The Fall and Rise of Prince Blueblood.

by KittyrinnAiko

3: At the races.

That afternoon they had a series of relay race competitions between the small groups. Of Spitfire’s group, Aria proved the slowest with Fluttershy not much better do to her timidity. Between the two Aria was much better at maneuvering and sailed through tough obstacles with little trouble. Where she was the weakest was on the straight runs. Next came Indigo, Silver, and Gilda who all performed about the same. Then came Nova who was moderately fast and very good at maneuvering. Sunshine was the fastest on the straight sections, but not by much, and Rainbow proved both fast and highly maneuverable. Whether or not Rainbow was the undisputed master of the dive was yet to be determined.

“Reject!” Dumbbell yelled as Nova raced him. He was fast and had a lot more strength then Nova. His taunts weren’t helping either.

‘If only I didn’t have so much drag…’ Nova thought as she cornered into a straight section of the course that had been set up. Nova felt a tingling sensation, her magic doing something, and then she shot forward like something had been holding her back and she’d been released. Her wings no longer silent the tips snapped with each wing beat. She realized too late that she was coming in too hot to land safely, tried to put the brakes on, and careened through the finish line.

“Nova!?” Sunshine shouted.

“I’m Good!” Nova called while upside down in a cloud. “Go! It’s your turn!”

Sunshine hesitated only a moment and was away well before Dumbbell made it to the finish line so that the next racer on his team could go.

“She cheated! The pretender used her magic!” Dumbbell complained through pants.

“That has got to be the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.” Dash countered.

“That’s enough out of both of you. Especially out of you Dumbbell.” Spitfire scolded. She then trotted over to where Nova was to check on her. “Nova, are you alright?”

“Nothing hurt but my pride.” Nova offered. “Give us a pull, we are stuck.”

“That isn’t a royal 'we' is it?” Spitfire teased giving a front leg a pull.

“No, we as in I landed on some pony.” Nova offered as she popped out of the cloud.

“Why Truck-San, why?” Aria moaned.

“Are you alright?” Nova asked.

Aria shook her head. “What hit me?”

“Sorry, that was me.” Nova offered as Spitfire worked to pull Aria out.

“So, how do you feel?” Spitfire asked as a couple of the senior officers came over.

“I don’t seem to be too worse for wear.” Aria offered. “Nova is pretty soft and floofy.”

“Do you feel up to continuing?” Spitfire asked.

“Sorry Lieutenant, they’ll need to be seen by a medic and cleared to continue.” Offered one of the ponies who’d come over. “Rules you know. Can’t be sending any ponies back out injured, or worse yet, home injured and we didn’t do anything.”

“It’s just a minor tumble?” Spitfire protested. “I’ve had worse.”

“And had to be checked out by a flight doc before you could go up again.”

“Commander Fury, I’ll take them over to first aid and get them checked out.” Whiplash offered as he joined them.

“If we have to, we have to.” Nova bemoaned. “Lead on Sir Whiplash, lead on.” Fury and the other officer he was with smiled big on hearing what Nova had just said. There would definitely be teasing later on.

“Alright, hopefully, we’ll see you a bit later?” Spitfire offered. “Just out of curiosity, what was that?”

“Um, I don’t really know?” Nova offered as she looked at her wings. Her just plain ordinary fuzzy fox pony wings. “I was thinking if only they didn’t drag so much…” She closed her eyes and tried to bring back that odd sensation.

“Oh wow,” Aria said in nearly a whisper.

Nova peeked at her wings to discover that they’d smoothed out and the rough edges were fine as a razor. “Whoa,” Nova said, lost that feeling followed by her wings going all fuzzy again.

“How are you doing that?” Aria asked. The adults were too stunned having never seen the like.

“I just sort of get a need for speed. That is to say, I wanted to reduce drag so I could go faster.”

“A need for speed she says.” Whiplash mused with a smile.

“I did it! And I lost it.” Aria offered. Her wings had gone all smooth like, but she hadn’t been able to hold it.

“Major Haze, they are using magic, they are Cheating.” Dumbbell protested as he trotted over. “I demand you disqualify their team.”

“Mr Dumbbell Row, you are hardly in a position to be calling out others.” Scolded Major Haze. “Now get back to your group.”

“Ya, sure, just because she’s a preen-cess.” Dumbbell said sarcastically while drawing out the word princess.

“I’m confused I thought you said I was a pretender?” Nova asked.

“Mr Row!” Major Haze all but shouted. “Get back to your group.”

“Nightmare Moon.” Dumbbell taunted.

“What’s with him?” Aria asked dumbfounded by the colt's behavior.

Nova on the other hoof felt a cold rage welling up inside. Her ears lay back in aggression. “Ȇow wouldn't becnâwan tîma mare ætbregdan hlêg wætan swefnian.”

“Nova!” Sunshine shouted as she glided around and landed next to her. “Calm down, he’s not worth it.”

“Yea, well e’s just lucky I can no actually do nay thing.” Nova growled and stomped her front hooves while facing Dumbbell.

Even Nova was surprised when a spark of electricity shot out from under her hooves, raced across the top of the cloud, and gave Dumbbell a good frizzing.

“It wasn’t me.” Nova protested. “OK, maybe it was, but it wasn’t on purpose,” she pleaded, her ears telegraphing her confusion.

“Well isn’t that wonderful, now you’ve got to go to the infirmary.” Major Haze said as he strolled over to Dumbbell. Dumbbell was mostly surprised, but then an idea hatched in his brain. It was a very small idea. He then flopped over and started in on how he hurt. He wasn’t very convincing.

“Who is he anyway?” Aria asked.

“A nobody. A complete nobody.” Sunshine replied.

Dumbbell cringed for real when he heard his own friends calling him weak.

“Well are you going to get up, or do you want every pony thinking you’re weak?” Major Haze asked. “That’s better, now start marching, oh no, it’s too late to rejoin your group, you are out of flight camp. Feel free to reapply next year.”

“But it’s just a little lightning frizz?!” Dumbbell protested.

“Oh no, with an injury like that you’ll be grounded for a week. Now get moving.”

“Miss Nova, Miss Aria, you two need to come with me so we can get you checked,” Whiplash said and started walking.

“I, kinda need to go,” Nova said to Sunshine and followed after Whiplash along with Aria.

“They’re making us get checked out by a medic or something.” Aria offered as she trotted after Nova.

“That lightning?” Spitfire asked Commander Fury.

“Freak occurrence, I’d say. We see fillies stomp hooves at each other all the time. Even fox types.” Fury offered. “Never seen anything like it. Best get back to your group.”

“Yes sir. Come on Sunshine, they’ll be back.” Spitfire replied and then headed back to her group.

“Why does Dumbbell act like that?” Sunshine asked as she followed along. “Trying to act like he’s some kind of big shot?”

“Usually it’s an inferiority complex coupled with immaturity.” Spitfire offered. “Meaning he doesn’t believe in his own worth. As a result, he tries to make himself out to be someone important.”

“Is Nova and Aria going to be alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“They’ll be fine,” Spitfire replied with a smile. “Did we win?”

“Yes, but only because the team we were racing was too caught up with things that didn’t concern them.” Indigo offered.

“Hoops and Score were both late to start because they were too busy yelling at Dumbbell.” Dash offered.

“Giving Dumbbell a taste of his own medicine is what they were doing,” Sunshine told Dash. “Which makes me wonder if they are becoming decent ponies or just opportunists who’ll go with the flow?”

Nova and Aria followed Whiplash to a medical pavilion where they found that they weren’t the only ones there. Some even had real injuries.

“Nature of the injury?” a nurse asked as they entered.

“We took a tumble.” Nova offered.

“You mean you lost control and slammed into me.” Aria teased.

“I wasn’t out of control, I just came in too hot. It was my backwash that hit you first.” Nova countered.

“OK, so I probably shouldn't have been standing there,” Aria admitted.

“So who’s Truck-San?” Nova asked.

“Neighpony Alicorn of Death. They don’t really exist outside of legends though.”

“Well, you two look like you are in fairly decent shape, have a seat with the others,” the nurse offered, took their names, wrote down the nature of the incident, and went into the back.

“I’m going to leave you two here, and get back to my assigned duties,” Whiplash announced. “Looks like you two will be a while.”

“Alright, Harmony be with you,” Nova offered with a cheerful smile.

“Argh, we are going to miss the whole thing.” Aria lamented once Whiplash had gone.

“Tell me about it.” Said an older filly possibly of high school age sitting next to her on the cloud bench. She was a vanilla yellow pegasus with a mane of arctic blue and light blue mix. Her cutie mark was a needle and a spool of thread.

“Well, maybe I can straighten out my feathers…” Nova began and then winced in pain as she stretched out a wing.

“Are you alright?” Asked the older filly. She was perhaps a little older then Cadance.

“It’s just a little sore,” Nova reported. “No doubt I’m going to feel it in the morning.” She then preceded to slowly stretch out the wing followed by bringing it back and working it till she got the kink out. “I guess I hit my limit and hadn’t realized it.”

“No, I’d say you hit me.” Aria teased.

“Hi, I’m Lofty Stitches.”

“Bright Star, but my friends all call me Nova.”

“Aria Rain but every pony just calls me Aria.”

“Glad to meet you, Miss Aria, Miss Nova. Or is it Princess.”

“We are just Nova these days.” Nova offered.

“She turned Princess Celestia down. Or so I understand.” Aria whispered conspiratorially.

“Well, if I am to ascend to greatness then it should be by my own hooves. Should it not?” Nova offered. “That and I want nothing to do with the Canterlot nobility.”

Lofty gave Nova a curious look. She couldn't quite decide if this little alicorn was a false alicorn putting on airs or if she was serious. Granted that the Canterlot Nobility were equally mistrusted in Cloudsdale. “So, ah, you’re an alicorn then?”

“Can’t say as I fit all the requirements,” Nova replied honestly. “Let me just do something with my feathers.”

“Oh yes, by all means, don’t let me stop you,” Lofty replied. She couldn't help but study the wings. Most pegasi had pudgy wings. Miss Aria’s wings were long and pudgy. Nova’s wings while the same width as Aria’s were considerably longer. She’d even go so far as to say they were proper alicorn wings if they weren’t so fuzzy. But then again those soft velvety wings made the two fillies look extra cute.

One by one the waiting foals were taken to the back, each getting their turn with the occasional more serious injury coming in and going ahead of the others. Nova and Aria were not the last in either. While they waited three colts came in and joined the lineup, each with some minor injury. Each, in turn, would stop to stare at Nova, sit down and take furtive glances while pretending not to be looking.

“And that is why I wanted to use the Nisinid ring,” Nova whispered into Aria’s ear.

“Nani?” Aria asked.

“Now you see it now you don’t.”

“Oh. Not like I don’t get my fair share. Just being different is enough for some. I’m forever getting into fights and I’m so glad I was in your group.”

“Because they’d all be looking at me?”

“No, because your friends accepted you regardless of what you looked like.”

“Aria.” Scolded a pegasus stallion with similar markings to her. He’d just come out from the back accompanied by the nurse who’d been screening the patients. “Have you been fighting again.”

“No sir.” Aria pleaded her ears drooping.

“I’m sorry, I sort of accidentally landed on her.” Nova offered.

“And you are?” He asked.

“Tsuki nay Kitsumi Hoshiko hime.” Nova offered with a smirk. The doctor raised an eyebrow. “But the chart will have me down as Bright Star Mustang. I was in a race, figured out how to smooth my floof while racing, and immediately lost control.” She caused her plumage to smooth out for a moment to demonstrate what she was talking about. Now both of his brows were up.

“I figured it out too.” Aria offered, tried it, held it for a moment before her feathers popped back to default. “I can’t hold it very long though. I mean, I’ve only done it twice now.”

“That’s actually an advanced technique.” The doctor offered. “I’m surprised that you can do it at all.”

“I’m going to assume you two know each other?” Nova asked kindly enough.

“My father.” Aria provided.

“I’m Doctor Sun Showers. - Princess, Aria, if you’ll come this way we will check you out and see if either of you received any serious injuries.”

“I heard Princess Cadance was here.” One of the colts whispered conspiratorially right after Nova and Aria left with Doctor Sun Showers.

“That was not Princess Cadance. Cadance is pink.”

“I know that. It’s just that there is a rumor that there is another princess here. And that she turned down being officially recognized because she didn’t want to deal with the Canterlot Nobility.”

“That filly was probably Neighponies. They all seem to have that velvety look to them,” offered the third colt who’d chosen to be quiet up to that point. “She could be a Neighpony princess and I can certainly see not wanting to have to deal with the Canterlot snobs.”

“Got that right.”

⛅

Back in the examination area, Nova was presently up on the examination table while Doctor Showers used a foxfire screen to examine her.

“I’ll thank you not to go beyond a medical scan,” Nova stated rather flatly.

“I’m a doctor, and you are a minor.” He stated flatly.

“And you will do nothing beyond a standard medical scan without the permission of my guardians Wintry Mustang and Colonel Ray Mustang,” Nova stated flatly.

“Father, she’s related to Princess Cadance.” Aria offered. “Anything you see is likely to be over your pay grade. As in Alicorn Princess level stuff.”

“Very well then,” he replied as he dropped his diagnostic screen. “Just out of curiosity, has someone teleported you recently?”

“I teleported me recently,” Nova replied.

“You can teleport?”

“Don’t ask her to demonstrate.” Aria cautioned. “Her aim needs a lot of work.”

“Ya, I’m two for three.” Nova offered sheepishly. “For every three times I’ve teleported I’ve put myself partly within a cloud twice.”

“No adverse effects?” Doctor Showers asked.

“All that excess moisture trapped in my body makes me have to pee more often.”

“Oh, so that’s why you kept dashing off this morning.” Aria surmised with a grin.

“Sounds like you need to take a proper unicorn magic course so you can get that under control.” Doctor Showers told her. “You ever hit something solid the consequences can be devastating. For you, and any creature you might hit. Teleportation is not something to be learned through trial and error.”

“Yes sir,” Nova replied, her ears drooping a bit. “Any chance I can rejoin my team?”

“Are you willing to wait for Aria, I’m assuming you are on the same team.”

“I guess I can wait. They’ll either have started without us or they are done by now.”

“Alright, climb on down. Aria, it’s your turn.”

⛅

Nova and Aria set out a short time later each with a clean bill of health. When they found their team they quickly learned they’d been replaced.

“I’m sorry, but we had no way of knowing when or if they’d let you come back.” Sunshine offered apologetically. “Hold that thought I’m up next.”

Nova watched with disappointment as Sunshine dashed away. “But did it have to be Hoops and Score?”

“Ya, I know,” Silver offered. “..but they are from our school, and they are both strong fliers. Right now our only weak link is Fluttershy.”

“Hey!” Aria protested.

“No offense, but you just aren’t that fast. - Oh, I’m going to be up in a moment.”

“Come on. I think I know how to motivate Fluttershy,” Nova said to Aria as Silver trotted up to the starting line. The two found Fluttershy a moment later.

“Fluttershy, have you raced yet?” Nova asked.

“_{Um, no, I haven’t. I’m up next.}”

“Since we can’t fly, will you win one, for us? Please?” Nova laid her ears back and gave her best pleading eyes.

Aria looked at Nova, tilted her head, realized what Nova was doing, turned to Fluttershy, and put on her best pleading face, “Please, win one for the foxes.”

“I – I'll do it. I won’t let you down.” Fluttershy proclaimed and boldly walked up to the start line and prepared to launch.

Silver came in, and Fluttershy launched as though she’d suddenly acquired afterburners.

“Wow, didn't know she had that in her?” Sunshine asked perplexed by Fluttershy’s sudden show of confidence.

“What’d you two tell her… Oh geese, stop that!” Spitfire said her hoof going to her heart and staggering. “Celestia, that’s weapon's grade.”

⛅