Chapter 4
Chapter Four
The walk to Rainbow Dash’s house was mostly done in silence, with Fluttershy and Derpy leading the way. Everypony was thinking about Rainbow Dash, trying to figure out how to make things right. “Here we are,” Fluttershy said gently as she stopped in front of a cloud house. “This is where Rainbow’s parents live.”
“How elegant!” Rarity smiled as she looked over the pillars of clouds that supported the roof. “Hard to believe our Rainbow Dash came from someplace as refined as this!”
Derpy walked over to the door and knocked. On her back, a dozing Dinky murmured and fidgeted. The door swung open to reveal a blue-grey pegasus stallion with a very familiar mane.
“Oh!” Twilight’s face lit up. “You must be Rainbow Dash’s father!”
The stallion grinned, running a hoof through his rainbow mane. “What gave me away?” he teased. “I’m Cyclone Bolt. You must be her Ponyville friends. I’m glad you were able to make it. Now I’ve got some ponies to cheer with for my little Dashie.” He waved a rainbow colored pennant, his face all smiles.
“Aww,” Fluttershy couldn’t resist cooing. “That’s so nice that you’re going to root for Rainbow Dash too.”
“Fluttershy, that you? Girl, you’ve grown! C’mere…” He enveloped Fluttershy up in a bear hug that forced all the air from her lungs. “Last time I saw you, you were all skin and bones! Glad to see that you’ve grown into yourself a little.” He looked around, spotting Cloud Kicker. “Ah and another one of her flight camp buddies! Skirt Chaser, right?”
Just about everypony snerked at that, Cloud Kicker included. “Cloud Kicker, though Skirt Chaser works too.” She grinned. “I see where Rainbow got her good looks from.”
Cyclone ran a hoof through his rainbow mane. “Heh, you should see her mother.”
“Can we see Dashie's mommy?” Pinkie Pie bounced up, pleading. “And by that I mean your wife! Can we? I bet she's super nice!”
“Yeah!” Dinky nodded. “Can we?”
Cloud Kicker chuckled. “Well, they do say you can judge how beautiful a mare will be in twenty years by looking at her mom...”
Dinky looked up at her. “Why? D'you think she's a MILK?”
“D-DINKY!!!” Derpy went slack-jawed.
Dinky looked around at the flabbergasted adults. “I said sumthin' wrong, huh?”
Only Pinkie had a different look on her face. “Hmm, isn’t a MILK a ‘Mommy I'd Like to Know’? That sounds good to me!”
“Yes!” Derpy exclaimed loudly, mentally promising to bake Pinkie oodles of muffins later. “Very much so.”
“You ponies are a riot!” Cyclone laughed. “I’m afraid Firefly is out at the moment. She likes to do some night flying exercises.” He dipped his head to the assembled ponies. “But where are my manners? Come in, come in!” As they walked in, Cyclone’s face lit up when he spied Derpy and her daughter. “Miss Doo, how wonderful to see you again! Aww, and this must be Dashie’s goddaughter.”
Derpy gave a small smile. “Hello again.”
“Whooooaaa...” Dinky looked up. “You're Rainbow Dash's dad!? That's so COOL!”
“Yes, I am!” He grinned as he scooped the little filly up. “That makes me your grand-goddad—I think.”
Dinky gasped happily as she glomped him tight. “I already love you, but that just makes it extra-special!”
“Aww, you're so sweet.” He nuzzled her. “Dashie told me how special you were.”
“She's rilly special t' me, too, 'cause she's my godmommy an' I love her.” Dinky said softly, nuzzling him back. Derpy smiled warmly.
Rainbow’s father turned to Derpy, ruffling Dinky’s mane. “Hello again, Miss Doo. I haven't seen you since you moved groundside.”
Derpy nodded at her daughter. “My little muffin turned out to be a magical gift. She's old enough to come up now, though.”
“Well, I'm very happy that she is, because she's so cute! Yes she is!” He nuzzled Dinky again, tickling her belly.
“EEEEehehehehehehe!” Dinky squealed and wriggled as Derpy smiled, watching the two play. “Eeeehhh ... now I know why Rainbow likes bein' all tickly.”
He smiled. “That's because she must love hearing you laugh too!” He hugged Dinky tightly. “You are the Cutest. Thing. Ever!”
“Thanks!” Dinky smiled. “'cept I dunno why ponies keep sayin' that, 'cause I don' rilly try.”
“Must be pure talent.” Cyclone suggested. “Like my Dashie and flying.”
“An' bein' superaswesomeradicool, or Mommy settin' stuff on fire!” Dinky chimed in.
Derpy let out a small, embarrassed groan. “Muffin...”
“Has Rainbow Dash always been a good flyer?” Twilight asked Cyclone.
“You better believe it!” His grin was full of paternal pride. “A natural born flyer, that one! I remember the first time she flew—she flew right out the window, so fast she left her hair bow and her diaper behind!”
Applejack snerked. “Streakin' it from the get-go.”
“Honestly, Applejack.” Rarity nudged her before turning back to him. “So sorry to interrupt you, sir.”
“S'quite all right.” He assured her, sitting back on the couch, still holding Dinky. “That's my baby girl … always on the move.”
A small maternal smile crossed Derpy’s face. “I think I know exactly what you mean.”
“I imagine you do.” Cyclone Bolt said to her. “She's my world. I’ve always been so proud of her. The first Sonic Rainboom in history, Princess Celestia's student ... I even hear she helped save the world. Heh, but then, you were all a part of that, weren't you?”
Twilight blushed modestly. “Well, it was a team effort.”
Derpy and CK shuffled slightly, feeling a bit awkward at being a bit out of the group. “Kinda missed out on that myself,” Cloud Kicker said finally.
“It's a'kay,” Dinky assured her gently. “They didn't have rilly cool uniforms or anythin'.”
Cyclone gave Cloud a supportive smile. “It's really great that you all took the time and effort to come up to watch Dashie compete,” he nodded. “I know it means a lot to her.”
Applejack smiled. “Ain’t a cloud in the sky that’d keep us from coming to see her.”
“That's great to hear.” Cyclone looked at her gratefully. “I remember the first time she competed in a contest. Poor girl was so nervous she was shaking like a leaf in a storm.”
A skeptical but bemused look crossed AJ’s face. “Heh, that doesn't sound like the Dash I know. She tries to beat me at everything all the time.” She grinned.
Dinky nodded. “She gets rilly 'xcited about competin' an' stuff, an' she works rilly hard for it too!”
“Really?” Cyclone Bolt leaned forward. “How'd she do?”
“She makes me work up a real good sweat, I can tell ya that much.” Applejack admitted. Then she paused before adding. “Don't actually tell her that, though. I'll never hear the end of it.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I swear her mouth moves faster than her wings, heh.”
Cloud Kicker snerked. “You're so funny when I remove context.”
“Cloud?” Derpy nudged her. “Companyyyyy...”
“That she does.” Cyclone agreed, either not hearing or choosing to ignore CK’s remarks, snuggling with Dinky. “Even as a filly she was always racing and flying around. Especially when somepony told her it was time to take a bath.” He chuckled to himself. “Just saying the word ‘bath’ would cause her to zoom around the room like a hummingbird. One time she tried hiding in a cloud that was drifting outside her room.” A wide smile crossed his face as he recalled the incident. “She didn’t do a bad job hiding, except for one little problem: she forgot to pull in her hindquarters, so her cute little rump was poking out of the cloud.
“Ya got any pictures of that?” Applejack asked, eyes twinkling.
Cyclone nodded. “As a matter of fact…” He got up off the couch and fetched a photo album from a bookshelf, rifling through it until he got to an appropriate page. “Here we go.” He showed them a picture of a cloud hanging in the sky, a familiar rainbow tail and blue rump sticking out of the cloud and wriggling.
AJ took one look at the picture before bursting into laughter. Even Twilight and Fluttershy shared a quick giggle.
“Aaaaw!” Pinkie Pie cooed. “She looks so cute with her cutie wooty patootie booty!”
“Oh my...” Rarity covered the photo with her hoof. “Is that something we should be seeing?”
“Rarity, you're being weird with clothes again.” Applejack sighed.
“Well, of course.” Rarity sheepishly removed her hoof and flashed a sheepish smile at her friends. “Ahahahaha...” She chuckled quietly. “Oh my, I suppose we shouldn't tell her we saw this.” She let out a giggle.
“Did she make cloud noises?” Dinky asked Cyclone.
He smiled. “Yup. She went ‘Beep, beep. Imm a cloud!’”
Fluttershy giggled. “Oh Rainbow.”
“I can make cloud noises!” Pinkie nodded. She started opening and closing her mouth, but nopony heard anything.
Rarity coughed daintily. “Pinkie, dear, you're not making any noise.”
“Yeah I am!” Pinkie smiled. “It's just outside the frequency at which ponies can hear!”
The prim unicorn looked at her sideways. “I can't believe I'm taking your word for that, but you are ... Pinkie.”
Rainbow’s father sat back on the couch and flipped through the album, stopping on a picture here or there. “This is her the day my little Rainbow entered our lives.” He said as he stopped on a picture of a disheveled pink pegasus mare with a blue mane holding a tiny bundle with a blue face and tiny wisps of a rainbow mane sticking out.
Dinky leaned over to get a better look. “Whoa, she was almost as dinky as me!” Everypony awwed, making Cyclone smile. He showed them a few more pictures: one of a one year-old Rainbow Dash in a party hat and diaper, nomming on a piece of cloud, then there was another photo of Rainbow sleeping, idly sucking her hoof.
“Aaaaaw, she looks so precious!” Rarity cooed.
“For the record, sir, showing me pictures of Rainbow being absolutely adorable makes me like her even more.” Cloud Kicker grinned.
Dinky nodded. “Me too!”
“Y'all realise if she finds out we looked at these, she'll go mad or somethin', right?” Applejack asked, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Cyclone waved her off with a hoof. “Oh, I'm sure Rainbow won't mind. Especially when I show off all her awards and medals later.” He grinned. “Of course, if you really think Rainbow will have an issue with this, I could always make it up to her by asking your family for your baby pictures.” Applejack blanched as the others chuckled.
“Any good parent saves all of the adorable pictures for the sole purpose of later use.” Derpy nodded solemnly.
Cloud shrugged. “She'll still probably get some sort of horrible vengeance on us.”
"Probably.” Derpy shrugged as well. “Worth it, though.”
That won a chuckle out of Cyclone. “You’re both right,” he said to Derpy and Cloud as he turned the page.
Dinky burst out into loud laughter when she saw the picture. “BAHAHAHAHAHA! She's gotta diaper on her head!”
“That she does, sweety.” He ruffled Dinky's mane. “She never liked wearing clothes.”
“She still doesn't, by the way.” Rarity sighed despondently. “No matter how hard I try.”
Cyclone shrugged. “Well, she did make an exception for her jammies.” He turned the page to show a young Rainbow Dash curled up in her pajamas in front of a fire, curled up against Firefly.
Pinkie hopped up for a look. “Those jammies look great! Where can I get some my size?”
“Okay, the adorable levels are too high,” Cloud groaned. “Must hug something cute, and Dinky's already taken.” She impulsively hugged a confused-looking Twilight.
Derpy grunted as if kicked in the belly, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of cute. “Oh goodness, Dinky, it might be a good thing you two never met at that age.”
“But we'd've been the bestest friends ever!” Dinky protested.
“My girl was always awesome and adorable in equal measure.” Cyclone smiled as she turned to page to a picture of filly Dash being bathed by her mom.
Dinky cooed. “Awww ... Rainbow rilly loves her mommy.”
“That she does.” Cyclone Bolt turned the page to another picture of him tickling a slightly-younger looking Rainbow Dash for all she’s worth.”
Cloud Kicker grinned. “Rainbow is just adorable as a filly.”
“Couldn't imagine why that looks so familiar,” Derpy drawled, nodding to the photo.
Pinkie also had an attack of the cutes. “Aaaaaw!” She grinned, then paused. “Oh wait, hold on.” She pounded her chest a couple of times. “There we go!”
“Agh ... make it stop. Make the adorable stop, or I can't be held responsible for what I do.” Cloud grimaced comically.
Rainbow’s father grinned and turned the page again, this time revealing a picture of a baby Rainbow Dash with the back of her diaper caught on a hook on the wall, suspending her up in the air.
Little Dinky rolled on her back and kicked her legs as she laughed. “BWA-AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Derpy, unable to help herself, laughed as well.
“... Okay, that's it, Rainbow's getting hugged and snuggled next time I see her.” Cloud announced solemnly. “It's on your head, sir.” Cyclone just laughed. “I mean it. Rainbow's gonna say 'Geeze, what gives, Cloud?' and I'll just say 'ask your dad.'”
Derpy snorted, wiping away a tear. “And then we'll have to flee.”
“Dash'll get over it.” Kicker shrugged.
“Eventually,” Derpy added.
“Until we bring it up again,” AJ said with a snerk.
Cyclone closed the book. “So, that's my adorable little girl.”
“That's it?” Dinky pouted.
“For now.” Cyclone smiled down at her.
“Awww.”
Pinkie picked Dinky up and hugged her. “Don't worry, I'm sure we'll catch more adorable moments of her in the future!”
“And she is very adorable, sir.” Cloud nodded respectfully.
“Very, very adorable,” Derpy agreed.
Applejack tilted her hat. “Thank ya kindly for showing us your personal photos, sir. Must mean a lot to ya.”
“She's my baby girl. She means everything to me.” A proud gleam entered Cyclone’s eye as he answered.
“I know that feeling.” Derpy smiled. “She's very lucky to have you.”
“Thank you, young lady.” He smiled back. “I'd say I was the lucky one though.” He looked over at a photo on the wall, one with a younger Rainbow Dash proudly wearing a medal and being held on both sides by her parents. “She works so hard to make her mom and me proud, but she could pick litter off the street and I'd be proud of her.”
Cloud Kicker nodded, looking subdued. “Parents always support their kids. Even when the kids ... don't pick the best path.” Derpy discreetly made her way over to put a hoof on Cloud’s shoulder.
“Um, how did you and Rainbow's mother meet?” Fluttershy spoke up, hoping to shift the conversation onto a more pleasant track.
“I met Rainbow’s mother at the Best Young Flyers Competition, way back when.” Cyclone stretched. “I think it was before they invented that new fangled thing ... waddyacallit? Oh yeah, fire.” He winked at them, prompting a round of chuckles and giggles. “Firefly won and I was lucky enough to well, bump into her as she was heading out. We started dating, and well, one thing led to another.” He smiled wryly. “Dashie might have my mane, but she definitely has Firefly’s spirit. Heh, Firefly was going to try out for the Wonderbolts herself, but well, things came up.”
Cyclone looked back at the photo album, his gaze lingering on a photograph of Rainbow Dash. “When Firefly found out she was pregnant with Rainbow, well, it kinda put things into perspective, you know? Couldn’t be out risking her neck and risk leaving her husband and filly all alone. And the thought of being on tour and being away from her baby for so long…well, she decided that family came first.”
Dead silence reigned until Twilight worked up the courage to ask what the question on everypony’s mind. “Did you ever tell Rainbow that’s the reason why Firefly didn’t become a Wonderbolt?”
“Hmm?” Cyclone blinked owlishly. “I think it came up once or twice … I probably told her that story the first time I took her to watch the competition. Heh, now that I think about it, I remember her saying ‘sowwy’. Isn’t that a hoot?” He smiled proudly. “She’s such a good filly … when she wants to be.”
Missing the tension entirely, Cyclone got up, yawned, and stretched until several bones popped. “Hnng, well, I have to drag these old bones to bed if I want to get up to watch my Dashie win tomorrow. Guest beds are already made up. G'dnight everypony.” A weak chorus of good-nights and thank yous saw him off. Once he was gone, half the ponies in the room either groaned or facehoofed, or both.
“Now I see where Dash gets it from.” Cloud groaned.
“That was rather ... shocking.” Rarity conceded.
Twilight shook her head. “Does he really think it's not a big issue?”
“He said he tol’ her that story when she was a li’l filly.” Applejack pointed out. “He might not’ve realized how she’d take it.” She paused. “Rainbow’s not the sharpest plow in the field either.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Rainbow’s very smart. Sometimes. When she isn’t too busy. She just doesn’t always pay attention.”
“So now what do we do?” Derpy sighed as she picked up a very tired and yawning Dinky.
Twilight sighed. “I guess we see how Rainbow feels about it.”
“Yeah,” Cloud nodded numbly. “We should talk to Rainbow once she gets back.”
As she flew through Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash felt the turmoil in her gut move upwards into her head. Her talk with Cloud Kicker should’ve had everything resolved. It wasn’t boasting if it was true! Okay, that part about making Nightmare Moon cry might’ve not have totally happened, but she could’ve done it! She would’ve had to dip her hooves in some onions before punching her in the face, but she didn’t have time.
Anyway, what CK said about confidence made sense. The Wonderbolts wanted the best, and how else were they gonna know she was the best if she didn’t stick up her herself? Besides, pre-competition boasting was practically a tradition among athletes. So she hadn’t done anything wrong!
So why did she feel like maybe she had?
Twilight Sparkle was a smart pony. She wouldn’t have said all that stuff if she didn’t think it was true. So that left Rainbow wondering if maybe she had gone too far. She shook her head. Nah. I mean, okay I shouldn’t have let those ponies say all that stuff about Twilight or my friends--that was NOT cool...but I’ve got things under control. Nothing to worry about.
So why was she? It wasn’t like there was a difference between what her Cloudsdale fans were doing from what her friends had done for her after running into the idiot trio. It was all about supporting her and stuff. That’s all.
Rainbow Dash hiked up the hood of her sweater, squinting through the dimming lights of the city. Most ponies were probably getting ready for bed. Dash kept wandering through the streets until she passed by a familiar sight: it was an old gym where Rainbow used to work out after school. She saw the lights and figured it was probably some athletes doing some last minute exercises for tomorrow. Feeling that a good warm up was just what was needed, Dash trotted inside.
There was a hooffull of ponies inside, working on various machines. Rainbow spotted an enormous white stallion with ridiculously tiny wings doing some push-ups, a griffon with purple tinted wings was lifting weights and a pale blue-green mare with a two-toned golden mane doing wing-ups. There were a couple of others, but Rainbow’s attention was drawn away from them and over to the large, muscular-looking minotaur that was shouting at them. “Feel the heat, feel the burn! If you want to win, you’ve got to earn!”
The griffin grumbled. “Ugh, would you knock it off?” She let out a piercing shriek at the catchphrase-spewing minotaur.
“Iron Will does not stand for back talk!” He crossed his beefy looking arms and loomed over her. “If someone gives you lip, show them it’s not hip!”
“Do griffins even have lips?” The teal mare grunted in between wing-ups.
“Whatever!” The snarky griffin stopped exercising. “What’s the point of any of this anyway? With Rainbow Dash in the competition, we all know she’s gonna win.”
“If you want first place, you have to stay in the race!” Iron Will reminded her in rhyme. Rainbow Dash made a note to herself to make sure he and Zecora never met. Ever.
The other mare rolled her eyes. “Oh come off it, Gilda … if you felt that way, why’d you even come to Cloudsdale?”
The griffin flexed her talons against the cloudy floor. “That was before I saw how much money this lame-o town shilled out for that Rainbow Dweeb, Lightning Dork.”
“That’s Lightning Dust,” the pony corrected. “It’s because I fly like lightning, leaving everypony--and griffon--else choking on my dust.”
“Pfff!’ Gilda snorted. “If you believe that, you might as well buy Flim and Flam’s ‘energy drinks.’” She shuddered as she patted her stomach gingerly. “Ugh, the things that crud did to me...” She shook her head. “Anyway ... after all the parades and merchandising and crap, do you really think they’re going to let her lose?”
“What do you mean?” Lightning narrowed her eyes.
Gilda shook her head. “Ugh, lame ponies … do I have to spell it out? There’s no way they’re gonna sink that much money into Rainbow only to let some totally awesome griffin win instead. This Dash character could show up, stand around and fart a rainbow and that’d be enough for them to make her the winner.”
Rainbow Dash felt her jaw drop. No way! That totally wasn’t going to happen! She was going to win because she was gonna feathering earn it by being the best damn flyer in Equestria! There’s no way the judges were just going to let her win because Cloudsdale spent a ton of money on the merchandise and parades and advertising that Rainbow Dash saved the world and came from Cloudsdale and ... Oh.
Lightning Dust seemed to come to a similar conclusion. “No way! They totally wouldn’t do something like that! I mean, the Princess is gonna be right there, watching...”
“Oh yeah, the Princess...” Gilda went the motion of slapping her forehead with her talon. “Yeah, cuz having Rainbow Dash’s teacher there will certainly prevent any favoritism!” Sarcasm practically dripped from her beak. “S’not like Celestia would just give her protege a reward for saving the world and her little sister or anything. What was I thinking?”
Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash wore matching looks of horror. Is that what ponies were thinking of her, Rainbow wondered, aghast.
Iron Will stomped his thunderforged shoes against the cloud. “Gilda, enough of your rap. That stuff you’re spouting is a loud of cra--”
“Cram it, muscle-head, you know it’s true!” Gilda snapped at him.
Lightning Dust shook her head. “No, that’s not how things work. Princess Celestia wouldn’t do that or allow that sort of thing to happen.”
“Yeah right.” Gilda snorted. “Anyway, all that aside, what are you even trying for?” She looked at Lightning Dust. “Face facts. No matter how hard you train, no matter how hard you work, this Rainbow Dash could totally blow us all out of the air without even trying. So tell me, what’s the point?” She looked around, staring at everypony in the gym. “What’s the point of torturing ourselves just so we can get totally humiliated by some hot-shot who doesn’t even have to try to be better than all of us?” Gilda stared hard at Lightning. “You got anything that’s even close to being in the same league as a Sonic feathering Rainboom?” She demanded. “You gonna pull something outta your plot that can out do that? Please, let me know.”
Lightning paused, unable to meet Gilda’s gaze. “I guess there's always next year,” she mumbled in resignation.
Gilda just rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. Unless she competes then, too. And even if she doesn't, you know everyone's still gonna be talking about her. Right now, we’re all obsolete. We’re about as likely to be able to win a flying contest as a freaking donkey!”
Lightning Dust fell back on her rump as it sank in. “...She’s right.” She blinked back tears in her eyes. “Rainbow Dash is … is untouchable.”
Rainbow felt her heart crash down her chest and impact against the floor. This was what other ponies like her, young athletes--her peers--thought of her? They weren’t even going to bother showing up to compete--all on account of all the attention and the praise she had been getting? The attention that she'd ... been reveling in? This was … wrong. This was all wrong! Before anypony could even notice her presence, she was gone.
Rainbow returned to her parents’ house in the wee hours of the morning. The house itself seemed completely dark, and she assumed that everypony had long since gone to bed. She went for her bedroom window and tried to slip in as quietly as possible. Before she could even get halfway through the window, a burst of purple light illuminated the room, and she found herself practically face-to-face with Twilight Sparkle.
“Oh, hey Twilight.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck and awkwardly finished climbing through the window. “Didn’t expect you to still be up.”
“Before I went to bed I set up detection spell that would wake me up once you came within fifty yards of your parent’s home,” Twilight informed her.
“Oh yeah.” Rainbow inwardly cursed the complete unfairness of unicorn magic as she desperately tried to come up with something to say that would put off the impending awkward conversation.. “So, uh, I guess you met my dad and stuff?”
Twilight nodded. “I did. He ... talked to us about some things.”
Rainbow opened her mouth to launch a heated denial about why her cloud bed was always damp as a filly--it wasn’t her fault the cloud beds her dad bought were used from the weather company! But she caught the tone of Twilight’s voice and guessed it wasn’t about that.
Sure enough, Twilight swished her tail from side to side as she looked around. “Dash, how about we sit down for a moment?”
“Okay...” Rainbow sighed as they sat down on the edge of her bed. “So, what did you guys talk about?”
Twilight to a quick look around the room. It was filled from wall to wall with Wonderbolts posters, banners and memorabilia. On shelves and dressers sat a number of trophies, ribbons and medals in display cases. The only other thing of note was a picture on her night table of a younger Rainbow Dash standing proudly between her parents. “About your family, the Best Young Flyers Competition among other things.”
“Oh.” Rainbow hung her head and looked away, not quite sure what to say.
Twilight sat down next to her. “Look, there are a lot things we should discuss. Want me to go get the others?”
Rainbow hesitated, sweating a bit. “Nah, s’not like it’s a big deal or anything. Besides, they’re probably all asleep already, and—”
“No we’re not.” Derpy trotted into the room, a slightly tired but bubbly smile on her face. Cloud Kicker and Fluttershy followed in her wake. “Do you really think any of us were going to get any sleep while one of our friends was out there on her own? It took me hours just to put Dinky down, let alone get any sleep myself.”
“We’re your friends, dumbflank.” Cloud Kicker gave Rainbow a swat on the rump, drawing a yelp of protest from her. “You wouldn’t leave us hanging if we were having problems. What makes you think we would do the same to you?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Rainbow Dash, why don’t you ever let your friends help? Do you not think there’s anything we can do?” She shuffled and pawed at the cloud underneath her hooves. “I know I’m not as strong and brave as you are, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help...”
Rainbow stared at her friends, briefly at a loss for words. “It’s ... it’s really not a big deal, guys. I got it handled, okay?”
Fluttershy just shook her head. “I’m sure you do and we all believe in you, but there are still a few teeny-tiny things I think we should talk to you about. If you don’t mind, that is.” Fluttershy thought that over a moment, then amended. “No, actually, we’re going to talk about this even if you do mind, because it’s that important. I hope you don’t mind though. Please don’t be mad at us, we’re just trying to be good friends.”
Rainbow blinked a few times, then waved her off. “Relax, ‘shy, It’s cool. Even if I don’t wanna talk about all this stuff, you guys are never gonna stop being my friends.”
“Talking to your father did clear a few things up.” Cloud Kicker stepped forward and put a wing over Rainbow’s back. “Trust me, I know it feels like to have a big family legacy you feel obligated to live up to.”
Rainbow just frowned at her. “What are you talking about? My mom and dad aren’t trying to push me into the Guard or anything.”
“It’s not an exact parallel,” Twilight rolled her eyes and gave a slightly annoyed huff. “The point is, we think part of why you’re getting so worked up over the whole Best Young Flyers Competition is because you want to win it for your parents.” In a rare moment of social insight, the unicorn opted to word her next statement as carefully as possible. “I think it’s possible you’re just trying to vicariously live out your parents’ dreams because of a sense of misplaced guilt over the fact that your birth disrupted their career plans. It’s a common psychological phenomenon.”
Well, Twilight tried to be sensitive.
Rainbow stared at her friend in blank incomprehension. “Couldja say that again in Equestrian, instead of Egghead?”
Derpy did her best to translate. “Are you only trying to become a Wonderbolt to make up for the fact that having you messed up your parents’ plans?”
“Oh, that makes more sense.” Rainbow gave a satisfied nod. Then, her face fell as she moved on to actually pondering the issue. For a long time she just stood there silently, with a troubled frown on her face. Cloud Kicker finally leaned over and gave her a reassuring little nuzzle, which seemed to jolt her out of the fugue she’d fallen into, prompting her finally speak in a low, conflicted voice. “S'not fair. Nopony should get to miss out on their chance to live their dream. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out that if it wasn’t for Mom having me, her and Dad would be having a way more awesome life. It’s my fault that—”
“Rainbow,” Derpy cut in. “Take it from me: having a foal changes a lot of things in a pony’s life. I had a lot of things planned, and all of those plans had to change after I had Dinky. Some of them went on hold for a while, some got put off for years, and more than a few … well, I’m probably never going to get to them now.”
Derpy picked up a small picture frame off of a tuft of cloud shaped into a nightstand. It was an old family picture of the Dash family; Rainbow only looked a few years older than Dinky, and had a grin so silly that it looped right back around to being utterly adorable. “The thing is, though, it’s all so far behind me now that it doesn’t matter to me any more. After Dinky was born, the most important thing in my world became the tiny little bundle in my hooves.” She pointed to the love and pride on the older ponies’ faces in the picture. “Change is a part of life, and one of the best changes that can ever come about is a foal. Don’t say it’s your fault that their plans changed, because I have never, ever, ever thought that about Dinky.”
“Maybe,” Dash conceded. “I mean, they never blamed me or anything, were totally awesome. The best parents ever. I just...” she bit her lip. “It sucks that they had to choose, y'know?”
“Life is about choices, Rainbow,” Twilight said gently. “I had to choose between living with my family in Canterlot and moving out to Ponyville to be with my friends and help teach you. While I may regret not being able to see my parents and big brother as much, I still stick by my decision.”
“Just like I stick by my decision to raise my little Dinky,” Derpy chimed in.
“Or me and leaving the Guard,” Cloud added.
“Or how I need to choose between making my own food for all my animals so I know it’s good, or buying it from the store in bulk so I can feed more animals at once.” Fluttershy’s ears drooped down, and her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I know that’s not very good compared to the others, but everypony else was talking about all the important choices they made, and I felt like I had to say something...”
“Anyway,” Twilight pressed on. “What we’re all trying to say is that becoming a Wonderbolt is your choice.”
“You don’t have to do it just because you feel like you need to live up to some sort of family legacy,” Cloud Kicker agreed. “Remember what you told me when I was freaking out about how I wasn’t gonna go into the Guard like everypony else in my clan?” Cloud paused and let out a chuckle. “As I recall, it was something along the lines of ‘Legacy shmegacy, do what you wanna do, Kicker. Besides, didn’t your whole clan get it’s start by ignoring stupid traditions?’” Cloud grinned and gave her friend a nudge. “It was good advice. So ... back atcha.”
Rainbow flicked her wings. “Look, guys, I get what you’re saying, but I’m not just doing the whole Wonderbolts thing ‘cause of what happened with my parents. I wanted to be a 'bolt ever since I figured out my wings were good for more than just tickling Dad whenever I was bored. It’s just that after I found out about my mom ... you know...” she slunk down slightly. “But now things are getting all feathered up.”
“Because of your family?” Twilight asked.
“Huh?” Rainbow frowned at her friend. “Nah, my family’s cool. And awesome. Radical, too. The thing is...” Rainbow hesitated for a moment. “If I enter the competition tomorrow, I'm gonna win. And seeing how I acted even before I—I dunno if I want to. Not if it turns me in some preening featherbag who drives all her friends away.” She roughly rubbed a hoof across her face. “I--I don't want to lose you guys.”
“Word of advice, Dash.” Cloud gave her a friendly squeeze. “If you don’t wanna turn into a total plothead, then don’t. Winning a flying contest won’t turn you into a jerk. Being a jerk will turn you into a jerk.”
Twilight nodded in agreement and impulsively hugged Rainbow on the side opposite of Cloud Kicker. “You can still win and be the pony we love. We want you to win tomorrow. What we don’t want is for you to drive us away because you’re letting your ego get the better of you.”
Rainbow’s ears drooped, and she started studying the clouds at her hooves. “I did kinda go overboard. S’like … it’s like I keep falling into familiar flight patterns, y’know? Whenever I start thinking that maybe I’m not good enough, I feel like I need somepony to boost me up, tell me that I am--you know?” She idly kicked her hooves. “I thought hearing it from a crowd was the same as hearing it from you guys. But when hundreds or thousands of ponies started telling me how awesome I was, it didn’t make me feel better the same way that hearing it from you did. It made me just want more and more. Like when Pinkie goes on an eating spree.” She looked around. “And it ended with me getting so full of myself that I’d rather hang out with ponies I didn’t even know instead of my best friends and…” she covered her face with her hooves. “I’m so feathering pathetic!”
“No, you’re not! Don’t ever say that!” Derpy immediately moved in and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck. Fluttershy moved to join in on the hug, but now every huggable surface on Rainbow Dash was taken. Well, unless she wanted to hug Rainbow’s rump, but she wasn’t Cloud Kicker. That particularly lustful pegasus did spot her friend’s dilemma though, and stepped aside to let Fluttershy get some quality hugging time.
Rainbow hugged her friends back, and wiped away a bit of random cloud moisture that had somehow gotten into her eyes. “Thanks guys, you’re awesome friends.” She took a few moments to just bask in the friendship, until reality came crashing down. “But all that’s not even the worst part of this whole screwed-up thing. While I was out I kinda spent some time hanging out in gyms and stuff. It turns out—it turns out there's practically nopony else even competing tomorrow.”
Cloud Kicker and Derpy exchanged a quick look and nodded in agreement. Both of them had known since the start that they stood no chance of winning against Rainbow Dash—it wasn’t much of a stretch to guess that others might feel the same way.
Twilight, however, was not quite as aware of just how much of a skill gap there was between Rainbow Dash and her fellow pegasi. While she certainly knew that Rainbow Dash was talented, it was hard for a pony who’d never flown to truly grasp just how talented her friend was. Just like a non-unicorn might have trouble grasping the depth of Twilight’s magical abilities. “That can't be true.” The unicorn objected. “The Best Young Flyers Competition draws in ponies from all across Equestria. It's the event for young athletic pegasi.”
“It's supposed to be the event for young athletic pegasi.” Rainbow bitterly corrected her. “But instead of coming, they're staying away in droves. They don't think there's any point. I mean, they're convinced that I'm impossible to beat, so why even bother?” She paused. “I ruined the competition.”
“Horseapples,” Cloud growled. “Derpy and I know better than anypony in Equestria that you’re gonna win, and that didn’t stop us from signing up.” Derpy nodded so emphatically in agreement that she smacked Rainbow in the forehead. The wall-eyed pegasus backed away, a sheepish smile on her face.
“Derpy...” Rainbow grumbled and rubbed her forehead. Once the world stopped spinning, she refocused on the matter at hoof. “Still, this whole situation just stinks!” She gave an angry wave of her hoof in the general direction of the Cloudiseum, barely visible out of the living room window. “What's the point of even having a contest if nopony thinks that they even have a prayer of winning? And what's the point of winning first place if there isn't a competition?”
Fluttershy spoke up. “Well, just because there won’t be very many competitors doesn’t mean you can’t put on a good performance, right? All of Cloudsdale, the Princess, and the Wonderbolts are still going to see what a wonderful flyer you are, even if nopony competes with you.”
“Exactly.” Derpy made sure nopony was in striking distance before she nodded this time. “Even if it was only you in the competition, that doesn’t mean you can’t show that you deserve to win. I don’t mean to sound callous about it, but if everypony else is too intimidated to perform, then that's their problem.”
“You can’t hold yourself responsible for other ponies’ actions,” Twilight stated firmly.
Rainbow thought it over, and then slowly shook her head. “No. I mean, yeah I get what you're saying. If it were me, I'd still fly even if I thought I'd lose.” She let out a weary sigh. “But it's more than just that. Winning the contest, being like my mom ... it's my dream. But to compete now, it's like, like all the challenge is out of it.” She bit her lip as she tried to think of a way to make Twilight and her other friends understand. “Imagine ... I dunno. That there was some Eggheaded Science Fair that you always wanted to enter and win, to show everypony just how good you are.”
She regarded the unicorn intently. “So you practice and work hard and when you get there ... the only ones there are you are one or two kids with a baking soda volcano. It just—it cheapens the victory, y'know?” Rainbow groaned and ran hoof down her face. “When my mom was in the contest, she gave it her all and then some. So when she won, it was her best day ever. But when I'm gonna compete ... it'd be like picking the first place medal off of the street corner. What’s the point of winning a competition if there’s no competition?”
“Is that what you really wanted to do?” Derpy asked.
Rainbow stared at her as if she’d just sprouted a second head and started doing the chicken dance. “Huh? What are you talking about?”
Derpy took a moment to put her thoughts in order, and find a way to explain it to Rainbow. “Is the point of going to the Best Young Flyer competition just to crush all the other ponies so you can prove how much better you are? Why should everypony else go into a contest just to give you a more satisfying victory?”
Rainbow let out a frustrated snort. “Nah, it’s not like that. I’m not trying to prove myself by pushing everypony else down.”
“Then what is it?” Twilight asked.
“It’s about the thrill of it all.” Rainbow’s eyes seemed to light up just talking about it. “The adrenaline, the energy—the chance to really prove yourself—that’s what competitions like this mean.” She let out a pained groaned. “Whenever I went to a Wonderbolts show—hay, when I watched the Best Young Flyers, it inspired me. I saw all the awesome stunts the ponies did, and I wanted to push myself harder so I could to be more like them. That’s part of the reason why I wanna be a Wonderbolt: so that I can have ponies look at me the same way, inspire them the way the Wonderbolts inspired me.”
Rainbow’s entire body wilted down. “But now I’ve turned into something that’s like the complete opposite of a Wonderbolt. When ponies look at me, they feel discouraged. Like there's no point in racing or flying anymore.” She paused. “There was this pony at the gym ... she was working so hard for the contest tomorrow, only to be told to just give up because she didn't even have a chance. Because of me. I’m supposed to inspire ponies so that they’ll do the impossible and reach for their dreams, not make them give up without even trying.”
“You still inspire me,” Derpy informed her. “You did, even back when you were still a filly in Flight Camp. And Dinky thinks the world of you.”
Cloud Kicker trotted up and gave her a nudge. “Hey, you’re still an inspiration to me.”
Rainbow gave her friends a tired smile. “Yeah? Thanks, guys.” She thought it over and let out a breath. “I dunno, maybe I just need to sleep on it. S’been a pretty crazy day. Maybe in the morning I’ll have it all figured out.”
“So .. you’re going to bed?” Cloud Kicker shot her friend a sultry grin. “Want some company? ‘Cause we could—”
The rest of what she was about to say was abruptly cut off by a wing smacking her upside the head. A second later, Cloud Kicker was rubbing the back of her head, and Fluttershy was staring at her wing in shock. “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry, Cloud Kicker! I was just a little upset at you for spoiling the moment, but I didn’t mean to do that! I didn't hurt you, did I? Are you mad at me? Please don’t hate me!”
Cloud put a reassuring hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Relax, Eepy, it’s fine. Besides, I kinda deserved that one.”
Meanwhile, Rainbow was studying her old friend like she was a particularly complex puzzle. “Hmm ... you know, why the hay not? Let’s do it, Kicker.”
Everypony’s jaws hit the floor, including Cloud Kicker’s. “WHAT?”
Rainbow gave a casual shrug. “What can I say, I guess ya finally won me over.” She trotted over and tossed a wing over Cloud Kicker’s back, then pressed up against her side. “So yeah, let’s do this thing.”
Cloud Kicker’s mouth opened and closed as she let out several strangled gasps, a slight blush making it’s way onto her face. “Whu—Dash, I...”
Rainbow broke down giggling at the sight of Cloud Kicker, or all ponies, being reduced to a blushing inarticulate mess by just a little flirting. She pulled away and shot a devilish smirk at her old friend. “Gotcha.”
Fluttershy, Derpy, and Twilight all joined in on the laughter, which only made Cloud Kicker blush even more. The revelry was interrupted a moment later by Pinkie Pie distinctive voice, though instead of her usual perpetual cheerfulness she was whining. “Aww. I thought they were really gonna do it!”
“Pinkie?” Rainbow started looking around for her friend. After a few moments Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack all stuck their heads around the corridor.
“Hiya!” Pinkie cheerfully announced. “We were kinda listening in, but your bedroom is way too small! Seriously, how do you ever host parties in there? We woulda been packed in tighter than kumquats in a pickle barrel!”
Rainbow tried to make sense of that metaphor for a moment, then just gave it up as a lost cause. Trying to make sense of anything Pinkie said would only end in headaches and deteriorating sanity. “So, you guys heard the whole thing?
“Well, we missed the part where you snuck in through the window, ‘cause I was still asleep,” Pinkie helpfully informed her. “I also missed the part where you were thinking that you hoped your Daddy didn’t tell anypony you used to wet the bed when you were a filly. I didn’t get here until a bit after Derpy and everypony were already talking to you, and Applejack and Rarity showed up a little after that.”
“I did not wet the bed!” Rainbow snapped. A second later, another thought occurred to her. “And how would even know what I was thinking, or what happened before you showed up?”
Pinkie just grinned at her and shrugged.
“Best not to ask questions where that one’s concerned,” Applejack opined. “Best just accept she knows thangs, and leave it at that.” The farmpony grinned and leaned in a bit. “So ... didja really wet the bed when you were a filly?”
“No!” Dash grumbled. “I did not! The humidity on my bed-cloud was off, and it got damp sometimes! That’s it!”
“Come now, darling, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Rarity announced breezily. “We all have moments like that from our childhood. Why, I once actually went outside wearing a polka-dot vest with a popped collar, oversized pink leg warmers, and let’s not even talk about what I did with my mane!” Rarity brushed a hoof on her chest “In my defense, it was the fashion of the time, and I did manage to almost make it look good, but still! Can you imagine? I get chills just thinking about it!” Rarity gave a dramatic shiver.
“I’m going to bed!” Rainbow all but shouted, before whirling back to face Cloud Kicker. “Alone!”
Applejack couldn’t resist the opening. “Want me to fetch some plastic bedsheets, just in case ya have a little relapse? Lotta stress, what with the competition and all...”
“Shut up,” Rainbow grumbled, shooing them all out of her bedroom.
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I do love the way these ponies bounce off of each other.
I can sort of relate to what's eating her. Here she is, wanting nothing but the chance to prove herself, to test herself against others only to find that the others are too overawed to compete. Sort of takes the thrill out of it.
Wooohooo, and this just got started.
You didn't metion the wonderbolt poster
Have to admit it, I didn't expect him at all.
The worst thing, the contest could be rigged and Rainbow and Celestia wouldn't know anything about it.
Now I remember why I hate her, Gilda, do us a favor and jump into a volcano.
I can understand Dash predicament, she wants to win, but also she wants to earn that victory, not win because the rest didn't even try it.
LOL, that was EPIC!!
Loved this chapter, funny and heartwarming, and at the same time you managed to show well Rainbow's dilemma.
Noooo! Don't listen to Gilda and give up Lightning! I still believe in you.
Though, I do wonder how Iron Will is in Cloudsdale. Did he get a unicorn to cast the cloud walking spell as well?
I was also unsure if nonponies could even compete in the competition. This being an Equestrian event and all.
2936707
They mencioned a couple of chapters ago some special shoes that allow you to walk on the clouds, the chapter mentions Iron Will wearing them.
And about nonponies competing, they allowed a griffon to compete in a cake competition, so I suppose is a normal ocurrence.
Oh yeah, and nice cameo with Rainbow's adversaries.
Rainbow Dash here reminds me of something I heard about DBZ's Son Goku. She doesn't compete to defeat the other flyers, she competes to defeat herself by overcoming her limitations. I really like how the various perspectives come into play in this fic.
2936352 Something something Cloud Kicker.
You might be good at writing action scenes, Tri, but all the interpersonal dialogue in this chapter shows where your true talent is.
Pure gold here, sir.
Man, this fic updates fast. Seems like every day I check the fav updates and it's this one. Not that that's bad or anything. Pinkie's fourth-wall humor grates on me but that's a personal problem. Overall, pretty great chapter.
This kinda makes me think of a saying a friend of mine told me: "If you can't lose, what's the point in winning? The challenge is what makes life worth living"
That Was AWESOME!!
Oh, I really liked that prank at the end. Her reaction clearly indicates that Cloud has deeper feelings for Rainbow so it is looking like something meaningful could develop there soon, and I am sure it will be amazing when it does. Those two are just too sweet when they let their guards down, so the private little moments between the two will be absolutely adorable.
I loved this chapter. And that Rainbow trolling CK, that was delicious.
Great job.
2936707 To stay up on a cloud, you just gotta be LOUD!!!
...
LIGHTING DUST! WHOOOOOOOO!!
Sorry, I like Lighting Dust
Anyway, I love Dashies dilema, how is there a competition when you are the best, and how can you inspire when you make every pony feel inferior.
Now I'm feeling mildly unoriginal. Fic I'm working on right now has firefly and rainbow-maned stallion as Dash's parents too >_>
2946418
Well, it's not exactly unoriginal when those two are the closest thing we've got to canon-parents for her at the moment. We have the potential DashDad from the Equestria Games episode, and I vaguely recall hearing that Word of Faust says that Firefly is/should be RD's mom.
2946704
True. At least the characterization will be fairly different. Still, it's a "doh!" moment reading this.
....After this chapter, I'm convinced. There should be a Dashverse story where Dash and Cloud get together. The Ship Tease is just too much!
Heck, make it a non-canon if you have to. Just make it happen!
Firefly is nice continuity with the original series, and it parallels Twilight Velvet sharing the palette of Twilight, but if you want continuity with the show, in the flashback is a mare with the eyes of Rainbow Dash. Her name is RainBowShine.
Okay, that's it--favorited now, despite Cloud Kicker's annoying innuendo. Thank you for keeping Rainbow's motivations consistent!
/)
2940376
Pure Iron Will. I really liked Rainbow wanting to win fairly, not just by default and her trollling Cloud Kicker and of course, Fluttershy smacking her upside the head.
There's a lot of double edged moments in these stories... One moment, it's all 'Don't worry, Dash, it'll be fine!' Then it's like 'Heh, she wet the bed as a filly.'
Oh well, I'm still thoroughly enjoying it... Especially Rainbow totally catching CK off guard and messing with her.
Damn, it almost feels like Dash is being punished for being as good as she is. It doesn't feel right or even fair to me that the others are dropping out because of her skills.
5619609
truth in real life my friend