Chapter 1
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Setbacks

Chapter 1

“You can’t be serious!” I yelled out as I read Frost Wind’s note. Earlier today I got mail from him telling me he’d be back at Ponyville by 7pm and now I’ve just got a new message saying he’ll be here by 10? He can’t be dumb enough to misread the arrival time of 9pm as 6pm. How delayed is this trip going to be? Ark 3 is the biggest community-run flight racing event of the year. None of us can miss out on this. We all have to go to this event. I’m part of the staff running this event. You’re guaranteed to place top 8 in teams. This is Scootaloo’s first flight race she’ll ever go to.

“Sorry, squirt, Looks like our trip is delayed again” I muttered. I’m really starting to worry about how we’re even going to get to the race. Ark 3 is being held up north in Runswing, outside of Equestria’s borders. There aren’t really any trains that would bring us there, or even close enough to there. Even if there were, 10pm is cutting it close to when service stops. We planned on getting there by carriage. Frost Wind and I were, going to swap pulling roles every so often so both of us could get fair shares of duty and rest. And then there’s the financial aid I need you for. A hotel there costs a lot of money. I can’t afford this on my own with my weather patrol job. The pay is terrible. Sure it is possible to simply sleep on the grass below, but… Risk our stuff getting stolen? Dragons aren’t the most trustworthy types out there. No offense.

“Ha! Frost Wind’s always late for everything. He’s even late for a job right above everywhere in ponyville. He can’t even wake up on time” remarked Scootaloo. It was comforting to simply hear a response from her. It makes me feel like I have somepony on my side. She’s always looked up to me. I admire her dedication towards me. She organized a fan club for me, for the fillies and colts still in elementary school, just for me being awesome, whether it’s hero duty or being Ponyville’s only flight performer. Too bad she can’t fly herself. At least not yet. I bet I wish she could as much as she does. Ponyville was founded and built by earth ponies. This place doesn’t have the luxury for pegasi like Cloudsdale has. Flying is the first thing a foal ever learns there. There’s so little appreciation for it down here. It even affects my own flying too. Well, the reputation part. Word of my work doesn’t reach too well outside of Ponyville. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll show them what I’m worth. But for now, what can I even do for three hours?

Scootaloo and I are stuck waiting here at the CMC club house doing nothing. The carriage is set up with everything we need for the journey. I’ve got this whole thing planned out. Flying the trip to Runswing won’t be a problem. I’ve got the ever important map, compass, and firefly light for navigation, and even Scootaloo brought an extra map in case of backup emergency. I’m well supplied on guarana drinks to keep me awake and energized for the trip to and from there, even enough to share a few with Frost Wind so he can take care of some of the pulling. They’d also help me stay alert and energized for the actual races tomorrow. My goggles also help for flying. Getting too much wind in my eyes can hurt after a while. For the hotel I’m bringing my own blanket and pillow. We’ve got a group of three for a hotel room for 2. Someone’s going to have to sleep on the floor there. But for the first night I think I’ll deserve one of the two beds. I’m the one making this trip even happen.

I wish there was something to do for 3 more hours. I don’t want to use up any energy flying. I need to save as much as I can tonight. “Hey Scootaloo, you getting off the ground any better yet?”

“Only a little. Ascending still takes too much strength for me. I run out so easily” she sighed. Sometimes I think that we’re expecting too much out of her? No filly in Ponyville her age can fly either. At least she can use her wings for her Scooter. Even if it doesn’t go against gravity, it’s still something for her to be able to move like she does.

“At least you’ve kept the ground you’ve gained. You just need to keep lifting weights on your wings and you’ll steadily get stronger. Maybe we should aim for more bulk rather than build this time?”

“Can you teach me about flight theory?”

As time passed, Scootaloo and I small talked about pretty much nothing until the conversations wore out and then we were left lying down doing more of nothing for the rest of the wait. The only real thing that ever happened so far was her offering me some food before the trip. Getting a little refuel would help give me that needed energy to fly for the night

Somehow time was passing. It was almost 10 o’clock and- *knock knock knock.* “FINALLY” I exclaimed! Right on the other side of the door was the one colt I’ve been waiting too long to see. As I darted to it, the face I saw through the window wasn’t Frost Wind’s. It was the face of sort of a distant mentor of mine, Umbra.

He was a veteran flyer who used to compete against some of the legends before my racing career really began and before his ended. I first met him up in Fillydelphia at a race where I followed him frequently to learn from him. Normally he’d live there but lately living expenses have been hard on him. He’s been living with Frost Wind for the past few months since it’s cheaper here in Ponyville.

Seeing his face instead of Frost Wind’s only halved my excitement. Him being here here probably meant Frost Wind was almost ready, so by the time we would arrive, he would be. “I know you” I said as I calmly opened the door. I didn’t want to scare him looking all immature with elation, but also, the door opens outward. It’d be really dumb to hit him, or at least near hit him, with it. “I haven’t seen you in a while” I said after it fully opened.

“It kind of has. Frost Wind’s almost ready. By the time we walk there he should be.”

“Let me guess, he’s grooming up, isn’t he?”

“When isn’t he?”

“Hey, Scootaloo, you ready?”

“Yeah, I’m ready” she responded. She only showed half the enthusiasm I was showing as she walked towards us at a slightly slower than normal pace. Maybe she’s expecting another delay from him?

I on the other hoof couldn’t be affected by her unoptimistic mood much at all. We were now just a few roads away from getting the colt we’re waiting on. I was already laced up ready to pull when she got in the carriage. Umbra was already in their as well, taking a lazy trip back home. But I didn’t mind.

Traveling through town at night is so calming. There are fewer ponies out which means less traffic. Going faster is safer. Open space gives me that feeling of freedom. Most homes are unlit and half the ponies are even asleep waiting for the next day. I love the lesser commotion going on. I think it’s nice to see half the shops closed up for the night. It makes me feel so peaceful.

“So Umbra, you still unable to get to Ark 3?”

“Yeah, I’ve got pretty much nothing. I didn’t even pay for registration but I still plan on going there. Finding a place to sleep there shouldn’t be too hard. I can just ask if anyone there can house me. The real problem is getting there. Runswing is a long way north. It’d be dumb to waste a lot of energy getting there and ending up tired before the races even start. If I can make it, it’ll probably be only for the second day”.

“You could have told me a lot sooner about this. Maybe we could have combined money to rent a carriage fit for four?”

“Maybe. I had other plans I thought I could rely on, but they seemed to have sort of fallen through. I was going to meet up with a few friends from Phillydelphia but plans are their end got delayed. No matter what happens, it’s worth it just to even go” he replied. “Also, I think your friend, Firelight, hates me. He hasn’t said anything after the last few races I’ve had with him.”

“What? That colt’s so talkative. He doesn’t shut up sometimes.”

“I know. He got all serious towards the end of it. I hope he doesn’t feel too bad”

Up ahead on my left I could see Frost’s house. Unlike every house around it, all the lights were on. There was an empty wagon parked a little crookedly right beside the front door with the back end closest to it.

“Well, here you are. You’re probably a bit ahead of expected arrival so I hope you don’t mind waiting just a bit longer” said Umbra as he jumped off trotting to his house.

“It’s not a problem” I returned. Knowing Frost, he was probably getting some final grooming done. He always wants to look presentable. Getting mane gel on is a delicate work of art. But that shouldn’t take a full hour even with considering getting off the train from his trip back from visiting relatives all the way north. Maybe that included having to unpack too? I know it was a week-long visit but did he really pack a wagon full of stuff with them? I guess all of what he’s doing is forgivable. This run had better be worth it. I really need your help on this, Frost Wind.

“Rainbow Dash!” Frost called out trotting towards me. “Sorry it took so long. I just need to get one more thing from a friend’s house before we leave Ponyville. Mind if we go there for 10 minutes?” I should have expected this. I know what he needs. “I need them to fly at the top of my game” As annoying as it was, I had to follow his request. This colt is guaranteed to place in the money for the team race.

Team racing has rarely ever been popular. There’s less glory for the winners in teams. The winners get only half of what could be won in individual races. This really weakens the drive for competition and makes the whole event into kind of a catch 22. Personally, I don’t like the whole coordination thing. I have to change my strategy based on someone else’s performance. I feel like I can’t do everything I want to do. It feels more limiting. I think most of everyone who can even win feels this way too.

“I won’t mind” I replied.

“Thanks, Rainbow.” He had a bit of a nervous expression on him. He seemed to be breathing heavier than normal.

“Sorry to abruptly end this, but I don’t want to delay this trip too much longer”.

“Fair enough. I’ll see you at Ark in like one and a half days” Umbra acknowledged as he got off the carriage, walking away, waving his wing at me. As soon as he did that, my mind was focused back on the carriage. I was still laced up to pull this thing for our next stop. It was the lightest one I could find, something that would require as little energy as possible while still being about to hold two ponies plus supplies. Starting my trot hasn’t been hard at all. I’ve already had a warm up with Umbra on it so replacing him with Frost didn’t add any weight to it. Going through town again was going to be fun. It’d be the final time I get to see the Ponyville asleep before starting our adventure.

“You know where Horsepower lives, right?”

“Yep” I retorted. Going there takes us through the back roads. This is where the town really sleeps. There are absolutely no lights out but the moon shining above us. It was almost a full moon. In 2 more nights it would be. I wonder if that foreshadows anything. That’s kind of an oxymoron; moonlight foreshadowing. Whatever the moon means for Ark’s final night, I’m excited for tomorrow. Despite the repeated delays, we are moving forward, closer to north and day.

“Here’s a good spot to stop. I’ll be back in 10 minutes” Frost Wind remarked as the darted out to his friend’s house, the only house with any lights out that I could see.

“Watch him take like half an hour” sighed Scootaloo. It was easy to see the impatient expression written all over her face. So far we’ve been delayed by a little over 3 hours. If there were never any delays we would be more than halfway to Runswing. Maybe I’m too forgiving or patient? Or maybe I can handle this better because I’m sort of getting money out of this? It’s almost like I’m working at a job right now getting paid to do nothing. I unlaced myself to get a little more comfortable so the feeling of wearing it won’t wear out on me as fast. This trip is going to last for four hours. I need to stay at peak performance to make it run smoothly.

But really, why am I going through all of this extra effort for him? Bits? I mean, there are those that don’t like him. He can be a greedy stallion at times and his actions are questionable. They even got him kicked out of the Wonderbolts. It’s great talking to him and knowing what it was like for his few short moments. He has been a great colt for me.

“Sorry I took so long, but I’ve got it” reported Frost Wind coming right out of a brief jog, jolting to his seat, and pulling out a medium bottle of sarsaparilla all at the same time.

“You also got a soda while you were there? You told me you were only getting some pills. How many times are you going to delay this trip” I jokingly remarked.

“This was already in my bag!” he defended. He sounded serious, but regardless of his response, I was already laughing as he said that. And so he followed suit. Scootaloo remained mostly quiet but expressed so much relief that she even smiled again. We finally had everything we needed to go where all of us having been dying and waiting to go; NORTH!