Harmony and Chaos

The following afternoon, Rainbow Dash, clad in her Wonderbolt uniform, stood in the locker room, looking at her reflection. She’d come so far since Ponyville… and now, she was finally about to start living her dream.

“Hey, Rainbow! You ready?” asked Spitfire.

As Rainbow took her place with her fillyhood heroes, she replied, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

~

“And now, fillies and gentlecolts… we are pleased to introduce… THE WONDERBOLTS!!!” said the announcer pony as the aerial stunt performers soared over the stadium. The crowd went wild as the Wonderbolts flew over the stadium.

Rainbow Dash herself felt… what was that made up word Pinkie had used… nervous-cited Yeah, that was it, thought Rainbow.

As the show went on, the crowd oohed and awed at the Wonderbolts death-defying stunts… but, the big finale was yet to come…

“And now, fillies and gentlecolts, a newcomer to the group, will now perform the legendary Sonic Rainboom!” said the announcer.

“Do your thing, Rainbow!” yelled Spitfire, before she fell out of sight.

Rainbow gritted her teeth and soared into the skies until everyone, including the Wonderbolts, were no more than specks.

“And… here we go!” said Rainbow, before she started falling at breakneck speeds. “Come on, come on, come on!” she growled as the sound barrier wrapped around her.

Finally, just as Rainbow reached the stadium, a sonic rainboom happened, and Rainbow pulled up, her mane and tail creating a rainbow as she pulled up, crying, “YEAH!!!!”

The crowd, meanwhile, went completely nuts, cheering, “Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!”

So… this is what being a superstar feels like… sounds like… and looks like! thought Rainbow. This… is AWESOME!!!

~

Unbeknownst to the Wonderbolts, or even the crowd, there was one pony, a pegasus mare with a light turquoise coat and an amber mane and tail wearing a black overcoat, a black wide-brimmed hat, and shades, who looked at the stunt show with a sickened sneer.

Bask in your glory while you can, Rainbow Dash, because once Captain Blackthorn  gets her hooves on you and/or your old pals… you’ll wish you’d stayed a lowly weatherpony! she thought.

As the pony made her way out of the stands, she bumped into a unicorn stallion, spilling his nachos down the front of her overcoat.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t see you,” said the stallion.

“Oh, don’t apologize… I never do,” said the pony as she left the stands with a smirk on her face.

There’s a day of reckoning coming, fillies and gentlecolts… everypony better batten down the hatches and stay out of the way… thought the mare.

~

As Rainbow left the stadium, she waved at a few fans as she passed them… until a pink blur tackled her.

“Rainbow! Do you remember me?!” squealed the blur, who was actually a pink Earth Pony with a bushy pink mane and tail.

“P-Pinkie Pie?” said Rainbow, hardly believing her eyes.

“You do! You do remember me!” squealed Pinkie, jumping for joy.

“Now, the question is, do you remember us?” asked a mare’s voice, which had a South Equestrian accent.

Rainbow’s jaw dropped when she saw who else was there: Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and…

“Spike? Is that you?” asked Rainbow.

The purple and green dragon smiled. He was now about Rarity’s height looking very stylish in a black jacket, a white shirt, blue jeans, and gray sneakers.

“What’s with the get-up?” asked Rainbow.

“I thought it’d make me look more dashing,” said Spike, whose voice was deep and had a reassuring something to it, before he quickly glanced at Rarity.

Rainbow smiled. So, Spike still has that crush on Rarity… I wonder if she’s figured it out yet, she thought.

“Hey, Rainbow, guess what?” said Twilight, holding up her hoof. On it was a diamond engagement ring.

“So, you and Flash Sentry are gonna tie the knot?”  asked Rainbow, face breaking into a huge grin.

“Yes, in six months… provided those Shadowbolts don’t do something to ruin it… say, did you hear about the attack?” asked Twilight.

“Who didn’t after they hacked the TV?” said Rainbow.

Twilight looked down. “Actually, there was another one last night. They used some kind of weaponized Poison Joke gas to kill everypony at the Trottingham Royal Guard Base,” she said.

Rainbow herself looked down. “Let’s not talk about that. So, what have the rest of you been up to?” she asked.

~

As Rainbow, Spike, and the girls walked and talked on their way  to the hotel where the girls were staying, the six of them could feel the fire of their old friendship start to re-ignite. Pinkie Pie had bought the Ponyville Prank Shop, and was turning out a nice profit.

Rarity’s Carousel Boutique had stores in not just Ponyville, but in Shady Oaks and Fillydelphia, too.

Applejack, meanwhile, had taken over the running of Sweet Apple Acres ever since Granny Smith had passed away in her sleep about six months earlier.

As for Fluttershy, she had started up her own pet shop, and taken in an orphaned phoenix.

“So, what about you, Rainbow? Do you have a special somepony?” asked Twilight.

Rainbow Dash blushed. “Well, I do have a date with Soarin tomorrow,” she said nervously.

The other ponies and Spike smiled.

“Good for you, Rainbow,” said Twilight. “Well, this is us.”

The group had arrived at the hotel. Rainbow couldn’t help but feel saddened as she and the girls parted ways.

I’m sure I’ll see them again soon, though, thought Rainbow. After all, true friendship has  a way of making a comeback… like a phoenix.