The Biggest surprise came at the end of the week. Sparkle was at the library where her friend Twilight lived. There was a knock on the door. When it opened in walked a strange cross eyed pegasus pony, Derpy Hooves. "Rainbow Dash sent this down for you" The Grey pony spoke as she handed the letter to twilight and disappeared off to her next delivery. "What's it Say twi? " Sparkle Sky asked. Twilight opened the letter and read it aloud " Hey Twi, You know I'm the fastest ever, but yet some don't belive me. So i'm sending out an open invitation to anypony who thinks they can prove me wrong. meet me on the south field . I mean ANYPONY whether they fly or not. If you're in show up there at noon on the next storm day. Love Rainbow Dash" Twi just shook her head " that's absurd Dash knows i don't race i have too much to study and learn, why prove her wrong? " Sparkle looked at her friend and queried " You mean you've beaten her? She's the only pony to pull off not only a Sonic Rainboom , but a Double as well. How is that possible" Twi looked at the alicorn " it was simple, last year i partook in the running of the leaves, a fall ceremony that shakes all the leaves off the trees." She grabbed a picture of her with the medal she won and continued " I paced myself through the race, kept at a trot, even as slow as a walk sometimes. Eventually i caught the exhausted ponies near the end of the race and took off, i was at full gallop and left the rest in the dust. They gave me that cool medal and congratulated me." The though of her gentle out of shape Unicorn friend beating the fastest ponies excited her and her teal eyes glittered and sparkled. " I think I'll challenge her, you beat her and i am much faster than you. "Sky Boasted. "I know i can beat her." Twilight giggled " have fun I'll cheer for you .
The next few days seemed a blur, Sparkle didn't remember them, she thought maybe she was in the library. Apparently she was wandering Ponyville talking to people and taking pictures.
She was up at dawn on the day the pegasus ponies had planned that bad storm, the one dash sent the challenge out for. After an early morning of tree trimming, and overall storm preparation. Thunderbolt, had started the storm , her speed and impact on the cloud made a thunderclap that was extremely loud. The rain soon started and noon was at hand.
Sparkle entered the south field and saw a small crowd on the ground and a sky full of pegasus ponies that where not part of the storm. Sparkle Sky stood brave and proud as she walked through the less than hospitable crowd. She made it to the last part of the path where she counted just four of the six heroes Applejack, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle and Rarity. Where was the pink one? She already knew where dash was.
"Mares and Gentleponies. " There she was, Pinkie Pie in a balloon above the grounds " Today after a month of open challenges somepony has taken The Dash Challenge. Who is crazy or stupid enough to do this? Why it's our special guest, " Blue Streak" Princess Sparkle Sky of Canterlot. " There was a mix of boos and some cheers when Pinkie Pie introduced her. Being a royal Alicorn had made Sparkle expectant of a certain treatment, so the boos first stunned her.
Once the shock had passed and she stood side by side with Rainbow Dash, she had become Super confident. "You should have thought more before you challenged everypony, you have met your match " Sparkle was definitely a challenging looking opponent she was bigger and leaner than Dash. " Yeah right I'm the best there ever was, look at me I created the sonic Rainboom, I soon doubled that up! And Even Applejack can't keep up with me, you "princess Powderpuff" are Easy!" Dash would boast. " If You THINK you can beat a Pure Racing Alicorn then Lets take it to the Sky, Rain-slow Dash!!!" Sparkle would taunt. " OHHHH That's IT!!! It's ON!!"
Rainbow Dash went up to the sky track followed By Sparkle sky. Pinkie laid out the rules "You two will race along this Special track created by the Pegasus ponies to test every skill you have speed, agility and endurance. You will fly through all the loops. you can only take shortcuts at two places . You cannot hit, attack or otherwise intentionally get in each others way. Now GOOOOO!!"
From the start Sparkle was dominating Dash in speed and agility and she looked as if she would win. The cheers would fill the skies as Dash was falling behind.
Pinkie Would do play by play.
"We have Blue streak dominating Dash right out of the gate "
" Dash is catching Streak's tail as we head into turn one, exiting the turn it's Rainbow Dash by a nose."
"Into turn two Sparkle sky is mowing down dash, she takes the outside line and slips by Dash exiting turn two now on the back stretch it's Sparkle by six lengths."
" The Right hand turn three is upon them and Sparkle is caught off guard as she turns the corner really roughly, dash closes fast and takes the lead into the long freeway section it's dash by three lengths!"
"Up ahead as they run sided by side is a challenging ess section, they will have to Maneuver four left right switches."
"Rainbow Dash enters the esses first and has major troubles getting through it, OH NO Dash is into the barrier and Sparkle is out cleanly, she's heading down the straight to the most challenging section on this track the "Cyclone Spiral"
" Dash is on the wing and gaining ground as the spiral looms ahead. Sparkle is into the spiral first Look at her gaining speed , Now dash too. "
Sparkle felt her speed growing fast and soon the spiral would light up with a blue trail that sparkle would leave behind as she was heading for her "Blue Blast. Rainbow dash was gaining speed as well she was leaving her rainbow trail behind heading for " The Sonic Rainboom" The play by play would pick up again. " Exiting the Cyclone spiral we have Sparkle ahead by a horn..literally." "They are heading for the Cumulo Nimbus section, the most dangerous part of the track." Pinkie Switched her play by play to a more cautionary speech.
" Now you two are entering the Cumulo Nimbus section, proceed quickly and cautiously as the wind shear and lightning is really nasty here"
For the majority of the time Sparkle was breaking the shear, than something went terribly wrong. She was at her Blue Blast stage her horn glowing purple, she'd break out of the clouds with a loud Boom and a blue flash or so that was the plan. Dash had caught up and was flying beside her when suddenly a loud buzzing crackle sound was heard, it was a strike. Lightning had struck Sparkle Sky's horn, normally a mere nuisance, but the close proximity of dash caused a massive arc between the two. There where two painful screams and a bright purple flash. Rainbow dash was knocked out due to a massive electro shock. She was falling for a lethal impact with the ground, or so she thought. Wild cheers went up all around as Fluttershy, the quiet Pegasus was holding dash by he tail struggling but slowing her fall enough so A couple of other pegasus ponies could safely carry dash to the ground. Where was Sparkle Sky?