• Published 4th Dec 2013
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Appledashery - Just Essay



Rainbow Dash lives an exciting life and is swiftly becoming the most daring, awesome pegasus in all of Equestria. She would gladly give it all up, though, just to confess her love to Applejack.

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Thirst Twister

FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOOSH!

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. Her mane whipped wildly behind her like a windsock. Nevertheless, she maintained her revolutions, spinning steadily in a counter-clockwise direction. Holding her breath, she dared to crane her neck upwards.

She saw Stu Leaves and another pony soaring cyclically above her. Then—beyond them—she spotted Sharp Quill and over a dozen other pegasi, each rotating within the conjured tornado at their specified positions.

Holding her breath, Rainbow looked out to her right.

The northern border of the Everfree Forest spun and spun and spun. Between each blinks, Rainbow Dash spotted the rest of the teams seated on the arid plateau, watching them. A few spaces over, Rainbow saw the vaguely gray shape of the Cloudsdalian Weather Commission's table and its elder judges.

"Alright!" she shouted up the translucent funnel. "This is where we seize the moment!" She saluted with her hoof. "Maintain velocity! Just a little while longer! Time to give them a show they'll never regret!"

She was answered by several approving grunts and exhalations. The world continued spinning—blue and gray and green and blue and gray and green and—Rainbow Dash pivoted sideways.

"Alright! Lock wings skyward!"

Following her lead, the rest of the pegasi rotated until they were flying sideways. With their wingfeathers slicing the air, the tornado spun even faster, although it put greater strain on their muscles.

"Hold!" Rainbow snarled.

The cyclone between them spun faster and faster.

"Holddddddddddddddddd!" Rainbow hissed. Her face muzzles rippled from the sheer force.

Up above, a mare quivered—nearly faltering.

"Sharp Quill!" Rainbow shouted.

The stallion flew abreast of the mare, steadying her. The pony caught her breath, then regained balance.

"Good! Awesome!" Rainbow smirked at the twirling world. "Now... bring it in tight..."

The roar of wind grew deafening as the pegasi spun closer together, spinning faster and faster.

"Aaaaaaaaand... twirl!" Rainbow spun completely around, then braced her hooves against the eye of the tornado. "Break off!"

POW! With a thunder clap, the group parted ways, flying in opposite directions. The tornado dissolved immediately, leaving a slowly rotating cloud that swiftly rose towards the heavens before coming back down in a gentle mist of rain.

Once the howling whistle had vanished from the countryside, Rainbow and the rest of her team heard wild cheering and applause. The other teams clapped their hooves against the rocky ground and hollered with pride and joy.

Slowly, the weather fliers drifted back to the former eye of the stone. They all landed in formation, catching their breaths and allowing their aching muscles to rest.

Swooooosh! Rainbow landed at the very tip of the "pyramid." She slid her goggles up and smiled at the rest. She then pivoted to look at the Weather Commission's table.

The representatives from Cloudsdale were busy judging the tornadic performance. However, a few of them were noticeably smirking.

"Way to go, Rainbow Dash," Thunderlane said, trotting over and raising his hoof. "You and your team are gonna get the first sweep for sure."

Rainbow slapped her hoof against his. "Heh... wouldn't be my team if we didn't." She winked. "But hey... so long as we've got an awesome system going, then we're cool to go wherever the judges point us." She smirked back at the group. "How about it, guys?! Are we the best or what?!"

"Yeahhhh!" the pegasi collectively cheered.

"I... I-I'm so sorry, Rainbow Dash," the one mare wheezed. "I nearly broke up back there."

"Hey." Rainbow shrugged. "It's all gravy. You stuck to your position despite the slip-up. And, besides, the team had your back. Isn't that right, Sharpy?"

"Heeheehee..." Sharp Quill smirked, cheeks rosy. "She called me 'Sharpy.'"

"There's still some leftover apple juice at the refreshment stand," Thunderlane said. "We left some for you guys. Come on. Wet your whistle."

"Whew!" Sharp Quill trotted off, following the sweaty, breathless cloud of fliers. "Sure could use it! Who knew breaking wind could be so dehydrating?"

A pair of mares giggled as they shuffled past him.

Sharp Quill blinked, then rolled his eyes before face-hoofing. "Oh goddess dang it..."

"Heheheh..." Rainbow smirked. "He sure caught himself off guard, eh Stu?" She looked over.

Stu Leaves stared at the ground.

"Hey, you've been doing awesome up there, bud," Rainbow said. "Like... for serious. The tornado would completely unravel if it weren't for your strong wings maintaining the cyclone above me." She winked. "So... good work. Glad to have you on the team."

Stu inhaled slowly... then exhaled with just as much passion. He bit his bottom lip.

Rainbow blinked. "Yo. Equestria to Stu. Got leaves stuck in your ears?"

"Hmmm...?" Stu looked up. "Oh! Heheh..." He smiled. "Proud to lend a wing, Rainbow. You're the best leader there is."

"Is..." Rainbow squinted. "...everything cool?"

Stu opened his muzzle.

"Hey! Rainbow! Stu!" Thunderlane hollered from a distance. "Apple juice! Get it while it's wet! Haha!"

"Uhhhhm..." Stu coughed, then shuffled off at a brisk trot. "Holy Tartarus, am I parched."

"Yeah..." Rainbow gazed after him, brow furrowed. "Me too." Eventually, she cracked the joints in her neck and flew towards the refreshment table with a smirk.

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