//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The Games // Story: Dashing with Bravery // by Flightning //------------------------------// Cloudsdale was buzzing with excitement. Everyone put up stalls of food, games and many more things. The food stall of Mrs. Cherry Pie was the aim of the IAT. When Mrs. Pie wasn't looking, Sky High tied a rope to one of her hoofs and started going down From the roof while Sunny and Melody held the rope. As soon as Sky picked up some pies, Mrs Cherry caught her and IAT fell down into the barrel of pies. "Now, I've told you, you're not allowed to-" But Mrs. Pie got cut off as she saw the barrel itself started moving! Sweet Melody, who was born a unicorn, moved the barrel with her magic. All the hectic activity was over as a horn blowed. It was time for the games! "Archers to your marks!" Firefly said cheerfully. "Aye, archers t-to your marks!" Rainbow Blaze repeated. "And may the lucky arrow find it's target." Rainbow Dash just grinned and put her bow and arrow behind her seat. Rainbow's friends too were present there. "I can't believe Rainbow was in such a bad mood yesterday and today she's all cheerful!" Twilight said, pointing towards Rainbow Dash who WAS looking really cheerful. "Yeah, you're sure right. Ah wonder what's cookin' up in her mind! She's not the one who's gonna be easily convinced, in mah experience!" AJ said. "I cannot BELIEVE Prince Blueblood is here to compete as well! I hope he doesn't succeed, so Rainbow dear wouldn't have to have someone as stinky, stupid and foolish as him!" Rarity said, glaring at Blueblood, who was being all pampered by the mares surrounding him. "Um, I dunno, I just hope Rainbow Dash is just actually happy about all this on the inside." Fluttershy said. She was the only one who knew RD really, REALLY well. "Aye, get on with it!" Blaze shouted as he seated himself onto his throne. "I CAN'T WAIT!" Everypony present there glared at Pinkie Pie. "Ooops." Small Macintosh went first. He adjusted the arrow with the bow and aimed towards the target. As he released it- He missed it. "Nope." Then Small Mac just put his hoof on his forehead and backed away. Rainbow whispered to her Dad "I bet he wishes he was a Pegasaus to fly away to never show his face again!" "I hope not dear!" They both laughed at Rainbows little joke. Next Prince Blueblood went ahead proudly. He was sure to hit the target as he could use his magic! He stretched the arrow backward and- "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" The arrow was NEAR the target, and Prince Blueblood was throwing a hissy fit like a filly! Rainbow seemed amused. "Well, THAT'S attractive!" Prince Blueblood hit the bow everywhere and finally threw it at the crowd. "I got it!" Somepony shouted from the crowd. Rainbow turned to her father and said "That pony has a good hoof!" "And such lovely, flowy locks!" "Blaze!" Firefly glared at her husband. "Whaaaaat?" At last Small Tornado came forward. He took the arrow in his mouth, and tried to adjust it with the bow. After a while, Rainbow Blaze got annoyed and shouted "Oh, come on, SHOOT IT BOY!" Hearing the kings words the wimpy stallion let go off the arrow and- "YES! YESYESYES!" Commander Tornado danced around like a maniac as if he won a billion bits! "MY SON HAS HIT IT! MY SON HAS HIT THE TARGET! EAT YOUR HEART OUT, LORDS!" Firefly and Blaze were speechless. Finally, Rainbow Blaze spoke. "Well, that's just......grand now, I guess. Guess who's coming to dinner tonight! By the way, hope you don't mind being called the lady." He turned to his right, only to find a black dog instead of Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, some pony planted a flag with a lightning bolt in it. Then a Pegasaus wearing a cape around her head came forward. Then she uncovered the cape from her head and spoke. "I am Rainbow Dash, first born descendant of the Royals of Cloudsdale," Then she turned towards her parents. "And I'll be shooting for my own hand!" The lords turned towards Firefly. She got up from her seat. "What are you doing?!" Then Rainbow tried to stretch her wings out from that tight dress. "Ungh...Oooof!" "Rainbow Dash!" "Curse this dress!" Rainbow stretched her wings with so much strength that the dress tore at some parts. But she didn't care about that. Relieved from that dreaded dress, Rainbow flew upwards and aimed her arrow at the first target. She released it and the arrow went straight into the red circle. "Rainbow, stop it right this instant!" Firefly flew towards the field. Rainbow ignored her mother and flew towards the second target. Again, she hit bulls-eye. Then she flew and aimed towards the final target- the target of her freedom. "Rainbow Dash! I forbid it!" Firefly flew towards her daughter, but it was too late. Rainbow had already released the arrow. And the arrow went in such a way that- CRACK! The arrow went straight through Small Tornado's arrow and through the target board. Rainbow smiled at her victory, but that smile quickly faded into a frown as she met eye to eye with her mother. "I've had enough of you spoiled brat!" "You're the one that wants me to-" "You embarrassed them. You embarrassed ME!" "I followed the rules!" "You don't know what you've done!" Firefly slammed the door behind her. "I don't care, I-" "There'll be knives and swords if it's not set right." Firefly warned. "Just LISTEN!" "I am the Queen! YOU. LISTEN. TO. ME!" "AAAARRGH! This is so unfair!" Rainbow Dash took a sword in her hooves as she said those words. "Ha, unfair?!" "You're never there for me! This whole marriage is what YOU want. Did you ever bother to ask what I want? No!" Rainbow swung the sword back and forth as she spoke. "You have no right to tell me what to do, what not to do, trying to make ME be like YOU! Well, I'm not going to be like you!" "You're acting like a child." Rainbow went towards the family tapestry with her sword. "And you're a BEAST! That's what you are!" Firefly saw what was coming and gasped. "Rainbow Dash!" "I'll never be like you!" Rainbow Dash brought the sword closer to the tapestry as she spoke. "No, stop that!" "I'd rather NEITHER BE LIKE YOU!" Rainbow split the tapestry onto two parts: One with she and her Dad, and the other part had her Mother standing alone. Firefly stood speechless for a moment. Then her face turned red with anger and she walked angrily towards Dash. "Rainbow Dash, you are a Princess," She took RD's bow and arrow and by mistake her promotion letter to the Wonderbolts too! "I expect you to act like one!" "Mom, no!" Then Firefly threw both Rainbow's bow and and promotion letter into the fireplace near her. For a moment, Rainbow stared in horror at her burning bow and letter. Then tears escaped her eyes and she dashed out of the door. "Rainbow! Rainbow Dash!" Suddenly Firefly heard some crunching noise from behind her. "Oh no!" She flew and picked up the sword RD was holding and got the bow and letter out of the fire. But it was too late. "Oh no! What have I done!" She stared in horror with tears of gultiness in her eyes as she saw what was in front of her: only a burnt bow and ashes of the letter. Ashes of anger.