Chapter 1: New School, New Team
Rainbow pulled up to the school in her car. People looked over as the loud vehicle pulled into the parking lot outside of the west wing.
A few years ago she won the car in a pink slip race at her high school, and never let it go again. It was all she ever owned next to her clothes and MVP trophies.
Cans and wrappers fell out of the open door as Rainbow Dash exited her car. She slammed the door and put on her ball cap. The sun glared through the trees of the early morning and cast bright light throughout the campus.
BONG BONG BONG.
She looked up and squinted at the large bell atop the school. A pink haired girl was swinging back and forth as she tugged it, chiming the bell with each pull.
“Day one and I’ve already seen weird things….. This year is gonna be great…” Rainbow stretched and grabbed her luggage from the back seat and began her walk to the entrance of the school.
She approached the large doors and was about to head up the stone stairs, but was cut off by a purple haired girl holding a clipboard.
“WELL HELLO! Name?”
“Uhh, Rainbow Dash…”
“Hello Rainbow Dash! My name is Twilight Sparkle and i’m the helping hand around campus!”
She flipped up pages on her clipboard and slammed her finger half way through the sheets.
“Ah, a Miss Dash. Your room is second floor. What you are going to do is head up these stairs, head left, take another flight of stairs, head right, take your first left, a-”
“HEY! I think I can find my room, i’ve got a number you know…”
“Well of course..Here, need help with your bags?”
Twilight bent down and grabbed a strap, but was stopped by Rainbow’s hand.
“NO. Thank you, but no. I’m perfectly capable of carrying three bags…”
“Well ok then! See ya around Rainbow Dash!” She smiled and moved on to another kid down the sidewalk.
Rainbow scoffed and walked up the stairs, dodging people that were sitting on the steps. She rounded the corner and made her way up the stairs. Half way down the long hallway, she took a sharp left turn but ran into a person carrying stacks of paper. The collision made the sheets fly everywhere.
“Oh. My bad, kinda in a hurry…” Rainbow stood up and began grabbing papers and stacking them up.
“No big deal darling! It was surely an accident! No harm done!” The girl brushed away her blue hair and straightened out her dress.
She knelt down and began picking up papers.
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After a minute, the sheets where in neat stacks again. Rainbow looked over to see the girl lifting the stack with one arm and passing her.
“OH. My name is Rarity by the way. See ya around!”
“Ya..See ya..” Rainbow turned and continued toward her room.
After another corner, she was met with her door. Rainbow entered and was met with the smell of roses and daisies. Each wall was covered in posters of kittens and bunnies. Next to the window stood a pink haired girl that was covering half her face with more posters.
“Y-You must be Rainbow Dash…...I-I am Fluttershy, your roommate…”
“Hi Fluttershy, I see you’ve made yourself at home..”
“Oh, i’ll move it down from your side….Sorry.”
She walked over and gently removed each poster from the wall, safely placing them on her bunk. Rainbow walked over and threw her things on the top bunk.
“So you’re into nature?”
“Oh yes...I’m studying veterinary science. What are you studying?”
“Really nothing. Football. That’s what I study.”
“FOOTBALL?! So you’re on the team? Wow…”
“Wow what?”
“It’s just that there is only a few other girls on the team..”
“Ok?... Well I’m gonna go get my schedule...I’ll see ya later..”
Rainbow zipped down her leather jacket and walked out the door.
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“Hello Canterlot University. Professor Discord here. Miss Celestia and Miss Luna are sick with the flu so i’m the fill in dean for a while. Anyway, onto announcements.” Discords voice echoed throughout the halls as Rainbow continued toward the main office.
She was walking the main hallway but caught something in the corner of her eye. Rainbow turned and saw a glass case with trophies and medals inside. It was near full of awards and were all first place. She looked in and saw football trophies and MVP awards. Each one had the same name, Applejack.
“Applejack? Who names their kid Applejack?” Rainbow scoffed and continued for the attendance window.
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Day One: First Practice
“Alright. Everyone gather round. I’m Shining Armor, and will be your coach this season. Many of you are rookies and have earned a spot in this college. That does NOT mean you earned a spot on this team. We will have practice every day, excluding weekends, and will practice 3 hours. If you think you were something in high school, think again. You are nothing now, and need to prove yourself. ALRIGHT. Offense, north end zone, defense, south end zone. Hop to it!” Shining blew his whistle and began yelling at people who were falling behind the pack.
Making sure she wouldn’t get yelled at, Rainbow sprinted for the north end zone, only to meet and awaiting girl in a football uniform holding a clip board.
“Good evening offense. Ah am your team captain, Applejack. Y’all listen to me all the time, and don’t speak when ah speak. We are gonna do some drills ta see whatcha got.” She blew her whistle and signaled people to and fro. Rainbow ran over and joined the other wideouts and began catching drills.
“Now since ah am also your quarterback, ah am gonna be throwin’ passes.” She picked up a ball and yelled hike, jolting the first person in line.
He staggered across the middle and got a laser throw from Applejack, that hit his hands and fell to the ground.
“NEXT!” She yelled, grabbing another ball and beaming it again.
This went on for the rest of practice and finally came down to Rainbow Dash at the back of the line. She stepped up to the yard mark and waited for the snap.
“HIKE!” Applejack dropped back as Rainbow ran a five yard in.
Applejack threw a heater over the middle and was expecting another dropped pass, but was cut off guard as Rainbow sprinted across and picked the ball out of the air and turned up field.
“Wow..” Applejack grabbed her clipboard from the ground and made a check next to Rainbow’s name.
Rainbow came jogging back and dropped the ball next to Applejack’s feet and began walking toward campus.
“Hold up Rainbow Dash. Ah wanna see what you can do.”
Night started to fall on the lit field. Only two people stood on the field: Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Hours had flown by since the two had first met, and now, they truly know each other. Ball after ball flew threw the air as Rainbow sprinted routes that Applejack drew up on her clipboard.
After a few more passes were caught, Applejack waved Rainbow over.
Rainbow dropped the worn ball and jogged down the field to meet her.
“Rainbow, since only one year of being here, and many others playing this sport, never in mah days have ah come across talent that you have.” She scribbled down notes and dropped the clipboard to the turf.
“Well thanks. You throw a pretty mean ball ya know.” Rainbow smiled as she stretched her back.
“Thank ya.” Applejack blushed as she collected equipment off the ground.
Rainbow helped as they collected nearly all of the cones. Half way down the field, Rainbow looked over at Applejack bending over and stacking cones. Her heart fluttered and started feeling weird feelings be sent around her body. Applejack looked up and saw Rainbow with wide eyes and a frozen body.
“Y’all right sugarcube?”
“Y-Ya. Just fine…” Rainbow scratched the back of her head and grabbed the other cones.
She jogged over and dumped them into a metal wire basket filled with football gear.
Applejack met her there and threw in her cones.
“So Rainbow, ya busy tomorrow?”
“Uh..Not that I know of...It is still my first day here.”
“That will give me a chance to let me and my friends show you around. Meet at the front doors tomorrow at 5.”
5? Rainbow had never even woken close to 10. She made sure she didn’t have classes until 12 and thought she dodged waking early.
“Ya...5..See ya there.” Rainbow grabbed her jacket and ran to her room.
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She burst through the door and skidded across the ground. Fluttershy shrieked and jumped into her covers.
“Oh. It’s only you Rainbow Dash..I thought you were Campus Police.”
“Campus Police?”
“Ya. They patrol and see if you’ve brought animals onto campus, are late to classes, and if you’re out past curfew.”
“Well what time is it?”
“12:30.”
“Well it’s a good thing they weren’t following me around. ‘Night.” Rainbow pulled off her pants, making Fluttershy cover her eyes.
Only wearing underwear and a t-shirt, Rainbow climbed up and got into bed.
“Hey. Flutters?”
“Ya?”
“You know Applejack?”
“Well of course! She’s a great friend. We’re having breakfast tomorrow morning. She’s a great friend. Always honest.”
“Mmm. Well, anyways, goodnight…” Rainbow shut her eyes and turned over in her bed.
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BEEP BEEP BEEP
Rainbow threw her football at the buzzing alarm clock, shutting it off. She sat up and stretched out her arms and legs. Fluttershy was slipping on her purse when she looked over.
“Hey there Rainbow, I just got a text saying you’re gonna be joining us for breakfast.”
“Us?” Rainbow squinted as she heard snaps from her neck while turning.
“Well yes. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, you and myself. Yay! It’s going to be so much fun! I leave to give you some privacy, meet at the front of the school, remember.” Fluttershy smiled and left the room while gently closing the door behind her.
Rainbow hopped down and began getting ready. She walked into the bathroom and removed her shirt and underwear. The lights flickered as she looked at herself.
“Why did I freeze like that?” She stared at her nude body and started thinking back to last night.
“Do I like her? I mean come on...She’s gotta be straight….” Rainbow leaned up and flipped on the shower.
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The five girls waited out front as the sun barely peaked over the mountains.
“Who are we waiting for again?” Twilight rested her hands on her knees as she sat on the steps.
“This girl ah met playing football...Rainbow Dash.” Applejack was looking back and forth, seeing if she could spot the rainbow haired girl.
“Rainbow Dash? Ohhhh, I met her first day. Truly smart and definitely has a different wardrobe than most..” Twilight sighed and grabbed a book.
“She is a great roommate too.” Fluttershy pulled out acorns and tossed them to passing squirrels.
“Oh yes. She helped me pick up papers yesterday when we ran into each other.” Rarity blew on a charcoal pencil and continued to her drawings.
“Well ah guess we all know her. And speak of the devil.” Applejack pointed at a figure sprinting over to them.
Rainbow was running her fingers through her hair and as slipping on her jacket. They watched as she hurdled benches and dodged people as she sprinted over.
“Well ah’ll be…” Applejack whispered to herself as she watched the girl sprint around with ease.
“Hey guys..Sorry I’m late…” Rainbow rested her hands on her knees and slowly panted.
“That’s alright sugarcube. We’re leavin’ now.” Applejack patted her on her back and headed for her old truck.
“You can ride with me Rainbow.” Applejack waved her over as she jolted the large metal door open.
“See y’all there!” Applejack waved as the rest of them jumped into their cars and drove out of the parking lot.
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“So, Rainbow… How long have you been playin’ football?”
“As long as I can remember, what about you?”
“Same. Ah’ve just never met someone with your talent.”
“Thanks.”
Rainbow felt blood rush to her face and began to sweat from her forhead.
“Ah’ve already got you down for starting wide out. You’ve earned it.”
“Cool. Thank you.” Rainbow was at loss for words.
She didn’t know how to act around her. Her thoughts were racing around.
How do I act? What should I say? What am I feeling?
All of these ideas raced through her head.
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The truck pulled up to a corner bakery that had a hanging sign that read “SugarCube Corner”
Cars began to pull in and park in front of the store. All of the girls hopped out of the cars and headed for the cafe. They filed into the bakery and sat down at a round table. Pinkie waved to a man at the counter. He nodded and began to bring snacks and drinks over to the table.
Pinkie stroke up a conversation about the school uniforms this year.
“Uniforms? What uniforms?” Rainbow rested her coffee mug down and looked over at Twilight.
“The required school uniforms. It states that you must wear a skirt, button up shirt, school girl’s jacket, long white socks, black dress shoes, and have your hair in a ponytail.”
“And when are these rules enforced?”
“Next week. If you don’t have your uniform, pick it up at the student center.”
“Oh I plan to…” Rainbow picked up her mug and sipped it.
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7:00 pm.-Practice Field
“C’mon team! If we want to be successful this season we gotta get out and be the best! Pick it up!” Shining yelled at people running laps because they fumbled the football.
Rainbow was in the endzone running ladders and catching footballs. After a few more reps, they moved onto passing drills.
“Team! This is elimination! If you drop a pass, you are out.” Applejack dropped her clipboard and grabbed a worn football from a pile off to the side.
People lined up and started the drill. After 10 minutes, only four remained.
“Hike!” The wide out sprinted down field and caught a pass over her shoulder.
She received claps from the crowd as she came back to the sideline, joining the other two people left. Rainbow lined up and waited for the snap. Applejack shouted the call and dropped back. Rainbow sprinted down field and looked for the ball. When she looked up, it almost soared over her head. She adjusted to the ball and jumped two feet vertically and snatched the ball out of the air and landed on her back.
“Nice catch Rainbow!” Applejack gave a thumbs up and waved up the next person.
“Alright Spitfire let’s see it.” She called and dropped, tossing the ball.
It whizzed passed her and hit the ground.
“Damnit..” She walked back over to the sideline.
“Nice catch there Spits.” Soarin, her best friend, nudged her shoulder.
Spitfire returned with a punch to his arm. After a few more passes, it was only down to Rainbow Dash and a new girl, Lightning Dust.
“Alright. You guys go at the same time and the one to come up with it wins. GO!”
Rainbow sprinted and crossed the field. Lightning Dust did the same and looked for the ball. Rainbow turned and saw it flying in the air and jumped to catch it. Lightning followed and met Rainbow in the air, knocking them to the ground. The ball came down, and Rainbow met it, but was cut off by a hit.
