//------------------------------// // Chapter One: Dinner and a Race // Story: Starlight // by aynstainxpenelope //------------------------------// “Okay, would you wear a dress for a hundred bits?” I asked Soarin another question as we walked around HQ. “Dash, that’s not enough to put me in a dress.” He cracked a smile. “How about a hundred bits and ten pies?” I knew he couldn’t refuse. “Hmm... Only if you wore a dress too.” He looked over at me and the sun reflected off his green eyes. We turned the corner of the long quarter to the cafeteria for dinner. I laughed. “Deal… If that ever needs to happen.” We walked to the long table full of food to get something to eat. All I grabbed was an apple, Soarin’ usually had a whole pie, but for some reason that was all he grabbed too. “Want to eat outside?” I peered through the big glass window to the green courtyard. “Yeah, it’s nice out.” He said. That was very much true. It had been raining the past week, it was needed for only two days, but the storm quickly got out of hand, and the Wonderbolts had been at a show far away from Cloudsdale and the weather team thought it was too big to handle. I, of course wanted to help, but they would not let me and thought I couldn’t handle the task. I could’ve done it. Maybe. We walked out into the warm air. It was very close to summer, and the weather was great. The rain had made things a little soggy, but it was still good out. Spitfire was out there with her recruit, Thunderdrum, trying to teach him the ethics of a good race. Thunderdrum did not understand it, as he is one of the very competitive pegasi that does not believe there is such a thing as cheating. I don’t know why he got to train with Spitfire, and I was with Soarin, but I ended up liking my results. I was learning new techniques, exercises, and diets. Spitfire said I would be better off training with him. Through the past couple weeks training with him, Soarin and I have become the best of friends, sneaking out late to go eat fast food, breaking rules. Our personalities are very much alike in many ways. We walked past Lightning Streak and his recruit, Swift Gale. They had already eaten and now he was training her. “What ya two lovebirds doin’ out here?” Lightning Streak remarked with his strong Australian accent. I blushed fiercely. “We’re not in love.” I turned around to face him. My stomach filled with rage. “You don’t have the right to say that!-” “You guys ah always together-” “Shut up! That’s-” “Dash, calm down- And Streak, we’re only always together because she’s my trainee” Soarin’s face was somewhat red too. “Keep telling yourself that...” Lightning clucked. Swift giggled while she was in mid air and tried to keep in bigger laughs, making the weights on her back pull her down, falling to the ground with an ‘oof’. I puffed out air angrily. I’m not in love with Soarin! We’re just really great friends... I heard Swift giggle again. All of these recruits are annoying... I thought. All eleven of them... That number would die down to a six in two months, and then three in six months. Those three lucky pegasi would be Wonderbolts. I hope I was included. Soarin caught up with me. “Sorry about that, Streak was just joking...” He told me. “I hope...” I heard him mutter. “Yeah, sorry for getting so upset,” I started awkwardly. “I’m just not used to getting told things like that.” “Yeah.” “Yup.” We walked to the end of the yard to the edge of the grass where it ended to a strip of cloud, or foundation for the Head Quarters. We sat down and started eating. We were both quiet, which was very out of character so I decided to just start something up again. “Would you rather not bathe for the rest of your life, or not change your uniform?” I asked while I turned on my back to look up at the orange tinted sky. Soarin smiled. “Do I have to choose?” He went on his back the same way I did. “Yup. You have to. No way around it.” “I guess... I’d rather wear the same uniform... Gross... You get all sweaty after a show, but then you take a shower... What if you put it back on right after that? Would you get it wet and then it would cancel the smell?” He asked. “I don’t know.” I laughed. “I’m not that deep of a thinker, but I think you’re right-” I was cut off by Spitfire. “Anyone willing to race with Thunderdrum?!” The air was silent. “There are no rules involved! Because he won’t take ‘em seriously!” There were a few murmurs. “Soarin’,” I whispered. “Should I do it?” “Go for it.” I stood up. “I will!” “Okay Thunderdrum, you will be racing Rainbow Dash. The race will start here, and you will go all around HQ. The first one to get here wins, let’s say, a fifty dollar gift card to a restaurant. No rules, no fouls.” She looked to both of us. “Got it?” “Yes, ma’am.” Both of us said. We stood side by side lined up on the edge of the stone path. “On your mark,” I got a pouncing crouch position. “Get set,” I whipped out my wings. “Go!” I shot up into the sky with Thunderdrum by my side. “You’re going down.” He told me. He bumped into my side, but not nearly hard enough to set me off balance. “Not in a million years.” I bumped into him with all my might. He lost a little bit of control and gave me a chance to get ahead. We turned on of the corners. He gained some speed and was once again by my side, but he was tiring. He flew up a bit, but I didn’t know why. Until he dropped and landed on top of me, knocking me out of the air. But I knew I could work with this. Instead of flinging out my wings, I tucked them in and shot towards the ground. My stomach went into my into my throat, but I had to pull through with this. Soarin taught me it. I tuck in my wings picking up speed, then shoot straight up. I took a deep breath and pulled my wings out and angling them just right. I was now going super fast, and caught up to Thunderdrum. He looked over at me dumbfounded as we turned the last corner. I was going to play fair. Use my talents instead of cheating. I pulled forward and pushed myself as far as I could go. Pure before kept my eyes open, and a cone of air formed around me. Yes! I thought, Sonic Rainboom! I’m going to do a Sonic Rainboom! And shortly after that, that’s what I did, and beat Thunderdrum by a long shot. I landed, digging my hooves into the ground to stop. I trotted back to Spitfire and Thunderdrum as he landed. He scoffed as Spitfire looked at the colors amazed. Soarin trotted up to us smiling. “You won! Where you gonna take that gift card?” He winked. “See,” Spitfire started to Thunderdrum. “You can win a race with great practice and good ethics. Even when you pushed her down, she used her resources and beat you.” “Yeah,” He blew a strand of electric blue hair out of his face. “Whatever.” About a month ago, I would’ve been so cocky about this, but Spitfire and Soarin had really shaped me up. “Okay Dash, your reward, a gift card, to where?” I glanced over at Soarin and smiled. “McDonalds.” Spitfire looked at me funny. “You have a gift card to wherever you want to go, and you choose fast food?” I nodded my head. “Yup.” I tried to keep a straight face. If she knew me and Soarin were sneaking out at two in the morning to go stuff our faces with the unhealthiest things on earth, she’d have our heads on a platter. “Really?” “Mhmm.” “Okay... I’ll get on that.” “Thanks Spitfire.” She walked back inside HQ with Thunderdrum by her side.