Rainbow Dash was sitting on a machine and was staring at the floor as she waited for the burn in her muscle to die down so that she could do a few more repetitions. She went into a trance and began thinking about that one night when she and Soarin' were dressed up after he took her out to a very fancy restaurant in Canterlot.
They were both standing outside on a balcony under the shining moon that Princess Luna had raised a few hours ago. Rainbow Dash was wearing this gorgeous silky dark purple dress and Soarin' was dressed up in a fancy outfit as well. They both had their manes and tails styled at a special salon in Canterlot. Soarin' didn't know much about Rarity at that time, and Rainbow Dash was still a bit nervous about getting spruced up by her best friend. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle the torture of enduring a makeover with Rarity, even if she was probably the best in the business. Perhaps she would consider going to her in the future, but right now, she was willing to do almost anything for Soarin', even if that meant looking pretty. They stared into each other's eyes. Soarin' had looked as if he was intoxicated with love for his filly friend.
"Hey Rainbow," Soarin' said.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"I can't believe how gorgeous you look tonight. You always look gorgeous to me, but tonight, you just look beyond that and more."
Rainbow lifted her hoof up and turned her head away. "Awww, come on! You're really making me blush here. You like quite sharp in your outfit as well."
"You know, Dash. I think you're going to make the worlds greatest Wonderbolt. I can help you get in. Would you like that? We could rule the skies together."
"Rainbow Dash grinned madly and nodded her head yes with enthusiasm. "That's one of my biggest dreams of all time! Of course I would like that! I only want to fly with you."
"We're going to make that happen. We have so many Pegasus ponies trying out to be Wonderbolts, but I just know that there's going to be an opening for you, and if there's not, then I'll make one. I feel like you deserve to be a Wonderbolt more than I do."
"Right on!" Rainbow Dash said. She put her head down after that and said, "But I just get this intuition that something is going to get in my way that will prevent me from reaching my dream. Something really big."
"You don't need to be worried about anything. That's probably just your fears getting in the way. I already told you that you're by far the bravest and boldest pony I have ever met. I don't think you have any real reason to be afraid of anything! You saved my life and the lives of others without any hesitation!"
Rainbow Dash dragged her front hoof nervously across the ground. "I know, but this is just something entirely different. I can't tell you exactly what this fear is because I'm not entirely sure about it myself, but I feel something really serious and tragic may happen."
Soarin' came closer and put his front hoof under her chin. "Don't you worry about anything. You're going to be the best and nothing will stop you."
Rainbow Dash sighed and said, "I hope that you're right. Maybe I am just paranoid or something. I don't know right now."
Soarin' kissed her and said, "I'll be here for you. I love you Dash."
"I love you too, Soarin'."
Rainbow Dash snapped out of it and thought about the encouraging words of Soarin'. She also thought about that picture that she had. It was both Soarin' and Rainbow's favorite picture of themselves dressed up and standing on that balcony. She treasured that picture so very much and had multiple copies of it made. Rainbow Dash did a few more repetitions, but gave up quickly because she had already over worked her muscles on this machine. Rainbow Dash got up and trotted through the gym. She eyed a one wing strengthening machine, but there was already somepony sitting on it. There was also another pony standing in front of that pony watching her lift. Rainbow Dash instinctively looked for her bag of bits, but she didn't have one. She laughed to herself because she was thinking about the arcade and placing bits on the ledge of the screen to show that she wanted to play the game and wait in line for her turn. This wasn't the arcade. It was a gym, and the only way that she'd get to lift was by simply standing there and not putting a bit on the machine and then go use other machines until it was her turn. The idea was cute in her mind, but that's not how it worked here. Rainbow Dash walked up and stood on the side of the machine waiting.
The pony standing in front of the machine had a very bright orange colored coat with a blue mane and tail. There were streaks of silver in her tail and mane and her eye color was blue. She had a tornado as her cutie mark. Her name was Risk Taker.
The mare working out on the machine had an emerald green coat with crimson red eyes. Her mane and tail were a fire-like colored orange. She sported two black and white checkered flags with a silver trophy in-between them as her cutie mark. Her name was Emerald Envy, or as her friends liked to call her, Emmy, for short. Her conflicting, clashing colors matched her problematic behaviors.
"Hey! You're Rainbow Dash, aren't you?" The mare said who was standing in front of the machine.
"Hey, yeah! How did you know?" Rainbow asked.
The mare sitting on the machine stopped her exercise and quickly got out of the chair in order to face Rainbow Dash. "You're dating Soarin' aren't you?"
"Yes, I am and I love him very much!" Rainbow said proudly.
"I hear that he talks about you a lot and talks about his idiotic Christian values. It's too bad I already took his virginity, how do you feel about that?"
Rainbow's heart became angry, but she kept her cool. This must have been his ex that she was now face to face with. "He made a mistake and it was his own decision. I have accepted him back and I'm not going to get upset about it."
"It sucks that he didn't save it for you. I bet you're pretty mad about it," Emerald Envy said.
"No, I'm not. I love him for who he is, regardless of his past mistakes," Rainbow said.
"Well, I've heard rumors that you are going to be training to enter the Wonderbolts. I'm not going to let it happen, and I'll be sure to see that I get in before you do, as well as my partner here. We have been working with Spitfire."
Rainbow Dash shrugged and said, "Ok, if you want to get in then you'll just have to out perform everypony else."
"Oh, don't worry about that, Miss Dash. We're both going to make sure that we certainly will."
"Are you finished with this machine?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah, go for it. We'll see just how well your God carries you through all of this."
Rainbow Dash watched the two mares walk off and couldn't believe how hateful they both were. She was very hurt and upset deep down inside even though she acted like she didn't care. Really, she wasn't a pony known for keeping her cool and she wanted to get physical with them in a harmful manner after how they had just treated her, but God was literally holding her back from that urge. Rainbow Dash wasn't exactly a pony known for her patience anyway. She bent down and adjusted the height of the chair and then sat on it. She took out the pin to place in the weights and sat there for a moment trying to figure out what amount of weight she'd like to lift.
Emerald Envy stood behind Rainbow Dash and waved her front hoof for her friend to come over with the free weight.
Risk Taker flew over to where Rainbow Dash was seated and was holding a large free weight between her two front legs.
Emerald Envy snickered and then signaled for her friend to drop the rounded free weight.
Rainbow Dash fumbled with the pin and it bounced up and down by its cord. "Darn things can be so slippery she said.
Risk Taker smiled and then let go of the weight directly over Rainbow Dash's head.
The moment she dropped the weight, Rainbow Dash bent over to the side to grab the pin again, and the weight just skimmed her cutie mark on her flank. A loud banging sound echoed throughout the gym as the heavy weight crashed against a part of the machine that was responsible for the rotation of the exercise. The loud banging sound heard in the gym startled everyone. "Gah" Rainbow Dash cried out. She quickly turned to see the large rounded free weight roll off of the machine and then roll around the gym floor several times before falling over. She looked up at Risk Taker and cried out, "Are you seriously trying to kill me here?"
"It was an accident," Emerald Envy lied. "She was just bringing that weight over here for me to use and then dropped it by mistake."
"Rainbow Dash looked at the weight on the floor and then looked back at Emerald Envy. "There's a sign that says Pegasus ponies are not allowed to fly with weights in the gym. You could have literally killed me!"
"Like I said," Emerald Green said, "It was an accident, and your God should protect you all of the time if He's so true and real, right? I thought that He was supposed to protect you from the Devil."
"Satan is powerless and can not harm anyone unless God permits it. The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
"We'll see about that," Emerald Envy said.
"Is that a threat?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Maybe. Just watch your back. Come on Risk Taker, let's move on." Emerald Envy and her friend turned their backs on Rainbow Dash.
"You forgot your free weight, "Rainbow Dash called out.
They heard her, but they didn't respond. They didn't care.
Applejack walked by and asked, "What in tar-nations was that loud crashin' sound about? I broke plenty of machines here already, but I didn't know that ya were as strong as me, Rainbow Dash."
"I didn't break anything, Applejack. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this Pegasus supposedly dropped this weight by accident over me and it crashed against the machine."
"I didn't know Derpy Hooves joined the gym. Bless her heart. She didn't mean to do that. She's dropped quite a few anvils herself," Applejack said.
"It wasn't Derpy Hooves. It was another pony and she and her friend seemed to be extremely jealous of me," Rainbow Dash said. Rainbow Dash looked down at the weight. She could normally pick it up with ease, but she had already worked her front leg muscles to the point where they felt like rubber. She looked back up at Applejack and asked, "Hey, A.J., do you think that you could lend a helping hoof and put that free weight back where it belongs before someone trips over it and falls?"
Applejack saluted and said, "Sure thing, sugar cube." She bent over and grabbed the weight. She stood back up and said, "Light as a feather." She then twirled it around a few times on her one hoof as if it were a basketball.
Rainbow Dash turned her head away and waved her front hoof back and forth across her nostrils. "Hey, A.J., I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you really, REALLY stink!"
Applejack lifted her front leg and sniffed under her pit. "I reckon that I don't smell that bad, R.D."
"It's not your pits, it's literally your entire coat. I have smelled lots of locker room unpleasantries in my days, but Applejack, you really take the cake when it comes to body odor right now. Your coat reeks of what I imagine to be the mixture of other ponies sweat and body odor. I think I even prefer it when your coat reeks of manure from working on the farm. The smell is just that bad right now."
"I reckon I have smelled worse, but Rarity was whinin' about that too. I guess if somepony like you is complainin', then I really should be concerned. Thanks for the nose up, I mean heads up." Applejack carried the weight away and left Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash watched her friend put the weight back where it belonged and then tried to use her wings to lift against the cushioned pads, but the rotating part of the machine was jammed and could not be used. Rainbow Dash sighed. This was a very important machine for her to use and now she couldn't use it. She got out of the machine and went over to the front desk to inform the staff about the incident and that the machine was now broken. The employee said that he'd take care of it later and put up a sign. Right now, he was too busy with other ponies that wanted to join the gym. Rainbow Dash looked around and spotted a drink machine. She was thirsty, but she didn't have any bits and she really didn't fee like drinking out of the water fountain. She wanted something sweet like grape juice. Rainbow Dash looked for her lavender friend and spotted her on a recumbent bike nearby doing her crossword puzzles. Rainbow Dash trotted up to her. "Hey Twi, can you use your magic to summon me some spare change for a drink? It only costs two bits for a drink and I'll pay you back."
Twilight put her crossword puzzle book down and smiled. "Sure, Rainbow Dash. Don't worry about paying me back, I want to be more like Rarity and be generous."
"Thank you." Rainbow Dash put her front hoof out waiting for Twilight to put the change in.
Twilight looked away from Rainbow Dash and used her magic. She focused very hard because she was still focused on pedaling and didn't want to stop her workout. The spell had been casted and Twilight Sparkle picked up her crossword puzzle book and said, "You're welcome, Rainbow Dash. Enjoy your drink."
"Uh, Twilight. I don't think I can fit this into the coin slot of the machine. I didn't know that Princess Celestia decided to change the currency either."
Twilight Sparkle heard an innocent and playful squee that sounded painfully familiar. "Huh?" Twilight Sparkle looked over and saw that Rainbow Dash was now holding a rubber chicken. "Ok, this is getting ridiculous. That's the third time I saw a rubber chicken in the gym today and I don't even know how such an expert in magic can be making such careless mistakes. Pinkie Pie isn't even around me right now." Twilight Sparkle paused for a moment in thought. "Unless..." She picked up her crossword puzzle book and looked at the very last answer that she filled in a few seconds ago. The answer was, rubber chicken. Twilight Sparkle began giggling. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, let me take care of that for you." Twilight Sparkle used her magic to make the rubber chicken disappear and she summoned two bits from her home for her friend. "There you go, Rainbow. Sorry about that. Even the smartest of smarty smart pants can be humbled with such careless and embarrassing mistakes."
"I think you might have too much rubber chicken on the brain, Twi. I don't know if I should be praying about this or not. Thanks for the change." Rainbow Dash then trotted off to the machine to quench her thrist.
"You're welcome, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle called out. She shook her head from side to side and giggled once more. "God has a really great sense of humor." She sighed and then began to work on her crossword puzzle book again.
"Awww yeah! They have grape juice!" Rainbow Dash plunked in her change and she almost expected some kind of noise or video game announcer to chime in. "This isn't an arcade, Rainbow. Get a hold of yourself!" Rainbow Dash pressed a few buttons with her front hoof and purchased her grape juice. Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide in anticipation as the drink was pushed closer to the edge. It didn't fall down, it got stuck. Rainbow Dash grinded her teeth together in frustration. She hated when the arcade machines didn't register the bits being put in once in a while, and this experience was similar and brought back that frustrating feeling. She tried to shake the machine, but it was to no avail. She bucked it a few times, but that did nothing. Suddenly, she caught Applejack walking by her in her peripheral vision. "Applejack!" she cried out.
Applejack's ears perked up and she came over to her friend. "What's up, sugar cube?"
"This stupid machine took my bits and it didn't give me my drink," Rainbow answered.
"I reckon that one good buck will do the trick." Applejack got closer to the machine and turned her back to it. She stood on her front legs as if she were about to do a hand stand and pulled her back legs close to her body.
"Wait!" the gym employee called out as he hurried over with a key.
Applejack put her back legs back down on the ground.
"Seriously! Your orange friend here has broken countless machines, torn holes through punching bags, and was about to obliterate this machine with her brute strength. I don't even know how much more hardy we can make our gym equipment for her. If your purchase gets stuck in the machine next time, just ask! I have the key here."
"Wow! Why didn't I think to ask you first? I'm really sorry about that, Mister. I guess it's just an old arcade habit," Rainbow said.
The employee opened up the machine quickly and gave Rainbow Dash her drink. He closed it up and locked it tight. He gave Applejack one last quick stare down as if he was trying to figure out just where she was able to get all of this super mare like strength from. His nostrils rotated a few times and he said, "I don't mean to be offensive, but we do have gym showers for ponies to use after their workouts. I'm not trying to be rude, but I can smell your body odor from quite a distance." The employee then turned and left.
"Golly, I thought I told everypony that I don't mind sitting in other ponies sweat, if it comes to usin' those terrible chemical spray bottles."
Rainbow Dash held onto her drink and said, "Applejack, I saw you bucking holes through punching bags, but I didn't know that you broke so many machines here as well. With strength like that, I can only imagine that the Wonderbolts might expand their team to earth ponies like yourself one day."
Applejack looked into the glass window of the machine and was deep in thought. "Well, it says that this one drink here called Red Bull gives you wings. I wonder if that's false advertisin' right there."
Rainbow Dash snickered. "I don't think it gives you literal wings, A.J. I think that advertising is a lot of bull if you know what I mean."
"Shucks. I don't need no wings to do what I need to do anyway. I guess I'll go work out on a few more machines and then hit the shower." Applejack walked away, but she didn't know what else she could work out on since she had broken so many machines already.
Rainbow Dash watched her orange friend as she popped open her drink and took a sip. The sweet taste from the cold drink was heavenly on her taste buds. She drank about half of the can after that first sip. There was a table and some comfy chairs next to the machine. This was the gym lounge near the entrance of the building. "I might as well relax a bit. I think I have done enough working out for today." Rainbow Dash walked over and took a seat that was facing the windows. She took another sip of her drink and put it down on the table. Fatigue took over Rainbow Dash's mind and body and she drifted off to sleep.
Emerald Envy and Risk Taker were watching her like a hawk. They noticed that she had fallen asleep.
"Pssst! Let's poison her while we still have the chance. We'll take some of that cleaning spray solution and let's pour it in her drink while she's still asleep." Emerald Envy took a cleaning spray bottle nearby and unscrewed the top. "Here, you do it."
Risk Taker took it and quietly snuck over to the sleeping cyan pony. She stealthily picked up the can and filled it up as high as she could with the cleaning liquid. She put it down carefully back on the table, but the aluminum can made a clinking sound against the table.
Rainbow Dash woke up from hearing that sound.
Risk Taker ran away as fast as she could and hid behind a nearby machine with her friend.
Rainbow Dash looked around and saw no one by her. She shrugged and picked up her drink that now felt full in her front hoof and could of sworn that she drank most of it before. Even though she was just so very thirsty before, she all of the sudden didn't feel like drinking. "Meh. I don't know why I'm not that thirsty right now and I could have sworn that I already drank most of this. I guess I'll just pass." Rainbow Dash tossed the juice can into the recycle bin and walked away. Little did she know that God was protecting her by taking away her thirst.
Emerald Envy and her friend watched with disappointment.
"We'll get her soon enough. Don't you worry. We'll prove to her that her God is not real," Emerald Envy said.