"How does it feel to finally be a Wonderbolt?"
Rainbow Dash looked up from her sandwich. She gulped and smiled at her friends across the table.
“How do you think it feels? It's awesome!"
All five of her friends sat at a table eating sandwiches to celebrate her accomplishment. It was the day after the party and it was especially sunny with clear skies, something that Rainbow Dash has enjoyed for quite a while. She wondered if the weather pegasi was doing her a favour for all her work.
"That's great to hear!" Rarity exclaimed. "We are all so proud of you!"
"This is so amazing!" Pinkie Pie hopped. "It almost seemed like you were never going to get into the Wonderbolts, especially the main team. Not that I didn't believe in you, it was just because it took a long time to get in there, and now that you're in, it makes it super special!"
Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Well, I guess you're right! But you know guys, while it's pretty cool that I'm in the Wonderbolts, I'm also pretty nervous."
"Why would you be nervous?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well, you see, even though I worked hard for the Wonderbolts, I don't know how I'll measure up to the other team members!"
"Ah, don't worry," Applejack cut in. "You can just use that big ego of yours and you'll soar!"
"Har har," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm serious, though. They have had years of training, and I'm well, just a newbie."
"You'll do fine," Twilight said reassuringly. "All you have to do is work for it. I didn't learn how to fly with these wings in one day. But you taught me how to fly properly, and now look!"
Rainbow Dash smiled. "Yeah, you're right, Twilight! Thanks!"
"No problem."
Rainbow Dash finished her sandwich and belched a loud burp.
"Ah! That was good!"
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash remembered. That note that was in her desk. She wanted to find Thunder Gust and maybe talk about it a little further. There was something ominous about that note, almost like Thunder was trying to hide something. What did he mean when he said secret? And who was he referring to when he said the next poor sap?
"This was great, guys. But I’ve gotta go back to Cloudsdale for a bit."
"What for?" Rarity asked.
Rainbow Dash tensed. She couldn't tell her friends about the note, could she? No, that would only make them worry.
"Uh, well I got to go to my parents. You know they want to see me and stuff."
"Okay!" Twilight said.
"See ya!"
Rainbow launched into the air with shattering speeds on the route to Cloudsdale. She sighed; she didn't like lying to her friends, but she had a feeling that they would be worried about the note. She decided that she would get more information from the source rather than make random assumptions.
Making it to Cloudsdale in less than twenty minutes, she landed on a soft cloud and traveled to Thunder Gust's home. Before she knew it, she was at the step of Thunder's house. It was a medium sized house, flourished with nice looking architecture. Since he was a top level Wonderbolt, it only made sense that he would have a moderately luxurious house.
Rainbow Dash knocked on the door and calmly waited. She brought the note with her in a brown knapsack from home. She was also there just for a regular visit, maybe strike up a conversation with him about retirement. He was awfully young to retire so soon, but things like this happen often so it was not abnormal.
She heard some approaching footsteps beyond the door, until it swung open. With dreary eyes, Thunder Gust answered the door. He wore a small smile at the sight of the new Wonderbolt.
"Hey Rainbow Dash, how’s it going?"
"It's going pretty well! You mind if I come in?"
Thunder Gust moved aside. "Be my guest."
Rainbow Dash smiled and went inside. As the door closed behind her, Rainbow studied the inside of the house. She was in a living space, which was relatively simple in structure. There was a chair, a lamp and a bookshelf. Along with that, there was a display case, filled with trophies and medals. He earned a lot during his career, and the amount of awards he received in a such a short span of time was astonishing.
"Nice place you got here," Rainbow Dash said, admiring some of the awards.
"Why, thank you," Thunder Gust replied. "I really do pride myself in the work that I did over the years."
Rainbow Dash turned around to face Thunder. "Yeah, that's awesome!"
"Do you want something, maybe some tea or a snack?"
Rainbow waved her hoof. "No thanks. I just want to talk."
Thunder nodded. "Sure! Take a seat."
Rainbow Dash went to one of the foam chairs and made herself comfortable. Thunder Gust laid down on a different chair opposite to Rainbow Dash. Meanwhile, Rainbow was figuring out what to say. Would it be considered normal to bring up a note like this? It looks somewhat ominous when you read it, and she couldn't figure out a reason why Thunder would write a note like that in the first place.
"So, what is it that you needed to talk about?" Thunder Gust asked.
"Well," Rainbow Dash started, pulling out the crumpled note from her knapsack. "I just wanted to ask a question about something."
Thunder Gust raised an eyebrow. "Well, what is it?"
Rainbow Dash presented the note in front of him. "This was in your desk when you moved everything away. I was just curious about what it meant."
Thunder Gust widened his eyes. Quickly, he nabbed the note right from Rainbow's hoofs and studied it closer. He re-read it several times before glancing back at a mystified Rainbow Dash.
"You were not supposed to find this..." he said solemnly.
"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash shrugged.
Thunder Gust crumpled the note and threw it into a random trash can. He got out of his seat and walked to the display case.
Rainbow Dash darted her eyes around; she had no idea what was going on. Why was Thunder Gust being so weird all of a sudden?
"I don't believe this...it was not supposed to be blurted out..."
Rainbow Dash got out of her seat. "Thunder, what's wrong? What was the point of that note?"
Thunder Gust twirled and pointed strikingly at Rainbow. "You were not supposed to find out about this! Nopony was supposed to!"
"Thunder, please calm down! What in Equestria is going on?"
Thunder Gust breathed heavily. He sighed and bowed his head. He turned to the display case and stared at all of his achievements, all of the awards that he had won over the years. Rainbow Dash kept her eyes on Thunder; he was acting very strange and she didn't have a good reason why it was so.
"I guess I had better tell you. Rainbow Dash, do you really believe in the Wonderbolts?"
Rainbow raised her brow, confused by the statement. "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I?"
Thunder chuckled softly, almost like what she said was wrong. "These awards in this display case are worth nothing to me. Not anymore they are, anyways."
"Why? Are you hurting inside or something?"
"I suppose I am. But not for the reasons you are thinking about."
Rainbow Dash took a step towards him. "Okay, this has gone far enough. You're acting really weird and you're not telling me anything! What is the deal with that note!?"
Thunder Gust stood silent. Rainbow Dash huffed; this was getting stranger and stranger. What was with him all of a sudden? Why was he acting so odd?
"I can't keep this in me any longer. No longer..."
Thunder turned around and walked past Rainbow Dash. He travelled briefly to his bookcase. He pulled out a book half way, and then stopped. A small and frightening whimper came out. Rainbow Dash stared at him with wide eyes.
Is-is he crying?
"Dear Celestia, why...?"
"Thunder? What's wrong?"
She took a few steps forward. A single tear dropped to the floor. Suddenly, Thunder collapsed to the ground.
"Oh no!" Rainbow cried out.
She sprinted to Thunder Gust and tried to pick him up from the floor. Thunder pushed her away, leaving Rainbow Dash to stare at him. Streams of tears like a river fell down his cheek as he sobbed on the ground. Quiet whimpers escaped from his mouth as he wallowed in his sorrow on the ground. They slowly became louder and louder until he was crying at the top of his lungs.
Rainbow Dash couldn't stand to see this horrifying sight. She took a step forward, her heart beating fast as she approached the crying Thunder Gust.
"Thunder...?"
Thunder Gust glanced up at Rainbow and sniffed.
"Please... just go away. Take the book and go. I can't do this any longer..."
Rainbow looked at the book. She picked it up slowly and put it in her knapsack. She went for the door. She took a final glance at Thunder Gust, his body crumpled as quiet moans escaped from him. She pushed the door open and flew out.