“And quite right too,” mused Firefly once Rainbow Dash had finished her recollection of that eventful day. “I remember how your father and I came to read about it in the papers the following morning. You were wonderful, Rainbow Dash.”
“Yep – you sure showed them, huh, Dashie?” agreed Solar Blitz, patting his daughter on the shoulder. “I tell you what, though, I still can't understand why they let a unicorn into the competition in the first place.”
“Yeah, but the judges found Rarity's wings so captivating that they just had to make an exception,” laughed Rainbow Dash. “Still, probably not the most sensible idea anypony could have come up with!”
“And it's good to know that you managed to get your day out with the Wonderbolts,” added Firefly. “After all that effort you put into that Rainboom, and how you saved their lives, you deserved it.”
Rainbow Dash laughed again. “I know, right?” she boasted proudly. “Still, that was just the beginning...”
Even as Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts left the Cloudaseum for the Wonderbolt Base, she still couldn't believe that, after all this time, her hopes and dreams of ranking among her idols were slowly beginning to come true. Every so often, she couldn't help but swat one of her ears with her wing, trying to ascertain whether this was for real or she simply hadn't woken up yet. But ultimately, nothing could snap her out of this foalhood fantasy. Relieved and overjoyed that it wasn't a mere figment of her subconscious, she decided instead to try and strike up conversation with her heroes.
“This has to be the best thing that's ever happened in my life so far,” she observed. “I've always wanted to meet you guys.”
“The pleasure's all ours,” smiled the pony who had spoken to her earlier. Through her flying overalls, Rainbow Dash could just make out the mare's brilliant amber coat and wing colour, with a fiery orange mane and tail to match. “I tell you what, you did pretty well with that Sonic Rainboom of yours; nopony's ever managed to pull off such a stunt other than the Princesses on occasion.”
Rainbow Dash placed a hoof against the back of her head, blushing modestly. “Ah, it was nothing really.”
“By the way, we never did ask what your name was.”
“I'm Rainbow Dash.”
“Nice to know you, Rainbow Dash,” replied the Wonderbolt. “My name's Spitfire; I'm the team captain. This is my best friend, Lieutenant Misty Fly...”
“Great to meet you, Miss Dash,” said the blonde-coated mare with two-tone blue mane and tail flying next to Spitfire, “and thanks again for saving us.”
“...our fastest flyer, Lieutenant Echo Fleetfoot...”
“How do you do?” greeted Fleetfoot, a well-spoken baby-blue pony with a flowing white mane and tail.
“...Squadron Leader Fire Streak, my co...I mean, um...our...our head choreographer...” Spitfire looked away bashfully, as if trying to hide a blush – not that anypony would have noticed through her flying suit.
The buff-coated stallion with two-tone orange mane and tail to whom she was referring raised a friendly hoof in a sort of equine equivalent of a thumbs-up. “Pleasure,” he said in his deep, calm voice.
“...Flying Officer Blaze, our youngest member...”
“How's it going, Dash?” chirped the somewhat brash tone of Blaze, whose colours seemed to match those of Spitfire.
“...and last but not least, Wing Commander Soarin Starr, my second-in-command,” finished Spitfire, indicating towards a pale blue stallion with dark blue mane and tail whom Rainbow Dash realised was the last of the three Wonderbolts she had saved.
For some strange reason, Soarin seemed a little hesitant to speak at first. Only when Spitfire gave him a slightly impatient look did he finally find his voice. “I'm...pleased to meet you, Rainbow Dash,” he spoke up in a soft, withdrawn tone.
“It's a real honour, guys,” replied Rainbow Dash, not just to Soarin, but to all six of them.
“You a great fan of our shows then, Rainbow Dash?” asked Spitfire.
“You bet!” chuckled the rainbow-maned mare enthusiastically. “Heck, why else would I have entered that competition if I didn't look up to you lot? To fly alongside you – maybe even join the Wonderbolts myself one day – that's always been my life ambition!”
Spitfire laughed heartily. “Well, you know what they say – 'aim high, but don't aim for the impossible',” she quipped. “Still, taking your victory at the Best Young Flyers' Competition into account, you sure have a great deal of potential.”
Rainbow Dash, of course, could only agree.
“...and after we arrived, Spitfire and Soarin took me on a tour of the base,” went on Rainbow Dash. “Soarin was kinda quiet at first, and I was like 'How the heck did he become second-in-command of the Wonderbolts with an attitude like that?' But he gradually opened up to me as the day went by, and told me about some of his favourite Wonderbolt performances as he and Spitfire showed me round.”
“I can understand how he must have felt,” grinned Firefly. “If somepony had saved me from certain death like that, I'd be all nervous around them too – well, at first, anyway.”
“Yeah, but by the time we'd gone to get the grub on, he was chatting away with me like we were old friends,” mused Rainbow Dash. “I was pretty sorry to have to leave that evening, but somehow, Soarin always seemed to stick in the back of my mind. Dunno why, but there you go.”
Just then, the three ponies heard a knock at the bedroom door, which slowly opened to reveal a certain orange-coated filly.
“Morning, Rainbow Dash,” chirped Scootaloo. “How are you doing?”
“I'm okay, thanks, tiger,” smiled Rainbow Dash. “I was just telling Mom and Dad how Soarin and I first met.”
“Yeah, I remember you telling me about it!” replied Scootaloo. “That was truly awesome, how you managed to save those three Wonderbolts' lives as well as that of Rarity – and perform that Sonic Rainboom at the same time!”
“And just as well that she did, young Scootaloo,” chortled Solar Blitz. “If it hadn't been for her Rainboom, those four ponies wouldn't have stood a chance of survival.”
“Too true, Mr Blitz – too true,” agreed Scootaloo wholeheartedly. She then turned her attention to her legal guardian; “And just think – by the end of today, you and one of the Wonderbolts you saved will be leaving Ponyville Town Hall a married couple! Think of that!”
“Well, only as long as we make it there in good time,” Firefly spoke up, noticing what time it was. Nearly an hour had passed since she and Solar Blitz had come to treat their daughter to breakfast in bed, so if they were to be ready in time for the arrival of the chariot they had hired, they would have to get a move on. “Come on, you two, we've gotta go get ready. Do you need any help with that dress of yours, Rainbow Dash?”
“Um...thanks, Mom, but I'll manage okay by myself.”
“Okay, honey,” conceded Firefly, “but be sure to let us know if you're having any trouble,” and she followed Scootaloo and Solar Blitz out of the room, leaving Rainbow Dash to prepare for her big day.
Another hour later, the other three ponies were gathered in the living room to wait for Rainbow Dash and the chariot, all dressed in their finest attire. Solar Blitz had donned a smart grey top-hat and tailcoat with a white shirt and red bow-tie, while his wife was wearing a stunning sky-blue dress, patterned with white, heart-shaped clouds and trimmed with golden lace. As for Scootaloo, who was to act as Rainbow Dash's flower filly, she had gone for the dress that she had worn on the day of Princess Cadance and Shining Armour's wedding a few years previously – mainly for old times' sake, she had explained, for she and her best friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie-Belle had played a similar role back then too.
The three of them hadn't been waiting long when Rainbow Dash finally entered the room – and what a stunning sight she was too! She wore a pale rainbow-striped wedding gown, almost white in colour, lined with cloud-like white satin frills along its hem, with a pale blue silken veil over her head to match. Her wings had been carefully preened, her normally unkempt mane had been neatly brushed into a beautiful ponytail, with a few small bangs hanging down over her forehead, and her hooves were graced with a set of silver slippers. Around her neck hung a gold necklace with a pendant in the shape of her and Soarin's Cutie Marks, with a bead in the shape of the Wonderbolts emblem either side. It was enough to make both her parents stare in awe, and even Scootaloo was at a loss for words.
It was Firefly who broke the silence first. “Oh...my darling!” she gasped. “You look wonderful!”
“Aw, thanks, Mom,” replied Rainbow Dash, bashfully turning her head away to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.
“No, really, Rainbow, I mean it,” insisted Firefly, coming alongside her daughter and placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You'll surely sweep Soarin off of his hooves when he sees you.”
“Well...yeah, I guess so,” agreed Rainbow Dash thoughtfully. “Still, that's the thing about Rarity; whatever clothing she makes, she always manages to tailor it to suit her customer, no matter what it takes.”
“Well...except for those Grand Galloping Gala dresses she offered to make for you guys,” Scootaloo pointed out.
“That was different, Scoot,” objected Rainbow Dash pointedly. “The whole reason we looked so ridiculous was because we had been all picky and such about how she made them. Even mine didn't look half as cool as it did stupid, so I was kinda glad to be wearing the one she'd originally made for me.”
Solar Blitz was amazed. “You actually let Rarity make a gala dress for you?” he exclaimed. “I wasn't expecting that!”
“What did it look like?” asked Firefly curiously. “I don't think you've shown it to me or your father before.”
Their daughter smiled broadly. “You're right, Mom – I hadn't. It was kinda like this one except that it wasn't quite so pale, my slippers were gold rather than silver, and instead of the veil, I had a sort of leaf-shaped golden headpiece.”
“That must have turned a few Wonderbolt heads too!” chuckled Solar Blitz.
But Rainbow Dash couldn't quite bring herself to agree. She glanced wistfully down at her hooves as she remembered how badly it had gone for her and her friends. “Well...not exactly......”
As the six ponies arrived at Canterlot Castle after their long carriage ride from Ponyville, they could hardly believe that their hopes and dreams were about to come true. A night at the Grand Galloping Gala was something that they had always dreamed of, and all for different reasons...
It had been a long time since Twilight Sparkle had spent any real time with Princess Celestia. Having received tickets for the Gala – and an almighty headache from the others over who should get the extra ticket, which had ultimately been resolved by Celestia herself – she had been delighted to get the chance to hang out with her, and was looking forward to spending the whole evening with her mentor.
Being the party animal she was, Pinkie Pie expected a great deal of fun and games throughout the Gala, and couldn't stop chattering about what an exhilarating time she would have.
Applejack was always on the lookout for an excuse to bring in some extra income for her family, and the Gala seemed the perfect opportunity to set up a stall and cater for the Canterlot elite. Before they had left, she had packed a vast amount of fritters, tarts, pies and other apple produce, thus providing a wide variety of tasty treats for her stall.
Needless to say, Rarity had long dreamed of finding the one whom she was destined to be with for all time, and back then, she had hoped it would be one of Canterlot's finest stallions. Hopefully, that very special somepony might turn out to be a member of Equestria's Royalty – and that would be a fairy-tale come true for her.
Fluttershy, of course, couldn't care less about mingling with ponies she didn't know. Her reason for coming was the abundance of rare creatures she hoped to befriend from the palace gardens; she had read a great deal about them, and even her mother, Posey, and her aunt, Dancing Butterflies, had spoken fondly of them. But now, she would finally get to see them for herself.
As for Rainbow Dash, her foalhood idols would be performing here, so she was looking forward to hanging out with them for the first time since the end of the Best Young Flyers' Competition. If she was lucky, they might even invite her to perform a few stunts alongside them.
Once they were within the castle, the six friends went their separate ways; Twilight went to find Princess Celestia, Rarity started to explore the castle for her Prince Charming, Pinkie bounced merrily into the ballroom, and Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash headed out to the castle grounds.
The Wonderbolts had already finished one performance by the time they had arrived, and were now taking a break before the next. As Applejack was setting up her stall, one particular Wonderbolt happened to be close by, and eyed the various pastries and other treats in awe. He so loved apples and their related produce as much as the next pony, and though there was a buffet table inside the castle, he could hardly resist the snacks that the orange-coated Earth pony behind the stall had to offer.
“Howdy, partner,” drawled Applejack cheerfully, seeing a chance to attract a customer. “You hungry?”
“As a horse,” replied Soarin eagerly.
“Well, what're ya hankerin' fo'?” offered the orange farm pony. “Caramel apple? Apple pie? Apple fritter? Apple fries?”
Soarin paused, examining the stall again. He had worked up quite an appetite from the air display that he and his fellow Wonderbolts had been performing earlier. “I'll take that big apple pie,” he said at last, and placed a few bits into the pail that hung on one side of the stall.
“Well, thank ya kindly, sir.”
With a polite nod, Soarin took the pie he had just bought and made his way over to the nearby VIP section, where his fellow Wonderbolts would be waiting for him. As he was about to enter, Spitfire could only smile when she saw the huge pastry he had just bought.
“Always hungry after a show, eh Soarin?” she quipped.
Soarin chuckled. “Yeah...” he began; but he had completely forgotten that he was still holding it in his mouth, and could only watch in horror as it fell towards the ground.
Luckily, Rainbow Dash happened to be nearby, trying to work out what to say to the Wonderbolts should they notice her. In an instant, she raced forward and only just managed to grab the pie in time to prevent it from being ruined. After a quick check to see that it was still intact, she picked herself up and held it out to the Wonderbolt; but as she did so, she happened to look into his emerald-green eyes, which bore an expression of awe and gratitude. Soarin gazed back at her, noting the mare's attractive rainbow-coloured mane and remembering how she had saved him at the Best Young Flyers' Competition just a few months ago. For a few short moments, everything around them seemed to fade into the background as the two ponies became lost in each other's eyes.
“You......you saved it,” stammered Soarin, after a long silence. “Thanks.”
“Hey...no prob',” answered Rainbow Dash, rather shyly for one of the few times in her life, as Soarin took his pie back and trotted into the VIP section.
“Hey, I know you.” Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder to see Spitfire standing just beside her. “You're the pony that saved us in Cloudsdale and won that Best Young Flyers' Competition.”
“Hay yeah!” affirmed Rainbow Dash, her brashness quickly returning after her little encounter with Soarin. “Name's Rainbow Dash.”
“Well, Rainbow Dash,” remarked Spitfire, “looks like your skills saved us again – well, at least they saved Soarin's apple pie,” she added, pointing to one side of the enclosure. Rainbow Dash giggled inwardly as she watched Soarin eagerly stuff his face. “Wanna come hang out with us?”
Rainbow Dash didn't need to be asked twice; it was what she had come all this way from Ponyville for, after all. “Sure, why not?” she agreed, and followed them into the enclosure, quietly squealing with excitement...