The team and two of their sponsors arrived in Cloudsdale by Airship at noon the next day. Already, the news of their existence had spread with a lot of interest surrounding both the co-operation of the Wonderbolts and Red Hawks as well as Concorde, much to his dismay.
Once they’d gotten comfortable in their hotel, Concorde paced up and down the room he was sharing with Lightning Dust after they’d drawn straws. He was excited and nervous for the night ahead, which would be the opening ball ahead of the first race meeting of the year. They were gathering in this room before they headed to the Acropolis for the ball.
He was wearing the tail coat Rarity had made for him, as Dash, Dust and Maffett were wearing the dresses she had made. Rarity had spent hours getting ready already and at this rate they’d be fashionably late to the ball, likely as was her intent. She was now darted around those who were ready, making sure every detail about their appearance was absolutely perfect.
Big Machintosh, who Applejack had forced to come and represent them as their sponsor, was sat by the wall opposite the window, also wearing a tail coat and looking extremely nervous. He wasn’t enjoyed walking around on clouds and relying on a magic spell that could fade at a moment’s notice. Fleetfoot had already gone on ahead with the rest of the Wonderbolts.
“Where’s the two Ronnies?” Maffett asked, confusing almost everyone though Rarity didn’t seem to notice as she continued obsessively styling Dust’s mane. They were the only ones they were waiting for now.
“Getting dressed still, I think.” Concorde replied.
“Well, no offense to you Rarity, but they aren’t wearing the suits you designed for them. They went to get their own.” Maffett said. It seemed that line finally managed to pierce Rarity’s mind as she stopped grooming and asked, her eyes filled with shock.
“Why?”
“I think they want to prove they aren’t exactly the same.”
“But aren’t they brothers?” She asked, causing most of the room to burst out laughing.
“For all we know they could’ve been separated at birth.” Concorde shrugged. “But they insist they’re not related.”
“If they have the same birth date, check their hooves. See if they’ve cut them.” Maffett added.
“Sorry I’m late!” Came Spanner as he entered the room. He wore a fine, if simple, black jacket with matching bowler hat, white shirt and black tie.
“You’re not late yet. Seen Ratchett?” Maffett asked.
“I’m here, I’m here.” Ratchett said as he pushed his way in.
There was a moment of tension as most of the room held back laughter, waiting for Ratchett and Spanner to realize. They eventually looked at each other, their mild interest turning into stares of disbelief. If it wasn’t for their slightly different moustaches, they’d look like an exact mirror image of each other. With the exception of Rarity, everyone started laughing.
“Did you both think the other would try something more ornate?” Dust found herself asking eventually.
“Well…. Yes.” They replied in unison, causing the others to laugh again.
“At least the jackets suit you.” Rarity said, having studied their choice of clothes and not joining in the laughter. “I would have given you gold and jet buttons and possibly not gone so far as to include the derby hat.” She continued, before noticing Concorde get back up after rolling around laughing and sighing angrily. “You’ve ruined it now!”
Concorde froze in surprise as she grabbed her brush, forcefully positioned his head and re-groomed his now out of position mane.
“Just whack him with the brush if he acts up.” Maffett smiled.
“Do it anyway.” Rainbow Dash encouraged, though it looked more likely Rarity would accidently strangle him first.
***
Cloudsdale was already high off the ground, hence the name, but stood at the highest point in the city was the Acropolis, formerly the citadel and place of power of the Pegasus before Equestria was founded.
Over an hour after the ball had started, the group of eight arrived. There was a herd of camera ponies around the entrances that all turned to the Wonderhawks as they approached.
Rarity quite enjoyed the attention in contrast to Concorde as she walked next to him, who’s smiles hid his discomfort. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust had their respective spotters Ratchett and Spanner walking alongside them while Maffett walked with Big Mac, who looked equally as uncomfortable as Concorde.
“Just a moment.” A unicorn said as they approached the huge door into the Acropolis. Without another word, he zapped Rarity with a spell. “Just topping up your lighter then clouds spell so you don’t cause a scene and fall through the floor.” He explained flatly before zapping the other three unicorns and the mountain of an Earth Pony in their group.
Once satisfied, the announcer called out their names in pairs so the hall could hear as they entered.
The main hall was enormous. Stars could be seen through the wispy roof which was held up by mighty cloud columns around the edges of the room. Ponies in various expensive dresses and suits milled around talking as waiters flew around and a band played slow, easy to listen to music.
Concorde looked fit to burst with excitement as he looked around the room, spotting team owners and flyers from various different eras mingling with the current racers, team owners and sponsors. He would have gone and started begging for autographs if it wasn’t for the unicorn and overly familiar Pegasus making a beeline for him and Rarity.
“Ah, Rarity my dear, such a pleasure to see you again.” The unicorn smiled, bowing to them. He was pure white with light purple mane, moustache and tail. He wore a monocle and fine tail jacket with a bow tie that matched his mane.
The young Pegasus next to him was Wolke Schwade, Concorde’s former rival. He had sand coloured fur and blonde mane and tail, his blue eyes almost piercing yet still filled with coltish enthusiasm. He wore the same style of jacket as his sponsor and team owner, but with a bow tie to match his mane.
“It’s good to see you again, Fancypants.” Rarity smiled. “This is-”
“You don’t need to tell me, this fine young gentlecolt would be Concorde Cayley unless I’m much mistaken.”
“You aren’t, sir.” Concorde replied. “Has Wolke here told you a few stories?” He asked, grinning at his old rival.
“In fact he has. He holds you in very high regards.”
“So I hear. I take it the pair of you have met?” Concorde asked, indicating to Rarity.
“We have, dear colt. Why, I go to Rarity first when I’m in need of new suits, but I see she has surpassed herself with yours.”
“Oh you’re too kind.” Rarity giggled. Concorde took the opportunity to split and branch off on his own as the pair spoke, Wolke seemingly on the same wavelength as he peeled away from his employer too.
“So you missed me, did you?” Concorde grinned the Bavarian stallion.
“Just seeing you lag behind.” Wolke smirked.
“And there was me thinking it was the sight of my tail you missed.”
“Well, to be honest Concorde, I want to beat the best and while the best are here, it missed something without you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I actually didn’t realize how much I missed racing you until last year.”
“I think I see. I enjoyed performing with the Red Hawks but it wasn’t like a good race against the likes of yourself.”
“What exactly did happen to you, anyway?”
“Long story cut short, mother dearest didn’t want her little colt getting himself killed.”
“And she had you banned from Windy Valley Raceway?”
“Yep. It’s almost like an abysmal story you’d find on the internet if you were lucky enough to avoid all the slash fiction.”
“Well, you’re here now at last. I expect you to be racing me before long.”
“Oh I will. Anything you think I should know of.”
“Nothing you don’t already know, though the media events aren’t something I particularly relish.”
“Yeah, I heard Fancypants likes showing you off at various conventions.”
“Well that and -ah.” Wolke suddenly cut off, looking at something behind Concorde. He turned around to see a line of photographers, all ready to take pictures. The pair looked at each other, before shrugging their shoulders and posing.
***
Dust was bored within minutes of entering this charade. The small talk, the slow music, the throng of ponies milling around was simply felt pointless and she couldn’t help but feel half of it wasn’t serious. She hadn’t stayed with the others after seeing Concorde and Rarity talking to some big shot and split off on her own to find the Wonderbolts with little success.
After posing for a few pictures and answering some journalist questions, she was trying to keep herself from going crazy from the depressingly slow pace of the event with a glass of champagne, which she had a feeling Concorde would try and educate her on if she bumped into him.
“Enjoying yourself?” Someone asked. She looked over to see Maffett with Big Machintosh stood nearby, still looking hugely out of place.
“No.” Dust replied bluntly.
“Had a feeling this wouldn’t be your thing. Concorde’s in some sort of fan colt heaven at the moment so I left him to it.”
“And your date?”
“Date? You mean Mac? He’s cute and all, but I wouldn’t call him a date. I don’t think he knows how to deal with this yet. Speaking of which, where’s Spanner?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s talking to someone he’s worked with before.”
“That could be anyone in this room. He’s been spotter and/or analyst for a few of the good guys, same as Ratchett.”
“I don’t even know who these ponies are. Most of them look the same.”
“Well, Mercedes over there does stand out.” Maffett said, indicating to a stunning silver mare in a matching dress talking to a journalist, before adding: “She’s the reigning champion.”
“I’m surprised you’ve not heard of her, Dust.” Dash commented, making them both jump in surprise. She laughed as they regained themselves.
“I have. I’m surprised you care with her being from Fillydelphia.” Dust retorted.
“I know of her so I know what I have to beat to prove we’re better than them.” Dash grinned, her usual overly patriotic side for Cloudsdale coming out. “So what can you tell us about the others, Maffett?”
Dust and Dash listened to Maffett as she pointed out Aperto Jnr along with his famous racing father Aperto Snr, the almost eternal number two Zip Line, the surprisingly big Power Drive and multiple champion and renowned ‘bad boy’ Nicki Hest.
“Why’s he a renowned bad boy?” Dash asked.
“He’s not afraid to push others off track or squeezing. He's even been known to start the odd fight as well. That guy over there’s the ever popular if not exactly successful Riggwelter.” Maffett continued, indicating to a black stallion with fur that looked more like a thick fleece.
“He looks kinda fat.” Dust commented, a remark that seemed to carry far enough for Riggwelter to hear.
“He’s half Fluffypony.” Maffett quickly informed her.
“I thought they just exploded into lots of mini versions of themselves?”
“No, when you shave them their cut hair becomes new Fluffyponies.” Dash chuckled.
“Actually,” Riggwelter said in a thick accent not dissimilar to Concorde’s. “They’re born and raised in the mother’s fur, emerging when they’re fully grown. One moment there’s one, the next there’s a herd.”
Dash, Dust and Maffett just looked at him, slightly surprised. He looked fairly amused, as if he’d had this discussion multiple times before.
“Are you from Whitbay too?” Dash found herself asking.
“Nah, Mareham. It’s sixty miles away from Whitbay.” He replied, adding the distance when Dust and Dash’s expressions remained blank.
“How do you race with a fleece like that?” Dash asked after a moment’s silence.
“Simple; I shave it off before every meeting. This stuff grows like you wouldn’t believe.”
Behind Riggwelter, Dust noticed Mercedes look over in their direction before walk over to them.
“Riggwelter, it’s good to see you again.” She said pleasantly with a little bit of a German accent, which was a bit of a surprise considering she was from Fillydelphia.
“Good to see you too, Mercedes.” Rigg said back. She was an exceptionally beautiful mare now they saw her close up, both well-toned and sleek yet she looked like she’d be more at home on a catwalk then a race track. She had a small poses of three other ponies for company.
“You must be the Wonderhawks.” She stated, turning to Dash and Dust.
“We are.” Dash answered, Dust continuing with her drink.
“It’s nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. I’ve looked into your accomplishments and you are certainly very talented.” She smiled warmly. “Some of the records you broke had stood for generations, did they not?”
“Yeah, they did.” Dash smiled, unsure what to say.
“Where is your third member?” Mercedes then asked.
“He’s over there.” Maffett said, pointing to where Concorde and Wolke were talking. Before anyone could say anything, she shouted across the hall at him: “Hey, Corde!”
Several ponies looked at her, but most importantly Concorde did. He excused himself from his conversation with Wolke and came over.
“You squawked, Maffett?” He asked light heartedly, before noticing Mercedes. He seemed to do a double take when he realised who she was. “Mercedes!”
“Concorde. It’s nice to meet you.” She said pleasantly to the star struck stallion, which Dash and Maffett couldn’t help but giggle at.
“Erm, yes! Likewise, ma’am!” Concorde said, his tongue attempting to twist itself up.
“This is Snaps my media mare, Sharp Eyes my spotter and Graphs my analysts.” She said, indicating to each of her entourage in turn. Dust and Dash both thought it was somewhat overkill, the former only recently being convinced she even needed a spotter.
“Hi.” Concorde waved to them. “Full entourage, then.”
“As full as we are allowed, yes. I certainly prefer a few trust worthy faces to the enormous gangs we used to have and the go-karts get.”
“They need plenty of mechanics, mind, especially if they need a full re-build. Even my dad can’t fully rebuild a glider as fast as they can rebuild a go-kart.”
“Your father is an aviator, correct?” Mercedes inquired. Concorde paused for thought, not sure if he should be dumbstruck the reigning champion had done quite a bit of research into him. Before he could respond, an announcer called across the hall:
“Mares and Gentlecolts, we need the Equestrian Cloud Racing League competitors to gather by the main stage for pictures.”
“Almost thought they’d forgotten.” Riggwelter commented, stroking his mane back before heading towards the stage.
“We should go straight away. I dare say our managers would want us little foals in bed straight after.” Mercedes joked.
“Mind if I do something enormously unprofessional first?” Concorde asked, which made Mercedes look a little wary and Dash and Maffett very interested.
“Erm, ok.” She replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Can I get your autograph?” He asked, grinning broadly as he producing a season review book of the previous year’s ECRL, her championship year. Mercedes chucked as Dash and Maffett burst out laughing before her media mare Snaps gave her a pen. She signed the cover before the giddy colt returned the book to wherever he had hidden it previously.
“If you do anything this year, Concorde,” Mercedes started, returning the pen. “keep that enthusiasm. If you keep your love for the sport, you can climb out of any rough spot easily.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“No need to call me ma’am. We’re racers sharing the same track and I’ll give you the same respect on there I’ll give anyone else.”
“Alright then, Merc. Best of luck to you.” He added pleasantly.
“Same to you. It was nice meeting all of you.” She added to Dust, Dash and Maffett as well before she headed for the photo stand. Concorde and Rainbow Dash followed, while Lightning Dust finished her drink before heading over as well.
The twenty four competitors lined up on the stand set up for them, twelve on the top and twelve in front. Lightning Dust figured she’d smile for the throng of cameras taking pictures of them all, knowing this picture would be remembered as her and those she obliterated.