//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: It's Just Camp // by TwistedRealitySpace //------------------------------// Lightning Dust was one of the first to cross the finish line, as the pegasi in Camp Dynamics had their first official flying race. Speeding in at first place, she smiled triumphantly, with Rainbow Dash only lagging behind by a few seconds. Both mares were exhausted from the race, but wouldn't let it show, due to their arrogant nature. Coming in at third place after Rainbow Dash, was a stallion with a pitch black coat, and electric pale blue mane. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, as he turned to watch who would zoom in after him. Lightning Dust caught herself staring, but quickly shook it away. She turned back to Rainbow Dash, instead. "Awesome race, Dash. But you'll need so much more, if you wanna keep up with me!" She teased, flexing her wings. "Ha! You just got lucky this time." Rainbow Dash boasted back, bringing a hoof up to her chest dramatically. Lightning Dust rolled her eyes, and laughed. By the time all pegasi had arrived, Fluffy Clouds began talking, "Congratulations to Lightning Dust for coming in first place, Rainbow Dash for coming in second, and Thunderlane for coming in third! You three get free dinners to our very own pizza place, tonight at six P.M, sharp!" He announced, not only to the three winners, but to all other pegasi. "Wait, if we win these races, we get prizes?" A voice asked from near the back. "That is so unfair! We didn't know!" Many collective groans and protests erupted from the pegasi, as they glared. Fluffy Clouds nodded his head. "You should be trying hard, even with no reward! At Camp Dynamics, we give it our all!" He answered, firmly. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust exchanged smug glances, before turning their attention back to the now silent group of camp mates. "Now. Rain Bolt, Cabin Blizzard's counselor has planned a competitive game of Capture The Flag for everyone! The Fire Cabin and Earth Cabin will be working together, while the Rain and Blizzard Cabin will team up! Together, you will come up with a team name, and start playing. Earth and Fire on the left please, Blizzard and Rain on the right. Don't forget your paint guns and goggles!" Fluffy Clouds ordered. As soon as he finished speaking, the four Cabins split into two. Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash trotted side by side, as they followed the rest of their Cabin. Daring Do joined them a few seconds later. "I'm awesome at Capture The Flag! We're totally gonna kick the other team's tails!" Rainbow Dash bragged, confidently. Daring Do nodded in agreement. "Yeah. The only part I don't like about this is splitting up into teams. I prefer to work alone." She admitted, with a small shrug afterwards. "But the more the merrier, right?" "For sure." Lightning Dust nodded. She looked up, to see some Earth Cabin stallions already flirting with a few mares from Fire. Lightning Dust snorted, and gave a curt roll of her golden eyes. Most pegasi already had their shielded glasses on, along with their paint guns. Lightning Dust zoomed by to pick up a pair. Quickly, she strapped on the glasses, which had a yellow-tinted plastic vision. Her paint gun was attached to a belt snugly stuck around her stomach. Whenever she wanted to shoot, all Lightning Dust had to do, was flick a switch with her wing, and move the focus with her hoof. Lightning Dust turned around, to see that Daring Do and Rainbow Dash already had their things too, and were ready. "I suggest the three of us split up." Daring Do said, looking at Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash. Lightning Dust nodded in agreement. "Good idea. Dash?" She asked, glancing at the cyan pegasus. "Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash replied, pumping her hoof in the air. "Enough awesomeness to go around!" As soon as Rainbow Dash finished her sentence, a gunshot was heard, signaling the start of the game. Half of the ponies (Five from the two Cabins) stayed to guard their flag, while the other half searched for the other team's flag. It was a reasonable strategy. Luckily, Lightning Dust had been sent to attack the other team. She was just about to spread her wings, and shoot up into the sky, when she remembered her wings were tied down with the belt that carried her paint gun. Lightning Dust let out a small groan of frustration, and proceeded to gallop on the other side. Using trees and bushes as her concealment, Lightning Dust swiftly managed to slink through the small forest that divided the two territories, unnoticed and successfully. Keeping an eye out for any pegasi of the other team, she quickly turned around, only to collide harshly with another pony. Lightning Dust was sent skidding back, and instantly glared up at whoever she had bumped into. However, the icy glare softened slightly, as soon as she saw that it was the stallion from earlier. Thunderlane. "Oh, sorry! You okay? Man, I am so clumsy sometimes!" Thunderlane rambled, making eye contact with everything, except Lightning Dust's own golden gaze. Quickly, Lightning Dust got up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." She answered, offering a small smile. To her delight, Thunderlane returned the smile. He was about to say something, when another voice interrupted their moment. "Thunderlane, you idiot! She's from the other side! Get her!" The voice came from a female pegasus, with a pale violet coat, and an aqua-blue mane. She was too far away, fro Lightning Dust to see her cutie mark. But instantly, she knew that this mare would be trouble. However, wasting no time, Lightning Dust took off, galloping away. She heard the familiar sound of a paint gun cock behind her, and turned sharply to the right, avoiding the paint bomb. Quickly, she hid behind the tree, and watched as the pale violet pegasus stopped. "Huh. She was here a second ago..." She muttered, before shaking it off, and trotting back. Lightning Dust let out a sigh of relief, and stepped out from where she had been hiding. Traveling farther up ahead once more, she avoided contact from the place where she had crashed into Thunderlane, in fear that he or the pale violet mare were still lurking around there. Finally, Lightning Dust spotted the other side's flag. She licked her lips in anticipation, and thought of a plan. Her eyes darted around. The flag was surrounded by bushes, including the one she was currently hiding in. There were only two pegasi on guard. Guess it's now or never She thought, boldly. Lightning Dust was about to spring out of the bushes, when a flash of dark aqua blue and purple caught the side of her vision. Turning her head, she saw a male pegasi, from the Earth Cabin. This was good! He was on her side! Lightning Dust stared at him, hoping that he would get the feeling he was being watched, and notice her. Sure enough, a few seconds later the stallion turned to face her. As soon as he saw she was from his side too, his sky blue eyes lit up. Lightning Dust nodded a silent greeting. With her hooves, she played out the scene for one of them to get the flag. The plan was simple: One of them create a diversion, while the other one ran in to take the flag. The stallion nodded back, as if saying he understood. Flicking his hoof between him and Lightning Dust, he tilted his head slightly. He wanted to know who would be the distraction. As much as Lightning Dust would love to take all the glory for herself, she knew that Rainbow Dash would be upset if it was her that took the flag. Lightning Dust pointed her hoof at herself, and the stallion nodded back, then turned to face the clearing, where the flag was waiting. Taking a deep breath, Lightning Dust shot out of the bushes, going half her speed. She made sure to make a loud rustling sound when she left, to catch the other pegasi's attention. "After her!" One of them yelled. "Ha! You two losers can't catch me!" Lightning Dust yelled back, shaking her rear for effect. She silently laughed at her silliness. This fueled the other two's anger, as they chased after her. Lightning Dust turned, to see the stallion dash out of his own bush, silently. He galloped towards the flag, and Lightning Dust smirked at the other two pegasi, as they turned. It was too late. The stallion launched himself at the flag, and in one simple gesture, swiped the flag off of its metal pole. "We win!" He cheered. "You have to take the flag back to your territory, doofus!" One of the pegasi yelled out, scornfully. Lightning Dust let out a loud whoop, and raced to the stallion to congratulate him. "Nice! Let's take this back, before any of these pinheads catch us!" She said, joyfully. "Consider it done! I'm Open Skies, by the way!" He answered. "Lightning Dust. Let's go now!" As soon as Lightning finished her sentence, Clear Skies galloped away, retreating to the Fire and Earth side. Lightning Dash zoomed after him, and they quickly crossed the forest that divided the two territories. However, as soon as they arrived, Lightning Dust saw that their own flag was in risk of danger. The pale violet mare from earlier was just in reach of their flag! Lightning Dust moved the aim to where she would jump. She had the pale violet mare right in view, and was about to shoot, when someone crashed into her. The paint gun lost its focus, and Lightning Dust ended up splattering one of her own teammates with a paint bomb. Lightning Dust looked up to see who had attacked her: Sunshower from the Rain Cabin. Sunshower had her hooves squarely set on Lightning Dust's shoulders, making her unable to move. Lightning Dust glared up at her, with all the hatred she could manage. Lightning Dust was thinking of a way to get out of her grasp, while squirming relentlessly. Suddenly, the weight was knocked off of her in one single motion, and Lightning Dust looked up to see Daring Do. Taking the advantage, Lightning Dust rose to her hooves, and quickly fired a paint bomb at Sunshower, who was laying on the floor. Daring Do and Lightning Dust scurried away, and high-hoofed. "Thanks!" Lightning commented, as she turned just in time to see Clear Skies touch the other team's flag to their side's pole. Cheers spread across the Fire and Earth team, like a forest fire, as everyone high-hoofed and taunted the losing team. Lightning Dust took off her paint gun belt, and set it down near the pole. She was taking off her glasses, when she heard someone approach her. She turned around, shielded glasses still half-on, only to see Thunderlane. He smiled sheepishly at Lightning Dust. "Sorry for earlier. Anyways, I was just coming by to say: Good game! You guys played really well." Lightning Dust was surprised at his kindness and sportsmanship. After a quick pause, however, she returned the smile. "Oh... Thanks. Y-You guys did... Good too." She managed to reply. Lightning Dust was not used to giving compliments, at all. Thunderlane laughed. "Thanks. Anyways, I gotta get going." He said, turning around. "Alright. Bye!" Lightning Dust answered, with a small smile. "Oh wait!" Thunderlane called out, quickly spinning around to face Lightning Dust. "Sorry, I never got your name." "Lightning Dust." She answered, taking her glasses off fully, and tossing them on the pile near the pole. "Awesome. I'm Thunderlane. See you later at Six, then?" He asked, brightly. Lightning Dust smiled in return. "Catch you then." And with that simple conversation, she felt a whole lot better about going to dinner at six P.M. Maybe she would try to come in first place in flying races, more often.