Blitz

1

The sun set for the day, giving room for Princess Luna's moon to cast its silver glow across the lands. Rainbow Dash slipped into the captain's suit one final time, mentally preparing herself for the impending aerial show. The practice she endured throughout the week felt like a stroll through the clouds in comparison to the pressure she felt tonight. Her stomach tightened at the mere thought of leading the Wonderbolts in front of hundreds of ponies; it fully cramped at the possibility of her screwing it all up.  With the dual colored elastic suit zipped up and the temporary captain fitting snugly into it, Dash decided to peek her head through the ready platform's curtains, eyeballing the Cloudiseum arena.

Ponies were filing into the stands by a combination of moonlight and minimal stadium illumination; the big lights would come on when the main show began. Directly across from her at the far end of the arena was one of the few solid pieces in all of Cloudsdale. The granite plateau which served as Princess Celestia's throne now held an array of unicorn-powered music devices, most prominent being the good sized, square turntable. The operator of this equipment was sauntering around her small area, making sure everything was connected and testing random functions.

Turning her head, Dash swept her eyes across the stands, seeing fans pick their seats and eagerly anticipate the event. Her gaze came to rest upon one particular cloud, on which sat a decidedly violet colt and his parents. Blitz caught her looking in his direction and gave her an enthusiastic wave. She returned the wave, noting with some joy that the splint on his foreleg had been taken off.

Rainbow Dash pulled herself back behind the curtains, willing her stomach to settle. It's okay, she reassured herself, it's just like practice. Just with... she gulped, a lot more ponies watching.

A voice appeared beside the panicking mare. "Hey," it said, emitting a cool, soft sound. It took Dash a minute to recognize whom the voice belonged to; took her a minute more to work up the courage to look straight at Spitfire.

"How're ya feeling, Dash?" Spitfire cocked her head, her face a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Like I could throw up." The cyan mare took a deep breath, let it out. Her stomach was still performing its loops in her body, though it had calmed slightly. She licked her lips, though her mouth had run dry. She tried swallowing, but her parched throat only afforded her a sharp cough.

"Come on," Spitfire said, leading Rainbow Dash to a nearby fountain. "Trust me, I know the feeling. Just drink some water and you'll be fine."

Dash complied gratefully, unable to remember a time when a simple drink of water felt so good. Her nausea was fought back down to her settling stomach, though a hint of queasiness remained. To finish her healing, the nervous pony took a deep breath and plunged her head completely into the water. She brought it back up, shaking off the excess water that dripped from her face.

Spitfire tried to duck as a few stray droplets bombarded the patches of yellow coat not already covered by her suit, letting out a small giggle in the process. "Feel better now?" she asked, stifling more giggles as Dash's face sagged from the weight of the water.

"Yeah, actually. A lot better." She blew out a deep breath, trotting onto the ready platform with Spitfire in tow. The rest of the Wonderbolts were readying themselves as the mares returned; they gave their full attention to Rainbow Dash as she audibly cleared her throat.

"Alright, guys. So, uh..." She cleared her throat again, feeling herself come apart in front of their watching eyes. She brought herself back, standing firm as Spitfire took a place in line. "Wonderbolts!" Dash commanded, smiling as they snapped to attention. "Routine Comet Oh-Two-Seven. Ready up!"

All said in unison, "Ma'am!"

Through the curtains, Dash could hear the announcer finishing his ritual for riling up the crowd, getting them ready for the show. The stadium fell into silvery darkness for only a moment as the lights were switched - all at once, concentrated beams of multispectrum illumination shone on, and through, the curtains. As one, the Wonderbolts brought their hoods over their heads and lowered their goggles, half readying for the show and half shielding their eyes from the sudden light.

The stadium began to vibrate in tune with a pulsating beat as the DJ warmed up her tapedeck. Outside, Dash could hear the crowd stomping their hooves in rhythm to the beat. Strangely, it seemed only to boost her confidence rather than amplify her nerves. Her own head bobbed up and down to the tune as she lined the Wonderbolts in a two-by-three column, flaring her wings and knowing they did the same.

After an agonizing eternity, the announcer recited his formal cue. "AND HERE! COME! THE WONDERBOLTS!"

2

It was a dream. That was the only rationale that Rainbow Dash could come up with - that this show was merely a dream, and she'd wake up soon, start her day, and be a nervous wreck.

At least, it felt like a dream. Every last ounce of apprehension had been wiped away as soon as that curtain spread open. She'd led the Wonderbolts out at full speed, giving the arena a full lap before the DJ set her tracks to mix with their routine of the night.

Routine 'Comet-027' was three things: a classic, a crowd pleaser, and most of all not overly complicated to execute. Or, in short, the perfect choice for a new captain. It consisted mostly of tandem loops and flashy maneuvers; the kind that looked impossible to a normal pony, but were actually quite simple in practice. Rainbow Dash had given her hired DJ a copy of the routine's flight plan, so the creme-colored unicorn could develop the perfect mix to compliment the moves. So far, she had not disappointed - every piece of music had fit smoothly with each trick, so much so that it seemed the Wonderbolts themselves were the music's source.

The Wonderbolts accelerated down the arena's center, splitting the column in half at the DJ's end. Three ponies went each way, entering into a twirling loop. From high enough above, it would have looked as though two corkscrews were going to collide with each other.

The corkscrews disintegrated upon meeting, reforming once again into six blue-clad pegasi cutting through the arena's center. Halfway past, Dash pulled into a straight vertical climb and pushed herself back down, with the rest of the team forming a tall, vertical ring in the arena. One by one, the Wonderbolts carefully edged out of this ring, watching as it became smaller and they formed their own mini-loops on its edge. By the trick's end, six high-speed ponies were crisscrossing each other, barely missing a hair on their teammates.

In perfect unison, they pulled apart and shot upwards in a pure vertical climb, kicking on their signature crackling smoke trails, with a beam of rainbow directly in the center.

Rainbow Dash heard the crowd's awed approval; could see their excited faces as she hovered upside-down, reveling in the strange sensation of pure weightlessness for only a minute before gravity tugged her back down, with the Wonderbolts falling a moment later in tandem.

The cyan mare's mind kept shouting its orders to her body as each maneuver of the memorized routine came. She set her goggled sight on the lowest cloud seat and took aim for it. Okay... Mark! Three... two... one... Now! Her body responded to the commands her brain gave, trusting its internal clock. Soon enough, she was right-side up and bursting toward the arena's center, noting with satisfaction that her team had all pulled the same stunt with practiced precision. Each pony eased ever upwards, forming on each other to create an invisible cone.

At the cone's peak, Dash broke off, feeling the rest of the team do the same in multiple directions. She free-fell parallel to their recently created vertical cone of dissipating crackling smoke. She could hear the crowd's gasp as their favorite acrobatic fliers fell into a seemingly-uncontrolled spiral, but the roar their cheers rose once again as the Wonderbolts pulled up in a 'save'. Rainbow Dash could feel her heart soar; what had she been so worried about before? Nothing was different out in this arena, save for her being the lead pony in the spotlight instead of Spitfire. Down there it had been nothing but chaos and nerves.

But here, in the sky, she felt nothing but pure serenity.

3

For the rest of an hour, the Cloudiseum rocked from a beautiful melding of cheering ponies and the DJ's music. Rainbow Dash waved her hoof, informing her team that it was finally time to perform the finale.

The DJ's music fell away into a full bass drop as the Wonderbolts pulled their final vertical climb of the night, circling around their captain and her crackling prismatic trail with their own smoking contrails. Dash waved off her team, ordering them to keep their altitude even as she kept climbing. She grinned to herself at what was about to come - she hadn't told anypony about her changing of the routine's finale, wanting it to be a surprise for everyone. Higher and higher she climbed, until the air was chill enough to give her entire body a tremble from the cool, thin air.

Deciding she had gained enough altitude, Dash wasted neither time nor momentum as she twisted around, setting her mark at the very center of the arena. With a quick snap, she folded her wings back for the best push, letting gravity's tug accentuate her already impressive natural speed. Come on, Dash, she encouraged herself, coaxing out as much as she could, just need to push a little harder!

The rushing air in front of her nose began to shimmer, soon becoming visible tendrils that whipped across her face. Her cheeks stretched back in a comical, if painful, way. The violently whipping tendrils of rushing air formed into a coherent cone as the Cloudiseum sped closer and closer. She could see the crowd craning their individual necks to get a better look; could also see the Wonderbolts hovering in a loose ring, their jaws slack as comprehension of what she was about to do dawned on them.

Just... a little more... THERE! For only a fraction of a second her entire being experience complete tranquility. Suddenly, the Cloudiseum was shook to its very core as a prismatic ring exploded outward at its very peak, washing the stadium in a full spectrum of illuminating colors. Rainbow Dash pulled herself level, looping through the arena to bleed off her speed before settling back in with her team.

Long after the ringing in her ears from the explosion had died away, the Cloudiseum sat silent - even the DJ was flat on her haunches, shades crooked on her nose, staring up with her crimson eyes at the place where, only a moment ago, a pegasus legend had just come alive. Then, all at once, what could only be described as a second explosion took place as the crowd's roar reached deafening levels. Dash led the Wonderbolts around the length of the arena for one final lap, reaching down her hooves to high-hoof anypony who reached up, with her team doing the same.

Finally, with a crowd now filing out of the stands, they flew back behind the curtain to call it a night.

4

Despite the ready platform's excellent lighting, flashes from cameras still assaulted the cyan pony's eyes. Indecipherable sounds that seemed like questions forced themselves into Dash's ears as easily as microphones were shoved into her snout. She tried waving them off, but they seemed only to get closer, surrounding her.

"I, uh..." She'd gladly talk about tonight, only if she understood what they were saying. It's like a whole different language. But, suddenly, one single voice hit her ears. A very familiar voice.

"Excuse me, guys," she said, pushing the media ponies aside and slipping away, trotting over to an obviously excited Blitz.

"That was awesome, Dash!" He beamed up at her; she gave his head a small ruffling, untidying his mane.

"Thanks, squirt." She leaned in closer to whisper, "Don't tell anypony, but I did that sonic rainboom just for you." She winked at him. "Say," she remembered, "I have someone who wants to meet you. Come on." She nodded in the general direction, walking towards the locker area. Blitz followed, curious as to who here would want to actually meet him.

Rainbow Dash whistled ahead, grabbing the attention of the yellow pony putting their suits away for tomorrow's washing. Blitz's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly took cover behind Dash, peeking out from the side. Spitfire looked up upon being signaled, and stayed very still as she spotted the violet colt. The time had finally come for their inevitable meeting, and she had sworn to herself not to screw it up this time. She took a cautious step in Dash's direction, feeling the awkwardness press down on her being.

Dash had stepped behind Blitz, gently nudging the purple colt. "Go on," she soothed, "Spitfire won't bite." Still a small trepidation held him back; he had been so mad at her, so hurt that night, whether she knew it or not. Eventually, he figured out how to make his legs move once again, and trekked his half of a seemingly long walk.

They met face-to-face, neither willing to break the eye contact or the silence. Behind Blitz, Dash cleared her throat.

"So, uh, hi." Spitfire cringed internally at how unprofessionally she started their conversation. This was the fan she had unintentionally offended. An image of her grandpa appeared in the yellow mare's mind. What would you do, grandpa? Her body seemed to give the answer. She knelt down to get eye-level with the colt, looking him straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry," she began, "I'm very, very sorry that I upset you. Please know that I would never do it on purpose. It was entirely my fault for not noticing you. My grandpa would be utterly ashamed of me right now for daring to disrespect a fan like I did. If you'd be so kind, I'll gladly make it up to you." She extended a shaking off, hoping for the best.

Blitz sat there a moment longer, unsure of how to react. The Spitfire was right in front of him, on her knees and begging for his forgiveness. Slowly, he reached out and pressed his own hoof against hers. His face cracked a smile, and in an instant all animosity between the two had been washed away.

When it came to the subject of Spitfire, Blitz had returned to his starry-eyed self. "I... I'm talking to Spitfire! I mean, I'm talking to the Spitfire!" She giggled at his exuberance, happy that one part of her reformation had been complete.

Rainbow Dash sauntered up, standing next to her once-again captain. "Hey, squirt. So I've been thinking. I met you on your birthday, but I didn't get you anything! Well, Spitfire here and I gotcha something. You'll get it tomorrow on your doorstep before we head to Baltimare, and it's only the most awesome gift ever."

Spitfire nodded her agreement. "It's true," she chimed in, grinning at the colt. "Well... technically it's two gifts. But they're related."

Blitz's jaw hung open at the very idea. "What are they? I mean what is it? I mean-"

"Uh-uh-uh," the golden mare chided, "you'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

"Aw, okay."

"Hey," Dash piped up, ready to get herself to bed. "We need to take the squirt back to his parents. They'll think we coltnapped him or something!"

"I dunno, Dash," Spitfire replied, winking down at her once-more fan. "I don't think he'd mind that at all."

The three ponies shared a laugh at that as they walked back to the ready platform, with Blitz fitting quite snugly in between his two biggest heroes.