Previous Chapters
Close
Day 0: Spitfire, My Spitfire2,100 words
Day 1 (Morning): Dress to (Un)Impress1,602 words
Day 1 (Afternoon): How the Other-Half Lives2,812 words
Day 1 (Evening): Fan Ex-Perspective2,234 words
Day 1 (Intermission): Captain, My Captain1,665 words

Day 1 (Intermission): Captain, My Captain

The twilight hours in the suburbs are not so different from the evenings along the countryside. The same kinds of crickets chirp their melodic calls to their far off friends, the lights of houses off in the distance all flick off one by one so the stars overhead can twinkle in their place, and the cool breeze from an open window still puts someone asleep better than any lullaby. There were still a few differences that could take some getting used to going to or from either, but it's always the similarities that you reach for in those first few nights.

Something familiar to wrap your arms around as you slowly let sleep take you to that next exciting day. And while it's not entirely universal, many people—young and old—could tell you that no matter where you are in the world, the distant static or electric hum of a television being left on over the night is a simple comfort. Maybe grandma left it on downstairs before she passed out, or maybe someone just turned it on for their own little white noise. Whatever the case, it hardly ever matters what was actually playing. Just the comfort of thinking someone is 'there' over the night with dim ebbs of light dancing on the walls is enough for some to get that restful sleep.

Maybe that's why some channels just run filler content at those hours: to be a calm comfort for those that need it while not wasting much money on the effort. Such as this dimmed evening as a local broadcaster rolls out for the twilight viewers an old series of interviews of the high-flying Wonderbolts. It was a fantastic show at its time some years ago, but now it seemed to only serve as a soothing white noise for those drifting off to sleep.

Still... It was a comfort then, and it's a comfort in its own way now. Maybe that's enough.

Badum-tzzz...

"Welcome back to RD On The Lights," canned studio applause briefly erupted when Rainbow Dash clicked the respective soundboard button, a useful carryover from her radio show, "Today we've got us a real showstopper set of guests. Now, you all know I can be a bit of a... fangirl... from time to time," the neighboring button offered laughter for her own joke, "But I cross my heart and swear on a stack of Daring Dos that I will be nothing but impartial, unbiased, and completely professional..."

"Dash, you're an alternate for the team, aren't you?" Vapor Trail leaned in to whisper her question.

"You're goddamn right I am!" She nearly kicked over her chair as she threw herself up in joy, arms swung wide with a hoot, "BUT!" Just as quickly Rainbow pulled her chair back and resumed her 'interviewer' stance, "Professional. Unbiased..."

The guest just snorted a laugh and nodded. It would be fun either way.

"Now Soarin—first off, huge fan—"

"Mutual, mutual," the vice captain lounged back in the comfy chair as he just oozed chill.

"So tell me, why the Wonderbolts? A guy of your talents and chiseled abs could've probably done pretty much anything. So why stunt performer? Besides the fact it's the coolest, most awesomest thing someone can do."

They both ignored the blaring red letters blinking "Unbiased" from off-stage.

"Right on the money, no doubt-no doubt. But—nah—see, when I was in school, I was part of the team."

"The football team," Rainbow Dash quickly added to flex her know-how.

"Yeah. Oh yeah! We went to the same school Duh!" Dash only chuckled nervously at his acceptance of the fact, "So—yeah—I played quarterback, and I just loved all that cheering and hootin'-hollerin' for me! The harder I worked, the more the stands would just go crazy for it. I lived for that hype," A dreamy smile came to his face and he patted his hand on the armrest, "But... Uh... That wasn't really the only reason... Small potatoes compared to the real deal..."

"Now Vapor—can I call you Vapor, I'm a big fan."

"Uhhh, sure. I don't see why not," Vapor Trail was a little unsure why she even asked since Rainbow Dash called her that all the time, but maybe it was just etiquette for interviews. It wouldn't be a very good look if she bungled her first one.

"Awesome. Now, Vapor, you're one of the newest members of the Wonderbolts team. Has that come with any challenges? Any sidesplitting worries? Fears of failure? I know I was pretty sick to my stomach for a few months every time I walked out on stage."

Vapor Trail considered the question as a blinking light off to the side read 'Seriously?'. "Well, I wouldn't go as far as all that. But it is a little overwhelming sometimes. You're surrounded by so many 'greats' that it gets to you sometimes, you know? But, I have an amazing support network on and off the stage—loveyouSky—and the team itself has been sooo supportive."

"Ohmygosh, they're so great!" Rainbow Dash this time flinched a little when a bright light caught her eye, prompting her to settle back into her chair. "I mean... They are, aren't they?"

"They're so sweet. But..."

"So, Flee—Uh... you doing alright?"

The newest interviewee was a visible bundle of nerves, fits balled tight against her armrests and legs tightly pulled together in a way nobody could possibly be comfortable sitting with. "Totes," the cool word came out like gravel from a grinder.

"Hey-hey, this is a safe place, alright? You don't got anything to worry about. I'm not gonna—like—ambush you with some crazy question. This isn't Mixin' it Up with Trixie. Though I'm told she gets better ratings..." Rainbow Dash briefly considered that maybe one ambush would help but decided against it, her credibility was too important, "Either way, we're all friends here, and we're just here to chat and chill."

Fleetfoot steadily let the stress exhale from her nose and her body relaxed gradually into her chair. "Thanks for that. I'm just not really -good- at this sort of thing. I do high-flying, death defying stunts to wow millions! I don't really do... Talking and sitting around. I don't really have the 'face' for it. I've got the one face, and I can't really shift it, y'know?"

"Totally," she did not.

"There's just that trait some guys on the team have where they can do our routines one minute, then come here and do this like it's nothing..."

"Thunderlane—must say, massive fan..."

"Puh-lease, Dash. If anyone's a fan of anyone here, it's me. Just look at you!"

Despite the blaring sign flickering 'STOP' in the corner of their eyes, both continued to make eyes at one another. Rainbow Dash would have to put her hungry gaze aside as she cleared her throat and pulled herself back to the present. "Um—hah—So... You have a little brother! He's gotta be stoked his big bro's on the team of the best performers ever, right? Do you feel like you can be an inspiration for kids like him out there?"

He tossed his head back with a laugh and slapped his knee after hearing the sentiment. "Oh man. N-No, not at all. I mean, I love my bro, and I want him to look up to me and everything. I mean, who doesn't want that?"

"Truth," she didn't have a sister, but Dash felt that deep in her bones for someone.

"But me an inspiration? Nah..."

"My baby sis wanted to start up this whole thing, and I was right with her from day one!"

"Miss Spitfire is just unbelievably supportive. She's the boss, but... She treats everyone like an equal. It's... Wow."

"I-I just don't know how she does it! One second she's the sexiest acrobat you've ever seen, then the next she's buttoned up and making you want to call her 'mommy'... We can edit this, right? It's not live, right?"

"She's an inspiration. She's what kids—hell, adults—should be trying to be like."

The blaring warning light from the producers could do nothing to stop Rainbow Dash from bursting from her chair, tossing all her cue-cards to the winds as she gave in to her glee. "She's so amazing! She's cool, kind, strict but fair. She's the whole deal! She's everything I thought she was gonna be when I looked up at my Wonderbolts posters! I mean, we went to the same school together, but I never imagined she'd be the hottest thing ever!"

Soarin just laughed all the while Rainbow Dash spun into her rant. Behind the pane of glass separating the small studio space and the sound room he saw a pair of onlookers repeatedly hitting a button. With each press, that blaring red light would send another message that Rainbow Dash completely ignored.

Nobody besides the camera was seemingly listening to him at this point as Rainbow Dash kept expounding the virtues of the Wonderbolts, so he waved off his interviewer to her fun while he turned to meet the camera. "I owe it all to her. I was pretty terrible as a footballer, honestly. I mean, I could run fine, I could catch fine, but I wasn't ever 'great', y'know? But come the end of my school career, I had a record of never getting tackled and having a perfect pass-completion ratio—whatever that means. You know why?"

Soarin got in close to the camera as if he had to whisper this secret for it and the thousands watching to hear alone. "My sis disguised herself as a dude for four years to be on the same team as me. She tackled every guy who came at me, and caught every ball I threw. I came out every game smelling like roses, and she'd come out with broken bones and scrapes. She ate every tackle for me for years just so I could feel like I was a champion... I can't imagine not paying her back every way I can. She's the best."

Bzzz-rrmmm...

Author's Note:

It's been a long time away, but it's time for this project to get its attention until completion. I hope you'll share your thoughts and stay with it. This is a passion project of mine, and I intend to hammer away at it over the next few months to see it to its planned vision. For those that are still here, thank you. To new friends, please enjoy.

306 views

140

Previous Chapters

Comments ( 7 )

Viewing 1 - 50 of 7
- Newest First
- Oldest First

Bronycommander

Bronycommander #1 · Dec 21st, 2023 · · ·

nice to see this updated

Phara_mine

Phara_mine #2 · Dec 22nd, 2023 · · ·

Hot damn, I didn't expect an update after such a lengthy radio silence, but I'm glad.

I do want to see how this story will turn out, thank you for coming back to it.

redandready45

redandready45 #3 · Dec 29th, 2023 · · ·

"Welcome back to RD On The Lights," canned studio applause briefly erupted when Rainbow Dash clicked the respective soundboard button, a useful carryover from her radio show, "Today we've got us a real showstopper set of guests. Now, you all know I can be a bit of a... fangirl... from time to time," the neighboring button offered laughter for her own joke, "But I cross my heart and swear on a stack of Daring Dos that I will be nothing but impartial, unbiased, and completely professional..."

The idea of Rainbow treating Daring Do as a Bible is quite funny!

Kichi