Colts Don't Cry
Rainbow Dash was an instant hit among the colts and fillies of Cloudsdale Flight School. In the half hour before orientation started, she made more friends than she had ever had at her old school. These friends were mostly new students as well, since new student orientation began an hour before the older students’ classes.
Rainbow found herself the centre of attention for both her vibrant mane and her prodigious flight skills. Even the older students in the crowd were impressed, with several eliciting promises from her to fly with them at lunchtime or after school. Some also engaged her in discussions about her father’s work at the Cloudsdale Weather Institute, seeking out insights beyond what their teachers at the flight school had taught them.
The young pegasus hadn’t even managed to meet all of the ponies who wanted to talk to her before the bell rang for orientation. The new students filed into the school’s administration building, while the older students kept talking and playing in the schoolyard. Dazzle was more than happy to tell her classmates all about Rainbow Dash’s exploits, while Fluttershy was quietly joyous at how happy and confident her old friend had become.
Cloudsdale Flight School was the best institution for young pegasi learning to fly anywhere in Equestria, and so it drew in students from all over Cloudsdale, as well as the children of pegasi living on the ground who wanted their colts and fillies to get the best training. The new students assembled themselves in rows according to their home district or city, and Rainbow caught glimpses of many students from her last year at her old school. She did her best to avoid making eye contact with anypony she knew, but fortunately, nopony could look at the rainbow-maned filly and see the yellow-haired colt they had grown up with.
The colt standing behind her in the line seemed to recognize her, though. “Hey, Rainbow Dash!” he called, trying to get her attention while she was reading the signs around the orientation hall. “That was some great flying you did outside!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and twisted her head around to look at the colt, who had a very slight frame, with a grey coat and light blue hair. “Yeah, thanks, glad you enjoyed the show,” she mumbled, too distracted by the orientation process to pay any real attention to the colt.
The colt squinted at Rainbow’s face, then grinned. “Wait a minute! I know you from somewhere!”
Rainbow’s eyes darted from side to side, and then she leaned in close to the grey colt, butting her head against his. “Now listen to me, boyo. I don’t know where you think you know me from, but the name’s Rainbow Dash. If I hear anypony making up weird stories about other ponies they think I am, somepony’s going to get hurt. Got it?”
The grey colt looked taken aback, and stepped carefully away from Rainbow Dash. “I’m sorry! You just reminded me of a filly I used to see around sometimes. Firefly, I think?”
Rainbow Dash stopped advancing and blinked. “Firefly? How do you know Firefly?”
“Well, I don’t really know her,” the colt admitted, shuffling his hooves. “She was just this really cool filly who came to all of Dazzle’s choir performances. She always had these awesome dresses, and...”
“Alright, alright! Yeah, I’m Firefly,” admitted Rainbow. “I don’t remember you, though...” She peered at the colt, concentrating. “Wait. Aren’t you one of Hoops’s singers? Echo, right?”
Echo nodded eagerly. “Yep! Or, well, I was. No time for the Cloudsdale Colts’ Choir now that we’re at flight school. Besides, I haven’t seen Hoops singing anywhere since his voice broke. He’s gotten really mean since that happened.”
“Meaner than he was?” asked Rainbow in disbelief. “This I gotta see.”
“Oh, he started here last year, so he’s bound to be somewhere. So... do you want to hang out later? We could go watch the races with Dazzle and Fluttershy!”
Rainbow Dash tilted her head to one side. “Depends. Can you fly yet?”
Echo grinned awkwardly. “Not really, but that’s why I’m here, right?”
“Then... no. Sorry, but I’ve got plans. April Showers and Brolly are going to show me the best flying tracks around the school. See you around!”
“Oh, okay,” replied Echo, as Rainbow trotted up to the registration desk. “See you later, then. I really like your mane!”
Rainbow Dash acknowledged Echo’s farewell with a casual flick of her tail, then forgot all about him as she focused on the first real challenge of her life at flight school. She nosed open her saddlebags and drew out the sponsorship letter from her father. Attendance at Cloudsdale Flight School was free as long as each student was sponsored by a Cloudsdale pegasus, typically the pony’s mother or father. Rainbow had pestered Lightning to write her letter ahead of time, ostensibly because of how excited she was to attend, but really so that she would have time to forge her new name into the text. She had practised copying her father’s mouthwriting from a report on rainbow production, and had spent days erasing the name “Sonic” from the sponsorship letter to replace it with “Rainbow”. She had even rehearsed the upcoming conversation, ready to explain why she was taller and broader at the shoulders than other fillies her age. The next few moments would determine whether she could live the dream – a filly training to be the world’s greatest flier, at the world’s greatest flight school.
“Next!” called out the pegasus at the registration desk. “Got your letter and your forms?”
“Right here!” replied Rainbow, smiling brightly as she nosed the paperwork across her desk. “Name’s Rainbow Dash. I’m a filly,” she added nervously.
“Yes, I can see that,” the bored-looking official agreed. She looked briefly over Rainbow Dash’s sponsorship letter, then nodded. “Alright. Pick up your books and equipment from the table on my right. Welcome to Cloudsdale Flight School, Rainbow Dash. Next!”
And just like that, she was in. The dream began today.
Orientation had taken up the rest of the morning. There were textbooks to collect, safety procedures to be taught, and boring speeches to listen to. Rainbow Dash hadn’t been the only filly eager to get out into the school and stretch her wings, either literally or metaphorically. The bell rang for lunch just as the final orientation lecture finished, and the herd of new students ran out into the playground, meeting up with the older students who had just finished morning classes.
Many colts and fillies tried to catch Rainbow Dash’s attention, including Fluttershy, Dazzle and Echo, but she slipped past them with a strut and a wave, and made a beeline for the racetrack where April Showers and Brolly had gathered with a few other older pegasi. April was in her last year of flight school, and was the leader of Falcon Squad, an elite herd of fliers from all years. Rainbow Dash was eager to be her latest recruit, hopping from hoof to hoof in anticipation of demonstrating her skills.
“Rainbow Dash!” the older filly greeted her. “All done with orientation? Great! You ready to show us your best moves?”
Rainbow laughed and performed a short loop in the air. “I was born ready! Wait ‘til you see my fantastic Filly Flash!”
“Sounds awesome!” said Brolly, scanning the buildings on the nearby cloud banks. “We’re just waiting for the second-years to get out of their high altitude navigation class.” As he spoke, a herd of children streamed from one of the buildings, and Brolly waved his front legs in the air to catch their attention. “Dumb-bell! Hoops! Over here!”
“Hoops?” asked Rainbow, her wings flaring in agitation as she looked up at the approaching ponies. Sure enough, her least favourite amber-coated pegasus colt was gliding down from the building and landing in front of them, stirring up a puff of vapour as he touched down. A heavy-set brown colt landed just behind him, and they both flared out their wings as they inclined their heads towards April.
“Yo, April!” called Hoops, waving to her and then turning to look at the rest of the gathered fliers. “Who’s the new filly?”
“Hoops, this is Rainbow Dash, a new first year,” said April, gesturing to the two pegasi. “She pulled off some pretty impressive moves for her age when she showed up, so I figured she’d make a good addition to the team. Rainbow Dash, this is Hoops. He’s...”
“We’ve met,” snarled Rainbow, stamping a hoof and staring Hoops in the eyes. “I can’t believe you’re letting this loser into your herd.”
April seemed taken aback, and shook out her wings nervously. “Now listen, you two, I can see you have some history, but we’re all friends here, right?”
“History?” snorted Hoops. “I’ve never seen this pony before in my life. And for your information,” he said, stepping into Rainbow’s personal space and shoving his muzzle an inch away from hers, “I’m no loser. I’ve never lost a race, to anypony. You think you’re gonna change that, little filly?”
I already have! Rainbow thought, but she decided she could live without Hoops connecting her with “Firefly”. “Darn straight I am!” she shouted back, shoving her forehead against his. “I’ve never lost a race to a colt and I’m not gonna start now!”
Brolly trotted over to April and tried to whisper something to her, but April waved him away. “Alright, look. If the two of you have a score to settle, I’ll set up a race for you. But if you’re going to be in Falcon Squad together, I want this to be the end of it. You both finish the race, admit who’s faster, shake hooves, and it’s over. Got it?”
Both children nodded. “Let’s do this,” they said, still baring their teeth at each other.
A crowd gathered quickly once word spread that Falcon Squad was putting on a race. Brolly seemed to have some pull with the faculty, as the staff of the flight school turned a blind eye to students using the racing track outside of approved hours. April Showers hovered just in front of the starting line, holding a green flag between her front hooves.
“Listen up, everypony!” she shouted. “This race is an honour challenge between Hoops and Rainbow Dash! Racers, no bucking, bumping, or deliberate manipulation of wind or clouds! The first pony to circle the track once is the winner, and that’s the end of it! Everypony else, stay out of the way! Racers, are you ready?”
“I was born ready!” cried Rainbow Dash, pawing at the cloud beneath her hooves.
“Ready!” snorted Hoops. “Ready to put you in your place, Rainbow Dash!”
“Yeah, first place!” Rainbow shot back.
April Showers took the flag between her teeth and brought it down sharply between the two racers, signalling the start of the race. Both Hoops and Rainbow Dash shot past April, spinning her around in their slipstream for a moment before she could right herself with an expert stroke of her wings.
Rainbow Dash took off from the starting line as quickly as she could, hoping to establish an early lead over Hoops and maintain it for the rest of the race. Once her vision cleared from the initial rush of air and vapour, though, she saw that Hoops was a full two body lengths ahead of her, his wings beating ferociously. The wind ruffled up the amber hair of his coat, highlighting the trio of basketballs on his flank.
Hoops has his cutie mark! she thought frantically. And he’s faster than I am! How did this happen? It was simple, unfortunately – Hoops had been at flight school for an entire year already, more than making up for Rainbow’s tuition from her father. He was also a year older, and probably had stronger wings. Still, Rainbow wasn’t about to give up just like that. Her manoeuvrability was what had won her their last race, so it was her best weapon in this one.
With renewed determination, Rainbow powered ahead, beating her wings in a desperate effort to catch up with Hoops. The amber colt kept his pace, though, and refused to let Rainbow close with him. Her chance came when the track took a bend around a structural pillar. Hoops took the curve wide, keeping well clear of the pillar, but Rainbow knew she could do better. She flew in close to the pillar, tucking her right wing in just in time to avoid clipping the hard cloud mass, and gained a body length on Hoops. On the sidelines, Dazzle cheered enthusiastically while Fluttershy merely waved in encouragement. April and Brolly looked uncertain about the whole thing, though, while plenty of ponies were cheering for Hoops, Rainbow or both.
The race continued, Rainbow Dash still trailing a body length behind Hoops, who was picking up his lead on the straight sections of the track and losing it on the curves, just as in their first race. Rainbow could feel her wing muscles burning, having pushed herself to the limit for the entire race. Her eyes were hurting from flying so quickly for so long, too, and she wished she had thought to wear her goggles for this race. Still, nothing was going to stop her from winning, especially not the jerk in front of her.
Rainbow redoubled her efforts as she saw the final curve approaching, and knew that this was her last chance to win. Hoops took the curve wide, as usual, and as Rainbow glided in close to the pillar, she saw that she was now level with him. If she could take this curve tightly enough, victory would be hers!
The young pegasus’s body tilted as she turned, her wings stretched out almost vertically. The world seemed to slow down for her, her attention focused on the precise placement of her wings and the balance of her body. The pillar loomed close in her peripheral vision, and then a sharp pain shot through her croup. The dense cloud material of the pillar slammed into her body, sending her spinning out of control into the other side of the track. The crowd gasped in dismay, ponies lining the edge of the track and craning their necks to see what had happened to Rainbow Dash. She raised her head and groaned, just in time to see Hoops shoot across the finish line without her.
I lost?
Rainbow Dash had never lost a race before. She had sometimes come in second or third in a herd of fifty students at school athletics carnivals, but in smaller races, she had always, always, been the winner. Losing to a pony like Hoops was something she simply couldn’t comprehend. Maybe she wasn’t as fast as she thought she was.
Rainbow watched as several ponies clustered around Hoops, hoisting him up onto their shoulders and cheering. A distressingly smaller group of ponies, led by Dazzle and Fluttershy, made their way carefully down the stairs onto the racetrack towards where Rainbow had landed. Off to one side, April Showers and Brolly were engaged in heated discussion, with April looking sidelong at Rainbow and shaking her head. Rainbow could hear the words “volatile” and “teamwork” from the pair, before they walked away to talk to Hoops.
I hate losing.
The young pegasus felt a lump forming in her throat, and her eyes started to water. No, this isn’t the end of the world, she told herself, gritting her teeth furiously. This is my first day at flight school – most fillies my age can’t fly at all. With my natural talent and Dad’s training, I’ve got a huge edge on everypony else here. I’ll be the champion of this school within months.
And more importantly, this is my new life. I’m not Sonic anymore. I’m Rainbow Dash, and nopony can take that away from me.
Rainbow shook her head and took a deep breath, then looked up to see Hoops’s friend Dumb-Bell flying just overhead. “Rainbow Dash, huh?” the brown colt jeered, looking down at her. “Maybe we should call you...”
No! No, please, laugh at me, beat me up, do anything, just don’t take my beautiful new name away from me...
“Rainbow Crash!”
The young filly buried her face in her fetlocks and sobbed, her chest heaving as hot tears flooded her eyes. She curled up into a ball and shuffled behind the pillar, hoping that everypony would simply leave her alone.
“Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy after a few minutes, edging her head around the pillar. Dazzle stood right beside her, looking concerned, gesturing for the other children with them to stay back.
“I’m fine!” snapped Rainbow, jerking her head away from Fluttershy. “Just leave me alone! I don’t want to talk to anypony right now, okay?”
Fluttershy and Dazzle looked at each other for a moment, then started herding the other children away from Rainbow. “We’ll be behind the cafeteria if you need us, Rainbow,” Dazzle told her. “We’ll give you your space now.”
The remaining colts and fillies followed Dazzle’s direction to vacate the track. Echo lingered for a few moments, dancing from hoof to hoof awkwardly, before giving Rainbow a sad smile and following the others.
Rainbow Dash snuffled into her fetlocks for a few minutes longer, then sighed and laid herself down on the cloud, letting the cool, fluffy vapour soothe her eyes and nose. She heard the sound of a flier landing next to her, and waved a hoof in exasperation. “I said I don’t want to talk to anypony,” she mumbled, her face still pressing into the cloud.
“Do I look like anypony to you?” came the reply, and Rainbow looked up to see what looked like a giant eagle talking to her. She hauled herself up onto her legs and looked the newcomer up and down. She had the head of a large white eagle, with purple highlights around her eyes and fringe, but her body resembled a lion’s. Her front legs ended in an eagle’s talons, while her hind legs stood on clawed paws. When she saw Rainbow looking at her, she spread her dark brown wings, displaying an impressive wingspan.
“Wow,” gasped Rainbow, gazing at what must have been the coolest looking creature she had ever seen. “Who are you? Um... what are you?”
“Name’s Gilda,” said the newcomer, and Rainbow heard the faint hint of an eagle’s cry in her voice. “I’m a griffon. You know, half lion, half eagle? And, in my case, all awesome!”
Gilda extended a taloned hand to Rainbow, and the pony raised a hoof, letting Gilda pull her upright. “All awesome is right!” Rainbow squealed, her despair forgotten for the moment. “I’m Rainbow Dash, but you probably already knew that, huh?”
“Sure did,” the young griffon agreed. “Everypony was talking about you since you pulled that wicked somersault on your way in. Forget Hoops and those other jerks. I can tell you’re the most awesome pony in this lame school. We should hang out. What do you say?”
“All right!” Rainbow stretched out her wings and flapped them experimentally, verifying that she hadn’t hurt herself in her racing accident. “Hey, can you fly yet?” she asked, as she prepared to fly out of the racetrack.
“Enough to get in and out of Mom’s nest back at home, yeah. Chicks who can’t manage that much don’t turn out so well. Mom works in Canterlot now, though – we moved here a few years ago.” Gilda stretched out her own wings and flew, powerfully though unsteadily, out of the racetrack and back to the schoolyard, Rainbow following hot at her paws.
“Great! We can practise together, then! So...” Rainbow looked around, at all of the colts and fillies who were paying attention to anypony but her. “It looks like I don’t exactly have the fan club I thought I had. You should meet my friends, though – they’re pretty cool.”
“As long as they’re cooler than the unicorns in Canterlot, that’s good enough, I guess. You wouldn’t believe some of those ponies. All they do is talk! It’s all politics and finance and stuff. At least in Cloudsdale ponies know how to have fun.”
Rainbow Dash led Gilda around to the back of the cafeteria, where Fluttershy and Dazzle were deep in conversation with Echo. “You should have let me introduce you to Firefly last year, Echo!” said Dazzle as Rainbow approached them. “She was practically part of our choir, even if she didn’t sing herself.”
“I should have,” Echo admitted. “All of the girls in my class talked about her. She sounded really... oh, hi Firefly!” said Echo hastily as Rainbow approached. “Uh, I mean, Rainbow Dash! Are you, um, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” sighed Rainbow, gratefully accepting the hug that Fluttershy offered her. “I just thought things would be better now that we’re at flight school and away from home. It’s all the same, though, isn’t it?”
“Not everything is the same,” said Fluttershy. “Other ponies might be the same as they always were, but we’re different! We can be anypony we want here. Dazzle and Echo and I can learn to fly just like you! And you can... be yourself.”
“You’re right, Fluttershy. This is still going to be pretty cool, even if I don’t get all the fans I wanted. Oh, hey, everypony, this is Gilda. She’s a griffon! Isn’t that awesome? Do you think she could hang out with us?”
Fluttershy looked hesitant and shuffled behind the others, but Dazzle and Echo nodded eagerly. “Of course!” said Dazzle, extending a hoof to Gilda. “Welcome to the herd, Gilda!”
Gilda shrugged and shook Dazzle’s hoof. “Sure, whatever. Beats Canterlot, I guess. I’ve got to have someone vaguely cool to hang out with.”
The school bell rang, and Rainbow Dash trotted off to her first classes with her new herd, ready to deal with whatever her new life had in store for her.
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Welcome back, everypony! Thanks for sticking by me through this rather ridiculously long wait. And welcome to all new readers, too! Thank you all for reading this far.
This chapter is shorter than the others so far, but I felt that if I didn't publish it soon, it wouldn't get published at all. My plan is to cover Rainbow Dash's adventures at flight school with two more short chapters like this one, and then we'll jump forward to the present day. Hopefully the shorter chapters will let me keep to a more regular update schedule.
Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy this latest installment!
Welcome back
Yes!
It is good to see this updated!
New chapter woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Welcome back to the herd, man! I love this story and can't wait to see what else you have planned for Sonic "Rainbow" Dash
Welcome back HopeFox ^^
Nice to see this story is still going
As before, I look forward to more.
Welcome back. The long wait was well worth it. And frankly, long waits are OK. Authors have lives after all and other external constraints that cause delays or simply a story to not be finished (and there is also losing interest which is OK too).
Enough about that. I like your portrayal of Rainbow Dash. Best part is how you are managing to make her slip right into how we know her from the series.
1429299 when rainbow and fluttershy are alone dos flutter shy call him sonic?
Oh geez, update! Will happy upon the completion of this chapter!
YESYEYSYEYSYEYSYESYYES
Oh yay, an update! I completely love this fic <3
Can't tell you just how happy I am that this updated, man!
Honest to god, this is my favorite story on fimfiction.
And nice "Boy's Don't Cry" reference with the title!
Seriously, cannot express my excitement for this. The worth was wait it!
>Dash's Secret updated
o shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-
YAY! This is honestly my favorite Rainbow Dash story, so to get an update? It's like Christmas come early!
...this will end in tears for somepony, I just know it.
Gilda should so thrash Hoops and Dumbell for Dash in the next chapter or something X3
I had thought this had finnished
This is going to be good
Good to see that this has not met an untimely and regrettable end. This story certainly has an interesting and unique premise. I'll be watching.
1429299
Just the fact that you could and did write such a beautiful story is all I could want. Thank you so much for gracing us with this gem of a fic.
Moar?
Please? 
You likely won't be surprised by what I have to say. It's excellently written, as per usual for you, and it's great at furthering the storyline and characterising everypony (and Gryphon), especially Rainbow Dash. Like CyborgPony said, she's slowly but surely forming into the Rainbow Dash we all know. Keep up the incredible work.
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t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRt8NNRywUD5oBjq_Mc6SXq3wdWFNLTFFoib2QIZmGgIEh2gx3QCvAS57AtVQ
Ditto.
I'm glad I finally found this story again. I remember reading it on Fanfiction.net and really liking it.
This is a great story! Very well written and moving......I have to admit......I did cry a bit. Also Hopefox, I love your name! I have a thing for foxes!
1709527 Thank you! I'm glad you like it!
If you like foxes, and you like ponies, you may like...
moragsponies.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/fox-finsihed-right-flash.jpg
This! One of my girlfriends made him for me, and I love him to bits. She wrote up the whole process here.
1570372 Thank you so much! Comments like that really make my day.
1512024 And to you too!
Chapter 4 is underway, everypony. Thank you all so much for your wonderful support. I have to admit that this section of the story feels a little slow to me, since it's mostly generic teenager stuff, but I hope you enjoy it regardless. I am looking forward to catching back up to the present!
1429299 Most a year is way worse than 7 weeks, but update pl0x.
I figured it out! I know why nopony realized Rainbow Dash was a guy!
PONIES HAVE MAGICAL GENITALS!
They disappear when not in use! Brilliant! Although, I suppose it makes dating hard for effeminate guys or masculine girls, and rear ends don't offer quite the perfect view...
Thank you for writing this. I'm writing my own MLP trans fic but it's not anywhere as good as this. There needs to be more quality work like this out there. I'm just happy I got to read it.
You... yes you the author. Come here, no closer. Closer... closer...
How DARE you? How DARE you make me have feels for my least favourite mane 6? =P
Nah, I'm just a kid. But I do have to say, I really feel for Rainbow Dash. My own mother blames my 'situation' on my medicine, which I need to be on to really function in society. Yes, tears were shed, tears of joy and tears of fear. They stung to the core, but the rock they polished shone through.
I really can't wait until more comes. I haven't read the most recent chapter because I need to get going and I don't currently have time to read it. However I most certainly will read it once I get home. Pony on my friend, pony on.
This is SO good. I'm REALLY enjoying it, though it would have been nice to see Rainbow Dash kick Hoops's flank again. Oh well, she's still the most awesome pony in Equestria.
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Also, don't anypony listen to thedarkprep; her fanfic is amazing.
I adored the progression of Rainbow coming to to chose her new name and ending up dying her mane first starting with her dad not wanting her to use rainbows in her clubhouse cause they are "for fillies." Then sort of progressing from there to end up culminating in a really meaningful way in her little reveal at flight camp. I wish this story was in multiple stories rather than chapters so I could favorite each one. Excellent work as all ways ^^
This gives me much yes and less grammars. Bravo.
EDIT: Just to clarify that's just how I speak sometimes, your grammar was fine.