Rainbow Dash breathed slowly in the pitch black, doing her best to stay calm and focused. To her unadjusted eyes, the darkness was almost like a living thing. Fluid and ever-moving, like water. She didn’t dare open her mouth, for fear it would drown her before her own impatience could do the job.
Still, even in the dark, she could sense the other ponies around her. The shuffling of hooves was like a quiet orchestra, accompanied by the whistling of steam from an unknown source. One pony coughed loudly. Another inhaled deeply, probably trying to calm their racing heart. Rainbow Dash herself grew restless, feeling the pins and needles creeping up her legs. A single bead of sweat ran down her face. Swiping it away, she accidentally nudged a pony to her left. They didn’t react, so she remained silent.
Just then, she felt something poke her right side. Nearly jumping out of her skin, she turned to face the direction, despite not being able to see a thing. “Stick to procedure, Rainbow Dash. I’m lead mare on this. I don’t wanna see any heroics from you,” came a voice from the void. It was almost an unintelligible whisper, quieter than it needed to be.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. She was glad for the dark, if only for a moment. “Whatever, Firefly. You don’t need to keep reminding me.”
A siren suddenly blared from a grate in the metal wall, followed by the subtle clicks and whirs of gears coming to life. The room became illuminated by a blinking red light. Everything was visible now: the pipes running along the ceiling, the numbers painted on the floor, and the nineteen other ponies in the room, all carrying rifles like the one Rainbow Dash held in her hooves.
The wall in front of them began swinging open with a horrible grating sound. With it came light from the sun, slowly inching its way upwards. Wind rushed in through the expanding gap, and the pegasi collectively put on their goggles. Firefly put a hoof on Rainbow Dash. Her light-blue mane whipped back and forth across her face. “I’m serious! Don’t screw this up for us,” she shouted over the noise.
“Aw, quit worrying so much. Everything’s gonna turn out fine,” Rainbow Dash replied. Firefly didn’t look convinced.
Once the doors were open, everypony formed a straight line at the edge, standing on top of their assigned number. Rainbow Dash took her place at number eleven. Five thousand feet below her were grassy plains that extended for miles. The air was frosty, and the only protection she had against it was the dark-blue insulated cadet jacket she wore.
When the siren increased in pitch, Rainbow Dash swallowed hard. This was it. The moment of truth. After blaring one more time, the siren, along with the flashing light, shut off. Breathing in sharply, she gripped her rifle tight and took a step forward.
The next second, she was free-falling through the sky.
The sudden rush twisted her stomach into knots. Wings kept glued to her sides, she plummeted ever faster towards the earth. Her fellow pegasi were around her, all mimicking the actions that had been drilled into their minds. Rainbow Dash began counting the seconds in her head. 1… 2… Cold air whipped violently at her mane and tail, sending racking shivers down her spine. 3… 4… She half expected the ground to split in two, revealing the gates of Tartarus that were surely waiting to swallow them whole. 5… 6!
Rainbow Dash snapped her wings open simultaneously with the other pegasi. Like a well-oiled machine, everypony tilted sharply to the right, pulling out of their dive-bomb and gliding effortlessly on the wind. Above them floated a zepplin, its engines just barely audible. If Rainbow Dash looked hard enough, she could see the doors of the launch bay start to close.
It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the sunlight. Golden beams glinted off the brass of her exo-wings. Far below, a lush green landscape flowed like waves. To the left, a small lake sparkled silver in the mid-day and, beyond it, a range of rolling hills, the sprawling city of Hoofington carved into their base.
Turning her gaze forward, she saw the looming shape of another airship in the distance, a red stripe wrapping itself around the width of the balloon. About twenty indistinguishable dots flew below it, directly level with Rainbow Dash and her fellows. For several moments, all seemed still. If it weren’t for the hum of the zeppelin engines or the steady beat of her wings, Rainbow Dash would’ve thought time had frozen.
In the corner of her eye, Rainbow Dash noticed the others had gotten into formation. Five groups, four ponies in each, spread out into arrow patterns. Rainbow took her place in a group with Firefly and two others. Squinting behind her goggles, she noticed the dots—now recognizable as other pegasi—arranging themselves in much the same way. It’s about to start, she thought. Any second now. Where the hay is that signal?
Butterflies filled Rainbow’s stomach, so she distracted herself by giving her exo-wings one final check. A small pipe traveled from her rocket pack to a gauge wrapped around her right hoof. A check of it showed her pack was at full fuel. Turning her attention to the weapon in her hooves, she made sure the dial on its side was tuned to the lowest setting. Pulling back on the action revealed a small crystal among the inner workings of the rifle. It glowed with a light of its own, pulsating ever so slightly. Confident that everything was in order, Rainbow Dash snapped the action back in place.
“What’s going on? How come the signal hasn’t started yet?” shouted Firefly from the head of the arrow. Rainbow, who was on the right side, shrugged.
The other pegasi were closer now, close enough for the group to see the bright-red color of their jackets. Rainbow caught a glimpse of the team member to her left. His face was a twisted mask of horror and anxiety. A quick look behind her revealed the last member of the group was wearing a similar expression. Seeing them like that was nearly enough to make her lose heart.
She shook her head, scolding herself internally. Don’t start thinking like that, Dash. Focus on what’s at hoof. You’re going to get through this.
A horn, deep and unimaginably loud, sounded from the airships. The very air seemed to reverberate with its blaring. Even from where she was, Rainbow’s teeth jarred against each other.
Suddenly dozens of invisible projectiles began whizzing past her ears, a sign that the battle had started. Heart skipping a beat, she made a move to return fire but stopped; the chances of anypony hitting a target at this range was slim.
As if fate wanted to prove her wrong, a nearby stallion from another group was suddenly struck in the torso. The force of the impact knocked the stallion off balance and sent him careening into his group. Rainbow Dash watched it happen, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. Great, she thought. We’re already losing.
“Evasive maneuvers, let’s go!” Firefly ordered, pulling up and to the right. Rainbow and the other two followed, barely avoiding a barrage of projectiles that pierced the air where they once were. The red-jackets that fired at them copied the movements of Rainbow’s group, climbing upwards while already preparing their next assault. “Pony-feathers,” Firefly cursed. “I didn’t think we’d get pegged so soon. Rainbow, can you—”
Before Firefly could finish, Rainbow Dash aimed down the iron sights of her weapon. Pulling the trigger caused air to enter vents on the side with a sharp hiss. Releasing it fired the weaponized oxygen straight into the chest of the red-jacket closest to her. He jolted backward, accidentally activating his rocket pack. He crashed into his fellow group members, sending them all in a tumble towards the earth.
Rainbow Dash lowered her rifle, a grin playing on her face. “Yes, I can.”
Firefly rolled her eyes. “Would you at least wait until I give the order before firing?” she shouted.
“Hey, I did what you wanted, right?”
“Don’t be difficult. Next time—”
“Hold that thought,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “We’ve got incoming!”
Her eyes were locked on to a group of red-jackets that had snuck under them. With rocket packs engaged, the enemy squad was rising towards them at breakneck speed. A torrent of blasts erupted from their rifles. One managed to hit the stallion in Rainbow’s group in the belly. Rainbow Dash could almost hear the breath being forced out of his lungs. The stallion collapsed in on himself, dropping his rifle. Unable to summon the strength to stay aloft, he fell. Rainbow Dash started to fly after him, but was stopped by Firefly.
“Stay in formation!” she barked. “There’s nothing we can do for him. Follow me!”
Rainbow Dash grit her teeth but said nothing. She and the third member of their group—a cream-colored mare—were led by Firefly into the heart of the battle. They dodged and weaved among the two clashing factions, using the vapor trails left behind by thrusters to confuse their pursuers, but to no avail. The red-jackets remained hot on their tails, firing away blasts that just barely missed their marks. One shot came close to clipping Rainbow’s left wing; she felt the pressurized blast graze the tips of her feathers. “This is getting us nowhere!” she eventually shouted over the sounds of the battle.
“We need to get an advantage over them,” replied Firefly. “Or didn’t you notice that we’re outnumbered?”
“How is running away going to help our situation?”
“You got any better ideas?!” Firefly knew she’d made a mistake when Rainbow Dash smiled devilishly. “No. Don’t even think about it. You know what’ll happen if you do.”
But Rainbow Dash had already stopped listening. Spinning around, she angled back her wings as far as they would go. The boost sent her rushing forward. Raising her rifle, she managed to take out one red-jacket before they knew what was happening. “Come get some, you lousy haysuckers!” she taunted while flying past the three remaining pursuers.
In the corner of her eye, Rainbow saw them turn and give chase. She didn’t make it easy for them. With a cat-like grace, she dodged and weaved through the aerial skirmish, firing at those after her whenever the chance presented itself. One lucky shot struck a mare in the wing, sending her spinning out of control. Two down, two to go, Rainbow Dash thought. The two pursuers left pushed harder to catch up, and it was getting more difficult to shake them. They’re getting used to my movements. She tried to blind them with the vapor trail from her rocket pack, cursing under her breath as she watched them alter their flight path and open fire.
Far below, Spitfire surveyed the battle through a pair of binoculars. She watched, resting back on her haunches, as pegasi took off from both airships. A slight breeze rustled the grass around her, bringing with it an earthy scent. She breathed in deeply, savoring the moment. It wasn’t often she was able to leave the city, and the change in scenery was always welcome.
Hoofsteps approached her from behind. “Ma’am?”
Spitfire turned her head to the pony who spoke, a brown-coated stallion wearing a blue uniform and tie. Behind him were several hastily constructed tents, all flapping gently in the wind. “Yes?” she asked.
“I’m to inform you that the medical team is ready, and that communications with both airships have been established. We are ready whenever you are.”
“Good. Tell the pilots to sound the horn in exactly three minutes’ time.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The stallion shifted his weight, glancing to the side. “Umm… there is one more thing.”
Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“There, uh… there seems to be somepony making their way to camp. It looks like they’re coming from the city.”
“Who is it?” Spitfire asked, standing up.
“We’re not sure,” the stallion answered. “You should probably come with me.”
“Yeah, probably,” she mumbled sarcastically. “Lead the way.”
Spitfire followed the stallion, careful not to get in the way of the ponies rushing from tent to tent. Upon reaching the edge of camp, he pointed towards the silhouette of a pony in the distance. They were moving slowly, and it was hard to glean their identity from where Spitfire stood. She raised the binoculars to her eyes, and a low, drawn out groan escaped her lips.
“Ma’am?” the stallion asked. “Do you know them?”
“Yes,” she said. “And I have a good idea of what they want. I’ll deal with this. You’d better tell the pilots seven minutes instead.”
The stallion nodded once and walked into a nearby tent. Meanwhile, Spitfire sank into the grass with a heavy sigh, letting the binoculars dangle aimlessly about her neck. Watching the pony walk towards camp at an agonizing pace, she tapped a hoof repeatedly on the ground. The movement caused the medals on her uniform to clink together. She pulled a pocketwatch out of her breast pocket. The minute hand moved two notches before the pony was close enough to distinguish: a unicorn with a white coat and an indigo mane that was elegantly curled. She wore a bright-purple blazer and golden tassels on the shoulders. A pair of spectacles lay on the end of her nose, and behind them were eyes the color of brilliant sapphires.
“Hello, Miss Rarity,” Spitfire said when the pony came within earshot. She tried to keep her growing irritation out of her voice.
“Greetings, Sergeant Spitfire,” Rarity responded, a smile touching her lips. “The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, isn’t it? I thought it’d be a shame not to venture out and enjoy it. As a matter of fact, it—”
“I really don’t have time for idle chit-chat,” Spitfire interrupted. “Why are you here?”
The smile remained on Rarity’s face, but all warmth was drained out of it. “Cutting right to the chase, I see. I wished to inquire with you on how the refitting of the Luna was coming along. I need to be setting out soon, or risk missing the rendezvous in Trottingham.”
“Yes, I know.” Spitfire sighed. “You wasted a trip. I’m busy at the moment. I’d be happy to discuss things with you once I’m done here, but until then…”
“What’s the occasion?” asked Rarity.
“Graduation exam. A mock battle between the cadets.” Spitfire indicated towards the two airships overhead, and the pegasi flying beneath them. “I’m observing to see who passes and who fails.”
“Oh, that sounds interesting. Would you mind terribly if I joined you?”
“Yes, actually. You’ve already made me delay the start of the exam.” Spitfire narrowed her eyes. “But I don’t think that’s going to stop you.”
“You know me too well,” Rarity said with a smile. “Shall we?”
Spitfire rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Turning around, she trotted into a nearby tent, Rarity following close behind. A table sat in the center, with ponies seated in chairs around it. Spitfire walked up to a mare and asked, “How much longer do we have?”
“Forty-five seconds, ma’am,” the mare responded.
“Okay.” Spitfire grabbed a clipboard off the table, then tossed a pair of spare binoculars to Rarity. “You’re gonna need those.”
Rarity caught the binoculars with her magic, levitating them so the leather band looped around her neck. “Thank you.”
Together, they stepped outside and sat on the grass, craning their necks to see the airships above them. Once more, Spitfire took out her pocketwatch and opened it. She began counting down. “We start in five seconds. Four… three… two… one…” A deep, booming horn sounded from overhead. Rarity jumped when she heard it, and Spitfire fought hard to contain her snickering. “It’s started.”
Both ponies raised binoculars to their eyes just in time to see the first shots being fired. The cadets wearing blue jackets suffered the first blows to their numbers. Spitfire constantly shifted her gaze between groups, jotting down notes on her clipboard, while Rarity watched the spectacle with only casual interest. “I see they are in full gear,” she said, noticing the brass exo-wings and rockets all the cadets were wearing. “Are all exams done this way?”
“Yes,” answered Spitfire. “They have to get used to flying at high altitudes.”
“What setting are their rifles at?”
“The lowest,” Spitfire said, never taking her eyes off the sky.
“Oh?” Rarity glanced at a nearby group of pegasi. They all had first-aid kits strapped to their sides, and looked ready to take off at any moment. “And you require medical teams for that?”
“I don’t want to take any chances.”
Rarity laughed. “I know a mare who can do more damage with a single kick than what is being fired from those guns. You’re babying them, Sergeant.”
“I’m doing my job.” Spitfire shot Rarity a sharp look. “And I’d appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself.”
“Fair enough,” Rarity said with a shrug. “I just worry that they’ll be ill-prepared should they find themselves in a real aerial battle.”
“They know what to expect,” Spitfire replied, returning her attention to the skirmish. “This test is focused only on how they perform in teams.”
“And if they don’t do well?”
“They don’t graduate.”
Rarity arched an eyebrow. “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”
“Teamwork is absolutely necessary. You need to be able to trust the ponies you work with. A pegasus that acts independently can be detrimental to the safety of their fellows, if not the entire airship.”
“True,” Rarity agreed, “but teamwork isn’t everything.”
“Is there a reason you’re still here, Miss Rarity?” Spitfire asked. “If all you’re going to do is pass judgement on how I do things, then I will have you escorted back to the city.”
“No need to be rude. I’m just curious, Sergeant. There’s nothing wrong with a friendly debate every now and then.”
“I don’t have time to argue philosophies.” Spitfire looked at her pocket watch. “Ten minutes until the exam is over,” she shouted to the ponies in the tents.
“Then just listen,” Rarity continued, staring up at the pegasi above through her binoculars. “The battles these cadets may face in the future will not be as cut-and-dry as you have portrayed it here. A band of raiders could attack their airship out of the blue and take them completely unawares.”
“Wonderbolts are highly trained combatants, Miss Rarity,” said Spitfire. “They won’t be beaten by sky-pirates.”
“You’d be surprised. I’ve seen their precious teamwork fail them. In that moment, it very well may be the snap decisions of a skilled pony acting alone that saves the crew. A pony like her,” she finished.
“What? Like who?” Spitfire asked, sweeping her eyes across the battle. She caught sight of a rainbow-maned mare breaking off from her group, which had dwindled down to her and two others. “Oh…” she mumbled.
A small smile spread across Rarity’s face as she saw the mare charge her pursuers and take one of them out, leaving three to stare dumbfounded as she blew past them. “Who is that?”
“That would be Rainbow Dash.”
“You sound as if you expected this from her.”
“To be honest, I did. She’s a repeater; last year she didn’t pass the written exam. A loose cannon if I’ve ever seen one.”
Rarity followed Rainbow Dash with her eyes, watching as she outflew those chasing her with almost no effort. She used her boost at all the right times and remained in total control. Rarity’s smile grew wider. “She has talent.”
“And drive,” Spitfire added. “But she’s got no discipline.” She began writing something on her clipboard.
“Are you going to fail her?”
“I know that Firefly—that’s her squad captain—wouldn’t have given her an order to go off on her own. Unfortunately, I have to.”
“Despite her skill?”
“Despite her skill.” Spitfire turned to face Rarity. “Why? Is that a problem?”
“Mmm…” Rarity said, tapping her chin with a hoof. “No. There’s no problem.”
But Spitfire could tell there was more going on in Rarity’s head than she was letting on. The gears of her mind turned behind her cold, calculating eyes. Spitfire wanted to say something, but decided against it. I’m not sure I want to know, she thought. Flipping open her pocketwatch again, she checked the time. “Six minutes until the end of the exam!” she shouted.
Rainbow Dash gripped her rifle tighter as another barrage of blasts came close to hitting her. She needed a way to fire back at her two pursuers. Mind racing, she scanned the area, looking for any way she could catch them off guard. A blast whizzed right past her ear. Her loud curse was drowned out in the sound of battle. C’mon, Dash. Think. Think!
Another shot skimmed her side, and she instinctively spun away from it. She found herself staring at the sky. In that moment, a mischievous grin spread across her face. Anypony who might have seen her would have shivered, and not because of the temperature.
Setting her boost to full throttle, Rainbow Dash angled herself upward. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that her attackers followed suit. Her crooked smile grew. She flew ever higher, above the battle, past the airships, until the low oxygen levels made it harder to breathe. She pulled her wings closed, cutting power to the boost.
Time slowed to a crawl. It was only seconds that Rainbow Dash hung there, suspended as if held by strings, but it felt like minutes. The battle commenced below in slow-motion. Beyond it, small specks of black dotted the ground, some moving, some still. The wind blew fiercely at this altitude, but she knew that, down on the earth, it would be nothing more than a gentle breeze.
As if somepony had flipped a switch, time sped up again. Gravity took hold, and Rainbow Dash was falling headfirst towards the ground. She snapped her wings open and angled them back. The skin of her face pulled tight as the rockets increased the speed of her descent. Before her pursuers realized, she was plummeting right in between them. She raised her rifle and aimed. Her hooves shook from the effort while moving at breakneck speed. Gritting her teeth, she jammed the butt of the rifle harder into her shoulder and fired.
At first, she wasn’t sure if she’d hit. But then both red-jackets lurched forward and spiralled out of control. Grinning madly, Rainbow Dash spun around and rocketed straight back into the heat of battle.
She searched for Firefly among the confusion, taking shots at red-jackets too distracted to notice her. Most didn’t connect, but she was more focused on regrouping with her squad. She found them engaging the enemy some ways away. She noticed that the stallion who was shot before had recovered and made his way back. Boosting towards them, Rainbow did a strafing run of the red-jacket squad. One shot managed to hit its target. Those remaining panicked, and were quickly taken out by Firefly and the others. When they were clear, Rainbow Dash flew over to them. She looked to the stallion. “Glad to see you made it. You okay?”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. Just a little winded.”
“Don’t worry. We can still win this thing.”
“Win what, exactly?” Firefly interjected. She shot daggers at Rainbow Dash with her eyes. “This isn’t a real battle, Rainbow Dash. It’s our graduation exam. And that little stunt you just pulled may have caused us to fail.”
“I was helping you out. I got those guys off our backs when you couldn’t think of anything. Isn’t that teamwork?”
“You were being selfish!” Firefly shouted. “I didn’t give the order to charge them, but you did anyway. You jeopardized our squad’s chances of graduating because you’re a glory-hound.”
“At least I can take care of myself. If this were a real battle, you wouldn’t have a clue what to do.”
Rainbow Dash and Firefly’s faces were inches apart now, sparks crackling in the space between their eyes. “L-let’s just focus on dealing with any attackers for now,” the stallion stammered, trying to diffuse the situation. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
A horn blared from above, catching them all off guard. The battle around them ceased, all pegasi stopping to turn and stare up at the airships. “Let’s hope so,” Firefly mumbled. “It’s over now.”
The descent towards the ground was awkward at best. Ponies that fought fiercely moments ago were now comrades once again. The airships slowly trailed behind the pegasi, touching ground several minutes after they did. The low hum of their engines slowly faded until dying entirely.
Collectively, the pegasi trotted over to the nearby tents. They stood at attention as Spitfire made her way towards them. There was a pony Rainbow Dash didn’t recognize that was with her: a white-coated unicorn in regal attire. For just a moment, their eyes met, and the unicorn smiled. With a graceful nod, she took her place next to Spitfire, leaving Rainbow Dash with eyebrows knit close together.
“Good work today, cadets,” Spitfire shouted. “The battle you just had may be short when compared to others you may face in the future, but I learned everything I needed in that time. Many of you have come a long way since first enrolling, and I’m glad to have been a part of your growth.” She began pacing up and down the line of pegasi. “Tomorrow, the list of those who passed will be posted on the bulletin. The ceremonies will be held a week later. A celebration will be held in the mess hall when we get back. You all earned it. As for those who failed… I’ll be speaking to some of them individually. The rest will just have to wait until tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash did her best to ignore the dirty look she was getting from Firefly. “Be sure to leave your exo-wings and rifles on the airships. Is that clear?”
“Yes, ma’am!” shouted the cadets.
“Very good. Check in with the medical team if you feel it necessary. We head back to base in five minutes. Make sure you’re on those ships, or you’re in for a long walk.”
The pegasi split up, most heading back to their airships, some trotting over to the tents. Rainbow Dash and Firefly were one of the last ones to step back onto their airship. A crew of ponies were waiting for them. After handing off their rifles, they unbelted the exo-wings from their backs and gingerly gave them to the crew. Rainbow Dash felt much lighter without the weight of the brass gear on her back. Flexing her wings, she took her first step into the ship interior when a voice came from behind.
“Firefly. Rainbow Dash.” Both ponies turned to see Spitfire standing there. They immediately snapped into a salute. “At ease, cadets.” Spitfire stepped in closer. “I think you know what this is about.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Firefly responded. Rainbow Dash felt her heart sink.
“I have a question: Firefly, did you give Rainbow Dash an order to break off from the squad?”
Firefly shot a look at Rainbow Dash. “No, ma’am.”
“That’s what I thought.” Spitfire sighed. “You can go now, Firefly.”
“Umm… ma’am. If you don’t mind me asking—” Firefly started.
“Now, cadet.”
Firefly’s mouth hung open for a moment before she shut it and trotted into the airship interior. Spitfire shifted her gaze to Rainbow Dash, who swallowed hard. “We need to have a talk. Follow me.”
Spitfire led Rainbow Dash into the airship, through narrow corridors with pipes running along the walls and ceilings. Passing by crew members and fellow cadets, Rainbow Dash heard some whispering about the mysterious unicorn they’d seen.
The command bridge was full of ponies, it being the most spacious room on the small craft. Most huddled in groups along the walls. A hush came over them when Spitfire and Rainbow Dash walked in. Rainbow could feel their eyes on her the whole time. Hanging her head, she marched to a door on the far side of the room. Spitfire spun the wheel in the doors’ center, pushing it open when it was unlatched. She nodded for Rainbow to step inside, and then shut the door behind them.
A desk rested against the far wall, sunlight pouring in from a circular window above it. Papers were scattered aimlessly about the room. A small bed was pushed into the left corner, hay pushing itself out where there were tears in the mattress. “So, umm… is this your room?” she asked.
“No,” Spitfire replied, trotting over to the desk and sitting in the nearby chair. “But this is the only place where we can speak privately.”
She stared at Rainbow Dash, who rubbed her leg nervously. In the back of her mind, Rainbow noticed that the floor began to vibrate ever so slightly as the engines came to life. For a moment, she experienced the feeling of weightlessness as the ship left the ground, then nothing. A sigh from Spitfire snapped her attention right back.
“You’re putting me in a difficult situation here, Rainbow Dash,” Spitfire said. Leaning back in the chair, she rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “You have talent, perhaps more than any other pegasus I’ve seen. You could probably outfly any of these other cadets without the help of an exo-wing extension. I’ve seen you shoot, too, and it isn’t anything to sneeze at. And yet,” she continued with a shake of her head, “you continue to undermine yourself. For the past two years, you gave nothing but trouble to your squad captains. You break from formation consistently, and getting you to follow orders is like pulling teeth. I was hoping you’d learned by now.”
Spitfire’s eyes softened for a second. “I want to pass you, I really do. I can tell how much this means to you. But letting you serve aboard an airship with your current attitude could put everyone on board in danger. The consequences of that would be on my head as much as yours.” Spitfire sighed again, deeper this time. “What were you thinking? Why did you go off on your own?”
“I just wanted to help, ma’am,” Rainbow Dash stammered. “Firefly couldn’t think of what to do. I had to do something.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want. Firefly was your squad captain. You were obligated to listen to her. Instead, you left her and the rest of your squad hanging in the wind. What would you have done if your plan hadn’t worked?”
“I, uhh…” mumbled Rainbow Dash. “I would’ve thought of something.”
“That isn’t good enough,” Spitfire said, standing up. “Until you learn proper teamwork, you’re a liability.”
Brushing past Rainbow Dash, Spitfire opened the door. She stood there for several seconds. Rainbow Dash wanted to say something, to beg her to reconsider, but pride held her tongue. Even so, it didn’t make the following words hurt any less.
“Rainbow Dash, you fail the exam.”
Rainbow’s heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach. Knees trembling, she sat down to keep herself from collapsing entirely. The walls closed in around her and claustrophobia quickly took hold. She barely registered the hoofsteps on metal as Spitfire walked away. Now alone, Rainbow Dash simply stared at the floor, crushed by an invisible weight.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there. It could have been ten seconds, or it could have been ten minutes. She wondered if anypony noticed her, alone in that room. How haunted her eyes must be, how utterly crushed she must look. Would they pity her?
The thought pierced her chest like a dagger. Rather than cause pain, however, it made her angry. It started out small; just a tiny pinprick in her heart. But with each beat it spread like a virus, traveling through her veins until her vision went red and her blood was on fire. Ripping the goggles off her eyes, she threw them at the wall. They shattered with a satisfying crack, but it wasn’t enough. She tore off her jacket, threw it to the floor, and stomped on it repeatedly. The noise echoed off the walls, but Rainbow Dash did not hear it. All that reached her ears was the sound of her own sharp breathing. That is, until a voice came from behind.
“I hope I’m not interrupting something.”
Rainbow Dash stopped, one hoof raised raised high and ready to come down. She turned her head to face the doorway. Standing there was the mysterious unicorn mare, one eyebrow arched. “I will come back later if you’d prefer,” the mare continued.
Rainbow’s face flushed. “No. I was done here, anyway,” she mumbled through deep breaths. “You can have the room.”
“Actually,” said the mare, stepping further inside, “my business is with you.”
Rainbow Dash blinked. “What do you want?”
“I merely have some inquiries. That is, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“I’m not really in the mood for talking right now, Miss…”
“Rarity,” the mare said, adjusting her glasses. “And I can see that plainly. But you know how curiosity can be. Once something interests you, it’s rather hard to shake it. And you, my dear, are very interesting.”
“Uhh… I am?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Indeed. You see, Rainbow Dash—that is your name, correct?—I was given the chance to observe the exam, and what I saw from you was spectacular. Truly some of the best flying I’ve ever seen.”
Rainbow Dash’s face became a stone mask. “It doesn’t matter. I failed the exam anyway.”
“Which is quite unfortunate,” Rarity said with a nod. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t agree with your Sergeant’s decision.”
“It isn’t.”
Rarity frowned. “Fair enough, I suppose. What will you do now, then?”
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to answer, but stopped short when she realized she didn’t have one. “I don’t know…” she said eventually.
“You aren’t giving up, are you?” asked Rarity.
“No,” Rainbow Dash replied, shaking her head. “Or… maybe? I just… I don’t know what to do anymore…”
Rarity nodded at the chair. “Why don’t you take a seat, darling?”
Rainbow Dash slipped into the chair, holding her head in her hooves. “I want to be a Wonderbolt, but after this…”
“Why do you want to be a Wonderbolt so much?”
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, unsure how how much she should say to this stranger. After a long pause, she sighed deeply. “I want to serve aboard an airship that travels outside Equestria. I want to see what’s out there.”
“There are other ways to do that. You could become an engineer or a pilot on the crew.”
“Flying is what I’m best at. It’s all I have.”
“And you’d give up your life to protect those on the ship from harm?”
A weak half-smile touched Rainbow Dash’s lips. “That’s the job of a Wonderbolt, isn’t it?”
“As I suspected, I rather like you,” Rarity said, grinning. “Come to Trottingham with me.”
Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. “Do what, now?”
Rarity covered her mouth with a hoof, giggling lightly. “Perhaps I should elaborate. I’m the pilot of an airship, and we’re due to be at Trottingham within the next few days.”
“If you’re looking for some two bit shiphand that’s going to fly out and maintain engine parts, I suggest you look somewhere else,” Rainbow Dash said with a scoff.
“No, of course not. I merely assumed a change of scenery would be nice for you.” Rarity shrugged. “The next class you can enroll in doesn’t start for a month. You could take a break. Better yet, you could stay in Trottingham. A fresh start is always nice. And the way I hear things, Sergeant Soarin of the Trottingham branch of Wonderbolt Academy is much more lenient with his cadets.”
“I don’t know…” Rainbow Dash mumbled. “Why would you give me a ride? You barely even know me.”
“You are obviously distressed over your failure. I’d like to help you, if possible. Just take it into consideration.” Rarity trotted over to the door. “If you’re interested, go to the meadow outside Hoofington at noon sharp and we’ll pick you up there. If not, just stay here. I’ll understand.” She flashed a quick smile. “I do hope to see you there,” she said.
Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, the door was shut, leaving her dumbfounded. What the buck?
Rarity walked onto the command deck with a skip in her step. The room was a buzz of activity as ponies rushed between terminals housing different button and levers. The pilot stood at the helm, staring out at the horizon seen past the large windows in front of him. Rarity noticed Spitfire leaning against the wall and watching her with narrowed eyes.
“Hello again, Sergeant,” Rarity said. “I really must thank you again for giving me a lift back to the city.”
“Don’t mention it,” Spitfire said, but her tone was far from warm. “What are you so happy about?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Rarity replied in a sing-song voice.
“Don’t give me that crap. I saw you talk to Rainbow Dash and I heard what you said. You lied to her. Soarin is just as strict as me, if not more so.”
Rarity gave an exaggerated gasp. “You eavesdropped on us? Sergeant, you wound me. Am I really so untrustworthy?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out. What game are you playing here?”
“No games, Sergeant. I’m just looking out for my best interests.” Rarity smiled coldly. “You have a hidden gem here, but you’re too blinded by your rules to see it.”
Spitfire set her jaw. “You want Rainbow Dash on your crew.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“But you’re considering it.”
“Perhaps. Is there an issue?”
Spitfire shook her head. “You want her to serve aboard the Luna. One of the royal airships. Do I need to tell you how catastrophic that could be?”
“Really? I believe that her presence will bring good tidings.”
“Do you now?” Spitfire sighed. “Fine, have it your way. I won’t interfere. Just don’t come crying to me when it all blows up in your face.”
With that, Spitfire turned on her hooves and left the command deck. Rarity watched her leave, a smirk playing on her face. “We’ll see about that…”
