Under Captain Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts have expanded to include members from races allied to Equestria.
Now she's confronted with a problem at the Academy: a changeling cadet who's decided the best way to succeed as a Wonderbolt is to literally be Rainbow Dash.
The solution is obvious for anypony who knows Rainbow Dash: a race.
Featured 9/26/2023 - 9/30/2023!
And featured on Equestria Daily on 10/2/2023, and as part of 30 Of The Best Fanfics To Read For Rainbow Dash Day on 2/1/2024!
Chapters (1)
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!
11706682
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.
11709618
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.
11711993
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