//------------------------------// // FFAF #4- Tryout Politics // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// Spitfire stood on a cloud, watching as the Wonderbolt hopefuls flew by in groups of five, practicing flying in tight formations. “Gust, tighten up your line! You’re wobbling like a filly on her first date! Drops, you’re swinging wide! Correct it! Dust, you’re out of synch with your teammates!” Each correction was barked out as a different group passed Spitfire’s position, and the Wonderbolt Captain felt somepony alight on her cloud. “One sec, whoever you are,” said Spitfire, not looking away from the last of the groups to pass her, “Dash, you’re flying too high! Get back to flight level!” Spitfire bellowed, and watched with a sense of satisfaction as one of the ponies in the formation dropped back down in line with her teammates. “Now,” said Spitfire, turning to face her unexpected guest, “What can I do for you, oh horseapples I didn’t know it was you, Princess Sparkle.” Spitfire began to drop down into a bow, but with a grimace the newest Princess waved the Wonderbolt off. “Please, just call me Twilight. Now, Spitfire, Can I talk to you?” “Sure. We got a few minutes before the cadets come back around, then I have to yell at them again. What did you want to talk about?” “Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight Sparkle, her mouth a hard line, and Spitfire sighed. “You’re wondering why she hasn’t been put into the tryouts yet.” “To be honest, yes.” “Look, Princess Twilight, do you know who Rainbow Dash’s mother is?” “No, but what’s that got to do with anything?” “Well, neither does Rainbow Dash. And for very good reason. Her mother was Firefly,” said Spitfire, as if that name explained everything. Twilight Sparkle just stared at Spitfire until the Wonderbolt relented. “Firefly was perhaps the most talented pony the Wonderbolts have ever seen,” explained Spitfire, “she devised half of the routines we still use today. She was Wonderbolt Captain for eight years, and had won her own weight in trophies, both for the Wonderbolts and individually. And Like it or not, Princess, that’s what Rainbow Dash has to live up to.” “So Rainbow Dash isn’t currently on the list of tryouts because?” pressed Twilight. Spitfire sighed again, “She isn’t on the list because we want her to blow the judges out of the water when we do try her out. Lotta the ponies on that panel remember Firefly. I want them to only remember Rainbow Dash once she’s finished. As she stands right now, Rainbow could try out, and pass with a decent margin of error. But like I said, Princess, Rainbow has some big horseshoes to fill with the Wonderbolts. I don’t like it, but there it is.” Twilight stood silent for a while, processing the information that Spitfire had given her, and Spitfire herself turned back to look at the flight path, to see the first group approaching, and took a few deep breaths to prepare her voice for the next round of shouting. “Thunderlane, get your flank back into place! I’ve seen more coordinated flight from chickens! Misty Fly, stop goofing off! Just because you’re acting as flight leader does not mean you get to slack off! Dust, you’re still out of synch! Fix it, or I’ll fly down there and fix it for you! Wild Fire, your tail is on fire! Again!” [Time] As the unfortunate pony dived headlong into a cloud to put her tail out, Twilight spoke up again. “So there’s nothing actually holding Rainbow Dash back? Nothing that she actually needs to fix?” “Nope. But Princess, if you ask me to put Rainbow Dash on the tryout list right now, it’s not gonna happen. All of the Wonderbolts unanimously agreed on this. Don’t get me wrong, we want Rainbow on the team. But we want the pony that Rainbow is going to become in about one to two years. She’ll be hitting her stride then. Right now, she’s still a bit young, a bit too impulsive, but she’s gotten better at that. She’s practically guaranteed a place on the team, Princess Twilight, but she needs to feel like she earned it, not that it was handed to her because of who her mother was, or simply because we want to bring back the glory days. Rainbow will bring something new, and fresh and distinctly her to this team, Princess Twilight, but she’s still figuring out what that is. Once she does, she’ll get a tryout.” “Oh,” said Twilight, beginning to turn away, “thank you for clearing that up, Spitfire.” “Sure, it’s not a problem,” said the Wonderbolt, turning back to keep watching the flight path. “Spitfire?” came the voice of Princess Twilight once more, “How do you know that Firefly is Rainbow Dash’s mother? Seems like it was pretty well hidden from Rainbow.” “It was. Can you imagine what Rainbow would be like if she knew her mother was one of the all time greats? I only know because, and you can’t tell anypony, least of all Dash, but,” here Spitfire gulped, and prepared to reveal something that few ponies knew, “I’m Firefly’s sister.” And just like that, everything dropped into place for Twilight, and the Princess nodded, and took wing. Spitfire turned back to the flight path again. “Snowflake, pick it up! You’re lagging! Cloudchaser, nopony cares if you can fly backwards and upside down! Dust! Fix your wingbeats!”