Author's Note

I was really distracted when I wrote this so I apologize in advance if this chapter wasn't that great.

Misfortune

Goal after goal after goal.

The Wondercolts were winning now. It was 21-24 Wondercolts. Rainbow and the team felt encouraged after the performance and wanted to do their best. A little bit of faith from anyone can make you believe in yourself. Lightning Dust grinned as another goal was struck.

"We're doing it, Dash! We're winning!"

Rainbow grinned happily. She waved at her friends from the bleachers and they cheered. She could hear them calling her name. It was good to be winning. She felt on top of the world. Here she was defeating her greatest enemy and doing so at ease. It would be an easy victory, she was sure. Overhead, the soccer ball had been hurled through the air by the other team's goalie. Rainbow jogged backward to receive it. Instead, Spitfire got it. She jumped up and bopped it with her head. The ball bounced forward and Rainbow got the ball. She was looking confident as she dribbled it to their goal.

She was almost there...She was about to kick it in when one of the Python members ran behind her and stumbled, kicking her in the ankle. Rainbow Dash yelled out and made a faulty shot, the ball going out into the crowd. The referee blew the whistle and called a foul and team meeting with the Pythons. The students shouted and screamed at the players in either rage or a 'serves them right' attitude. Rainbow Dash crumpled to the ground and clutched her foot.

"AH! DANGIT!"

The Wondercolts rushed to her side and everyone bit their lips. Rainbow was red in the face and tears welled up at the corner of her eyes. Thunderlane shook his head with worry.

"What're we going to do? Dash's our best player! We've made most of our points because of her!"

Soarin gritted his teeth and looked at the other team.

"They must've planned this! They want to win!"

Pepper Corn and Lightning Dust glanced at each other. It was the fourth quarter and only ten minutes of the game remained. They were winning at the moment, yes. But with Rainbow off the field, that might not be so when the game ends. There were other strong players, but none were as dynamic as Rainbow Dash. Carefully, Spitfire pulled Rainbow's cleat, sock, and shin guard off so she could see her ankle better. Underneath, her ankle had begun to swell and was red.

Soarin stomped his foot and pounded a fist into his palm.

"They're going to pay! If we lose because of this, they're going to pay!"

Spitfire grabbed him by the shoulder and faced him.

"Soarin, what matters right now is that Rainbow is hurt. Not that they want to win or that you're going to 'make them pay'. So stop your raging and help us get her to the bench!"

The Wondercolts all aided the wounded girl to the time out bench. Rainbow was feeling angry about it all. She didn't want to be on the bench when she could be out on the field scoring some goals. Looking at the scoreboard and game time she cursed silently to herself. Ten minutes was plenty of time for the Pythons to win. They only needed three more points to be even with them and more to be winning.

"I have to be on the field! We're so close to beating our rival team!" Rainbow pouted.

She motioned to get up, but Spitfire pushed her back down.

"You can't, Dash. Your ankle is hurting."

"But I have to help! We're already leading by three points. These Pythons guys are tough! Come on, what's a sore ankle to me when there's a game to play!"

Spitfire frowned at her.

"You're not playing. The rest of us can handle it."

"But--"

"NO."

The captain turned and started walking away. Rainbow Dash was enraged. She wanted to play. She knew that if she were out on the field there was a definite chance that they would win. But she couldn't with her ankle the way it was. Without the Wondercolts' best player on field, nothing was certain. They could lose horribly. Then people would laugh at them. This was their chance to shine and beat their long time rival!

With nothing to do, Rainbow slouched forward and looked out over the field. She dreaded the game that was to take place soon. Rainbow looked for the ball. When she had kicked it, the shot had been really bad and it went out into the crowd. From a distance, she could see someone tromping down some steps in the aisle clutching the ball under their armpit. It was a girl with white hair. She wore a brown jacket and grey shirt. Her black pants hugged her legs. Big brown boots stomped down toward the field...

Rainbow paled. She looked exactly like someone she knew...The girl slammed the soccer ball into Thunderlane's chest and said something to him. Her angry mood, that evil glare, the way her hands balled up into fists...

The white-haired girl turned her face in Rainbow's direction and the blue girl gasped. Her devilish eyes burned through Rainbow Dash's face. A smirk came across her mouth. The wounded girl looked away. There was no mistake about it. Everything about that girl was the same.

Rainbow knew she was dead meat.

***

Twilight ran down the aisle and rushed toward where Rainbow was. The others followed with concern written all over their faces.

"Rainbow Dash, are you ok?" Twilight asked when she got there.

The said girl glanced at her friends and frowned. She had her leg up on the bench and a bag of ice on her ankle.

"Of course not..."

Rarity gave her a sympathetic look and sat down beside her. On the field, the game had begun. And so far, it wasn't going in the favor of the Wondercolts. It was now 22-24 Wondercolts. Rainbow looked at the time left for the game. About seven minutes. She swallowed hard. Applejack took off her hat and sighed.

"Don't you worry one bit, Rainbow. I'm sure we'll win. Even if we don't, it sure was a good fight we put up against them Cloudsdale folk."

Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight all agreed. Rainbow Dash scratched her hair.

"This game isn't the only thing I'm worried about..."

Fluttershy glanced at her friend's leg.

"Is it your ankle? I'm sure it'll be fine in no time."

Rainbow shook her head. She looked at the girl. Her face seemed pale and her eyes were full of worry. Rainbow looked down at her shirt and said," Fluttershy...you remember Gilda, right..?"

Fluttershy's eyes widened.

"Y-Y-You don't mean...is s-she..?"

The wounded girl nodded slowly.

"When I kicked that bad shot it went out into the crowd...and no doubt hit Gilda. I saw her give the ball to Thunderlane and glare at me..."

Rainbow covered her face with her hands.

"I'm dead meat."