//------------------------------// // P.S. Look Under Your Pillow // Story: The One Where They All Turn Thirty // by Spike120812 //------------------------------// P.S. Look Under Your Pillow The clouds were fluffy and firm, Celestia showcased her sun’s undying rays, and the wind was at a minimum. A perfect day for flying, and a perfect day to watch the best fliers fly. High in the clouds stood the prized jewel of Cloudsdale, the Cloud Coliseum. Pegasi crowded the stands and cheered aloud in anticipation for the spectacle to happen. It was a mosh pit of joy, screams, and hyperactive ponies dying to see them. “Fillies, and gentlecolts!” blared the speakers from all over the cloud stadium. “Welcome to the Cloud Coliseum! We hope you’re just as excited as I am for what will be a spectacular day for flying.” Cheers and hollers echoed throughout the stadium, begging for more. “Now, presenting the pegasi you’ve been waiting for, the rookie team of the fastest fliers in Equestria, the stars in the sky, the phenomenons themselves... THE WONDERBOLTS!” The crowd boomed into roars and stomps of applause that could shatter anypony’s eardrums into pieces. Pegasi in their signature blue and yellow flight suits and goggles erupted from the locker rooms of the coliseum in trails of lightning clouds, shooting sparks as they zipped through the endless sea of blue sky, crashing through clouds like they were made of paper. From what could count as the floor of the floorless coliseum, the rookies of the Wonderbolts soared upwards, showing off their speed in a magnificent display of twirls, spins, and sky acrobatics. There were solo tricks and group tricks, all executed in a perfect fashion that sent the crowd into wild, fanatic screams. The tricks kept going for minutes on end until the finale of fireworks. The rookie Wonderbolts soared to higher skies, looking like heroes on a history book page with the fireworks exploding behind them. From the ground, one could mistake it as the biggest party in Cloudsdale. While it may not have been, a party was taking place at the same site of the Wonderbolts show. Away from the stands and the crazy screams from adoring fans, and inside the one of the locker rooms of the Coliseum, a small gathering was taking place, all in celebration of a certain cyan mare. “Happy Birthday, Rainbow Dash!” Mini party canons, designed by the party mare herself, set off with a light thunderous sound and covered the nearby lockers and benches in a layer of confetti and streamers. Cheers from Rainbow’s six best friends, most of the former Cutie Mark Crusaders, and her special somepony sounded in the locker room. Rarity threw her forelimbs around the birthday mare in a tight hug. “Welcome to the thirty club, Rainbow Dash.” “Glad that you’re not the only one anymore?” Rainbow asked back all-to-knowingly. “Yes,” Rarity simply answered. Rainbow just rolled her eyes at her friend’s blunt answer, but smiled nonetheless. “But I am happy for you. The first Wonderbolt in history to stay on the flying team at thirty years old.” “What can I say? I’m awesome,” Rainbow responded with a pound on her chest. “And thanks everypony for coming. Means a lot.” “Thank Twilight and her cloud walking spell. Otherwise there’d be four pony pancakes on the ground,” Spike spoke, making the three earth ponies and one unicorn in the room shudder a bit. “Well, thanks again guys. Bummer Sweetie Belle had to miss out though.” Rainbow Dash turned her head to face Rarity. “Why couldn’t she come again?” “Oh, tonight’s the opening night of her co-tour with Neighanna up in Manehatten, darling.” “Ooooh, I love Neighanna!” Pinkie chirped with a bounce as she prepared her voice. “Yellow diamonds in the light. And we’re standing side by si—MMPGH!” An orange hoof stopped the pink mare’s song short. “No. Just... no,” Applejack said dryly before taking her hoof off her fellow earth pony’s mouth. “Aw, I like that song,” Rarity whined at Applejack's interruption. “Back at the boutique, Spike would sometimes turn that song into a piano ballad, and we’d sing along, just the two of us.” Her eyes twinkled as Spike drew her in for a little nuzzle. Unmoved by the sweetness of it all, Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at her open mouth, faking a gagging sound. “Bleh! You guys have gotten sappier and sappier since you got engaged.” “Oh, like you haven't since Soarin popped you the question?” Applejack said with a sly grin. Rainbow Dash, the mare known for not giving into the sappiness of nearly anything, nearly lost her reputation right then and there as the faintest of reds inched across her face. Seeing this little blush, the pale-blue pegasus stallion standing next to her nudged her playfully. “Yeah, Dash. Haven’t you?” he asked playfully with a smirk. “Shut up, Soarin,” Rainbow said with a gentle shove and a laugh. She loved when he played around with her, just as he loved it when she showed her soft side, limited as it was in that hard shell that was Rainbow Dash. She could still remember the first day Soarin asked her out. The early stages of their relationship rushed by quick. Both treated it as something so casual and tried not to get too attached to one another, or as Rainbow would say, get too sappy about it. Love, however, had other plans. It wasn’t long before the two grew closer and deeper feelings came to light. The two became as inseparable as Spike and Rarity, as well as the other couples in her group of friends at the time. For three years, their relationship progressed, having its ups and downs like a normal couple would, but it was two weeks ago that Soarin finally asked Rainbow to marry him, and she said yes in the most uncharacteristically way possible. She thanked Celestia and Luna that nopony saw how she reacted, but also thanked them for giving her the best stallion she could hope for. Metallic screeching of the speakers coming alive pulled everyone’s attention to one of them as they listened to the announcement. “Wow! That was intense. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the team will look like, and I bet neither can you! So, without further ado, I give you... THE WONDERBOLTS!!! The screams of the crowd outside nearly deafened the nine ponies and one dragon in the locker room. More so when cracks of lightning blared as pegasi jetted out of the locker room. “Kinda sucks that you gotta work on your birthday,”Apple Bloom spoke up after the last screech silenced from the speakers. “Especially since Spitfire gave your finale spot to Rumble,” Soarin added. “She did... but I got it back,” Rainbow replied smugly. Confused looks exchanged among the ponies and dragon in the locker room before Pinkie spoke up. “What finale? And what’s this about Rumble?” Soarin turned to Rainbow Dash with a slightly shocked expression. “You didn’t tell them?” “Thought I’d make it a surprise.” “What surprise?” Twilight, the not knowingness killing her slowly. Rainbow Dash turned to the orange pegasus by one of the benches. “Hey, Scoots. Ever heard of something called the FS Mark M?” Scootaloo’s purple eyes lighted up with a burning excitement. “Only that it’s the latest flight suit out, has unicorn magic coursing through the suit that can do special effects while a pony flies, said to increase speed, aaaand that it’s rumored to make its debut in a future Wonderbolts show!” “Well, everything except the future show part,” Rainbow corrected. “Awww, the Wonderbolts aren’t gonna use it?” Scootaloo asked, concerned. “We are, but not a future show,” Rainbow answered in a teasing tone. It took a few seconds, but the gears finally clicked, and Scootaloo’s eyes widened and glimmered like a foal in a toy store. “OH! MY! GOSH! You’re gonna fly in the FS Mark M?!?” “You know it.” If she were ten years old again and heard this news, Scootaloo would’ve fainted after foaming at the mouth in excitement. Now, for a few seconds, she was ten years old again. “When did Spitfire give you that job again?” Soarin asked Dash. “You’ve really been out of the loop since you became a recruiter,” she joked back. Soarin just rolled his eyes. “Wait, how does Rumble fit into all this?” Twilight couldn’t help but ask. “Okay, well first off, remember my crash about a month ago?” Her friends all cringed at the memory of Rainbow’s accident in one of her shows. It was another day, another show, and another dream-felt day. Everything ran so smoothly at the beginning of the show. That is until Rainbow Dash decided to get creative with the grand finale. “How can we forget? You had to stay in the hospital for days. Doc said you were lucky it was just a dislocated shoulder and broken wings,” Pinkie reminded. “Yeah, well, what I didn’t tell you guys is that while I was in the hospital, I overheard Spitfire and Rumble in the next room over. See, Spitfire already planned out who’d wear the suit, and which show it’d be debuted. It was set for today’s show, and I’d be the one to show it off, but while I was in bed, I heard Rumble say how it might not be a good idea letting someone as unpredictable as me try it out.” “Well, you did kinda go against the flight plans,” Soarin brought up. “Are you with me or against me?” Rainbow snarked back. Soarin clammed up instantly and let Rainbow continue on. “So, not only does he say that, but also mentions my age, how I’m was very close to turning thirty, and that I might not be able to take a crash like that if it happened again. Just like how Spitfire couldn’t take another one.” Simultaneous hums of understanding signaled the memory of Spitfire’s near career ending crash. The Wonderbolts flight team had one thing similar with other physically demanding activities like Hoofball and Peach Basketball; once a team member hit thirty, ponies started counting the days till their retirement. Once Spitfire was nearing that milestone, she tried to show everypony that she still had more to show. What ended up happening was a massive injury that kept her from flying like she did ever again. With still much to offer the actual flight team, she landed a job as choreographer for the shows. A pony like her in charge of something like that, mistakes were hardly an occurrence, and the resulting shows were mesmerizing and executed to the dot... then came Rainbow Dash. Not one for following plans exactly, or fly without a trick up her sleeve, Rainbow Dash constantly surprised her teammates and the crowds with spontaneous tricks and maneuvers. Since nopony got hurt, and the crowd seemed to love it, Spitfire just went along with Rainbow’s antics. Then came her crash. Spitfire knew how much Rainbow loved flying, and how devastated she’d be if something like what she went through happened to her. Spitfire also knew that Rainbow would want to improvise again, so with Rumble’s argument thrown out there, she gave the finale spotlight to him instead. “Then, how did you get your finale spot back?” Fluttershy whispered. Slowly, a malicious smile inched up Rainbow’s muzzle as her eyes lidded close halfway. “Simple. I just gave him and his marefriend a place to love each other.” *** A Week Ago *** Rainbow walked down the Wonderbolts training grounds again after another aggressive practice flight for the next show. She went at it alone, giving her the freedom to scream and shout at the skies all she wanted. The thought of not testing out the new flight suit was killing her, and her rage towards the weasle that caused the whole mess was on the verge of bursting like an H-Bomb. Normally, she would follow a rage filled practice with a visit with Soarin in his recruiting office to calm herself down, but with her stallion off in Vanhoover on a scouting trip, fury still resided in the rainbow mare, fueling her like a dangerous fire. To add to the fuel, a blur of light grey whizzed past her, carrying with it another blur of pale-purple and moisture from the nearby clouds, splashing Rainbow Dash all over. “Rumble,” she seethed under her breath as the two blurs entered the Wonderbolts building. The water still trickled down her face, fueling her rage even further. “Don’t kill him. Don’t kill him. Don’t kill him. Don’t kill him,” she muttered to herself as she flew into the building. “Get dried off and don’t kill him.” Rainbow trotted into the nearest mare’s room in the cloud building, focused on just getting herself dry again. She grabbed a few paper towel and patted her head and face until a faint noise and staggered breathing was heard from one of the stalls. Curiously, Rainbow looked around to see she was alone, save for the growing noise in the stalls. At first it was just a few gasps, then came the slight grunts, and moans. “You okay in there?” Rainbow Dash asked the door of the stall. Frantic shuffling was heard through the door followed by a mare-like voice. “I thought you said we were alone!” “I thought we were!” Rainbow Dash recognized the second voice. That stupid, puny to her, scumbag voice. “Rumble?” she asked, hiding the venom in her voice. The door to the stall creaked open, revealing the embarrassed pegasus stallion and an annoyed unicorn mare standing close to him. “How? Why a bathroom?” Rainbow asked in a dry tone. “Cloud walking spell I learned,” the mare answered the first question. “And me and Dinky were a little eager,” Rumble finished off. Many thoughts ran through Rainbow Dash’s mind at that moment. Admittingly, the scene before her was a little familiar with her own experiences, but that was a different story. Right now, it was all judgement, blank stares... and an idea. Rainbow let a small smile creep it’s way on her muzzle, faking sincerity in her words. “Nah, nah, I get it. I’ve had a few rides just a few stalls over. But, ugh, you know, with lunch about to start, ponies are gonna be in and out of here like crazy.” Like she timed it, the three ponies overheard the stomping of hooves and flapping of wings sound out through the bathroom door. “Craaaaap,” Rumble moaned “But,” Rainbow continued with a pause, “I think I can let you guys use a room that’s perfect.” Dinky and Rumble looked at each other for a moment with suspicious eyes. “What’s the catch?” Rumble inquired. “Nothing at all,” Rainbow answered nonchalantly. “Just wait here for a minute.” Before the couple could ask anything else, Dash flew out of the bathroom in a rainbow trail. True to her word, she returned a minute later with a playful look. “Just follow me.” Dinky followed the cyan pegasus without question while her stallionfriend was a little more cautious, but trailed behind nonetheless. The trio passed up other pegasi with each step down the halls of the Wonderbolts building. When the swarm died down, Rainbow Dash led the other two ponies down another hall to a gold-plaque door. “Recruiter: Soarin” “Soarin’s office?” Rumble asked. “It’s clean, it’s quiet, he’s got a phonograph with some very sexy records, if I do say so myself,” Rainbow said with a remembering smile. “And best of all, nopony would bother you.” Dinky nudge closer to Rumble with a sultry smile. “You know, I’ve always wanted to do it in an office.” “It is pretty hot,” Rainbow added. By now, Dinky was practically jumping in place right by Rumble’s side, silently urging him to go along with it. “Aaaand, you’re doing this why?” Rumble asked the cyan mare. “C’mon. You think me and Soarin haven’t had a some problems with being alone? I know what it’s like.” “C’mon, Rumble. She’s offering,” Dinky begged with pleading eyes. It was working, and Rumble’s guard started to drop when Dinky nudged into him a bit more. “Alright, alright,” Rumble caved. “but are you sure nopony will come in?” he asked Rainbow again. “Soarin’s off on a recruitment thing, so yeah.” Rumble’s eyes softened noticeably as he smiled. “You’re alright, Dash.” “Anything for a teammate,” she said with a shrug before opening Soarin’s door to let the lovebirds in. “Have fun, you two.” A quick close of the door and it wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash heard giggles and horrible pet names get tossed around between the two. With a more malicious turn to her smile, she looked up at the nameplate on the door. After a few glances to her sides, she confirmed nopony was around. Cautiously, she slipped the nameplate out of its holder before trotting a few steps to the side to the next door to see the nameplate hung on that one. “Show Captain: Spitfire” She removed the nameplate with her free hoof and slipped in the other nameplate she was holding before replacing the plate in what Rumble and Dinky believed to be Soarin’s door. “Back in place,” she smiled to herself. One turn away, and she was trotting down the hallway like she was on top of the world. Hoofsteps that weren't her own echoed through the now empty hallway, and a blazing orange and yellow mane only brightened Rainbow’s mood even further. “Afternoon, ma’am!” Rainbow saluted. “Afternoon, Dash,” Spitfire answered before passing her up. “Love to chat, but I got some show plans to finalize. See you out there.” “Aye aye, Captain!” The two mares took their different paths down the hall, Rainbow slowing her trot significantly, not wanting to miss what she knew would come. Spitfire’s hoofsteps slowly faded away, followed by the clicking of a doorknob. Rainbow waited, grinning the whole time. The door opened. “WHAT THE HELL!!!” *** Back In The Locker Room *** Everypony in the room stood with wide eyes and hanging jaws at Rainbow Dash’s story. The disbelief in the air hung around like morning breath in a humid room. “You. Are. Insane,” Applejack breathed. “Am I?” Rainbow joked back with a devil’s grin. “You let ponies do it in my office?!?” Soarin hollered. “Oh, don’t act like it’s never been done in there.” Soarin shut up instantly. The others however were all babbling in their own incoherent sentences. “Anyway,” Rainbow continued, “Spitfire got pissed and took him off the finale spot. I jumped in and told her I’d be willing to do it. Then she told me all about the risks, the safety measures, why she didn’t want me to do it in the first place, blah, blah, blah, and I got my position again!” The screeching of the speakers in the locker room rang once again before the announcer came on, grabbing the group’s attention. “WOW! What a fantastic show! But it’s not over yet folks. And this is gonna be quite the treat. A flier of legends and speed, a Wonderbolt for over ten years, and today is her birthday!” “Rainbow Dash, you’re about to go—” Twilight stopped when she turned her head away from the speakers to see what her friend was wearing. Standing in a red and yellow flight suit with a similar design to the standard Wonderbolts suit, Rainbow Dash was slapping on her flight goggles. A strange orange glow flowed through the yellow of the suit, humming with magic. “How do I look?” Almost all her friends and fiance all looked her over, admiring the new suit in awe. “I would’ve used more red,” Rarity commented, earning an eye roll from the mare in the suit. “Whatever, Rarity. Anyway, I’m gonna go on, so you guys should probably get to the seats I saved for you guys.” “Okay, Rainbow Dash. Good luck out there,” Twilight encouraged as her horn flared up. “Won’t need it,” Dash responded. “Knock ‘em dead, honey,” Soarin said before giving Dash a quick peck on the cheek. “Will do. Oh, and make sure somepony wakes up Scoots. Hate for her to miss the finale,” Rainbow asked with a hoof pointed at the shock-faced pegasus who still bore the smile she fainted with. “Will do,” Apple Bloom confirmed before her and the others disappeared in a flash of lavender, leaving Rainbow Dash alone in the locker room. Metal screeching sounded again as the announcer came on. “Aaaaand now… presenting your finale to this great show… iiiiiiiiiiiiiit’s RAINBOW DASH!!!” Hollers of loyal fans and showgoers rumbled throughout the colosseum as they awaited the legend herself. Rainbow took a breath, and smiled. “Show time.” *** Twilight and the others all dropped into their seats in a flash of lavender disoriented and woozy, but all together. Scootaloo’s impact on the chair brought her back to consciousness as well as confusion when she frantically checked her surroundings. “What whatta howda how did whatta howda what?” “Scoots, it’s alright. You just passed out after Rainbow Dash said she was flyin’ that new fangled flight suit,” Apple Bloom tired to explain, only to have Scootaloo hyperventilate like a fangirl again. Her breathing patterns returned to normal once Apple Bloom got a good grip on her shoulders and sat her down. Spike, Rarity, and Soarin were by the railings of their box on the lookout for their favorite Wonderbolt. “Hey, Soarin?” “Yeah, Spike?” “Is that FS, whatever it is, dangerous?” “Potentially, yes, but since Spitfire organized how the finale’s supposed to go, it shouldn’t be.” “So, Rainbow just needs to follow Spitfire’s plan?” Rarity asked the pegasus. “Yep. Nothing bad should happen just as long as Rainbow Dash follows Spitfire’s plan exactly.” Simultaneously, the two ponies’ and dragon’s heads jerked up as their eyes shrunk to pinpricks. Rainbow Dash… following a plan, free of improvisation, free of surprises, and being told how to fly. One of Spike’s eyes began to twitch when these impossible thoughts replayed in his mind. “Welp, she’s boned.” “Aaaaand now,” the announcer's voice bellowed through the colosseum, “presenting your finale to this great show… iiiiiiiiiiiiiit’s RAINBOW DASH!!!” The group of nine were all at the rails of their box, and there she came. Emerging from the locker room entrance, Rainbow Dash bolted outside with her signature rainbow trail, but two things stood out. One, she flew way faster than most were used to seeing her, and two, her rainbow trail sparked in the air, bringing out the colors like Rainbow Dash was creating a multi-colored fire. She flew through the air like comet, bordering the sound barrier in just a matter of seconds as a cloud of energy surged around her. The yellow of her suit glowed orange with magic, delivering sparks and other fun effects to Rainbow’s trail. “THIS IS AWESOME!!!” Scootaloo screamed as she took in the colorful display before her. “I’M SO HAPPY!!!” Her foal-hood idol ricocheted through the air, spinning, flipping, and shooting off rainbow sparks like fireworks. Behind her goggles, Rainbow Dash saw blurs of blue sky and the tiny dots of ponies brush past her in a matter of milliseconds. How fast she was going, she didn’t know, but it was faster than she was normally used to, and she was loving every second of it. The wind through her mane, the rush in her ears, the adrenaline through her veins, it was every sensation she loved as she flew. Cheers and hollers the fans in the colosseum bellowed in her ears. The applause, the admiration, and the borderline stalker-like messages on posters ponies held up kept Rainbow Dash smiling throughout her routine. “Time to kick it up a notch.” She put on more speed, appearing as something less than a blur. To most ponies in the stands, all they saw was the rainbow trail, and not its creator. Rainbow Dash twirled in the air, turned at seemingly random places, her trail following and sparking with more ferocity. This random feats of flying began to show purpose when the rainbow trail finished off in an instant high in the sky. In the sky, painted in a spark-throwing rainbow of color, floated three simplistic images of pegasi, but Rainbow Dash wasn’t done. She flew in the middle of her three sky works of art. The yellow of her suit glowed an intense orange before she flared her wings out. As she did, the rainbow art pegasi flared their wings out as well. The crowd gasped collectively at the magical display, giving Rainbow a sense of control. She gave a quick glance over the crowd before clapping her wings together, hard. The resulting site was beyond comparison. All three of Dash’s sky drawings brought their massive wings together, exploding into a massive blast of sparks and fireworks of all sorts of colors. Reds, yellows, blues, greens, everything color shot out in a fiery display. It was New Year’s in daylight, and it was beautiful. The crowds cheered at a deafening volume, some even trying to reach out to the remnants of the colored sparks. The firework display went on for about a minute, dissipating to a slow drop of sparks and embers. Rainbow Dash’s friends stood by the rails of their box looking up at the fading finale. No words could describe the awe that hung in the air. “She actually followed the routine,” Soarin gasped in disbelief. “She actually followed the routine.” “And that fillies and gentlecolts is what I call a show-stopper. I think I speak for everypony when I saw that was one heck of a… wait a minute ponies, I don’t think it’s over folks!” Soarin’s eyes once again went wide and blank save for the dots that were his pupils. “That’s not in the plan.” He turned his gaze back to the sky to see Rainbow Dash flying straight up. “That’s not in the plan!” Rainbow Dash rocketed upwards in the sky, a focus in her goggled eyes that could pierce platinum. She made a turn and started circling the sky, drawing in the nearby clouds like a she was a living cyclone. The audience from below watched in a confused awe at what the cyan Wonderbolt was doing. Not only were the clouds being drawn into her living tornado, but were also changing color like an insane chameleon as they tailed behind Dash and her trail. Dash kept her cyclone going for a few more seconds before deciding she had enough. Cutting into the center of her circle, she kept her focus where she was headed, downward. In a sporadic move, Rainbow Dash drove herself, and the clouds she gathered, downwards to what could be considered the center of the colosseum. A familiar buildup surrounded her in just a matter of seconds, the suit helping her accelerate rapidly for her signature move. The rainbow-dyed clouds followed Dash on her descent. Dash held back just a little, waiting for the right moment. “Little more,” she muttered to herself. She let herself pick up the slightest of speed. Her ears splayed down her head, and her mane ran wild in the wind. Right as she was above the center of the coliseum, she let loose. Sound was broken, ponies might have been deafened, and Dash raced her way down to the ground, but what she left behind in the coliseum was something unreal. The clouds she brought along with her splatted like paint in a ring of rainbow that spread through the coliseum. It was like another firework display, but instead of fiery sparks, the clouds exploded in a beautiful cool mist of all sorts of colors that radiated in the sun’s glow, sparkling like glitter. Ponies in the stands freaked at the extravagant display. Some in the front rows were wet and colorful, but they didn’t care. “Oooooh, glittery,” Pinkie awed as she took in the sight. Scootaloo reached her hoof out , trying to catch some of the remnants of the best Wonderbolts show yet. The rest of the group also took in the spectacle before them. It was beautiful. Plain and simple. Unpredictable, but beautiful. Everything seemed to be at total peace until Soarin brought something up that shook the others out of their trance. “Ugh, guys. Where’s Rainbow Dash?” “Ugh, guys?” Everyone turned their head to see a pink flank in the air with a twitching tail, and a head poked through the massive cloud they were standing on. Pinkie popped right back up with a worried look on her face while her tail still twitched away. The tail alone was enough for everyone who knew of its omen to start worrying. “Okay, Spike and ponies that can fly, grab somepony and fly down,” Twilight instructed before scooping up Pinkie Pie in her forelimbs. The others followed suit, Fluttershy taking Applejack, Scootaloo with Apple Bloom, and Spike with Rarity. Soarin was the first one to pierce the cloud floor and make a dive towards the ground below. Soarin quickly covered the distance between the Cloud Coliseum and the spot where he saw several broken branches and a trail of uplifted grass. At the end up the trail, he saw her. With an increased determination, Soarin rocketed down toward Rainbow Dash, landing just centimeters away from his fiance. He kneeled down with his mind screaming out his worst fears as he took in the unconscious mare before him. Before Soarin’s mind could assault him any longer, he heard a few groggy moans and groans. Rainbow Dash slowly came to, gaining more as each movement she made was strained. The others all landed nearby a few seconds later and circled around their fallen friend. “Yo, Rainbow Dash… you alright?” *** “Okay,” Twilight began to the ponies and dragon around her, “that was a massive fall, and quite a crash, and we should all thank our lucky stars that Rainbow Dash made it out of there unscathed.” Her friends all nodded their heads and thanked their stars, but one pegasus lying down on a bed was not. “Uh, friendos? I did not make it out unscathed.” Everyone in the room turned their heads to see a very bandaged up Rainbow Dash lying in a hospital bed. “I’m extremely scathed.” “At least you can still move your back legs,” Pinkie brought up, doing her best to look on the bright side. Rainbow Dash just sighed out and tried to lean back down to bed before remembering the upper body cast she was in limited her movements. Right after Rainbow Dash came to when she was on the ground, Soarin and the others wasted no time in flying her to the nearest hospital. With Cloudsdale floating over Ponyville, they all quickly made it to Nurse Redheart and the doctor who patched Rainbow Dash up. “I hate this. I hate this so much. How long am I gonna have to be in this stupid cast?” “Doc said about two weeks, and that’s with unicorn magic helping out,” Soarin answered. “UGH!” If Rainbow could move her forelimbs, they’d be flailing around in a tantrum. “Look on the bright side, Dashie, you made the sparkliest, most awesomest, most rainbowest thing ever!” Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing around the hospital room. “You should’ve seen the crowd!” Spike chimed in. “You were simply stunning out there, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity added. “IT. WAS. AWESOME!!!” Scootaloo screamed out. “Yeah, but what will ponies think once they find out about my little crash? They’re already saying I’m just another Spitfire waiting to happen,” Rainbow argued. Soarin came to the rescue by rushing to a counter on the side of Rainbow’s bed where a radio sat. He turned a few knobs, and after a few fuzzy sounds, came on the clear and deep sounding voice. “With your six o’clock radio news, good evening, Ponyville, I’m Light Burgundy. Our final story today, sparks, living art, and a wonderful mist show. I’m talking about today’s unbelievable Wonderbolts show up in Cloudsdale. Not only was the rookie team at the top of their game, but once the whole team came together, I could barely keep my eyes on everything that went around. There was flying, there was lightning, there was speed, there were tricks, there was everything that made me fall in love with this team in the first place. It was a coliseum of swirling excitement and emotion, but what had to be the highlight of the entire show was the grand finale performed none other than the longest running member of the team, Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow perked up slightly as Light’s commentary continued on. “Her flying was Rainbow at her best, and the tricks she did… I don’t even know how, but there were living sky drawings, fireworks, all ending in a flurry of rainbow colored mist that sprinkled over the first few rows of the crowd. I don’t know what new suit she was wearing or how she managed to do what she did, but it was amazing. I feel bad for anypony who couldn’t make it to see this spectacle.” “And what a way to celebrate a birthday. That’s right folks, today Rainbow Dash turns thirty. Can you believe it? Seems like just yesterday she was the hot-headed rookie wanting to be the best. Well, she’s still hot-headed, but she is the best, and I can tell she will still be the best. All those ponies that have bet on her retirement better get a second job because they just lost that bet.” “Take it from me folks, I’ve seen many Wonderbolts come and go, but this one seems as hard to get rid of as the mole on my uncle’s rump. I doubt that crash she suffered right after the show will keep her down for long. Any pegasus that had moves like her is definitely not one to take lightly, so Rainbow Dash, we hope you get better soon, and hope to see you flying again soon, if not for years to come. Well that’s all for today, once again with your six o’clock news, I’m Light Burgundy, and you stay classy, Ponyville.” Soarin turned a knob again, silencing the radio. Rainbow Dash was in a still silence, wearing the widest smile that only Pinkie could match. “When I get out of this thing, I’m gonna fly like nopony’s ever flown before!” Rainbow declared with fiery eyes. “That’s the Rainbow Dash we know and love,” Spike beamed with a light punch to Rainbow’s shoulder, only to immediately regret his action after seeing her wince. “Pain! Everywhere!” Dash said between gritted teeth. “Dash, I’m sorry. I—” “Ugh, Ms. Dash?” Everypony’s head turned to see Nurse Redheart with a letter in her mouth. “Somepony came in here and asked me to give this to you.” “Can’t exactly get up and get it… or hold it,” Rainbow responded with a slight shuffle in her cast. “I’ll take care of that, Nurse Redheart,” Rarity offered, taking the letter in her magic. Red Heart took her leave and left Rainbow and her friends to themselves. “Who’s it from,” Dash asked her unicorn friend. “Getting to that, darling.” Rarity ripped open the envelope and took a glance at the letter. “It’s from Rumble!” Clearing her throat, she started to read. “Dash. As much as I hate to admit it, but you were pretty cool out there. I’ve never seen somepony fly the way you did. It was pretty awesome. But I still know how you got your finale spot back from me, so watch out, ‘cuz I’m gonna get’cha back. You won’t know when, but I’ll get’cha. It may be today, it may be tomorrow, it may be weeks from now, but I’ll get’cha.” An awkward silence fell over everyone in the room after Rarity finished reading. All eyes were on Rainbow Dash, waiting for her reaction. Instead of worry, she blew a quick razzberry. “Whatever. I’ve been in prank wars with Pinkie. He’s not gonna get me back.” “Oh, wait, there’s more,” Rarity added. “P.S. Look under your pillow.” Rainbow gave Rarity a look that said, “Really?”. Rarity gave a weak smile before turning to Soarin. “Ugh, Soarin? Do you think you could—” “Yeah,” Soarin dragged, unsure of what to expect. He steadied Rainbow Dash on the bed with one of his forelimbs. Hesitantly, he used his other forelimb to lift the pillow from Rainbow’s head. Under it lied a scrunched up latex object that seemed to be covered with something sticky and opaque. Everypony’s eyes widened and their jaws dropped as they concluded what it was, Rarity nearly gagging when she hit her revelation. “P.S.S. Dinky says hi. Also, Happy Birthday, Rainbow Dash. -Rumble” *** Present Day *** Just like it was about seven years ago, the ponies and dragon were all in a dead silence. This time, three out of surprise, and the others with an unwanted remembrance. Rainbow Dash clenched her eyes and shuddered at the memory of last part of the story. “They don’t make water hot enough or brushes hard enough.” Sweetie Belle tried to find some words of comfort, but fell short to only a simple sorry. “Oh my gosh! Rainbow Dash, I’m so sorry for you.” “Eh, don’t be. Traumatizing as it was, and as scalding as the showers were, I got him back. Oh yes, I got him back.” There was an evil look to Rainbow Dash’s eyes that struck fear into the others. Those that knew didn’t want to mention what she did. Those that didn’t know didn’t want to know. “Good to know?” Sweetie squeaked. “Ah, don’t worry about Rumble. He got better. And besides, that wasn’t my point. I showed everypony that day that I still had energy to spare, and a desire to fly. Sure, some ponies still doubted me, but I kept at it, one upping them with each show.” Sweetie Belle took in the Wonderbolt’s advice. She had a point. “Just don’t quit, and don’t pay attention to those that doubt you. I didn’t quit, and I’m still a Wonderbolt. Hay, Sapphire Shores didn’t quit, and she’s up there with the legends. That could be you one day!” Sweetie Belle’s eyes now glimmered at the idea of her being a legend. Young singers that would look up to her, the hope in their eyes, to say she inspired ponies. It was a dream that she had, and only hoped to make a reality. “Just keep singing away, Sweetie Belle. You’re gonna go even farther than you already have,” Rainbow added, a sense of certainty in her voice that nearly obliterated all of Sweetie Belle’s doubts. “Thanks, Dash.” “And as for the whole single at thirty thing,” Applejack brought up drawing attention to her, “Ah can tell ya that it’s not that bad. Ah was perfectly fine just being single.” “Then you got yourself a husband.” Applejack snapped her head to the cyan pegasus smirking at her from the air. “You and Ah both know that wasn’t till later.” “Whatever,” Rainbow shrugged. After sighing out, Applejack regained returned her attention the birthday mare. “Anyway, it’s perfectly fine that you’re not with your special somepony yet. Half of us weren’t when we were thirty.” “And it didn’t bother you?” Sweetie couldn’t help but wonder. Applejack just nodded. “At all?!?” “Eenope. You know, thinkin’ about it, I was more concerned with just doin’ what Granny Smith told me. Sweetie’s cocked head and raised eyebrows signaled for Applejack to dig deeper. “Okay, it was back on the farm on mah birthday…”