//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: After the Gala // Story: The Rainbow Connection // by Locomotion //------------------------------// “Well, that's not so bad then,” replied Solar Blitz, still a little confused. “I mean, you got your chance to hang out with the Wonderbolts; what more could you possibly want?” “That's just it,” sighed Rainbow Dash unhappily, scuffing a hoof against the floor. “There were so many other guests at the Gala that the Wonderbolts didn't actually have any time for me – they might as well have just left me standing outside the VIP enclosure. I tried everything to get their attention, even going so far as to stage an accident in the ballroom, but nothing seemed to work, and even when I tried to save that statue that that stuck-up Prince Blueblood knocked over, I only succeeded in causing even more destruction. In the end, I decided to abandon the Gala and join the others at Doughnut Joe's.” Firefly was most dismayed. “How unfortunate,” she sympathised. “You must have been very disheartened after all that.” “Yeah, I was,” agreed the rainbow-maned mare, hanging her head in sorrow. But Scootaloo wasn't about to let her idol feel sorry for herself on her own wedding day. “Ah, c'mon, Dash,” she said brightly. “It's not as if you and the others didn't get what you came for, is it now? Hadn't you forgotten what happened at Joe's afterwards?” Only then did Rainbow Dash perk up again. “Oh yeah!” she remembered. “Yeah, you're right, Scoot!” “What did happen then?” inquired Solar Blitz, interested. “Well...” The six friends spent the rest of the night hanging out in Joe's doughnut shop, each talking heartily of their misadventures at the Gala. Rainbow Dash was still a little disappointed at not having properly hung out with the Wonderbolts as she had hoped, but still managed to draw some good from what little time she had spent with them, and had to laugh when she heard Pinkie Pie's story of how she had tried to liven things up in the ballroom. In fact, only Twilight seemed to have got what she had wanted out of their night out, for Princess Celestia had turned up at the shop shortly after they had told Spike what had happened; but over the course of the next half-hour, that gradually changed. Not only did they end up having the wild party that Pinkie Pie had been hoping for, but Celestia generously compensated Applejack and Rarity for the unsold apple treats and ruined dresses, and offered to help Fluttershy in trying to befriend the creatures on her castle grounds a second time. That, of course, made everything alright for all of them. Rainbow Dash, however, felt rather left out. All her other friends had achieved their goals for that evening (with the exception of Rarity, by the looks of it), and yet she herself still had to live with the Wonderbolts not paying her the attention she felt she deserved – heck, she had even saved three of them from certain death, and yet they had turned around and completely ignored her. This made the rainbow-maned mare very annoyed; annoyed with the Wonderbolts, annoyed by the other Gala guests, but also annoyed at herself for having ruined her chances of becoming part of their team... “Rainbow Dash?!” exclaimed a voice. Startled, Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder. There, standing just next to the door and staring in disbelief, was none other than Soarin. At first, she too was rather stunned to see him; but she quickly remembered herself and angrily turned her back on him. “Oh, hullo, Soarin,” she said coldly. “What are you doing in a doughnut shop of all places? Haven't you got guests you need to entertain?” “I could ask you the same question, Rainbow Dash,” replied Soarin, a little hurt. “I thought you wanted to hang out with us...” “What, hang out with some pie-gobbling glutton and a group of ponies who care nothing for their number-one fan?! Forget it!” “Rainbow Dash!” scolded Twilight. “That's not the way to talk to one of your idols!” “Yeah, Rainbow!” agreed Applejack severely. “Besides, at least he were decent enough to buy from mah Apple Family stall!” “So what, he's a fan of your pies now? Well, good for you, A.J.!” scoffed Rainbow Dash sarcastically. Soarin hung his head in shame. The one pony he should have been thinking about at the Gala, on the basis that she had saved his life, and he had ignored her in favour of an apple pie and several high-society ponies for whom he never cared too much. How could he have been so ignorant? “Rainbow Dash,” he ventured, “I wanted to apologise on behalf of the whole Wonderbolt team. It's not that we don't care for our fans; we were actually quite pleased to have you at the Gala, me and Misty and Spitfire particularly. It's just that...well, there were so many supporters in attendance that we...” “...thought talking to them would be better than a common weather pony like me?” snarled Rainbow Dash, who by now was having to fight the urge to slap Soarin round the face. “No, Rainbow Dash. Being the celebrities that we are, we couldn't just ignore a bunch of high-class ponies even if we wanted to,” explained Soarin sheepishly. “Most of them tend to talk about social issues and other sorts of trash, but we're practically obliged to socialise with them whether or not we want to. You're more than just our number-one fan in our books; you've got a great deal of potential as a Wonderbolt in your own right, and we're truly grateful for you saving our lives at the Best Young Flyers' Competition.” Rainbow Dash didn't reply. She didn't know what to think anymore, even now that Soarin had apologised on the Wonderbolts' behalf and told her what he, and possibly all the rest of them, truly thought of her. All she could do was stare at her hooves, a somewhat lost expression in her eyes. “Please don't be mad at him for all that's happened, Rainbow Dash,” pleaded Fluttershy. “He did say he was sorry, after all.” The defeated Pegasus mare averted Fluttershy's gaze, still unsure of herself. “I dunno, Fluttershy,” she muttered unhappily. “I'm not sure I can face any of the Wonderbolts again after tonight.” “Come on, Dashie,” urged Pinkie Pie softly, giving Rainbow Dash's shoulder a gentle nudge. “This is what you wanted all along, wasn't it?” “Well...yeah, but...” “Am I late for anything?” Soarin looked towards the doorway just in time to see Spitfire entering the shop. “Oh...hullo again, Captain,” he stuttered, quickly saluting. “At ease, Soarin,” replied Spitfire, making her way across to the table at which Rainbow Dash and her friends were sitting with Princess Celestia and Spike. She then sat down next to the rainbow-maned Pegasus; “Rainbow Dash, I can understand you might be a bit disappointed with how the evening went, but Soarin and I really mean it when we say we're sorry we ignored you all this time,” she told her. “If I remember correctly, Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia, referred to you as the best flyer in all Equestria at the Best Young Flyers' Competition – not just the best young flyer, the best overall. Am I right, Your Highness?” “Quite so, Captain Spitfire,” agreed Celestia wholeheartedly. “In fact, that was why Soarin put in a good word for you after that fiasco in the ballroom,” went on Spitfire. “He told me he had wanted to know you a lot better, which I think we all do, and was sorry not to have set much time aside to talk to you. He even said to me, and I quote; 'That mare may only be a weather pony, but with skills like hers, she might as well have been the captain of the team.'” Rainbow Dash could hardly believe her ears. Throughout the whole Gala (or at least what time she had spent there), the Wonderbolts seemed to be making out like they didn't think much of her, and now one of their number was saying that she was a better Wonderbolt than the team itself. “So...you really think me an awesome flyer?” she breathed. “Always had done since that competition,” affirmed Spitfire. “Now, I must ask; when are you free next, Rainbow Dash?” “Um...” Rainbow Dash paused, trying to work out when she would next be available. “...in about three weeks from now on the Friday.” “Excellent,” smiled Spitfire, “because on Soarin's suggestion, I intend to make up for tonight by treating you to another visit to the Wonderbolt Base. How does that sound?” This proposition rendered Rainbow Dash utterly speechless. Another day with the Wonderbolts – it couldn't possibly be true......could it? She glanced over to Soarin, who seemed to have read her mind; for he responded with a small, nervous smile and a nod of affirmation. At this point, the rainbow-maned mare could no longer hold back her untold delight. She leaped up from her seat, lunged joyously onto Soarin and hugged him feverishly, thanking him time and time again for a few seconds before letting go and standing up again to allow him back onto his hooves. “Sorry about that,” she apologised sheepishly. “Couldn't help myself.” “It's okay, Rainbow Dash,” smiled Soarin modestly. “Just glad I could put things right in one way or another.” “You and me both, Soarin,” chortled Spitfire. “Ah well, we'd better head off back to base. So long, Rainbow Dash; we'll see you in three weeks.” “See ya later, Spitfire,” called Rainbow Dash as the two Wonderbolts left the shop, “and thanks again, Soarin.” “Later, Rainbow Dash,” replied Soarin, and gave a friendly wave as he passed through the door and followed Spitfire back to their base. Firefly beamed warmly as she imagined the whole scenario. “That was really kind of him, Rainbow Dash,” she commented. “I'll say it was,” smiled Rainbow Dash. “After that, Soarin sort'a became my favourite Wonderbolt. He was the one I'd cheer for at races and air displays and such, the one I'd see for autographs, the one I'd dream about when I was asleep – heck, I even took Scootaloo to meet him once when I had a Wonderbolt ticket going spare.” “That must have been a nice experience, Scoot, meeting the Wonderbolts for the first time,” observed Solar Blitz. “I have to ask, though, did you ever leave one of those shows wondering if you and Dashie and Soarin would ever become family?” “Um...well, I'd always wanted Rainbow Dash for a big sister,” replied Scootaloo thoughtfully, “but I never once thought I'd find myself under her care – or Soarin's, come to that. I did get the hint that he knew my parents, though, because when I went to see him that first time, he said, 'By the way, say hello to your Dad for me.' That was long before he and Dash adopted me, of course, so he never knew how bad things were for me and my Dad...” “Yeah, but that's another story,” Rainbow Dash cut in. “In any case, I don't think any of us thought it'd come to this...” “What, even when you and Soarin danced with each other at the Royal Wedding?” laughed Firefly. “I find that hard to believe!” Rainbow Dash blushed madly. “Well, it's true, Mom!” she protested. “Even when I finally got my chance to join the Wonderbolts, I didn't understand what was going on inside me!” “Well......not until about three weeks into your Academy training – from what I heard, anyway,” pointed out Scootaloo innocently. It had been four days since Lightning Dust, whose reckless actions had nearly cost Rainbow Dash's best friends their lives, had been discharged from the Wonderbolt Academy in disgrace. Standing among the other cadets, Rainbow Dash could hardly believe she had been so angry with the Wonderbolts as to try and quit on them, especially now that she had been promoted to a lead pony. “Alright, cadets,” announced Spitfire in her “drill-sergeant” manner, “as you already know, your induction week has come to its end. I need not remind you that the Wonderbolts can only accept the best flyers in Equestria, so if you no longer think yourself worthy of being a Wonderbolt, I suggest you back out now!” Only one pony, a shaky, scrawny, grey-coated young stallion, actually did; but the remainder stayed firmly put. “So you still think you're good enough to be part of the Wonderbolts? We'll see about that – right after you've met your new trainer.” As Spitfire spoke, the trainer came walking along the runway towards them, flanked by two corporals. Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped in disbelief when she saw who it was... “Soarin?!” she burst out, instantly forgetting herself. “SILENCE IN THE RANKS!” barked Spitfire sharply. Rainbow Dash obediently subsided, but barely seemed to pay much attention to what Spitfire was saying immediately afterwards. For some odd reason, she felt deeply delighted and horribly insecure at the same time; she knew Spitfire had to enlist another Wonderbolt to look after the Academy training she was so busy with her office work, but her second-in-command? To her, that was like an inexperienced unicorn being taught Higher Level spells by an ordinary teacher for a week before having Princess Celestia teach her some of the toughest in the world! Somehow, she thought, it wouldn't be long before she too would have all her dreams smashed to smithereens.