Misguided rivalry

It was a sunny day in Equestria. A perfect day to relax and let the sunshine goes to the sweaty fur, and a perfect day to train harder.

Thunderlane, a dark gray Pegasus colt with brown eyes and a blue-silver stripes mane, is training for the wonderbolts next stunt show that will soon starts at dawn. He was picked due to Soarin having a stomachache for eating too much pie. Even when training in an hour with sweat, he still questioning about the last time he gave him a pie to eat for lunch. He did bake it by himself. Was it too sugary for the guy? Did he just don't like the taste of chocolate?

Either way, he shook his head and his flight increases. Going over 4 rings to west, 2 rings from northwest to southwest, then back to the start. Doing it repeatedly until he got exhausted and rest laying down.

"All right! 10 laps! That's a new record." Thunderlane said tiredly.

"I'm pretty sure you only did 3 laps, Thunderlane." A familiar voice feeling disinterested.

Thunderlane looked up and saw his little brother Rumble, a medium light gray Pegasus foal with purple eyes and dark-light split gray mane, feeling disappointed.

"Oh hey little brother. What are you doing here?" Thunderlane got up and asked.

"Just here to check up on you, of course. Wouldn't want to see my big brother slacking off on training day." Rumble sarcastically answered while raising a small grin.

"Hey! You know I don't slack off." Thunderlane annoyed by his brother.

"I know. Which means you've improved."

"Improved on what? Not being sick?"

"That's a poor answer. Also, no. You actually taking this training pretty seriously." Rumble feeling proud, letting a small smile for Thunderlane to see.

"Well, yea. I am a member of the Wonderbolts. So it's no surprise that I want to be the best flyer of the team. I'm pretty much ready for anything."

"Oh really?" Rumble raising an eyebrow making a smug grin.

"Yea. Like trying to reached 50 laps of flying up that tall mountain," Thunderlane pointed at the gray mountain filled with grass and tall trees all over it. "all the way back here." Thunderlane stomped the ground with confident show by his grin.

"I bet I could beat that challenge first." Rumble confidently making a small grin.

"Really? I think it might get too tiring for a foal like you."

"I'm a great flyer. I gotta at least try something to prove myself." Rumble hovered himself without touching the ground, making a small grin.

While Thunderlane hesitant at first, there's no denying his challenge with Rumble now. When Rumble wants to compete, he will keep asking about it later on. Of course, he doesn't want to see his brother being bummed down for rejecting his participation on his challenge.

"Well I can't say no to your confidence, so... Okay." Thunderlane accepted the young volunteered Pegasus.

"All right! Any rules?"

"We just need to reach the top of the mountain without going higher to cheat. Then we came back here and go for another lap. We repeat that till either of us reached 50 laps or one of us forfeit. Though being a good sport is always a good sign when accepting a challenge." Thunderlane making a small smile and raised his hoof to his little brother. Expecting his little hoof to pound his.

Rumble was surprised at first. He never expected his big brother to act so determined and not being so stubborn about a challenge he just made up, let alone a challenge that a foal could get tired real easy without proper training. If his brother wasn't a wonderbolt now, he might have just groan for who knows how long and just being lazy about it. Maybe becoming a wonderbolt might had triggered him to be a changed colt. Was it pride? Did he wanted to be better when he fulfilled his dream? Maybe it was his wonderbolt teammates keep cheering him on to broke his stubborn-laziness self?

It took a while for him to accept this somewhat new ambiance Thunderlane gave around him. He then pound his hoof as hard as he can, making one of Thunderlane's hoof stunned and vibrated from the pain.

"Ow! I didn't mean that hard!" Thunderlane cried out then blow his hoof intensely.

"Guess I'm more of a challenge then you think." Rumble chuckled while looking at Thunderlane recovering his hoof.

"Welp, I can't say I'm that surprised. You always were the competitive type." Thunderlane recovered his hoof. Wiping his small tears. He then pulled up a small happy face. Tried to gave a sign that he hoped his little brother never change his determination to keep going and achieving his dreams.

Rumble shrugged it off.

"You ready, then?" Rumble lifted his tiny wings.

"Ready when you are, little bro." Thunderlane spread his wings. "Ready?" Indicated a confident look, doing his ready pose.

"Steady?" Their heads pushed down a bit as their front hoof carried it along.

"Go!"

They soon lifted off swiftly with the wind to the Mountain. Avoiding the tall pine-cone trees along their way. Thunderlane swiftly dodged the trees without a sense of the leaves touching his body, managed to get ahead Rumble without him even notice for a second.

After Thunderlane passed over him and went on straight for the tip of the mountain, Rumble started to feel frustrated. He kept flapping his wings even harder than ever while trying to focus on Thunderlane to catch up to him.

The smug but sweaty Thunderlane going full speed ahead, turned shocked as he saw his little brother giving him the same face he had made earlier for a fraction of a second, then gone to the center, nearing the half end.

He shook his head and go in his go-to fast mode again, getting closer to Rumble's tail and slowly move aside to see his face, looking frustrated and having to clench his teeth.

Thunderlane noticed his brother's look. Sensing a strong blitz that caught him off guard internally. It might've just been he's almost getting tired of flying, yet he wanted to know more of what's making Rumble having to put on that face?

Rumble always has a passion for racing and being the best flyer in Equestria. Every time Thunderlane saw his brother competing with other young Pegasus fillies and colts, whenever he's out of their league or not, he always made a straight face during the race, even their previous time racing together. But right now, it seems like he is really giving his all for this little competition. What's on your mind, Rumble? Thunderlane thought.

When they did reached the mountain, they already stand and laying for a bit while being exhausted from breathing heavily to the air. Taking a few breaths till both of them starts to fly again downwards to Thunderlane's training place. Avoiding the same trees they've came across before.

It didn't took long for them to reach it since it wasn't that tall like any other mountain Rumble had seen before, but it still did the job to get some sweaty liquids soaking his fur and Thunderlane's.

"Man. It sure was a breeze dodging those trees huh. Maybe we should take a minute break if you wanna save some energy for another lap." Thunderlane advised Rumble

"I appreciate it, but no thanks big bro. Let's just start another lap right now." Rumble raised his eyebrow then back to his ready position. "Besides, we still got a lot of time to finish 50 laps till dawn. I want to see which one of us gets the final one." Rumble put on the small grin with both eyebrows lowered.

"Alright then. I won't deny you for that." Thunderlane shrugged it off and being ready as Rumble's pose. While he does want to beat the challenge, he still felt a bit of regret on having Rumble on board with this, being that even with a challenge, he still wants to take a break from it, time and time again.

Without another thought, Rumble goes first while Thunderlane got a mixed start-up but managed to fly behind his silver brother.

And like that, they've been doing it till dawn now. They went to the same loop from the start to the top with a few minor bruises accidentally from the stems getting on their hoof or torso. The Sun was setting down and they've only did about 39 laps or so. They've lost track of counting due to exhaustion pumped out too much blood inside their muscles and not enough to think clearly.

After the 49th lap. Thunderlane pumped to the ground. Feeling dehydrated and wanted to rest for a bit. But he didn't. He got up by leaning up his front hooves and decided to keep going. He didn't care if his wings were too sore to flap once more. All he really want was to prove himself that he could do it and nothing else matter.

The same can be said with his prodigy brother. While he has some cuts and bruises, they had never faze him. Not even when he got them. He still wants to win his brother's made up challenge no matter what.

Both of them crawled the earth while flapping their wings as boost instead of flight, almost to their final lap. Each crawl felt like an eternity having a thought of wanting to give up.

As they crawl and crawl, grassy mess got stuck to their hooves, they finally made it. It felt like a sweet accomplishment for both of them. While closing his eyes, the sense of relief Thunderlane has, not caring whether he win or lose to his brother. At least he tried his best. It's not that this challenge has prove to him that he has achieve greatness.

When his eyes are wide open and turned his head on the left, Rumble has already stood up, facing him to have their eyes meet. Giving him a hoof as a sign of a good sport, and to help him get up.

"Welp, you've beat the challenge." Rumble proudly said.

"Wait. I've won?"

"Well technically, we both landed on the stage. So..." Rumble said having his hoof on his chin.

"It was a draw!?"

"Don't worry, we could do it again if you want. If you still have enough wing power to do it." Rumble being snarky.

"No thanks! I'm good." Thunderlane scared about the thought of doing it again. Sure, the wonderbolts tend to train hard, but never in a loop unless it's punishment for slacking off.

Rumble sighed. He looked away, letting his head leaned down watching the grass covered in dirt.

"Something wrong, Rumble? I know you really like to compete with me, but you have been feeling odd when I started this challenge." Thunderlane asked.

"Heh. I guess I still have a long way to go."

"Huh?"

A short silence. No winds to break it, till Thunderlane starts to asked.

"Is it because you feel overshadowed by me? If it is, you know you'll be better than me soon enough. It's just takes time for a foal like you to grow, that's all."

"No, it's not just that."

"And what's that?" Thunderlane concerned of what his brother answer was.

Rumble let out a deep sigh. He then looked at Thunderlane and answered.

"The feeling of not being better enough."

"Like I said, it's just take-"

"I know. I know I'm a good flyer, I know I'm good at what I do. But whenever I compete with you, it was a tie every single time."

"But you did won last time."

"That was when you were still slacking off. You just wanted to compete with me because you wanted an excuse to get a break."

"..."

"What progress can I make if I still have these feelings of not being good enough? Even if I earned a cutie mark that is different than my greatness in flying, would I still achieve victory that is on the same level as you? Or the Wonderbolts?" Rumble putting his eyebrows horizontally. His iris showing a small bit of salt water in there, wanting to drop out of his sockets.

"Then keep trying."

"I did do that. What difference would it mak-"

"Then try again."

"Huh?"

"When you had some freetime, you can train yourself again and again. When I have some freetime, you can compete with me again and again. Like I said, it takes time. But the only way to feel like you're getting better is to not feeling like you're not getting better."

"But what if I could still feel it?"

"Then fight it, forget about it, heck, drink some water. That always helps me whenever I feel down. You just need to hold on to what you're great at the most and who knows, you might already be a greater flyer when you don't even notice it."

Rumble felt mixed about asking all of this, knowing his brother would give him pep talk. Though the feelings he had once before just left out of his head all of the sudden. Maybe telling all of this made him feel a bit better about his problems.

Thunderlane, being the big brother he is, let his hoof brush his brother's mane roughly, but not that hardly either.

"Besides, I'll always be open to you whenever you have problems. Family's do what's best for each other after all." Thunderlane happily said.

"Heh. RIght." Rumble holding his brother's hooves and let them down to Thunderlane's torso.

The two playfully roll around the grass without a care in the world. Acting childishly, mushing the dirt and let the time that they had be a fun one.

Though it ends abruptly when Rumble asked Thunderlane the question he should've never heard when done with his challenge.

"Oh wait, were you supposed to go with the Wonderbolts at dawn?"

Thunderlane absentmindedly looked at the sky, seeing the sun is already gone and only the dark shimmering stars remain.

"Oh shoot! You're right! I have to go now!" Thunderlane swiftly flaps his wings. Going to Cloudsdale as soon as possible. "We'll compete next time Rumble!".

"It's a promise then!" Rumble proudly smiled. While looking at his brother as he starting to get blurry when he gone far away.

"Where have you been? You better have a good excuse for all of this." The Phoenix colored mare said.

"Don't worry Spitfire, sir. I just got lost track of time because of bonding with my brother, that's all." Thunderlane putting on his valiant face.

"You're lucky Rainbow took your place today. Otherwise, you would have to do 100 laps of running in circles. So do 10 laps of it instead by the end of the show, got it?!" Spitfire putting her tempered look aside.

Phew. At least it's better than my idea Thunderlane sigh, feeling relieved.

He sat on the waiting lobby to wait for his general to get his punishment, while hearing the loud cries and streamers of fireworks making a loud burst.

"Huh. That's new. When did they added fireworks to the show?" Thunderlane confused. Then just shrugged it off as it wasn't really important. All he cared about the most right now is when he got to bond with his brother today.

Seeing his little brother smile is all what matters for him. An achievement for life, it could be.

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