//------------------------------// // Prologue- Before the Games (Part 1) // Story: The Equestria Games // by superpony55 //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash tore the poster down off the school building, as an orange Pegasus filly watched in awe. "Rainbow Dash!" yelled Scootaloo. "Yeah, kid?" Rainbow answered. "Are you signing up?" "Maybe," Rainbow answered seriously. "Cool!" Scootaloo said excitedly. "Look, Scoots, I'd love to stay and chat, but..." she held out the poster. "Okay, I've got to go back inside, anyway," Scootaloo said. Right on time, Cheerilee called to Scootaloo. "Scootaloo? Are you coming in or not?" "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee! Bye Rainbow Dash!" "Bye Scootaloo!" Rainbow yelled as she flew off. You may be wondering something. As in, what the poster says. I'm here to tell you. Here it is: It's the Equestria games! Anypony can sign up. (No experience required.) It costs 30 bits for one pony to compete. You will get a trainer for your team if you sign up. There will be earth pony, Pegasus, unicorn, and everypony games. You can also sign up for the chance to be an announcer! You may also sell refreshments (or anything else, for that matter). The maximum members of a team is 5. We wish you luck. Let the games begin! (Go to our desk outside Sugarcube Corner for more details.) That had been all it took for Rainbow Dash. She knew this was her chance to impress the Wonderbolts. Of course, she didn't want to do it alone, she wanted her friends to do it with her. (She did not see the part about only 5 per team.) On her way to show to Applejack's (for that where she was heading; she wanted to show her friend the poster), she bumped into another Pegasus. "Oops, sorry, Rainbow Dash," Derpy said. "That's okay, do I have any mail?" Rainbow asked the gray mailmare. "Not that I know- oops!" For Derpy had dropped a piece of mail. Rainbow Dash dived for it. "To Miss Rainbow Dash," it read. "I guess you do have mail," said Derpy, surprised. "Thanks," Rainbow called as she zoomed away. "Wait, Rainbow?" Derpy called. Rainbow halted. "Yeah, Derpy?" "Would you like to be on a team with me at the Equestria Games?" Derpy asked. "Maybe, I was going to go ask Applejack (and maybe Twilight and Pinkie and.. well, you get the idea) to be on a team with me," Rainbow explained. "Okay. I'm always available to be on a team with you!" Derpy said. "Thanks, Derpy. Look, I've got to go. Bye!" "Bye Rainbow!" Applejack was leaving the post office when Derpy came crashing in. "Rainbow Dash is looking for you," Derpy said. "Well, I want to ask her if she'll be on a team with me at the Equestria Games," explained Applejack. "I'm always willing to be on a team with you, too!" Derpy said. "You know where to find me." "Thanks Derpy. Got to run!" Applejack yelled back. In Applejack's hooves was an Equestria Games poster. Fluttershy was peering at the sign frightenedly. What if her friends wanted her to be on a team with them? She relaxed a bit when she saw the 5 per team thing. Maybe they wouldn't need her? She took the sign to look at and walked to the desk. She had a few questions. Applejack saw Fluttershy walking toward the Games desk. "Fluttershy? I wouldn't think of her in this sort of competition." Fluttershy saw Applejack walking towards her. "Of course, she'll want to talk with her friends about making a team right away. After all, the first poster appeared only this morning." Rainbow Dash saw Applejack and Fluttershy walking towards each other. "There's Applejack! Finally! I've been flying into pony after pony who wants to be on my team. Finally, some real competition." Applejack saw Rainbow Dash flying towards her and Fluttershy. "Rainbow!" Fluttershy saw Rainbow flying over to her and Applejack. She hid. "After all, if she can't find me, she can't ask me to be on her team." Derpy saw all 3 of them (including Fluttershy). She felt kind of sad when she saw Rainbow asking Applejack to be on her team, and even worse when she saw Applejack accept. No pony was on her team. Whenever she asked somepony, the answer was always the same: I'll think about it. And every time, they found a teammate, other than Derpy, and left her alone. Fluttershy saw Derpy and felt bad. She decided something. She came out of her hiding place and whispered something to Derpy. "Sure!" And for Fluttershy, it was a very brave thing to do. She had decided to sign up for the announcer drawing, with Derpy as a team. That way, if she was picked, she could be right with her friends without having to compete! (And later, when she went up to the Games desk outside Sugarcube Corner, she found out if you weren't chosen, you got half off your ticket to watch the games. It assured her that this was the right thing to do.) Derpy was thrilled, too. Finally, she had a team! Twilight Sparkle was in her library sweeping, when Spike came bursting in. "What is it?" Twilight asked, dropping the broom. "Did you get a letter from Rarity or something?" "No! It's this!" Spike held out the Equestria games poster as Applejack walked in. "Oh! Is that the poster someone put on the library?" Twilight asked just as Applejack said. "Twilight! Look at this!" "I've already got one," Twilight said, unrolling the poster. She quickly read it and looked up. "So I guess you want me to be on a team with me?" "Yep," Applejack said. "Rainbow's already on a team with me." "Well, in that case- wait a minute! It says 5 per team! One of our friends can't be on our team!" Twilight said. "Fluttershy signed up for the announcer draw," Applejack explained. "Really?" "She signed up with Derpy." "Oh," Twilight said. "Well, let's go ask Rarity and Pinkie!" "Absolutely not!" Rarity said, shocked, looking at the sign. "You know I don't like getting my hooves dirty, and there will be a lot of icky mud." "But Rarity! We need somepony to supervise the Cutiemark Crusaders! It's a rule!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Well, I'll supervise you, I just won't play," Rarity said. "It's- the- rules," Sweetie Belle said. "Rarity, Rarity, Rarity!" Twilight called. "Yes?" Rarity answered. "I'm in here!" "Good. Would- you- like- to be- on a- team with us?" Twilight tried to catch her breath. "I told Sweetie Belle n-" "Please?" Rarity saw Applejack and Rainbow in the window. Rarity sighed. "Fine." "Whopee! Of couse I'll do it! It sounds fun!" That was Pinkie Pie's reply when her friends told her about the games. "Let's go!" "Um, Pinkie?" Rainbow said. "It's not until 2 weeks from now." "Okay, you want some cake?" Pinkie held out some cake. "No. If you want to compete, you have to exercise. You have to work together. Be prepared. And no sweets," Rainbow said. "No sweets? I'd only do it for my friends!" Pinkie said. "Good- wait a minute, you are on our team, right?" Rainbow asked. "Yep!" "Good. See you tomorrow bright and early." As Rainbow left, Twilight whispered, "Don't worry, you can have sweets." Pinkie smiled. "So will you?" Applebloom asked. The Cutiemark Crusaders looked up hopefully. "PLEASE?" "Eeyup." Big Mac said. "Yeah!" the Crusaders high-fived each other. This was going to be fun! "Cutiemark Crusaders Equestria Games winners!" The Crusaders yelled happily. Diamond Tiara snickered. "We're going to beat those babies," she said to Silver Spoon. "We sure will!" Silver Spoon answered. "Yes, you will, girls," said Diamond Tiara's father, Filthy Rich (he was their supervisor). "Yes, we will win!"