Flash flew forward holding two cups in his hooves. He paused, looking around.
“Where’d she go?” he muttered to himself, “She shouldn’t wander around like th…”
“There you are,” Trixie appeared in front of him, scowling, “Why didn’t you come and see her off?”
“See her off? Trix, this is a competition, not sending her off to boarding school,” Flash countered, “We’re going to see her.”
“Where did you get that?” Trixie asked, pointing at the drink cups.
“Concession stand.”
---
Curtain Call paused in the doorway, looking around the waiting room. Others stood around the room, some stretching, others talking and trying not to panic. In one corner a dark grey pegasus colt sat, listening to music. Both of his eyes remained hidden behind his long, light grey mane with a streak of red, yellow and blue running down the left side of it. An azure blurr zipped through the room and knocked the grey pegasus over. He shook his head, pushing the hair out of his eyes and looked down: Curtain Call beamed at him as she hugged him.
“HI AIRWAVE!”
The colt stared at her for a moment before breaking out into a big smile and returning the hug.
“C.C.! I didn’t know you were gonna be here.”
“Yeah, I wanted to try.” the two separated and sat next to each other, “How come you’re here?”
“Mom,” Airwave rolled his eyes.
“...Oh yeah,” Curtain Call frowned, “...Does she think you’re gonna win?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “I don’t really care.”
“...So what stunts are you gonna try do?”
“I don’t know,” Airwave stretched his wings, “What about you? Any magic tricks?”
Curtain Call shook her head, “All mom taught me was sleight of hoof stuff. I snuck in some streamers and things that I could use.”
“We’re not supposed to bring too much stuff. It’s about how well we do.”
“Oh.” the filly paused as she tossed several paper cones to the floor. Two of them exploded, scattering confetti everywhere.
“I thought that would be cool.” she shrugged, “I’m keeping the streamers and the glitter bomb.”
Airwave spat a mouthful of confetti on the floor.
“I guess.”
---
“No one told me we were supposed to reserve seating,” Trixie muttered.
“It’s sort of a given, We’re just lucky that there was seats left.”
“Yes, well…” Trixie trailed off.
“Well what?” Flash ask as he stopped next to his wife, “...Ah.”
Next to their seats was a family of four. Closest to them was a grey earth mare and a light grey earth filly with her rainbow mane tied back. Another head poked out from behind the grey mare: an older grey-blue pegasus filly with a black mane. Finally, the last member of the family, a blue pegasus mare, glanced at Trixie and Flash. After a moment, the pegasus did a double take and frowned.
“Trixie.” the blue pegasus acknowledged her.
“Rainbow Dash.” the showmare icily responded.
“Maybe I should sit here…” Flash glided past his wife and took the seat next to the grey mare and filly, “Mrs. Octavia. Miss Sonata.”
“Hi Mister Sentry!” the grey filly, Sonata, beamed, “Is Curtain Call participating in the competition too?”
“She is. I guess this means Airwave’s in there too, isn’t he?”
“Uh-huh,” Sonata nodded, “Mom was showing him stuff to do, but I don’t think he was really paying attention.”
“Well, I’m sure he’ll do fine,” Flash chuckled.
“I’m certain our daughter will do even better,” Trixie icily responded.
“Yeah?” Dash shot back, “Treble won when she was in the competition.”
“Pfft. Surely there is no competition as great as Curtain Call.”
“You ju…”
“That’s quite enough,” Octavia interrupted, “There’s no need to be unnecessarily antagonistic.”
“...She started it,” Dash muttered.
“That’s no reason to escalate it,” Octavia scolded her wife.
“Yeah, there’s no reason to argue about this, Trix.” Trixie said nothing as she turned away.
“I’m sorry about that,” Flash apologize to Octavia.
“I don’t think you need to apologize,” Octavia glanced at Trixie before motioning towards Rainbow Dash.
“Ah.”
Awkward silence continued as the two argumental mares refused to look at the other. Nearly simultaneous, Octavia and Flash josted their wives.
“Ahem.” Octavia coughed.
“C’mon Trix….” Flash nudged her again.
“....Sorry.” Both mares simultaneously apologized.
“It...It was rude of me,” Trixie continued.
“...Yeah, I shouldn’t have...Y’know.” Dash trailed off.
Any more conversation was cut off as trumpets sounded.
“Oh good, it’s starting,” Octavia shifted in her seat.
---
The two friends sat, watching as other colts and fillies paced and waited for their turns.
“What number did you get?” Airwave asked.
“Twenty seven. What about you?”
“Twenty six.”
The two looked around the room.
“...Could we go at the same time?” Curtain Call asked.
“...Dunno. We could ask.”
“You think we’d get in trouble?”
“My mom went at the same time as Mrs. Rarity during the Best Young Fliers thing.” Airwave pointed out.
“...Huh.”
The two continued to watch as other foals had their numbers called out.
“Wait…” Curtain Call frowned, “Isn’t Mrs. Rarity a unicorn?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And she was in a flying contest?”
“Yep.”
“How?” Curtain Call wiggled her wings, “Don’t you need wi-”
A scream interrupted her. Everypony turned to look at the source of the outcry: a young turquoise colored colt huddled on the floor, surrounded by a growing puddle. An older light turquoise mare sat next to him, stroking his hair and speaking to him in a low voice. After a few more moments, the colt bolted up and latched onto the mare’s leg. With a sigh, the pegasus took off, gliding out of the room.
“....”
The two foals stared at where the incident took place. After a moment, the two held the other’s hoof.
“...Did Treble say anything about that?”
“Nope. Treble didn’t say anything.”
The two continued to hold hooves and wait.