//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: Extriris Velochrome 
// Story: Equestria Quest 
// by Iwano Imagination 
//------------------------------//

I believe your clash with Rainbow Dash as an uncontrollable tornado and weather wielder must have been very intense that I had felt it from here. That was Faithlessness, the Dissonance opposite of Loyalty, who controlled you, thanks to the griffon who unknowingly triggered your anger. Somewhere where you live, you must have an antipathy towards Rainbow Dash. I knew the reason. The next time somepony tempted you in betraying your own friends, search your heart and think it through. I know you have a strong heart; it is just that you needed to do something right. And not let your emotions overwhelm you. You still have a mission to complete here in Equestria. Your friends are still with you, and Twilight is exhausted from boosting Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom that it gave her some sort of unknown power. I can feel in from your heart that you have Loyalty within—hold on to it. Albeit Rainbow Dash is herself, I know you can endure it and accept it. You are a good pony, Iwano. I believe in you. Now, awake!
Ugh, I really needed to control my emotions from triggering my Dissonance. So that was Faithlessness? I wanted to think that everything that had happened to me was senseless.
What was that voice again?
Gilda asking me to join her in taking down Rainbow Dash, I had to admit, was the best. I would have accepted it, but I really did know that it was wrong. And I wasn’t villainous to do that. Was that the reason Gilda joined this competition? Was she eyeing on me because I could be used against Rainbow Dash, to hurt her feelings and destroying her at the same time? And does she even have a coach? Okay, that question was out of the subject.
What I must asked myself right now: where was I now?
I was hearing voices around me, and I was familiar of them.
“I can’t believe his mane’s still neat, unlike mine now.”
“He was just intense and awesome!”
“I was so glad he’s not hurt, but I’m surprised he’s just unconscious.”
“Iwano can be quite a threat there, but I’m so relieved!”
“Ooh! I wanna show him my surprise! Eee!”
“Wow, I wanna see that clash again!”
“He would definitely be surprised. I just can’t believe it, his magic is that powerful?”
My sight was blurry at first, but I got it back a few seconds later. I was lying down on bed. I was surrounded by my friends—Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Twilight Sparkle. They all backed probably to give me space—or maybe I might turn myself into a tornado again—when I lifted myself up. I stared at all my friends around me with their faces mixed together with gladness and worry.
My head stopped agape and gawking at Pinkie Pie. She was still Pinkie Pie, all cheery with her bright smile and happy eyes, but what made her eye catching to me…was her wings.
My friends all looked where I gazed at and Twilight stepped forward and explained, “Um, how can I say this? Your rainbow lightning that you and Rainbow Dash created while both of you clashed not only it can disintegrate objects, but it also turned Pinkie Pie into a Pegasus pony—” she noticed my shocked expression. “I see you’re surprised of it. We were all surprised.”
“Queen Chrysalis’ cackle,” I said, “that is just freaky—what I’d done?!” I began to hyperventilate, freaking out of the sight of the fourth wall breaker as a Pegasus pony. At least she wasn’t a Unicorn—that could have been worst!
I began to remember that Pinkie Pie was based on a Pegasus pony who looked just like her. Lauren Faust, the former executive producer of MLP (I was saddened of her quitting the show) if I remembered correctly, drew Pinkie Pie originally from that Pegasus. Was I correct?
“Look at me, Iwano!” she said as she flew around the room. “I’m a super pony! I can swoosh down villainy, fly and get clouds and color them cotton candy, and I can fly! I never dream of being Pegasus. Of course I didn’t dream it—it happened! I’m now like Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash—” she embraced both her Pegasi friends, “and we’ll both fly in search of fun! Oh, I didn’t make a check list of what to do with me and my new wings! Wait, will my parents be shocked if I ever tell them that I’ve turned into a pony with wings? I think they’ll be happy for me! I can now have fun, prepare parties and party in Cloudsdale—I wanna go back to Cloudsdale!—and I bet I can become an Alicorn someday—but no, that’s impossible, I have no horn! Oh, I can’t wait to…”
My ears were ringing harder than Applejack using a bell signaling for mealtime. I couldn’t stand the party pony talking and talking while my ear would bleed soon, so I screamed, “Will you shut up?!”
Pinkie stopped in midair motionless—how was she able stay in midair while her wings were paused?—and my friends froze. My eyes were twitching and Pinkie Pie’s voice randomly reeled in every word she said. The second I hated after Rainbow Dash was Pinkie Pie’s talkativeness. I referred being silent and reading a book. The last thing I wanted to read was a pink pony’s lips.
I realized that I was rude. I blushed in embarrassment and apologized, “Uh, sorry. I don’t like chatter mouths that much, it makes my head go wonky and spinning,”
“Aw, that’s okay, Iwano,” Pinkie Pie said as she continued flying around. “I never knew that, so I promise not to be annoying around you!”
She was still happy and not offended of my rudeness. “But, you’re not affected?”
“Nope-wope!” she replied. “You’re a friend and I always want to understand them.” In Reality, students in my school were often annoyed of my talkativeness, so I became silent ever since. I never knew Pinkie Pie would accept that. That was…good.
I then remembered. “Oh! Sorry for becoming a tornado and causing a typhoon, girls. Gilda just said something—but it’s not her fault! It was my fault for not controlling my emotions.”
“Not her fault?!” Rainbow Dash repeated. “That griffon’s just here to mess with me, ya know?”
“And how can you tell?”
“Uh—I just say so!” she flew midair and crossed her hooves.
“Iwano,” Twilight said. “While you and Rainbow Dash were clashing, a voice in my head told me to blast her which helped stop further calamity. Do you have any idea what it was?”
“I thought I was the only one hearing that,” I replied, “but no, I don’t have any idea. I was hearing voices in my head too, but it’s hard to make out who owned those voices—there were two. And yours was just one?”
“Can you describe it?” I became serious.
“It was a whispering tone and it sounded like trickery, but cold too to my ears.”
“Hmm…cold, you say? That’s what those voices in my head were, too.” Wait, does that voice when I was knocked out counted? If so, then I was hearing three…
“That beam Twilight blasted me turned me into some kind of white, rainbow-blazin’ Pegasus,” Rainbow Dash said happily. “I wished that happened again.”
“But I told you, it was actually temporary, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said reminded her. “And I think I don’t want to do that again. It exhausted me for an hour.”
“Oh, wait,” I said. “What’s our score, coach?” I leaned toward.
“Good news: it’s 9! That gives us a total of 13. But Gilda and Lightning Dust are both 14.”
I held my head tight. “Let me get things straight: Pinkie Pie turned into a Pegasus because of a rainbow lightning, the typhoon was caused by me, and…the Bolt Wing’s still on?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. I smiled. “I won’t let this competition end without me!”

Some were glaring and some were staring.
As we walked back to the pavement in preparation for third and final event, Spitfire flew and landed towards me. I anticipated her to disqualify me in for almost endangering the Pegasi and others in the competition. Instead she sighed and told me, “You’re still in this competition, Iwano. We understand your condition now thanks to Princess Luna. We’ll be cautious about it during the race and everypony got it.”
I felt uneasy of that. “Thank you for telling me that, Spitfire. I just hope nopony hated me for that.”
“Err, actually, I’d heard Pegasi commenting about you, mostly negative ones. Sorry about that, though.”
I felt down and Rainbow Dash comforted me with her hoof on my back and said, “Don’t worry, Green Wing. They just don’t understand. Come on! Let’s just warm up for the race.”
“But the race isn’t goin’ to start until five, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack told her. “Stop being too excited and let’s just unwind for awhile, okay sugar cube?”
“I’m okay with it,” I said. “I just wanted to roam around. We’ll warm up later, coach.” 
She nodded and I just wandered off.
“I’m following him,” Twilight told her friends, “just to make sure it won’t happen again.”
“Come on, Twi,” Rarity said. “Give him some space for awhile. He just turned back to normal and we must not give any deviations.”
“I’m with Twilight!” Spike raised his hand and hopped on Twilight’s back. “Go, my trusty steed!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, girls. I can’t let him off that easily anymore.”
“Wait,” Fluttershy said. “Can you give him his saddlebag back, Twilight? I think he needed it back now.”
“Keep it with you, Fluttershy. I think he won’t like it, but I’m going to look through his saddlebag soon. He probably has a forgetful memory. And I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help being very curious of his identity. I’m going to follow him now.” Twilight departed from her friends with Spike and went walking off to follow me. Her friends showed uncertain expressions as they all had their reservations about Twilight’s choice, and Pinkie Pie was just swimming—flying—in midair.
While wondering, there were Pegasi who were veering away from me the moment we were about to pass each. I was hurt. I just couldn’t believe my actions would already cause most Pegasi to hate me. I hoped there were some who still liked me.
And pretty much, somepony still liked me as a friend. Cloud Kicker, along with Lightning Dust, Thunderlane, Flitter and Parasol, walked towards me with a friendly face, unlike the others. At least I knew they didn’t despise me for my tornado performance. Come to thought of it, I wondered how everypony learned that I caused the typhoon.
“Are you alright now, Iwano?” Cloud Kicker asked. “Were there any broken bones? A broken skull again?!”
“Was Rainbow Dash really rough on you back there?” Flitter asked. I would like to answer both of their questions, but the asking went on.
“How did it felt?” Thunderlane asked next.
“Is it true that you’re disqualified?” Parasol asked, too.
“Would it happen again?” Flitter asked again.
The interview went on and on while I was already anxious, which they totally unnoticed. Lightning Dust was the only one who didn’t ask, so she snapped, “Stop it! Look at him, he can’t take too much questions.”
“Oops, sorry about that Iwano,” Parasol apologized as she realized it.
“Yeah, we’re just curious and concern for you,” Flitter said.
“Wait,” I said as I raised my hoof. “How did everypony knew of what happened between Rainbow Dash and me?” I cut off about Gilda in my question.
“Princess Luna,” Lightning Dust answered slowly. “Somehow she left the barrack to find you, Twilight and her company. She arrived at your scene, and told everypony about it without her sister knowing. I was able to follow her secretly.”
“Luna,” I growled, which made Thunderlane gulp. “Anything else, my friends?”
“Uh, I don’t know if this helps,” Flitter said nervously, “but Gilda helped Princess Luna with the details, and they were quite accurate.”
The info really helped, but Gilda helped the most—to Luna, that was! I couldn’t believe that griffon! How dared she? Presently, Gilda were antagonistic to me—maybe Twilight wasn’t anymore, I hoped. Who else would hate me?
I banged my head on the pavement that it left a dent and a few cracks. Anger was setting in me again, but Dissonance somehow wasn’t triggered. My Pegasi friends were awed and appalled.
“If anypony contribute more info to make me hated,” I snarled, “I will disintegrate them into dust and blow them away in the wind!”
“Iwano, just calm down,” Cloud Kicker told me.
“How am I suppose to—” I stopped myself and breathe calmly. “Okay, I’ll calm down.” I turned to Lightning Dust. “Thank you, by the way.”
“But I was still mad. Luna obviously explained to make me look really bad. And it was also obvious that she still had an antipathy towards not only because I unknowingly disrupted her dream duty, but of my Dissonance. How could I tell? It was obvious! Now that my haters increased, I wouldn’t unwind myself easily. Gilda must had given her payback to me instead of Rainbow Dash, maybe for “not accepting” her offer of teaming up. I’d hated to say this, but I was relieved my coach didn’t receive that payback.
“Thanking me for what, Iwano?” Lightning Dust asked, smiling.
“For telling me about that info, that’s what. That goes to all of you, my friends.”
“We won’t let other Pegasi and us hate you, buddy,” Thunderlane promised, “even if it means doing it while sleepwalking.”
He stood half-upright and wobblingly held his hooves out like a sleepwalker. We all laughed.
“You guys are great!” I exclaimed as I shot my left hoof up, accidentally knocking a passing a camera pony with his camera. He fell and broke his camera. Oh, it was Big Shot.
“Pixel rods!” he cried out as he held his broken camera. “Who was that?”
I backed away quietly without my friends noticing while biting my lips, and accidentally knocking over a light stand, which shortly lead a domino of them. Broken glass and bent light stands scattered and trailed the pavement.
While everypony gasped at the damages and camera crew cleaning up my act, I galloped away from the scene and done even worst.
I bumped a stage wall, and splat a couple of Pegasi like flies—they weren’t dead, I swear. They were probably unscathed.
I was panting, afraid of being caught. So, I used my magic…and silently disappeared—invisible!
My short anger must have triggered my clumsiness back instead. Or are they just accidents? I hoped.
My accident caused a chain reaction which I could hardly describe with my eyes covered with my hooves. All I could hear was cries, screams, crashes, and finally uproar, while I was just sitting down. It became louder and louder. I uncovered my eyes.
I was surrounded by a flock—mob, maybe?—of Pegasi, complaining everything to me. That was ridiculous. I was invisible.
I was proven visible when the captain called my name, “Iwano Imagination!”
I turned my head around and she walked towards me with her signature intimidating look behind her tinted black glasses. I shrunk down, my eyes focused on hers. I then gulped as I stood up. Everypony was silent.
“Tell me what’s going on with you now?” she asked.
“Um, everything I’d done was adventitious, ma’am,” I nervously replied.
“Meaning?” She lowered her glasses, which burned my eyes a bit seeing hers. Her intimidating eyes reminded me of Flame Princess from the Land of Ooo and my arch nemesis Sophia Antonio from Reality.
“Accidental, captain.”
“Hmm…I’d heard you fixed the damages back in Ponyville when it was on a rampage by mannequins. Think you can do it the same here, Imagination?”
I’d no idea when she heard of it, but I nodded and went aloft. I’d done the same as what I did in Ponyville—eased, casting, fixed everything.
When I landed I was red, as Erza Scarlet’s hair, from embarrassment.
Cynthia always reminded me to use my presence of mind back in IW and in other worlds. But somepony probably took her position as my assistant, which she wasn’t, when she spoke, “Do you have any presence of mind, Iwano? Yeah, they were an accident, but please be careful next time.”
“I’m just clumsy, Twilight,” I sighed.
Everypony went back to their businesses. What a relief!
“He’s all yours, Princess Twilight,” Spitfire said as she departed.
“I wish he isn’t,” she murmured.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Nothing. Are you this destructive, Iwano?”
“Pardon me, but is that a little farfetched, Twilight?”
“Was you being accidental a while ago farfetched?”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, you’re right.”
She grinned at sompony behind me. “I think somepony have fallen for you, ruler.”
“Wuh?” I looked behind me. “Oh, Chrysalis’s cackle,” I muttered. Her wall eyes were both focusing at me dreamily from a distance. When my eyes caught her on contact, she reluctantly averted her gaze and walked away. She suddenly tripped herself by the dent I made. I thought I fixed everything, but not that?
“I think Derpy can be a suitable queen for you in Imaginundia,” Twilight giggled.
“Sorry, Princess Twilight Sparkle,” I muttered. “But I already have a co-ruler by my side.”
“And who?” She leaned closer.
“Her name’s Len—” I paused from giving my sister’s full name. “Wait, you’re trying to sip info out of me, are ya?”
“What? No! Why would I?”
“Hmm…okay.” I read her mind, and she was lying. She was trying to sip info from me. Stay arcane and a normal pony as possible, Iwano, I told myself. “Wait, why are you with me?”
Oh, well, uh, I had to intervene when those Pegasi—”
“Okay, I get it.”
“That’s rude.”
I grinned. “Sorry, Twilly.”
“What did you call me?” she asked as she knitted her brows.
“Twilly,” I replied. I realized that was the first time I called somepony of the Mane Six by nickname.
“My brother—”
“Shining Armor is the only one who can call you that childish nickname and nopony else, especially me.”
She scowled. “Really, is it okay that you can pretend not to know anything about us?”
I could tell she was irritated. I smiled and said, “Nnope.”
“Fine,” she sighed. “Iwano, how are you now here in Equestria? How’re you feeling?” she asked.
“It’s great, Twilight. I’m feeling great being with you and your company. You ponies are helping me control or diminish my Dissonance. Applejack and Rarity are good mares to me. So far, I would say Rarity was the best, scalding my Greed—the opposite of Generosity—into its deepest pits of my heart, and will soon diminish.”
“What about Applejack?”
“…Not so much,” I admitted. “Deceitfulness didn’t retreat unlike Greed—I’m often a liar back in Imaginundia, by the way.”
She looked sympathetic. Was she really doing it? “We’re with you, Iwano.” She held my hoof, and I blushed. “We promise to help you no matter how long it will take and at the same time having fun. Princess Celestia entrusted you to us, so it’s our responsibility. I mean, we dealt with a lot of problems in the past, Iwano, and I’m confident that we’ll deal with your Dissonance, too.”
She was right. Twilight and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis (why didn’t she ask me of how I knew Chrysalis?), King Sombra and Sunset Shimmer, and the list goes on. Like all the other heroes I’d met in many worlds, the Mane Six plus Spike had those heroic and virtuous qualities. And I believed they could help me. In order for Equestria to be acquired in IW, I must cure Dissonance with their help, and had an adventure of course. Besides, the other reason was that my Forbidden was the one who unlocked the gateway to this world which meant I wouldn’t be able to acquire Equestria with this Dissonance as my obstacle. I hadn’t forgotten about my objectives, though. MLP was also new to me, but I already loved it.
I nodded. “Thanks, Twilight.”
“I’ll…just let you wander around now, Iwano. And make sure you come back to us by seven. Bye!” And she departed.
I’d wanted to keep talking to her because she was an intellectual and share a little about me, but Cynthia’s words tugged my mind, Stay incognito, Iwano. Exposition means endangerment. She always said that before us or me gone to a new world. In the end, if the time was right, that was my chance of revelation. This time before I left for Equestria, she didn’t remind me. She must have thought she trusted me already. Hey, being mysterious was also cool, right?
I glanced at my watch—6:32 PM. The sky was still clear blue and the sun was still up. I thought it was already afternoon if the sky’s color was darker or dimmer. Celestia must be still holding up her sun to dry up any more milk residue.
“Wait,” I said, “where’s Lightning Dust and the others?”
I hadn’t seen them since my early clumsiness. I wondered if they had other businesses to attend to, like training perhaps. I was happy for their concern and faith for me, which mended a bit of my shame. Meh, my friends were fine. I wouldn’t worry about anything, except Luna, Gilda, and other inevitable misfortunes in my circumstances.
Albeit everypony now mostly hated me, I couldn’t help but feel relaxed. It was normal for me to go anxious, worried, or pessimistic, but why wasn’t I feeling any of them right now? I sighed.
“Just relax, Iwano,” I told myself. “You need to act cool before the race, and you have plenty of time to wander and relax wistfully in this academy.”
“Can you spare some time for a short conversation?”
I gasped, and gotten swooped away in a flash of brown (moderate orange amber).

I didn’t struggle or attempted to use my magic against her, though my heart was racing to fry her into roasted turkey.
We were hidden from everypony on a cloud with a puffy wall beside us. She was leaning and had her arms (uh, talons?) both crossed. I was just seating down on her right. I thought she would paralyze for a long time form my Volt Tackle that she wouldn’t participate anymore in the Bolt Wing.
“Rainbow Dash’s going to Sonic Rainboom through your mouth and out when she finds out, even if this is a small conversation,” I warned her. “And you’re lucky I hadn’t used my magic, otherwise you would be griffon barbecue.”
“I won’t taste good,” Gilda said. “Look, I just wanna talk.”
“If you want to take my coach down, I won’t help,” I told her as I averted my head from her and closed my eyes. “I won’t budge—and I won’t let you.”
“It’s not that, Green Wing.”
I looked at her in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?”
“I swear,” she promised. “Now, let’s talk about you, Green Wing.”
“I shouldn’t let you budge that either, but maybe I’ll let you know about me a bit.”
I wasn’t really going to expose that fully. I told her the exact same story, the one I used on the Mane Six and the two princesses back in Canterlot. Since I was nervous, I stuttered a lot that maybe she knew I wasn’t telling the truth. Could griffons smell lies? I hoped not.
“Imaginundian ruler, huh? Sorry I enraged you, your highness,” Gilda said.
“Was that sarcasm?” I asked. “Because I hate sarcasm.”
“Whatever Green Wing—”
“And stop calling me that, griffon!” I snapped. “I’m leaving—!”
“You had owl-like eyes, dude.”
I froze when I was about to take off. She knew? No, she didn’t.
“How’d you—?”
“I spied on you during the Under Wing. You grabbed that flag with your hind legs,” she counted off with her talons, “you were flying silently like a Barn owl should be, you can see you opponents in a distance, you can talk to birds, and that’s all. You aren’t really from here, are you?”
“I’m from Imaginundia, Gilda,” I told her.
“No,” she said as she shook her head, “I mean here in our world.”
It was a good thing I’d practiced my poker face, because I was doing it right now, masking my shock or surprise. Woah, she was good. How was she able to figure it out? That was impossible.
If I abruptly flew away, she would know.
I had to say something, so I said which was true, “I was mentored by giant owls near a forest in my kingdom. That’s how I can do all those things. And being here does mean a whole different world to me."
Gilda snorted. “Are you kidding me?”
“A king, ruler, or prince has to be unique and strong to rule his kingdom and lead his subjects with many abilities, right?”
“Maybe you got a point there, I think.” She then lowered and stood on four legs again. “Are you sure you won’t change your mind and partner up with me, Green Wing?”
I grinned. “Nnope…and you’re solo, are you? You have no coach.”
Gilda nodded. “You better be careful out there in the race. Things are about to get rough when you’re behind. Peace out, Green Wing!”
I nodded, she flew away and I was alone. And I hyperventilated deeply. I was relieved! I was already panicking within. I wiped my sweat from my mane. I stayed cool for that long?
“That was close,” I said. “She almost knew.”
“Knew what?”
I quickly ducked down and covered my eyes with my hooves in startle.
“Dude, it’s me, your coach.”
I peeked above and saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie flying above me.
“I think he wants to play hide-and-seek, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie playfully exclaimed.
“Well, he’s gonna play a different game soon,” Rainbow Dash said. “And it’s called the—”
“Ace Thunderbolt~!” Pinkie Pie cheerfully finished the sentence as she backstroked behind me, which startled me.
“Hey! Come on, that’s what I wanna say, Pinkie!”
I giggled.

The name reminded me of Pokémon. I missed the Pokémon world.
The Ace Thunderbolt was the final event. The rules of that event changed—instead of passing through red rings required to pass the finish line, it became a normal race, but would become intense. Spitfire changed it under Celestia’s orders.
I was rapidly descending from the sky and veered forward, almost crashing the pavement and zoomed pass my team in a streak of cobalt blue. I was so fast that they almost tumbled away and their manes were frozen straight from my direction.
“23.7 wingpower!” Twilight exclaimed in amazement as she looked at her anemometer.
“That’s his highest yet, “Fluttershy said. “I believe he’s now faster than all the participants of the Bolt Wing.”
“Maybe it was all ‘cause he ate almost all the apple pie I gave ‘im from my food cart,” Applejack said. “It’s givin’ him a boost!”
“Nah, maybe he’s just all pumped up,” Rainbow Dash said. “Iwano, repeat your descent!”
I followed as she instructed. “Yes ma’am!”
As I flew up high and descended again, I felt sparks on my mane then body but they weren’t electrifying. As I veered forward again, I’d felt my mane changing. What was going on?
When I flew passed my team the second time, they finally tumbled, and rolled. They screamed by my breeze. When they stopped and were piled up, Spike dug out of his friends and ran to the tilted anemometer and carried it above him and said, “27.3!”
Rainbow Dash popped out of the pile with her hooves and spun around.
“That’s awesome!” She zoomed and hugged me proudly. When she stopped and stared at me in midair, she went frantic for a second and pushed me away.
“What’s wrong, coach?” I asked. “Unsatisfied of my wingpower? Maybe I could do it again and—”
“N-no, and nothin’ wrong, Green Wing.” I could tell she was blushing, but I didn’t mind. “Uh, so 27.3, wow, but I don’t need to brag but I can go higher than that.”
“I won’t argue with that,” I said as we landed together, “since you’re Equestria’s best flier around. I, on the other hoof, am the best flier in Imaginundia.”
“Hey, I got an idea.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes brightened. “Let’s race—you and me—one lap around the academy. Whaddaya say?”
“Are you sure about that, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked worryingly as she had gotten herself still tangled with her friends while steadying her diadem. “I think he’s already exhausted.”
“He is already tired,” Applejack agreed. “Just look at ‘im, he’s sweatin’, RD.”
She was right, but I didn’t admit. I was breathing heavily through my nostrils and I was perspiring continuously. But I chose to resist resting.
I shook. “Meh, I can…go on. I’ll do as what my coach instructed, Rarity. Thanks for the concern anyway.”
“But, Iwano—”
“Let him, Rare,” Twilight said. “I believe he’s not that exhausted.”
“Okay, okay!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “Let’s take our marks!”
My coach’s friends had their reservations about this, except Twilight, who wasn’t completely worried at all. Rainbow Dash and I took our positions. This was my first time racing Rainbow Dash, which made me both nervous and excited.
Are you sure you won’t change your mind and partner up with me instead, Green Wing, Gilda had asked. I suddenly recounted what the griffon asked me. She wanted me to betray my coach.
I betrayed my allies once back when I was in the Sonic world. I betrayed Sonic the Hedgehog, his friends, and my sister, and joined Team Babylon—Wave the Swallow, Storm the Albatross, and Jet the Hawk, the leader. I joined those avian rogues just to bring down Eggman’s grand prix scheme, but failed. I didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.
My training with Rainbow Dash and the support from my team and other friends gave me hope in controlling/diminishing Dissonance.
“On your marks…” Spike announced. “Get set…”
“Thanks for taking me under your wing, coach,” I whispered.
“What?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Spike then signaled, “GO!”
Rainbow Dash and I dashed off.
“Go, Iwano! GO!” Pinkie Pie cheered and shook her pompoms up.
As my coach and I raced around the borders of the academy, the competitors and their coaches stopped their training and watched us. They started cheering and roaring for us.
I felt my hooves and wings tingling. This meant I was excited for the real race.
“27.3, Iwano? Come on, catch up or eat my dust!” Rainbow Dash taunted.
My wings were sprinting in the air to me as I rapidly flapped harder. I was now panting hard, my sweat already drenched my face (good thing I had my goggles on). Were Wonderbolts uniform sweats proof?
Rainbow Dash was leading ahead of me farther. I’d got to imagine something to speed up.
“Imagine something, Iwano,” I whisperingly told myself. “Imagine anything happy, sweet, freaky, or weird.”
I imagined…walking in a forest happily and found Fluttershy facing away from me. When I walked towards her and called her name, her head turned…and her face was Big Macintosh.
I screamed loud! Fortunately, I caught up with my coach by her side.
“You battle cry?” she asked. “This is just a friendly race and not a battle, dude.”
I’d got to imagine again. My tongue was sour from screaming and Fluttershy’s extensive face transplant, but I’d got to win this to prove my coach I could be better—than her.
Take her down!
Whatever that was in my head, I ignored it, shook, and imagined again.
I imagined…I was in a wedding and everypony in Equestria were there to attend the marriage between Fluttershy and me. As the priest now allowed me to kiss my bride, I uncovered my new wife’s blurry veil…revealing Rainbow Dash.
And I screamed even louder!
“What have you done to her?!” I cried out and continued my “battle cry”.
“Her who—?” Rainbow Dash gasped as I flew passed her with my hooves stretched out. “I ain’t gonna lat ya!”
In Reality, according to my findings, many bronies favorite Rainbow Dash mostly for her attitude and element. I bet bronies would even marry her if they had the chance. But never, I mean never, I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever—
“Never ever marry that androgynous pony!” I screamed out loud. “Never in matrimony!”
Rainbow Dash drew circles on the side of her head and asked herself, “What in the hay is wrong with that guy?”
“Has he gone mental?” Twilight asked herself as she was aloft and using a pair of binoculars. “Or is that a side effect from his Dissonance earlier?”
“Or does he still Rainbow Dash?” Spike added as he was riding Twilight’s back. “There could be other reasons why he’s acting like that, Twi.”
“I’ll ponder on my Dissonance theory, Spike,” Twilight decided. “It makes more sense.”
“Look!” Spike pointed at the two racers. “They’re getting close! Go, Rainbow Dash!”
Mostly the Pegasi were cheering for my coach, but Lightning Dust, Thunderlane, Parasol and Cloud Kicker were on my side.
Rainbow Dash and I entered the academy’s zone, skillfully swerved and dodged our way through our competitors and their coaches—I felt vertigo right now—and we were a few feet away from the pink finish line. Pinkie Pie must have set it.
My head felt warm probably from sweating, but the breeze was so cool I doubted I would get tired right now. My perspiration left me, so why was I feeling warm and suddenly hot?
Thought of it gave Rainbow Dash an inch ahead from me, so I focused and forced my wings. Maybe I would get a sprain after this.
Two feet…one foot…!
My head went dizzy, and then some part of my body felt numb.
We both crossed the finish line, but I was still going on!
Rainbow Dash stopped and called out for me. “Iwano! Stop! You’re gonna crash or fall!”
It was like my mind was completely zoned out. It felt weird, but I wasn’t in control of myself and my wings. My eyes were drowsy but active.
I’ll give it back to you now. Thank you.
Suddenly, I was now in control and urged myself to stop by screeching down my hooves on the pavement. My hooves were instantly hot the moment I stomped down. I guessed I was a little too fast and sort of hard on my imagination, ‘cause I couldn’t stop!
“Holy mother of Celestia!” I cried out.
Luna appeared out of nowhere on my path and ordered—or rather demanded—to me, “Halt, Iwano!”
I gritted my teeth as I forced harder, but failed.
Luna sighed and scowled at me as she carelessly conjured a magic wall.
BUNG! I splat on her wall flat with my face and front.
“Clumsy,” Luna muttered as she rolled her eyes. “Thou must be careful and use thou presence of mind, Iwano. If it not were for I, thee would fall.” I rubbed my face to see what was behind her. And pretty much, I almost fell off the edge of this mountaintop—approximately half a foot away.
“It was unfortunate, though,” she continued—what did she said?! “Now, would you go—”
I glared at her.
She flinched.
I glared harder…she flew away. With fear in her eyes and the wall disappeared, which made me anxiously aloft.
“That pony,” I grumbled. “Her antipathy must be stronger than—her…”
I jerked my head and saw Twilight spying at me with a pair of binoculars. My aura tugged my head to her direction, by an idle cloud.
Twilight gasped and hid from my sight, with her dragon assistant on her back.
“How’d he know we’re here?” Spike asked as he recovered from his surprise. “That was really creepy. What if her really is psychic like Pinkie Pie said back in Canterlot?” Spike waited for Twilight to respond. “Uh, Twilight?”
Twilight was deep in thought and seriously thinking, ignoring Spike.
“Twilight!” Spike called her again. Spike held a quill wrapped with a paper.
Twilight help her head up and blinked. “Oh, sorry, Spike.”
“Remembering his message again?” Spike asked.
“Some part of it,” Twilight said. “But mostly about Iwano. I’m putting together all about him. In other words, I’m studying him.”
“I know Rainbow thought of Iwano as a stalker, maybe it’s because he knows so much about us and almost—or fully—everypony, every place and everything here in Equestria, but is spying and studying about him also considered stalking.
Twilight sighed and looked stern. “Spike, I’m just weary or worried about that stallion Alicorn. I’m also cautious of his actions and preparing for any unforeseen predicaments that he would unknowingly or numbly throw at us and to all of Equestria. Something about him isn’t right at all besides his Dissonance within. I just…feel it. I’d also pieced together that he was the cause of the mannequin mayhem back in Ponyville, and the milky rain and typhoon earlier during the Bolt Wing’s second event. In addition, to his characteristics and Dissonance, his glare unnerved Rainbow Dash, flinched and scared Princess Luna, and frightened us. I’ll be calling it the Glare, like Fluttershy’s Stare, and it rhymed. Albeit he shows good intentions and he’s technically a good guy, I’m unsure if we can trust him further in his days here with us.” She winced. “But we promised to Celestia and we’ll do our best to destroy his Dissonance.”
“Uh-huh.” Spike was writing on the paper with the quill. “Jotted everything you said, Twi.”
“Dissonance Research number 4 is incomplete, Spike,” she told him.
Spike hesitantly scratched “complete” on the bottom part of the paper. “Why?” he asked.
“I saw his mane sparked like static in different colors,” Twilight answered. “It does mean that he’s going to be triggered of Dissonance again, I think.”
“We won’t find out until that happens.”
“Let’s just meet up with our friends. They’re waiting for us.”
“You’re right, the race’s about to start.”
Twilight flew back to her friends with Spike, unaware that I was stealthily following her back.

7:13 PM—the sun was about to set.
Twenty-eight competitor fliers to their marks on the red line, with some Pegasi camera ponies flying above them and Pegasi crowd in each side on cloud bleachers. They were all cheering for their fave Pegasus pony, raising banners (I didn’t see myself in one of them), roaring, and picturing with cameras. I thought there weren’t any cameras in Equestria. Rainbow Dash told me this would broadcasted all over Equestria, and I almost spat out my guts when she said Luna would be the one broadcasting all of us live—by following the racers, watching and using her magic to project multiple magical giant screens in all of Equestria’s cities and towns. And it was all Luna’s idea.
I’d to admit that was impressive, convenient, and imaginative of her.
Why would I spat out my guts? Because she would mostly focus on me, obviously to show everypony the Dissonance monster she deeply hated of how bad he would be in the race. On the bright side, I would be fully noticed in Equestria as a good pony, maybe. Thankfully, my thought was wrong.
According to Twilight, Luna wouldn’t be the only one to broadcast. Thanks to the camera crew who would be following her while focusing carefully in multiple angles, Luna would be able to use her magic to not only broadcast of what she saw but what the crew saw as well. In other words, everypony would get multiple sightings on the fliers and I wasn’t going to embarrass myself, maybe.
Before the race would begin, the coaches—in my special case, my team—would prepare and give advices to their trained Pegasus. None of the coaches gave anything for cheating, unlike my previous grand prix in the Sonic world. From each of the coaches, they gave advices of both helpful and encouraging, which made me happy. I entrusted my saddlebag to Rarity instead of Twilight, but she might somehow get it from her.
“You never told me you have asthma,” Rainbow Dash said. “With that, you’ll get easily tired. But I never knew how you could go on when we’re doing the events and training. Why?”
I thought I would be staring at the eyes of a brash and athletic flier; instead I was locked eyes with a concerned and nice coach.
“I don’t wanna back out, coach,” I answered. “Rainbow Dash, you entered me without my objections, which is okay. I wanna make your proud. This whole flying experience has been really fun certainly, though there had been minor mishaps—”
“Major mishaps,” Twilight corrected.
“I still get to fly for fun,” I continued. “Maybe becoming a Wonderbolts member would be a plus to my affiliations.”
“You have other affiliations?” Rainbow Dash asked. Her friends all stared at me, with Twilight with intent eyes and ears.
I thought I made a bad move, but I managed and said, “In Imaginundia, a ruler can have multiple affiliations.”
“Okay, okay. Listen, Iwano: there’re twenty-seven fliers versus you. You’ve got to focus straight, sharpen your senses, and be always awesome! You’ve gotta be fast as me, strong as me, and awesome as me! Oh, and be careful out there. You don’t want somepony to get you mad again. Besides, after you’re typhoon I’d heard most of the fliers wanna take you down hard to the ground.” We glanced at the participants stretching and flexing their hooves, neck and wings, and finally at Gilda, acting cool and not warming up. “And remember Iwano: you’ll always be under my wing, no matter what air current you’re in, no matter how high and fast you’re in the sky and no matter who you are.”
“As your student?”
“…As my friend, you egghead.”
She gave me an affectionate noogie on my head and we both laughed with our friends, except Twilight. I didn’t know what happened to the real Rainbow Dash, but I was beginning to like her—as a friend, not crush.
“Fliers, take your positions! Coaches and Iwano’s team, away from your fliers,” Spitfire commanded in midair of us. Everypony obeyed.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna (Grr…) descended and landed from the sky to the middle of the racers’ runway. Everypony fell into silence and eyed on Celestia. We fliers proudly stood straight in the presence of the two princesses of Equestria, but I felt uneasy with Luna’s.
Celestia looked at all of us with bright eyes and gentle smile, while Luna was staring at me disdainfully. I shot her with my glare, and then she anxiously averted her gaze.
The camera crew all faced on the two princesses. Luna’s magic kicked in effect and the broadcast started in three…two…one…
“Mares and gentlecolts, welcome to witness the third and final event of the Bolt Wing competition: the Ace Thunderbolt!” Celestia announced. “This competition was held by Spitfire, the captain of the Wonderbolts, not only to find exceptional and worthy fliers to join the Wonderbolts but to encourage Pegasi out there to soar high in the skies and maybe someday join as a member. Take this as an inspiration, too, my fellow subject. This was also served as a training program and an enjoyable experience to these racers whom their coaches whom their coaches chose for this exciting event.
I am proud for these fliers, who participated in the Bolt Wing, which I believe gave their all. I could sense their bond they developed with their coaches when I arrived at this academy. I know everypony experience a milk-flavored typhoon all over Equestria hours ago, but that has passed and we continued.” Celestia turned to Luna. “Would you say a few words before we begin?”
“Yes, my sister,” Luna replied. Something about her smug smile wasn’t right. “I will like to introduce to everypony in Equestria a very special visitor from a faraway land unknown to all of us called Imaginundia. If anypony was curious of how the typhoon started, it was he who caused it. But need not to worry for he will not repeat it again, hopefully. Just be certain not to anger him with tricks on the Alicorn—”
“Luna, what are you doing?” Celestia whisperingly asked in worry. Why wasn’t she intercepting?
“He is an Alicorn, like I and my sister, and is participating.” The crowd was confused and was searching the racers for me. “He is here in Equestria because of his special case, which was related to the typhoon. And his name is—”
Her face turned pale the moment she looked into my eyes—my glaring eyes. She flinched and backed away. That should shut her up.
Celestia wasn’t sure what caused her sister’s flinching, but when she followed Luna’s gaze, she saw me with a blank face. She was glad her sister stopped talking. The audience was murmuring about who this Alicorn was, but they later continued cheering.
“Thank you for your words, Luna,” Celestia said as she took over again for her stunned sister. “Spitfire will be explaining further details of the Ace Thunderbolt.”
Luna shook and recovered as she flew and followed Celestia to the cloud bleachers on my left and sat together on the center. The audience’s noise weren’t bothering them. Where were the Royal guards?
I was surprised Celestia didn’t say my name. I really wanted to be noticed in Equestria as their friendly Alicorn from a mysterious but good land, but since Luna told them of how the typhoon came I changed my mind about my “total exposure”, for it would only give the ponies in the land panic, maybe. I just knew Luna was about to expose me as a threat, so I made quick thinking and waited for her to look directly at me. I knew it because I read her mind form the beginning intro of me. But right now, I couldn’t tell what she was thinking right now because I was focused ahead.
Suddenly, I inhaled sharply. My Glare! If her magic was in effect, did that mean almost everypony in Equestria looked directly at my glare?
Stupid! I chided myself. Now almost probably everypony would be scared of me. I didn’t saw myself on the magic screens. Why was I forgetful? Biscuits!
“Attention!” Spitfire landed blindingly fast in front of all of us, startling us despite our cool and still postures. I wondered what her wing power was. “Welcome again to the third and final event: the Ace Thunderbolt! If any of you didn’t heard of the new rules of the race, then let me fill you all in: twenty-eight of you fliers will be racing through six locations in Equestria—Winsome Falls, Manehattan, Cloudsdale, and back here in the Wonderbolt Academy, doing three laps around the borders of this mountaintop. How will you know where you’re going even during nightfall, you may ask? Princess Celestia has set a trail of floating balls of light that serves as a guide to all of you. By the way, you’ll all still be scored during the race based on how your coaches trained you all and what you’ve learned. There’ll be five winners—the first to fourth placers, and the top scorer—who would become official member of the Wonderbolt, along with their coaches of they aren’t yet.”
Manehattan, I thought. That was where Rarity's Fashion Week happened.
“Win this for me!” Rainbow Dash cried out excitedly. We all stared at her, with the cameras pointing at my coach. She scratched her mane in embarrassment and blushed. “Sorry guys! Sorry, captain!”
“Okay,” Spitfire continued. “Before I can forget, there’s also a surprise competitor joining this race, but she won’t become a member even if she wins. Introducing—”
“Is that a Pegasus?!” Dizzy Twister asked as she pointed up the afternoon sky. It was a silhouette of a Pegasus pony circling the academy up high.
“Is that Cadance?” Twilight asked.
“Is it a dragon?” Spike asked, too.
“Is that…?” I squinted and enhanced my vision, but before I could make it out the silhouette quickly descended before I could identify it.
The silhouette landed in a moderate raspberry streak and bounded for a few seconds with bouncing sound effects, and went comically eye to eye on me. Dang, why did she have to be this ridiculous? She was wearing the Wonderbolts uniform and there was one thing to describe her: pink.
“Pinkie Pie, everypony!” Spitfire announced. “She’s the surprise competitor, fliers!”
Gilda, Derpy and Luna here in the Wonderbolt Academy were already bad enough. But Pinkie Pie? I would die of her aura of annoyingness.
She’s next…
“That voice…” I whispered.
It was the same voice…during my gem donating in Ponyville and the Under Wing. It was cold and cynical, yet firm and persuasive. Who was it referring to? Obviously it was referring to Pinkie Pie because she just came. But it could be referring to any mare—or griffon—here. Was it trying to warn me of something? Or…I didn’t know, but I would want to find out after this.
I thought it was my turn to agape, so I done it when Pinkie Pie hopped and took her position between Lightning Dust and I.
“I’m ready, eddy, I love spaghetti!” she exclaimed blithely. “Oh, and gravy and candy!”
I gave out a What face. Should I be humored? No, I was a serious type.
“Without further ado,” the captain continued, “fliers, ready your marks!”
We all fliers done it as we lowered our heads to the ground, down our chests, focused ahead (Derpy’s eyes, to me, were ridiculously focused even if they were wall eyed), forelegs, wings stretched and prepared, and expressions worn determine. Unlike them, I was stolid, Thunderlane was drowsy, Gilda was angered (why?), and Lightning Dust was nervous—what? Lightning Dust was nervous? I expected her to be confident and vigorous or cocky, but it was like she was anticipating something. I couldn’t read her mind, not because I was focused, it was because of the pink pony’s silly grin.
“Instead of counting down by numbers,” Spitfire said, “I will be mentioning all your names. Once all your names are called, you know what to do next.”
She went aloft. It was time.
“Serenity,” Spitfire began. “Great Scott, Drizzle…”
Everypony in Equestria were all eyeing on us.
“Blue Skies, Thunderlane…”
Rainbow Dash entered me initially to humiliate me probably in any way. But after seeing Lightning Dust and Gilda, she must have resented and felt guilty. Thus, she trained me.
“Silverwing, Prism Glider, Opal Water…”
I’d no objections, because I thought I was prepared for her tricks. But I’d to admit, I was a little unprepared for this race because of my nervousness.
“Milky Way, April Showers…”
Albeit I was obedient of her, I still hated her. But I realized that I began to like her. She saved me from myself—Dissonance—as “Super Rainbow Dash”.
“Airheart, Wild Fire, Cloudchaser…”
I’d met three of my probable obstacles here in Equestria so far, but I believe I could overcome them.
“Flitter, Blossomforth…”
I just knew hard enough that Rainbow Dash could help me from my dark power with her training and this race.
“Sprinkle Medley, Sassaflash, Raindrops…”
It crossed my mind that I had four days left to accomplish my missions, which I’d forgotten.
“Merry May, Lightning Bolt…”
Out of the twenty-seven competitors in this Bolt Wing besides me, four still befriended me. I wished the others would forgive me right now.
“Dizzy Twister, Cloud Kicker, Parasol…”
My heart pounded rapidly, my hooves were vibrating, my teeth were chattering, and Pinkie Pie was gawking funnily at the sky.
“Rainbowshine, Gilda, Lightning Dust, Derpy Hooves…”
Though I couldn’t see my team in the race, I might able to feel them. They would cheer for me.
“Pinkie Pie, Iwano Imagination…”
I hated Pinkie Pie.
“GO!!!”
It happened so fast. Streaks of colors and flashes of Pegasi zoomed and soared from my sight, out in flight from their markers.
“What’re you doin’?!” Rainbow Dash demanded.
I shook out of my daze from colors. I was marveled by the colors of Pegasi that I completely gotten distracted. This wasn’t the first time colorful things stopped me.
I reluctantly raced ahead for the other competitors. It looked like I was in last place. Well, time to get flappin’ and dashin’!
“So he’s fascinated at anything colorful,” Twilight said.
“Why does that matter, Twi?” Applejack asked.
“I was just wondering if his cutie mark and Rarity’s diadem has any connection to him.”
“Twilight, stop being so curious of Iwano’s identity and let us enjoy watching the race and cheer our dear friend Iwano on!” Rarity said happily.
“I can’t Rarity. I’m now beginning to sense that feeling again from Iwano, even from here.”
Spike was busy lifting Pinkie Pie’s cheering sign. It looked like he was about to fall, but Twilight levitated the sign for him instead. “How come you’re the only who felt Iwano, Twilight?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” answered. “Something is about to happen soon in the race—I just can feel it.”
Twilight and her friends were now watching me by the magic screens above the academy.

Through the clouds I soared, I followed the trails of light balls. I thought the guiding lights could be moved by touch, but after nearly bumping into one of them and felt intense heat, I doubted the racers would change the tracks. Besides, Spitfire already said the locations of this race.
I couldn’t see the other racers ahead albeit I enhanced my vision. I guess the racers were eager to win this.
The sky was now orange in the background, which meant Celestia was now setting her sun. I chuckled at the thought of it.
I was controlling my heartbeat. Being in any competition, especially a racing one like this, made my tongue a bit mixed of sour and bitter and gave me anxiety, but in Equestria it felt different.
In the Sonic world when I was in the first grand prix, I was confident there unlike the other races I’d been.
As the clouds cleared in my way, I saw Winsome Falls.
Winsome Falls had waterfalls crashing down into lakes from giant nimbus clouds with rainbow-colored water. The place was on a mountaintop plateau of grass, rocks and bushes.
I would like to dip on the rainbow lakes where the waterfalls crashed, but I was busy, of course.
“Hmm…interesting place,” I said. “Winsome Falls first appeared in the episode Sleepless in Ponyville when—is that Dizzy Twister? And was the audience listening to me?”
I enhanced my vision and saw her alone, exasperated to go faster. Was the audience listening to me? I just knew maybe our talks, conversations and chats were also broadcasted. I just hoped they didn’t know what I was talking about.
Winsome Fall’s track was a large curve around the mountaintop, through one of its waterfalls (Wee!), and a long path to Manehattan.
As I passed Dizzy Twister, she was flapping hard to catch up but no good.
“Sorry, Dizzy Twister,” I said. “But I need to do this, sweetie.”
“What did you call—?”
“Bye, sweetie!”
In a single strong flap with effort, I zoomed through the waterfall—the water tasted nothing—and out of Winsome Falls, on the way to my next destination.
Using my magic was effortless, but flying with force to zoom fast was full of it and back-aching. It was a good thing I wore my goggle, otherwise my eyes would be behind my head.
I passed Prism Glider, Milky Way, Blue Skies, Silverwing and Drizzle.
“Where’d he come from?” Milky Way asked.
“Who cares?” Prism Glider said. “Let’s take Green Wing down!”
Uh-oh.
“Let’s do it,” Silverwing agreed. “We don’t want another typhoon!”
“Are you sure Prism Glider?” Drizzle asked. “I don’t wanna hurt anypony, even though he did cause a typhoon.”
“Me either,” Milky Way said. “We might get in trouble.”
“The only trouble we’ll be having is an Alicorn whipping up another gale soon,” Blue Skies said.
“If you two,” Prism Glider said, “won’t help, then go away—let’s get him boys!”
Blue Skies, Silverwing, and Prism Glider—maybe he was the leader—split up and hid in the clouds beside us, maybe planning an ambush.
“So they teamed up?” I muttered. “What else?”
“We’ll team up with you, Iwano,” Drizzle said as she and Milky Way soared beside me.
“You two will, after I’d unintentionally endangered the competition and everypony?” I asked.
“We forgive you,” Milky Way said. “When Princess Luna and Gilda explained, I could tell from their undertone that they hated you. Why is that?”
“Long story,” I replied. “For Luna, it was unintentional. For Gilda, it was her fault.” I didn’t want to remember what Gilda asked me to do. “I really don’t wanna talk about—”
“Look out!” Drizzle warned as she pushed me down with Milky Way and was bumped and eventually taken by Blue Skies, and disappeared in the clouds with him.
“Drizzle!” I gasped.
“Don’t worry about Drizz,” Milky Way told me unworriedly. “She’s good fighting and dodging in clouds, especially rains and drizzles—not typhoons and downpours.”
I was now beginning to wonder if their names or cutie marks were connected to their special talents or skills—well, duh! It was connected.
“How can you be sure?” I asked worriedly.
“Because she’s right beside you,” he replied.
I looked on my left, and Drizzle was there.
I flailed a little in startle. “Woah! How’d you dealt with him?!”
“His sight wasn’t great in the clouds,” she replied.
“We’ll make sure they won’t get you,” Milky Way promised.
I sighed. I was unsure of that. “Once we reached Cloudsdale, you two leave me.”
They exchanged worried looks and nodded.
I never knew I was teaming up with two Pegasi. Was this legal, especially ambushing a competitor for a good reason? Spitfire didn’t tell us anything about this. I had a thought that maybe my companions would turn on me by chance, so I anticipated to fight. Combat would necessary if the coaches would’ve trained their students, but I was prepared even if Rainbow Dash didn’t. I expected this would be a friendly competition, but I guessed some of the participants wanted to pummel me for a good reason or beat each other up for the win and score. Prism Glider, Blue Skies and Silverwing were less of my worries, but Gilda was.
“Next stop: Manehattan!” I announced.
This would be a long race—if we were slow.

“Looks like most of the racers are teaming up!” Spike announced with a megaphone, which was magically connected to multiple speakers in the academy and magic screens for sound. I guessed he was the announcer, on a flying Spitfire.
“They certainly are,” Spitfire said. “Some are either scared being alone or would want to team up to take down the others, then their teammates. There can be other possibilities.”
“Currently on first place is Lighting Dust, showing very much of her vigor and determination soaring through the clouds and unfazed of any obstacles; currently on second is Gilda the griffon, beating and showing some dirty play in the race—I hate that; currently on third was Sprinkle Medley, who’s showing a worried face tossing and turning probably anticipating a flier to take her down; and on fourth place—to my surprise, really—is Pinkie Pie. I never knew my friend there would fly so well in the sky, even after receiving her wings accidentally from some unknown magic during the milk typhoon.”
“I’m surprised too, Spike. The party pony of Ponyville, as what I’ve heard from you, may have turned into a Pegasus pony recently during the typhoon, but it looks like she’s a natural pro in flight.”
The magic screen showed Pinkie Pie spiraling, making the other passerby fliers confused.
“Right you are, captain,” Spike said. “Though each screen showed each of the participants doing interesting flight, I noticed almost everypony in the audience in the academy are eyeing on Gilda the griffon and Iwano the Alicorn—oh, and Pinkie Pie, too.”
“The only reason,” Spitfire said, “is that we have a tough griffon, a former earth pony, and an Alicorn—all of them are very different, and Pinkie counts as one of them. Putting those three in the competition sure made an interesting mix of excitement here.”
“Winsome Falls was a breeze to them. Let’s see how they can fly through the bustling Manehattan!”
“Why bustling?”
“The crowded citizens there are excited to see the—”
“And a fight just broke!” Spitfire exclaimed.
“What?!” Spike held his head up.
The magic screen showed my teammates and I fending Prism Glider and his teammates. They were corralling me and my team. And they were striking us swiftly to both slow and put us down. I’d got to admit, they were skillful striking like, almost literally, bullets at us and their teamwork was well-coordinated just after shortly they joined forces. Whenever we luckily dodged, another striker would hit us unexpectedly and harder than the last one.
“That’s one bad situation they’re having,” Spike commented.
“Personally,” Spitfire said, “to me, it’s great and challenging.”
“But Iwano and his teammates are gonna get hurt!” Spike insisted. I thought he would be grumbling and unconcern for the Alicorn for “flirting” Rarity.
“Has anypony and you noticed the glint on his eyes?” Spitfire asked the audience and Spike. “He has a way.”
She was right.
“Drizzle, Milky Way bale—and trust me!” I ordered.
They were hesitant, probably ‘cause they thought I was crazy, but they followed.
“He’s open!” Prism Glider’s voice announced somewhere. “Together—go!!!”
They were blindingly fast to hit me, but thank to my racing heart, my anticipation was greater and made me hyper—to instantly spin and turn myself rapidly into a tornado, sucking them in and shoot them out of our sight completely!
Since my Dissonance wasn’t in control this time and thanks to him, I could use the Bolt Tornado—my first Equestrian skill in this world—at any level and speed at my will.
When my teammates regrouped with me, they were amazed. I was now used to these ponies being fascinated, awed and amazed of me.
“Was that the same tornado you made when you’re, uh, you know?” Milky Way asked.
“No, I can now control it,” I replied.
“Be sure of that, Iwano,” Drizzle said. “We don’t wanna increase your haters. By the way, that’s—”
“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash cried out. “He’s so cool!”
“He can now turn himself into a tornado at will, huh?” Twilight whispered.
“The way his mane danced fiercely in the breeze of predicaments and bounces after that tornado is enough to strike my eyes,” Rarity commented.
“Speaking of strike,” Applejack said. “It looks like those strikers just stopped popping out of nowhere. What a smart move he got there!”
Twilight had no comment. She was observing me with locked eyes on the magic screen. “I want to know more about Iwano Imagination’s capabilities and skills.”

The city was bustling. The populace was crowding on the sidewalks and some on building tops and roofs of houses.
Manehattan was a large city first depicted in the episode The Cutie Mark Chronicles. It was obvious to me that this city’s name was a play on Manhattan Island, a section of New York City. This city had a high society of ponies living here. I believed mostly earth ponies live here. The city made its first appearance in the episode Rarity Takes Manehattan—one of my favorite episodes. Certainly the city would appear the same as it was in the episode to my eyes.
On the way there, I saw a giant statue by the sea that looked like the Statue of Liberty in Reality, but with a mare instead of a human woman—and personally, it was much better.
The populace was excited not only for their city was chosen as one of the race’s track locations but would be witnessing us fliers soaring through their streets in cheer. Fillies and colts held flags of assorted colors with the Wonderbolts logo and with their parents carrying them on their head. It gave me a smile to see these ponies watching us.
Milky Way and Drizzle were still both on my side protecting me—no, we protected each other! We overtook Great Scott, Serenity, Opal Water, Raindrops and Airheart. They were all desperate to slow me down by reluctantly teaming up, but us trio worked to lose them on our tails.
We trio lowered ourselves near the ground for the crowd to see us closer. The city would be large and its streets would be longer if we were in average speed.
“Is this your first time here, Iwano?” Drizzle asked. “I mean, you’re from Imaginundia, after all.”
“Yeah, it is,” I answered. “I would like to stop and go sightseeing this city, but we’re racing.”
“It would be nice if it were only the three of us, walking or flying together in this city,” Drizzle said dreamily.
“Personally, I wanted to walk with…” I stopped myself.
“With whom?” Milky Way asked.
“Nothing.” I’d forgotten that the cameras were still rolling until the end. “Secret. We’re broadcasted, remember?”
They both understandingly nodded.
“Princess Luna’s part of the camera crew,” Milky Way recalled. “Is she staying with her sister for the rest of the race?”
I grimaced. “I strongly hope for it.”
“Iwano, Drizzle, look.” Milky Way pointed up ahead another Pegasus. “Who’s that Iwano? While you’re at it, you’re leading.”
I enhanced my vision, and saw April Showers ahead. I had gotten an idea. “It’s time to whip, friends!”
“Yes sir!” they replied in unison.
We aligned horizontally—Milky Way at tail end, Drizzle at middle and I at first—then Milky Way cling on Drizzle’s hind hooves and her same to mine, which formed us into a Pegasus chain.
“Are you sure this would work?” Drizzle asked.
“It will!” I assured her. “Now…go!!!”
I made another forceful flap, now a meter away from April Showers, whipped my Pegasus chain at our opponent, Milky Way grabbed her hind hooves, we lashed her far behind us like a whip.
“What the hay?!” April Showers protested in startle.
I forced flap again, and saw Sprinkle Medley and Blossomforth together, which made them apparently partners. It was too bad I’d to split them up. My team did the same formation and did our surprise lash-back technique—we called it the “Pega-Whip”.
I came up with the trick while flying with my imagination, started gearing ideas. My teammates were uncertain of it, but they believed in me enough to make that formation.
I was wondering if Parasol, Thunderlane, Lightning Dust, Flitter, and Cloud Kicker teamed up. If they did, it would be unfortunate to split and overtook them. It was like only a few minutes I teamed up with Milky Way and Drizzle, and we cooperated quickly like we were long best friends. But we had to disassemble as a team in Cloudslade, to be certain that they might turn on me—and maybe they knew, I thought. Were they just taking advantage of me? After my typhoon event, I doubted anypony would trust me, especially my four flier friends. I didn’t even who to trust.
The thought of it made me wanna abandon my teammates and go solo—I was very good at that, honestly.
On a building top as we ascend from the streets, a group of colt teens held their hooves up, obviously for a high five—or was it called a high hoof? I would refer high hoof better. I stuck my hoof down and my teammates followed as we flew pass below them and gave the colt teens what they wanted.
“You’re the flier!”
“You guys are awesome!”
“Take my hat and my house!”
“Take me with you!”
The floating light balls lead us out of Manehattan and to Ponyville, our next course.
It is okay to abandon them, said that cold voice in my head. You’re so smart, imaginative and skillful that you don’t even need those worthless Pegasi with you. You don’t need their loyalty.
Loyalty, I pondered that word and shook. That was obviously Dissonance, even from the start. I wouldn’t follow him this time, but why was my heart aching? I held on my chest.
Drizzle noticed my pained expression and in concern asked, “Are you okay, Iwano?”
“Uh—I’m fine!” I hesitated. “I’m just—”
“Look, Rainbowshine and Wild Fire!” Milky Way said as he pointed at them. “Pega-Whip?”
I nodded. We assumed—my chest still hurt but I was bearing it—to formation and did the same, but Rainbowshine avoided our whip easily.
“It looks like you’re weak when you’re alone, Iwano!” he taunted.
“He’s not weak!” Drizzle snapped. “He’s strong on his won, but he’s even stronger when he’s with somepony else—and he’s with us!”
Rainbowshine scowled. “Whatever! See you three in the finish line!” He boosted his speed with sprinting flaps.
It was now 7:58 PM. The sun was barely seen in the horizon, the sky was a dim dark blue and stars began slowly appearing one by one. Thanks to the light balls, we racers could see, even in a fog. Even without them, I could see because I could go nocturnal and lead my friends.
“Why’s it getting foggy?” Milky Way asked. “I mean, I could hardly see Rainbowshine ahead.”
I could feel the coldness, even through my Wonderbolts uniform, as the fog began to seetle in our sight, but the light balls lightened the way. I didn’t mind the fog, but I was wondering if were already too late.
“Stay close to me, gang,” I instructed
“You can see through this fog even without these light balls?” Drizzle asked.
“Eeyup.”
“Then you lead the way, captain!” Milky Way said happily, which flattered me a bit. They both followed.
The light balls sloped below, so we descended. The track led us to Ponyville. Coming back here was great. I was looking forward to see who I was gonna sleep with next.
We flew through, with citizens in their cottages and siding by the road.
We went through Ponyville’s streets, through town square and immediately exited. In the process, we used our Pega-Whip on Lightning Bolt, Merry May and Dizzy Twister. I wished we’d go slower.
I hadn’t seen Flitter, Lightning Dust, Thunderlane, Cloudchaser, Cloud Kicker, Rainbowshine, Parasol, Derpy Hooves, and Gilda yet on the way—nine in total.
Each Pega-Whip we made, I began trusting my teammates. Maybe they weren’t so bad.
“Gang, maybe we should—” I glanced around. They weren’t with me. “Where’re they?”
I wasn’t sure if they ditched ne or were planning to attack me. I would anticipate—wait, I told them to leave me when we reached Cloudsdale, but we weren’t there yet. Hmm…I wasn’t sure at all.
Night fell—Luna’s time fell.
I arrived at Cloudsdale. It was a city floating in the sky made of clouds. This city was where the Best Young Flier competition took place and Equestria’s weather. Only Pegasi lived and worked here, since non-Pegasus ponies couldn’t stand on clouds. This was also the hometown of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. The city’s name was a reference to the Clydesdale, a breed of draft horses. The Weather Factory was also located here.
Just like Manehattan and Ponyville, there were cheering crowds but this time purely Pegasi.
Up ahead was Rainbowshine. My teammates weren’t with me, so we couldn’t do the Pega-Whip. My Chain’s of Life powers couldn’t work here in Equestria for me to conjure my chains. Besides, magic wasn’t allowed for me. Thus, I sprint passed Rainbowshine. He tried to catch up, but I flittered rapidly that I caused a gale to blow him away. One down, eight to go.
As I made a turn by a corner, I saw Parasol, Derpy, Cloud Kicker, Lightning Dust, Flitter, Cloudchser and Thunderlane together. I smile in the sight of them (yeah, even at Derpy). 
And as I was about to call them, my smile faded.
It was fast, Gilda came out of nowhere and started clobbering ruthlessly and scratching scornfully my fellow fliers. I was agape. They tried to dodge and defend themselves—they weren’t even given any drills for this—against the griffon, but were overwhelmed. Lightning Dust, Derpy, Cloud Kicker and Thunderlane survived, but Parasol, Flitter and Cloudchser were unfortunately badly injured, and crashed. Though they crashed on clouds which were soft, I thought to myself that it was painful.
“No!” I cried out. “Mother of Celestia!” I flew and landed to them. The crowd on the sidelines gasped and leaned to get a better view on the fallen Pegasi and I.
Cloudchaser groaned. Her left wing was scraped from Gilda’s talons and her left foreleg was bruised. “I-Iwano? What’re you—?”
“It’s okay,” I said while I held back a sob. How could that griffon be so mean! “I’m here for all your aid. I can—”
“Finish…” Parasol croaked. “Finish the race, Iwano.” Her hind hooves were scratched and was about to bleed, and her right wing was scraped, too.
“B-but all of you are wounded—not injured to me!” I protested. “I won’t let a flier go down—”
“We’ll be fine!” Flitter insisted as she wobblingly stood up. Her forehead was scratched, which may had caused her to balance by head pain, and her forelegs were badly bruised, too. “Just go!”
I made no further objections, so I went aloft and promised to them, “I’ll finish this race for all of you!” And I left. “So Gilda want to play rough, eh? I’m worst!” I gulped. “I hope I am.”
If Gilda would beat up Pinkie Pie, I doubted she would land a scratch or bruise on that “intangible pin pony”.
I sprint flapped out of Cloudsdale. I tried to relax myself from any intentions of killing Gilda—and semi-morphing into Dissonance again. I counted my apple orchard massacre and typhoon creating as I being in semi-Dissonance state. I would take my vengeance by finishing this race in first place.
No anger, Dissonance whispered. Why not let it out?
No, I replied in thought. It’s unwise to answer with anger in any situation.
You had a predicament during the Second Negative War, the Neutral War, and many more battles, and you often answer them with anger...Armatroyer.
I winced. But killing wasn’t part of my multiple choices! Shut up! Shut up! Shut—!  I realized Dissonance was toying with my temper in order to take control of me again. I sighed. Nice try, Dissonance.
He grunted, and there were no more responses.

“I can’t believe Gilda did that!” Rainbow Dash angrily said. “That’s unfair!”
At least the paramedic Pegasi are on their way, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “Just stay calm, and maybe Iwano has some idea.”
My team was worried about me. They’d been watching me and prayed for my safety, unaware of how I could deal with the griffon.
My coach grunted. “I want Iwano to win this for the fallen fliers! And when Gilda gets here, she’ll have my hoof in her—”
Applejack stuck an apple from her food cart in Rainbow Dash’s mouth. “Iwano will win this,” she promised. “He ain’t gonna let anypony after you trained him, Dashie. Isn’t that right, Fluttershy? Uh…sugar cube?”
The quiet pony was expressionless while watching me on the magic screen, ignoring Applejack.
Rainbow Dash spat out the apple. “Maybe Fluttershy’s so concern for Iwano—” she giggled, “that she can’t answer.”
I’m not concern at all, Twilight thought. I’m worried about his Dissonance.
“That is just barbaric!” Rarity commented as she pointed at the magic screen. “That griffon has no sportsmanship!”

Gilda was on optimistic Pinkie Pie’s tail, and I was close to her tail feathers. I took back what I said about Pinkie Pie being intangible. I was worried! At first, I thought the griffon ripping off Pinkie Pie’s wings would be great, but that pink party pony was such a good vibes giver (true), she didn’t deserved getting hurt. I was maybe guilty.
I was a feet away from her, and she tried to reach out for Pinkie Pie’s tail.
My heart raced as I blurted out, “Milkshake rains are better!”
“What—?” Gilda looked behind her, “—you!”
“Milkshake rains are better!”
“After I’m done with Stinky Pie, you’re—” As she looked back to Pinkie Pie, the pink pony was gone. Phew! Wait, where was she?
“Heeell-oooooo, Iwano!” Pinkie Pie greeted me from below as I looked down, muzzle to muzzle. 
I was so startled that I flailed while surprisingly still flying in balance. “Don’t startle me, Pinkie Pie!” I warned. “You’re gonna make me lose focus!”
“Okie, dokie, loki!” she said as she saluted. The thought of Loki the Norse God from the Marvel Universe and her together made me shudder.
Gilda grunted. “I’ll just deal with you now, Green Wing!”
The griffon forced her wings to instantly slow down and stop beside me, and swiftly clawed my side. I screamed. This was my second injury in this world. It was painful, but I’d to bear it. I was actually used to being hurt badly since I’d been to countless adventures or quests in many worlds and wars.
I cringed. “I don’t wanna fight anypony,” I said in a mix of tremble and warning. “But you forced me to do it!”
I swept her face with a punch with such force that the griffon backed away in retreat to recover.
“Iwano hit the mean-y bird~!” Pinkie Pie cheered with cloud pompoms and wasn’t in flying position but in a cheerleading stand—she wasn’t even flapping! “I hope everypony got that heard~! Go, Iwano!”
Later, the griffon and I started fighting. Gilda kept clawing, but I parried most of them with my hooves. It was hard to balance like this while fighting in midair. I was scratched many times on my side that I began to bleed. I’d a lot of experiences of being slashed or gashed, so I was used to it anyway. But this…pain was unlike the others in the past—I was in Equestria after all, maybe the pain here was different. I’d to endure it.
I thought this was My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a show with no violence. But I guess it was very different...

Twilight wasn’t watching.
She got her eyes on my saddlebag with Rarity wearing it. She was ignoring what was happening. She licked her lips in temptation to open my saddlebag.
I know Rarity told me to stop being so curious of Iwano, Twilight thought, but I just can’t help it! If I don’t know anything about him, we wouldn’t be able to be prepared for a crisis. There must be something that could give a hint if he has any weaknesses or anything informative—did he brought anything informative with him?
Twilight stealthily used her magic and gently removed my saddlebag from Rarity unnoticed, and skittered away from her team and everypony within sight. She obscured herself under a cloud bleacher.
“I’m sorry, Iwano,” she said to the saddlebag as she placed it down. “I really need to know more of your origin, info, and about your Dissonance. I wish there’s something useful.”
Twilight used her magic, and opened my bag and dug her hoof in. She rummaged and brought out a white notebook with a G-clef note on its cover. She levitated my notebook and began flipping and scanning through the pages. She also used her magic to conjure light to see.
She creased her brows. “It’s a lyric notebook,” she said as she continuously scanned and flipped the pages. “I’ve never heard of these songs, obviously because he’s from Imaginundia.” She began enumerating the songs. “Lego House, Hall of Fame, Beat It, Thriller…there’re even notes and chords of these songs. Apparently he’s a singer or composer.”
“Gilda and Iwano are still fighting each other to the finish line!” Spike announced. “But Iwano’s injuries are gradually slowing him down!”
Guilt washed over Twilight, but didn’t drown her. “What am I doing? I should be there supporting him. I may distrust him for he’s Dissonance, but if anything bad happens to Iwano, that evil thing might come out! Maybe I have more time—”
Her face was still on my notebook when she stopped on a page with a rainbow bookmark. “Huh?” You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid?” She shot her head up in ideal. “That’s it! Apparently this page was marked because it might help Iwano boost up, and the title is obviously for a race.”
She wore my saddlebag and ran back with my lyric book levitated with her.
“Where’s Twilight?” Rarity asked her friends as she glanced around. She gasped when she saw her back didn’t have my saddlebag. “And where’s Iwano’s saddlebag?”
“Girls!” Twilight called as she arrived.
“Where ya be’n, Twi?” Applejack asked.
“And what’s with the notebook?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“And why do you have Iwano’s saddlebag?!” Rarity demanded.
Twilight firmly said, “Rainbow Dash, you’re going to help your Green Wing.”

“I’m impressed that even if you’re all hurt, you’re still flying,” Gilda said. Her talons were soaked with my blood. I was all scorned from my forelegs, neck and sides of my body. I remembered my dream of having multiple scratch marks. This was what my dream was telling me.
“Get away from him!” Pinkie Pie snarled as she attempted to tackle the griffon, but ended up being smacked away haplessly.
“Pinkie Pie!” I cried out, watching the party pony falling unconsciously with three tiny griffons circling around her head.
Just as I was about to descend to save her, Gilda grasped tightly my hind hooves. She was stronger than I thought with her appearance. “Hey, we’re still dancin’, Green Wing!” she growled.
I thought I was strong enough to flail free, but thanks to my injuries my strength weakened. “NO!”
Why weren’t the camera Pegasi doing anything?! Why weren’t there any paramedics here yet?!
Miraculously, Drizzle caught Pinkie Pie.
“Drizzle!” I happily cried out.
“What the buck’s going on?!” Gilda demanded.
She was distracted when I was grabbed free by Milky Way with a very long Pega-Whip—composed of twenty-three (some were bandaged) Pegasi plus Thunderlane as the controller.
“Are you okay?” Milky Way asked as she held on to me.
“Mily Way,” I said. “What are you gonna—?”
“Whip her!” she cried out.
Thunderlane was panting. “We’re not in space with zero gravity, you know?! This is tough!” He was about to swing when Gilda tried to escape to thwart it, but she hoof-locked by Drizzle. I panicked and immediately calmed down when we passed by Pinkie Pie sleeping on a cloud while, thankfully, being bandaged up by paramedic Pegasus.
Thunderlane swung us to Gilda, who was still struggling to free herself by elbowing and scratching Drizzle. My hind hooves hit the griffon by her head, Drizzle bailed, and we all scattered. That I believe was really painful since equine hooves were hard.
“Finish the race, Iwano!” Lightning Dust called me from far above. “We’ll deal with the feather jerk here!”
“Yeah, we’ll take her!” Prism Glider flew right beside me. “I don’t wanna deal with ya anymore! Meat breath is what I wanna grill now!”
Lightning Dust was all vigorous again, but wasn’t ignorant at all. I believed she was gonna justify the griffon. I didn’t protest. I flew away in a zoom.
My mane was buzzing rainbow sparks again, but I ignored it.
The night’s fog was getting thicker the moment I left the probable fray. My wounds were cooled because of the cold air, but weren’t healing. I could use my magic to heal, but I wanted to finish this race fairly, even if it meant fighting a jerk. I doubted twenty-five Pegasi could slow down Gilda. After displaying her strength, I believed she could get out of a swarm. Were they willing to let me win? A part of me literally wanted to come out and helped the competitors—and it wasn’t Dissonance. As the IWM, I could do almost the impossible, but over the years my powers became limited. I couldn’t help them, but I must. And my win would be for the racers.
“Am I doing the right thing?” I asked myself (most heroes asked themselves that question, which was a bit corny to me). Were they willing to give up the race just to give Gilda a payback? I thought maybe they realized that Gilda was the cause of my violence, so they wanted to pummel her. Whatever the reason was, I was glad to finish this race for the racers, especially my flier friends, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash.
“They’re really that annoying, huh?” Gilda asked.
She was flying below me upside down. I was startled. “What in the name of Celestia?!”
They were chasing me around first, she explained. “It was part of my plan to lose them. Oh, I got to thank that stupid-eyed Pegasus pony.”
I believed it wasn’t the stupid-eyed pony’s fault for Gilda’s getaway. Derpy could have been used by that griffon. Theoretically because of her clumsiness, she was used as a distraction. And I regretfully knew all along that the fliers couldn’t hold her after for a mere few minutes.
“I’ll give you one more chance,” the griffon grimly said. “After this race, we can both work together to make Rainbow Dash’s life bad. I know you still hate her—your eyes told me, Green Wing. Give your loyalty to me and RD’s done. And I promise I won’t hurt you and anypony anymore. Do we have a deal?”
Tempting, that was the first word that popped in my mind. Never, that was the second word that came into my mind.
Suddenly, my favorite song was being sung by my coach. We could hear it echo…
You're Gonna Go Far, Kid...
Meanwhile in the Wonderbolt Academy, Rainbow Dash was dashing above the sky with Spike’s megaphone—it was enhanced by Twilight for me to hear the music—singing the song, rocking out and feeling the lyrics with excitement. The music was provided by Twilight’s magic, translating the notes and chords from my lyric notebook into music (impressive!), and filling the air with an alienate music that roused the Pegasi audience.
Why was she singing my fave song? How did she know the lyrics? And she could sing very well (I meant that question as both insult and question)? I bet somepony finally opened my saddlebag. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid was a song by a band named Offspring, from Reality. There was a "Rainbow Dash version" of the song in YouTube, ans was also very popular. My coach's singing was the exact as the Rainbow Dash version. Impressive!
“Who’s singing?” Gilda demanded. 
As she was distracted when she wasn’t looking, I silently obscured in the clouds.
The griffon tossed her head around. “Where’re you?! Are you chickening out?!”
I replied to her with a tackle from above, and then hid in the clouds again. Even with just a single hit like that, she’d gotten frustrated. So, she clawed the clouds around her while still racing. She didn’t even realize that I was a few feet, northeast away from her, which I was still leading.
“I’m over here, featherbrain!” I screamed as I tackled and punched her beak hard.
Rainbow Dash flew around the crowd in each bleacher, rousing them to cheer on and support for me. She was completely absentminded that her wings were glowing rainbow-colored.
Twilight was the first to notice. “Rainbow Dash, your wings!” she called out, but the roaring crowd deafened her voice.
Combat rose again. Gilda reluctantly fended me off, but I slapped her sideways with my right wing, and then threw her behind me with my left wing with effort.
I gave the griffon my determined glare
“Gilda, no matter how annoying, tomboyish and brash Rainbow Dash is, my loyalty to her will never waver,” I said firmly and menacingly that she shuddered not just from my glare, but my words. I could feel millions of eyes watching me all over Equestria, listening to every word I said. I wanted everypony to listen.
My whole body began to spark in rainbow colors. Gilda was in a weird mix of awe, anger, confusion, and loss.
“If you have more faith and trust on that certain pony,” I continued, “good things will happen in the future. Loyalty means and rhymes with unity! If I join you, I would’ve betrayed my coach!” My body was now enveloped in rainbow lightning and static. “You’re an even bigger jerk and bully than I’d seen you in your visit to Ponyville! I will win this for the fliers, you, and Rainbow Dash. I know she has faith in me, not just to win this for her to become a member of the Wonderbolts, but to also teach you a lesson, you dirty-playing griffon!”
“I like—” Gilda’s talons sharpened, zoom right beside me, then and she was about to slash, “—to see you try!”
My nerves tightened, my teeth gritted, and I glared sharply. As she landed the blow, I zoomed out of range in extreme speed! 
She saw my glare before she hits, which made her hesitant. What a sucker.
I’d experienced racing, swimming, crawling, running and flying in extreme speed before, but this one was extremer than my past ones yet! I had a pancake face, saliva spewing from my jaws, and my heart was racing with me that I’d lost oxygen. Kick Buttowski once told me that adrenaline rush was awesome, but he never told me the limits to that! My body was fully covered in iridescence, sparkling and sparkling as Celestia’s ethereal mane, as I zoomed on the way to the academy I struggled o look back and saw streaks of rainbow flames, trailing from my second new skill’s wake. I also saw no sign of Gilda on my tail anymore, especially the competitors.
In the academy, and possible all of Equestria, went berserk in exciting cheers. The other coaches couldn’t help but cheer me on. Rainbow Dash was agape in happiness and shortly continued singing. Her friends followed the cheering, but now Twilight.
“That move’s,” she said, “just like—”
“Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom,” Fluttershy finished her friend’s sentence softly.
“Keep singing!” Rarity hollered to my flying coach. “My darling Iwano needs to win! Go, Iwano, GO!”
“Here comes Iwano!” Spike and Spitfire announced in unison as I closed in to the academy by their sight. I made three instant laps around the borders swiftly.
I veered and headed to the finish line—the starting line. Rainbow Dash finished the last line the moment I crossed.
I cried out proudly, “EXTRIRIS VELOCHROME!!!”