Lightning Dust took a deep breath and exhaled as she looked at the thundercloud in front of her. On the ground, Scales and Dust’s little sister, Scootaloo watched her. While normally not opposed to having an audience, right now, the two of them were making Dust even more nervous.
“So, what exactly is the trick?” Scales asked Scootaloo.
“She’s experimenting with a new trick. She’s gonna charge right through that cloud and make it burst.” Scales raised a brow in confusion.
“I don’t get it.”
“That’s a thunder cloud. It holds lightning. When she makes it burst, it’ll explode lightning.”
“Oooohh. Cool.” Scales scratched his head. “But won’t that hurt?”
“Not if she goes fast enough. However, she needs to be at just the right speed. Any slower and she’ll get a pretty bad jolt. Especially with how much lightning that particular cloud she’s using has.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, we’re talking major burns, possible paralysis . .” Scootaloo continued to list possible injuries while Dust listened. Her eye twitched as her nerves got the better of her.
“SCOOTALOO!” she shouted down to the filly. Both kids looked up at Dust. “Don’t you two have something better you could be doing?” Scootaloo shook her head.
“Nope,” she said. “Sweetie Belle is sick and Apple Bloom’s brother is teaching her how to buck trees.”
“And Trixie is studying new spells for her magic shows,” Scales said. “We thought we’d give you moral support.”
“I just want to see you get zapped by lightning,” Scoots said bluntly. “Your mane gets all funny looking when that happens.” Scootaloo giggled at the thought. Dust glared at her sister.
“Hmph. Love you too, Sis.” Scootaloo just smiled making Dust roll her eyes. She looked back at the thunder cloud and flew a few feet back. “Well, here goes nothing I guess.” She gulped loudly and charged at the cloud as fast as her wings could take her. Dust closed her eyes as she made contact with the cloud.
ZZZZZAAAAAPPP!
“Waaaahhh!” shouted Dust as the cloud sent her flying off in the distance. Scales and Scootaloo just watched in wide-eyed shock.
“Well,” Scales said. “That happened.” Scootaloo nodded.
“We should probably go check on her,” she said. The two kids got up and began to walk in the direction Dust went flying. “You think she landed anywhere bad?” Scales shrugged.
***
Gilda flopped down on her back on a soft plushy cloud. She let her legs, wings, and tail hang lazily over the edge of the cloud while she closed her eyes for a nap. The warm sun and light, cool breeze felt amazing.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHH!” One of Gilda’s eyes popped open at the sound of a distant scream. She rolled over and scrambled to her feet and looked around for whatever it was that was making that sound. In the distance she saw a yellow blur. She squinted her eyes to get a better look.
“Lightning Dust?” she asked.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Dust screamed. The distance between her and Gilda closed at an alarming rate. Gilda gasped and then suddenly got an annoyed look on her face.
“Ah, great-OOF!” Dust crashed into Gilda sending them to the ground. Luckily, they landed in some bushes. Gilda found herself pinned under Dust and pushed her off with a grunt. “Ow.” She managed to climb out of the bush and rubbed her sore head. “Geez, if it isn’t fireworks, it’s a kamikaze Pegasus.” Gilda looked over her shoulder at the dazed Lightning Dust. “What was that all about anyway?”
“No, Mommy, Spitfire broke the vase,” Dust said. Her mane was a mess, her eyes were rolling around in her head, and she smelt like burnt meat.
“Um, Dust?” Gilda asked. She grabbed the Pegasus by the shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position. Dust’s head fell back limply.
“Oooo, the sky’s on the floor,” she said. Gilda shook Dust a little.
“Hey, come on, dude, snap out of it.” Dust shook her head and looked up at Gilda.
“Oooh, where am I?” Gilda pulled her out of the bush and set her down on the ground. Dust held her head in her hooves. “Why is everything shaking?”
“You came flying out of the sky and crashed into me. What were you doing anyway?” Dust let go of her head and blinked a couple times as she oriented herself with her surroundings. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.
“Oh, I was practicing that trick for the Young Fliers Contest,” she said. “It, um, it didn’t go very well.” She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. She gave Gilda a confused look. “Shouldn’t you be practicing for the contest too?” Gilda shrugged.
“Eh. I’m good.”
“Huh? What do you mean you’re good?” asked Dust getting up on all fours. “Don’t you know how intense this contest gets? And aren’t you interested in the prize?”
“Day with the Wonderbolts? Not terribly. Besides, I thought you weren’t too big a fan of theirs either.”
“They’re still Equestria’s best fliers and getting their attention could mean big things for me.” Dust sat down and rubbed her head still aching from the crash. “So, if you don’t care for the prize, why are you even entering?”
“I wanna pit my skills against you Pegasi.” Gilda smirked. “Should be fun.”
“Gilda! Lightning Dust!” Scales shouted. Gilda looked over her shoulder and saw Scales and Scootaloo running up to them. When Scootaloo saw her sister’s messy and slightly singed mane, she immediately fell on the ground laughing.
“Bwahahahaha! Y-You look so, hahahahaha!” The laughing filly clutched her sides as she laughed. Scales and Gilda started to chuckle when they saw Dust’s mane. Dust just growled at the three and took off to the skies.
“I think we made her mad,” Scales said rubbing the back of his head.
“Ah, she’ll be fine,” Gilda assured him. She looked at Scootaloo who was still laughing. “I’d be more worried that Scoots will run out of breath.”
***
Trixie took a sip of her tea as she read her book. Immediately, she spit out the disgusting liquid. “I need to have Scales make me a pot before he goes out next time.” The sound of thunder caught her attention. “It isn’t supposed to rain is it?”
“AAAAAAHHH!” The scream was followed by something hitting the roof of the trailer and Trixie saw a blue and yellow blur fall by her bedroom window. She quickly went outside and saw Lightning Dust in a heap on the ground.
“Lightning Dust?” Trixie asked. She carefully poked her friend’s leg which twitched in response. “Are you okay?” Dust got into a sitting position and wavered uneasily.
“No, more roller coasters, Daddy, I feel sick,” she said. She shook her head and blinked. “Oh, ow, that’s smarts.” She rubbed her temples and winced.
“New trick not working out?” Trixie asked. Dust shook her head which she immediately regretted.
“I just can’t get through those clouds quick enough.” She rolled her shoulders and flapped her wings a couple times. “I need an edge to help.”
“I think you should take a break. Maybe see a doctor?” Dust stood up and stretched her wings out.
“No, way. I need to get this trick down first.”
“But it’s two whole weeks until the contest. Gilda hasn’t even started practicing yet.”
“And that’ll be her downfall! I’m going to train my flank off and blow the judges away!”
“Not literally I hope.” Dust raised a brow.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been a little. . .” Trixie searched for the right word, “. . .crash landy lately. Which is why you should really see a doctor.” Dust just waved Trixie off with a hoof.
“I’ll see one later,” she said. Trixie shook her head.
“Just don’t hurt yourself.”
“I won’t.” Dust flew off into the air leaving Trixie behind. Trixie sighed.
“I hope all her work pays off.”
Two weeks later. . .
Trixie, Scales, Maud, Suri, and the twins found themselves in Cloudsdale’s stadium. Trixie managed to find a cloud walking spell to let the six of them see the competition. Scootaloo had joined them as well. “This is so cool!” Scales said excitedly.
“It is rather thrilling,” Suri said. “The cloud architecture is absolutely inspiring.”
“I can barely contain my excitement,” Maud said. The others gave her quizzical looks. As usual, Maud’s tone didn’t betray much emotion but she did have the tiniest smile on her face.
“Hey, look, here come the first of the fliers,” Flam said. He pointed to a curtain on the far end of the stadium where a young Pegasus colt flew out.
“How do you think Gilda and Lightning Dust are holding up?” Flim asked.
“Gilda seemed to take all of this in stride,” Trixie said. “I don’t even know if she did any training. Dust was a wreck the whole time.” She looked at Scootaloo. “Did she ever take a break?” The filly shook her head.
“I don’t think so. She’s been too busy practicing her tricks. I think her feathers are still a little singed.”
“Come on you guys this is Lightning Dust we’re talking about!” Scales said jumping to his feet. “She’ll totally own this contest!” He looked at the Pegasus currently doing a barrel roll. “Here that buddy? Lightning Dust is going to make you regret ever-” Trixie quickly put a hoof over his mouth and looked at the other Pegasi in the audience glaring at them.
“Heh, heh, sorry,” she apologized. “First time fan. He’s very excited.”
“DUST IS GOING TO KICK YOUR SORRY FLANK!” Everypony looked at Maud who had suddenly shouted at the Pegasus. Trixie face hoofed.
“Security is going to kick us out before Gilda or Dust can even perform.”
***
Lightning Dust finally managed to pull on the rubber suit Suri had made for her. The suit covered everything but her wings, muzzle, tail, and eyes. It was a little difficult to walk in but it would help her not get zapped as badly. She put on her aviator goggles and looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection looked back at her. “You got this!” she said.
“Yeah, you know maybe,” said the reflection.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, you could totally blow this.”
“Hey, you’re my reflection; you’re supposed to be on my side!” There was a knock on the dressing room door.
“Yo, Dust, you okay in there?” Gilda asked from the other side of the door. Dust sighed and opened the door. She saw Gilda wearing her own pair of goggles as well as a very nice crimson scarf that Suri made for her. “Dude, are you talking to yourself?” Dust shoved past her and started doing exercises. “Hey, what’s with the cold shoulder?”
“Can’t talk.” Dust started doing wing ups. “Need to do some last minute training.” Gilda rolled her eyes.
“You seriously need to chill, girl,” she said sitting in front of her. “It’s a contest sure, but you need to have some fun.” Dust stopped and glared at her.
“Everyone says that!” She stood up to her full height. “Especially lazy losers who can’t be bothered to practice.” Gilda stood up to her full height now. She was easily a couple inches taller than Dust.
“Watch it, Dust,” she warned. Her voice had a slight growl to it. “I’m trying to help but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna sit here and let you insult me.” The two rivals locked eyes waiting for the other to react.
“Number 7!” somepony called out. Dust’s ear twitched.
“That’s me,” she said.
“Hmph. Good luck,” Gilda said. Dust backed up a couple of steps than turned around and left the waiting room. As she stepped out onto the stadium, the cheers of the crowd was almost deafening. She scanned the crowd and found her friends and sister near the front. Their presence made Dust both calm and tense at the same time. She looked up at the sky and saw seven thunderclouds. If everything went as planned she’d fly through them and the trail she naturally left when she went flying would form the lightning bolt on her Cutie Mark. The lightning for the clouds would add the extra flare she’d need to win. She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“I got this,” she told herself. She eyed the cloud that would form the tip of the lightning bolt. Even with her suit she’d need to hit it just right. “No, time to stress it. You’ve been practicing this for two weeks. No way you’ll fail.” She closed her eyes and listened to the cheers. “Hear that? In a minute they’ll be twice as loud and hailing your awesomeness.” She opened her eyes and smirked. “Yeah, I got this.”
Dust took off into the sky. As the first cloud came closer, she flapped her wings for an extra burst of speed. Soon, she hit the cloud and
ZZZZAAAAAAAPPPP!
***
Gilda could only roll her eyes at the pep talk Dust was giving herself. Just do the trick already, Dust, sheesh. Finally, Dust flew up to the first cloud. Oh, finally. She watched as Dust hit the first cloud.
ZZZZAAAAAAAPPPP!
Dust immediately fell out of the sky. She missed any clouds that could break her fall and began hurdling towards the ground.
“Lightning Dust!” Gilda shouted. She immediately took off after the unconscious Pegasus going as fast as her wings could take her. The Wonderbolts went after as well, but Gilda was already ahead of them. She scooped Dust up in her talons. “Gotcha!” Gilda slowed her descent and then flew back up to the stadium and laid Dust down on a cloud. One of the Wonderbolts, a mare with an orange mane, flew up to them.
“Is she alright?!” she asked. Her voiced sounded panicky. Gilda looked at her and nodded.
“I think so.” The Wonderbolt approached Lightning Dust.
“Wreckless, filly,” she said. Gilda raised a brow. Before she could ask the mare what she meant, Trixie and the others ran up to them.
“Gilda, is Dust okay?” Scales asked. He knelt by Dust and put a claw on her head.
“We should get a medic,” Maud said. The others nodded.
“I’ll go get one,” the Wonderbolt said. She flew off to get somepony.
“So, who wants to break the news to her when she wakes up?” Suri asked. “Not it.”
“Not it!” shouted the twins in unison.
“Not it,” said Scootaloo. Scales shook his head.
“Not it!”
“I gotta perform soon,” Gilda said. Maud just silently shook her head. Trixie rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Ugh, you all are impossible.”
***
“Oooh, my head,” Dust moaned. She sat up and opened her eyes. Her vision was a little blurry; however, she could make out a familiar blue blur. “Trixie?”
“Hey, Dust.”
“What happened?” Dust held a hoof to her head. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. “I remember hitting that first cloud and then nothing.”
“Well, um. . .” Dust’s vison came into focus and she noticed Trixie nervously looking around the room. “You kind of got knocked unconscious at the first cloud.” Dust was speechless for a minute as she processed the words.
“The first one?” Trixie nodded. “I didn’t make it to any others?” Trixie shook her head. Dust leaned back in her bed. “I failed on the first try. I can’t believe it.” Trixie gave her a sympathetic look.
“I’m sorry, Dust. I know how much you practiced for it.”
“I trained my flank off for two weeks and blew it on the first try! Who does that?!”
“It could have happened to anypony.”
“But it didn’t! It happened to me!” Dust crossed her forelegs and huffed. She looked at Trixie and raised a brow. “What about Gilda?”
“Oh, well, she um, kind of won.”
“Come again?”
“Well, she pulled off a pretty impressive obstacle course and saving you didn’t hurt.”
“Are you joking? You’ve got to be pulling my leg or something?”
“Um, no, I’m not.”
“I DON’T BELIEVE THIS!” Dust shouted. “I worked so hard only to blow it, but if fate isn’t cruel enough, I help that lousy griffon get the gold?!” Trixie stomped her hoof.
“Lightning Dust! Don’t talk about Gilda like that! She saved her life!”
“And then took my win! She barely even trained and she won! That’s just-ugh!” She flew out of the room before Trixie could say anything.
One week later. . .
To say Lightning Dust was in a bad mood would be putting it lightly. She spent the whole week after the contest engrossed in either her work or slouching around at Sugar Cube Corner. She barely spoke to anypony unless she had to.
Trixie and the others tried to reach out to her, but Dust wasn’t having it. It even got to the point where she would make it rain on anyone who even mentioned the contest in passing. Every cloud she came within range of would turn into a raincloud which more than annoyed Dust’s boss Cloudkicker. Not that Dust cared.
Dust was particularly peeved at Gilda making her life as miserable as possible. Shooting lightning at her while she slept, slipping hot sauce in Gilda’s drinks, or even pretending to try and make up but using a joy buzzer when Dust shook Gilda’s talon. Gilda did her best to try and wait it out, but she was reaching her wit’s end.
Gilda, Trixie, and Maud decided to try and go for an intervention and meet Lightning Dust at Sugar Cube corner. Gilda kept her head low and had a scowl on her face. “Why are we bothering?” she asked. “She won’t listen.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Maud said.
“That’s right,” Trixie added. “We ought to at least make the effort, right?” Gilda sighed and blew some feathers out of her face.
“Alright, I guess.” She saw Dust through the window of Sugar Cube Corner. Gilda opened the door and stepped inside. “But if she-whoa!” she didn’t get to finish her sentence as she slipped and fell on the floor with a loud thud. “Ow.”
“Oh my,” said Mrs. Cake as she exited the kitchen. “What happened to the ‘Wet Floor’ sign?” Gilda heard laughing and looked to see Dust laugh and hold up the missing sign. The straw fell and the camel cried in pain as his back broke.
“That’s it!” Gilda scrambled to her feet slipping up a little. When she regained her footing, she marched over to Dust’s table and stood across from her. “What is your issue?” Dust shrugged.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. She sipped casually on her milkshake.
“Like hay you don’t!” Gilda snatched the sign away from Dust and gave it back to Mrs. Cake. “You’ve been making my life a living Tartarus for a week now!”
“Not my problem you can’t handle a few pranks.”
“It’s more than a few pranks,” Maud said. Her voice sounded a little annoyed. Trixie nodded in agreement.
“You’ve been unproductive at work and blowing off the rest of us,” she said.
“Who are you three? My mom?” asked Dust. “Lay off.”
“You first,” said Gilda. Dust snorted and went back to her milkshake. Gilda was seething at this point. Time for some tough love. My favorite kind. She went to Dust’s side of the table and dragged her out of her seat.
“What are you doing?” Dust asked. Gilda dragged Dust out of the shop kicking and screaming. When they were outside, Gilda tossed Dust to the ground in front of her. Dust got to her feet and in Gilda’s face. “You looking to start something?”
“You seem to want too!” Dust snarled while Gilda growled loudly.
“Fine! We’ll settle this! You and me race!”
“When and where?”
“Ghastly Gorge! Now!” Both Trixie and Maud’s eyes widened.
“Wait what?” Trixie asked.
“That’s crazy,” Maud said.
“You’re on!” Gilda shouted. The two rivals flew off without another word.
“This isn’t good,” Trixie said. Maud shook her head.
“Chapter will have an interesting climax though,” Maud said.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
***
Trixie and Maud had gathered the others to try and talk sense into Gilda and Dust.
“You two are insane,” Suri shouted at them. “Just talk it out, okay?”
“No more words,” Gilda said. She and Dust were locked in what seemed to be the world’s most intense staring contest.
“You’ll get yourselves killed,” Flim said.
“And what will I tell, Sis if you get hurt really bad?” Scootaloo asked.
“Don’t care,” Dust said. “We’re doing this.” She looked out at the gorge. “First one to the other side wins.”
“Sounds good,” Gilda said. The two fliers faced the gorge and got ready to fly. “On three. One”
“Two.”
“Thr-” There was a burst of wind as Dust took off. “CHEATER!” Gilda quickly flew after Dust while the others made their way to the other side of the canyon.
Gilda managed to reach Dust and the two were soon neck and neck. Dust quickly glanced over at Gilda who seemed completely focused on the path ahead of her. The two soon came upon a cave. When they entered, Dust immediately found herself pushed back by a powerful gust. Gilda seemed to have trouble too, but her stronger wings allowed her to push forward. Dust was not one to be beaten twice, however. She forged onward staying on Gilda’s tail just barely. The cave wasn’t long though and the two were soon free and onto the next obstacle.
A large web of vines and thorns blocked their path. Gilda hesitated for a moment allowing Dust to fly ahead. She managed to weave through the tight spaces getting only a few scrapes. Gilda had a harder time. Her tail and left wing got caught on a branch and a particularly long thorn dug into her side. She ignored the pain as she pulled herself freed. A piece of branch remained on her tail, however.
There was no time to react as the two racers reached a nest of quarry eels. Upset at having their home disturbed, the giant reptiles popped their heads out and bit at Gilda and Dust with their massive jaws. One got too close to Gilda but she whacked it with her tail leaving the thorny branch on its shout. Another managed to trap Dust in its mouth but she punched her way out and exited the nostril. However, the delay allowed Gilda to get ahead. Dust narrowed her eyes at her rival and flew extra fast to catch up.
Gilda looked over her shoulder at Dust. She smirked when she found that she could win if she kept up her current pace.
SLAM!
Gilda was dazed for a second. Where’d that wall come from? Suddenly, she heard a loud rumble and looked up in time to see a large rock fall on her and send her crashing to the ground. Dust witnessed the event and smiled.
“I can win this!” Her moment of glory was interrupted when she saw an even bigger bolder fall towards Gilda. The injured griffon was too dazed to react. With little time to react, Dust swooped down and pulled Gilda away to safety. The two quickly crash landed and tumbled for a bit before stopping. They sat up and looked back at the rubble. “That was insane.” She thought about the race as a whole. Wind tunnels, sword-like thorns, quarry eels, it was too much. “It’s all insane.” She looked at Gilda. “What are we doing?”
“I’m trying to get you out of your funk,” Gilda said. She grabbed her shoulder and winced. “I think we took it too far though.”
“That’s an understatement.” Dust noticed Gilda’s bleeding side, torn up tail, and multiple bruises. Then she looked at herself. A couple of scratches and some eel snot but not too bad. Still, Gilda got the worst of it. “I’m such an idiot.” Gilda looked at her nervously.
“I’m hesitant to reply.”
“Don’t be. I got so caught up in a silly loss and let it go to my head. But’s just so frustrating, you know? I worked so hard only to fail but you won with hardly any effort.”
“It took effort,” Gilda said. “I was sore for days after the contest.”
“But it came to you so easily.”
“Flying’s always come easy to me. It’s just a talent.”
“It just doesn’t seem fair.”
“I know, Dust.” Gilda put a talon on Dust’s shoulder. “But you know what?”
“What?”
“There’s always someone better than you.”
“Gee, thanks.” Gilda removed her talon from Dust’s shoulder and rubbed her head.
“No, I mean, ugh, work with me here. You can’t be better than everyone. It just isn’t possible. Sometimes you meet someone who just has more skill.”
“I guess.”
“But that doesn’t mean you’re any less awesome though. And it certainly doesn’t mean you can’t improve. I don’t have any doubt that you might surpass me someday.”
“But what if I don’t?”
“Well, is that really the end of the world?” Dust thought about what Gilda said.
“I guess not. But I worked so hard!”
“I know, and it stinks. But you can’t let that get you down. And you shouldn’t vent your frustrations out on others.”
“I know.” Dust felt tears prick her eyes. “I’m sorry, Gilda. I just wanted to prove I was the best and I got so caught up in my pride that I couldn’t stand the thought of someone beating me. It didn’t help that you can fly so well naturally.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re amazing! I’d kill for skills like yours!” Gilda found herself blushing a little.
“I still got cocky though. If I kept a level head we might have been able to avoid all of this.”
“Same goes double for me. Can we put this behind us?” Gilda nodded.
“Sure.” The two shook talon and hoof. “You know, while I might be a natural flier, you do it as a passion. It’s who you are. I don’t have any doubt you’ll beat me someday.”
“Thanks. But I think I’ll just focus on being the best I can be rather than what someone else can.” Gilda smiled.
“Sounds like a plan.”
***
Dear Journal,
My friend Lightning Dust is an awesome flier. Easily one of the best. However, sometimes her pride gets in her way. Today she learned that sometimes you can’t beat everyone and there might be somepony else who’s better than you. But you shouldn’t get caught up in comparing yourself to someone else. You need to be confident in your own skills and talents. Maybe someday you’ll surpass your better, maybe you won’t. However, you need to focus on becoming the best that you can be because in the end, that’s who you are and that’s something no one can take away.
From,
Scales
“Scales, come on,” Trixie called. Scales closed his journal and went outside. The group had gathered to watch Lightning Dust try her new trick again. They decided to use smaller clouds. Dust was in her rubber flight suit and looking up at the seven clouds she set up.
“Ready for this?” Gilda asked. Dust gulped.
“I think so.”
“Ah, you got this. Come on, just like we practiced.” Dust nodded and adjusted her goggles. She flew up into the first cloud. It exploded in a burst of lightning.
“Go, Sis, go!” shouted Scootaloo.
“You got this, Dust!” Scales cheered. Dust ignored them as she focused on the next six clouds. She managed to fly through each one without getting zapped. She landed and looked up at her handiwork. A lightning bolt shined brightly in the sky dotted by sparkling lightning bursts.
“Way to go, Dust!” Flam cheered.
“WWWOOOOOO! THAT WAS AWESOME!” Maud shouted. Everyone laughed for a second before cheering themselves. Gilda approached Dust and gave her a friendly punch in the shoulder.
“Getting better every second,” she said. Dust smiled.
“Good enough for me.”