A test with a foregone conclusion.
Three Years After the Defeat of Lord Sombra:
The throne room was mostly empty, since this was the secure court where matters that required discretion were discussed, not the general court. Princess Celestia was attended only by two guards flanking her, plus one more by the door to call in the next group that had business. The next pony entered.
"Greetings Captain Spitfire. What brings you to my court today?" said Princess Celestia, hoping she had guessed wrong as to why this audience had been sought.
"It is Rainbow Dash. I think I should allow her to try out."
Celestia hid her disappointment. Things would be as they would be, and she could not sacrifice the good of all of Equestria to nudge events to guarantee the happiness of one little pony, no matter how much she owed her. A complex web leaves only so many points of control. She held onto hope though, there was every chance that everything would turn out perfectly.
"I see. Do you believe she is ready?"
"I don't know if she is ready. I hope she is, but what I do know is that even if she fails your test, she will suffer less than she would from further delay."
The Next Day:
Rainbow Dash collapsed to to her side on the ground at Spitfire's hooves, panting hard. She had pulled every trick she knew in the last half-hour, while Spitfire had taken notes. She had saved the Sonic Rainboom for last, as a proof of stamina, and almost hadn't been able to pull it off.
"Well... the short version is that you pass every test normally required to get into the Wonderbolts. I'll have to triple-check a few obscure points, but I'm pretty sure that was the highest entry-score in our entire history."
Dash did not rise, but pumped one forehoof weakly in a gesture of triumph. "Thank you." she managed to get out between breaths of sweet sweet air.
"Unfortunately, you remember that I said that there would be a SECOND test in your case? On Princess Celestia's direct orders."
"What do I gotta do?" said Rainbow Dash, struggling to her hooves in the field that Spitfire had selected when she had shown up that morning unannounced on Rainbow's doorstep.
"Nothing today. I told you, you need to come to Canterlot tomorrow. The chariot will be here at noon."
Dash laid down again. "Ok, I'll be there. But I don't *gasp* need any chariot."
"The charioteers will be the judges of that. Remember, you are to obey them on that as you would Princess Celestia herself... and also remember that Celestia said she knows that you will be happy with the results and that she knows what those results will be."
Another day later, in Canterlot:
Dash raised an eyebrow as the chariot stopped in front of a highschool. It was the weekend, so there weren't many ponies around. One of the Royal Guards unhitched himself and escorted her to a moderately sized gymnasium. The guard gestured her inside and took up a position among the guards standing watch on the long row of doors into the gym.
Entering Dash looked around and saw Princess Celestia and one of her assistants together with a Wonderbolt uniform (Probably to issue to me when I pass.) and two stacks of paperwork near one corner of the room and Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot in their flight-uniforms near the opposite corner of the room. The bleachers had been collapsed into each-other so they formed solid blocks beside the two groups.
"Greetings Rainbow Dash." said Celestia.
Dash approached her and bowed low. "So what do I need to do?"
"Well first, you should put this on...", Princess Celestia said as she floated the outfit to the pegasus, "but don't think this means the test will be easy. This is just a loan for the duration of the test."
Rainbow Dash suppressed a squee of excitement (mostly), and donned the uniform.
"Next: There are four bits hidden around this room. Bring them to me, and don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Oh, and there isn't any rush."
"Sure thing!"
Weird... what is this supposed to prove? Dash thought to herself I mean my eyesight was already tested and it isn't like this is a good test of my search and rescue abilities.
Dash started to search the room. One of the coins was laying in a corner, another was weakly glued to the ceiling (a good flier doesn't forget to look up). As she continued her search, she noticed something odd. Princess Celestia wasn't paying her much attention. She was doing paperwork, although she would occasionally glance up and smile encouragingly in her direction. The Wonderbolts were watching her, but had also fallen to discussing some sort of financial crisis in Saddle Arabia.
Are all three of them going to jump me when I least expect it? Is this a test of my fighting ability?
Dash spied the third coin under the one of the collapsed bleachers and, with some effort, moved them out enough for her to snake a foreleg in and drag the bit out. She placed it on the floor in front of Princess Celestia, and opened her mouth to say something brash, but caught herself. Maybe part of the test is controlling my pride?
"Princess Celestia?" she said carefully.
The Princess looked up from a request for a decision on if a certain street in Manehatten should be widened at the cost of tearing the front three pony-lengths off of a ten story office building and rebuilding it smaller.
"Yes Rainbow Dash?"
"I... noticed you weren't watching me." Dash said, her posture every-so-slightly stiff.
Celestia's voice was sympathetic. "I'm sorry about that my little pony, but I have many duties, and this test doesn't actually require you to be watched very carefully at all in order for me to grade."
"Well, I'll let you get back to that paperwork then." said Rainbow Dash, oozing humility with approximately the same degree of success as Prince Blueblood oozed sex-appeal.
"Indeed." said Celestia, then the Diarch thought to herself "May The Elyon give her peace with what is to come."
Rainbow Dash fluttered off, careful to control her wake to avoid displacing any of Celestia's papers. She searched for several minutes for the last coin without success. Coming to a hover in the geometric center of the room, she considered the situation. Okay, so I've searched every inch of the room. Floor, ceiling, walls, the surface of every part of the bleachers. I even looked inside the air-ducts. What's left? ...Ah HA!
Dash glided in for a landing in front of the Diarch.
"Excuse me." Dash asked.
"Yes?"
"Could I look through your papers?"
"You most certainly could if there was any point. The last coin isn't within five pony-lengths of you."
"Ok then... but it is in the room right now at this very moment?"
"Yes."
"Well... I'll find it!" Dash said with quiet determination.
"I have every confidence you shall."
Rainbow Dash once again departed with only a few slightly ruffled pages.
Ok, let me think... I've searched every part of the floor, the ceiling, the... WAIT! No I haven't!
She flew over to the Wonderbolts, and crouched as close as she could get and still be ready if this turned out to be a combat exercise, her wings raised, and her legs like coiled springs to get her into the air if any of her heroes moved from where they stood. Spitfire couldn't contain her grin as Dash spotted the coin.
"Umm... Spitfire. Could you please take your hoof off the last coin?" said Dash standing up again with snake-like fluidity.
"Sure thing k- I mean candidate Rainbow Dash."
Spitfire made allowances for Dash's caution, and tossed her the coin. Rainbow caught it neatly in her teeth and added it to the pile in front of Celestia, Spitfire coming along a few pony lengths behind her.
"Before we go any further, I got a question for Celestia. Candidate Rainbow Dash, if you could go hover over in that corner so I can whisper it in her ear?" Spitfire said, pointing with one wing.
"Sure thing Captain Spitfire!"
Spitfire waited for Rainbow Dash to reach her spot, and flew up to Celestia's ear, the sound of her wings helping to cover her whisper. Dash could barely hear Princess Celestia's reply of "Certainly.".
Spitfire returned to the other two Wonderbolts.
"At ease everypony." she told them.
"Rainbow Dash, Spitfire wanted me to mention to you that this test does not involve any sort of sparring exercises of any nature." called out Celestia.
"Oh, that's good to know." said Rainbow Dash, coming back to land before Celestia yet again.
"You have passed the coin-finding test. For your information, you could have done SLIGHTLY better, but only SLIGHTLY. I warn you, the next part is going to be pretty difficult."
"Bring it on! I'm ready for anything!"
"Ok, this is a bit complicated so listen carefully."
"You will be performing one or more flight routines. Each will be considered independent of all other routines. When you have performed a successful routine, you will pass the test. If you have not performed such a routine in the next four hours, you will... get a SLIGHTLY different result. Breaks are permitted, and you may even leave the gymnasium for such breaks, but only tricks performed here will count for the test and you may not bring any materials into the room other than your uniform and goggles. The book I will give you is to be used only as a reference, not as a prop. You may not borrow anything from anypony. During each routine speaking should be kept to a minimum. You will also confine yourself to maneuvers from...", here Princess Celestia levitated the smaller stack of papers up and floated the moderately sized book thus revealed over to the Mistress of the Rainboom "this book."
"'My First Flights'?" Rainbow Dash said, confused by the title. She laid the book before her and began flipping through the pages with her nose. Her expression fell more and more as she leafed through it reading the large print and glancing at the pictures of small foals that served in lieu of the more technical maneuver-diagrams she was accustomed to.
'A Quick Review of Preening'?
'Take-offs'...
'be sure to take a running start, and do not attempt to lift off too quickly. You will get higher soon enough.'
'Remember not to go higher than the length of your own legs above the ground.'
"This is... some sort of test of humility, right? Or a mistake?"
"It isn't a mistake. The rest is for you to figure out."
Rainbow Dash read through the book, her confusion only growing. This is turning into a nightmare... I must be dreaming. She kicked herself in her left foreshin with her right forehoof. Ow... Ok, not a bad dream then. Finishing the book, she started over from the beginning, searching for some loophole. It is like Fluttershy wrote this book. It lists so many precautions that you can't really FLY.
'Do not turn more tightly than a circle three times as big across as you are long.'
'Do not rise too quickly...'
'Hovering is an advanced technique and should not be attempted.'
'Do not go too fast. As fast as the average rabbit can run is enough.'
... maybe I can get by on precision?
But what course should I use? A circle? No, I can do better than that. Figure-8? That's it... wait... no, there's something better... can't remember where I saw it, or what it is called but it should do the job.
Steeling herself to attempt a new trick with no rehearsal, she took to the air, and started flying in a pattern resembling a Coltic Knot, her hooves skimming a exact quarter-hoof above the ground. After about five minutes of this, she started moving up and down within the altitude limit the book had mentioned, adding a vertical sinusoidal component (not that she knew what a sinusoid was) and trying to perform the same peaks and valleys over each part of her imaginary diagram on every pass. This got all eyes in the room on her.
A few minutes later Soarin' shouted out "Nice work Dash!" and started drumming his hooves on the rubber-coated floor of the gym. Spitfire, and Fleet-foot, joined in a beat later, with Princess Celestia just after it. Raven, being neither knowledgeable about flying nor a yes-mare was latest and least enthusiastic in her applause.
Wow... who knew that flying like RARITY would get me into the Wonderbolts? she thought proudly to herself as she refined her new trick over the next few minutes.
"Very nice Rainbow Dash, but that won't let you pass the test. Besides, the book says to take a break every five minutes... I won't make you take the full twenty-minute break though, just land and state that you are ending your routine, and then take a bit to think about your next trick whether it be something new or a refinement on your previous one... no need to tire yourself. Endurance won't help you pass either."
Rainbow Dash landed. "End Routine" she intoned. She then walked over to the bleachers and pulled them in and out, trying to figure out a way to use them in her routine. She settled on pulling both sets all the way out, and proceeded to use them to add a further vertical element to her routine, but remaining no more than the prescribed leg's-length above the surface below her.
"End Routine."
"Again, good thinking my little pony, but that won't help. Keep thinking." said Princess Celestia.
Rainbow Dash suppressed her frustration once again. Then remembered what had happened years ago in the Crystal Empire. She let her frustration out.
"Fine. I give up. I fail. The test is impossible, and I give up. The real test is to show you I won't let orders get in the way of sense. Now let me into the Wonderbolts already!"
"Again, nice try, but you are quite wrong. I will let you into the Wonderbolts right now if you like, but you will have to live with knowing that the test was possible to pass, and you failed, and I let you in anyway. Can you live with that now, or would you like to keep trying?"
"She's right you know." Soarin' called out "I know the exact sort of maneuver she wants you to fly. You've done it before, and much more difficult versions of it than what she is looking for here."
"Hey! No help, that's cheating!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"Is it my little pony?"
"Well, yeah... the test is for me to figure out what sort of trick I can do that will impress you within the limits of the rules, right?"
"Then, if you say so, yes, I guess it can be cheating for him to offer you advice."
"Or... maybe it isn't? I mean it can be good to take direction, right?"
"It is good to take direction, but that doesn't have anything to do with if getting advice is cheating." replied Celestia.
"So... should I just continue, or are you going to change the test because there was cheating? Actually, that reminds me. Who is judging this test anyway? You or Spitfire? Or all of the Wonderbolts?"
"There is no need for me to change the test. As for your other questions, I suppose you could say that everyone but Raven here is judging the test, but it was I who created it." Celestia said, gesturing to her assistant.
Rainbow Dash walked off this time, her thoughts too confused and distressed to fly.
"I think you are forgetting something important Rainbow Dash. I said that I had ever confidence that you would be happy with the outcome."
"You mean I'm going to make it into the Wonderbolts?"
"You will make it into the Wonderbolts."
"Right... because you said you would let me in right now. Should I really be taking up your time?"
"You aren't wasting my time, and the Wonderbolts consider this worth their time."
"And the test ends in...", Dash checked a clock hanging on the wall, "three hours and thirty-two minutes."
"Or earlier if you pass it."
Two Hours later:
Dash sat on the floor of the gymnasium, wracking her brains for what sort of maneuver Celestia wished to see her perform. What sort of lesson she could be expected to demonstrate she had learned. The answer seemed to dance just beyond the edge of her consciousness, taunting her.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm ordering you to take a break. Go get something to eat, and then go over to practice area three, and do whatever sort of flying would help you think. You will have it all to yourself. You know where it is?" said Celestia.
"Yeah, I know where it is."
"Leave the uniform here."
Dash stripped out of the uniform at high speed and folded it in the Wonderbolt-regulation manner and laid it on top of one of the sets of bleachers. Placing the goggles neatly on top of the uniform she then flew out of the room and blurred down the hall.
Then she turned right around and came back to the doors to the gymnasium as what she had seen registered on her.
"Fluttershy? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, we are all here. Pinkie wanted to throw you a 'Welcome to the Wonderbolts' party, and then one of the guards came and got me and told me to stand here until you came out."
"Well, I'm not done with my test, so..."
"You are free to go." said one of the guards by the door unexpectedly, his eyes never diverting from straight forward.
"Oh, yes, you should get going Rainbow. I'll be fine here." said Fluttershy.
"You are BOTH free to go."
"Oh, OK, I'm sorry for misunderstanding you..."
"Come on Fluttershy, I know a great place near one of the practice areas."
"Practice areas?"
"For stunt flying... Princess Celestia said... actually never mind."
"Oh, Ok... I've got my purse with me so..."
"Eh, my treat." said Dash, remembering how expensive the restaurant was.
"Oh, no, I couldn't..."
"Yes, you could... but I tell you what... you can pay half your tab... IF you let me order for you, so you won't starve yourself."
"Ummm... Ok?"
And so the two friends flew off together.
As they neared the restaurant Dash noticed that several fliers were using the practice area. Huh, that's weird... I wonder if I should ask if there has been a mistake? Nah, best to do it after I've sent Fluttershy back to where-ever Pinkie is holding the party. If I gotta make a fuss she shouldn't be around.
"So where is this party?"
"Oh, it is at Pony Joe's." replied Fluttershy.
"You'll have to excuse me if I eat kinda quick Fluttershy, the clock is ticking on this test. It is like some sort of crazy puzzle-test-thing, so I gotta like clear my head, but I can't waste too much time. Luckily this place has some of the fastest waiters around!"
"Ooo... 'The Hummingbird's Flower'? Do they have hummingbirds here?"
"Oh, yeah, almost forgot! Yeah, it is part of the ambiance."
After a pleasant but brief Lunch:
"WAITER! My friend will take a feedbag."
"That's OK, Dash, I wouldn't want to hold you up any more than I already have."
"Pfft... I'm going to go do some REAL flying to clear my head, like Celestia told me to. It'll work better with my best cheering pony there." said Dash, having changed her mind about sending Fluttershy back to the party-in-waiting.
"Well, ok."
The waiter dumped the rest of Fluttershy's salad into a waxed paper bag with thick cotton strings that were more complicated than simple drawstrings.
Fluttershy looked at the odd bag, and then had to look a second time at some writing on the shiny paper.
"S-suffocation warning?"
"Eh, 'Feedbag' isn't just a word here, and some ponies are bucking idiots. If you are worried about it, don't put it on. Just carry it!"
"Oh... okay, I guess I can lay it on the ground... that should be safe, right?"
"Yes, Fluttershy, that should be very safe." Dash said tolerantly.
The two pegasi walked out of the restaurant side by side. Rainbow Dash looked up towards the airspace that was was what made The Hummingbird's Flower so profitable("Location. Location. Location." as the realtors know.). To her surprise it was clear.
Must have taken a while for the order to get relayed. At least now I don't have to find something to distract Fluttershy while I chew the custodians out.
"Come on best cheerleader!"
Fluttershy hurried after Dash, barely noticing that they were the fastest moving pegasi in the area. As soon as they entered the imaginary hexagonal prism laid out by the pennant-towers the would-be Wonderbolt accelerated. She gained altitude quickly, and felt the beginnings of the sonic barrier form in front of her. If she had been three years younger she would have continued on and broken it. Those few years had robbed her of none of her skill or energy, but they had granted her a measure of wisdom and restraint. Only a very small measure...
Don't want to make my best move too common in these skies or ponies might stop appreciating it... besides, I don't want to startle everypony.
She contented herself with allowing the barrier to rebound her, controlling the reversal of direction and blazing down towards the reinforced roof of the vast complex of warehouses that utilized the ground beneath the danger-zone. Pulling up along the outer perimeter of the stunt-area she began flying laps around it. She glanced down towards Fluttershy each time she passed her, noting the small motions of the yellow mare's mouth which served her as encouragement in lieu of the actual cheering which was quite inaudible over the rush of her own wing-beats. On the thirtieth lap she noticed that Fluttershy was beginning to lay the feed bag wide open on the roof under her. It took until the thirty-second for her to start nibbling, never taking her eyes off her speeding friend.
Now what next?
Lots of fancy flying later:
After wearing herself out, Rainbow Dash relaxed by doing loops with her eyes closed, barely moving faster than the average pegasus could sprint-fly in a straight line.
Now this is the ticket. Just me and the air. Total zone. And after today I'm finally going to get what I always wanted. Everypony is going to see me. Every pegasus is going to want to be me. Gonna to fly with the Wonderbolts. Spitfire on my right, Soarin' on my left. I'm going to... WAIT! That's it!!
She opened her eyes, her annoyance at being two pony-lengths off-course vanishing an instant later as she dove for Fluttershy.
"Comeoncomeoncomeon! Ijustfiguredouthowtowinthisthing!"
She wrapped her forelegs around her friend's barrel, and then it was Fluttershy's turn to close her eyes (but in fear, not in relaxation) as Dash broke the speed-limit back to the highschool. Zipping down the corridor she landed, skidding to a halt precisely in front of the middle set of doors to the gym.
"Let me in! I figured out how I'm gonna..." she paused as she noticed the vibration between her forelegs. Looking down at the slightly quivering mare, she opened her mouth to tell her to stop being such a wimp, then closed it again. Returning her attention to the guard she took a different tack.
"If you could open the door a little way, that would be great." she said, setting Fluttershy gently down.
"Are we there yet? It is okay if we aren't..."
"Yeah, we've arrived, and in just a few minutes I'LL have arrived."
The guard on the left opened the door, and she stuck her head in just far enough to call out "Hey, Princess! Can my buddy come see me pass this thing?"
"Certainly, but are you really so sure you are going to pass this time?" said Celestia with interest.
"Absolutely! Easy as pie!"
"I look forward to seeing it then." Celestia said, her smile growing.
"Come on in Fluttershy."
Rainbow Dash entered and zipped over to the bleachers nearest Celestia. She pulled the lowest row out and gestured towards the center of it. Fluttershy walked over and sat down in the indicated spot.
"Just a second, I gotta figure out what would be the most awesome way of doing this..." She walked over to Spitfire and bowed her head.
"Captain Spitfire, you think you could do that trick I was showing you earlier?"
"Yeah, but probably not as good as you. You've had a while to practice ya see." said Spitfire, exercising the poker face that meant she usually turned a profit on her leisure time whenever the Wonderbolts did a show in Las Pegasus.
"Ok, well, maybe you and Fleetfoot could fly on either side of me while I do it? You can lead later. "
"Sure thing kid." said Spitfire, suppressing a grin.
"Soarin' if you could take up the rear, that would be great."
Soarin' gave Dash a salute.
"I would be honored Canidate Rainbow Dash." he said with unusual formality.
"Ok, well, let's go over and line up for the start."
And so the three mares lined up and Soarin' stood behind Rainbow Dash.
"And a one, and a",counted off Rainbow Dash, and glanced over at Fluttershy who was grinning widely.
She has no idea what I'm going to do, but she still is going to cheer me on.
"two" she said.
Heh, I wonder what she will think when it turns out that this is something she could do?
"and a..." she faltered.
Nevermind 'could'! She is going to do it right now!
"Abort."
The three Wonderbolts looked at her in confusion.
"Don't tell me you pulled a muscle getting back over here?" asked Spitfire.
"Nah, nothing like that."
"I'm sorry Princess. I'm going to have to fail this one more time."
Then turning to her friend she said "Fluttershy, come over here."
"Me?"
"No, my other animal loving best cheerleader." was the gently sarcastic reply.
"Ummm.... OK."
"Get behind me."
"Err?"
"You heard me. You are part of the formation. Fall in!"
"Oh no, I couldn't! I can't do anything fancy!"
"Nah, nah. This is easy stuff! You do harder flying just feeding worms to baby birds."
"But..."
"No 'buts'. Get over here my friend. I want you with me more than I need you cheering for me this time."
"Rainbow Dash," Celestia said, "would I be correct in assuming that you intend to have Fluttershy fly in formation with you?"
"Well, yeah, but it won't count. This is just like... for practice."
"I see. Well, if she is going to be doing that, then just this once... I think she ought to have this." said Celestia, materializing a second uniform and pair of goggles. It pays to plan for everything, including success. thought the Diarch to herself.
"Oh no! I just couldn't! I'm not good with crowds!"
"Then it is a good thing that there is no crowd here my little pony. But... could you please do this for your friend Rainbow Dash? I assure you that it will be every bit as easy as she says."
"Sure, I'll even show you! It looks complicated, but all you have to do is follow me." Rainbow Dash took off, and the three Wonderbolts flew up and landed on top of the bleachers.
Going to need to use a slightly simpler pattern to allow for it being three ponies wide. I should probably keep it level so Fluttershy doesn't get confused in her nervousness and bump into somepony.
After three laps through the slightly less intricate figure Dash glanced up at the clock.
Twenty one minutes left. Plenty of time!"
Rainbow helped Fluttershy into the other Wonderbolt's costume.
"Hey, Soarin' I hate to do this to you, but my friend here is a bit nervous, so I want her right behind me. Could you follow her?"
"Not a problem. I think it will be... never mind." said Soarin' catching himself.
"Ok, what were you going to say?" Dash asked.
"Never mind."
"No, I want to hear it."
"A little help here Princess?" said Soarin'.
"Go ahead and tell her." Celestia said, without even looking up from her paperwork.
"I was just going to say that I consider this formation an improvement over our previous one."
"Hey, you aren't complaining about the view are you?"
"First off, I'm a gentlestallion, second off I was referring only to the technical quality of the formation."
"Huh? Three and one, or even three and offset two is generally more elegant than three, one, one." Dash said, refering to the rows that they would be flying in.
"Usually yes. In this case... just trust me on this one kid."
"Okay, but you better explain later." Rainbow Dash said as she flew over to the bleachers that Fluttershy had just vacated, and closed them once more.
"If you want me to."
"I do." said Dash returning to her place between Spitfire and Fleetfoot.
"I'll hold you to that." said Soarin' with good humor.
Rainbow Dash turned this over in her mind, because she had hung out with Pinkie enough to know when a prank might be being set up, then dismissed the matter from her mind because that had also taught her when to give up and let it happen.
"Come on Fluttershy, get in there." said Dash, gesturing behind her with one wing.
With everypony in formation, Rainbow Dash trotted forward, then eased into a gallop in the extremely wimpy sort of take off that the foal's book required. She guided the five-pony formation through three passes through the pattern she had demonstrated, then gently landed.
"End routine. Now Fluttershy, I'm sorry to-"
"Pardon me Rainbow Dash," interjected Princess Celestia, "but I believe I have something you should hear."
"What is it my Princess?" Dash asked.
"The testing is now over. You passed with honors."
"Wait... but I... Fluttershy was..."
"The fact that you included Fluttershy was the reason you passed with honors, rather than merely passed."
"So... I'm a Wonderbolt?" said Dash. The moment seemed so unreal to her, even after striving for so long, that her mind was numb.
"Technically yes. But the situation is more complex than that."
"So what's the deal?" she said, a sinking dread filling her.
"I have many teams of brave ponies working for the betterment of this land. Two of these teams are relevant to your current situation. Both are incrediably elite, but spend most of their time pursuing things that the average pony on the street would not recognize as being preparation work for heroic action. Both are distinguished by certain items that are worn, but in both cases it must never be forgotten that the pony is more important than that which she or he wears. From before you were conceived I was arranging matters in hopes that you might be one of the ones join one of these teams. Never think, however, that you did not earn every wingbeat of the way. I was merely your coach, unseen, whether directly or through various agents as the case warranted. You flew the course. You excelled to the highest levels. You earned it. But that team was NOT the Wonderbolts. It is much more elite."
"So... I'm not a Wonderbolt?"
"Actually, as of today, you are a member of BOTH that other team AND the Wonderbolts."
Rainbow Dash rose from the ground, her wings expressing her elation so vigorously that it took her a few moments to realize she had punched through the ceiling of the gym and was now many hundreds of hooves above the school building.
Hehehe... I guess I should head back down and find out what time my induction ceremony is... Hehehehe... although first I think I have something that is better handled right here... since I don't feel like taking the time to find any place better.
"Ohmygoshohmygoshomygoshohmygoshomygoshohmygoshomygosh! I'm a WONDERBOLT! WAAWHOO!"
She continued in this vein for several minutes, then landed on the gymnasium roof and poked her head in through the hole her exit had created.
"Heh. Heh." she said with embarrassment "You can totally take that out of my salary."
"Sure, just tell your records keeper to deduct it." called up Princess Celestia.
"Err... so who would that be?" asked Rainbow Dash, examining the damage with the eye of a practiced crasher.
"The same cow it you have always used: Moorella."
"What? I am sorry, you mean you want me to invite Moorella to be my agent? I don't know if she would want to leave Ponyville and have to learn a new job." she said, flying down through the hole.
"No indeed. I mean that you are still going to be Ponyville's lead weathermare, and I presume she is going to continue to oversee the accounting, ordering, collections, scheduling, health-care, complaints, etc etc."
"Well, if guess I can commute and still make all the practices." said Rainbow Dash, sounding a little unsure.
"No indeed. In fact if you show up to too many of them I'm authorizing Spitfire to suspend you from the Wonderbolts as a disciplinary measure."
"Ok, you are going to have to explain that one to me."
"I need you as an Element of Harmony. It is theoretically possible that being especially close friends with the other Element Bearers isn't actually necessary, and that simply embodying your Element with whoever you ARE friends with would be entirely sufficient. I don't wish to take such a risk with all of Equestria however, not to mention the rest of the world. As such, you are going to be performing solo acts alternating with their flights during the course of each show. I'll leave it to you and Spitfire to work out the details with each-other."
"Wait, so..."
"So the other team you are a member of the Elements of Harmony, and Princess Celestia was pulling strings behind the scenes so that you never thought to practice formation flying beyond the more straight-forward maneuvers needed for weather duties." said Soarin' "Hired a few ponies you considered drafting into practicing with you away from Ponyville. She actually sent an agent to politely ask Cloudchaser, who you were friends with at that time, to decline your requests to practice, as a favor to the realm. "
"Huh... so that is why she broke that off. She was pretty good."
"She still is. Not 'Bolt material of course, but you should let her fly with you some time. She'd get a kick out of it." Spitfire said.
Dash considered this for a moment, then said to Celestia "But wait a second! I do so fly combat maneuvers!"
"Yes, Twilight suggested you practice team maneuvers with Applejack, and occasionally herself or Pinkie Pie. And then there were your occasional two on six sparring matches where you teamed up with Rarity at the dojo."
"Heh... I'm never going to used to the funky tingle of that stupid instant-sweat-removal charm she puts on her gi every time."
"Indeed... I believe that the study of your combat maneuvers was what inspired Captain Shining Armor to attempt the maneuver that ended up securing Spike and The Crystal Heart near the end of that particular mission." said Princess Celestia.
"Wait, so Princess Cadance and Shining Armor base their training on the stuff that Rarity and I were doing?"
"Well, they do NOW to a small extent. Prior to Sombra's defeat I don't believe that Cadance had had more than basic lessons in self-defense. Nothing too special. It only took ten changelings to subdue her."
"Well, I guess that isn't too bad, even for a Princess."
"Indeed Corporal Dash."
"Squee!"
"In any case, the test wasn't to see if you qualified, it was to give you one chance to see through Celestia's necessary smoke and mirrors and see what you had been doing exactly right for your true duties, but wrong for the Wonderbolts."
"So I passed when-"
"The moment you asked us to fly with you. And you passed with honors when-" interjected Soarin'.
"When I asked Fluttershy to fly with us. Because that showed willingness to remember my old team. Or at least when I picked the formation that would make things easiest on her, rather than the one that would look the best."
"As I was saying. You passed when you asked Fluttershy to fly with us. It showed willingness to remember your pre-existing team. Or at least when you picked the formation that would make things easiest on her, rather than the one that would look the best."
"Isn't that what I just said?"
"Yeah, but you SAID you wanted me to explain it to you." said Soarin', the picture of innocence.
"Yep, guess I did!"
"You have shown great maturity in rejoicing at being a member of two of my teams of heroes, rather than feeling that you had somehow been given something less than true membership in the Wonderbolts."
"So... welcome to the team, even if we can't always practice together." said Fleetfoot unexpectedly.
"Yeah... and you know what? I'm so super-happy, I feel like I am going to say something really stupid any minute now, so could we please get to the party that my friend Pinkie put together for me for after I passed before that happens?"
"So the party will keep you from saying something silly?" asked Celestia, who saw the path to best set the new Wonderbolt at ease.
Rainbow Dash took the straight line. "Are you kidding? I'm about ten times more likely to say something ridiculous at one of her parties. It is just that at a Pinkie Party you don't care!"
"Oh, good, I should hate to think I erred in picking her as one of the ponies I set up to possibly receive the Element of Laughter."
"Yeah... let's go... in fact... Fluttershy could you go on ahead?"
"Okay. You probably don't want me around distracting you from talking to all these wonderful ponies."
"Nah, nah, its nothing like that...", said Dash, waving one forehoof dismissively, "just go ahead to the party, you will understand soon enough. Actually, wait... never mind."
Dash turned to Princess Celestia. "I got a favor to ask you."
"A favor? What is it?" Celestia said, curious.
"Well, I gotta whisper it."
"Certainly my little pony."
So Dash flew up and whispered in Princess Celestia's ear as all the other pegasi in the room covered their ears with their wings. A grin spread across the diarch's face, becoming huge as Dash spoke. Dash continued for a few more seconds, then landed in front of her.
"The second part is granted. The first... you still have something to learn. Add three thousand hooves and one more participant."
"Great, I'll let Fluttershy get started then."
Celestia's horn glowed as she accessed the telepathic link between herself and her sister as Dash flew over and whispered something to Fluttershy, then stuck her head out of the room and said "Hey, guard! Celestia wants to talk to you!"
"And everypony? There is something we gotta do before we can head over to the party."
A few minutes later:
Fluttershy was riding in the same chariot that Dash had arrived in, her head held stiffly, looking in a very specific direction, following her friend's instructions.
It was for this reason that she missed first everypony else from the gym (except Raven) flying off in the opposite direction from the one the chariot was taking, and later a sphere of absolute darkness appearing to one side and slightly behind her, tiny in the distance...
At the same time, behind Fluttershy:
"Greetings Sister, are you fully awake?" asked Celestia cheekily.
"As you requested, I waited until I was battle-ready in body and mind, although not in equipage before teleporting here. Where is the foe?"
"No foe as such sister. It just so happens that there is a party at Donut Joe's soon. The welcoming area will be three thousand hooves above it."
Luna looked over in the direction of the far side of the city and noted that her sister had helpfully conjured a large black cloud in the shape of Rainbow Dash's cutie-mark above the eatery.
"Certainly, but what are we doing all the way over here? I thought that Rainbow Dash's test was to be held quite near that location?"
"Yeah, but I had something to do over here." said Rainbow Dash.
"So, when are you gonna do it?" asked Spitfire, a bit annoyed at the delay.
"I already did!" said Rainbow Dash.
"I must have missed it..." the Captain replied.
"Nah... it all comes down to one thing... everypony..." said Dash taking in a large breath.
"RACE YA!"
In the royal chariot:
Fluttershy had a perfect view as Dash, Luna, and Celestia each broke the sound barrier within milliseconds of eachother, blazing straight for the dark cloud that marked the finish line. All three flew straight, but the marks of their passage twisted around eachother, a triple helix, one thin strand of seven colors, one strand of ebony and diamonds, and the thickest strand the pastels of the aurorae. Three streaks of cloud, two peppered with lightning, and one with fire followed slightly behind the front of the helix.
First through third places were too close for Fluttershy to call.