//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Rainbow Falls (Rewritten) 
// by MD Webster 
//------------------------------//

But Rainbow is not a type to quit, for she knows that Equestria Games are her life. She helped the Crystal Empire to be represented for the games, she managed the flag carrying team for Ponyville. She is not going to quit for entering the games. So, she has to put forth the effort by learning from the pros.

Rainbow leaded her team to Cloudsdale spot where the Wonderbolts are practicing their flying skills.

“Okay, team, watch and learn,” said Rainbow, “See how they fly with power and control. They are my personal heroes, so maybe you can learn something.”

Fleetfoot is watching her teammate, Soarin flying through the hoops, “C’mon, Soarin, pick up the pace! You can do it better than that.”

“I sure hope so,” Spitfire smiled proudly as she’s relaxing on a cot with a massager patting his hooves on her back.

Rainbow watched Soarin made though the another hoop with ease and grace. Then he accelerated high and prepare to dive through last hoop. Rainbow can see the focus within Soarin’s eyes to be sure there are no accidents happen. Soarin folded his wings and descends down with increasing speed. Then a bird suddenly perched on a hoop, Soarin saw that and then at moment when he’s about to enter, unfolded his wings trying to catch the wind to slow down. Then suddenly an unmistakable gruesome crack when Soarin’s wing impacts the rim of the hoop. Rainbow noticed that Soarin is plummeting towards the ground.

Rainbow with no time to lose, leapt off the ground, ascending through the air then swooped and caught the falling Wonderbolt, “Gotcha!”

As she landed on the ground, both Ponyville and Cloudsdale cheers and applauds for her heroic performance.

The remainder of the Wonderbolts' eyes popped wide open with astonishment of what they witnessed, then Fleetfoot rushed toward Soarin, who got off of Rainbow laid on the ground, as Spitfire got off the cot to join her teammate. Then they turned to Soarin's savior.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash,” said Fleetfoot, “That was awesome!”

“As good as any Wonderbolt,” Spitfire added on but she turned her attention to Soarin, “Hey, are you all right.”

“I’m okay but...uh... my wing hurts,” Soarin tried to spread his wings but his wing which is crooked as a stick within a kite snapped in two, flinched and then folded, “But I-I’m sure it’ll be okay by the competition.”

Then, a couple ambulant ponies came to the spot. Gently placed Soarin on the cot.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash,” Soarin smiled in gratitude “You’re the best.” 

Rainbow smiled proudly, “It was nothin’. But, if you feel like talking about how great I am, don’t let me stop you!”

Then Soarin groaned in pain as the ambulant ponies takes Soarin away to the medical clinic.

Bulk suddenly shout out in cheer, “P is for Rainbow Dash!”

“Um...” Fluttershy flew up to Bulks ear and whispered, “Rainbow Dash starts with an R.”

“Oh, Never mind!” Bulk sat embarrassingly.

Rainbow suddenly felt sorry for Cloudsdale that they just lost one pony for the relay race, “Tough break to lose a teammate right before the tryouts.”

“Yeah,” Spitfire nodded in disappointment as she watched her teammate disappeared from her sight, “Again, It was awesome the way that you scoop up, Soarin when he’s needed. Just like the way you did with your friends back at the Academy.”

Then suddenly her eyes brightened as Spitfire turned to Rainbow Dash and spoke, “You know, maybe you can do some more favor for us.”

Rainbow turned with at most attention, “What?”

“Since you grew up in Cloudsdale, you could fly with us,” said Spitfire.

Rainbow gasped with surprise, “Fly?”

“I think you mean practice?” Fleetfoot asked her teammate and Spitfire nodded, “Yeah, you could practice with us until Soarin’s better.”

Spitfire smiled and proposed, “What do you say? For Soarin, wanna be our third?”

Rainbow couldn’t believe what she just heard. The Wonderbolts her personal heroes had asked her to fly with them. Rainbow couldn’t help not to contain her excitement that she’s about to squeal. However, her teammates from Ponyville are looking out to her. They really need her to be at her best in order to qualify plus she doesn’t really want to get worn out by the time the qualifying race comes around. But then she had been put through some intense workouts at the Wonderbolt Academy and handled them just fine. Oh yeah, she did kick some major tail at the Academy. But how will her teammates feel about her practicing for Cloudsdale. Would they get infuriated when she turns away from her town and her friends? What would they say about it? Even if she going to say it is for helping Cloudsdale, but then who’s going to know about it? She can sneak away when they’re at break or when they are not looking. They are not going to know about it but she may help them just a bit from the winners.

Rainbow stood up and said, “Alright, I’m in.”

Spitfire smiled, “Great, We’ll see you at practice, Rainbow Dash.”

“See ya,” Fleetfoot waves her hoof as they took off.

Rainbow has now a dream come true to fly with the Wonderbolts as she grinned and squealed in delight.


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This training is not really easy as she might’ve predicted. She first started with the hoops moving with Fleetfoot on the other side. Then she smoothly flew through them meeting up with Fleetfoot and pass the golden baton. Without a missing a wingbeat, Fleetfoot smiled and said, “Awesome.”

Then without them looking, She flew back to her original teammate. Passing the Las Pegasus camp and glide over a purple pony to meet with Fluttershy.

“Oh, there you are,” said Fluttershy as Rainbow is taking a breath, “We were wondering where you are. But Bulk Biceps has been going around the pole so many times.”

But Rainbow wasn’t paying attention, “That’s great. Now we’re moving on to the hoops.”

The hoops were set up by a couple of officials of the games.

Bulk Biceps joins up with his captain as she commanded passes the baton, “Okay, Now Bulk get ready.”

Bulk flapped his wings with all the strength then with the baton on his hoof, darted through the hoop. That is if Bulk can fit through it.

Bulk kept flapped his wings trying to budge through, grunting and groaning, he started moving his shoulder trying to get out.

“Oh... hold on, Bulk,” Fluttershy started to pull, “I’ll get you out.”

Rainbow joined in to help as the stunned officials stood and watched them struggle. Then one of the official said, “We’re gonna need a bigger hoop.”

It didn’t take long to get Bulk out of his predicament and informed the officials to find a hoop suited for his size. Then as Bulk and Fluttershy are not looking, Rainbow took off to join Cloudsdale once again.

They were pushing up with their wings with trainers on top of them. They got to fifty-five before they rest and Rainbow once again took off, returning back to Ponyville spot.

Fluttershy was pushing up with her wings, managing to get to twenty. Then Rainbow landed on the spot.

“Um... Rainbow are you sweating?” Fluttershy asks.

Rainbow tapped her hoof over her forehead and the wetness tingles on her hoof, “Oh, yeah... it’s kind of bit hot outside, you know. Are you been doing wing-ups?”

Fluttershy blinked as she felt a cool breeze brushing her mane, “Um, yes.”

“Well keep doing it while I’m gonna get some water,” Rainbow took off once again while Fluttershy resumes her wing-ups.

Rainbow passes the purple pony, over the Las Pegasus camp, meeting with Cloudsdale.

It has been going on almost all day with Rainbow keep switching back and forth. Until she grew tired as Celestia lowering the sun and Luna is rising the moon. The Ponyville went to their condo to sleep for the next day.

It was the next morning as they're not looking, Rainbow immediately went to Cloudsdale spot. Spitfire greeted her as she showed her a majestic silver and white uniforms. Then they fitted themselves and worked wonders. Then Rainbow headed back to Ponyville as Spitfire and Fleetfoot took off to practice. As she made to Ponyville spot Rarity was fitting the Ponyville uniforms on Fluttershy and Bulk.

Rainbow notices that it was the most girlish, with bright baby blue as a base with red and orange artificial flower lining around the uniforms. Her jaws gapped with horror.

“Well what do you think? A bit too much?” Rarity asked for input.

“Uh... can you make it twenty percent cooler by losing the flowers?”

Rarity was to about take aback but then she tapped her lips in thought, “You’re right, I’ll just make more down to the basics but I need to make more stand out.”

As it was throughout the morning, things are not getting better for Rainbow. While she’s with Wonderbolt, it’s more of freedom and a ticket to the games. With Ponyville, she felt limited, with chances to enter are slim.

Then suddenly after Rainbow practiced with the Wonderbolts, Spitfire called in for a break. Then she decided to visit Soarin with his condition that happened yesterday.

Rainbow waved them a goodbye then she landed on the ground in exhaustion. She breathed heavily and then she sipped a hoof of water from the spring.

“It’s not easy practicing with two teams, is it?” Rainbow spat with surprise and turned to find Twilight Sparkle standing next to her.

“You know?” said Rainbow Dash meeting with Twilight’s glaring eye, “Does everypony else?”

Twilight softened her expression as she shook her head, “No, they’re too busy practicing while wondering why you keep disappearing.”

Rainbow sighed in relief and then she said, “Well, I’ve seen the other teams practicing and we’re still gonna qualify. I can fly fast enough to make up the distance.”

But Twilight spoke firmly, “Still, it just one of the teams you’re practicing with, needs a little more help than the other one.”

“I was helping them but even Cloudsdale needed some help as well. I was just getting them into the rhythm. Beside, Ponyville will still qualify.”

Then at the moment landing behind them, Spitfire and Fleetfoot arrived from the medical clinic.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, you got a minute,” said Spitfire.

Rainbow wasn’t sure what is happening right now, “Uh, sure.”

Rainbow joined up with them then Fleetfoot stepped foreword.

“For the past few days, you seem quite an asset to our team," said Fleetfoot as Rainbow turned her ears foreword so she didn't miss a word, "So based on your performance, we want you to join the Cloudsdale team. Permanently.”

Rainbow gapped her mouth open with eyes widened with great astonishment. She didn’t know what to say about it, the Wonderbolts are asking her to fly with them. But then a thought struck to her head.

“Wait, what about Soarin?”

Then it was a moment that Spitfire lips lowered and removed her glasses revealing her saddened eyes, “I’m afraid that Soarin’s wing won’t be able to heal on time for the trials. Even though he’s recovering, I cannot ask him to put himself at much more risk.”

Fleetfoot added in, “Of course, even you’re flying for Ponyville but you cannot fly with two teams at the same time.”

Spitfire replaced her glasses on, “So what’s it gonna be?”

Rainbow stood while she tried to say something, “Uh, well I...”

“We’ll give you some time to think about. When you make your decision come back to us, we’ll be waiting,” said Spitfire as she flew off, followed by Fleetfoot.

“They want me to fly with them! It’s like a dream come true,” Rainbow couldn’t help it she sprang off the ground and looped around as she smiled that the fates are turning for her. That is until Twilight spoke up.

“Rainbow, it sounds great that you fly with Cloudsdale. But think about it for a moment, Fluttershy and Bulk are going along with you, to fly with you. Did you see how much they gave themselves to compete for the games and worked for it?”

Then suddenly it struck her, she has not seen them working for her in fact how would she know that Bulk had exceeded of his agility skill and Fluttershy, how would she know that she is improving her pacing even in front of the crowd? She doesn't but if she does find out that they are not, it's seems better to be with the best team.

Then another thought occurred to her, what about the rest of her friends? Pinkie Pie wouldn’t have anypony to cheer for. Rarity is still working on the uniforms to make Ponyville presentable and what will Applejack do with all these apple brown bettys if she’s slaved on them for nothing. She helped Ponyville for the flag carrying competition and she had assembled a team, who followed her to Rainbow Falls to compete for her.

However, on the another hoof, Cloudsdale are in trouble as well, they do needed three ponies to fly for the race. With Soarin at the clinic unable to heal on time for them, they wouldn’t qualify as well. She didn’t want let her heroes down but she didn't want let her friends down either.

Then Rainbow responds, “I don't know! This is hard to choose. What would you do?”

“That will be the decision you have to make on you own,” said Twilight as she walked away, “The race is tomorrow, so you’d better make it soon.”

Rainbow suddenly felt as the guilt within her bosom dragged her down to the ground. She slumped as she asked herself what is she got herself into. Now she at the fork in the road but whether she choose one the other will lose. She didn’t want to make a wrong one. Then suddenly an idea occurred in her head.