The Winning Failure

by marley

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Thursday, in Cloudsdale, the contestants worked all day on their routines. It was late afternoon and even Rainbow Dash was getting tired. Most of the ponies had been working on their own but Starshine had been helping Rainbow Dash get the timing right on her routine while Goldmane worked with Firewing. Frost had her group to help her but Windyday spent most of her time flying by herself. She consulted at times with the Wonderbolts but didn't work with any of the other ponies. Firewing and Rainbow Dash were taking a break on a cloud with Goldmane and Starshine when Windyday flew over and landed by them.

“Hi Windy, how's your routine coming?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Good, I think,” replied Windyday. “I had to change a move to get the time down to three minutes but after that it went well. How are you doing?”

“Awesome of course!” laughed Rainbow Dash. “Actually I had trouble with that three minute thing too. I had to increase my speed on takeoff to get to altitude before starting the real moves. That solved the problem.”

“You must have been pretty close to start with then,” said Windyday. “I wanted to do a giant barrel roll to build speed for my first move but it just took too long. I switched to a simple dive to get the speed to start.”

“Why does everypony want to start fast?” asked Firewing. “I just start out slow and as the music builds I gain altitude doing maneuvers along the way. By the time I get up to altitude I'm going pretty fast. That way I don't need to gain as much speed to do the more spectacular stuff and I've got a great ending.”

“Interesting idea,” said Windyday. “I might have to try that sometime. I'm doing a series of loops for my ending. I used it before and the crowd loved it. How about you Rainbow Dash? I'll bet you have a good ending.”

“It will be special all right,” said Rainbow Dash, “but I think I'll let it be a surprise. I can promise you've never seen it before.”

“That's for sure,” said Firewing.

“You've seen it?” asked Windyday.

“Yes, but I'm sworn to secrecy,” said Firewing with a glance at Rainbow Dash.

“Well, I hope you're not thinking I'd steal your move,” said Windyday. She sounded insulted.

“It's not like that Windy,” said Rainbow Dash. “If you promise not to tell ANY pony I can show you. But not tonight. I'm a little tired right now and it isn't something I want to try unless I'm a hundred percent. I'm going to practice it once more tomorrow and that's it.”

“Trust me Windy, no pony in her right mind would want this move,” said Firewing.

Rainbow Dash was sharp with Firewing. “Oh stop it Firewing. You've seen me do it and I told you I'm going through with it tomorrow.”

“And I told you I was going to try to talk you out of it,” replied Firewing. She made it plain that she was just as stubborn as her roommate.

“It's too late now anyway,” said Dash in a milder tone. “I have to do it. I can't change my routine at this point.”

“Sounds dangerous,” said Windyday. “I can wait until the competition. I wouldn't want you to try anything now and take yourself out of the running.”

“It would make your job easier though wouldn't it?” said Goldmane.

“Yes, but I want to beat the best at the top of their game,” said Windyday. “No mind games and no cheating. There's more honor and glory in that. That means you too, Firewing.”

“Thanks, I think,” said Firewing. “I can't quite figure you out Windy. You're a great flier. You're honest, sometimes to the point of being rude.” She laughed. “You're honorable, beautiful and smart. With all that going for you, you don't seem to be having much fun. Don't you just hang out with anypony? Aren't you lonely?”

“I..I never really thought about it,” said Windyday softly. “I try very hard not to let anything break my concentration and to keep my emotions in check. I set a goal and then just do whatever it takes to accomplish it. Other ponies seldom figure into my calculations.”

“What about friends?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I don't really have any,” said Windyday. “The members of my club I suppose, but I'm not close with any of them. All I do is fly and try to become perfect at it.”

“So you don't do anything just for fun?” asked Firewing, there was pain in her voice.

“No,” said Windyday simply, “it, the flying I mean, was fun at first. But now... no, it hasn't been fun in a long time.”

“What about some fun right now?” said Rainbow Dash with a devilish grin. “Firewing and I started doing a little showing off before we land each night and last night Starshine joined us. Why don't you join us? There will probably be quite a crowd tonight.”

“Alright,” said Windyday, “what did you have in mind?”

“Starshine? Goldy?” said Firewing. “Are you in too?”

“Sure!” said Starshine.

“Me too,” said Goldmane.

“Okay that makes five,” said Rainbow Dash. “What can we do? That inline formation worked well last night, but we should do something different. Can any of you do climbing loops?”

“Not the easiest thing but yeah, I can,” said Firewing.

“Sure,” said Windyday.

“Not very well,” said Starshine.

“Me neither,” admitted Goldmane.

“That's okay,” said Rainbow Dash. “We fly in a line. Starshine and Goldy will drop back a few lengths. Windy, Firewing and I will dive down and start doing three climbing loops. When we are into our second loop, Starshine and Goldy will dive down and start to climb straight up beside us. If we do it right we can end together at the top of our last loop. Then the two end ponies will peel off and dive into a loop towards each other while the three middle ponies do a bigger loop around them. Starshine and Goldy then head off to the complex and the other three fall into line behind them after we complete our loop.”

“I think we can do that. Lets practice a few times,” said Firewing.

“I think I get it,” said Windyday. “How do we break from our loop and get in line?”

“Just do whatever you want,” said Rainbow Dash. “They'll love it.”

“Should our loops overlap or should we be two separate rings? You know what I mean?” asked Goldy.

“It would be better to have them over lap,” said Firewing, “just don't fly directly at each other. We don't want a collision.”

“I think the three in the center should do a reverse half loop and end at the top,” said Windyday. “That will give Goldy and Starshine time to clear.”

“Good idea, Windy,” said Rainbow Dash. “Everypony ready? Windy, go ahead and take center position. We'll guide off of you. I'll be on your right wing and Firewing can take your left. Starshine beside me and Goldy next to Firewing. Okay, lets go!”

The five pegasi flew out and practiced the routine a few times. Frost and her group saw them and flew over.

“Did I miss a meeting?” asked Frost. “I thought this was going to be an individual exercise.”

“We've been doing a little show before we land each night,” explained Dash. “Why don't you and your group join us?”

“Tell you what,” said Frost, “we've done formation flying together. We'll come in behind you and do something when you're done.”

“Sounds good Frosty,” said Dash. “Come on, let's give 'em a show!”

* * *
They flew towards Cloudsdale. There was quite a gathering of pegasi who started to cheer before the contestants even did anything. The first five formed their line and performed the maneuver. It wasn't perfect but the crowd liked it. As it ended, Firewing did a twist and went into a spinning loop to fall in behind Starshine. Windyday banked hard and went into an inverted dive, spun upright, and did a side wing display for the crowd and fell in behind Firewing. Rainbow Dash had the farthest to go and used the distance to perform a few twisting barrel rolls. She repeated the somersault move that the crowd had liked from the previous night and dropped in beside Windy.

“See? Now that's having FUN!” yelled Rainbow Dash to Windyday.

Windyday was smiling and Rainbow Dash gave her a gentle bump on the shoulder. Windy was startled but laughed and bumped her back. Dash did a snap spin over top of her. Windy did the same thing to Dash.

“Same move to the left together. Go!” shouted Windy.

They did a synchronized snap spin left.

“Now back! Go!” Windy called again.

“Half barrel, you go high I'll go low!” shouted Rainbow Dash. “Now!”

They did the move and ended up back next to each other except on the opposite side. Windy was now laughing. They climbed up to watch Frost's group perform.

Sunrise Cloud didn't participate at first but hung back to watch her friends. Frost's group looked more coordinated, having flown together for much longer. They performed a series of maneuvers that ended with Sunrise Cloud and Sweet Clover doing a barrel roll while Frost and Razor flew down the center of the roll doing spins. It was an impressive and well done formation move and the crowd loved seeing their hometown competitors perform. At last they headed into the Wonderbolts complex, the crowd still cheering for more.

They landed in the courtyard and headed towards the dining hall laughing and talking. Again the three judges had watched the impromptu show and now looked down on the courtyard at the competitors below.

“I've never seen a group like this,” said Immelmane. “I want them all to stay!”

“Too bad they can't,” said Spitfire. “Have you reached a decision about that other matter?”

“No, not yet,” said Immelmane. “I think it will have to be discussed after the individuals. But I reserve the right to have the final say.”

“That's only fair,” said Soarin.

“I'm going to join the contestants for dinner,” said Spitfire, “anypony coming?”

“I have some things to do,” said Immelmane.

“I've already eaten,” said Soarin. “Looks like girls night out.”

Author's Note:

Okay, so it's the night before the individual competition and four very different ponies are going after a spot on the Wonderbolts. Fair warning, the next couple of chapters get a little heavy.

Comments

[Touch the Sky]

I LOVE THIS!
Hurry up with the next chapter!
But seriously, I really like this story. I can't believe it doesn't have more likes.