//------------------------------// // Part 1- The Cloak // Story: Dreams // by The_Random_Something //------------------------------// "Now! Mares and stallions, get ready to meet... THE WONDERBOLTS!" The announcer screamed into the microphone and the crowd went wild, rooting and shouting for their favorite ponies. The Wonderbolts appeared and the crowd screamed even louder as they did amazing tricks. Suddenly, a new mare came out of the crowd, her mane the colors of a rainbow. "I'm ready to join the Wonderbolts!" She boomed and the crowd whispered to each other, utterly confused. The pony looked around, a little surprised at the crowd but then shook it off and continued to bask in the spotlight. "I am Rainbow Dash!" The pony screamed and shot into the beautiful blue sky, joining the Wonderbolts in their routine. The members looked at each other then shrugged, allowing Rainbow into their team. The crowd went wild, screaming at the top of their lungs as they did loops and amazing routines. Rainbow Dash beamed at her heroes, she couldn't believe that she was actually performing with them! One member of the team leaned into her as if to tell her a secret... "Now all you have to do is wake up." He said and Rainbow raised an eyebrow, asking with her facial expressions 'What?' "Wake up, Rainbow! WAKE UP!" He screamed. "AH!" Rainbow Dash yelled and bolted upright in her lightning-bolt-pattern bed sheets. A second later she fell to the ground, letting out a oof! of pain. She looked up to see her five best friends looking down at her. "Arragh! What did you guys do that for?! I was having the best dream ever!" She blasted and all the ponies shot backwards as Rainbow Dash bolted into the air, almost hitting Pinkie Pie's face. The party pony looked very surprised but then shrugged it off. Rainbow Dash glared at all her friends who were all frowning at her. "What did I do this time?" She asked, looking very bored. All her friends looked at each other then took a deep breath. "LOOK AT THE TIME!!!" They screamed together and Rainbow Dash's eyes shot to the clock on the wall. She was late for the Wonderbolt's performance!!! Rainbow gasped and quickly shot out the door, hoping to live out her dream for real. All she had to do is keep her dream in her head and the whole thing would work out perfectly. "Now! Mares and stallions, get ready to meet... THE WONDERBOLTS!!!" The crowd went wild... Just like in Rainbow's dream. The Wonderbolts came out from their hiding place, ready to amaze the crowd with their amazing tricks and routines. 'Here's my chance...' Thought Rainbow Dash and she began to stand up in her seat. All of her friends frowned at her and motioned for her to come back down to her seat but the stubborn pony wouldn't listen. It was her time to shine! "Rainbow Dash! Sit back down! Ponies are starting to stare!" Harshly whispered Rarity but Rainbow still wouldn't listen to any of her friends. She took a deep breath then spoke. "I am Rainbow Dash and I'm ready to join the Wonderbolts!" She cried and everypony stared at her... Then burst out laughing. Even the Wonderbolts stopped their routine to point and laugh at the joke that was Rainbow Dash. The mare shrank down in her seat and a tear rolled down her cheek. Even Pinkie Pie was laughing!... Well, she did laugh at everything so... Rainbow Dash shook her head as Twilight tried to comfort her. She didn't want to be comforted! Rainbow stood up again, but this time to run away from the embarrassement that was this performance. She just couldn't take it! The mare blocked out the sounds of laughter and her friends calling after her and just kept running away from the scene. When Rainbow Dash had finally made it home, she collapsed back onto her bed though she didn't cry. On her ceiling were pictures of the Wonderbolts, her 'life-long-heroes' but all they did was laugh at her when she stood up for herself. She started to feel the hot prickle of tears in her eyes but she shook her head and blinked them away, certainly not wanting to cry, she was too tough for that. Just as Rainbow was about to close her eyes for some sleep, there was a knock at the door. She sighed but rolled off her bed to answer it and, of course, it was her friends. "Oh. Hey guys." Rainbow Dash said mopily and all her friends frowned. "Are you okay? You just ran off and we didn't have time to catch up." Explained Twilight and Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Uh... How'd you get up here?" She asked and Pinkie Pie pointed to the huge balloon above them and the basket below them. "Oh. Right... Hot air balloon." Her friends nodded and Rainbow Dash sighed. "Look, guys, I just want some time to rest and be alone. Okay?" She said and closed the door before they could answer. After she thought they were gone, Rainbow collapsed on her bed again but there was yet another knock at the door. The mare groaned but got up to open it. "Guys! I told you I just wanted to be al-" Rainbow started but it wasn't them. Instead it was a cloaked pegasus with hair that looked like fire shooting behind her. Rainbow Dash got an odd feeling that she had seen this mare before but couldn't put her finger on a name or where she had seen the pony. The two just stared at each other for a minute before Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "Uhh.. hi?" She said and the pony left without saying a word. "Yes! I love the weather we're having! Goodbye to you too!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to act like that wasn't awkward at all. She shrugged and started to close the door when she spotted something near her door, drifting on a cloud: It was a golden flower. Rainbow's eyes widened and she quickly bolted over to it and delicately picked it up. She had heard about these but had never actually seen one. The mare looked around to see if anyone had dropped it then took it inside and not-so-carefully shoved it in her mouth and swallowed it. It was the best thing she had ever tasted... Ever. Rainbow Dash yawned and layed down on her bed, finally going to get some sleep. She was suddenly even more tired than she was before. Right as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light. Outside her doorway, the cloaked pegasus was listening and smiling a sly grin.