! Everypony out to the training grounds!" she ordered. "Except you two!" She pointed a hoof at Lorio and Rito. I need to have a word with you! Once the room was emptied, she flew down to the front of them. She stared at them with a less than pleased look on her face for a while before finally breaking the silence. "Where the heck have you two been?!"
The pair simultaneously cringed at her sudden outburst. "Uhh," Lorio started, "glad to see your doing well, Rainbow. I missed you." The stallion awkwardly chuckled.
She punched him in the shoulder with considerable force, cheeks red as a rose. "Shut up!"
"Ow!" he cried out in pain. "You pack one heck of a punch." He laughed the pain off but still felt the sting of her punch. He wondered how such a beautiful mare was able to generate that much force.
Rainbow eyed the pegasus' body. "You've gotten bigger."
"Guess I have huh?" he agreed, finally noticing the slight difference in their height.
"Yeah, our little wuss has grown into a big wuss," Rito joked.
"I see you haven't changed much, Rito."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
The three ponies' necks twisted towards the door as Mach came barging in.
"Hey, Dash! Am I late for the meeting?" he asked.
Rainbow only responded with a frustrated sigh and a facehoof.
"You're just in time, Mach." Lorio grabbed Rainbow's hoof and lead her towards the door. "We were just heading to the training grounds. Isn't that right Rainbow?"
"S-Sure," she agreed hesitantly as they all headed for the track. "You're gonna answer my questions after this," she whispered to Lorio, receiving only a nod in reply.
Pegasi were scattered about all over the training grounds doing various workouts. Some doing laps around the track, some doing wing-ups, and some doing some stretching. Lorio took note of the absence of Fluttershy, who proved to be really helpful last year.
"Did Fluttershy run away this year too?" Lorio inquired.
"Nah," she answered waving her hoof. "Fluttershy has her own training regimen that she does with all her animal friends. It worked out last year so I figured why not let her go for it again."
"Makes sense."
After a few more minutes of warming up Rainbow was lining up everypony for test flying.
"Alright! Everypony line up! Time for some flight tests." The pegasi obeyed as they lined up at the starting line of the track. Spike and Twilight were standing off to the side at the finish line with their anemometer. "Alright! Who's up first?"
Mach Speed stepped up to the line, earning himself a sideways glance from a few ponies.
"Mach, what about your wing?" Rainbow asked, worried.
"My rehab for the past few months has been going well. I can't ever fly as fast as I used to but I can't still contribute a small amount," he explained.
Rainbow lowered her head. "Yeah but..."
"Trust me, Dash, nopony knows my body better than me!" He smiled reassuringly.
Rainbow smiled back punching him in the shoulder playfully. "Fine, but don't expect me to feel sorry for you if you hurt yourself, idiot."
"I hear ya," he laughed before taking his position on the starting line.
"Whenever you're ready," Rainbow informed.
Mach nodded and lowered himself into a starting position that could only be described as professional. A testament to his former glory. He spread his wings apart and presented a strong, healthy left wing and a right wing that was feeble in comparison. His wing did look much better from the time Rainbow first saw it but she still worried for him.
The entire track was silent as everypony watched the formerly crippled pegasus readying himself at the starting line. His wings began to beat rapidly. Everypony was staring wide-eyed as if they were expecting him to give out at any moment but Mach just kept beating. Soon his hindlegs were off the ground and soon after that he took off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
Rainbow didn't know if it was her imagination but he seemed to be going rather fast. He sped down the track and in a matter of seconds zoomed past Twilight and Spike. The gust of wind he'd generated behind him knocked them off balance and spun the anemometer furiously.
Once Twilight regained her posture she immediately checked the readings. Her mouth hung open in disbelief at the number. "T-Ten point seven wingpower!"
The entire crowd gasped in awe but was soon replaced by cheering. The mare in the crowd were especially cheerful. One loud "I love you, Mach!" cut clear through the crowd.
Rainbow stared in disbelief as the broken-winged Mach speed was still able to break ten wingpower.
After the cheering died down Rainbow continued with the flight tests. "Next!" she ordered.
One by one ponies sped past the anemometer at respectable speeds but Mach held the top speed for the day, a few others only coming close. The number of ponies at the starting line gradually whittled down.
"Anypony left?" Rainbow asked.
"Are you forgetting about me already?" Lorio answered. "I want to show off too."
"Alright then, let's get this over with." she sighed.
"Not so fast." He stuck a hoof in the air. "I want to propose a deal."
Rainbow raised and eyebrow at him. "What kind of deal?"
"The 'if I beat Mach's wingpower you go on a date with me' kind of deal."
This elicited a playful "ooo" from the surrounding ponies, a few whistles became apparent as well.
Rainbow's face was lit a bright red. "I already told you, Lorio, I don't—"
"I'm not asking you to like me, just to go out on a date with me," he interrupted.
Rainbow stood in silent thought for a moment. She turned her head to the group of pegasuses around them. A few whispered "say yes". She turned to Twilight and Spike. They both shrugged simultaneously, not knowing what to do. Finally, she turned to Mach who simply smiled.
Rainbow hung her head and let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll play along."
"Alright!" Lorio exclaimed as the crowd cheered.
"Whenever you're ready."
Lorio immediately took his place on the starting line.
"Are you sure about this Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah, why not? His wingpower last year was six. Since then he hasn't even trained and just disappeared for almost five months. I don't think I have anything to—"
Rainbow was cut off as she was knocked to the ground by a gust of wind she could've mistaken for a hurricane had she not know the weather team had no such thing scheduled today. The wind swept up a huge cloud of dust and knocked a few ponies back. When the dust finally settled everypony was staring at the track waiting to see what caused such a force.
It was none other than Lorio who was standing at the end of the track. "How fast was that?" he asked, confident he beat Mach's record.
Twilight rushed over to the anemometer still a little dazed from the force of the gust she'd been hit with. Upon viewing the numbers she stood silent, frozen with shock.
"Come on, Twilight! Don't keep us waiting," Spike ordered.
"Eight..."
"Eight?" Rainbow asked, confused."That's it?"
"...teen point five."
"What?!"