Within and Without
Her cyan feathers, perfectly in line thanks to a much-needed grooming from Rarity, bristled slightly in the cool wind as she moved her sleek, well-muscled body forward a nudge. Although her gorgeous, bright wings were the centerpiece of her body, the generous white unicorn had gone through the trouble of taking a tough brush to her unruly mane and tail. The end result was a long, waterfall-esque trail of rainbows that flowed freely from the top of her head and between her tense legs. Her hooves themselves were dainty and quite small compared to any other pegasi's, but packed a punch that rivaled Applejack's hard bucking in the apple orchard that was her home.
This elegant mare, as brash as she is quick, winked at her greastest admirer, who hugged the guard rail tightly. She reached out a polished hoof and ruffled the filly's dark purple mane that hung down over her light lavender eyes. Those eyes grew with excitement as her role model's touch filled her up with a tingling warmth from head to hoof. A smile as wide as a mile grew on her face and her tiny wings shot upwards in pure bliss.
The tip of her brilliant tail whipped itself against the pegasus filly, who yelled words of encouragement as Rainbow Dash disappeared down the red carpet and went on to the next ponies in line.
From out of nowhere a tiny comb, adorned with even smaller jewels, revealed itself from the crowd and began working at the pegasus' mane, which had been pulled at by the ever-growing breeze. She easily located the source of the tool- Rarity beamed at her from the other side of the metal rail. "Good luck, darling," she cooed in a voice like the thickest honey.
Rainbow Dash grinned as her friend finished her work and took away the comb. On she went until there was a familiar squeal of delight and a flash of soft gray feathers, followed by amber eyes that reflected the bright sun's light.
"You'll do great, Dashie," Ditzy Doo gave a lopsided smile from behind the rail, "I just know it."
She aknowledged the clumsy pegasus with a curt nod and blushed under her waterfall of a mane at her words. "Thank you."
The small booth seemed to be a mile away, and it looked like Dash was getting nowhere as she walked on, greeting her anxious friends with either a humble smile or polite words of thanks. Not that this was a problem; she would give anything to have this moment last forever, this time when all the pieces fit together, when everything is in perfect harmony.
Behind the crimson curtain in front of the booth, she saw a flicker of yellow and the impatient twitch of an orange tail. She hurried her steps to keep from having the mare waiting for too long.
She reached the booth and weaved between the curtains, feeling the soft velvet caress her frame. In the darkness of the booth she could easily see the fire jumping from her idol's bright mane, dancing along her head like a onfire in the summer.
"Ready?" Her energetic voice bounced across the walls.
Rainbow Dash nodded. Her mane jumped in responce.
Spitfire, clipboard and quill in tow, motioned for the athletic mare to step out of the booth first.
When they emerged from their velvet cocoon, the pegasi were greeted with wave after wave of cheering and positive comments. Her magenta eyes grew wide at the heart and soul behind each yell.
Spitfire led her behind the booth, where two burly bodyguards were already moving it so everypony could see the cyan pony in all her glory. The soft, springy grass awaited her touch and practically giggled in delight as she stepped upon it.
The great captain sat a few feet away from Rainbow Dash, her clipboard resting at her hooves and the quill in her steady mouth. "Begin when ready, Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow crouched low to the ground, letting the grass tickle her stomach, and once more went over the routine in her mind. First she would do a few loop-de-loops, just to get her wings warmed up; then she would dip low over the crowd and pull up at the very last second. She would shoot into the sky, so high that she would be just a cyan speck in the wide open air, then do not one, but two Sonic Rainbooms before coming to a calm stop in front of Spitfire and await grand appaulse.
She opened her luminous wings and gave them a cautious flap. Rarity's handiwork made them seem like no more than a part of the sky itself, and her force almost pulled her off her hooves in that simple movement.
Perfect, she thought with a sly smile.
The air was perfect; the sky was calling her name.
"It's showtime."
Rainbow Dash prepared for takeoff and braced herself for the impact of gravity on her cheeks.
But she couldn't go.
The pegasus dipped her head and emitted a tiny sob. Her body shook with cries.
Spitfire dropped her quill and went to comfort the Wonderbolt to-be. "What's wrong? You've practiced this many times- I've seen you do it!" she exclaimed.
When she raised her cyan head, it was streaked with tears. "I... I..." she struggled to get the words out.
"What?" Spitfire was not the most patient pony in Equestria.
"I can't!"
Spitfire rolled her eyes. "Why not?"
The pegasus made the captain lower her ear so she could whisper in secrecy. "I just can't... Not with all these ponis watching my every move!"
She was right- the ponies in the crowd watched her like manticores watching their next meal. If one had just walked in on the event (What was ironic is that everypony in Ponyville was there), they would have thought the crowd had gone loony and turned to pegasi as a food source.
"You've preformed for crowds larger than this- you've even flew for Celestia!" Spitfire questioned.
Rainbow Dash held back another wave of emotions from spilling out. "This time... It's different." She thought of the mare of her dreams, who had just announced her unwavering love for her, who just happened to be in the crowd. Rainbow easily spotted her worried eyes in the throng of eager ponies.
Spitfire groaned slightly. "What will it take to get you to fly?"
"I don't know."
The fiesty mare called an intermission, and the crowd gasped in harsh responce. She walked away from her sobbing colleague and motioned for Rainbow Dash's friends to come and try to comfort her.
Twilight Sparkle was a blur of purple as soon as a heavyset guard gave her permission to go through the bars, and within a few short seconds she was upon her weeping friend with soft hooves that stroked her mane as if it was the finest velvet.
"I know you can do it, Dashie..." Twilight murmured into her ear.
She shooed her unicorn friend away, first giving her a light kiss on her lavender cheek for her efforts. She blushed furiously and moved aside to let a familiar white flash take her spot.
"Oh my, Rainbow, you must have faith in yourself! We're here for you, and don't even begin to think we would laugh at you!" Rarity pushed her nose into Rainbow's fluffy feathers.
"I know," the pegasus said under her breath. She let Rarity stay with her for a few long moments before their moment was interrupted by the painful crushing of lungs and other vital organs.
Rainbow Dash didn't even need to turn around- everypony knew Applejack gave the tightest hugs and the longest embraces. Although her tough exterior didn't show it, inside she had a soft spot for all of her friends and wasn't afraid to show it when needed. "It's all right, sugarcube," the farm pony soothed, "just pretend all the ponies ar' naked an' there won't be no problem."
"You're not helping." Rainbow Dash snorted.
The honest mare smiled, glad to at least see a flicker of her friend's normal attitude. After a burning stare from Rarity the two ran away and hid behind the metal rail; Rainbow Dash saw why quickly and was pushed onto her back from the force.
There was a sobbing Pinkie Pie, her face wetter than the pegasus', who buried her head in her tender cyan cheek, and Fluttershy, who crouched by her back and straightened her mane.
"Waaahhh!" Pinkie Pie's screams vibrated her flesh.
"Why in Equestria are you crying?" Rainbow Dash pulled her cheek away.
"Because this is all so sad!" She pulled her cheek back and went even deeper.
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but giggle. "Pinkie Pie, you are so random."
From behind she heard the soft, songbird-like tones of her fellow pegasus. "You've got to be strong, Dashie... For me." The love behind her words was enough to move Dashie to a fresh coating of salty tears.
"But I'm not strong enough."
Fluttershy gave her mane an unusually sharp tug. She moved her sleek, graceful head so that her expression-filled eyes could look into her own magenta ones. A few strands of her fine pink mane got in Dashie's mouh and eyes. She didn't care.
"You are strong enough. You are stronger than strong enough, and don't let anypony tell you differently."
The sharp sound of Pinkie split into Fluttershy's words like a knife. "Yeah, Dashie! You've stronger than stronger than strong enough!"
Rainbow Dash almost broke into tears again, but for a different reason; this praise was like the sweetest honey, the finest sugar, the best present on her birthday. And she hadn't even taken off yet.
She gave a warm smile to both of them and got onto her hooves. The grass jumped happily at her touch.
The Wonderbolt to-be was about to flap her graceful wings when suddenly there was a dull tug at her back, and the sensation of being dragged through deep water. Her wings were rendered useless and the corners of her vision became blurred, as if she were walking in fog. Her pupils dilated and all of a sudden she was back to her normal self, standing in the grass and in a crouching position.
She felt ready for what was about to come. She snorted in anticipation.
But then she realized a crucial detail; Spitfire was a few feet away with her quill in her mouth. She hadn't come back after her friends came to comfort her...
Did she?
Rainbow's mind did a flip and realization hit her like a stray gust in the sky. It was just a daydream.
She looked at her admirer- she hadn't moved.
Sure, she was a little upset, but the proud pegasus didn't show this to the waiting crowd. She opened her wings to their full length and let the wind flow freely through her primaries and secondaries. The gathered ponies oohed and ahhed.
Perfect.
With a quick nod to Spitfire, Rainbow Dash took off in a flash of the colors that sprouted from her head. The gale made by her first flap nearly toppled Spitfire over, and she gasped and looked at the sky in amazement.
She did gorgeous flips and daring dives and topped it all off with a first in pegasus history; a Double Sonic Rainboom. As her natural beauty and speed won over the crowd and Spitfire alike, a small tune she made up herself, on the fly, she hummed and occasionally sang;
You must,
You must think I'm strong...
To give me what I'm going through...
Well, forgive me,
Forgive me if I'm wrong,
But this looks like more than I can do...
On my own...
I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be,
I give up,
I'm not strong enough,
Hooves of Celestia, won't you cover me,
Please, right now I'm asking you to be,
Strong enough,
Strong enough,
For the both of us...