The Winning Failure

by marley

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Rainbow Dash awoke slowly. It felt good to wake up naturally and not to the sound of an alarm clock or a knock at the door. She washed and brushed herself as best as she could. 'New habits are apparently hard to break too,' she thought. She had an idea and dropped her brush into her satchel. Rainbow flew down to Carousel Boutique and entered to find Rarity working on a flight suit.

“Good morning, Rainbow Dash,” said the unicorn, “I hope you weren't expecting your new suit already.”

“Morning, Rarity,” replied Rainbow, “no, I just need your help for a minute or two. Could you check my bandage and uh, brush me, please?”

Rarity was surprised but pleased. “Of course, darling, I'd be happy to. What brought this on this sudden concern for your appearance?”

“I guess it was Firewing,” said Dash. “We started brushing each other every morning and I kind of got used to it. It was her idea. She thought looking good might influence the judges.”

“Smart pony,” said Rarity. “She was right. Now that you're a Wonderbolt you do have a certain image to maintain.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” said Dash, with a smile, “here's my brush. I'll try not to make a habit of this but we pegasi can't really brush ourselves very well. Good thing I look so awesome naturally.”

“Ah, yes,” said Rarity. She began brushing Rainbow Dash's mane and smiled. Her friend was definitely back to normal. “Maybe you can join Fluttershy and I at our weekly trip to the spa. We always feel so good afterward. It will help sooth any sore muscles and make you feel so relaxed. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.”

“I might just do that,” said Dash. “The Wonderbolt's have a spa at their compound. Windyday and Spitfire got me to try it out before the party last Saturday. Firewing and I hadn't used it all week but Windyday used it everyday. It was great.”

“Tell me more about the party,” said Rarity, “I'll bet there were some beautiful gowns there.”

“No gowns, just dresses like what I wore,” said Dash. “I'll tell you something else too; no pony was wearing a nicer dress than me.”

“That's nice of you to say so but I could have done better if I'd had a little more time,” said Rarity.

“No,” said Dash, “it isn't just my opinion. A lot of the girls thought it was great. I wouldn't be surprised if you see some of the Cloudsdale ponies flying in any day now.”

“Did Firewing like it?” asked Rarity. “She's from Manehatten and must be used to seeing high fashion.”

“Oh yeah,” said Dash, “she even said that you could sell a dress like that in Manehatten.”

“Oh, that is wonderful,” said Rarity. “this whole Wonderbolt thing might be a big break for me. If you ever need anything from me, Rainbow Dash, just ask.”

“Aw, I know I can always count on you Rarity,” said Dash.

“Your mane is done,” said Rarity. “Now let's take a look at that tail. Come on, we'll put you behind this screen. I don't want anypony to see me giving first aid in my shop.”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Yeah, I guess that's a good idea.”

They went behind a screen and Dash hopped up on the couch. Rarity took a look at the bandage held in place by the woven hair.

“I'm going to need a comb and maybe a pair of scissors,” said Rarity. “I'll try not to cut anymore hairs than I have to but your tail is a little tangled. I'll be right back.”

Rarity left Rainbow Dash and went up to her room. She wasn't gone long but as she returned two ponies entered the shop. Rarity laid the comb and scissors on the the counter and greeted them.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique. I am Rarity. How may I help you today?”

“Good morning,” said one, “my name is Razor and this is Sunrise Cloud. We're from Cloudsdale. A friend of yours was wearing the most amazing flight suit last week and we thought we'd like to see what else you have.”

“I see,” said Rarity, “I'm just getting started in the flight suit business and I don't really have anything to show you right now except for some drawings. I do have one I'm working on for Rainbow Dash. Have a look at this.”

Rainbow Dash came out from behind the screen and walked up behind the pair as Rarity showed them the suit she was working on.

“This is how it will look when it's complete,” said Rarity as she showed them a drawing. “I'll be using this material for the underside and striping. Of course, there will be a lot of sequins and I'll be using this satin for the accents.”

“I think she'll look great in this,” said Razor, “but we'll be looking for something a little more simple. Our flight team has decided to go with new uniforms next season.”

“I don't know,” said Sunrise, “I might get this one for myself.”

“You can't have it,” said Rainbow Dash.

The two Cloudsdale ponies spun around in surprise. Rainbow Dash laughed at their reaction.

“Where did you come from?” asked Razor.

“I was here getting some help from Rarity,” said Dash. “I was behind that screen over there.”

“It's good to see you again Rainbow,” said Sunrise Cloud. “Want to help us pick out our new suits?”

“I kind of have a full day ahead of me,” said Dash. “How about if we get together and have lunch?”

“Sure, that would be great. What are you doing today?” asked Razor.

“Practice this morning, then some sky dancing with Fluttershy after lunch,” said Dash. “After that, I'll write down some more options for my routine and make a copy of my moves for myself. Then dinner and maybe some more practice later.”

“Can we watch you practice?” asked Razor. “Promise not to tell what you're doing.”

Dash laughed at Razor's teasing. “I don't see why not. It's just a rough guess at what Immelmane really wants me to do. It won't be what my real routine is going to look like. I wouldn't mind a little critique. I don't want to get sloppy.”

“Sure, Dash,” said Sunrise, “we'd be happy to.”

“Why don't you two look through the drawings I've made,” said Rarity, “while I attend to Rainbow Dash. This won't take long.”

“Sure,” said Razor, “we've seen some of them already but I'll bet you've done more.”

“Oh yes,” said Rarity, “and I've cleaned up some of the older ones too. Keep in mind that I can modify them to suit your needs. I'll be right back. Come Rainbow Dash, let's get that tail fixed up.”

Razor and Sunrise Cloud looked at each other. Razor shrugged and returned to looking at the drawings. She would find out about this tail business later.

Rainbow Dash returned to the couch behind the screen and Rarity began undoing the hair that held the bandage in place. It wasn't too difficult and she didn't even need to use the scissors.

“It looks almost healed,” said Rarity, “I don't think it will give you any more trouble.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” said Dash, “it does look a lot better. Let's go see your new customers.”

“Rarity,” began Dash, “Razor here is one of the ponies that almost made it to the finals. She's really a great flier. She's the second in command of The Golden Sun Team. Sunrise got hurt on the first day and never got to show us her stuff but she's also part of Golden Sun so I know she must be good.”

“Actually, I'm in charge of the team now,” said Razor. “Golden Sun is an amateur team and now that Frost is a professional, we had to choose a new leader. I got the job.”

“Congratulations!” said Dash, “I'm sure you'll do great.”

“Thanks, now I have to go through another try out,” said Razor, “except this time I'll be one of the judges.”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Have fun with that!”

“So the other thing we did was decide we needed new uniforms,” said Sunrise Cloud. “After seeing yours and those drawings, we just had to check out this place.”

“Listen, I have to go have breakfast and then go see Twilight,” said Dash. “You go ahead and pick out your uniforms and we'll meet up later. If you're done before I come back, just go to the library.”

“Sounds good Dash,” said Razor, “see you later.”

Rainbow Dash left Rarity's shop and went to the market in search of sustenance. She settled for a bag of honey bunches of hay and found a quiet corner of the park to eat it. When she finished she headed to the library to see if Twilight had heard from the Princess.

Rainbow Dash knocked on the door as it was before the library was scheduled to open. Spike answered and greeted her.

“Good morning Rainbow Dash,” said the little dragon, “Twilight is still eating breakfast. Would you like to join her?”

“Thanks Spike, I just ate,” said Dash, “but I wouldn't mind something to drink. Juice, tea, anything will do. That cereal made me thirsty.”

“Sure,” replied Spike, “I have a whole pitcher of juice. Come on.”

“Morning Twilight,” said Dash, “hear back from the Princess yet?”

“Hi, Rainbow,” said Twilight, “yes, I did. You have nothing to worry about as far as her grounding you for safety reasons. She said that the Elements would eventually have to be passed on to others and she would consider your suggestion should the need arise. She also asked that you to be careful because she wants you to be an Element for a long time.”

“Well, that's good,” said Rainbow Dash, “I didn't think she would ground me. What about me performing at Princess Luna's party?”

“I think you'll have to read that one yourself. She sent a reply just for you,” said Twilight.

“Here you are, Rainbow,” said Spike.

Rainbow Dash unrolled the scroll on the table and read it quickly. “Yes! She said she would love to have me perform at Luna's party. Good thing Razor and Sunrise Cloud are here, I can send a message back to Cloudsdale with them.”

“They were two of the contestants that got eliminated, weren't they?” asked Twilight.

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash, “Razor almost made the finals and Sunrise was the one that was injured. Razor took over The Golden Sun Team since Frost is a Wonderbolt now. They're over at Rarity's getting new flight suits for the team.”

“That's great,” said Twilight, “I'll bet Rarity is excited. How many suits do they need?”

“I'm not sure,” admitted Dash, “but I'd say at least a half dozen, maybe a couple more. Say Twilight, I was wondering, do you know any spells to detect downdrafts and stuff like the one that almost took me out?”

“No,” answered Twilight, “but that doesn't mean there isn't one. It will take me a while to look into it.”

“Thanks Twilight,” said Dash, “I figured if any pony knew how to detect them, it would be you. Getting rid of them would be nice but I guess that's pushing it.”

“I'm sorry Rainbow but I just don't know,” said Twilight Sparkle. “It's an intriguing problem though.” Twilight looked deep in thought as she pondered a solution.

“Are we going to get to meet your friends?” asked Spike.

“Sure!” said Dash, “we're going to meet up for lunch. We can get together then.”

“They're not staying long?” asked Twilight.

“I didn't ask but I don't think so,” said Dash. “I think I'll head back to Rarity's. They're going to watch me practice and give me a little critique. After practice, we'll have lunch and then I'm going to practice sky dancing with Fluttershy.”

Spike laughed. “You? Dancing? I don't believe it.”

Rainbow Dash scowled at the dragon. “And why not? I can do all sorts of stunts, what makes you think I can't do a little sky dancing?”

Spike suddenly remembered who he was talking to. “I didn't mean that you couldn't do it,” he stammered, “I just meant I'm surprised that you would do it.”

“Well, I told you the other day I need to have something slower to do between stunts so I can catch my breath. I guess I'm taking a little advice from Windyday too,” said Dash. “Whenever she feels she's weak at something, she works hard to get better at it.”

“She sounds like a smart pony,” said Twilight.

Dash chuckled. “Yeah, she is. I'm sure you'll like her.”

“And you're weak at sky dancing?” asked Spike. “If it's so easy, how come you aren't good at it?”

“I've never done it before, that's why,” answered Dash peevishly. “Even Twilight couldn't read the first time she picked up a book. Anyway, it isn't that easy.”

“Well, actually my mom cast a spell that allowed me to read at a basic level,” said Twilight, “but point taken.”

“Cheater,” muttered Dash. “By the way, Frost and I were the only two contestants selected that don't sky dance. Frost has to learn too. Firewing and Windy are both good at it, especially Firewing.”

“Why don't you bring them here for lunch?” asked Twilight. “We could get something together by around noon.”

“Sure,” said Spike, “maybe I could go get something from Sugarcube Corner too.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Dash. “I'll go back to Rarity's and see if they're ready. Should I invite her too?”

“Sure,” said Twilight, “we may as well invite Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack too.”

“Okay,” said Dash, “I'll take care of Rarity and Fluttershy, you two can ask A.J. and Pinkie.”

“Will do!” said Spike.

Rainbow Dash left the library and headed back to Rarity's shop. Upon nearing the shop she heard the sound of voices. It seemed there was some sort of argument in progress.

“Whoa! Whoa! What's going on here?” asked Rainbow Dash, as she entered. “I could hear you outside.”

Rarity answered. “Your friends were just 'discussing' which suit would be the best for the team.” Rarity looked rather frazzled.

“What's the problem?” asked Dash.

“First of all,” began Razor, “this design shows off our moves better than this one. That diagonal two tone is pretty but the colors are too close and will blur when we do spins. Then there's the color. The blue would be better than the red but Sunrise won't listen.”

“It will not look better,” protested Sunrise, “blue against a blue sky just doesn't show up as well. Besides, more of the team have coats that will clash with the blue. Red is better and the diagonal would work with a dark red and a light red.”

“Light red is pink,” snorted Razor, “and I'm not wearing pink to perform stunts. The guys won't go for it either.”

“Light red is not pink!” said Sunrise, “it's just lighter than dark!”

And so the argument started all over again. Rainbow Dash walked quietly over to Rarity. She kept one eye on Razor and Sunrise in case the two were prepared to fight it out.

“Has this been going on since I left?” asked Dash.

“No, they were quite peaceful until we started to eliminate designs and it boiled down to these two,” answered Rarity.

“So what's the problem?” asked Dash.

“Razor wants the solid dark blue one with the white 'vee' pattern beneath and Sunrise wants the two tone red diagonal design,” said Rarity. “I tried to make some suggestions but I can't get a word in.”

“What about a third color?” suggested Dash. “What's red and blue make?”

“Purple of course,” said Rarity. “What are you playing at, Rainbow Dash?”

“Girls, can I have your attention please!” shouted Dash.

The two team members stopped shouting at each other and glared at Rainbow Dash.

“Let me suggest a few things,” said Dash quickly. She didn't want to give them a moment to stop her or start on each other again. “First, both of these designs are great and you both have good arguments for why you like them. Second, both colors are good and Razor? Light red isn't pink unless it's too light. What about a third color? How about purple? You mix red and blue and you get purple! It's a great compromise. And one last thing, why not take these designs back to Cloudsdale and let your team vote on it? Okay, that's all I got. You can go back to your fighting now.”

The two Cloudsdale ponies looked at Rainbow Dash and then at each other. They looked at Rarity.

“I can do purple,” she said.

“I'll, um, think about it,” said Sunrise, who looked back at Razor.

“I'm not making a very good leader, am I?” said Razor. She hung her head.

“So what would Frost have done?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Pretty much what I just did,” replied Razor. “She'd have made a choice and dared anypony to say she was wrong.”

“You know, Razor, you don't have to be just like Frost to be a good leader,” said Sunrise Cloud.

“Are you saying Frost wasn't a good leader?” said Razor. Her voice was angry again.

“No,” continued Sunrise, “I'm saying that you aren't Frost. You have to find your own way of doing things.”

“Frost was a great leader, a teacher, a friend and the pony who got me into stunt flying,” said Razor. “How can I do better than her?”

“Razor, I knew Frost when we were both fillies,” said Dash. “She taught me a lot and was always there for me. She's a good and loyal friend, but she isn't perfect. No pony is. Well, I'm pretty close but I'm not in this thing. Frost tried really hard to take care of you girls instead of doing her job as a competitor and almost took herself out of the competition. What could she have done if she'd concentrated on just trying to beat us? You're not doing your job as leader if you're busy trying to be somepony else.”

“What's your point Dash?” asked Razor. “Are you saying I can't live up to her standard? I ask myself that question everyday.”

“Exactly,” said Dash, “so instead of being yourself and leading your way, you're spending all your time imitating her. You'll never make a very good Frost but you could be the best Razor.”

Razor thought for a few seconds. “I think I get what you're saying. Sunrise? How about we take these designs home and let the rest of the team vote on them?”

“Sure, Razor,” said Sunrise, with a smile, “that sounds good to me. Sorry for giving you a hard time.”

“I'll try to be better,” said Razor, “just be patient.” Razor looked at Rarity. “Could you please show us these in purple before we leave?”

“Certainly,” said Rarity, “just give me an hour or so and I'll get these all packed up with some fabric samples.”

“That will be great,” said Razor, “we'll see you then.”

“Actually, Twilight asked us all to lunch at the library at noon,” said Dash. “Why don't you just bring your samples and meet us there?”

“That will be wonderful,” said Rarity, “I'll be there.”

The three pegasi left Carousel Boutique and Rainbow Dash led them on the short flight to Fluttershy's cottage.

“So what are you going to show us?” asked Sunrise as they flew.

“Just what I have written up so far,” said Dash. “Like I said; I'm just guessing at what Immelmane wants me to do. He gave me an outline and I sort of filled in the blanks.”

“That's cool,” said Razor, “we get to see a preview.”

“Yeah, just don't tell anypony exactly what I show you,” said Dash. “I'd better not have to make up a new routine because you two blabbed.”

Razor and Sunrise laughed. “Don't worry,” said Sunrise, “we know better than that.”

“Say, how's Frosty doing with her sky dancing?” asked Dash.

“She hates it,” said Razor as she laughed even harder. “It's too slow for her. How about you?”

“I practiced a little yesterday,” said Dash, “and I'm going to work with Fluttershy this afternoon. It's kind of fun. It is slow though. I guess I might appreciate that when I get tired. I tried to put a little bit of it into my routine but I don't think it worked very well.”

“We'll soon see,” said Sunrise. “Why are we going way out here? There's plenty of open space by that nice cloud home. Is that yours?”

“Yeah, that's where I live,” began Rainbow Dash but she stopped short. “It actually belongs to the leader of the Ponyville Weather Team...which I no longer am! Oh my gosh! I...I have to find a place to live!”

Razor and Sunrise both began laughing. “And you just thought of this?” asked Razor. “Are you serious?”

“I just hadn't thought about it,” said Dash. “I always figured if I made the team, I'd move to Cloudsdale and if I didn't make it I'd still be the leader. I didn't count on making the team and not moving.”

“So what are you going to do?” asked Sunrise.

“I guess I'll go see Derpy and find out what the regulations are,” said Dash, “she practically has them memorized. I wonder how much it would cost to build a new house?”

“I don't see why you don't just move back to Cloudsdale,” said Razor. “It would be a lot more convenient for you.”

“I have some friends and obligations here,” replied Dash. “I would have moved to Cloudsdale but I should stay here.”

“Why not rent an apartment in town?” said Razor. “There has to be someplace you can stay.”

“I'm a pegasus,” said Dash, “I live in the clouds.” The tone of her voice left no room for discussion.

“How many bits do you have?” asked Razor. “Cloud houses aren't real expensive, at least not for something simple.”

“I don't have much yet,” said Dash. “I can afford to rent a place but I don't know if I can afford a house. And I still have to buy the land underneath. There's plenty of land around that I can get for next to nothing. Out by Whitetail Wood might be nice. Maybe I can get an advance or something.”

“Worry about it later,” said Razor, “I want to see some great flying.”

“You got it,” said Dash, “here we are. Let me introduce you to Fluttershy and we'll get started.”

Fluttershy was outside and the three pegasi landed by her. “Hey Flutters, these are my friends from the tryouts last week. This is Razor and Sunrise Cloud. You may recognize them from the shows they put on the last couple of days. Girls, this is my good friend Fluttershy. You may recognize her from her spying on me in Cloudsdale.”

“Hi, Fluttershy,” said Razor, “you look different without that black flight suit.”

“Pleased to meet you, Fluttershy,” said Sunrise. “I'm glad you came to Cloudsdale with those drawings. We're here to buy new uniforms for our aerobatics team.”

“Pleased to meet you both,” replied Fluttershy, “for real, I mean. I'm so glad that you liked Rarity's work. Yes, I remember you both from the shows. You were lovely up there.”

“Thank you,” said Razor, “we enjoyed doing them.”

“I hope to see you perform again,” said Fluttershy. “I'll be coming to Cloudsdale more often now that I'm doing work for Rarity.”

“Rainbow Dash is going to show us some moves right now,” said Sunrise Cloud. “Come watch with us.”

“Sure, I'd like that,” said Fluttershy. “Would you like to stay for lunch?”

“We're having lunch at the library,” said Dash, “you're invited too.”

“Oh, alright,” said Fluttershy, “and then we can go sky dancing?”

“Sure,” said Dash, “I have to make a quick stop at the office and see Derpy. After that, I'm free for the day.”

“What office is Derpy in,” asked Fluttershy.

“The Weather Team office,” said Dash, “she's doing the administrative work now.”

“Is that really a good idea?” asked Fluttershy. “She doesn't seem like, um, the pony for an important position.”

“I know,” said Dash, “but she's great at it! Seems like she finally found something she's good at … as long as she keeps one eye closed.”

“Wow! That's great,” said Fluttershy. “How did you find that out?”

“By accident,” laughed Dash, “she was the first in line for a replacement pony and I didn't want her flying so I put her where I thought she couldn't do much damage. Turned out that she knows the regulations inside out and is a great organizer. Who knew?”

“Come on Dash,” said Razor, “get in the air. We can talk over lunch.”

“You're right,” said Dash. “Keep an eye on my moves and let me know if they're not crisp enough. Here we go!”

Dash dropped her satchel and took to the air. After about fifteen minutes of stunts and slower maneuvers, she landed. Panting heavily, she asked how she looked.

“You looked real good,” said Razor, “most of the time. I could tell you were getting a little tired near the end. Some of your stunts didn't look as snappy as they had earlier. I don't know how you kept going at that speed for so long though. Maybe you ought to add in some more slow stuff.”

“How was my time?” asked Dash. “I felt like I was really moving through most of it.”

“About fifteen minutes,” said Sunrise, “and that's take off to landing. I didn't take into account the time it took you to get to altitude.”

“That's a little fast,” said Dash, “I had a good five more minutes of flight time left. I meant to go closer to twenty.”

“You need music,” said Razor, “that would help you keep on time.”

“I know,” said Dash, “I hope Mr. Immelmane has something picked out. I don't have anything that long and I don't have something that rocks and then has slow parts too.”

“Just for practice, we could shout at certain points,” said Sunrise, “like, every minute or every five minutes?”

“That would help,” said Dash. “Fluttershy, do you have a clock with a second hand?”

“I have a kitchen timer,” said Fluttershy, “it counts down from one hour and has minute marks.”

“That would be perfect,” said Razor. “How long do you want to rest between sets of stunts?”

“I was thinking of about a minute,” said Dash, “any longer and I might start to lose the audience. What do you think; one minute of rest after every five minutes of stunts or shorter but more frequent breaks?”

“I'd say shorter and more frequent,” said Razor, “at least until you get good enough at sky dancing to make it worth watching. Even thirty seconds would seem long if you've been watching high speed stunts and then suddenly everything slows down.”

“I can't imagine what kind of music you're going to use,” said Sunrise. “I don't care what kind of music you like, I've never heard anything that would match your routine.”

“Why don't you get that DJ that played for you at the celebration?” asked Fluttershy. “Maybe she could come up with something.”

“I'll try to find out later,” said Dash, “get your timer and we'll just use that for now.”

Fluttershy left to get the timer and Dash continued. “I can see why they only had us do three minutes in the try outs. It's going to take me a week to get a twenty minute routine together and it still won't be finished. It was pretty easy to extend the three minutes to the seven or eight that I did at the celebration but I just threw in a bunch of old tricks to the same song.”

“How was the celebration?” asked Sunrise. “We had a little one with our team for Frost but that was more like a party than anything else. Of course there were some stunts and races, all informal, and a lot of general clowning around.”

“Firewing and I did extended versions of our routines and Firewing and Fluttershy did a little basic sky dance,” said Dash. “The whole town was there and there were speeches and lots of good food. Ponyville is small, so me making it into the Wonderbolts is really a big deal.”

“Sounds like a fun time,” said Sunrise.

“It was,” said Dash, “but I had a big scare during my routine. I almost had a bad crash.”

“Really?” said Razor, “what happened?”

“Downdraft during my landing maneuver,” said Dash, “I pulled it off like I did at the try outs but it was so close that I scraped my tail. I'd moved it up a hundred hooves too because we knew the air was choppy.”

“Is that why you needed Rarity's help this morning?” asked Razor.

“Yeah,” said Dash, “she wove my tail hair over the bandage to hide it. It wasn't a serious wound but I didn't want an infection.”

Fluttershy returned with the timer. “Here you are, Rainbow,” she said, “I set it for twenty minutes. When you say go all I have to do is hit the button.”

“Great,” said Dash, “but I'm going to rest a little first. I was moving pretty fast last time.”

The ponies sat and talked for a while. Razor and Sunrise were most interested in Rainbow Dash's near crash while Rainbow Dash wanted to hear how Fluttershy was doing on her sky dancing. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, wanted to hear more about the doings in Cloudsdale. She particularly wanted to know how Weathervane and Sweet Clover were doing. This strange three way conversation continued for some time until all of the ponies had their curiosity sated. It was getting closer to lunch time and Rainbow Dash still had to practice.

Rainbow Dash stood up and stretched. “I'm going to limber up a little,” said Dash, “then I'll land and get ready to do my routine. When I take off the second time, you start the timer. Give me a shout every minute so I can keep time.”

After limbering up, Rainbow Dash landed and took off once more. Every few minutes she did take a short sky dancing break and set herself up for the next series of stunts. Though the timing came out a bit closer to the twenty minutes as planned, she was still wearing down by the end of the routine. She landed to hear Razor and Sunrise give their critique.

Razor spoke first. “I think I see the problem,” she said. “The sky dancing moves are almost as fast as your stunts. They're easier so you do get a little rest but you need to slow down and really catch your breath. I'm still impressed that you were able to move that fast and still finish the show.”

“Yeah,” said Sunrise, “especially since it was your second one. I could tell you were getting tired. You're moves just weren't as crisp near the end.”

“I know that last sky dance section you did and it only lasted about about fifteen seconds,” said Razor. “Watch me do it and count the seconds.”

Razor took off and gained altitude. She dove slightly to simulate Rainbow Dash's starting speed and started to sky dance. While not as proficient as Firewing, Razor certainly knew what she was doing. She gracefully went through the movements, only flapping her wings at certain points. Razor completed the short dance and returned to her friends.

“I came up with twenty-eight seconds,” said Dash, “that's almost twice what you said I did.”

“Sky dancing is slow and graceful,” said Sunrise, “well, that one is anyway. There are some that are faster.”

“I'm going to start working on it with Fluttershy this afternoon,” said Dash, “I'll definitely have to slow down then.”

“Frost tried working with me a couple times,” said Razor, with laugh, “it was like she was just trying to get through it as fast as possible so she could quit.”

“Sounds like Frost alright,” said Dash, “she used to just blast through everything. I guess some of it rubbed off on me.”

“Fly with me a little when you're rested,” said Sunrise, “and then we'll go to lunch. We can run through the sky dance at a proper pace. Don't be my partner, just mirror me.”

“Alright,” replied Dash, “I can do that. Give me a minute or two and we'll do it. Fluttershy? Do you have your book handy?”

Fluttershy went to a nearby bench for her book. “I was just going through it earlier. I think I have a record that would work for us. Should I set up my record player out here?”

“No, don't bother,” said Dash, “we'll use it this afternoon though.”

Dash got up and stretched. She walked around a little to keep from getting stiff. “I think I can stay with you now, Sunrise. Let's fly through this and we'll head to lunch.”

“Alright,” said Sunrise, “let me see that book and we'll go over it on the ground first.”

“I'll read off the moves,” said Razor, “you two can do a walk through before you head up.”

As Razor read the dance aloud, Rainbow Dash and Sunrise Cloud walked through the movements of the sky dance. It was short and hardly more complicated than the one Firewing had taught Fluttershy. They walked through the moves twice and were satisfied that they could perform the dance without colliding with one another.

They took off together and began the dance, flying parallel to one another with enough space between to do the moves. Though Rainbow Dash had memorized the dance, she kept a close eye on Sunrise to monitor her timing. The dance concluded and the pair landed.

“You did well, Rainbow Dash,” said Sunrise, “a few slips and you got too fast a couple of times but I've seen worse.”

“Better than Frost,” said Razor, “she just can't fly slow. I wonder if it's because of her size.”

“Maybe,” said Sunrise, “but my instructor was a big stallion and he could dance beautifully. It's more a matter of knowing when to use your wings. The beats in the music will help you there but you need a real instructor.”

“It tired me out more than I thought it would,” said Dash, “but I already flew my routine twice. How long did it take?”

“I timed it,” said Fluttershy, “it was a little over five minutes.”

“I was pretty close then,” said Sunrise, with a smile. “Nice to know I haven't lost my touch.”

“Are you going to do it again, or are we going to lunch?” asked Razor.

“Let's go eat,” said Dash, “I'm hungry. I can practice with Fluttershy this afternoon.”

The others were in agreement. Razor and Sunrise Cloud hadn't eaten since they had left Cloudsdale early that morning and it had been quite some time since Fluttershy had her light breakfast. The four pegasi took off and flew gently towards Ponyville.

They passed over the town at low altitude and attracted some attention. It started with the colts and fillies chasing after them. The adult ponies looked up and waved and a few cheered. Razor and Sunrise were confused.

“What is with these ponies?” said Razor. “Haven't they ever seen a pegasus before?”

“Sure they have,” said Dash, laughing, “look behind us.”

Razor and Sunrise looked back and saw several pegasi, mostly youngsters, following them. Razor looked at Dash with a puzzled look on her face. She had no idea what to say.

“Do they always follow you around like this, Rainbow?” asked Sunrise.

“No,” said Dash, “I think they're following you two. I brought Firewing home and they knew she was a Wonderbolt, they probably think you're Wonderbolts too.” Dash started laughing again.

“Would it be rude if I yelled go away?” asked Sunrise, “this is starting to creep me out.”

Razor giggled and abruptly gained altitude. As she climbed, the others glided down to the library and landed. All of them watched, wondering what the impish mare was going to do. They didn't have to wait long.

Razor began performing stunts over the Ponyville rooftops. She put on a short show but what she did next was a surprise to everypony. She dove down to nearly ground level and flew between the buildings, weaving up and down the streets and startling the ponies on the ground. Though she stayed high enough to avoid collisions, the ponies on the ground scattered or ducked their heads. The pegasi who had been following in the sky flew for shelter in trees and rooftops. Razor eventually was satisfied with herself and landed next to her friends at the library.

Fluttershy was not amused by the 'show' but Rainbow Dash and Sunrise Cloud both offered hoof bumps and laughed along with Razor.

“Did you see that guy jump into the fountain?” said Razor, when she got control of her laughter.

“Yeah,” said Rainbow, “and the mayor tried to follow you when you circled the Town Hall. We'd better get inside, come on.”

Still laughing, the pegasi hurried into the library. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were already there and were helping set the table for lunch. Rainbow Dash decided introductions were in order.

“Razor, Sunrise Cloud, these are my friends Applejack and Pinkie Pie,” said Dash, “A.J. and Pinkie Pie meet two members of the Golden Sun Flight Team, Razor, who is now the leader, and Sunrise Cloud. They were two of the contestants in the try outs last week.”

“Pleased to meet you,” said Sunrise.

“Hi,” said Razor, “it's good to meet some more of Rainbow's friends.”

“Howdy,” said Applejack, “y'all are welcome at my place anytime. Any friend of Rainbow Dash is our friend too.”

“That's right!” said Pinkie Pie. “How long are you staying? Let us know when you're coming next time and we'll have a party.”

“We'll be sure to do that,” chuckled Razor, amused by Pinkie's enthusiasm.

Twilight Sparkle and Spike entered carrying trays of food. “Welcome to the Ponyville library,” said Twilight, as she set her tray on the table. “I'm Twilight Sparkle and this is my assistant Spike.”

Both Razor and Sunrise Cloud took a step back as Spike entered the room. They looked at each other and back at Spike.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Razor in wonder.

“Spike? Yes, Spike is a dragon,” said Twilight. She remembered Fluttershy's reaction at seeing a baby dragon for the first time. Were all pegasi like this?

“I'm a dragon all right,” said Spike proudly.

Razor and Sunrise gasped. “It...he talks!” said Sunrise.

“Of course I can talk,” said Spike, “I can read and write too. What's the big deal?”

“We've never met a ...um..civilized dragon before,” said Razor. “You're her assistant?”

“He sure is,” said Twilight. “I don't know what I'd do without him.”

Spike smiled at Twilight, grateful for the praise. “Lunch is served ladies,” he said.

“Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash, “Razor has taken over the leadership of the Golden Sun Flight Team since Frost is now a Wonderbolt. Sunrise Cloud is a member of that team too and both of them were in the competition last week.”

“Sunrise didn't really get to show how good she is,” said Razor, “she was hurt on the first day when that jerk Twister hit her.”

“I probably wouldn't have made the cut anyway,” said Sunrise, “but it was a bad way to go out.”

“Hey, just keep working,” said Rainbow Dash, “you both were invited this time and you know Immelmane and Spitfire would like to see you try out again.”

“Yeah,” said Sunrise, “as long as there isn't another Rainbow Dash, Firewing or Windyday in there with us.”

“There won't be another Rainbow Dash,” said Pinkie Pie, “she's one of a kind.”

“Thank Celestia for that,” said Razor, with a laugh.

There was a knock at the door and Spike answered it. Rarity had arrived. She had a satchel around her neck which had paper and fabric samples peeking out of the top.

“You're just in time Rarity,” said Spike, “we just sat down to eat.”

“That's good,” said Rarity, “I'm famished. What is going on in town though? It looks like a tornado blew through. Ponies are running around all over the place.”

The pegasi all looked at one another with smirks on their faces. Applejack noticed at once and focused on the one she felt was most likely responsible.

“Alright R.D.,” said Applejack, “what did you do now?”

“Huh?” said Rainbow Dash, “I didn't do anything.” She felt good to be in the clear for a change.

“Really?” said Applejack, clearly skeptical. “I know it wasn't Fluttershy so that leaves you two.” She looked at Razor and Sunrise Cloud.

“Hey!” interjected Rainbow Dash, “why does it have to be a pegasus?”

“Because of the way y'all are lookin' at each other,” said Applejack. “If you ain't responsible, I'll bet you know what all went on. Are you sayin' you don't?”

“I'm not saying anything,” said Dash. She suddenly became very interested in the food and began eating.

Spike looked out the window to see what Rarity had been talking about. “There's a small crowd of ponies out there. I don't see anything too bad though.”

“Are they carrying torches and pitchforks?” asked Twilight.

“Nope,” said Spike, missing the sarcasm completely, “they're just talking and milling around. That one guy looks kinda wet though.”

Razor and Sunrise stifled giggles and even Fluttershy smiled nervously. Rainbow Dash began to cough as she accidentally inhaled some bits of food.

“Okay, what happened,” said Twilight.

“Weelll,” said Razor, “I put on a little show and I might have flown a little too low and scared some of them. I didn't hit anypony or anything, honest.”

“That's all?” said Twilight. She was still a little dubious.

Razor nodded. “I was going pretty fast too, I guess. Say, does this place have a back door?”

“Everypony just relax,” said Rainbow Dash, “sit down and have some lunch. There was no real harm done.”

Rarity, at least, decided that Rainbow Dash was right and joined her at the table. The others soon followed but Spike stayed by the window watching the ponies in the town. They talked as they ate.

“I guess I shouldn't have flown like that,” said Razor, “but I was just having a little fun.”

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash, “this isn't Cloudsdale. They kind of expect me to do that kind of stuff but you're a stranger. I think you just surprised them.”

“Give them a little time and I think they'll forget about it,” said Twilight. “If you don't mind, Razor, I was wondering about your name. Razor is kind of unusual. Why did your parents name you that?”

“They didn't,” replied Razor, “it's a nickname. My real name is Rain Zephyr. Kids called me Raz when I was little and some of them extended it to Razor. I liked it so I just started using it myself.”

“Rain Zephyr is a lovely name,” said Rarity, “I goes well with your cutie mark and coat too.”

“Thanks,” said Razor with a smile, “I guess it does.”

“You both have wonderful coats and manes,” said Rarity, “if you ever need any dresses or a personal flight suit you simply must let me make them.”

“I might take you up on that,” said Sunrise, “I really do like that one you're making for Rainbow. I think I'd go for something a little lighter though.”

“A nice pastel orange would look good on you,” said Rarity, “trim it in something brighter and it would be stunning.”

“Hmm, that would be good for a dress too,” said Sunrise thoughtfully.

“Oh, yes!” agreed Rarity, “I could do that. Just let me know, and we can get to work on it.”

“Razor? Sunrise?” interrupted Rainbow Dash, “could you drop by The Wonderbolts Compound and give a message to Mr. Immelmane for me?”

“Sure,” said Razor, “if they'll let us in.”

“I think they will,” said Rainbow Dash, “the guards know you and I don't think they'll stop you from giving a message to Mr. Immelmane, especially from me.”

“So what's the message?” asked Razor.

“Just tell him that I got a reply from Princess Celestia,” said Rainbow Dash, “and she said it's okay for me to perform at Princess Luna's party next month.”

“Wow!” exclaimed Sunrise, “What a great way to open your career.”

“Yeah,” said Dash, “it's just going to be a short routine but it will be my first professional performance. I'm really looking forward to it.”

“I hope you do well,” said Razor, “I'd be really nervous about performing in front of her.”

“Who?” asked Twilight. “Princess Luna?”

“Well, yeah,” replied Razor, “I saw her once and she's kinda scary.”

All the ponies except Sunrise Cloud laughed at this. The Cloudsdale ponies looked at them in wonder.

“Luna's okay,” said Dash.

“She can be scary,” said Pinkie Pie, “but she really is a lot of fun.”

“Luna's alright,” added Applejack, “she just needed a little help fitting in. She's been away for a long time and has some catching up to do.”

“If you say so,” said Razor, “but I wouldn't want to get on her bad side.”

“Of course you wouldn't,” said Twilight, “she's a powerful alicorn. Luna is, well, a little old fashioned and not at all like Celestia. That doesn't mean she's evil or anything like that.”

“But wasn't she Nightmare Moon?” asked Sunrise. “I'd be a little suspicious of anypony that wanted eternal night.”

“She isn't Nightmare Moon anymore,” said Dash, “but maybe Twilight can explain it better.”

“Not really,” said Twilight, “because I don't understand it completely myself. I think Nightmare Moon was a part of Luna that got out of control and took over and consumed the good side of her. When that happened, Luna was trapped inside of Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon was so very powerful that even Celestia couldn't defeat her without using the Elements of Harmony. It's also possible that Luna became weak due to her bitterness and being lonely and that allowed some outside force to combine with Luna herself but I really don't know.”

Razor shuddered. “I'm glad I'm a pegasus,” she said, “at least I don't have to worry about some weird magic going wrong.”

“She got changed back by those Elements of Harmony things,” said Sunrise, “which were the same things that defeated her in the first place. I guess Princess Celestia figured out how to use them after a thousand years.”

“Sort of,” said Rarity. She started to laugh and her friends joined in.

“But the Princess was missing,” said Razor, “so how did she use the Elements?”

“We used them,” said Dash, casually.

“Yeah, right,” said Sunrise.

“We did too!” said Pinkie Pie. “I'm the Element of Laughter, Rarity is Generosity, Fluttershy is Kindness, Applejack is Honesty and Dashie is Loyalty. Oh! and Twilight is Magic.”

Wow,” said Razor, “should we like, bow or something?”

“Sure, if you want to,” said Dash.

“Rainbow!” said Twilight, “knock it off. We're just normal ponies, Sunrise. That's all.”

“Normal ponies that can defeat an evil, super powerful, dark magic alicorn,” said Dash, ignoring a glare from Twilight.

“They have a window of us in the palace and everything,” added Pinkie.

“Is this all true?” asked Sunrise Cloud.

“Field it, A.J.,” said Dash, “you're the Element of Honesty.”

“Yes, it's true,” said Applejack. “We're all friends and, when we're together and have the Elements, we can do most anything.”

“How did this all come about?” asked Razor.

“You might want to hear that story later,” said Spike. “The mayor and some other ponies are headed this way.”

“Uh oh,” said Razor, “so is there a back way out of here?”

“You can take off from the balcony,” suggested Dash. “I'll go out front and stall them while you pack up.”

Razor and Sunrise hurriedly packed their saddle bags and headed upstairs. Rainbow Dash went to the door followed by Fluttershy. She felt that somepony should help Rainbow face the Mayor. Twilight went upstairs with Razor and Sunrise and peeked out the window. The Mayor and her party were walking to the front door and, as they disappeared around the trunk of the huge tree, Twilight signaled Razor and Sunrise to leave.

“Thanks for everything, Twilight,” said Sunrise, “it was nice to meet you and your friends.”

“Sorry I caused all this trouble,” said Razor, “say goodbye to the others for us.”

“It's alright,” said Twilight, “just be careful next time. When you leave here fly to your left and try to keep the tree between you and the town. It isn't far to the woods. If you can make it there without being spotted, you should be able to lose yourselves in the trees.”

“Will do,” said Razor. “Sunrise, I'll go first but stay close behind me so if anypony spots us they might not be able to see me clearly.”

“Okay,” said Sunrise. “If the coast is clear, lets go.”

Twilight opened the door and stepped outside. She craned her neck and leaned over the railing as far as she dared and managed to see the tail and one hoof of a pony near the front of the library. She waved the Cloudsdale ponies to take off. Razor and Sunrise leaped into the air and speedily flew away from the town. There were no cries of alarm and the pair soon disappeared into the trees.

As Twilight aided Sunrise and Razor in their escape, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were talking to the Mayor and some upset ponies.

“Rainbow Dash, I know you think everypony enjoys stunt flying but not in the middle of town,” said the Mayor.

“I wasn't doing any stunt flying in town,” replied Rainbow Dash innocently.

“It wasn't her,” said another pony, “the pony I saw was a bluish gray and had a light blue mane and tail.”

“Sounds like one of those Cloudsdale ponies,” said Dash. “They saw me in that awesome flight suit that Rarity made and were here to see her. Of course they had to come see me too; you know, to get some autographs.”

“So who were they?” asked the Mayor.

“I, um, saw them when I was in Cloudsdale,” said Fluttershy, “they were really impressed by Rarity's designs.”

“I see,” replied the Mayor. “That still doesn't give these Wonderbolt friends of yours license to fly dangerously through town.”

“Oh, they aren't Wonderbolts,” said Dash, “they're just some amateurs.”

“That one was pretty good for an amateur,” muttered a nearby pegasus.

“I saw some of that flying,” admitted Dash, “and she was pretty good. Firewing will be coming back next week and an old friend of mine that made the team will be coming with her.”

The Mayor was not allowing Rainbow Dash to change the subject. “So neither of you know them?”

“Just a couple of fans from Cloudsdale,” said Dash. “You'll probably be seeing a lot more too. Either they'll be here tracking me down or to shop at Rarity's.”

“Rarity said something about them being from some team,” said Fluttershy. “It sounded like it was a big order.”

“You know, Ms. Mayor,” said Dash slyly, “it might be a good idea to kind of overlook this little goof up. We wouldn't want to give the out-of-towners the impression that Ponyville isn't friendly to strangers.”

“Oh! you're right, Rainbow,” added Fluttershy, “and there will be even more after I show the designs in Canterlot, Manehatten and Phillydelphia.”

“That would mean a lot of money coming into town, wouldn't it?” said Dash.

“Yes, it would,” mused the Mayor. “Fluttershy, you said you're going to be showing Rarity's designs in other places?”

“Oh yes,” said Fluttershy, “I'll be traveling all over Equestria for the next few months at least. There were pegasi from all over in Cloudsdale for the tryouts last week. I had good reactions from everypony I showed the designs to.”

“There wasn't any damage, was there?” asked Dash.

“No, not really,” said the Mayor. “I'm going to let this go this time. Maybe we could put up some signs or have a pegasus or two patrol so this doesn't happen again. I'm all for bringing more business into town but we have to keep the townsponies safe... and the market open.”

The Mayor gave Rainbow Dash a suspicious look and walked away. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash re-entered the library and were greeted by their friends.

“Nice job you two,” said Applejack, “that was some fast talkin' y'all did.”

“Thanks,” said Dash, “telling the Mayor that there was money involved for the townsponies is a great way to get the Mayor on your side."

“Did Razor and Sunrise get away?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yes,” said Twilight, as she came down the steps, “they flew off while you were talking to the Mayor. You certainly made a variety of friends last week, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah,” said Pinkie Pie, “Firewing was really nice and Sunrise Cloud seemed nice too but I don't know about Razor.”

“Yes!” exclaimed Rarity, “she was the one that started the argument in my shop. She did settle down and acted better before she left but she isn't the same type of pony as Firewing.”

“She's a little more...rough, isn't she, Dash?” asked Twilight.

Rainbow Dash laughed. “I guess that's one way to put it. She's pretty wild, I'll say that much. If you think Razor is rough, wait until you meet Frost.”

Fluttershy giggled. “Wild is a good word for Razor. I think she's alright though. I talked to her a little at the cafe the night before the individual competition and she seems the type of mare that just wants to have fun.”

“She's okay,” said Dash, “I didn't get to know her as well as some of the others but she's alright. Frost wouldn't let any uncool pony on her team.”

“Don't you think she's kind of reckless?” said Twilight. “She could have hurt somepony by racing through town like that.”

“Nah,” said Dash, “she's a good flier. Ponies in Cloudsdale are used to seeing worse than that. It's still illegal though.”

“Don't you care about that?” asked Twilight.

“No,” said Dash, after thinking about it for a second.

“No!?” said Twilight angrily, “you mean you think it's alright to break the rules whenever you want?”

“Of course not,” said Dash, “just sometimes. Razor didn't hurt anypony or damage anything so it's no big deal. I've broken lots of rules and sometimes got in trouble for it but I can't say I wouldn't do it again. On the other hoof, I wouldn't just go around causing damage or hurting ponies on purpose. Some rules are more important than others.”

“You can't just pick and choose like that,” said Twilight. “You should obey all the rules all the time.”

“You just helped a pony who broke the law escape,” Dash pointed out, “that makes you an accessory to a crime.” The blue pegasus smiled.

Applejack laughed. “She's got ya there Twi.”

Twilight opened her mouth but closed it again without saying anything. Her friends laughed and caused Twilight to join in too.

“Alright,” said Twilight, “I get your point. I know you're a good pony Rainbow, at least most of the time. You have to admit that we do need rules though, don't you?”

“I guess we need some rules,” said Rainbow Dash, “even if they are annoying. I'm in some trouble right now because of a rule and I didn't even do anything.”

“What do you mean, Rainbow,” asked Rarity. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“I don't think so,” said Rainbow Dash, “I need to find out some things first. The problem is I might have to move after all. I can still stay here in Ponyville but I might be losing my home.”

“That's awful!” exclaimed Rarity. “Why would you lose your home?”

“It's not really my home,” explained Dash. “I never bought it. It's owned by the town, I think, and is part of the Weather Team Leader's pay. I'm not the leader anymore.” She sounded sad about that.

“So they can just throw you out?” asked Pinkie Pie. “Don't worry Dashie, we'll help you find a new home.” Pinkie Pie didn't say that she was afraid that Rainbow Dash would move back to Cloudsdale.

“Of course we will,” said Rarity, “I have a spare room you can use until you find a new place.”

“So do I,” said Fluttershy, “if you don't mind my critters.”

“I'm sure we could make some space out at the farm,” said Applejack. “At least we could store your stuff in the barn.”

“Thanks girls,” said Dash, “I know I can count on you, and I don't think they're just going to throw me out on the street with no notice. I should have a little time to prepare and I have some money but I'd really like to stay in my home if I can. Maybe I can buy it but if I can't I'd like to build another home.”

“Sure,” said Applejack, “I'll get a few of my relations to come over and raise you up a new house lickity split.”

Rainbow Dash looked at her friend and couldn't help but giggle. “I mean a cloud home AJ. Thanks for the offer but I want to live in the sky.”

“I can't help you there,” admitted Applejack with a laugh. “Do you think you can afford it?”

“I don't know,” said Dash. “Maybe if I keep it simple and cut corners.”

Twilight looked particularly thoughtful. “I'll think about this and do a little research. Let me know when you have to move out, if you have to move out I mean.”

“Sure, Twilight,” said Dash, “I should go see Derpy now, I guess.”

Author's Note:

It's been a while but I finally got another chapter ready. Apologies but a mix of real life and multiple stories going at once sort of slowed me down. A couple more are almost done, final edit stage. So Dash is now a Wonderbolt and some new things are going to happen as she adjusts to life as a celebrity. I did update the original final chapters to go along with show canon. Just a side note, what do you think of the sky dancing idea? I figured that pegasi would do other things than race and stunt flying and it seemed like a natural recreation for them. It also seemed like a good thing for a more demure pony like Fluttershy to do.

Comments

[Fluttermac36]

Did you ever watch the "Sky dancers" show that was on in 2005 (or earlier) that show and the old TNMNT was my life.