//------------------------------// // Qualification // Story: The Mechanic // by Clintr //------------------------------// Ponyville Train 9:00am Me the mane 6 along with Bulk Biceps (a stallion who I just met during the briefing period with Rainbow) were on our way to rainbow falls for the Aerial Relay Tryouts for the Equestria Games. As Rainbow was looking out the window two pegasi came up to us, one being a stallion with black fur and a Mohawk style bluish mane and the other a mare in a light blue coat and two-toned yellow mane. The Mare soon spoke "Good luck, Rainbow Dash! Sorry we couldn't fly with you on the Aerial Relay, but the air sprinters needed us too." The stallion soon spoke next "Too bad we can only compete in one event." he soon let out a sigh "But, rules are rules." They both soon turned towards me. "You must be Torrent the Human." said the mare. "Yea that's me." "It's nice to meet you, my name is Helia" Helia soon extended her hoof. "And I'm Thunderlane" Thunderlane soon extended his hoofs I crisscrossed my hands and shook theirs. They soon entered the train cart in front of ours. "Good luck!" Twilight called out then turned to Rainbow Dash "It was nice of you to be part of the team that doesn't have... uh... the strongest flyers." she said while looking at Bulk Biceps small wings. "Nothing nice about it. I know that I can pick up the slack for anypony. With me on the team, we'll qualify. I'm sure of it." Rainbow said. "Ponyville is very lucky to have you." "Yeah, I'm pretty awesome." Fluttershy soon started straining and gasping as she tried to get out of Bulk Bicep's bulk "I am so proud to be representing Ponyville." she soon started straining again "Oh, it's such an honor to even try out for the Games. I just hope I don't let anypony down." "We'll make them proud!" Bulk Biceps exclaimed. Pinkie soon appeared under Bulk Biceps, launching him from his seat wearing a cheerleaders outfit "'P' is for 'proud'! We're gonna be the best fans anypony has ever seen!" "Ooh. Can't wait to see what everypony else is wearing, even though I am absolutely sure they won't be better than the Ponyville uniforms I'm designing for the Equestria Games." Rarity said. "And we will make it to the Games once everypony carbo-loads on my apple brown bettys." Applejack said as she held out a pastry. "And not to mention that we also have Torrent." Rainbow said. "What is it that you'll need me for Dash?" I asked. "You'll help us succeed in the tryouts right?" "If by cheering you on then yes." "You're awesome man." Rainbow soon gave me a noogie. "I can't wait!" Pinkie exclaimed. The train soon then pulled to the station at Rainbow falls. As we all exited the train I whistled in awe on seeing how rainbows are a liquefied substance here in Equestria. We soon made it down to the training field and saw various ponies and a group of griffins warming up for the tryouts. As we entered the field, we soon heard chattering. "There's Rainbow Dash! She's an awesome flyer!" Crescent Moon said. "I heard that she's flying the last third of the relay, which means everypony else is gonna have to be way ahead to beat her!" Dizzy Twister added. We soon set up our spot to train I soon began to hear conversations involving me from the other teams. "That must be the human that everypony's talking about." "I know right, he's like a celebrity to this point." As the conversations continued we all soon heard a distant boom, we looked up and saw the Wonderbolts. "Oh, the Wonderbolts!" Crescent Moon exclaimed. "I hear they're flying for Cloudsdale." Sprinkle Medley replied. "Then Cloudsdale will definitely qualify. They're the best flyers ever." Dizzy Twister added. The Wonderbolts soon landed towards me and Dash. "And the game is on!" said the mare with the orange mane. "Hah, nice to see there's some real competition here!" the stallion said. "Two more days of practice, then we'll see you in the air, Rainbow Dash! If you're lucky." said the mare in the white mane. The mare with the orange mane soon looked towards me then smiled. "It's nice to see the handsome human here at the tryouts." she said. I've already lost track on how many mares complimented me.' "Yes it is, my name is Torrent." "I'm Spitfire." the mare in the middle soon began pointing to her partners. "This is Soarin'." she pointed to her left. "Sup" he replied. "And Fleetfoot" Spitfire pointed to the mare on her right. "Hi there." she replied. With introductions aside, the soon walked off. But Fleetfoot soon turned around then waved back to me. I soon then waved back but Rainbow wasn't attention, which I found favorable. Rainbow Dash soon sighed as Twilight walked up to us. "The Wonderbolts know a winner when they see one, and we'll be winners just as soon as we practice! Right team?" "Right." Fluttershy replied. "Yeah!" Bulk Biceps exclaimed. "Hooray!" Pinkie exclaimed then blew a party hooter. They all soon looked at me and Twilight. "And, um, I'm with her! Hooray!"Twilight said. "Huzzah!" I said as I fist pump the air. We soon began to hear cheering from the cloudsdale team. "Give us some clouds! Give us some dale! And what do you get? Cloudsdale! Woo-hoo!" Pinkie soon then gasped "Where can I get pompoms like those?!" I soon facepalmed as me, Fluttershy and Twilight looked a Pinkie smiling. - Training field 11:00am I soon sat up against tree surveying the other teams all of which are doing what looks like workouts that looks similar but their doing it with their wings. I soon look back to our team with Rainbow briefing the others. "So, do I need to remind you of what our goal is here?" Rainbow questioned. "Uh, maybe?" Bulk Biceps asked. Rainbow soon answered "We want to qualify! We need to be one of the first four teams to cross the finish line! Bulk Biceps, you're the first flyer, so let me see you flap it!" Bulk Biceps soon started grunting as his tiny wings managed to lift him off the ground. But soon was hit by a pastry. Rainbow soon flew over to see Applejack launching pasties into the air with her tail. "What the?" "Sorry! Got the idea from them, but..." Applejack said as she looked over to the cloudsdale team. Rainbowshine and Sprinkle Medley soon spoke in unison "Hooves down! Cakes up!" They soon launched cakes into the air where Fleetfoot and Spitfire caught in the air with their mouths. Applejack soon spoke "...It looks like they got better aim." Rainbow soon continued briefing "Okay, the passing of the baton needs to be seamless. You shouldn't miss a wing beat or drop a hair in altitude! And whatever you do, don't let go of it!" She soon handed the baton to Bulk biceps. Fluttershy soon flew up next to him "Are you really, really, really sure you're ready? I mean, I don't want to take it if you're not super sure." "Ready!" Bulk Biceps replied. He soon then passed the horseshoe to Fluttershy but she soon dropped it. Rarity soon picked it up "Ponyville could do so much better. I'll be back with a freshly painted one in no time!" "We were using that!" Rainbow called out "And it's not like anypony else has color-coordinated horseshoes or anything!" However, she soon looked at the Wonderbolts team whose horseshoe was painted gold and silver. Rainbow soon let out a sigh then hovered to the ground "I guess some ponies do." "Some ponies do what?" Twilight asked. Rainbow soon sighed again "Have a better chance of qualifying and going to the Equestria Games than others." - A few minutes later. Rainbow and the team soon went over to the Cloudsdale team. Rainbow soon spoke "Watch and learn. The Cloudsdales are Wonderbolts, and Wonderbolts are the best flyers there are. And my personal heroes. So, maybe you can learn something." Soarin' soon flew overhead, passing through the hoops. "Please learn something?" Rainbow asked to Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps. "C'mon, Soarin', pick up the pace! You can do better than that!" Fleetfoot called out. "I sure hope so." Spitfire replied. Cloudsdale cheerleaders soon continued cheering "Practice, practice, yay, practice!" Soarin' soon got distracted and his wing hit the hoop "Whoa!" Soarin' soon starting plummeting to the ground. "Aaaaah! Help!" Soarin' screamed. "RAINBOW!" I called out then extended my left arm. She soon gripped my hand and like a discus, I launched her towards Sorin'. Rainbow soon caught him "Gotcha!" Rainbow soon landed on the ground. The Wonderbolts and Ponyville team started cheering. "Awe-some!" Fleetfoot exclaimed. "As good as any Wonderbolt!" Spitfire complemented. Fluttershy soon walked up to Rainbow and me "Oh, I'm just so proud of you two. Torrent you launched Rainbow through the air with ease. And Rainbow you scooped Soarin' out of the sky and brought him down to the ground and now, now he's okay. At least, I hope he's okay." she turned to Soarin' "Are you okay?" "Uh, my wing hurts," Soarin' replied causing Spitfire and Fleetfoot to have a shocked expression "but I-I'm sure it'll be okay by the competition." We soon heard sirens wailing and a medic pony soon brought a stretcher chariot, soon Soarin' hoist himself up on it. "You're the best, Rainbow Dash. Thank you too Torrent." he said then groaned. "Ah, it was nothin'. But, if you feel like talking about how great I am, don't let me stop you!" Rainbow said. I simply shook my head then smirked at Rainbow. Siren soon started wailing as then medic hauled Soarin' to medical treatment. Bulk Biceps soon came up to me and Rainbow "'P' is for Torrent and Rainbow Dash!" he exclaimed. Fluttershy soon whispered "Um, 'Rainbow Dash' actually starts with an 'R'. And 'Torrent' starts with a 'T'. "Never mind!" Rainbow soon spoke to the Wonderbolts "Tough break to lose a teammate right before the tryouts." Fleetfoot and Spitfire soon looked at each other and smirked as they put back on their shades. 'I don't like the look on their faces' I mentally said. Fleetfoot soon spoke "You know, you grew up in Cloudsdale." "So that means you could fly with us." Spitfire added. "Fly?" Rainbow questioned. Fleetfoot soon stammered "Uh, we mean practice. You could practice with us until Soarin's better." "What do you say? Wanna be our third?" Spitfire asked. Rainbow soon was have second thoughts "Uh, I don't know. My team really needs me to be at my best in order to qualify. Don't wanna be too worn out by the time the race comes around." "We put you through some pretty intense workouts at the Wonderbolt Academy and you handled those just fine." Spitfire said. "Heh, I did kick some major tail at the Academy... but I don't know how my teammates will feel about me practicing with the competition." "Who says they need to know?" Fleetfoot soon took hold of Rainbow's face "Think about it, Rainbow Dash! This is your chance to fly with the winners!" Rainbow soon looked towards the goal then to her home team while I just stranded a few feet away from the side. "Alright, I'll do it." Rainbow agreed. "Heh. Wise decision Rainbow Dash" Spitfire said. Throughout the day, I've seen Rainbow Dash secretly switching teams for training. I soon walked up to Twilight who was still examining the Pompoms. "Twilight." I said. "Yeah Torrent?" "We've got a situation." - Training field 12:30pm Rainbow soon unzipped her training suit then wen to the pond for some water. As she was drinking me an Twilight walk up to her. Twilight soon spoke "It's not easy practicing with two teams, is it?" Rainbow soon spat the water out then looked towards us "You... know? Does anypony else?" "No only me and Twilight do." I answered "They're too busy practicing to wonder why you keep disappearing." "Well, I've seen the other teams practicing and we're still gonna qualify. I can fly fast enough to make up the distance." "It just seems like one of the teams you're practicing with needs a little more help than the other one." Twilight inquired. "But it's so much more fun working out with the winners than... um... the non-winners. Besides, Ponyville will still qualify." "But, do you even know if that's true or not?" I questioned. Rainbow was about to answer but Spitfire interrupted us. "Rainbow Dash, you got a minute?" "Uh, sure." "You could really be an asset to our team, so... we want you to join the Cloudsdale team. Permanently." Fleetfoot offered. Rainbow Dash soon gasped. "It looks like Soarin's wing won't heal in time for the trials. We want you to fly with us." Spitfire said. Fleetfoot soon added "Of course, this means you won't be able to fly for Ponyville, but let's face it. Even with you on their team, their chances of qualifying for the Games-" "Ow!" Bulk Biceps said as him and Fluttershy were passing the horseshoe. "-are pretty slim." "So, what's it gonna be?" Spitfire asked. "Well, I..." Rainbow stammered. "Take some time to think about it." Spitfire said then she and Fleetfoot flew off. "They want me to fly with them! It's like a dream come true!" Rainbow said with excitement. "If you fly for Cloudsdale, Pinkie Pie won't have anypony to cheer for. Rarity's uniforms will never be seen. And Applejack will have slaved over those apple brown bettys for nothing." Twilight said. "Oh, but I really wanna fly with the best team!" Rainbow said then flew towards Twilight "What would you do?" "I think this is a decision you have to make on your own. The race is tomorrow, so you'd better make it soon." Twilight soon walked off. Rainbow soon looked at me. "I'm with Twilight on this Dash, this isn't for us to make but yourself. We just hope that you'll make the right decision." I soon walked off. - 30 minutes later. As the the day of training went on we soon heard Rainbow Dash exaggerating groaning "Woe is me! Oooh!" she soon came in a wheelchair covered in bandages and casts. The crowd soon chattering in a concerned tone as we walked up to her. "What's happened?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow. "Urgh, I've hurt my hoof..." she answered as Pinkie and Rarity gasped. But me and Twilight gave her a stern look. "All of them?" Spitfire asked as she look at her lower hoofs. Rainbow Dash soon tried to come up with a convincing lie "I, uh, tripped on a-a foam hoof and landed on a..." she soon mumbles something that was near unintelligible "pokey stick coming out of the ground..." Pinkie soon then growled "If I get my hooves on that" she soon matched the unintelligible gibberish, "it'll be in big trouble!" "There is no way I can fly now." Rainbow said. "Do you think you'll be better by tryouts?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash soon continued her exaggerated groaning "I'll be lucky if I ever fly again!" she soon sighs "I just need a little rest." Fluttershy soon then spoke "Oh, don't worry, Rainbow Dash. We'll take care of you... or, at least, somepony will. Like, a medic or-or a doctor, or a nurse." 'I'm gonna have a serious talk with you Dash.' - Medic building 2:00pm I was soon walking down the hallway towards Rainbow's room as the rest of the mane 6, Biceps and Derpy just walked out of. I soon then opened the door to see Rainbow Dash with a feeling of guilt on her face. She soon looked at me then chuckled nervously as I had my arms crossed. "Heh, hey Torrent." she greeted. "Tsk, Tsk. I'm disappointed in you Dash." She hung her face in shame. "I've may have not known you for a long time but I know you well enough then you're the type of mare that doesn't give up so easily." "Did you just came here just to make me feel even worse?" "No, I've came here to give you this." I soon flipped a dollar-coin to her. She soon caught it and began to read it. "Good luck at the race today, from your friend Torrent." she soon turned it over to see something that almost made her tear up. She saw an engraved picture of me and her in a headshot with us smiling and giving the thumbs up. "I wanted to wait and give it to you before for race for good luck, but now seemed to be a good time. I hope that you'll make the right decision, see you at the race tomorrow." I soon went my way. - The next day. As the day of the race was about to start all of us began to hear hoofbeats. "Is that Rainbow Dash... walking?" Twilight questioned. We turned to see Rainbow Dash walking towards the Wonderbolts as Soarin' caught up with her Spitfire dropped her water bottle. "Does... this mean you're feeling better?" Fleetfoot asked Rainbow. "I-I feel great, because... I was never hurt in the first place." she answered earning a collective gasp from the Wonderbolts, Bulk Biceps, Fluttershy and Derpy. Rainbow soon explained as she took off her fake bandages "I faked my injury so that I wouldn't have to choose between flying for Ponyville or Cloudsdale. I wanted to fly with you both, and the decision was too hard!" "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you don't have to choose us. I know you love to win, and you should go with the team that surely will." Fluttershy said. "I know now who I should've been loyal to." Spitfire soon smiled "Good choice. Always stick with the winners." "Ponyville." Rainbow answered "Because it's not just where I live, but it's where my friends are. The ponies who really care about me, whether I can help them win a race or not." The rest of us, including Derpy started cheering. "Are you sure that's the right decision?" Spitfire asked. "You lied to me about Soarin's wing just so you could get a better flyer!" Soarin' soon looked at Spitfire and Fleetfoot sternly "You may be a winning team, but you're still not the kind of team I wanna be a part of." Rainbow answered. Spitfire soon smiled "Huh. Rainbow Dash, you are something. Saw it at the Academy, seeing it again here. We could learn a lot from a competitor like you." "Think we already have." Fleetfoot added. Spitfire soon walked towards Soarin' "Ready to fly?" "Really?" he questioned. "Never should've lied and tried to replace you to begin with." Spitfire said. Soarin' soon gasped "Go, Cloudsdale!" "Come on, Ponyville relay team! We've got a race to get ready for!" Rainbow Dash said. "Yeah!" Bulk Biceps exclaimed as they flew to the relay. - Equestria Games Aerial Relay Tryouts 11:00am The Wonderbolts soon completed their trial. "Come on, Ponyville! You can do it!" Soarin' exclaimed. Bulk Biceps managed to complete his course he soon handed the baton to Fluttershy. He soon collapsed the ground. "Go, Fluttershy! Woo-hoo!" Twilight cheered. "Let's go, flap those wings like you want it!" I cheered. Fluttershy soon handed the baton to Rainbow Dash who tried to make up the distance. "Qualify, Ponyville! Qualify, Ponyville!" cheered the Cloudsdale cheerleaders. The Cloudsdale cheerleaders soon caught Pinkie Pie. "Woo-hoo! Go, Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed. Rainbow Dash soon began to speed up then blast through the goal, stopping the timer exactly on the last second before the red. "Ponyville qualifies!" the Official announced. All of us began cheering knowing that the 4 teams including Ponyville are qualified for the Equestria Games. - Medal handouts 12:00pm. The Official soon handed out medals to the teams then lastly Ponyville. Spitfire soon tapped on Rainbow's shoulder. She soon pinned a Wonderbolt's badge on her shirt. "Yeah!" Bulk Biceps exclaimed. "Yeah!" the rest of us cheered. "Woo-hoo!" Pinkie exclaimed. We all soon got in front of the camera. Twilight soon spoke "Equestria Games, here we come!" Derpy soon appeared in the shot from behind Bulk Biceps then the camera went off. - Ponyville, Golden Oaks Library 1:30PM Rainbow Dash soon wrote in the Journal. Rainbow Dash voice over "Oh, I can't deny it. I love to win! But if I ever gotta choose between winning and being loyal to my friends, I'm always gonna choose my friends. 'Cause as much as I love winning, I love them waaaaay more." Rainbow Dash soon gestured her hoof to come with her as she flew out the door. I soon followed but looked back at the badge. - That night. "Good night Torrent." Twilight and Spike said. "Night guys." I said back. Twilight soon blew out the candle and she and Spike went to sleep. But as I was about to sleep too I noticed something glowing from the pocket of my pants. I reached into the pocket and pulled out the mysterious key, but what was odd about it I looked at the base and saw that two of the gems that was embedded into the emblem were glowing. One was glowing a dark purple hue and the other was glowing a red hue. "What could this mean?" I said.