//------------------------------// // Intermission: Rainbow Dash // Story: My Name Is Twilight Sparkle // by Jaestring //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash bit her lip, shifting from hoof to hoof nervously. The Best Young Flyer competition was her best bet to get her noticed by the Wonderbolts. Now that she was here, waiting for her turn, all she could imagine was each little mistake she could make. Running into a column, losing her wingbeat rhythm, getting turned around and flying the wrong direction. She had been practicing and perfecting her routine for six months, sun up to sun down. Not even her friends knew how much she had trained and practiced. She wanted them to think she was cool, not some twerp that worked too hard to be her best! Whenever she saw them coming she would quickly jump into a cloud to pretend to be napping or hanging out. This way, during the few times they did catch her practicing they wouldn’t realize just how MUCH time and effort she’d been putting into this performance. Even when she spent a day with one of them, her mind would often wander to her routine. Where it needed tweaked, where did she need to practice more? The last three months before the competition she had moved her practice to a clearing in the Everfree forest. She liked to tell herself that the unpredictable air currents helped increase her wing strength and maneuverability. She stomped a hoof in nervous frustration. So much practice, and she still hadn’t been able to produce a single Sonic Rainboom. So, aside from a few dress rehearsals with Fluttershy, nopony knew how hard she had been working. Or had seen the nothing she had to show for it. Well, except for that one pony… she thought, then pushed it away. That had only been a dream. A really strange, bucked up dream. “Okay number two, let’s go.” The voice interrupted Rainbow’s thoughts. She gasped, realizing that the number two was on her hip. Oh no! I’m not even ready! I just… I just need a few more minutes to psych myself up! That’s it! Her eyes scanned the crowd, and saw number five. That should be MORE than enough time. She quickly trotted over to another pony, switching their numbers. “Hey, she’s talkin’ to you!” “Okay, Rainbow Dash,” She whispered as the stunned pony ran for the arena. “Get your head in the game.” She closed her eyes, visualizing her routine in her head. She saw herself weaving through the columns, spinning the clouds and the final dive for the Sonic Rainboom. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t see the actual rainboom itself. She hadn’t done it since she was a filly. She could barely even remember how she did it, let alone visualize doing it then. She gulped as she watched another competitor head for the arena, realizing that she wasn’t going to be able to do the Sonic Rainboom on the field. Not in front of those ponies, not at all! She had been lying to herself, and now she needed to come up with a new ending... and quick! She switched out her number again and again, buying herself a bit more time. Yet, no matter how much she tried, ideas wouldn’t come. Feeling hopeless, she curled up in the corner, shaking in fear. Her dream from the night before crept, unbidden, into her thoughts. It was the day before the competition. She had been practicing, once again out in the Everfree Forest. The rest of her routine had gone perfectly, but when she attempted to perform the Sonic Rainboom she lost control. She was thrown off course and landed somewhere in the middle of the Everfree. She let out a yelp as she broke through the trees and slammed against the ground on her side. She had crashed several times, but never that hard. As she stood she winced, her wing was sprained. Cursing to herself, she realized that she may not heal in time to fly the next morning. More practice was out of the question, and flying any more than absolutely necessary could make her wing even worse. That meant only on thing—walking out of the forest. She grit her teeth as her eyes darted from side to side. Strange sounds could be heard as the wind caused the trees to sway. But the more she put it off, the less time she’d have to get home and put ice on that wing. She took off quickly, thankful for the sense of direction being a Pegasi gave her. Knowing she was going in the right direction didn’t stop the feeling that the forest was getting darker and more claustrophobic. She tried to distract herself from the fear the way she and her friends had the last time they had made their way through. “Heh… Giggle at the Ghostie…. ha ha… Snortle at the spookie…” Either the forest didn’t believe her, or her head wasn’t buying it. Singing the song just wasn’t quite the same without Pinkie’s infectious laughter. As she moved to jump over a particularly thick clump of bushes she stopped, paralyzed with fear. Standing where she had intended to jump, was a huge stallion. She could barely see him. Her muscles tensed as her eyes flitted around to look for an escape. “Ahhh… hello there Rainbow Dash.” It said, the voice very soft and well spoken. Rainbow slowly backed away, “Who… who are you?” “Who I am is of no consequence. The big question is who YOU are.” “What do you mean?” The stallion turned, but she could almost hear the smile in the pony’s voice, “This way. You are the great Rainbow Dash, are you not?” Rainbow followed timidly, eyes not leaving the back of the pony’s head. “Well, duh! Of course I am!” “Good.” He said. “I do so hate to be wrong. How is your wing?” “Fine. I’ll just have to keep off of it if I want to fly in the competition tomorrow.” She had to admit, whoever he was, he did seem to know the easiest path through the brush. “Good, good. Now, you are most assuredly wondering why I am here. I am here because I am here to make you an offer.” She stopped, eyebrows quirking. “Here? In the middle of the Everfree Forest?” “Why not?” He asked as he looked over his shoulder, “Come, we should keep moving.” Rainbow trotted after him, trying to get a better sense of what he looked like. The forest was so dark that she was better off following the sound of his hoofbeats. She didn’t like making deals with ponies she didn’t know, let alone couldn’t see, but they had a long walk out of this forest. Her eyes narrowed, but her ears pricked to full attention, “An offer, huh?” Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks, a smile spreading across her face. Of all the things he could have said, that was what she had least expected. “R-really?! You want to help me become a Wonderbolt?” “Why yes. Twilight tells me you’re the best flyer in all of Equestria, and that no one is more deserving of my resources than you.” “Omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!” She had to keep from flapping her wings in excitement. A sponsor! An honest-to-Celestia SPONSOR. Even more… he knew Twilight Sparkle. She had moved here from Canterlot, of course she would know ponies interested in becoming sponsors. “So, Twilight told you about me, huh?” She asked, raising her hoof to study it, trying to pass off a facade of aloofness, “I suppose there’s something you’ll want in return for this… help.” The pony turned to face her. If she could see his face, she supposed that he would be looking her right in the eyes, “I only ask that you continue to give Twilight your full friendship and loyalty. She’s going to need it very soon, more than you know.” Rainbow couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face again, “You got it! Loyalty is my middle name! Rainbow Loyalty Dash.” The stallion laughed, stepping close to her, “Oh I’ll bet it is.” As he stepped directly in front of her, Dash became suddenly aware of an awful odour. “I just have one word of advice for the competition, little pony. Don’t worry too much about tomorrow. Let your friends be your inspiration. Especially the one called Rarity.” Before she could retreat to escape the smell, he shoved his face up towards hers, and what she saw had caused her to sit up straight in bed, screaming.