For Fame and Glory

by Sparkle Fire

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Spitfire
Length: 3253

Rainbow Dash is accepted into the Wonderbolts, but a surprise eventuality arises that puts her life-long dream on hold - on the first day of training.

I originally wrote this for Bronystate's fanfic competition, but missed the deadline. So I finished it and posted it here for your reading pleasure!

*If you think this story needs a higher rating, kindly let me know and I'll change it, because it does reference some sensitive topics.

Published 2012-05-14 06:44:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-14 06:44:01 UTC

Story

“Alright, Rainbow Dash, show us what you’ve got.”

This was it. Rainbow Dash’s time to make it shine. With that in mind, her wings began flapping with rugged determination, and she was in the air. The cyan-coloured mare’s wings accelerated the rest of her body through the air. After a couple of seconds, she banked a left turn, leaving a shimmering trail made up of a rainbow streak and glistening specks of star in her wake.

It took a moment before the two judges, Soarin’ and Spitfire, were able to get up. Rather discombobulated from the rush brought on by Dash’s maneuver, they waited a bit before they began commenting.

Soarin’ was the first to speak. “That act was, in a word, amazing. I’ve seen rainbow streaks like that before, but never with sparkles…” he praised the young mare, astonished.

“Why, thank you so much!” Rainbow Dash replied, cheerily twitching her tail.

In the meantime, Spitfire had to take a second to stand up on her own four hooves because the rainbow-and-glitter streak had invaded her eyes. Eyes still watery, the fire-coloured mare was at a loss for words. “First of all…” she began.

Rainbow Dash simply stood there, eyes wide open, ears sticking up straight like cell phone towers, eager to hear the self-explanatory term that would not only fulfill her childhood dream, but change her life in ways she’d never thought possible: You’re in.

Spitfire looked down at her clipboard, which contained all of the Wonderbolt-wannabe’s information, which included her basic profile, medical information, insurance information, and so on. Included was a rating card to rate Dash based on agility, strength, and a few other criterion.

After a few seconds of fumbling around, Spitfire had finally found the card. Looking at the card, a smile grew on the fire-orange and yellow mare’s face as she admired all the top marks (id est., eights, nines, and tens) she’d rated Dash.

“…you have quite the high marks for a mare of your ability, and I admire that.” Spitfire continued. She trotted up next to Dash. “I’m very proud of you. Keep up the good work.”

Rainbow Dash allowed a little squeal to escape her lips in excitement. To the wielder of the Element of Loyalty, the tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

After another few seconds of looking through the clipboard, both Spitfire and Soarin’ agreed to accept Rainbow Dash as the newest member of the Wonderbolts, the best elite flying team in Equestria, if not the whole of the United Lands and the rest of the world.

Soarin’ looked up from his own clipboard before he said the magic words. “Without further ado…” the stallion thought in his head before declaring, “Congratulations, Rainbow Dash, you’re now a member of the Wonderbolts!”

Rainbow Dash’s excite was impossible to conceal at this point. She let out the squeals of an obsessed fangirl while she jumped up and down with glee.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou…” the cyan-coloured mare thanked the two Wonderbolts like a weed eater on rocket fuel before zipping off to tell her friends. She couldn’t wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash banged on the door of Twilight’s humble abode / public library.

Twilight wasn’t exactly in the mood to have ponies knocking down her door, since she was doing some important scientific research at the moment.

BANG BANG BANG!!!

“Who in Equestria can it possibly be this time around?!” Twilight grumbled as she descended down the stairs with an angry scowl upon her face.

Rainbow Dash slammed open the door, panting heavily.

“DASH! I’m in the middle of important research!”

“Whoops… sorry about that. Heheh... It’s just that I’m so happy right now, and I want to tell you something very, very exciting!”

“Okaaaay. Tell me and Spike your exciting news and blablablablabla…”the lavender-coloured mare groaned.

“I’m the newest member of the Wonderbolts! THE Wonderbolts, Twilight! It’s been my lifelong dream to fly with them!”

Twilight’s mood grew somewhat better. “Wow, congratulations, Dash. I’m happy for you.”

“Gee, thanks -“ was all the new Wonderbolt was able to say before a certain pink party pony appeared out of nowhere.

“Do you know what an achievement like this calls for?”

Twilight was unconvinced. “Let me guess, Pinkie Pie… a party?”

“Hey! That’s what I was gonna say!”

“But how did you hear about Dash and the Wonderbolts?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, it was just my powers.”

Rainbow Dash was quick to shoot that explanation down. “Your… powers, Pinkie?”

“DON’T DENY MY PINKIE-POWERS!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours had already passed, and already, the town square had been decorated in nothing more than the Wonderbolts’ signature colours: blue and gold. The cylindrical tower that stood in the square had been trimmed and decorated in the colours of Rainbow Dash’s mane and tail.

Tonnes of food and punch were laid out at the tables that had been set up. The party guests were huddled up in the tower itself, eagerly waiting for Rainbow Dash’s arrival.

After about fifteen minutes, a certain baby blue pegasus landed in town square to see what was going on. Confused as to the decorations, she daintily trotted over to the punch bowl to get herself a drink…

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie spotted the mare of the hour just beside the punch bowl. She gave off a signal, causing everypony cramped up inside the tower to stampede outside, surprising Dash.

“SURPRISE!!! Congratulations, Rainbow Dash!” everypony yelled as the newest Wonderbolt was pouring her punch.

To Rainbow Dash, the sight of all of her friends, old and new, stampeding towards her didn’t sit quite as well. She let out a squeak and shot high above the crowd.

“Dash! Please come down! We’re sorry for scaring you!” Ponyville’s premier party pony apologised on behalf of all the party guests that had startled Dash the moment before.

At first, the newest Wonderbolt refused to come down.

“This party’s for you, Rainbow Dash! To congratulate you for getting accepted into the Wonderbolts!” Pinkie Pie said.

“For me?” Rainbow Dash realized. It all came to her now.

“Oh my goodness, guys, thank you so much!” she whooped as she wrangled up all her closest friends in a group hug.

And now, being the ravenous mare that she was, she proceeded to raid the buffet tables that had been laid out, effectively leaving a giant dent as far as food.

At that moment, the cyan pony had to be incredibly thirsty. Her impulses drove her to the punch bowls, at which she picked up one of the bowls and allowed the deep pink liquid to slide into her mouth.

She fainted onto the floor, completely satisfied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days after the party, Rainbow Dash rose from her slumber, ready for the six months of preparatory training ahead of her.

We say two days because the captains of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire and Soarin’, gave her an extra day before leaving to allow for her to sober up before training.

With an exuberant smile upon her face, Rainbow Dash took some more time to make sure her bags were packed perfectly, as to not allow for anything to get lost while she flew to the training camp.

And now, with her bags in tow, she was in the air, about to become one among her childhood heroes.

At the gate, she was screened for weapons, as per usual with facilities of this caliber. She had to go through a metal detector as well as a pat-down.

Once she was through, her Wonderbolts training would officially begin. But just as she stepped onto the training grounds, Soarin’ was roarin’ from the room just to the side of the security checkpoint.

“RAINBOW DAAAAAASH!!!” The screech was so loud that windows had to have been damaged to some extent and some ponies deafened.

The cyan mare trotted up to the side room, tensing up. Had she done something wrong? Or was this about something good? But alas, all her fears were realized as she walked into the room to find both an incredibly furious Soarin’ and a concerned Spitfire.

Soarin’ literally threw down Rainbow Dash’s medical information in front of her.

“Read… the red… text.” Soarin’ gritted through his teeth.

Rainbow Dash read from the information.

“Match-makers’ disorder? What the heck’s ‘Match-makers’ disorder?” Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

“Rainbow Dash… Match-makers’ disorder, according to this book I’m borrowing from Twilight Sparkle, is a ‘genetic condition involving extremely active pegasi in which the tendons and ligaments in the wings are attacked by the immune system and weaken to the point where the wings are too weak and have to be amputated.’” Spitfire read from a medical journal, explaining Rainbow Dash’s ordeal.

“Amputated?” Rainbow Dash squealed, her heart feeling like it dropped into her stomach.

“But I’m not finished yet.” The orange and yellow mare continued reading. “If the condition is diagnosed early, the pegasus affected is capable of living a long, healthy life.

Going back to the book, “'However, if the disease has progressed, specific chemical and drug therapy, concentrated radiation therapy, or immediate amputation (only in advanced cases) may be needed.'” Spitfire stopped reading.

Soarin’ was the next person to lecture the cyan pegasus. “What this means, Rainbow Dash, is that this condition will eventually make your wings so weak that you can’t fly. Adding on to that, the Wonderbolts are known for performing high-risk and complex stunts, and with this condition, your wings aren’t exactly built for those. You have the structures, but they’re just too weak.”

Tears began to well up in the corners of the cyan mare’s eyes. “Too weak? What will this mean?” she asked.

“It’s very unfortunate that I have to say this… but before I tell you, I have to let you know that you’re smart, you’re strong, you’re important, being the Element of Loyalty after all…” Soarin’ assured, that being the prelude of the bad news to come.

“...but you have to be discharged from the Wonderbolts.” Soarin’ began to break down in his sadness.

Rainbow Dash spent a good minute contemplating about what to do. She made her decision, putting into account that her own genes and new-found disease had, just moments ago, stopped her life-long aspiration to join the amazing, flying Wonderbolts forever, and she would be made to live the rest of her life as an Earth pony... and she was just told about all of this now.

It was then that the gears in the young mare’s head began to turn rapidly, allowing memories of her past to be extracted and pulled to the surface, almost as if an oil derrick was operating inside her psyche, the only difference being that Dash’s memories were gushing out of the top and materializing in her thoughts.

The Sonic Rainboom… all those years at the Young Fliers’ Academy… the Best Young Fliers’ Competition… with this disease, those days would only be dust in the wind. She would have to live the rest of her life as an Earth pony, stripped of her flying abilities and doomed to walk on the earth for the remainder of her life… no. She wouldn’t have a bit of it.

An emotionally distressed Rainbow Dash then bolted out of the office towards the edge of the training camp, literally crying a river. She appeared fully intent on committing suicide via jumping off the edge with absolutely nothing to cushion the blow the impact would make.

“RAINBOW DASH, DON’T JUMP!” Spitfire attempted to talk Dash out of the jump.

“Rainbow Dash, please don’t jump! You’re a wonderful girl.” Soarin’, too, also tried to stop Dash from jumping.

“If I have to live as an Earth pony, you can just forget it!” Rainbow Dash blubbered, drowning in her sorrow.

“You don’t have to! We can arrange for drug treatments to keep your Match-makers’ in check - “

“Drug treatments that’ll probably end my life, so Equestria won’t have to deal with me anymore…” Rainbow Dash continued trembling.

“But Dashie – “

“YOU HATE ME!” Rainbow Dash shouted in despair.

By now, the cyan pegasus was in agony and thrashing the cloud around in sadness and pity at the world for having to be held back from her life-long dream by a disease that she didn’t even know about for most of her life. She was drooling at the mouth, she was sweating, and the tears of her melancholy were still shedding. It was a truly unfortunate sight to see, a once vibrant, knowledgeable, passionate, and active young mare being brought to tears.

She began inching over the edge of the cloud, continuing until the mare’s hooves slipped off and her final descent began.
Only once did she consider using her wings to slow her fall a bit, but now that she knows about her condition, it was like her wings didn’t exist anymore.

After a 4,800ft drop, Rainbow Dash’s body collapsed on the ground. Her surroundings seemed to slip away from her as her life faded into oblivion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash woke up in a room at Ponyville General Hospital. Looking around, she noticed an IV in her arm, a heart monitor, and several of her closest friends.

Wait… her friends?

The cyan pegasus broke down crying.

“Now, now, don’t cry… don’t cry…” Twilight Sparkle tried to comfort.

“Yay, you’re awake! We were so worried about you…” Fluttershy said, happy that her friend survived. The pale yellow pony trotted to Dash’s side, joining in the embrace.

A nurse walked into the room, intent on checking in on the suicidal Rainbow Dash lying in the bed. The group hug parted to allow for the nurse to do his job.

He grabbed a small tool from the wall using his magic and began to prod around the pegasus’s body, making small, unnoticeable facial expressions as he went.

Putting it down, he gave his prognosis.

“Well, it seems that your friend here took quite a hit. Not only did she suffer a blow to the lungs and heart as well as a slight concussion, she also damaged her wings in a few places. I would recommend that she keep her wings in a splint, at least until the breaks are repaired.” He turned to the former Wonderbolt. “And you, Rainbow Dash?”

“Yes?”

“It also appears to me that some adaptive therapy and counseling is in order. Do you have Match-makers, for real?”

“I just found out I had it today after all these years.”

“Then the adaptive therapy sessions I’m going to recommend will hopefully teach you to live a long, healthy, and happy life despite the fact you have Match-makers.”

Rainbow Dash simply gave a nod.

“Your friends have told me that you attempted to commit suicide once you found out. Is that correct?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh my, I’m so sorry.” He began to jot down some more notes on his clipboard. “So maybe some preventive therapy in addition to that counseling may also serve you well.”

He trotted out of the room.

Once the door closed, Rainbow Dash asked, “Does this mean I have to live the rest of my life as an Earth pony?”

“Of course not!” Twilight Sparkle stated, matter-of-factly.

“Alright!” the pegasus celebrated. “But what can’t I do?”

Twilight put her thinking cap on. After a few seconds, she remembered attending a lecture about the disorder and several others during her college years studying in Canterlot.

Thinking back, the lavender-coloured unicorn told an incomprehensive list of those limitations. “Well, for one thing, a pegasus with Match-makers can’t engage in vigourous exercise, can’t carry heavy weight, and can’t play rough sports like boxing, hoofball, and others.”

Twilight delved a small bit further. “And I also remember something about sexuality, but can’t remember exactly…”

Fluttershy interrupted with some more explanation. “She can’t engage in sexual activity because the hormones will make her muscles act up and speed up the weakening of those muscles.”

The cyan pony now bore a confused face. “What…? No sex?”

“I’m afraid so,” Twilight answered. “With your condition, sex with Match-makers can get pretty uncomfortable.”

With that, Applejack began to give Dash quite the lecture, all in her signature southern accent. “And to add on t’ that, colts these days are only concerned ‘bout the sex part of the relationship than yer feelings and emotions.”

“Okay –“

The orange farm pony continued with her lecture. “Also, if Ah remember correctly, the colts think o’ you as a sorta… trophy, what with yer Playbrony photo shoot a while back, them scandals, and not to mention what them bronies think of ya.” She slurred “bronies” for sarcasm’s sake.

“Oh yes, those bronies, always wanting to make love to me –“

“But that’s not what love’s all about. You see, if ya wait ‘til yer married ‘fore you have sex, you’ll have all that time t’ find the perfect coltfriend for ya.”

“But I don’t have a coltfriend. In fact, I don’t even remember even having a coltfriend at all. My whole life’s been dedicated to the Wonderbolts and nothing else.”

“But here’s the thing…” Applejack stopped to think for a second. “You like goin’ to parties?”

“Heck, yeah!”

“Then think o’ this: yer at a party, there’s alcohol involved –“

“As per use –“ Rainbow Dash interrupted.

“Now stop interruptin’ ‘fore Ah buck yer face in!” Applejack calmed down. “One o’ them colts tries to take you t’ bed…”

The orange-coloured farm mare continued for about 35 minutes before she stopped. She was serious about this.

“Now, do you understand why it’s important for ya to be abstinent ‘til marriage?”

“Because of my Match-makers…” Rainbow Dash replied dejectedly.

“But not just ‘cause of yer condition. There’s them colts, STDs, out-o’-wedlock pregnancies, and plain ol’ health and happiness.”

Rainbow Dash’s gears began turning inside her head. She had an idea!

“You know what, AJ?” The cyan pegasus said.

The holder of the Element of Honesty simply gave an about-face.

“I’m gonna make those colts earn my trust and respect before they can get between these babies!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed proudly, referring to her rear pair of legs, which she was pointing at.

“Attagirl!” Applejack responded. “Make ‘em work for ya!” The two best friends brohoofed in approval.

“They also need to be packin’ between their wallet lips; you know what I’m saying?” Rainbow Dash said.

At that, all of her friends roared in laughter, including Rainbow Dash herself.

~~ And all was well. The End! ~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~ Last-Minute Author’s Notes ~~~

[1] This is my first “big” fanfic I’ve written up to this point, so I’ll allow for constructive criticism only. Comments, favourites, and any advice is always appreciated, thanks for reading!

[2] I’ll admit - I might have made some minor screw-ups when writing the dialogue of some of the characters, but I'm not exactly sure. Kindly let me know in the comments and I’ll fix them.

[3] I originally wrote this fanfic for a writing contest, but missed the deadline. I eventually decided to finish it, and two or three bouts of writers’ block later, I finally finished it!

[Future Fanfics Planned] For fans of Confessing My Love, I’m planning to continue the Celestia/Great Leader stories in a mini-series. They’ll be published infrequently because of a HUGE (and I mean HUGE!) fanfic I’m developing at the moment, among a few others (one being a Shining Armour/Princess Cadence shipfic-clopfic!). If I can find the time this summer between this upcoming beast and RLS, I might just write a Celestia/Great Leader fic…