"Me?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking very confused, "you want me to compete?
Soarin just nodded, still gritting his teeth against the pain of his broken wing.
"But I'm not in the Wonderbolts, I never passed a trial." Rainbow relented.
"Rainbow," Soarin started, "you are a Wonderbolt. Whatever you want to tell yourself, you'll always be a Wonderbolt at heart."
Rainbow gasped, remembering what Spitfire had said to her in her dream. Soarin had just said exactly what Spitfire had told her when she was sleeping. It must have been what she had told Soarin as well when he was in the Academy, and if it had worked for Soarin and made him a Wonderbolt, it'd would work for Rainbow too.
"I'll do it."
Rainbow took her place at the start line alongside the five other Wonderbolts. She didn't have the uniform, she just went without. The crowd cheered as the names of the Wonderbolts were read out one-by-one. Rapidfire, Blaze, Firestreak, Fleetfoot and Misty Fly were read out first. But when Rainbow Dash's name was announced, the crowd exploded for her. Nopony knew her, and they had seen how she had been quickly rushed into the race. They loved her, everypony loved an underdog, especially in such a massive occasion.
Rainbow was literally shaking, not often would her nerves get the better of her, but today was the most nervous she had ever been. She looked along the line of racers, four of the Wonderbolts were fully focused on the task ahead, but Rapidfire was looking back at her. He nodded towards her, wishing her luck, then the announcers' voice rang out around the Aerodome.
"May the competitors take their places."
The Wonderbolts donned their goggles while Rainbow looked up at the sky.
"I'm gonna do this for you, Spitfire." She whispered quietly.
"On your marks."
Rainbow put her goggles on, flexing her wings in anticipation.
"Get set."
The stage was set, it was time for Rainbow Dash to shine, all she needed was a good start, then the 400 metres were hers to lose.
"GO!"
Rainbow exploded out of the blocks, she went on the G of Go, catching the other Wonderbolts unawares. Rainbow had already covered 10 metres before the others had even started. As long as Rainbow stayed at her current pace, she would beat three of the competitors, but Fleetfoot worried her. The white-haired Pegasi had always challenged Spitfire in the previous Derbies, and they would regularly alternate between first and second place, neither cementing their place as champion. If Rainbow could hold off Fleetfoot, she would probably win.
The competitors quickly destroyed the first 100 metres. The crowd wildly cheered them on, feeling the wind from the Wonderbolts brush against their faces. It was a spectacular sight, five grey cloud trails flanked by a beautiful rainbow trail.
Blaze and Firestreak had started to fall away, still quicker than all other Pegasi's in Equestria, but not quick enough to keep up with the other competitors. Misty Fly, the original outsider, flipped into a spin-out. Unlike Soarin, she recovered from it, but she lost too much time, leaving her at the back of the pack. Rapidfire, Fleetfoot and Rainbow Dash had started to pull away, one of those three would win.
Rainbow Dash accelerated again, feeling the wind flow through her mane. She didn't have to look across to see the other competitors, the bright hair of Rapidfire and Fleetfoot was enough to tell her where they where. The bright white and orange manes were vivid enough for her to see. But Rainbow couldn't concentrate on them, only on the race.
As the three remaining competitors rounded the penultimate corner, the finishing post came into view. Rainbow saw the flash of white hair accelerate a yard in front of her and Rapidfire. Fleetfoot was making a move. Only 100 metres remained, Rainbow had to make her move soon, go too early and they'd beat her, go too late and she wouldn't get to the line quickly enough.
Rapidfire made a move forwards, leaving Rainbow Dash at the back. Rainbow felt disappointed in herself.
She had no gas left in the tank.
She had let Soarin down.
She had let Spitfire down.
Her chest started to feel heavy, weighed down by failure and grief.
But then she heard a familiar voice,
"Don't think that you're doing this for me, do it for yourself."
Rainbow put on a stern expression, gritting her teeth. She had to do this for herself.
"Nopony beats Rainbow Dash." She muttered.
Rainbow bursted forwards, leaving the other two Wonderbolts behind her in a rainbow trail. Nopony was catching Rainbow, not even Spitfire herself would have kept up with her that day. Rainbow stormed around the last corner into the final straight. The crowd knew she'd won, they were cheering wildly, chanting her name as she crossed the finish line. Cries of 'Rainbow Dash!' echoed around the arena as she swept through the tape on the line, Fleetfoot coming in second and Rapidfire a close third.
Rainbow couldn't believe it, she'd done it, the rank outsider who wasn't even in the Wonderbolts had gone out and won the Derby! She staggered onto a cloud, her breath leaving her, she simply couldn't comprehend it. The crowd continued to cheer her name, she looked around the Aerodome, dumbstruck. The Golden Wings medallion was hers, she had won the Wonderbolt Derby!
While Rainbow collected her thoughts, still absorbing the situation, a steward came over, directing her to the Royal Box. Rainbow followed the steward up to the Box. The Princesses and Shining Armour congratulated her, but Twilight couldn't help herself, she threw herself at Rainbow, tightly embracing her.
"I knew it! I knew you could do it!" The young alicorn squeaked.
Rainbow still couldn't talk, she had been rendered speechless. The situation was getting to her, she felt a tear roll down her cheek, temporarily reunited with a friend.
The announcer's voice roared around the arena again,
"Presenting the champion of the 79th Annual Wonderbolts Derby, Rainbow Dash!"
Twilight released her friend,
"Go on, that's your cue!" She encouraged the victorious Pegasi.
Rainbow Dash trotted up the steps to the podium, the crowd erupted as she emerged to face them. Rainbow stood on the top podium position, Fleetfoot and Rapidfire had already taken their places on the second and third placed pedestals. As Rainbow Dash stood on the podium, the other two Wonderbolts patted her back in encouragement,
"Well done." Fleetfoot said.
"Yeah, you deserved it." Rapidfire seconded.
Soarin walked out onto the stage, his wing supported by a splint. All his pains had diminished, he was just happy for Rainbow Dash. He held a medallion, the Golden Wings medallion, awarded to the winner of the Wonderbolt Derby.
The announcer spoke again,
"Please welcome, Captain Shining Armour and the Princesses of Equestria."
The Royal fanfare rang out as the royalty of Equestria emerged onto the podium position. Firstly, they congratulated Rapidfire and Fleetfoot on their second and third-placed finishes. The royals moved on to Rainbow Dash, the champion.
Captain Shining Armour came first, simply nodding his approval,
"Not bad for a newbie." He congratulated her, winking sarcastically.
Princesses Celestia, Luna and Cadence followed, all embracing Rainbow Dash. Rainbow had never felt happier in her life. She was being hugged, by the Princesses! The dark times of the past few months were wiped out instantly by the ecstasy of her success.
Finally, Twilight trotted towards the podium. Soarin presented the medallion to her, she gave her thanks and took it. She reached out to her friend and hugged her, talking into her ear,
"I hope you can think of a speech as quickly as you flew today."
Rainbow simply laughed, she had a decent idea of what to say to the crowd.
"Thanks, Twi." Rainbow replied.
Twilight released Rainbow from their embrace, smiling,
"Hey! It's Princess Twi to you!" She joked.
The two friends laughed, just like old times.
Twilight used her magic to levitate a microphone in front of her. Speaking to the crowd, she said,
"Ponies! Today, we saw that anything is possible! If you put time and effort into something, you will always succeed! Even the most seemingly inept ponies can brush shoulders with the best and come out on top! Any ordinary weather pony can win the Golden Wings medallion! And that pony is your champion, Rainbow Dash!"
Twilight placed the medallion around Rainbow's neck as the crowd chanted her name.
"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!"
This was everything Rainbow had dreamed of, the success, the power, the attention. Everything was exactly as she had imagined it.
"Do you have anything to say, Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
The crowd answered the question for her, a loud 'yes!' echoed around the Aerodome. Rainbow would have to think of something good.
Twilight hovered the microphone in front of her. This was more nerve-racking than the actual race itslef to Rainbow Dash. She had always been good at talking brashly and loudly, but these ponies actually wanted to hear what she had to say. She couldn't just brag to them.
"I know...I know that every competitor here wanted to succeed, and everypony who competed here today would have deserved to win the Derby. We all wanted to do this for Spitfire, it's just that natural feeling of trying to do somepony you love proud."
Tears had started to stream down Rainbow's face, and the other Wonderbolts removed their goggles at the mention of their Captain, Spitfire. They had all flown for her today.
Rainbow continued,
"Of course, we all miss Spitfire, and I'm sure she's missing us right now as she looks down upon us from the clouds of heaven. But she made me win today. This'll sound weird, but bear with me. On the night that she...left us, I had a dream. Spitfire was there, and she told me not to do her proud, but to do myself proud.
As I went into the final corner today, I heard her again in my head, saying that exact same sentence. If she was still with us, that is what she would have told me as well. I don't know if the dream was her spirit or my memories of her talking to me, but I felt Spitfire out there with me today. She gave me the belief to go out there and win today, and I'd like to commemorate this victory in her name. Thank you, Spitfire."
The crowd cheered loudly, shaking the arena, many cried in memory of the late Captain, but all cheered Rainbow Dash and her modesty in victory. Rainbow held a hoof out towards the crowd for one last time and disappeared into the stands.
Rainbow trotted down the bottom step and was shocked to see the five Wonderbolts and Soarin stood at the bottom of the steps. Rainbow just looked shocked at them, unsure of what to think or say, but Soarin broke the silence.
"Welcome to the Wonderbolts."