Soarin and his friends stood in front of the intimidating fair. It was crowded and screams of joy could be heard from every area of the park.
Soarin swallowed a nervous stream of saliva. "I can't do this! I've never ridden a roller coaster in my life!"
"Then, you start today," said Cloud Blaze. "You can do this! This is what you came for!"
Soarin nodded. "You're right," he said.
Soarin took a deep breath and forced himself into the fair's entrance. He searched for any traces of Rainbow Dash and her friends, but he seemed to be having no luck. He couldn't find them anywhere. He was starting to think this was a lost cause. But, he then heard some familiar voices playing the knock-over bottle game.
"I really want the giant stuffed butterfly," said a voice, timidly. He recognized it as Fluttershy.
He did a silent cheer in his mind as he turned and found Rainbow Dash and her friends surrounding Fluttershy. Fluttershy was playing to try to win the jumbo stuffed butterfly on the top shelf. She really wanted it.
"Give it your best shot," the host said.
Fluttershy focused on the bottles as best she could. She threw the baseball with all her might. She was dismayed to find one of the bottles only wobbled.
"Oh, so close!" the host exclaimed. "Try again!"
Fluttershy took a deep breath and threw the ball a second time. The bottles once more only shook a little from side to side. Fluttershy sighed, in defeat. Did she get to go again?
"Ooh, game over!" cried the host, clearly having fun. "Better luck next time."
"Wait, just let me play again!" begged Fluttershy.
"You gotta pay to play," the host said.
Fluttershy scrambled through her saddlebag. "I don't have any bits left," she finished, sadly. "Can I just play one more time?"
"Nope, sorry," the host said. "And do you know what that means? It means you don't get the butterfly. Too bad, so sad."
The way the host had said it had been hurtful. Tears stung Fluttershy's eyes, as her friends comforted her.
This had also angered Rainbow Dash. She didn't want to see her friend cry.
She slammed a bit down on the table and slid it to the host. "This one's on me."
She had said it firmly. Her friends smiled a bit. They knew she meant business.
The host grinned and gave the ball to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash took the ball and narrowed her eyes.
She focused as best she could on the bottles. She threw the ball and all the bottles came crashing down at once, thus shocking the host.
"A-a-anything from the t-top shelf," the host stammered.
Rainbow Dash grinned and grabbed the butterfly. Rainbow Dash gave the butterfly to Fluttershy who responded embracing Rainbow Dash very happily.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Oh, thank you so much!"
"Hey, it's what friends do," Rainbow Dash said. "Now, who's up for some Mountain of Doom?!"
Her friends cheered and followed her to the coaster.
All of that had made Soarin like Rainbow Dash even more.
This was his chance. He made his way to Rainbow Dash.
"Soarin? Hey there! I didn't expect to see you at the fair," Rainbow Dash said.
"So, you're riding the coaster?" Soarin asked.
Rainbow Dash nodded. "Totally! Are you?"
Soarin nodded.
"Thing is Rarity and Fluttershy chickened out and Twilight agreed to stay with them. Pinkie Pie already insisted on going with her 'cousin'. So, I have no one to ride with. Wanna go with me?"
Soarin grinned. "I'd love to!" he exclaimed.
They waited in line for what seemed like hours to Soarin. Everypony in the fair seemed to be clamoring for a chance to ride the Mountain of Doom.
Then, finally Soarin took a seat next to Rainbow Dash.
"You ready?" Rainbow Dash asked him.
"Yeah," Soarin said, a smidgen nervously.
"I heard the roller coaster takes off already at a speed of 150 miles per hour and only gets faster as it goes on," Rainbow Dash claimed, eyes shining.
"Say what?" Soarin said.
The roller coaster shot off through the entrance track and Soarin let out a scream. As it began to slowly ascend the coaster, Soarin breathed heavily, his heart pounding from the adrenaline.
"Scared?" Rainbow Dash teased.
Soarin laughed, nervously. "I fear nothing!"
"Soarin, it's just like flying," Rainbow Dash assured him.
"Well, in flying, you control where you go," Soarin said.
Soarin then remembered the plans. "Hey, it's getting pretty high. You might wanna hang onto something."
"Hang onto something, that's funny," Rainbow Dash snickered.
"What do you mean?" Soarin asked.
"You're not supposed to hang onto something. You're supposed to put your hooves in the air!"
"Are you sure we can't fall out?!" Soarin cried.
"Do you think this bar is here for decoration?" Rainbow Dash asked him.
The roller coaster finally paused at the top. When Soarin realized how high he was, he started to hyperventilate.
"Here we go!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
The roller coaster plummeted down. Soarin never stopped screaming the whole way through. Rainbow Dash whooped and laughed endlessly through the entire ride.
After what seemed like an eternity, the roller coaster slowed to a stop.
They got off.
"Did you have fun?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yes," Soarin lied.
Pinkie Pie and Applejack met with Rainbow Dash.
"That was one wild ride!" Applejack exclaimed. "But, way fun!"
"Oh my gosh! That was the funnest fun ride I've ever been on!" Pinkie Pie squealed.
"Come meet us at the food court when you're done talking with Soarin, alright, sugarcube?" Applejack said.
They walked off and Rainbow Dash waved a goodbye.
"So, you like roller coasters?" Rainbow Dash said. "There's a lot more we can go on together!"
"Uh, game nights take a lot of my time," Soarin said, nervously.
"Oh, I understand," Rainbow Dash replied. "But, riding with you was lots of fun!"
"Yeah, it was!" Soarin said, realizing it had been sincere.
"See you later!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
"Bye!" Soarin said.
"Oh, and Soarin?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yes?"
"Next time, try not to hold me so tight."