//------------------------------//
// The Interschool Sports Competition  
// Story: Aria Ignite 
// by Third Brony 
//------------------------------//

For the next few weeks, I stayed out of Aria's way. Let it not be said that I wasn't persistent, but after the fiasco at SC Corner, I decided that I should probably back down. Sunset was surprisingly supportive. After Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leaked word to their class and Pinkie sent word back to the Rainbooms, the story spread like a deadly disease. Everybody who was anybody knew what went down between me and Aria. Even Principal Celestia gave me a sympathetic head shake now and again. As with all juicy rumors, this one underwent several metamorphoses. In one version, Aria and I had indeed been going out in secret but then I started to get clingy and wanted to go out in public so she ended it. In another version, I'd showed up at her house with a boombox and begged her to be my girlfriend. In a version no doubt spread by Pinkie, we were pink and blue gummy dinosaurs living in the ice cream mountains. As for Aria, if she wanted to look at something but she'd have to see me while turning her head, she didn't bother. She didn't even walk across my path. Anything that I previously touched had become poison to her. We were farther apart now than we were before.
But I still liked her.


 
"Attention school," announced Principal Celestia at the assembly four weeks after the SC Corner Incident. "In one week, we will be having our Interschool Sports Competition with Manehatten High. I don't even know why we bother having these things anymore because every time we do, it seems as if some demon from another world tries to ruin it." She glared at Sunset and Aria. "We, of course, rest our hopes of victory on the shoulders of our fine athletes." She called the names.
"Rainbow Dash!" She went up.
"Applejack!" She went up.
"Flash Sentry!" He went up.
"Lost Legacy!" I went up.
"Bulk Biceps!" He went up. 
I stopped listening as I reached the podium. Looking down at the crowd of students, I felt even more self conscious. While everyone was looked upon with pride, pity washed over me. Pity and mocking smiles. Twenty eight days and I was still the hottest topic in Canterlot Daily. I looked at Aria. She had apparently found something fascinating in her fingernails. Snips and Snails shot me two thumbs up each. Best friends until the end. I returned their thumbs ups. 


 
Three extra days of gym. All of us except Bulk groaned. After a meeting with Principal Celestia and a rare but terrifying view at her competitive side, she cancelled our Tuesday through Thursday afternoon classes for extra time training. For the past three years, the Manehatten Shadowbolts had wiped the floor with the Wondercolts and Celestia was determined not to let it happen again. If it weren't for Vice-Principal Luna, she would have cleared our entire week.
We all decided to pair up while we trained and Rainbow and I chose each other. Of course I'd asked why she hadn't gone with Applejack who was laughing it up with Flash. Dash admitted that though she was good friends with Applejack, the two couldn't stand each other when it came to contests.
As the week drew out, Dash and I supported each other through less than safe games of soccer and assorted training till we bled. Afterward, we'd share a laugh and hang out by the water cooler and poke fun at the other kids still in class. Spending time with Dash definitely took my mind off Aria. Or, at least, it did until the Friday.
"Goal shot!" Dash called out.
"In your dreams!" I kicked the ball, rebounding all her energy back at her.
"I don't dream, I live!" she struck the ball again. All the built up energy launched it high into the air.
As it came down, I gave it my all... but my aim was off. Instead of blasting it at Dash, I sent it over to where the other, nonathletic kids were suffering Coach's wrath. 
WHAM!
If this was a cartoon, the entire screen would have shook as it connected with the side of Aria's head. A collective scream went up as she went down.
Rainbow and I ran over to her and pushed to the front. Aria lay on the ground, unmoving, while the ball lolled lazily beside her head. There was a red splotch on it and only then did we notice the steady red lake draining from her ear.
Somebody ran to get Nurse Redheart while Coach pushed us all away. I could almost feel the rumors start to breathe and take flight. She dumped him so he attacked her.
But at that moment, I wasn't worrying about that. Aria lay sprawled out on the ground and she wasn't so much as breathing. W... was she going to be okay?