//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: To Be a Wonderbolt 
// by Avabrony 
//------------------------------//

To Be a Wonderbolt
By: Avabrony
Chapter 1
To a sole blue pegasus, sleepless and tired after many a night of waiting, this day was nothing like any other before. The clouds all seemed eerily still as they waited for the morning breeze to drive them beyond the horizon. The birds’ songs were ominous, and the world seemed to be waiting with bated breath as the blue pony spied the crisp, white envelope awaiting her. She shut her eyes, the distant chirping drummed away be the beating of her own nervous heart. When she opened them, the letter was still waiting; the sun, beating down as it does early in the morning, with its sleepy rays meandering through the night’s mysterious mists, was enveloping her in the warm uplifting shower of light. She felt as though the world had not just stopped, but shut off, and that the sun was her own personal sun, preparing her with a spotlight as she read the contents of the letter. All at once, the world shot back to her, with a sounding yelp, the Pegasus leapt into the air, re-reading the words that came in the crisp white envelope:
“We wish to inform you that you are qualified to take a spot in the Wonderbolts. Your try out date is in two weeks, at the Canterlot Track.”
                   The next few weeks seemed to defy time itself to Rainbow Dash. At first, when she read the letter, nothing seemed to want to move; the moment cried out and begged to remain there for eternity. Yet, as the days passed, time seemed to flee from her, spinning like a broken clock, free from the everyday whims of ponykind. First the try out date was two weeks away, then ten day, one week, four days, and finally, two days before her big chance, time hit a wall head on. The hours, minutes, seconds dragged by; time itself seemed to want to partake in the excitement. Dash paced her house, took naps, practiced tricks in earnest, but nothing seemed to be able to speed up the finicky pace of time. After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally the day of her trip. She was in the midst of rushed packing when she got a knock at her door. After a brief shout for them to let themselves in, she resumed her busywork.
                   “Ummm…hello. I hope that I am not interrupting anything, I um…just wanted…to tell you good luck, and ask you if you needed any help with all your packing.” Rainbow Dash stopped her frantic last minute organizing and turned to greet her guest.
                   “No, but thanks though. Are you sure that you all do fine without me? I mean, I don’t want you all to be left hanging when I am getting into the best flying group in all of Equestria.” She laughed nervously, the lack of sleep and anxiety only adding on to her stress. “I know that I’ve asked a hundred times, but I just really want to make sure, you know.” She hastily turned, nearly knocking Fluttershy out of the door, and resumed her packing.
                   “Rainbow Dash, what you need now is a rest. Here, let me help you, I know how hard it must be, knowing that everything that you have ever dreamed of is within your grasp, and all it takes is a little-“
                   “I KNOW, FLUTTERSHY!” She exclaimed with much vexation. Seeing the tears forming in her timid friend’s eyes, however, she immediately changed her tone. “I’m sorry, it’s just-you’re right. I am really stressed; maybe a little rest would do me good. I’m almost done packing, so I guess now is just a good time as ever to go see Twilight about my travel arrangements.” She laughed nervously again, worried that she may have seriously offended her friend in her outburst. “I guess that it won’t hurt too much to get me head out of the clouds and my hooves on the ground, right?” After an affirming nod from the other pony, they both set out to the library.
                   They arrived, and Twilight was waiting for them, the tickets for the train ready for Rainbow Dash. “Well, your train leaves in an hour, Rainbow. If you miss that, then here is a coupon for a hot air balloon ride, and I know of somepony who has a really great emergency carriage company, but he can really hike the prices up whenever he knows that you need it, and here’s-”
                   “I’m not going to need all of that, but it’s the thought that counts, right?” Rainbow Dash took the tickets and turned to leave, but turned back to Twilight, and out of earshot of Fluttershy, said, “Hey, when I’m gone, be sure that she doesn’t get too upset. I mean, sometimes, especially when it comes to flying, she-“
                   “Now don’t worry about that, Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy is perfectly capable on her own, and besides, I’ve lived here long enough to know how to help her.”
                   Rainbow Dash looked at her shy friend, who was currently helping Spike with his chores. “I know, it’s just-I’m worried. I guess that it’s just the nerves catching up to me, right?” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’m just not in my right mind right now.”
                   “I understand; its fine. Here, you should finish packing. Good luck-not that you will need it or anything.” They both laughed and Rainbow Dash said her goodbye, and, after pulling Fluttershy away, she headed out the door and left for her house. When they got there, she went over her packing list, and then double checked, and triple checked her work. When she was finally satisfied with her job, she left for the station, Fluttershy in tow, and her heart fluttering with nerves. They arrived at the station with some time to spare, and in the last little break before the trip, the reality of the situation finally hit Dash.
                   “You know, Dashie, you’re going to do fine.” Fluttershy attempted to calm her visibly shaken friend. “They already know how good you are, I’m sure that there is no way that you could mess up so bad that they wouldn’t want you in.” She patted her friend gently on the back and gave her a reassuring smile.
                   Rainbow Dash, however, found no solace in these kind words. “I know that I will Fluttershy-I’ll choke like at the Best Young Fliers competition. You remember-if Rarity…” She trailed off the memory of her near failure consuming her every thought.
                   “Now, that’s not the Rainbow Dash that I used to know. Those are the nerves talking. In case you forgot, you won that, just like you are going to do today. Now, don’t let me hear anything out of your mouth that is not positive-I know that you can do it!”
                   The nervous Pegasus turned and gave her friend a grin. “What would I do without you, Fluttershy?” Then, hearing the boarding call for the train, she hopped up, grabbing her belongings, and said for anypony listening, “All aboard the success train-next stop-the Wonderbolts!” With a cocky laugh and a prideful grin she boarded the train, and waved goodbye to her friends and to Ponyville, ready to start the next chapter in her life.