Under Pressure
Chapter 1: New School, New Team
Load Full StoryNext ChapterRainbow 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.”
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