Rainbow Pie

Pinkie and Fluttershy stood outside the door and knocked. Normally a wooden door would seem out of place in a cloud arena, but the Royal Canterlot Raceway & Flight Grounds was specifically built to blend the building styles of all three types of ponies. And the enteire place was enchanted to allow non-pegasi to walk about freely. The contest would start in 20 minutes and the others were already in the VIP suite, but Pinkie and Fluttershy had decided to come visit Rainbow Dash personally before the show to wish her luck. Pinkie on account of being Dash's fillyfriend, and Fluttershy due to their long friendship. The door opened and the two ponies were immediately blasted by a cacophonous wall of sound.

"EEP!" cried Fluttershy, taking a step backwards. Pinkie, for her part, clamped her hooves over her ears.

Dash poked her head out. "OH! HEY PINKS. HEY 'SHY." she shouted over the din. "JUST A SECOND." She ducked back in, and the noise shortly ceased. Returning, she opened the door wide. "What brings you two here?"

"Silly" Pinkie giggled, bouncing right in. "You didn't think your fillyfriend and your bestest friend would let you go out there without coming by to wish you luck, did you?"

"Um, yes. We, um, came to wish you luck, Dash" murmured Fluttershy, entering somewhat more timidly. "Is... is everything okay? What was that awful noise?"

"Oh that. That was just Ponyowar", Dash replied, waving a hoof toward a CD case laying on top of the dresser. "I always play some metal to psych myself up before a big competition. Helps me forget how nervous I am."

Fluttershy glanced at the CD case, and wished she hadn't. The cover was rather gruesome, depicting four muscular stalions, clad in hide-tight outfits (if you could call them that) standing atop a pile of skulls. She shivered. For all their long friendship, she could never understand Dash's taste in music.

Pinkie, too craned her neck to see, though her reaction was somewhat different "Ponyowar - Fighting Equestria" she read. She frowned, wondering why anyone would want to fight Equestria and how one even managed to fight an entire planet. She was on the verge of asking, when the picture caught her eye. Her face lit up. "Oooh, Dashie. I like to see you in one of these outfits." There was an unmistakable lustful quality to the comment.

Fluttershy's cheeks turned beet-red and Dash nearly choked on the water she had just taken a drink of. "Geez, Pinks! Not in front of 'shy, wouldja?"

"Hmmm? Oh." Pinkie giggled nervously, as if she had just noticed Fluttershy was in the room.

"Um, um... anyway" Fluttershy stammered, "Pinkie said you had a new trick, but she wouldn't say anything else except that it was, um, dangerous."

"Super-duper dangerous and super-duper spectacular!" Pinkie cut in.

"Um, yes, so, um, please be careful, Dash." Fluttershy looked at her friend with deep worry in her eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, 'shy." Dash waved her hoof nonchalantly. "I've practiced it, like, a dozen times. I'll be fine."

"Yea. Dashie's the bestest flier ever." Pinkie affirmed.

Just then, a voice came over the loudspeaker: "Attention contestants. The X-treme Flight Spectacular will begin in 15 minutes. Please begin making your way to the lineup area at this time."

"Um, well I guess we better go." said Fluttershy, turing to leave. She gave Dash one last concerned look. "Please be safe, Dash."

"I will, I promise." Dash reassured her. Then she turned to look at Pinkie. "And don't you worry either."

"Oh, I'm not worried Dashie. I know you can do it." stated Pinkie confidently. Too confidently.

"C'mon, Pinks, you know I know you better than that by now."

"Well, maybe just a teensy-ieensy-weensy bit worried." Pinkie allowed, somewhat less confidently. "Kiss for luck?"

"Kiss for luck." Dash said, wrapping her in a hug and giving her a passionate kiss. Just outside the still-open door, Fluttershy blushed and hid her face behind her mane, embarrassed to be witnessing her two friends in such a moment.

"Now go on." Dash said, as they broke away from the kiss. "I'll see everyone after the show, okay."

"Okey-dokey-loki." Pinkie bubbled, bouncing out the door, her spirits seeming restored.

Pinkie and Fluttershy arrived back at the suite just in time for the Equestrian National Anthem. As the last strains faded off and they were about to take their seats, there came a tapping at the door. Twilight got up to answer. Much to her surprise, Celestia and Luna were standing there.

"Your Highnesses!" Twilight stammered. Everypony turned in surprise and bowed as they entered. "We... we thought you'd be in the Royal Suite."

Celestia let out an annoyed sigh. "Oh, please. How could I properly enjoy the show with all those stupid nobleponies trying to bury their snouts in my flank."

Twilight blushed. "Um, Your Highness?", she stammered, gesturing with her head towards one corner of the suite, where Spike, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom were standing, snouts nearly touching the glass as they watched the show. Thankfully, the youngsters seemed too engrossed in the show to have noticed the Princess' slightly crass remark.

Celestia coughed, embarrassed by her faux pas. "Erm... sorry." she whispered to her protege . "Besides that though, I just had this strange feeling that I should be here for some reason."

They all settled in, watching the show and marveling at the prowess of many of the flyers.

Come the intermission, they made their rounds to the little fillies room, snack stands, etc., and then hurried back to the suite. Rainbow Dash was scheduled to be the opening flyer in the show's second half.

They all got seated again. Well, except for Pinkie, who was bouncing up and down with excitement, and Scootaloo, who was pressed up so close against the viewing window it looked like she would press right on through it.

The announcer's voice crackled over the loudspeakers: "And now, everypony, please welcome our next contestent - two-time winner of the Best Young Flyer competition and the only pony to have pulled off a Sonic Rainboom twice - a filly who can make everything 20 percent cooler in 10 seconds flat - Miss Rainbooooooow DASH!"

Twilight leaned over and whispered to Applejack. "Geez, did she write that intro herself? What a showoff." The two snickered, drawing an annoyed glare from a still bouncing Pinkie Pie.

"HEY! Don't you make fun of my Dashie-washie."

The pair had to stiffle another giggle as Applejack looked at Twilight and silently mouthed: "Dashie-washie?"

Meanwhile, in the Wonderbolts' private suite, Soarin' recognized the new contestant immediately. "Hey! It's pie-saver." he blurted, turning to Spitfire.

Spitfire groaned, burying her face in her hoof. "Y'know, she did save our LIVES, too, Soarin'. A bit more important than a pie, maybe?"

"Oh. Yea. In any case, this should be good. Y'know, I think she may even be Wonderbolt material one day."

Dash pulled out all the stops for her routine, using every trick she knew - the Super Speed Strut, the Fantastic Filly Flash, Jumping Through Loop-de-loops, even the Buccaneer Blaze, drawing 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' Finally, it was time for her piece de resistance. She began her upward ascent using her Rainbow Tornadao move, which was the signal for the announcer.

"Fillys and Gentlecolts," the loudspeakers boomed.

"This is it! This is it!" exclaimed Pinkie, now somehow defying gravity by bouncing in place while hanging from the ceiling. "Dashie's new stunt. Oooooh, you're gonna love it!"

The announcer, meanwhile, continued: "Miss Dash will now finish her set by performing for you all a new stunt, developed especially for this competition: The Twisted Rainboom."

There was wild applause. Dash reached her intended height and paused. The speakers crackled to life again, with the announcer continuing in a more serious tone as the crowd quieted. "Fillys and gentlecolts, this is an extremely dangerous stunt, requiring full concentration. Therefore in the interest of safety, both your own and the performer's, we ask that you please refrain from using flash photography or making any loud noises. Thank you."

A hush fell over the arena. Even though the suites were soundproof, there was a sudden quiet among the friends as well. Even Pinkie quieted down, though she was still bouncing in place - back on the floor now. All eyes were riveted to the sky as Dash started her descent. As she approached the arena, she could feel the telltale cone start to form around her. Picking up speed, she began a mental count, looking for that sweet spot, right around 20 feet where she would level out.

Dash passed through the arena. Suddenly, in the private suite, Pinkie froze. Both her right legs began twitching together. A pause. Then both left legs. She stopped bouncing and sat down, fear etched on her face, her eyes wide and beginning to tear up.

The others didn't even ask what the new Pinkie-sense meant. Given Pinkie's reaction, there was only one thing it could mean. Time itself seemed to slow down as the looming disaster approached.

(30 seconds)

Fluttershy crouched down and hid her face behind her mane, shivering.

(25 seconds)

Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders knew about Pinkie-sense. They stood at the window, frozen in fear. "No. She can't..." whispered Scootaloo. Rarity and Applejack herded the children away from the window, back towards the back of the room. Where they wouldn't be able to see the arena's giant monitor.

(20 seconds)

Twilight, Celestia, and Luna could do nothing but watch the monitor in horror. Because the arena used an anti-magic field around the competition area to prevent cheating, they were powerless. Even if Celestia had wanted to order the field lowered, there wouldn't have been enough time.

(15 seconds)

Dash leveled out, and began her spin, continuing her forward acceleration. In a flash, she realized her mistake. Mentally, she cursed herself for such a rookie error. Unlike the flat plains out west, Canterlot was located on a mountain. And mountains had foothills. Like a complete noob, she had leveled out over a valley.

(10 seconds)

Ok, Dash she thought to herself. You can still do this. Just gotta pull up a little bit. But as the first hill loomed, she could see she wasn't going to make it.

(5 seconds)

As she spiraled she felt her wing clip a low stone wall on the hilltop. Pain shot up her wing and she knew she had broken something. Her carefully controlled spin turned into an out-of-control whirl. As the ground loomed, she thought back to how she had promised Fluttershy and Pinkie that she would be safe. Damn! Pinks, 'shy. I guess I lied. I'm so sorry. Then, there was no more time for thought.

(0 seconds)

Rainbow Dash's world exploded in white-hot agony.