"And the ball is in the air!" the announcer said. Twilight was able to use her magic to project a screen, to watch the Stormball Equestrian championships. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie cheered, while Rarity clopped her hooves together. Fluttershy was... strangely absent.
"They're off! Lightning Striker is getting a good assist from their thunderclap, and OOOOH!" The announcer yelled, as the thunderclap (a roll which took down ponies mainly) took out the pegasus who was carrying the ball. The Flash-reciever, Lightning Striker, swooped down and scooped up the ball.
"Go Lightning!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
"Looks like Lightning Striker will- what is this?" The Fillydelphia's main Thunderclap began to catch up to lightning. "Looks like the Fillydelphia Thunderclap is going to take down the Flash-reciver- hold the phone!" The Thunderclap from Ponyville caught up ground, slamming her body against the enemy thunderclap. "Looks like the Ponyville Hornets are gonna secure a point!"
As the point scored, and the horn blazed, yelps and hollers of excitement could be heard throughout Caterlot and Ponyville, and possibly to sounds of disappointment from Fillydelphia. Rainbow Dash jumped up in excitement. The game went on like this, and at halftime, the score was 8-6, with Ponyville in the lead.
"And to bring the 3rd quarter in to halftime, it seems that the Ponyville's thunderclap has taken quite a beating. She's a worthy opponent on the field! Join us with Buck Stagson for the halftime report." Unicorn magic had just been found to be something of a television, and was being used to the full extent to broadcast games like Stormball across the land.
"Wow! That Thunderclap is quite a bruiser." Twilight said. "I wonder who she is." She had just pulled out her horn, as the halftime report was just coming up in 5 minutes.
"I'm not sure, but whoever she is, Fillydelphia is playing like they're just throwing theirselves at an iron wall with her around." Rainbow Dash said as Twilight levitated 4 glasses of water to her friends, and gave 1 to herself. The ponies waited anxiously for the report to come. Finally, a sense of magic came in to Twilight's horn.
"Alright everypony, it's time!" Twilight said, and everyone began to watch the flickering screen projected off of Twilight's horn.
"Welcome back everypony to ESN, Equestria Sport's Network. I'm Blazewing and I'm joined with Buck Stagson." The red pegasus announcer gestured to the blue unicorn across from him. "How are you doing today Buck?"
"Very fine, thank you." Buck said, smiling. "This game is certainly looking up to be an interesting one to say the least."
"Why is that?" Blazewing questioned.
"Ponyville has two elements that Fillydelphia does not." Buck said, settling in his chair. "See, Ponyville's Flash-retriever, Lightning Striker has been measured for 19.4 wingpower, a feat only matched by the Cloudsdale Crusher's Flash-retriever years ago, Bale Hoofstrong. Her awareness of the field is absolutely incredible as well."
"Yes, and I think we all remember Bale Hoofstrong's amazing record of 198 points during the 8th season of Stormball." Blazewing said. "What is the other element?"
"The thunderclap, who people have taken to calling her "Thunderheart". This Thunderclap is amazing. She's taken down 56 pegasi this season, nearly getting taken out for the season for inadvertently breaking a Flash-reciever's wing." Buck looked down and smirked. "Fillydelphia has neither, and I think it will get Ponyville the 3rd Stormball National cup in a row."
"Well we will certainly see. We have 5 minutes until the action starts again. Join us again on ESN!"
Fluttershy heard the hoops and hollers of the crowd, sitting above the locker room for the Ponyville Hornets. The halftime show was Sapphire Shores, and the Gems. She was putting back on her Stormball gear, when she heard a sound behind her. It was Lightning, putting on her gear as well. She turned and saw Fluttershy staring at her.
"What's wrong Flutterstorm?" Lightning said, snickering. "Ready for the next 3 quarters?"
"I guess." She said, shifting around her hooves. "I just wish I could be at home with my friends."
"Well are they watching you?" Lightning said, taking a swig of water.
"They told me they were watching the championships. I haven't really told them I would be playing, though." Lightning let out a stream of water from her mouth, and she looked at Fluttershy.
"You haven't even told them you're a world famous Thunderclap for the 2nd time champion team from Ponyville?" Lightning said. She put on her helmet. "You're a strange mare, Fluttershy."
"Well my name IS Fluttershy." She said, putting on her helmet. "How do you think your friends would react if you're a kind pony, and have a secret life knocking ponies down for a living?"
"Good point. I think we're on." Lightning said. She flew out on to the field, with Fluttershy following close behind.
The grey field below was just starting to get lightning charged by the many pegasi. The rest of the team was huddled up, and Fluttershy and Lightning flew up to meet the coach.
"Alright Flutterstorm," The coach said. He presented his board. "I'm going to call out a good cut and loop technique. Lightning, make sure to be ready to retrieve the ball. It's a come in from the cold tactic." The coach said. After rambling on for a minute, the whistle finally blew, and they were ready to begin. Fluttershy stationed herself between the left and right Thunderclaps. The Fillydelphia Cumulus had the ball.
"Cloud, 28! Thunder, 16! Hike!" And with that, the horn blew and they set off.
Lightning instantly ducked underneath the clash of Thunderclaps. Fluttershy soared over, and the Cumulus threw the ball to the Fillydelphian Flash-reciever. Fluttershy instantly picked up on this, slamming her body in to the Flash-reciever. The ball simply floated in the air, until Lightning scooped it up and began to break for the goal.
Just as she was doing so, the Thunderclap was piling after her. Fluttershy intercepted him, and they were put inside of the storm. Fluttershy's hooves were to strong for the other Thunderclap, and he sent him down, using him as leverage to take off.
Fluttershy came up just to see Lightning piling over the enemy's right Thunderclap. Lightning saw Fluttershy, lobbying the ball to Fluttershy. She caught it, soared over the two, and took the ball in to the goal. The horn sounded, and the score switched out.
A fair amount of the game went this way. At the very end of the game, 6th quarter, there was a turn of events. The score was 21-21, with the two teams tied. The coach was getting desperate, and Fillydelphia was as well. Lightning was soaring over the conflict in the middle.
The enemy's 3 Thunderclaps were barreling after her. Fluttershy took down two with a single headbutt, and they fell. She went after the third. The gap was closing quickly. That's when it happened.
The enemy Thunderclap used his hoof to kick Lightning at the base of her wing. There was a popping snap, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Fluttershy got there just in time to shove him straight in to the wall.
"FOUL!" The referee said, flying over to the camera. Lightning was caught just in time, before she hit the floor of the stadium.
Fluttershy let the Thunderclap go reluctantly. For a while, there was absolute silence. The referees were talking amongst eachother next to the unicorns. Finally, the main referee flew to the middle of the field.
"Red card on Fillydelphia. For the intention of breaking the Flash-reciever's wing, Fillydelphia will be forced to concede. Ponyville Hornets win." This erupted hundreds of boos from the Fillydelphia team and supporters, and whoops and hollers of the Ponyville supporters.
Fluttershy bolted to the medical wing, while the rest of the team took a victory lap. The doctor showed Fluttershy to Lightning, resting in a bed.
"Lightning, are you alright?" Fluttershy said. Lightning was in a splint with a wrap around her broken wing.
"Well, I've been better." She said with a shaky laugh. "Moronic pegasus broke the wing."
"Then you won't be able to play next season!" Fluttershy said. "What are we going to do?"
"Well, you have to find someone else to be the Flash-reciever." Lightning said, resting her head on the pillow. "Season has to go on. Did we win?"
"Yep." Fluttershy said. Lightning thrust a hoof in to the air.
"3 time champions." Lightning said, sighing with relief. "You should get out of here, they're going to transfer me to the Ponyville hospital."
"Alright. Bye Lightning." Fluttershy said. She walked out of the clinic and under the stadium in to Canterlot. She knew that they had won the championship for the 3rd time in the row, but at the cost of their only Flash-reciever. How could they win next year now?
She boarded the train with her team mates to go back to Ponyville. The train began to rev up, and finally lurched to a start. As all the other members were chatting with their fellows, Fluttershy's seat next to her was empty. Where Lightning was supposed to sit.
Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy had a sudden though come to her. The cyan pegasus pony could easily replace Lightning as Flash-reciever. But has she even played before? Fluttershy thought. She rested her head on the windowpane, watching the gleaming lights of Canterlot fade behind the mountain.
Savor the victory, Flutterstorm. Fluttershy thought to herself, beginning to drift off to a nap until they got to Ponyville.
Savor the Victory.
The next day was full of both excitement and sorrow for the whole of Ponyville's sports fans. The excitement was obviously because of the third championship win in a row. The sorrow was because of Lightning's injury. She was confirmed to not be able to play next season.
Twilight was walking down the road, when she saw an enormous crowd of newspaper reporters crowded around the large house Lightning Striker called home. Rainbow Dash spotted her, and motioned for Twilight to come. They were crouded around a stallion on a podium.
"Now hold on, hold on." The stallion said. "I will take any questions you have to ask about Lightning individually. Please calm down." He sighed, as the crowd erupted again. He finally chose a mare.
"Do you have any idea how this will affect Fillydelphia next season?" The mare called.
"Me and Fillydelphia's coach have discussed about it, and we've agreed the main Thunderclap will be taken off the team." The unicorn adjusted her glasses and used her magic to scribble down something on the paper. He picked a stallion reporter to the side.
"What is Lightning's condition at the moment?" He yelled.
"She's been doing well." The reporters scribbled as he talked. "Her left wing has been broken, but she is in a fairly stable condition. Her wing should come back in to place in due time." He said. He finally chose a unicorn stallion near the middle of the crowd.
"Who is Ponyville's new Flash-reciever to be?" He said.
"Well..." The stallion thought for a moment. "We don't know. Honestly, we haven't made an arrangement in the past for a replacement. We will probably hold try-outs sometime in the autumn." The stallion quickly pointed to the back, where Rainbow Dash was standing.
"Who IS Ponyville's Thunderclap?" She yelled to him. He looked down and shifted his hooves.
"Well... I'm not supposed to say her name, only that she goes by the name of Thunderheart." The stallion said. The crowd erupted in anger. He finally yelled out to the crowd. "Please, we won't be taking any more questions!" The stallion retreated through the gate of Lightning's estate. The crowd finally dispersed, filing away from the small estate.
"Unbelievable!" Rainbow Dash said to Twilight, following her on Twilight's market trip. "We lose our star player, and they barely tell us anything about it?"
"I agree Rainbow." Twilight said, placing some bread in her saddlebags. "Who will be playing next season for the team?"
"Who knows? What other Stormball athlete could top Lightning Striker?" She questioned.
"Well, you could."
Rainbow stepped back at the notion of this. "I couldn't do it, I've barely played Stormball since Speedster's school. Even then, I've never considered playing in the EQUESTRIAN league!"
Twilight looked at Rainbow quizzically. "You're fast, athletic and you have a great sense of sports! I have no idea why you wouldn't take this job."
"Well, I just think I don't want to kill the spot." Rainbow said.
"You could ask other pegasi for advice." Twilight stated. "They might know how to play."
"That might work." Rainbow said. She then took to the sky.
"Where are you going?" Twilight yelled up at her.
"Where do you think? To find the Stormball players!" Rainbow said. Twilight sighed, as the eager blue pegasus dissapeared behind the clouds.
Fluttershy had a workout attire on. She had a headband on, as well as wraps around her hooves. The basement in her cottage was nearly a storage garage. It was stocked with food for her many animals, as well as pieces of food for herself. She had made a large pile of flour sacks, and was assaulting it with all her might.
Can't let Lightning down. Have to win next season. Fluttershy thought, letting out a vicious yell as she barreled in to the pile of flour sacks, sending them flying. She was covered by a fine white dust, when she heard a knock on her door.
"Fluttershy, you home?" It was Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy knew she couldn't show herself to Rainbow in her gear, as it would be a dead giveaway she was doing something. She quickly pulled off the workout gear, and began to gallop up the stairs.
"Fluttershy?" Rainbow was opening the door, when Fluttershy met her halfway, pulling open the door.
"Hi Rainbow!" Fluttershy said, shaking. "H-How's it going?"
"Are you okay Fluttershy? You're shaking up a storm." Rainbow said.
Fluttershy laughed at the pun. Keep it cool, Flutterstorm. Just stay calm. "Um, yeah. I'm fine. What did you want Rainbow?" She said, opening the door slightly for her.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you." She said. Rainbow quickly trotted in and lied down on the couch. Fluttershy floated by and sat on the chair opposite to her.
"About what?" Fluttershy said, finally able to look calm and collected.
"Well, it's about a game called Stormball." Rainbow said. Fluttershy's throat tensed up, as she thought her secret life had been found out by Rainbow. She took a gulp and thought for a second. Just be clueless. She thought.
"Yes? What about it?" Fluttershy finally said.
"Well, I want to try out for the part of Flash-reciever next season." Fluttershy had a start by this, due to the fact she was on the team that had an open slot for Flash-reciever.
"Um..." Fluttershy was shaking again. "Well... um... why are you asking me? I don't even play Stormball!" She said, nearly shaking out of the chair.
"Oh... alright then." Rainbow said, trotting out. "Well, see you later then."
Fluttershy sighed, and then walked back downstairs to her cellar. She had angel help her set back up the flour sacks in to a literal wall. She continued her usual piling at the wall, until she heard another knock on her cottage door. She fluttered up to see her agent, Archibald Starwing.
"Fluttershy, my faithful mare, how is it?" The smiling face of her agent made her even more depressed about Lightning, and he finally picked up on it. "I'm... sorry, about Lightning."
"It's fine, Star." Fluttershy said. She had nicknamed him Star, just because "Archibald Starwing" was too long to say. "Why are you here?"
"Well, you'd be happy to know this season was profitable as the moon for you." He opened his breifcase, and began tapping on his keypad. Usual Star. Numbercrunching as always. He finally stopped.
"That comes up to about 30,000 bits this season." More than usual, she thought.
"Why so much?" Fluttershy asked him.
"Well, 60 takedowns and 12 intercepts, that comes up to about 30,000 in total." He said, smiling and closing his briefcase. "Which will be a total of 23,500 bits for you."
Fluttershy smiled and nodded. "You know I'm not much in it for the money, Star."
"Well, it certainly helps." They both took a small throat laugh to each other. Starwing straightened his tie, and got slightly serious for a small time. "How has Lightning been?"
"Last time I checked, she was fine." Fluttershy said, sighing. "Her wing's pretty badly damaged, though."
"I talked with her agent. I have no clue what to do about this. We have no replacement, no kind of pegasus like her, ever to be able to replace Lightning." Starwing said, looking down.
Fluttershy's mind instantly drifted to Rainbow. She wasn't going to get Rainbow in to the Equestrian league to quickly, but she might have had something of an experience in a sport. Tell him about Rainbow. A part of her was saying. The other part was saying: No, it could completely ruin your reputation if she doesn't do well! It was her selfless part against her selfish, and both had valid arguments.
She went with the selfless side. "What about Rainbow Dash?"
"The element of Loyalty?" He asked. "In Ponyville? Is she at all athletic?"
"As in racing, yes." Her selfish side made her want to not be held accountable for any mistakes she might make. "As in Stormball, I have no idea how much she's played." She stopped for a second, and finally added in: "Also, don't tell the coach I suggested her.
"Alright then Fluttershy." Starwing said, as he walked out. He used his magic to close the door behind him.
Fluttershy sighed, checking out her peephole for any more potential "guests". After a minute, Fluttershy finally walked down to her cellar, and continued barreling herself at the pile of flour sacks, until the velvety night fell on Equestria, and she nearly collapsed from exhaustion.
No pain, no game. Fluttershy said, repeating an old saying from Iron Will that actually was helpful. She dozed off without trouble.
The night was fairly new, and many ponies were still milling about. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were in her library, with a warm fire in the fireplace, and a hearty meal in her belly. They were watching the ESN on Twilight's magic intently for any news about Lightning.
And to end the nightly sports report, famed Flash-reciever for the Ponyville Hornets will be confirmed out for next season, due to her broken wing. Try outs will be starting in 3 months for the next season. Blazewing said, looking across from him. Joining us today is Archibald Starwing, agent for the head Thunderclap for Ponyville.
Star was sitting there, looking intently at Blazewing. How are you doing tonight, Archibald?
Quite fine. Star said, settling in his chair.
As the manager for Ponyville's other star player, do you have any idea what will happen to the spot of Flash-reciever? Blazewing said.
I've gotten a few suggestions for ponies around the town. Star said, sitting up. Specifically a cyan pegasus named "Rainbow Dash".
Rainbow froze. Twilight looked at her with mouth agape. She didn't even hear the rest of the report, as she was too awestruck to know that anypony had suggested her for Stormball, a sport she had never played. She was athletic, so it was obviously an assumption.
She had no idea how to play the game.
Rainbow quickly flew upwards, sending her sandwhich one side, and Twilight's drink the other. "What?!" Twilight questioned.
"I have no idea how to play Stormball!" Rainbow said, dragging her hooves down the side of her face.
"Well then why would a pony suggest you?" She questioned.
"I have no idea! It was an assumption on my athletics?!" Rainbow landed on the couch again. "What am I going to do?"
"Learn how to play Stormball?" Twilight said. Rainbow looked at Twilight with a Duh. look on her face.
"Well YEAH. But who could teach me Stormball?" Rainbow said.
"I have no idea, but you should probably find out within 3 months." Twilight said.
Rainbow sat down and relaxed, while Twilight switched it to her favorite pony show Married with Foals. Rainbow flew out, and Twilight was just cleaning up for the night. She told spike to handle the rest of it.
Rainbow Dash: Flash-retriever of the century. Twilight said. She giggled, and drifted off to sleep
