There's fast, and then there's Rainbow Dash fast.
"Captain? We're gonna need you on this one."
Rainbow Dash loudly sighed. When she was younger, she'd assumed that being Captain of the Wonderbolts was a thrill ride: pushing your envelope, going fast, doing awesome stunts, having the crowd cheer you every step of the way. Now she had come to realize that roughly eighty percent was doing paperwork, setting up org charts, and handling whatever stupid problem had come up this time. (The remaining twenty percent was pretty cool, though.)
So she pushed away from the desk and grouchily trotted after Thunderlane. He was a good XO, even if he was a bit more easily rattled than Soarin' had been. He knew this was Dash's flex time when she could catch up on administrative backlog and wouldn't interrupt without good reason. That just made it more irritating - because 'good reason' usually meant 'above everypony else's pay grade'.
And that part was confirmed when she saw the argument. Two of the Wonderbolt trainers - Misty Fly and Sky Stinger - were loudly yelling at a group of cadets. Unusually, one of the cadets was yelling back. Disturbingly, said cadet was Rainbow Dash.
That was enough to throw Dash for about point-three seconds. (It was, by her count, the seventh time she'd run into an alternate version of herself.) Then she cleared her throat as loudly as possible.
The argument stopped. Both trainers and all the cadets spun to lock eyes on the Captain, and the second Rainbow Dash disappeared in a burst of cyan flame. The cyan changeling left behind looked rather embarrassed when confronted by the real deal.
"Misty, capsule version of what's going on." Dash hoped it would be simple.
Misty Fly snapped a quick salute. "M'am! We were berating this cadet for cheating, m'am!"
"I was not cheating!" the changeling snapped out of turn - and was silenced by Rainbow Dash's furious glare.
"How was he cheating?" The question was aimed directly at Misty.
Taking a moment to clear her throat, Misty tried to keep it short. "He was attempting to use a form other than his own to gain an advantage on the tests, m'am."
Ah. That explained a few things. Dash looked the changeling up and down critically. "Well, at least he picked the right pony to copy since I smashed so many Academy records." The gathered crowd laughed uneasily, not quite sure if it was a joke or not. "What's your name, newbie?"
The changeling's hooves clacked together as he came to attention. "Hyles, m'am!"
"And do you mind telling me why you decided you should do your qualification trials in somepony else's form?"
Hyles locked his eyes straight forward, neck and back rigid. "All Wonderbolt candidates are to give their best efforts, m'am! Included in that is any and all talents, skills, or personal expressions of magic, m'am!"
Dash scratched her chin. "So you're saying being able to change shape is like a pony's cutie mark?"
The changeling hesitated. "I would say it's like a pegasus' ability to stand on clouds. The same for the inherent magics of hippogriffs or griffons." He motioned with his head towards the Dizzitron, where Wonderbolt Reservist Silverstream was helping set up. "Not changing shape to maximize my capabilities would be handicapping myself. M'am."
A familiar cocky grin came to Rainbow Dash's face. Behind her, Thunderlane groaned because he knew that only bad things could happen next. And they did. "See," suggested the captain, "I disagree. But I'll give you a chance to prove me wrong."
"M'am?"
Nightmare visions of more paperwork disappeared as Rainbow Dash's schedule for the next hour suddenly cleared up. "Race me."
Hyles froze up. "What?"
"Race me," repeated Dash. "Show me I'm wrong." She turned and pointed towards Cloudsdale proper. "What we're gonna do is fly over there as a warm-up. You stay in formation with me until we reach the weather factory. Then on my signal, we come back. When we do, I'm gonna go as fast as I can." Her eyes narrowed. "As. Fast. As I. Can."
The changeling swallowed nervously - he knew what that meant.
"Now you're not gonna beat me," Dash continued. "I mean, I'm me, that's not even fair. But you gotta give it your all to keep up. If you can cross the finish line within ten seconds of me, I'll admit you're right and you can use whatever magic you want from here on out. More than ten seconds? Then you admit you cheated. And the Wonderbolts don't take cheaters."
All around, other cadets murmured about the challenge. But Hyles took it with stoic confidence: in a blaze of magic, he transformed back into Rainbow Dash's form and nodded. "Yes m'am."
The journey out to the weather factory was silent - Dash let the cadet stew. It was a relaxing flight for her, but for a rookie (and one who was at least partially not Rainbow Dash) it was nearly a sprint.
She was fine with that. It gave her the opportunity to look back and evaluate him.
Hyles' face was stone-set and stoic, but it wasn't difficult to spot the little tells. Not when he was using Dash's form - she could see the little nervous twitches and tics that she shared. (Her friends had laughingly told her about them quite a few times, usually in the wake of bad poker hands.) He was fretting and worried, and that was good. Dash wasn't really going to kick him out if he lost: she'd made that decision pretty quickly. He truly believed he wasn't cheating, and he had the guts to back up his words. Not a lot of cadets had the courage to take on a challenge like hers without flinching or trying to weasel out of it. Throwing him out of the academy would be a waste.
But she also knew he couldn't keep up on the way back. Not like this.
See, pegasus flight - like that of hippogriffs, griffons, changelings, and pretty much every other intelligent species - was magic. Sure, physical fitness and raw ability accounted for a lot and were what separated the best from the average - but magic is what made it all happen in the first place. It's what made physics take a back seat to awesome.
There had been a series of tests a few years earlier. Quietly conducted by Twilight (of course), she had sought to find out where the limits of changeling magic were. And after quite a few trials, the results were clear: a changeling could assume nearly any form, but those forms were only physical. A changeling in the shape of Princess Celestia couldn't move the sun; one in Starlight Glimmer's couldn't execute obscenely powerful spells; one that looked like Fluttershy couldn't talk to animals; and one that pretended to be Rainbow Dash couldn't do a rainboom.
It was because the change required magic. Quite a lot, in fact. Most of a changeling's inherent magic was tied up in maintaining that form, and it left little to match the feats of other races. Pharynx had gotten the closest, but he'd still fallen short of a rainboom. And since he was as much a changeling's changeling as Dash was a pegasus' pegasus, she was certain noling else could do it either.
To keep up, Hyles would need to do a rainboom. It was possible - Rainbow Dash had personally taught several Wonderbolts how to do it - but he wouldn't be able to while in her form. There just wasn't enough magic to do it.
The question was if he would realize that.
Reaching the weather factory, Dash made the turn. It had been agreed they would each dip a hoof into the liquid rainbow pool as evidence they hadn't turned back early. She just barely grazed the pool with a hooftip before completing the turn. It was a straight shot back - and it only took a tenth of a second before she was off.
Rainbow didn't hit top speed immediately - doing that inside the weather factory would cause huge damage and she was still in the bad books from the whole hibernation debacle. But as soon as she was clear?
BOOM.
The world burned with bright light as physics took a back seat to awesome. But Dash lied again: she didn't keep accelerating. Instead of going as fast as she could, she dropped to a cruise - still faster than the boom behind her, but at a comfortable pace. It would give him a chance and give her the opportunity to observe.
Hyles was struggling. He was fast - obviously. He had to be to make it as far into the Wonderbolts as he had. But he wasn't Rainbow Dash fast, even when he was Rainbow Dash. His wings were pumping furiously, body straining with effort. She could see the air pressure building up like a wall against him - the wall that separated 'fast' from 'boom'. He wouldn't be able to push through it. She knew that he couldn't.
Not that he wasn't trying. Frothy sweat was building up on his flanks as he struggled against physics. That he was even getting so close was a little impressive.
Rainbow Dash barely registered that she crossed the finish line. Her wings automatically tilted, letting her bank around to bleed off speed and get a better view as Hyles struggled in vain.
With the angle, she could see him hit the ragged edge of flight and start to destabilize. The bow shock behind him - the disruption of the air in his wake - was becoming unmanageable as the turbulence got stronger and stronger. He had about two seconds to break through the wall before he lost control and crashed out.
Not that there was any shame in crashing out - for every Wonderbolt who had managed to break through, there were five that couldn't make it. And even the ones that succeeded had built that on top of dozens of failures.
Dash's bank hit the furthest point and she started looping back towards the landing strip. Her momentum was dropping - his was holding steady. She'd arrive about ten seconds after he had initially passed the line, and she was going to beat him back. Disappointing.
He had another second. Maybe. Hyles was struggling to keep his wings straight, but that just made the problem worse. Rather than powering forward to break through, he was spending his power and momentum on adjustments kept him in the danger zone.
Just as she was bracing for him to crash, Hyles surprised Rainbow Dash. A burst of teal fire washed over him, filling the wildly turbulent air behind him with flames. He came out the other side in his natural form, gossamer wings buzzing faster than the eye could track.
Dash's breath hitched in anticipation as she saw the air bend around Hyles' outstretched hooves. His energy freed up from taking Dash's form pushed him just that little bit harder against the wall and–
BOOM.
The sky cascaded with a grayscale shockwave. A bit in the back of Rainbow Dash's head made idle note to train up a griffon and see if other non-pony races had different colored rainbooms. The rest of her, however, was busy fighting the urge to cheer. She didn't want to risk distracting the cadet as he flew faster than any changeling before him.
They reached the finish line at almost the same time - she landed into a comfortable, casual trot; he plowed into the clouds, leaving behind a shallow trench.
Laying in the ground, Hyles gasped for air. Even a non-changeling could see the wild mix of emotions rattling around his head: exhaustion and excitement and disbelief and ecstasy.
Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, trotted over to Misty Fly and looked at her stopwatch. It clearly read 10.14 seconds, but that wouldn't do. Dash raised her head and made her announcement. "Nine point seven-four seconds behind me."
The crowd - cadet and Wonderbolt alike - erupted into cheers.
Misty traded nods with her captain, sealing the knowledge that only they knew the true time and that it would never be spoken.
Grabbing a water bottle from the bench, Rainbow Dash brought it over to the collapsed, panting changeling. Holding it out, she grinned at the cadet. "So," she asked, "What did we learn?"
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When she first told Twilight this, the princess nodded and said, "Now imagine if the Wonderbolts roster were the size of an entire country."
Dash never made fun of Twilight's stress-relief hayburger binges ever again.
She knew it wasn't the human, because this one could actually remember how to hold her wings in a rest position for longer than ten seconds.
Lovely stuff. Great moment of Dash at her best and guiding the next generation to be at least as good. (Okay, about as good.
) Thank you for it.
So, you're saying this could be even better than it already is?
Like, seriously, besides the explanation you give to changeling transformation and rainboom dynamics (physics taking a backseat to awesome is a great line), what takes the cake here is Rainbow Dash. She's mature in so many ways but still Rainbow. You absolutely nailed how she could've become years later and it's awesome.
Very good work! This was loads of fun!
a lot of cool worldbuilding but I still don't get how that race was meant to prove anything
11706525
Seemed pretty self-explanatory to me: Hyles was wasting a good chunk of his magic on maintaining his Rainbow Dash guise when he'd have been better off staying himself and putting all that energy into his flight. The moment he tried it in a last-ditch attempt to keep up with the original… well, "BOOM."
11706525
11706542
Pretty much this, yeah.
Dash is very much about the 'show don't tell'. She could have explained to him why, but why do that when she can have him learn from experience? It's how she learns best and she's Awesome. Plus it means she doesn't have to go back to the paperwork for a while.
I don't think Rainbow's using the right parameters to test his claim. It could be argued that he'd claimed that taking her form would improve his performance, not match hers. Also, its effectiveness has nothing to do with whether it's cheating or not. Twilight would've had a fit if she'd been around.
Then again, since that wasn't Rainbow's real intention, I guess it slides.
Typo.
The danger zone!
Lovely story, thank you for writing it!
Your writing never ceases to amaze me, TCC56.
I love me some good Captain Dash fics, and this one was a treat. Seeing her be in this kind of authoritative mentor role was awesome and Hyles's got guts. And I adore the fact that Dash understands the intricacies of pegasus and changeling magic.
All in all, this was a fun one. Thanks!
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There's always one that sneaks by. Corrected.
11706392
And Spike has to clean up after Twilight. Just imagine HIS stress-relief binges!
So you're saying this was a sprint to the finish with everything you had?
note to self
show my story to him when it's done
- MLP: FiM
- Adventure
- Slice of Life
how would the story have been different if the mane 6 wereN'T 100% ponies... Okay, respect. For this being so short, it's *stellar as hell*. Well DONE!
I did not expect to love this so much. Yet here I am, sitting and smiling! I am so very proud of both Rainbow Dash and Hyles!
Also, simple, but well thought through pieces of world-building with changeling magic is very much appreciated.
Short and sweet! I really appreciate the show don't tell nature of things. Hyles is a fun character.
I’m leery of a changeling which has like three to five kinds of magic being able to achieve a rainboom when pegasus magic exclusively deals with the sky and only the best of the best can even attempt it. But, in a story like this that’s a nitpick. Everything else is superb.
I don't normally like Rainbow Dash, but I love how you wrote her here! Very good story!
DUUUUUDE THIS IS AWESOME
wow very RD wording there but I MEAN IT
I love how matured Rainbow feels here, I love the little bits and pieces of futurebuilding, and I saw the different story tells but still wasn't if Hyles was going to make it or not so when he did—pure elation. Cool little oneshot and I appreciate how he was only really able to break through the sound barrier as himself. A good old fashioned race is a very Rainbow Dash way of teaching.
Really really enjoyable read
Oh this was really good.
Very nice example of an older, slightly wiser Dash teaching an important lession.
Really nice message as well that you'll only be your best by being yourself instead of trying to be someone else.
Awwww that was awesome. Though sudden head cannon taking someone form could make it easier you wouldn't be able to do the same awesome tasks because that requires a trained mana pool, technique training and probably cutiemark magic but there would still be the trained body with increased physical potential and the specialized genetics that allowed her to get to the top. There is always the inefficiency of maintaining the spell but changing wings just aren't built for speed though there is a lot more forms (gems, double wing, horns) now so shrug
Also Griffins would be goldscale
Thestrals would be a moonbow softer sweeter
Dragons would be fire
Hehe breezies would be double but smol
Can you do a rainboom at night will it light up the world o.O
Great story!
I think you have a very interesting take on the strengths and weaknesses of changeling magic here. And when I say 'interesting' here, part of what I mean is 'balanced in a way that will support writing a lot of stories.'
I have a bit of trouble believing Rainbow Dash telling that lie near the end, though. I remember how in the first Equestria Girls movie, the local Rainbow Dash handled her soccer match against Princess Twilight without resorting to that tactic.
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Why wouldnt she? she made a show about if he couldnt arrive within 10 seconds of her then he would get kicked out she didnt really want to kick him out she wanted to give an important lesson to a new cadet and after pulling an impressive stunt putting in his all he earned his few minutes of fame.
11706392
I like this!
11706691
Of course she understands Pegasus magic* ... but yeah, it is to her credit she expanded it to changelings... unless Twilight just happened to nerd-gush on the subject while they were flying together?
*I would GUESS that that and cloud working techniques are one of FEW things her 'only when flying' learning disability doesn't apply to?
This really appealed to the track and cross country coach in me. I especially appreciated how Dash was very clearly still Dash but also a good coach.
I'm going to hunt you down.
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cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/817137022031626314/1158571892890927104/2016436.png?ex=651cbba8&is=651b6a28&hm=72271941ec483382901d87257a642cd3befe25250fea27da9f798ffd791d66a1&
At least Rainbow Dash can tell he was being honest when it comes to Flying and abilities
This was a pretty nice story I kind of like how Rainbow Dash is really mature in the later years even giving other creatures a chance to become a Wonderbolt and it's always nice to see other creatures to try out not only that she sees Hyles potential even given him a try how fast he is maybe not as fast as her but he was good and that's all she needed I got to say this was pretty good keep up the good work
11706542
In other words, moral of the story is be yourself 🙃
this was a lot of fun; I like the more mature RD here