A Midnight Rainbow

Currently Rainbow Dash is on the phone telling Twilight and the others she scored a perfect score on the test thanks to them, at this time Spitfire is talking to Midnight Lavender, whom everyone calls 'lieutenant'.

-Cloudsdale AFB, Wonderbolts training grounds - 10:00 hours-

"So a student stood out to me in her history exam, she scored 100." Spitfire said as her and Midnight were walking to their offices.

"Hmm, decent." Midnight replied.

"Decent? No one has got that high in a long time." Spitfire said with a laugh.

"True, but everyone in my squadron got 100." Midnight answered.

"Yeah, but when's the last time you had someone new? Quite a while hasn't it. Any way, I bring that up because on her application she said she wanted to be in a fighter squadron, not just a FDS, so if it's okay I'm putting her in your squad." Spitfire explained.

"Well I want to see her fly first." Midnight told her.

"I'm sure that's no problem. When she comes back I'll send her to your office, alright?" Spitfire said as she opened the door to her office.

"Sounds good." Midnight said enthusiastically as he went to the armory to get an MRE or two. When he got back Rainbow Dash had just got off the phone with Twilight and was waiting at the door to Midnight's office.

"Huh, this is the FNG? Well let's get this over with." Midnight thought to himself as he walked up to her.

"Ohh, this is my new CO? Hmm, not bad." Rainbow thought to herself as she waited for him to say something.

"Alright, I take it you're the FNG? Well come on in and I'll explain some things." Midnight said unlocking his door and walking in followed by Rainbow Dash.

"Quick question, what's an FNG?" Rainbow asked as she sat down on the chair across from Midnight's desk.

"Oh, it means 'Fucking New Guy' or girl in your case. Don't take it personally, all the new people get that tag, but it usually doesn't last long." Midnight said as he finished organizing some loose papers and putting them away.

"That seems rather mean." Rainbow Dash said in response.

"Eh, it's a motivator really. People work harder to get rid of it and thus get better quicker, most of the time anyway." Midnight said sitting down and opening his MRE pouch and starting to eat it.

"I guess that makes sense." Rainbow shrugged.

"Like I said don't take it personal, it's more of a inside joke than anything." Midnight said pulling out Rainbow Dash's file. "Anyway Captain Spitfire told me you scored 100 on your history exam, correct?" Midnight asked her as they started getting to business.

"Yes that is correct." Rainbow Dash told him.

"Right and you said on your application you wanted to be part of a fighter squadron rather than an FDS?" He asked without looking up from the file.

"Yes sir." Rainbow answered.

"Okay, well you pass the requirements, however I want to see you fly personally. We are the First Fighter Wing meaning we are the first, the best, and toughest. Now just because you pass the requirements doesn't mean you can join, however even if I'm not impressed you might still be able to convince another fighter wing to take you, okay?" Midnight explained as Dash listened to every word.

"Sounds good. When can I show you my stuff?" Rainbow said enthusiastically.

"Well we can in a few minutes. Now two things you must know. One I will be flying with you, working as your navigator. Also we don't use the F-16s like the FDSs do, we use the larger F/A-18E. The controls are mostly the same, but the F/A-18 has two engines, not one." Midnight explained as he stood up and walked to the door.

"Yes sir." Rainbow said as she stood up.

"Good, now be on the tarmac in no more than 45 minutes." Midnight told her as he opened the door. As soon as Rainbow got out Midnight called ATC and the mechanics to get the jet and stuff ready and once that was done he went to the armory and got his flightsuit and other stuff.

-Meanwhile-

"Hey Spitfire, can I talk to for a minute?" Rainbow asked as she walked onto Spitfire's office. Rainbow and Spitfire got to be pretty good friends, almost like sisters so they talked to each other about everything.

"Sure Dashie, what's up?" Spitfire said as she looked up.

"Well as you know I have my test flight in an hour or so, but I have a problem." Rainbow said as she sat down on the couch.

"Nerves or first time jitters?" Spitfire asked as she sat on the edge of her desk.

"Neither actually. My problem is my new CO, Lieutenant Lavender." Rainbow started hoping Spitfire would get the hint, sadly she didn't.

"What's the problem? He's a nice guy." Spitfire said with a smile.

"I know and that's the problem. I don't know how else to say it so I'll just say it. I have a bit of a crush on him." Rainbow said looking away at a calender acting like she was reading it so Spitfire couldn't see her blush. Spitfire chuckled lightly.

"Alright so why tell me about it?" Spitfire asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me how to get him to ask me or what he's like so I can use that." Rainbow said hanging her head down embarrassingly.

"Ahh, well my best advice: Impress him during your test flight and hint some stuff during the debriefing." Spitfire told her.

"What do you mean hint some stuff?" Rainbow asked.

"Hint that you're intrested in him. What I usually do is stand behind them, get as close to them as you can and when they ask what you're doing complement something, like what they're wearing or something on his desk." Spitfire said still leaning on her desk.

"I think I got the idea, thanks Spitfire." Rainbow said.

"No problem, happy to help. Besides I think you two would look cute together anyway." Spitfire said with a laugh as she stood up.

"Okay, well I got the evaluation in about a half an hour." Rainbow said hugging Spitfire.

"Good luck." Spitfire said as she went behind her desk and got to work. Afterwards Rainbow went to the armory to get her helmet and other gear and then headed out to the hangars. After getting her stuff and getting everything on and ready she still had a few minutes, which she was happy about, that just means she gets to impress him faster.

"Corporal Rainbow Dash, reporting as ordered sir!" Rainbow said as she got into the hangar and saw Midnight standing there.

"Huh, 10 minutes early, not bad FNG." Midnight said checking his watch. "Alright, here's the briefing. You are flying to impress me, I'll stay quiet most of the time, however once and a while I'll give a quick test and say something like 'SAM locked' to which you would take appropriate evasive maneuvers, but the jet will be completely unarmed, not even flares so if in the event you would use flares just say 'popping flares', we'll be the only ones on the channel so don't worry about that, however we can still hear ATC so in the event we need to contact them I'll just switch channels. Now you just need to do whatever you want mostly, do interesting patterns and other stuff. Now remember this is a fighter jet and we are a fighter squadron, so we don't do little tricks and stuff, we learn to fly in formation and provide CAS to ground units. Any questions?" He asked as he finished.

"No, sir." Rainbow said.

"Good, most people would, but you take orders and understand them, let's see how well you follow them. Also we are training as a fighter squadron like I said so you'll need this." Midnight said handing Rainbow a vest.

"What's this?" Rainbow asked holding it up.

"That is a CMU-33 training survival vest. See in combat we have a survival vest containing supplies to survive until you get picked up in case you get shot down. It contains stuff like a small thing of concentrated hydrator, a first aid kit, some MRE sandwiches, fire starter, duct tape, emergency blanket, whistle, compass, a blood chit, and it has extra space for personal stuff, also it usually has a Berretta 92 with three mags, but this is a training one so it's plastic and weighted to feel like a real one." Midnight explained as he double checked his gear. After they finished they got into the jet.

"Alright, check your flaps and wings to make sure they have full range." Midnight said as he turned on the instruments. Rainbow checked everything and was good to go. In a few more minutes they were on the tarmac and were taking off. Once in the air Rainbow hit the afterburners then did standard moves such as aileron rolls and flying upside down, even the occasional knife edge, Midnight did the SAM lock test a couple times and after being in the air. Finally she landed and looking back she saw his face and could tell he was impressed. After they got out and took off their flightsuits.

"Alright well I'll tell you now you did pretty well. Head to the mess hall and grab something to eat and meet back in my office for an evaluation." Midnight said patting her back and heading towards the administration building. On the outside Rainbow was calm and cool, but on the inside she was flipping out of excitement. She went to the mess hall and grabbed a snack sandwich but hurried so she could talk to Midnight.