Dreams or Loyalty?

by TheLoyalBrony

Part 1: The Rivalry - Chapter 1: Dawn of the Rivalry

Dreams or Loyalty?

Written by: TheLoyalBrony
Edited by: ExtraExtrapie
Proofread by: MrMinimii

Part 1: The Rivalry

Chapter 1: Dawn of the Rivalry

It was late afternoon with Spring at its fullest. Celestia’s balmy sun was shining over the land of Equestria, the wind gently brushing the leaves of the trees, causing them to whisper in the air. The birds were singing on the branches, and animals hopped and scurried along the grass, enjoying nature’s aliment. Fluffy white clouds drifted along the bright blue sky, one of them having a dot of cyan with a prismatic color around it.

The pegasus, known as Rainbow Dash, was nestled in the soft, spongy whiteness of the clouds. Awaking, her bleary vision became clear again as peered over her cloud, gazing upon the scenery below. Rainbow Dash took in the rolling hills that stretched on endlessly into the horizon and the mountains that formed a barrier around the small town of Ponyville, which was bustling with its daily activity. She flipped onto her back, taking note of how much Celestia`s sun had drifted across the sky since she had fallen asleep. Scratching the back of her head, she murmured, "Guess I overslept a bit, again."

Rainbow Dash scanned around some more and noticed that more clouds had rolled their way into Ponyville. There weren’t supposed to be clouds today, so the task of clearing them out fell upon her. "Looks like I’ve got some work to do. It doesn't look too bad, though," she sighed, stretching out her body and cracking her back and limbs. Dash prepared for takeoff, and, with sprightly agility and blistering speeds, she cleared the skies.

Landing back down on her cloud and looking at the end results of her hard work, she chuckled, saying, "Sometimes, handling the weather here is just too easy."

Dash then sat back down on the cloud she had been napping on- it still retained the shape of her sleeping figure. Dash began to reminisce the days she spent with her friends. Whether it was a day of hanging out, going on some big adventure, or learning a lesson about friendship, she couldn't help but smile at those wonderful memories.

As Rainbow Dash ran her mind through those days, she realized that it had been almost a year since she had won the Best Young Fliers Competition, after which she had gotten the chance to spend the day with her idols, The Wonderbolts. However, that day didn’t go exactly as she planned it to. Dash wanted to show off a bit with some of her flying tricks, and botched even her most basic ones. Even though she saved their lives during the competition and overcame her fears of embarrassing herself in front of the crowd in the Cloudisium, she had still failed to conquer her worries of making a fool of herself in front of The Wonderbolts. This troubling thought brought her to the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, where she had the chance to meet them again, and was even offered to hang out. Yet, she was ignored by them as they mingled with the upper class ponies of Canterlot. Determined as ever to make an effort to get their attention in any way possible, Dash attempted to prevent the statue of Princess Celestia from toppling over. Unfortunately, she failed once again, right in front of her idols.

After playback of the countless moments she had spent with her friends up until this point, Dash thought of something that bothered her- the Grand Galloping Gala had been the last time she had ever gotten the chance to speak with the Wonderbolts. After realizing how long it had been since that day, Rainbow Dash began to wonder if that little accident caused them to think poorly of her, or if they still remembered her at all. Dash started thinking that she may never even get a chance to join the team again when all of a sudden, Ponyville's party throwing extraordinaire, Pinkie Pie, appeared up on the roof of a building directly behind the cloud Dash was sitting on.

"HEY RAINBOW DASH!"

Startled, Dash let out a quick yelp, springing up towards the sky. Once she regained her senses, Dash became aware of who alarmed her. When she spotted the source of her distress, every section of Dash's body went limp, and her head lowered as she sighed. "Pinkie Pie, are you trying to scare me to death? More importantly, why are you shouting when you are right behind me?" Dash inquired.

"Sorry, Dashie! You looked like you were doing some serious thinking just now, and I thought you wouldn't have noticed me if I wasn’t loud!"

"Still, could you at least try not yelling, especially if I don't even know you’re right behind me?"

Innocently looking up at Dash, Pinkie replied, "Okay, Dashie. I won’t next time."

Shaking her head, Dash knew she couldn't stay upset at her best friend. "Ahh, well, it's alright. Anyways, I’m glad you snapped me out of it just now." Dash replied in a kind tone while waving a hoof forward.

"Okay! Well, I have something to tell you!" Pinkie announced, hopping up and down on the edge of the roof. "There's a new pegasus in town, and he just moved here!"

With a look of disapproval and agitation, Dash replied with some annoyance in her tone. "That's it? You came up here just to tell me that?"

Pinkie giggled, and replied, "You didn't let me finish, silly!"

With a bit of guilt from cutting Pinkie off, Dash apologized. "Oh, Sorry. What else is there?"

"Well, you see, as I was on my way back from Sugarcube Corner, I noticed a pegasus I had never seen before in town. I knew I had never seen him in town because I know everypony in Ponyville!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Yes, Pinkie, we all know how you’re friends with everypony you meet."

Her tone remaining cheerful, Pinkie continued her story. "So, I hopped my way over to him and said, ‘Hi there, I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?’ He laughed a bit, and said that his name was Sound Cloud. So then I asked him, ‘You’re new in town aren't you?’ And then he told me that he had just gotten there today, and that he was moving to Ponyville! So I said, ‘Great!’ And then asked where he was moving from. Apparently, he’s moving from Thundercloud City so that he could pursue his dream!"

As Pinkie rambled on with her story, the word ‘dream’ caused Rainbow Dash to start thinking about the Wonderbolts again, until Pinkie noticed that Dash wasn't paying attention.

With her head cocked to the side, Pinkie asked, "Hey, are you even listening to me, silly billy?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rainbow Dash blinked and rapidly shook her head. "Huh, what? Oh, sorry Pinkie, I sort of spaced out for a second again. What did you just say?"

"I said that he then told me he moved here because he heard that a certain pony lived here!" Pinkie said.

"He moved here because of somepony he knew?" Dash asked with a confused expression on her face.

"Uh-huh! I couldn't believe who it was when he told me!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly.

Rainbow Dash just looked at Pinkie, expecting her to say who it was. Pinkie eventually asked, "Well...?"

Unknowing of what Pinkie meant when she questioned her, Dash replied, "Well what?"

Giggling once more, Pinkie enquired, "Aren't you going to guess who it is?"

Dash thought for a bit, and then guessed. "Uhh… you?"

"No, silly, not me- You! Sound Cloud was looking for you, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie exclaimed.

This caught Rainbow Dash by surprise. She wasn't expecting anypony to be looking for her, much less a pegasus from Thundercloud City, which was a long way from Ponyville. In fact, Dash had only been there once in her life, and that was back at a field trip in flight school when she was just a filly. Dash mulled this over for a moment, and then questioned her friend. "Okay...do you know why? I mean, I've never even known anypony by the name of Sound Cloud before."

In one breath, Pinkie announced, "Nope! I-then-said-‘Oh,-I-know-Rainbow-Dash! She's-my-friend! I'll-go-find-her-for-you.’ So,-I-ran-off-to-look-for-you! I-didn't-have-to-look-very-hard,-since-I-noticed-you-zooming-all-over-Ponyville-clearing-each-cloud. Once-when-you-landed,-I-climbed-up-here-and-shouted-your-name!"

Dash sat dumbfounded at her friend’s ability to speak for so long on a single breath. "Okay, that’s great, but I still want to know why this ‘Sound Cloud’ wants to see me. Did he mention anything specific?”

Looking up to the sky and putting a hoof to her chin, Pinkie thought hard as she tried to recall what it was the pegasus wanted with Rainbow Dash. "I think he tried to tell me something, but I was already on my way looking for you!"

Dash facehoofed. "Ugh, Pinkie Pie, don't you ever stop and listen when somepony is trying to tell you something? If you rush away before they are done talking to you, then…” Dash trailed off and began to look around when she realized that Pinkie had left her. Letting out a groan of exasperation, Rainbow Dash collapsed on her cloud, lying on her back. Not two seconds later, a shout resonated from the ground below her.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash! I just heard that Mr. and Mrs. Cake are giving out free cupcake samples!"

Rainbow Dash shook her head again for the umpteenth time and sighed. She couldn't help but laugh a bit as she repeated an all-too familiar statement. "Pinkie Pie, you are so random."

Pinkie began to hop away, but Dash flew after her. "Pinkie, hold up for a second!" She yelled.

Pinkie stopped her bouncing, and replied a bit impatiently. "Come on, we're gonna miss out on the free samples!"

Agitated once more at Pinkie's lack of ability to stop and calm down for a moment, Dash said, "Ugh, Pinkie Pie, forget about the free samples for a second, please. You were just telling me that a pegasus was looking for me."

Pinkie almost childishly replied, "Well, duh, I know that. I mean, after all, I just told you!"

Dumbfounded again by Pinkie's simplistic response, Dash blinked and said, "What? Oh, Pinkie, are you even listening to me? Ugh, what's the use? Can you please just tell me what he looks like so I can find him?"

Thinking for only a moment, Pinkie said, "Sure! Let`s see, hmm… He has a light, gray-white coat, and his mane is orange with some red-orange stripes also. Oh, and his cutie mark has three half-circles that are kind of zig-zaggy."

"Alright, gotcha. I'll see if I can find him. Later, Pinkie!"

In a split second, Rainbow Dash was off soaring across the town of Ponyville to find the pegasus who was looking for her. And although she didn't know why, she had a strange feeling about everything that Pinkie Pie had told her, especially about this pony having come from a far-away place like Thundercloud City just to see her.

However, after searching for a good twenty minutes, Rainbow Dash began to think that Pinkie may have just been pulling her leg and made the whole story up as a joke. She quickly dismissed the thought- Pinkie Pie's pranks weren’t this extensive. Dash sighed and figured that if this pegasus is here, she was bound to find him eventually.

"I suppose I should just head home for now." Dash flew off toward her cloud home, the thought of that pony lingering in her mind. Who in Equestria would be looking for me? Honestly, I just can't understand it. As soon as Dash had arrived at her doorstep she heard somepony shouting her name. It was Pinkie Pie, again, "RAINBOW DASH! COME HERE FOR A SEC, WILL YA?"

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but wonder what the party pony wanted now. She swooped down and landed in front of Pinkie, noticing that she had her saddlebags with her. This made Dash query, “What’s up, Pinks?”

Happily, Pinkie responded, "I have an invitation for you!"

Dash looked at Pinkie in confusion, "An invitation for what? Whose party is it this time?"

Rainbow Dash pulled out the invitation with her mouth, and then spoke in a muffled voice, "The new pegasus in town, silly filly! I always throw surprise parties for new ponies who come to town!"

Now Rainbow Dash felt like a complete idiot. How could she not have figured that Pinkie would throw a surprise party for the pegasus she was just searching for? Dash just wasted her time flying around town looking for him when she could have just waited until the party. Feeling obligated, Dash questioned, "Pinkie Pie, can I ask why you didn't tell me that you were throwing a party for this pony before you sent me on a wild goose chase after him? I just wasted over twenty minutes searching for him. More importantly, if you know where he`s moving, why didn't you tell me his address?"

Bluntly, Pinkie replied, "Well, you never asked."

Now Dash was even more annoyed. Does this pony ever stop and think? I mean, seriously, I wouldn't ask her this if she wasn’t the one who told me to go looking for this ‘Sound Cloud’ pony in the first place. Dash scowled and said, "Pinkie, if you wanted me to find this Pegasus, then you should have told me everything you knew about him so I could find him!"

Dash stopped and sighed, remembering she shouldn't be yelling at her best friend. Pinkie Pie did mean well, even if Dash would prefer for her to slow down and think before she did stuff. "Sorry, Pinkie. I`m just a little worked up and all."

"It's fine, Dashie.” Pinkie remorsed. “I`m sorry for not helping you out more. At least you can stop looking now, since we`ll get to see him at the party! You are going, right?"

Rainbow Dash replied in an enthusiastic tone and friendly smile, "Of course I am going, Pinkie! I would never miss one of your parties."

Pinkie became all bubbly once again and smiled back, cheering, "Great! See you then!"

With her job completed, the energetic party pony hopped off joyously to deliver the remaining invitations. Watching Pinkie hop wherever she went always made Dash feel better. She and Pinkie had a lot in common, and she would always be her best friend, no matter how annoying she could be. Rainbow Dash then thought to herself, Well, I guess I`ve got time to kill until the party starts.

Rainbow Dash had resolved to eat a bit of lunch, considering she had overslept before and was now hungry, after which she figured she could try out a few tricks while she waited. So, as per usual, Rainbow Dash was off doing her devilishly daring flight maneuvers.

Whenever Dash was flying she sensed all her worries disappear, swept off by the wind as she soared through the air in pure joy. She didn't think, she just did what came naturally, and that`s what made her so skilled at it. This is also partly the reason Rainbow tended to crash when trying new tricks- she had to think at that point. Once she could do it from memory, the trick became instinct for her. During her flight, Dash recalled her pitiful thoughts from earlier this afternoon and thought about how ridiculous they were. I can't give up now! I just have to keep trying! I will chase my dream to the end of time if I have to! No matter how I will get into the Wonderbolts!

When the time had come for the party to begin, Rainbow Dash went back into her home and quickly scanned for the address written on the invitation Pinkie Pie had given her. When Dash spotted, it she was puzzled at what it read. House number twenty-one, Stallion Drive? Huh? Did Pinkie write down the wrong address? There's no house number twenty-one on that road.

Dash flew out of her home to see if this was true or not, and, sure enough, it was. Somehow, Rainbow Dash failed to notice before- the cloud house that had just magically appeared today on that road. Dumbstruck, Dash could only just look at it hovering in the air with her mouth hanging open. When the hay did this get here?! I`ve been flying for at least an hour before! How could I have not seen this? Dash shook her head and figured that she should just forget it- this day has been crazy enough already, and it was probably going to get worse at the party.

Once Dash made it to the party, she noticed that everypony was down at the bottom of the ground, the gigantic house of clouds floating above. Dash swooped down and saw Twilight casting a spell over the various party goers, and, upon further scanning, spotted her friend Applejack. After hovering over her, she dropped next to the orange farm pony. “Hey, AJ. What’s going on?

The earth pony turned to her left with a grin on her face. "Howdy, Rainbow. I was figurin' you would show up soon." She greeted.

“Yeah, sorry if I’m late. Today`s been hectic for me."

Turning to look at Rainbow Dash again, Applejack asked, "How so, sugarcube?"

Dash chuckled. "Well, let’s just say that Pinkie Pie was involved."

Applejack chortled at Dash's response. "Yep, that would just about sum up any story involvin' a crazy day in Ponyville."

"Speaking of which, where is Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash began to aspect the crowd of ponies.

"She went to go show the new pegasus ‘round town while we got everypony ‘nside his house."

Rainbow Dash nodded and left her friend with a few parting words. "Alright. Well, in that case, I`m going to see if I can help everypony get up there."

Dash then began flying each pony who had the cloud walking spell applied to them up to the cloud home. After Twilight finished with the last pony, she performed the spell on herself. Dash also brought her up to the cloud house. As Rainbow Dash set her down, she noticed that the constant use of magic made Twilight seem as though she was going to collapse right then and there. "You sure you're not too tired after all those spells, Twilight?" She asked, concerned for her friend.

Twilight woozily responded, "Whaa? No... I`m fine, don't worry. This is nothing for me."

Dash looked at Twilight in doubt. There was no way Twilight was "fine"; she looked like she could fall over and go to sleep for a week, "Yeah...I still think you should take it easy, Twilight; you don't look too good."

Twilight, being uncharacteristically stubborn, replied, "I`m fine, Rainbow Dash. I don't feel tired, just a little exhausted is all."

Twilight then began to fall over, only for Rainbow Dash to catch her. Dash shook her head and rolled her eyes as she helped Twilight to her hooves. Twilight looked at Dash and then rubbed her eyes for a bit, laughing; she spoke with a delirious sounding voice, asking Dash, "Woah! Umm… Rainbow Dash, why are there three of you?"

Dash facehoofed at Twilight's question. "Twilight, I really really think you should just take it easy for a while, that's all. It's just that you can barely stand up and are talking very strangely."

"Rainbow Dash I told you I am-" Twilight protested Dash's constant demands to take it easy.

Dash put her hoof over Twilight’s mouth to silence any further objections and allow her to speak. "Twilight, look. This is a Pinkie Pie Party. You know how long they last, especially if it's for somepony new in town; I mean, just look at how long yours lasted when you arrived in Ponyville. Just… lie down for a bit, and rest up till you feel better. You're probably going to fall off the edge of this house if you don't."

Twilight, still dizzy and distraught, managed a sigh of resignation. "Alright, Rainbow Dash, I will take it easy for a while."

Content with Twilight's answer, Dash affirmed, "Good."

After Rainbow Dash had helped everypony who was attending the party get up to the cloud home, she proceeded to keep and eye out for Pinkie Pie and the new pegasus. When they finally showed up, Dash alerted everypony and they hid. As the door opened and the lights were turned on everypony jumped out and shouted "SURPRISE!". Noise makers and confetti cannons went off and the pegasus who walked through the door leaped back at this, eyes widened from the sudden shock. After a few moments of anxious silence, he finally began to relax, looking down a bit with a smile on his face and beginning to laugh. Pinkie Pie, who was right behind him, began to get excited to the point where she couldn't contain herself and started to get right up in Sound Cloud's face asking him a whole slew of questions. "Well I bet you didn't see this coming! Where you surprised?! Huh? Huh? Were ya? Were ya?"

Still laughing, Sound Cloud raised a hoof to hold the party pony still and replied, "Yes, I must say I am, Pinkie. Did you do all this?"

Beaming with joy at seeing Sound Cloud happy from the surprise, Pinkie proudly replied, "Uh huh! I always throw a surprise party for anypony that moves to Ponyville!"

Smiling greatly at the whole sight, Sound Cloud replied with a happy tone, "Well, thanks. I certainly didn't expect this kind of welcome when I came here. I have never even seen a party this huge before in my life!"

Still proud at her work, Pinkie told Sound Cloud, "Well, that's ‘cause a Pinkie Pie Party is the best kind of party anypony can have!"

Sound Cloud could only nod in agreement and pronounce, "It would seem so. In the mean time I would really like to meet everypony here. Would you mind introducing me?"

Delighted to do so, Pinkie responded, "Of course not! Follow me, and LET'S PARTY!"

Pinkie spent the better part of the night introducing Sound Cloud to everypony at the party. Twilight eventually got back on her hooves after resting up for a while, and was less wobbly, though she was still a bit tapped from all that magic she used. Fluttershy was listening to Rarity as she rambled on about the latest dress she created. Applejack was dancing with other ponies to the music that emitted throughout the house. It was an absolutely pleasant and lively sight to Sound Cloud. Eventually, he spotted a certain pony in his living room, one that he could not mistake to be anypony else. He was then tapped on his shoulder by Pinkie and he turned around quickly.

"Oh, Sound Cloud, this is Lyra and Bon Bon! They-"

"Excuse me for a second, Pinkie, I just need to go over to my living room for a bit, if that's okay?"

"Sure! Just don't be too long, there are still so many ponies you have to meet!"

"I understand, see you in a bit."

Sound Cloud made his way through the crowd of ponies that cluttered his house towards the living room until, finally, he stood face to face with the pony he wanted to meet- Rainbow Dash. She was sitting on the couch, looking into the other room where Rarity and Applejack were now arguing about something, as usual. All of a sudden, she heard somepony speak to her. "Ahh, Rainbow Dash, just the pony I was looking for."

Dash quickly turned her head around to see the very pony she had been searching for standing before her. Dash, recognizing the pony immediately, stood up and greeted him. Pinkie Pie's description of him before was very accurate: his coat the shade of cloud, his mane a brilliant flame that flowed from his head, done up with the same style to that of the Wonderbolt’s, his tail was the same color scheme as his mane, but much shorter. Lastly, his cutie mark was what appeared to be three sound waves, just as Pinkie Pie said they were.

"So, you're Sound Cloud, right? I was wondering when you would find me," Dash proclaimed after taking a good look at him.

He plainly replied, "Yes, I am Sound Cloud."

Pausing for a while, he began to look at Dash thinking to himself, Yep there is no mistake- it's her. Why would I even doubt that for a second? It's not like she could have changed her appearance in a year. He then resumed speaking, "Yes, it's certainly been a while since I've seen you, Rainbow Dash. I must say, it is amazing to finally meet you face to face."

Dash now began to really wonder what it was Sound Cloud wanted with her: why had he been looking for her, or more recently, why he just stared at her for a moment just a second ago. With this on her mind, she asked him, "Okay, so what’s the deal? My friend Pinkie says you have been looking for me. Also, why do make it sound like we have seen each other before? I honestly don't recognize you at all."

"Well, as I said, we never met officially, but we have seen each other before, or at least I have seen you."

Rainbow Dash now looked at him with suspicion, "Well, that just makes me wonder why in the hay have you been looking for me specifically even more, because it's kind of strange that you move to Ponyville just to meet me," she accused.

Correcting her with a calm tone, he answered "Well I wouldn't say I moved here just to meet you, specifically. I had been planning to move, but when I found out that you lived here, it influenced my choice of location. True, we haven't met in person, but who could forget the pegasus who did the impossible and proved an old mare`s tale true at the Best Young Fliers Competition?"

Dash understood what Sound Cloud meant- he must have been in the audience during the competition a year ago. Now that she thought about it, she did recall a pony that looked like him... It had to be him. His compliment also made Dash become cocky as she usually did, "So, you were impressed by my awesome skills then, huh? You`ve got to admit you don't see somepony as cool as me every day."

Sound Cloud responded to herself flattery, "Well, it was an amazing move you pulled off there, saving that pony, and not to mention the Wonderbolts. It would also seem that your personality matches up to what I have heard about you."

This confused Rainbow Dash again. "What do you mean? What have you heard about me, and from whom?"

Sound Cloud then looked at her for a moment, wondering whether or not she was serious. Upon realizing she was, he replied "Isn't it obvious? After all, I spoke with your friend Pinkie Pie the whole day. She said that you are a good friend and as loyal as can be to them and Ponyville, but she also talked a bit about how you can be overly competitive, a bit cocky, hot-headed, and arrogant at some points."

Dash grumbled under her breath after hearing that last part. Sound Cloud was able to hear it, however, even with all the noise from the ongoing party. Hoping to cheer her up again, he articulated "Overall though, she said you two are the "bestest of friends", as she put it, even with all those negative points. Me personally, I have no problem with them either."

Dash then retorted impatiently, "Alright, I get it. Enough with the flattery- cut to the chase. I still don't know why you wanted to meet me."

Sound Cloud understood- he was dragging out the conversation too much- and replied, "Well, before the day of the competition, I had no sense of direction for what I wanted to do with my life. My parents have always wanted me to take up the family business of cloud making..."

Something dawned upon Rainbow Dash about what he just said, and quickly she interrupted him, "Wait a second, cloud making business. Your last name is Cloud ,right?"

"That is correct."

"So, that would mean you are a part of the Cloud family: the family who runs Equestria's most industrial cloud making business?"

"Yes, I am a part of that family."

"Well, if that's true, then why would you move to Ponyville? Or anywhere else, for that matter? You’re from one of the richest pegasi families in all of Equestria! Why would you want to leave that?"

Sound Cloud then looked down at the floor. He had expected to be asked this question, but he didn't think he would have to answer it this soon. It almost pained him to speak again when he finally did. "That's because I'm not really appreciated by my family."

Rainbow Dash stared at him, slightly shocked when she heard Sound Cloud say this. She found herself inquiring "What do you mean you're not appreciated by your family?"

Reluctantly, Sound Cloud replied, "I mean that my parents don't appreciate what I want in life, and they most certainly would not like to meet you."

Dash took some offense to this. Why would his parents hate her if they’ve never even met? More and more questions just kept arising for Rainbow Dash, and she was sick of it. "Well, that doesn't even make sense. Why would your parents hate me? I mean, I’ve never even met your parents!" Dash exclaimed.

Sound Cloud wavered before speaking; his voice had flattened, "It's because of what you did to me..."

Now Rainbow Dash was completely confused. What was he talking about? "What are you saying? Seriously, what have I done to you if we’ve never officially met before?" she queried.

Sound Cloud paused again, this time intentionally as if to build up a dramatic effect, which only made Dash grow impatient until he finally answered the big question that had been looming over her head this whole day. "What you did was... inspire me."

Dash's expression changed then from impatient, to one of awe, and she had gained a sudden interest as Sound Cloud continued, "On that day, after witnessing your performance, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I had a bit of a need for speed myself before that day, but I never fully believed in myself that I could be great, no, amazing at flying. When I saw your sonic rainboom- as I believe it was called- I became inspired by it and made flying my life's purpose. I told my parents this and they looked at me as if I had shot a bolt of lightning through them both."

He paused again, it almost killed him just thinking about the looks on their faces, not to mention their reactions. Dash broke what little silence had fallen upon them, being at a party and all. "You okay?"

Sound Cloud shook his head to snap himself out of the bad memories that he was just reliving and apologized. "Yeah, sorry I... I kind of got lost in my own thoughts for a bit there. Anyways, they said to me, ‘no son of mine is going pursue such a ridiculous dream, just like my..'"

He stopped again in fear of what he had almost said this time. As he did, this he thought to himself. Idiot! You almost gave it away. *Sigh* I have got to relax and focus, I can't let her know about that. Dash, having her curiosity piqued, asked Sound Cloud, "Just like?"

Frantically trying to put on his best poker face while coming up with an alibi, he finally answered with, "Ah, um, just like my, uhh, Uncle! Yeah, my uncle. He, uhhh, used to be part of a group of stunt fliers."

Normally, Rainbow Dash would have noticed Sound Cloud's suspicious behavior as he said that, but she was too caught up in what Sound Cloud was telling her, "Oh, well, what's so bad about that? Stuff like that is awesome!"

Sound Cloud, now relieved and somewhat surprised, thought to himself, Whew, I can't believe she bought that. I guess she's not the brightest of pegasi, but I still need to be careful with what I say. "Yeah, well, you haven't met my parents, and at this rate you wouldn't want to. As I was saying, though, they said it was absurd and that I should just give up on such a foalish pursuit. I know what they really meant, though. They just want me to take up the family business, even if they didn't actually say it. I couldn't do it, though. I could never find solace in making clouds for the rest of my life. I knew I had to do what I wanted. Ever since then, I have been sharpening my flying skills. At first, it was just a nighttime training session, a practice to build up my skill, until they found out; man, did I get scolded for that. I wouldn’t let them get to me- I knew I had to do what I wanted no matter what, so last week I decided to get out of Thundercloud City and move to Ponyville, thus here I am today.”

Dash’s curiosity grew with every word he said, and a question still lingered within her: what did all this have to do with her? "Okay, but that still leaves me with one last question. Even if I did inspire you, why would you want to move here to meet me? I also want to know what this… dream of yours is."

"Isn’t it obvious what my dream is? I don`t think I could have spoken any clearer.”

Rainbow Dash was simply irritated at this point with everypony expecting her to know the answer to every question today."No, not really." She peeved.

"It's simple really, my dream is..."

Again he paused for effect, which just annoyed Dash, so she broke the silence, solacing, "Okay, seriously, cut the drama and just spit it out already!"

With a bit of a smile on his face, sound Cloud stated, "To become as great a flier as you are."

This caught Rainbow Dash off guard. No, it hit her like the last barrier she had failed to break so many times before her second successful sonic rainboom. When she heard somepony was looking for her, Dash did not think it was because she inspired him or that he wanted to be as amazing at flying as she is. When she finally came back to her senses she hesitantly exclaimed,

"Me? You want to become as great of a flier as me?”