Chapters Author's Note
Hey everyone. Similar to "The Sweet Spot", I wanted this one to be laid out just like a regular episode. However, there were some complaints with "The Sweet Spot" that it was too long. Therefore I decided to break the story into chapter sections which would represent the same story segments of the main show. Obviously, however, that means this first part will be the shortest as it would just be the bit before the opening theme song.
Enjoy!
Intro
Within the gem-formed, multi-story confines of the Castle of Friendship's library, Princess Twilight Sparkle was just finishing levitating her personal tea set to the side table of her favorite reading chair. She clambered in a moment later, letting out a satisfied exhale of relaxation, before she used her magic again to lift the pot, pour herself a cup, add two cubes of sugar, and stirred. At the same time, she levitated her latest book in front of her and opened it to her marked page. After making sure that she was alone and everything was quiet, she smiled to herself and began to read; lifting her teacup to take her first sip...
With a loud smack, the doors to the library suddenly flew open as a rainbow-maned, blue-coated pegasus flew inside. "Twilight!"
The shock made the alicorn sputter, spitting her mouthful of tea all over her book. She recovered only to recoil in horror of what she had done.
The pegasus didn't seem to notice as she quickly flew over. "I just got a letter in the mail from Spitfire about an official Wonderbolt assignment!"
Twilight seemed to only half-hear her as she grimaced at her book, before she quickly levitated a napkin from the tea tray to start dabbing it while putting it to one side. "Oh, uh...that's great news, Rainbow Dash!" Her voice was hesitant as she kept glancing between her and the tome. "What did it say?"
"She asked me to be the representative for the 100th Atacanter Crossing!"
The alicorn almost forgot the book as looked up. "Wow! That's amazing, Rainbow! You actually get to represent the Wonderbolts at the race's centennial?"
Dash smiled a little and shrugged. "Well, it's not like I'll be competing, but I will be there to help officiate the whole thing. Normally Spitfire would do it but this year it's falling too close to Wonderbolt Academy, and she'll have to miss out on a couple days if she goes. So she asked if I'd like to take over for this year." She kicked her head back, looking just a tad smug. "Well, normally I'm not for sitting out on a race, but if the Wonderbolts need somepony to represent their spirit and honor at a big event like the Atacanter Crossing, then I think I can manage just this once."
"That's wonderful news! You must be so proud!"
"Heh, well...maybe just a little. I stopped by because there's just one little thing I need to do before I head out there."
"What's that?"
Her face became confused. "Can you tell me what the hay is the Atacanter Crossing?"
Twilight's own smile sank as she groaned.
To be continued...
Several minutes later, Twilight had levitated a sizable tome marked "Great Equestrian Race Courses" over to the central table in the castle's library and opened it to one page in particular highlighting a black-and-white photo of rough, grizzled pegasi flying through clouds of sand and dust.
"The Great Atacanter Crossing of San Palomino!" Twilight proudly announced as Dash looked it over. "For over 100 years it's been one of the most grueling and punishing races in all of Equestria. It's an annual marathon spread across the entire San Palomino desert and attracts the toughest and strongest fliers across the whole country. It's so challenging that only one fifth of the participants have ever completed it."
Dash gasped. "Really? No way! A race that awesome and I've never heard of it?"
"This race is one that's built more for stamina than outright speed, so I can see why it might have flown under your radar." She smiled, before snickering at what she just said. "Heh...'flown under your radar'... I got to remember that one!" Shaking her head, she turned the page to show a map. "Unlike most pegasi races that feature weather obstacles, there's so little moisture in the San Palomino desert that aside from wind and dust storms there's no weather obstacles at all. Instead, the pegasi have to navigate under a blazing hot sun in the day and freezing cold during the night without having anything in the way of landmarks other than the occasional marker points. Even if you have the stamina to pull off the flight, you have to be able to keep a bearing for miles or you'll get lost. It's what makes the race so dangerous."
She turned the page again, revealing a short list of names.
"In fact, because it's so dangerous and difficult, it doesn't get scored like typical races. Most competitors just want to see if they can finish it, but those who really want to compete see if they can break the record for the fastest time ever to complete it. It's so long that it usually takes pegasi three or four days, stopping to sleep and eat periodically, but the current record which was set 300 moons ago was by Cyclone Sky at 33 hours and 27 minutes."
Dash looked up on hearing the name. "Wait, Cyclone Sky? I know her! She was a Wonderbolt! She set the Academy record for being the first pegasus to generate 45 wingpower on one flap! Hey!" She leaned in closer to the page. "And the first winner was Cold Front! He was the first Wonderbolt to stay airborne for five days!" She glanced over the rest of the names and smiled even more. "These are all Wonderbolts! It looks like it's practically a Wonderbolt tradition for one of us to hold the first place! No wonder Spitfire thought it was so important that one of us officiate it!"
Immediately after saying this, she winced.
"But wait...no Wonderbolts are competing this year! What if somepony steals the title?"
Twilight smirked as she shut the book again. "I wouldn't worry too much about that, Rainbow. Cyclone Sky was a very impressive pegasus. The next closest anypony has ever come to her is 46 hours and 8 minutes. It seems most pegasi who try to beat her record start out fast but quickly wear out because they aren't used to the heat and the dryness, and they usually come in at the lower half." She levitated the book back on the shelf. "It's really great that you're getting a chance to go, though. I'd love to see it myself..." She frowned. "But, unfortunately, I've got a friendship symposium in Las Pegasus. It's so close but not close enough..."
Dash slumped as well. "Yeah, normally I'd love a good race, but usually it's because I'm competing in it. Just standing around watching this one won't be nearly so fun..." She grimaced. "Especially if it takes four days for all the racers to finish. And the rest of the girls are too busy between school and their own work to come along..."
Twilight smiled. "Well, I won't be able to make it for the first part, but I could always head out with you by train. That way I can head up to Las Pegasus via the shuttle balloon instead of the Ponyville one and swing by on the return trip, and I could keep you company heading out at least."
Dash looked up with a hint of enthusiasm at that suggestion.
"And on the way out," She hovered an even larger book off the shelf. "I can tell you all about the history of the race!"
Dash groaned so loudly she dropped out of the air and smacked her forehead against the table.
The next day, a San Palomino-bound steam locomotive departed from the Ponyville Station. Seated in the central car were Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle--the former looking a lot more uncomfortable than the latter as she grinned from ear to ear with her massive book.
"There's so much to know about the Grand Atacanter Crossing! I want to make sure you know each and every little detail! Trust me, by the end of this train ride, you'll be an expert!"
Dash let out a small groan.
"So what do you want to know first?"
"Say..." the pegasus "suggested" as she leaned over and took up the book, "what do you say I read from the book while you explain everything to me? That way I can follow along with the pictures...I mean, follow along on anything I miss."
Twilight smiled from ear to ear. "That sounds like a great idea, Rainbow! I'll start with the race itself!" She cleared her throat, closing her eyes and beginning to orate. "Now, in modern days, the Great Atacanter Crossing is far safer. Each markpoint has a set of fireworks that a racer can shoot off in case they can't continue so they can get some of the assistant ponies to come help. But historically it was much different. There were these special unicorns called..."
As Twilight went on, Dash cracked open the large book and propped it up on her lap in such a way to obscure her face from the alicorn. As soon as that was done, she put a copy of the latest Daring Do book in the cover and began to read.
"...survival tactics are very important for every racer in addition to stamina training. You have to know how to get by if you get lost or there's an emergency. Racers would historically look for the Rain Barrel Cactus, which is filled with water..."
While Twilight went on, Dash used the large book cover to secretly buy a chocolate bar from the snack vendor and started to munch it as she played with a hoof-sized fidget spinner.
"...sting of the scorpions that inhabit the San Palomino desert cause your hoof to go numb for hours, but that's nothing compared to the dreaded Antlions that live buried just beneath the surface. One wrong step can send a pony sinking right into its waiting jaws..."
Dash finished letting out a snore, suddenly opened her eyes and looked up from her neck pillow, gaped on realizing Twilight was still going, and tried to move it over her ears and go back to sleep.
"...she actually rode with the sandstorm, and that shaved off six hours! And that's how Cyclone Sky got her record!" As soon as Twilight finished, the train let out a sharp whistle and a hiss as it came to a halt. "And just in time! We're here!"
"Huh?" Dash answered as the book fell over, suddenly snapping up and revealing a rainbow mane that clearly had a case of "bed head". She gasped in relief. "Oh, finally! I don't think I could take it much longer!"
Seeing and hearing this, Twilight leveled her gaze and frowned. Dash instantly winced. "That is...it was all so amazing I don't think I would have even wanted to watch the race itself if I had heard anymore! Well, this is my stop! Later, Twilight!"
Before the alicorn could vent any displeasure, Dash practically heaved the book onto Twilight's lap and took off in a streak, leaving her to gape and gasp from the weight of it smacking into her.
In spite of being greeted by a hot, dry blast of wind as soon as she exited the train, Rainbow Dash was totally captivated by the race staging ground. Tents, water stations, and an official starting gate had already been erected, and many ponies had already arrived and were in the process of warming and limbering up. Most had erected tents of their own to get relief from the sun and sand before the race officially started, with many of the others in a tarp covered area getting excited to get going.
Dash, always in favor of a new racing venue, was justly excited. She hovered from one place to another, hitting the water stations, the vending area, the merchandise stand, and, of course, the starting gate as she noticed the stunning variety of pegasi that were gathered around. One bulky pegasi was flexing his wings with barbells. Another one was performing yoga, albeit with some assistance from a sponsor who was pushing and pulling perhaps just a little too hard based on the look on her face. Two more were conversing about how they hoped to beat their times from last year by as much as an hour.
Most of all, as she went about, it didn't take long for other pegasi and ponies to notice her signature rainbow mane. When that happened, she couldn't help but grin on seeing their faces light up and whispering about the newest Wonderbolt having arrived.
Eventually she made her way to the starting line, where she noted one older pegasus with a wide-brimmed hat, a pair of sunglasses, and some zinc oxide splashed on her snout. She had a badge around her neck indicating a staff worker and was speaking with several others. As Rainbow Dash approached she dismissed them, looked up to her, and smiled.
"Ms. Rainbow Dash! You made it!" she cheered. "Great! Now that we have our yearly official from the Wonderbolts, this is really starting to feel like a real Atacanter Crossing!" She gestured to herself. "I'm Sandy Dunes."
Dash landed a short distance in front of her. "Oh yeah, Captain Spitfire mentioned you in the letter. You're the one heading up the Atacanter Crossing for this year, huh?"
"That's me. I did this race annually for 20 years before joining the staff, and now I'm to the point where I'm running it, heh!"
She gave a short laugh of her own. "Heh, well you're definitely more organized than I'd ever be. The place looks amazing! And I'm surprised at all the different pegasi around here. I thought I knew everypony who was into racing."
Sandy smirked. "Well, most of the pegasi nowdays prefer to be on races that are all about speed and performance. Only a fraction concentrate on navigation and endurance like the Atacanter Crossing. There aren't many ponies around like Cyclone Sky anymore who train for long treks like this one."
"Oh, is that so?" Dash smirked, stretching her own wings a bit. "If that's the case, maybe I should join in and show the rest of these fliers a thing or two? Let 'em know the ol' tradition of a Wonderbolt taking first place still holds up?"
Sandy stared back expressionlessly a moment, before she suddenly burst out in a peel of laughter. Dash's own smirk faded into puzzlement, but the other pegasus just kept laughing as she leaned over and patted her shoulder. "Oh-ho, for a minute there, Ms. Dash, you actually put me on. I thought you were serious about participating. That was a good one, phew!"
Dash raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why is that so funny?"
"The Atacenter Crossing isn't a race just any pegasus can join in; not even a Wonderbolt."
She frowned. "What are you talking about? I...I mean, the Wonderbolts do stamina training all the time for sustained flights!"
"But never any place as hot and dry as the San Palomino desert for three or four days on end. Ponies spend months and even years getting themselves ready just for it, and even then it's incredibly dangerous. It takes a really special flier to even be able to compete to finish it, but it takes a pegasus who's a cut above even the best of the best to get the top spot."
Dash didn't answer that. However, her expression looked just slightly disappointed, and maybe even just a touch insulted.
"Anyway, I have a few final details to take care of, and then I'll show you to where you'll be helping officiate. How about just saying hi to the racers until then? I'm sure most of them want to see a representative from the same group that produced all our past winners."
Turning away, Sandy began to walk over to some other staff members. Dash looked a bit more insulted on hearing that last phrase. She tried to respond but Sandy's back was already turned and she was talking to the others before she could get out a word. Frowning a little, she looked down to the sand at her feet.
"I'm more than just a 'representative'..."
"Well, look who it is. My old Wingpony."
The sound of that voice made Dash forget about the perceived snub by Sandy and stand bolt upright.
That voice... No way...
Dash slowly turned her head to who had spoken and spotted a light-turquoise-colored pony with a golden, almost "electric"-colored, mane and a Cutie Mark of a lightning bolt hitting three stars...as well as a rather cocky smile.
"Lightning Dust!"
"Well, look at you now," the pegasus retorted as she began to approach. "A full Wonderbolt. You still remember any of us 'reject' pegasi? I'm surprised..."
Dash's lips curled into a frown. "What are you doing here?"
"Competing, of course." Her smile faded. "Unless now that you're a big-shot Wonderbolt you're going to say you get to bar me from that too."
"Wait...you're competing in the Atacanter Crossing?"
"You bet. It's open to anypony who can fly, so why not?"
She frowned again. "How could you compete in the Atacenter Crossing? You're all about speed and stunts just like me."
She smiled smugly. "Well, unlike some ponies, I don't have things like Wonderbolt training sessions, shows," She reached out and gave Dash a love-tap on one limb, making her grit her teeth. "Or social events where the biggest thing I have to worry about is pulling a muscle stamping autographs on photos of myself to take up my time. I've been doing nothing but getting ready for this race for almost an entire year." She glanced about toward some of the other racers and their tents. "And after seeing the competition? I can tell this group doesn't have any more on me than those featherweights back at Wonderbolt Academy. In fact..."
She turned back to Dash, smiling a bit wider.
"I'll bet I'm in even better shape than Cyclone Sky was."
Dash's frown gave way to a touch of surprise, realizing what she was insinuating.
"You know, I'm glad that you're the Wonderbolt who ended up coming to officiate, Rainbow. Because when I cross that finish line and unseat the Wonderbolts from the top spot just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Atacanter Crossing, I can't think of the look on any other Wonderbolt's face I want to see more than yours."
She frowned again, planting her hooves angrily. "Get real! You'd never beat Cyclone Sky's record!"
"And why not? Because I'm not a Wonderbolt? You know what they say: records were made to be broken. And this is one I get to take right out from under the Wonderbolts' snouts without even being one." She smirked one last time before turning her back on Rainbow Dash, but kept looking at her over her shoulder. "But talk is cheap. You'll see for yourself in less than 33 hours and 27 minutes after the race starts. Try not to look too ashamed."
Turning around she began to walk off, as Rainbow Dash grit her teeth and dug her hooves in harder. In spite of her bold and angry outward appearance, her insides were twisting uncomfortably.
Lightning Dust might be a thoughtless jerk, but she didn't get kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy because she wasn't one of the best fliers in Equestria... If she really has been training for this race, there's a good chance she'll win it! And if she does, it'll be the first time ever a Wonderbolt hasn't held the top place! The whole reason Spitfire wanted to be here was because it was as much a Wonderbolt tradition as the rest of our awards, but none of us ever thought somepony had a good chance of beating Cyclone Sky's record! Now I'm the only one here!
On realizing that, a spark went off inside her.
And that means only one thing!
She quickly glanced behind her. Luckily, Sandy hadn't gone that far. She had just finished talking to some other staff members and was moving off to a new spot. Yet before she could get more than a few steps, Dash took off in a snap and came to a stop in front of her.
"Sandy! I'd like the enter the race!"
The pegasus gaped in shock. "Wh-what?! Enter the race?!"
"Yeah, right now! Is there still time? I'll do anything I need to get in! Time trials, physicals, even..." She gulped. "...paperwork if it's really, really, absolutely necessary."
"But, but...you can't just enter the race, Ms. Rainbow!" she cried nervously. "Didn't you hear what I said before? This is an extremely-"
She rolled her eyes. "I know, I know! I need a lot of stamina! I got that covered!"
"But...but it's also..."
"Yes, I know there's a lot of things I have to know about it and be prepared for. My friend Twilight told me all about it...and I do mean aaaaaall about it."
Sandy continued to look anxious. "This...this is highly irregular... I mean, technically since you're just officiating and not a judge, there's no rule against joining in, but...but this is a real challenge! It's very dangerous if you're not prepared! Actually, it's very dangerous if you are prepared! Are you absolutely sure?"
She groaned at how long this was taking. "Yes, yes, I'm sure! I've got to! The honor of the Wonderbolts is at stake! Please let me enter!" She punctuated by clasping her hooves together in a praying gesture.
Sandy continued to look uncomfortable; even more so than before. Finally she began to reluctantly grimace.
"I...guess if you really do know all about the race and you're stamina really is in excellent shape, I...suppose it wouldn't hurt to let you join. You could always opt out at the first markpoint if-"
"Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Dash cut off, seizing Sandy's hoof and shaking it so violently she nearly dislodged both her hat and her sunglasses. Before she could say another word, the rainbow-maned pegasus spun about with a daring and challenging look on her face.
"It won't be an easy cruise to first place for you, Lightning! Guess I've got to remind you how I always got the better times!"
Early the next morning before the sun was even up, the participants made their final preparations and headed to the starting line. Like with most races, each one of them had a number designating their entry, although for this race it was tied to them around a chest harness rather than simply worn over their flanks.
Lightning Dust, limbering up near the starting line, smiled eagerly as her eyes looked into the San Palomino desert, angled perfectly toward the first markpoint miles away. She was so focused that she almost didn't react as she felt a swoosh nearby before a pegasus landed next to her. Only when she glanced over in that direction did her eyes widen in alarm.
"What the...? Rainbow Dash?"
The rainbow-maned pegasus smiled back just as eagerly as she flashed off her own number. "Hey, Lightning Dust. Great day for a race, huh?"
"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be officiating, not competing!"
"Am I? Aw, that's too bad," she grinned as she began to limber herself up. "Guess you're in for a bit of a competition this year, huh? Looks like the Wonderbolts are going to hold onto their record in the Atacenter Crossing after all."
For a fraction of a second she glared angrily at her, but it passed and gave way to a smug smile. "Heh, that's a laugh. You're going to win this race? Have you even been practicing for this kind of marathon? You haven't got a chance!"
Dash frowned at the taunt, but recovered quickly. "Well who says I need to win the whole race? All I got to do is push you so hard that you don't win. And considering that it's you? That shouldn't be too hard."
Dust started to bristle, and forced herself to plant her hooves and look out to the desert. "Ok, 'Wingpony', let's see if you're still as good as you were back in the academy." She smirked. "Because if you are, considering how much better I've gotten? That'll mean you can keep up just enough to watch me all the way to the end."
"Heh, you wish," Dash grinned challengingly as she got her posture ready. "I'd say 'see you at the finish line', but seeing as it's me we're talking about I'll probably get bored waiting for you and head home early."
"Participants, your attention please!"
A small platform had been erected near the start line just large enough for Sandy Dunes and a few others to take their spots. Currently she was using a special shoulder harness with a megaphone to call out to the crowd.
"Welcome to the 100th Great Atacanter Crossing across the San Palomino Desert!"
Several of the racers cheered and applauded, as did their sponsors and any of the spectators at the side. Dash and Dust, however, didn't pay any attention; only glaring at each other and staying poised with their wings unfurled.
"I'm happy to see such a large turnout this year for the centennial! Now then, just to remind everypony, if you wish to drop out of the race at any time, please do so at any of the markpoints. Although we have staff pegasi in the area, the desert is a big place and the only guarantees we have of being able to spot you is if you stop at the markpoints. Also, please make sure to hit every markpoint so that you will be logged or otherwise you will have to be disqualifi-"
"Oh, just get on with it, already!" Dust shouted.
"We already know the rules! Let's race!" Dash yelled.
Sandy rolled her eyes. "I should also point out that while normally our Wonderbolt representative starts the race, this year our Wonderbolt official has decided to enroll in the race itself...so I'll be calling it for this year. Once again, thank you all for coming and I hope to see you all finish and in years to-"
"COME ON!"
She groaned and frowned before turning to the side and nodding. A pony manning a powder-loaded cannon nodded back and grabbed a cord streaming from the back.
"On your marks...get set...go!"
As soon as she yelled the word "go", the pony yanked on the cord and fired off a blast.
The ponies in front were nearly blasted completely off of their hooves before they had a chance to start flapping as both Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust launched at a blazing speed; a streak of rainbows behind one and a streak of lightning behind the other.
Sandy, who lost her hat from the downdraft, winced at seeing it, but even if she wanted to shout at them with the megaphone it was too late. They were already a half mile away by the time the last of the other racers crossed the starting line.
To be continued...
All thoughts of caution toward maintaining stamina before the sun got too high left Rainbow Dash's head and, apparently, Lightning Dust's as well. The two pegasi were now in a straight-up race as they blazed across the dunes of the San Palomino desert. The only time either of them paused was to look at the other one, but they soon discovered that, give or take a few inches every now and then, the two were effectively flying in parallel. Now either one was pushing themselves harder with the hope that the dryness and the increasing heat from the rising sun would make the other give out of exhaustion first. Yet twenty minutes in neither of them were giving.
"Heh, just as good as the academy!" Dust called out to her finally, "I thought you'd have gotten faster since becoming a Wonderbolt!"
"Ha! Think I need to try my best just to whip you in a race?" Dash shouted back.
Dust didn't answer, focusing ahead again. Dash wouldn't admit it, but she didn't want to waste the energy bantering more either.
About five minutes later, the first markpoint came up. As it was too dry for clouds in the desert normally, the pegasi had, for once, relied on magic in conjunction with the oases within the San Palomino desert to create rings of lasting fog. There was one over the small pool of water bounded by two small shrub-like trees just up ahead. As it came into view, both pegasi dove down together for it. However, when they finally struck the ring, Dust inched forward just enough to cross through first.
She laughed as they headed back into the air. "Check it out! Did you catch me hitting a new record for fastest time ever to the first markpoint, 'Lamebow' Dash?"
Frowning and looking a bit angrier, Dash paused only long enough to orientate herself toward the next markpoint before devoting her full attention to flying faster. Dust wasn't able to relish her victory for very long as she still found herself neck-and-neck with the other pegasus, and the harder she flew the more that Dash matched her. Both were beginning to feel straining in their wings as the sun rose higher and the heat began to come up to bear, but both ignored it and kept pushing.
About thirty minutes later, the second markpoint, which should have taken them over two hours to get to, showed up on the horizon. Both tore for it as fast as they could, but, as sweat began to burst on both of their brows, Dash applied a burst of speed and used it to dive early. Seconds afterward she passed through the markpoint first and was back in the air again.
"Ha! Well who's gonna care about the best time on the first markpoint when you still end up trailing me for the rest of the race?" she forced herself to shout back, in spite of breathing a bit heavier, "Lightning Dirt?"
Her own face tightening in anger, Dust flapped after her more fiercely; never easing off full speed for an instant.
The next leg of the race was the farthest, and by now the sun was getting rather high and the day distinctly warm. The dryness and the heat were no longer unmistakable, and both of them were beginning to feel the strain. Under a normal race, the two of them would have long since leveled off to conserve stamina, but by now neither of them were thinking about the race anymore. They were spending about as much time glancing at each other to see how they were doing as they were flying onward.
Both were so obsessed with beating one another that they both failed to notice something on the horizon to west. Yet finally, around halfway to the next markpoint, Dash caught it out of the corner of her eye. Dust soon followed suit.
A solid wave of low-lying "clouds" was sweeping across the desert and coming in fast, threatening to cut right in front of their path. One look at them made it clear to the pegasi that this was no normal set of rain clouds. Neither was it any sort of thunderstorm. In this part of Equestria, it could only be one thing.
"Sandstorm!" Dash exclaimed.
"The weatherponies must have not expected any of the racers to get here so soon!" Dust shouted.
Dash began to grow nervous. Some pegasi were brave enough to go into tornados or thunderheads, but none were foolish enough to try going into a sandstorm. Sand would get blasted into your feathers, eyes, and mouth and send you to the ground in an instant or, barring that, could smack you around senseless and then carry you for miles. And she had been so focused on Lightning Dust she hadn't seen how fast it was coming in. From the moment she spotted it, she realized she only had a minute before it crossed their path.
She glanced forward, then to the rapidly-closing storm, and forward again. She winced at the sight. "Darn it...it'll be a pain to try and fly over it, but I don't think we can make it before it crosses our path!"
Dust glanced forward and to the side as well, seeming to reach the same conclusion. Yet on looking back at Dash, she gave a devilish smirk.
"Well, you're the Wonderbolt here." Abruptly, she veered to the side, taking advantage of Dash slowing with her distraction, and broadsided her. "Let's see you take care of it!"
The impact was sharp and jarring, and Dash gaped as she flew wild to one side for a moment. She stabilized quickly enough, but the blow hadn't been light and she was still sore afterward. She wheeled on Dust angrily.
"Hey! That hurt!"
An instant later, she flew up and broadsided Dust even harder, actually making her cry out a little as she was knocked out the other way. She stabilized herself as well with a bit more difficulty and glared furiously at Dash. "Oh no, that didn't hurt...this did!"
She snapped her body up and gained altitude as she flew at Dash this time, allowing herself enough leverage to lift up a hoof and clonk it down on her head. Dash went wall-eyed a moment as she was knocked out of the sky a considerable distance, but on recovering she snapped her head up and bared her teeth. "Back to your old tricks again, Lightning? How about I see how good I am at them?"
Flapping her wings hard, she took back to the sky and drove her head into Dust's abdomen. Her eyes bulged as some of the wind was knocked out of her, and she actually had to stop flying a moment as she was too stunned from the hit. Dash tried to pull ahead in the interim, but she was still dizzy from the first hit and unable. Moments later, Dust recovered only to lose her temper completely.
"Alright, that does it, you goodie little two-shoes!"
She flew forward again, this time slamming into Dash in a side charge and attempting to shove her out of the sky all together. Dash reacted in pain a moment before she grit her teeth and shoved her back just as strongly.
"Bring it on, you thoughtless jerk!"
The two forgot about the storm again as they began to slam into each other repeatedly. They collided several times before they lashed their hooves out as well, catching a bit of wing, body, or face with each strike. They got so into it that they failed to notice their speed dropped to practically nothing, ruining any chance of outrunning the storm or climbing over it.
It wasn't until the shadow of the cloud began to fall over them both that they finally paused and looked up, only now noticing the roar of the approaching sand and dust coming over them. They pushed away from each other, but by then it was far too late. An instant afterward, both pegasi were enveloped by the storm. Both only had a moment to cry out once before they felt themselves violently thrown into one other far more sharply and roughly than either had managed before now, and immediately afterward both were swept away into the sandy gale.
When the sand storm had finally passed, one could hardly tell it had ever been there in the first place considering the barren desolation of the landscape. It was just as untraceable and featureless as it had been before.
Suddenly, one of the smaller dunes erupted as Rainbow Dash, coughing and gasping, burst out from it covered with sand. A few seconds later, only a short distance away, another dune erupted as Lightning Dust did the same. For a few moments, both of them merely hacked and choked as they struggled to recover. They shook to clear sand out of their eyes and manes before tilting their heads and struggled to knock it out of their ears as well. As soon as both recovered, they looked around and spotted one another.
Both of their faces to creased in anger again.
"You big oaf! Look what you did!"
Both of their eyes widened on seeing they had both yelled that at the same time.
"What I did?!" Dash echoed back. "You're the one who picked that fight with me!"
"Only because you're the one who joined the race just to make sure that I wouldn't win it!" Dust retorted.
"Because you kept bragging about how you were going to unseat a Wonderbolt from holding the record!"
She scowled and rolled her eyes. "Whatever... I just hope you didn't just make me lose any chance of nailing that record now. I've got to get back in the race..."
Dash looked incredulous. "Are you kidding me? You just got us swept into that sandstorm and you still only care about winning that race?"
Dust didn't answer as she fully stood up and looked around. She groaned again. "Just great... That storm blew me completely off course! There's no landmarks anywhere!"
"Well, duh," Dash muttered as she got out of the sand as well, "this is a desert. Only thing to do now is fly around and try and find one... Better get started..."
She stretched out her wings to take off, only to instantly cry out. "Ow!"
Turning to her left wing, she saw it was slightly crooked and not fully extending. She tried to straighten it, only to wince in pain.
"Oh, great! My wing's busted because of you!" She glared daggers at the other pegasus. "...Again!"
Dust smirked at her misfortune. "Maybe that'll teach you to stay out of my way next time! Later!" She extended her own wings to take off, only to cry out as well the moment she did. "Ow!"
Turning her head, she saw that her own right wing was in the same shape as Dash's: slightly crooked and forced to collapse.
Now it was Dash's turn to smirk. "How do you like another pegasus hurting your wing for a change?"
She grit her teeth angrily. "Well this is just great! Now we're both stuck in this desert because of you!"
"Hey! We're here because you're the one who bumped me first!"
"That was just a little tap! Besides, I only did it because you wouldn't lay off! You didn't even want to join the Atacanter Crossing until you knew I was going to be in it!" Dust began to walk up to her. "What pony joins a race just to make sure another pony doesn't win?"
Dash began to step up as well. "Somepony who's loyal to the Wonderbolts and wants to protect their reputation! Which is something you'd never understand or care about!"
"Well if being loyal means getting yourself stuck in the middle of a burning desert, then count me out!"
The two came to a halt, practically snout to snout and glaring at each other. They stared for a few fateful moments.
Finally, Dash exhaled and calmed first, stepping back and turning away. "Well...this isn't gonna get us out of here, so we better get moving."
Dust snorted. "What...'moving'? Pft. I'm not going anywhere."
Dash wheeled back to her. "Are you nuts? You can't just wait out here!"
"Why not? I'm more likely to be found if I stay put rather than wander off aimlessly. And if I spot the other racers, all I'll need to do is go the same way they're going."
"That's crazy! We could be miles away from the other racers! And it could be days before they even realize we aren't still in the race!"
"Then I'll just take it easy until my wing's good enough to fly on again."
Dash rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah...and when'll that be? Before you dehydrate, starve, or get roasted by the sun? It's already getting hotter."
She glared back at her. "And wandering the desert getting ourselves more lost is so much smarter? Do you have any better ideas?"
Dash frowned. She looked around herself for a few moments, then to the two of them. She glanced at her own body, seeing her intact wing and her injured one. Then she looked at Dust, seeing her intact wing and her injured one. She noticed they were opposites.
The mere thought made her wince. "Just one...and I don't like it."
A few minutes later, Dust was baring her teeth so hard she was practically hissing as Dash ruefully finished using the ties for their numbers to lash themselves together as best as she could. "This is lame. I've never heard of two pegasi that even like each other pulling it off...let alone one pegasus that hates the other one's guts."
"Well, the feeling's mutual, but if it's this or being stuck in a desert I'm willing to go with this," she grumbled as she finished tying. She exhaled and extended a wing. "Alright, follow my lead..."
"Um, why do we need to follow your lead again?" Dust retorted. "This isn't Wonderbolt Academy anymore."
"Well, between the two of us, I'm the one who's the professional Wonderbolt."
"Oh, that's right. And since I'm not a Wonderbolt, that means I don't have to listen to you. I'm the one who's practiced desert takeoffs." She began to extend her own wing. "Let's follow my lead."
She immediately began to flap, causing Dash to be yanked to one side and nearly off balance. Quickly, she struggled to flap her own wing to keep up, but it was irregular, and the two clumsily lolled one way and the other before, nearly collapsing on themselves, they began to slowly lift off the ground.
"Flap harder!" Dust shouted. "You're not keeping up with me!"
"You're flapping irregularly! We have to synchronize with smaller flaps! Like this!"
She began to flap differently, causing them to begin to roll in air unstably. Dust went wide-eyed.
"Are you trying to do a corkscrew or something? You're not evening out with me!"
"I'm starting out with a gradual hover!"
"You can't take off from this kind of terrain like that!"
"Ugh, you're pulling against my sore wing!"
"Ow, you're grinding into mine!"
The two continued to banter and struggle until they were wavering one way and another in midair, scraping their hooves against the dirt or rolling around 90 degrees. Finally, after fluttering around a bit, they pitched forward suddenly. Both cried out before they smashed themselves face-first into the nearest dune.
Dust yanked her head out first, sputtering and shaking. "That's it!" she snapped, quickly reaching her teeth over to untie herself. "This was a stupid idea to begin with!"
Dash yanked her own head out and shook just as Dust freed herself and began to walk away. "It wouldn't have been if you
"Forget it! I'd rather be lost in the sand than be stuck with you all the way back to the start anyway! That sandstorm came in from the west so obviously it blew us to the east. The sun's not fully up yet so if I go that way I should come back across the leg of the trip we were on."
Dash frowned. "Yeah, assuming we're still on that leg after being blown around."
Dust wheeled on her. "Oh, and you know how to survive in this desert so much better than me?"
She opened her mouth, but caught herself. Her angry look turned into a hesitant and nervous one. "Well...uh... My friend told me all about what to do before we got here!"
Dust half-smirked. "Oh really? What'd she say?"
"Uh..."
"That sounds like a great idea, Rainbow! I'll start with the race itself! Now, in modern days, the Atacanter Crossing is blah-blah-blah. Each markpoint has a set of fireworks that a racer can blah-blah-blah in case they can't continue so they can get some of the blah-blah-blah to come help. But historically it was much blah. There were these special blahs called blah. Blah-blah-blah are very blah for every blah in addition to blah. Not to mention blah, blah, and also blah. Blah-blah-blah...extremely-long-and-boring-lecture-by-me...blah-blah-blah...Rain Barrel Cactus...blah...water...blah-blah-blah...even-LONGER-and-MORE-boring-lecture-by-me...dreaded Antlions...blah-blah-blah...Daring Do...actually I'm not saying anything about her at the moment but that's all you're thinking about right now...blah-blah-blah...and that's how Cyclone Sky got her record!"
Dash shook her head. "Well...I know we're better off if we stick together at least."
Dust snorted. "Get real. I'd never follow you anywhere." She turned and began to walk in one direction.
She only walked a few steps before she realized she heard other hoofbeats behind her. She turned around and saw Dash was trailing her and frowning.
"Then I guess I'm following you. Like I said, we're better off if we stick together. At least we can help each other out if something goes wrong."
"Still always worried about other ponies, huh? Well, suit yourself."
Looking forward she began to walk again. While she still grimaced a bit at the fact she was stuck in this situation, Dash followed.
By the time noon came around and then sun was beating down at its worst, neither of the pegasi were doing too well. Both were heaving and panting, sweating profusely, and needing to use their one intact wing apiece as a head covering of some sort as they slowly plodded along.
Dash realized she had pulled up closer alongside Dust, and that she was doing just as badly as her.
She frowned. "I thought you...had been practicing...for this...?" she spoke between pants.
Dust grit her teeth as she kept walking. "I practiced...for staying in the air...not having other pegasi get me grounded...and forced to walk..."
She didn't answer, instead looking forward again. Soon after she blinked. While the expanse around them was mostly just sandy ground with the occasional dune, she noticed a small growth just a bit farther along: a cactus. Specifically one shaped like a tiny little barrel, even ridged in such a way to look like it was made of wood.
She lit up. "Whoa, hang on!"
Dust looked up just in time to see Dash shoot by her and to the cactus up ahead, crouching next to it. She raised the solid part of her hoof and began to knock the spines off of the side. The turquoise pegasus frowned. "What are you doing? That's just some cactus."
"I think this is one of those Rain Barrel Cacti that Twilight was telling me about!" As soon as most of the spines were clear, she grabbed the entire plant and yanked it off of the ground. "If it is, that means we can get water out of it!"
Her hoof struck the top of it, knocking it open like it was a notch on a can. She held it to her head and kicked it back.
Just as she hoped, a stream of water came out and into her waiting mouth, lighting up her eyes. "Sweet!"
She took another mouthful and swallowed, then held it out to Dust. "Here, take a drink and we can save the rest for later."
The pegasus took it from her. Dash herself looked forward, wiped her mouth, and got up again. "Alright, hopefully that'll last us until we find another one or some other pegasus looking for-"
She heard a thunk on the ground behind her; cutting her off. Turning around, she nearly gasped.
Dust, smiling a little, was wiping her mouth with a satisfied smirk as the now-empty cactus rolled on the ground away from her. "That really hit the spot, Rainbow. Thanks a lot."
Dash continued to gape, looking between her and the cactus, before fuming. "We were supposed to share that!"
"You were supposed to share that...I never said I would," Dust calmly answered as she walked right by Dash and began to lead the way again. "Looks like one of us is going to be a lot better off today than the other one. Coming?"
Dash grit her teeth and glared at her as she calmly kept walking. Yet fighting and arguing would accomplish nothing now. The deed was done. Instead, she turned to the empty cactus and angrily crushed it in frustration, only to yelp as she ended up sticking herself with one missed spine.
As the sun started to lower again, it was still horrendously hot and both pegasi were sweating and breathing hard. The dunes around them were growing higher again, forming small valleys and rifts. Lightning Dust continued to lead the way as they moved in between them, but suddenly came to a stop.
Dash was so tired she nearly ran into her, but stopped just short of shoving her face against her tail. "What's wrong?"
Dust was quiet a moment. "...You know, I was thinking. Since you didn't get as much water as me, I should let you set the pace." She stepped to one side and gestured forward. "Sound fair?"
Dash stared at her in puzzlement, as well as distrust. "What's the catch?"
"Oh, no catch. I'm just fine with letting you lead the way for a while if you're so hung up on sticking with me."
She held a moment, but in the end didn't question it. She weakly smirked, not so much out of appreciation out of a sense of some relief.
"Alright. Sounds good to me." She started walking again, passing her by and walking up ahead into the valley. "Not like I really need it, though. I can get by on just a few sips of water no problem. I wouldn't be much of a long-distance flier if I..."
She slowly trailed off as she realized something.
"Um...is it just me...or is the world rising...?"
Sure enough, the dunes about her seemed to be getting taller. She was baffled only a moment before she realized what that meant. She looked to her hooves and saw that they were steadily sinking into the sand.
"Ah!"
Immediately, she thrashed about madly and wildly struggled to yank herself out of the sand. As a result, she only sank faster.
"I'm sinking! Help!"
She continued to frantically reach out and try to find purchase as she went lower, but her hooves scraped away at nothing but loose sand as she kept going down. Her face filled with desperation and terror, realizing this could be the end...
When, as she got to just below her shoulders, she suddenly stopped. She kept struggling and thrashing about for a moment until, freezing in mid-struggle, she looked down at herself and saw she was partially buried but wasn't going any lower.
Dust looked over it all with a bemused smile. "Huh. So there was a sand trap just up ahead. Doesn't look like it was a deep one, though."
Casually, she hopped from the ground and onto Dash's back, using her as a stepping stone to cross to the other side. Dash herself winced from the pegasus putting her weight on her, and as soon as she landed on the other side looked up twice as angry as before.
"Well, wade on over to the other side and get out already, Rainbow. I want you to stay ahead of me for this part of the trip."
Dash grit her teeth together so loudly they sounded like stone scraping steel.
By the time the sun was beginning to set, the two pegasi were both looking rather sore, tired, and dirty in spite of one of them having a bit easier time than the other. The only real difference was that Dash was still upset over both times Dust had used her and was burning holes into the back of her head with her gaze.
The turquoise pegasus had just led them down a slope into a basin of flat ground when she halted. She glanced around at her hooves for a moment. Dash slowed to a halt behind her and frowned.
"So what is it this time?"
"I think we should probably go back and go around."
The rainbow-maned pegasus snorted. "Yeah right. You're just trying to bait me into doing something else to get you an easier time. Well this isn't a sandtrap, so I'm going."
She trotted right past her, causing Dust to look up in alarm. "No wait! Don't stamp your hooves so-"
Just as she said this, Dash's hoof clomped on some of the ground in particular that had teeny, tiny tracks from dozens of tiny legs crossing it. As soon as she did, the ground broke nearby. Dash stopped and look down, and her pupils shrank in fear as she saw a sizable scorpion crawl out. Its tiny red eyes creased in anger as it glared at her. Moments later, the ground cracked all around both her and Dust. She grew terrified as she saw three dozen of them were emerging.
Dust's face sank. "Loud."
A moment later, a unified hiss and what sounded like a "shink" of metal rang out as the scorpions brandished their claws and angled their tails in unison. All of them began to skitter for the two ponies. They tensed up and frantically tried to think of what to do. There was no easy path to get out now and the way they were surrounded they'd be cut off in moments. Finally, Dash noticed one break in their lines that seemed possible to get through.
"Follow me this way!" she called behind her.
An instant later, pushing her already taxed body, she dashed for the gap. The scorpions all spun to her and angrily lashed out with their tails at her hooves as she ran by, but she was too far away for most of them and the few that were close enough narrowly missed her. She tried to keep going straight, looking to the open space on the other side, but before she could get through the ground in front of her burst again. A new scorpion inserted itself right in her path. Crying out in surprise, she quickly pivoted and tore away from it before it could intercept her with its stinger, but she had to leap again soon after as she nearly crashed into three more.
The stall cost her. The rest of the scorpions quickly moved in on the path, now seeing where she was going, and she was forced to wildly hop in order to evade them this time. Worse yet, more scorpions were emerging on the other side, filling up the open ground she was running to. Suddenly, two appeared in her path, cutting her off completely. Wincing, she froze in her place for a moment and glanced about. They were all headed for her and the open ground was almost covered. Having no other choice, she took a deep breath and made a standing jump. Just barely, her rear hooves cleared them and landed safely on the open ground beyond.
She still wasn't out of the woods. She was still surrounded and still in the basin. To get clear of them, she realized she'd have to make another jump right out of the basin itself. She barely had enough running room to make it, and what little she had was quickly closing up, but there was no other way.
Priming herself to move, she glanced behind her briefly to see if Lightning Dust was keeping up, and her jaw nearly hit the ground.
Dust hadn't moved when she told her to follow her. Rather, she had let her run ahead, and now that every scorpion was headed for Dash she was left with a clear path. By now she had easily gotten around them and was leaping out of the basin herself.
The rainbow-maned pegasus was so infuriated she felt like her eyeballs nearly lit on fire with the intensity of her glare. Unfortunately, her rage made her waste precious time as more of her running room was covered up. Looking back down, she quickly pushed the incident out of her head and charged forward as fast as she could to build speed, but she no longer had a good amount of space. She was forced to closer to the scorpions than she wanted to build enough momentum.
When she made her jump, it was just an instant too late. Right before her rear hooves could leave the ground, one of the creatures lashed out and tagged her in the ankle with its stinger.
Dash cried out all the way both from panic as well as pain as she sailed through the air. Nevertheless, while she ended up landing by sprawling out roughly in the sand, the momentum was enough to clear the edge of the basin and anchored her in safety.
She let out a low groan before slowly and tiredly starting to pull herself up again. Yet as soon as she got her legs underneath her, she stumbled and went face-flat into the sand once more. Frowning, she looked at her backside. A swollen red welt was on one of her legs.
"Just great..." she grumbled as she forced her three good hooves underneath her and started to push up, "now one of my hooves is numb... I can't walk on all four legs or fly now!"
While she was already weakened from the day's walk, she slowly managed to push herself up; holding her injured rear hoof limply off the ground. Just as she did Dust walked over to her. Dash turned to see her smiling face and felt her temper boiling more than ever.
"Great job back there," she smirked. "I see how you got to be a Wonderbolt. That diversion you ran was awesome! I didn't have to dodge so much as one scorpion!"
Dash face turned red as the veins in her neck bulged. That was the last straw.
"You really are the worst, you know that? I've never known a pegasus as rotten as you in my life! You got us into this and I've been trying to help you all day, and all you're doing is using me!"
"Oh yeah? Well guess what? For all your 'loyalty' and 'pride in the Wonderbolts', I'm still better off than you! I got more water, I got around the sand traps, and I don't have a scorpion sting to worry about slowing me down now! So who do you think is going to get out of this desert between the two of us?"
Dash began to quiver, almost ready to buck her in spite of not able to afford to waste the energy.
"And you're the one who wanted to follow me to begin with! Just like you joined the race just to keep me from winning! If you don't like what I'm doing, get lost! I never wanted you around me in the first place!"
She turned and began to walk, but Dash wouldn't let her off so easily.
"And you actually have the nerve to still be so bitter about being expelled from Wonderbolt Academy..." she sneered. "You only got yourself to blame for that! You don't care about anypony but yourself! They never would have let a selfish pegasus like you fly with them!"
On hearing this, Dust halted. Suddenly she wheeled around and, to the rainbow-maned pegasus' surprise, her own angry glare was now trumping hers. She held such raw hate that it actually caused her to take a step back.
"No...YOU'RE to blame for me being expelled from Wonderbolt Academy! All that loyalty stuff you care so much about and looking out for other ponies... Spitfire didn't care anything about that! She only cared that I was breaking academy records!"
She started to advance on her, her temper rising further.
"I worked to be a Wonderbolt ever since I could hover! I'd participate in every race I could, spend all night flying laps at the track, do wing strength training until my feathers molted... I wanted it more badly than anypony out there! And what did you do? You ruined me in five minutes! Do you have any idea what it's like to have your dream stolen from you like that?"
Dash was stunned at the outburst. She opened her mouth to answer, but found herself speechless at her last question. In her own case, she had been willing to give up her own dream, but that wasn't the same thing here. Even though she felt Dust was definitely in the wrong and got what she deserved, she thought for a moment about how she would have felt if somepony else had done something that would have ruined her own chance of ever becoming a Wonderbolt. Spitfire hadn't always cared so much about loyalty to comrades either, including after that incident. There was a good chance if she hadn't made that outburst in her office and turned in her wings, Lightning Dust would have ended up being in the Wonderbolt Reserve after all. She might have even been a full Wonderbolt instead of her.
Dust was now close enough to jab one of her hoofs against her chest. "Even if I wanted somepony's help, you are the last pony in Equestria who I'd ever ask for it! I'd rather spend the rest of my life in this desert than that!"
Whirling about, she'd began to storm off again.
Dash watched her go quietly. She was still quite angry at her and now she was stuck on three legs and in pain for the near future. Yet as she stared at the pegasus' back as she walked, that wasn't the only reason she stayed behind.
And she found she wasn't looking at her quite as angrily either.
To be continued...
Author's Note
Yeah, I threw in a "Blazing Saddles" joke. I figured it was fine for a Y-rated show.
A few hours later the sun had completely gone and the San Palomino sky lit up in a ocean of a billion stars with not one cloud in sight to obscure the view. It was beautiful and breathtaking to behold. Nevertheless, not a single pony that found themselves in the desert would be that interested in looking at it. They'd have other concerns.
Such was the case with Lightning Dust. She had dug herself a small hole in the sand and gotten in it, but it offered little protection. She had tucked herself into a ball and put her intact wing and even her busted one around herself as best as she could, but she was still constantly shivering. Her face was visibly uncomfortable as her breath misted from her snout.
She was still shivering when a shadow fell over her and, moments later, a body slumped next to her. Since she hadn't been able to sleep until now, she cracked her eyes open and looked over her shoulder, and grew fully alert on spotting a familiar rainbow mane.
"What the...? What are you doing here?"
"Helping you keep warm," Dash half-grumbled. "What does it look like?"
Rather than show gratitude, Dust frowned again before turning away. "Whatever. Don't expect a 'thank you'."
"From you?" she snorted. "Don't worry."
Dust said no more but didn't close her eyes as she stared at the side of her hole. The silence of the desert hung over both of them.
"Let me ask you something. Why is winning so important to you?"
"That's a dumb question. Don't you like winning?"
"Yeah, but it's not like there aren't more important things."
"Oh really? Who holds the fastest record for the Atacanter Crossing?"
Dash scoffed. "Cyclone Sky, of course."
"Who holds the second-fastest?"
Dash opened her own eyes. After a moment she started to grimace. "Uh...um..."
"Hmph. You see? In the end, it doesn't matter if you were a good teammate or a great flier. All anyone will remember about you one day is if you were the biggest winner. It's only the ponies that set the records that become legends, get statues made in their honor, or get stadiums named after them." She sighed. "No one cares about the runner up."
She lay silently for a few seconds, looking at the sky of stars over them.
"Being the best at the Atacanter Crossing was my only chance to be great without being in the Wonderbolts. If I could have won this, if I could have been the first pegasus to win a race that had only ever been won by Wonderbolts...then everypony would have known that I was just as good as them even if I couldn't be one. It was my one way to prove that I was like them."
Her eyes lowered, looking back to the dirt in the bottom of her hole.
"My one way I could still feel like a Wonderbolt even if I never could be one..."
Dash looked over her shoulder again. For just a moment, her face had lost its hostility toward the turquoise pegasus. Dust's words had not only surprised the pegasus, but she was actually looking at her with just a touch of understanding. Perhaps even sympathy.
She leaned back down, staring at the dirt on her own side of the hole a moment before looking up again.
"Who did Cyclone Sky take the record from?"
Dust exhaled. "North Clipper."
"And who did North Clipper take the record from?"
She paused. She had to think for a moment on that. "Uh...Dust Devil, I...I think..."
"And who did it before him?"
Dust winced and tried to remember, but in the end no matter how hard she thought nothing came to her. "I...I don't know..."
Dash smirked a little. "You said it yourself: records were made to be broken. None of the Wonderbolts wanted to join this race because we all thought Cyclone Sky's record was unbeatable, but you didn't. You knew somepony could knock her off the top. And even if you won't be the one, it'll get broken one day. Once that happens, everypony will start forgetting Cyclone Sky's name too."
Dust took a moment to think this over. She ended up frowning and slumping again when she realized what that meant.
"You may not believe it, but I didn't join this race just to beat you," Dash went on. "Ok, I admit it...I didn't prepare, I didn't practice, and I wasn't ready for...where I'm stuck now. I didn't even care about getting in this race until I realized you probably could break the record, and if some other Wonderbolt could have been here to beat it instead of me I would have been fine."
She looked up to the stars herself.
"But I'm the only one here now, and I know this is a Wonderbolt tradition. The whole reason we keep coming out here is because we know the legacy. I'm sure Cyclone Sky, North Clipper, and Dust Devil all thought the same thing when they won it. I was never here to race for myself; I was racing for them. If I could have won this race, then I would have really been winning it for them all over again...for all the Wonderbolts. And that's something we'd all have pride in that would last for hundreds of years to come."
Dust lay there unmoving a moment before raising her head just a little.
"Point is...if you can't set a record that's gonna last forever, why not spend more time doing things that will?"
She laid back down after that and said no more.
Dust didn't respond, but her face was now far more uncertain than it had been when she first saw Rainbow Dash at the race, or had been in many years. She lay awake long after Dash herself had started snoring--thinking harder than she had in her entire adult life.
Dust slowly cracked her eyes open early the next morning before the sun had cleared the horizon, not due to the change in light but due to feeling cold again. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Dash was gone, but heard some noise nearby. She leaned her head out of the hole and looked, raising an eyebrow soon after. Dash was currently crouched in front of a desert tortoise that had wandered along during the night.
"What are you doing?"
"This tortoise must know the layout of the desert! Maybe he can lead us to an oasis that has one of the markpoints!"
Dust looked incredulous. "And...you speak 'tortoise'?"
Dash winced. "Well...no, not exactly... But I have a pet tortoise at home and we understand each other!"
Dust rolled her eyes. "I had a pet goldfish once...doesn't mean I can talk to tuna..."
Ignoring her, Dash leaned up and thought a moment. "Ok, Fluttershy does this all the time... It can't be that hard, can it?"
She looked back down at the tortoise, who indifferently blinked at her.
Taking in a deep breath, Dash moved her hoof over her mane and quickly rearranged it into one of Fluttershy's longer bangs. She leaned back down and proceeded with her best imitation.
"Um, um...excuse me...Mr. Tortoise? We're both very lost in the desert and, um, we could really used your help right now..."
"Now what are you doing?" Dust called out.
"Hush!" she quickly shouted before focusing on the tortoise again. "Could you maybe, um, possibly, that is, lead us to the nearest oasis?" She punctuated it with a gentle smile.
The tortoise stared back silently. Dash kept staring at him, beginning to sweat and her smile growing more forced with time.
The tortoise blinked again, then slowly turned his body and began to walk forward.
"Alright!" Dash cheered. "He'll take us there!"
Dust frowned as she crawled out of the hole. "How can you tell?"
"Well...I can't. But Tank gets that same look on his face before he's about to do what I tell him."
"...It's a turtle. It doesn't make faces."
"Tortoise! I found out the hard way they're sensitive about that... Besides, do we have any better ideas? If nothing else, if he's living out here he has to know where to find water, right?"
Dust sighed. "Fine... I guess it's as good as we'll get." She glanced down at the tortoise, who had taken a grand total of four steps since he had started walking. "Although it looks like we might be out here a couple more days..."
Dash looked back at it, saw its progress, and groaned.
"Hey. Think fast."
She looked back up and was nearly caught off guard as a second Rain Barrel Cactus, the spines cleaned off of it, suddenly landed in her outstretched hooves. With one of her rear legs still numb, it made her spill over onto her backside but she managed to catch it. She looked surprised for a moment, then back up to Dust.
She wasn't looking back and was already walking. "I found one of those before I dug that hole last night. Don't take it the wrong way. You made a nice 'heater' last night so maybe it's a good idea to stick with you after all. Can't have you collapsing on me. Since you got less water yesterday, help yourself to the whole thing."
Dash stared at Dust as she passed, saying nothing. Once she went by, she finally looked back to the cactus and got a good long swig out of it. After exhaling and wiping her mouth, she whistled. "Hey Lightning!"
The pony looked back, only to get a bit of a surprise as the cactus was tossed back to her. Soon after, half-smirking, Dash got up and began to limp along.
"Didn't I tell you I could get by on a couple sips? What do you say we hang onto that one and split it this time?"
Dust didn't answer, but she did look surprised as Dash slowly limped by.
In spite of the fact both pegasi were more tired, thirsty, and hungry than the day before, this one went much better. Both of their tempers had cooled and now they were at least being civil. Lightning Dust never drank the whole cactus but passed it between the two of them until it ran out sometime after midday. Considering the fact they only had to follow the slow-moving tortoise, they didn't get nearly as tired either.
On top of that, Dust actually became helpful. At one point, they were crossing with the tortoise through one of the dips and valleys, but she stopped them and pointed out that they were moving through more sand traps. Working together, for the tortoise was rather heavy for both of them, they picked him up and slowly maneuvered him and themselves up the sloping dunes before resuming. At another point, Dust froze and informed them that they were crossing through another scorpion pit; recognizing their trails in the sand. She explained the only way across was to creep over it slowly without stamping, but with Dash's hoof still numb that seemed nearly impossible for her on three legs.
But after a few seconds, she got a shock when Dust suddenly hoisted her on her back and started to carry her.
"You're slowing us down and we're following a tortoise, for crying out loud," she grumbled. "Ugh, you ought to lay off the junk food... I wouldn't think you'd be this heavy..."
Dash was speechless a moment more before smirking. "Heh, what? Am I too heavy for a pony who's supposed to have record-breaking stamina?"
"Eh, I oughtta dump you in the next sand trap we come across..." Dust retorted, not realizing she was smiling a little too.
By the time the sun went down, Dash could finally walk on all four legs, but Dust stopped them to dig another hole for the night. It didn't take long with the two working together.
However, before they could ease down and curl up, Dust looked out at the tortoise. He was still plodding along.
"Hey, he's still moving. What if we lose track of him?"
"You're kidding, right?" Dash answered, eyes already closed and reclining. "How far ahead of us to you think he's gonna get?"
Dust glanced back to the turtle, still in the process of taking one step from when Dust first called to Dash. "Good point."
In spite of doing better on the second day, when the two got up for the third they were growing rather worn out between the little water and the lack of food; to say nothing of the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements and the pains in their respective wings. By the time the sun had risen enough to where it was beating down again and both were panting they were very weary; especially since there was no more water to be found.
Dash panted as she used her wing to wipe her forehead, when she blinked. She shaded her eyes to look ahead a bit more intently before exclaiming.
"Lightning, look!"
She groaned listlessly. "Please tell me it's another cactus or six..."
"Better than that! Check it out!"
The other pegasus looked up, shielding her own gaze. While it was just faintly in the distance, there was an outline of a small stand of shrubs around a pool of water...and, just above it, a ring of clouds.
Dust's jaw dropped. "R-Really? We actually made it?"
Dash grinned as she ribbed her. "Told ya' I know what tortoises are thinking about."
"This isn't just some mirage, is it?"
"Only one way to find out! Come on!"
A moment later, Dash took of. In spite of her doubts, Dust followed just as rapidly.
The two didn't take long to overtake the tortoise and keep on rushing toward the sight. Yet as they got closer, it only grew sharper and more distinct. It was definitely real. And with the terrain flat between them and their destination, there was no more worry about sand traps or scorpions. They put the rest of their reserves out there to reach it as quickly as possible.
Halfway there, however, Dash began to notice the ground beneath her was starting to vibrate, and not just from her hoofbeats. It quickly grew in intensity; even reaching the point of quaking. On noticing it, she looked about and saw that it was growing so intense the sand around her bouncing up and down. She slowed to a halt.
Dust noticed and nearly called out only to realize the same thing. Meanwhile, the shaking kept increasing and in moments it so violent that both of them had to spread out their hooves to balance themselves.
"What...what's going on?"
"I don't know! Is it an earthquake?"
Before Dash could answer, the ground beneath the pegasi suddenly gave way. Both cried out as they dropped down a few feet before slamming against the sandy soil again. However, it was angled downward now. Both of them looked up and gasped on seeing that the landscape for over a hundred feet in all directions had collapsed inward; turning it from flat terrain into a funnel shape that quickly grew steeper as the center dipped lower. Soon, the two of them were sliding on the loose soil toward the bottom.
Shocked and panicked, they quickly started to plant their hooves in the loose sand around them. After sliding a bit further their legs managed to dig into it and halt them. Yet the ground kept shaking, and as both of them looked down to the bottom of the pit they saw that the sand was churning.
"What in Equestria is this?!" Dust shouted. "A giant sand trap?"
Dash gulped at the sight. "No, worse!"
The center of the pit suddenly swelled before bursting, and a hideous roar peeled through the air. A massive, towering creature that looked like a colossal ant, save for having a male lion's head with massive pincer jaws, emerged and thrashed about before angling its head down and glaring at the two ponies. An instant later, it opened the pincers wide and roared at them so powerfully their manes were blasted back.
"I think that's one of those 'Antlions' Twilight told me about!"
"I don't care what it is! Let's just get away from it!"
Both pegasi turned around and began to tear up the sandy slope as fast as they could. This wasn't nearly as easy as they wanted. They were practically at the angle of repose and the sand was so loose both of them had to scramble for several steps before only managing to ascend a few feet, and the edge of the pit was far above them.
The Antlion suddenly dipped back in the ground all the way to its head, and as soon as it was there it dipped its massive pincers into the sand before violently flipping streams of the coarse material up at them; slapping them both with clods of sand. Dash cried out as the impact made her slip, sending her sliding back into the pit. Dust managed to withstand it, but the sand still loosened the ground around her on impact. She was soon crying out and sent sliding back down as well.
Dash recovered as she neared the bottom and looked behind her on doing so--gasping again as she saw herself sliding right to the Antlion's head. It immediately spread its pincers wide and opened it's lion-like maw.
"Ah!"
Instinctively, she wildly bucked behind her, smashing it under its jaw right before it could seize her. Its mouth was slammed shut as its pincers narrowly sliced over her head, cutting off a lock of rainbow hair, and leaving the monster stunned. Dash finished sliding all the way to the bottom and quickly the solid terrain there to leverage herself in a leap back to the slope to start scaling it again. The Antlion itself shook its head and regained its senses, only to see it had newer, closer prey in the form of Dust. As she slid to the bottom, she spotted it sizing her up and gulped. Moments later it opened its jaws wide and dove at her. A moment before it could seized her, she leapt straight in the air. Its jaws embedded in the ground instead, and a second later she landed on top of them. It glared at her angrily and snapped its head up to dislodge her, but she used the motion to launch herself back up and onto the slope, immediately beginning to climb again.
On seeing that its prey had gotten free, the Antlion angrily roared before lowering itself and its jaws once more into the ground. A moment later, it sent out another torrent of loose sand at Lightning Dust.
Rainbow Dash, however, was glancing behind her and saw it coming. "Lightning! Behind you!"
The pegasus snapped around and spotted the incoming sand. Gritting her teeth, she hopped to one side. The touchdown still caused her to lose some ground before her rear hooves embedded in the sand, but not nearly as much as being hit by the attack would have. The monster hissed angrily again before turning to Dash and flinging more at her.
Before she knew what she was doing, Dust shouted: "Look out!"
Dash glanced behind her before jumping much as Dust had to avoid the sand. Her own legs didn't land as hard, however, failing to anchor herself. She slid down much further than the other pegasus as a result and quickly tried to plant her hooves to stop herself. The Antlion readied to fling more sand at her while her footing wasn't holding to send her back down the rest of the way.
However, a whistle from Dust grabbed both its attention as well as Dash's.
"Hey ugly! How about a taste of your own medicine?"
The Antlion whirled on her, just as Dust pulled her hooves out with a pair of bucking kicks. Wads of sand were knocked right into the Antlion's own eyes. Instantly its face contorted in anguish; rearing up and out of the hole and thrashing around to try and clear it.
Dash grinned. "Hey, not bad! Let's see how he likes it!"
She immediately tore up the side of the pit again. The Antlion finished clearing its vision and whirled on her in anger, but before it could make another move she planted her rear hooves and bucked fresh sand into its eye. It yelled even more angrily than before, and while it struggled to regain its sight both Dash and Dust began to gain ground on the side of the pit. After clearing its vision this time, it squinted; trying to shield them as it got ready to bury its body again. However, Dust stopped it this time by bucking sand right into its open mouth. Its eyes bulged as it was choked, and Dash laughed and seized the opportunity to blind it yet again.
As it bellowed in anger, the two scrambled all the way to the lip of the sand pit. Both pulled themsleves over the edge just as the Antlion recovered. By the time it was launching clods at them again, both were heaving themselves onto more solid ground. Both sprawled out and took a moment to catch their breath.
As soon as she had enough air, Dash weakly raised her head and looked back to see if they were actually clear, only to exclaim: "Oh no!"
Dust raised her head. "What?"
"Look!"
Both looked at the opposite side of the Antlion's pit. The tortoise hadn't managed to escape when it formed, ending up balanced precariously right on the edge. He had remained there until now but, following the latest tantrum of the monster, he was falling over the side and beginning to slide down the pit. His own stubby legs weren't enough to stop himself. What more, the Antlion, realizing it couldn't get the two of them, was turning toward him instead.
"Oh no..." Dust remarked, not realizing she actually looked genuinely worried. Even scared.
"We have to help him!"
"How? We can't buck sand in its face if it's not facing us and we'll never run around in time! If we jump in the pit, we'll be stuck too!"
"Well, we can't just sit here!"
"But it's hopeless! The only way we'd be able to save that tortoise now is if we could fly!"
Dash froze, a look of realization coming over her. Dust stared back puzzled for only a moment before she came to the same realization.
"Oh, come on! That'll never work!"
"We've got to try! It's the only shot!"
Dust winced, looking back to the pit. The tortoise was already a third of the way down. Suddenly, the Antlion flung sand at him. Instinctively he tucked himself into his shell for protection, but that only made it easier for his smooth body to slide down.
She groaned. "...Alright, but hurry!"
Dash quickly undid the bands of her number while Dust did the same to her own. By the time they were lashing them about their bodies the tortoise was halfway down. He was on the last third as they finished tying themselves together as tightly as they could. By now the Antlion was done flinging sand and was opening its pincers and mouth again.
"Alright, we've got no chance of pulling this off unless one of us takes the lead!" Dash shouted.
Dust hesitated, standing still a moment, before clenching her jaw. "...Then you do it!"
Dash turned to her in surprise.
"You have more experience flying synchronized in teams! You know what fliers in pairs have to do to pull tricks off!" Closing her eyes, she sighed and forced herself to shout the last part. "You should be Lead Pony!"
The blue pegasus stood stunned for a half a second, but smiled soon after.
"Alright! Get your wing ready like mine!"
She held her wing up for the first flap, and Dust quickly followed suit.
"Do a practice stroke real quick on three! Quarter speed! One, two, three!"
She flapped down once, as Dash did the same. By now, the tortoise was only twenty feet from the monster.
"Do more of a rowing motion! Not so straight! One, two, three!"
Dust, growing nervous now, forced herself to be patient and slowly performed the stroke. This time it was much closer to Dash.
"Keep flapping like that! I'll count out the wing beat in sets of three! One-two-three! Got it?"
"One-two-three, got it!"
The tortoise was ten feet away.
"You keep it up at that pace until I shout out the move! Once I shout it out, we do it on three, got it?"
"Got it!"
"Already, ready for takeoff! One-two-three!"
Keeping her eyes on Dash and counting in her head, Dust flapped her wing as Dash did. Awkwardly and wobbling, the two began to rise into the air. They stabilized after the first few strokes but then began to lean one way.
"Too strong! Ease up! Just a little!"
Dust grit her teeth and did so. They evened out soon after but then started to yaw slightly.
"Keep the rowing motion! Like I showed you!"
Sweating a bit, Dust adjusted her flaps and slowly the two stopped rotating. For a moment, both of them merely hovered while flapping, both sweating, both straining, both watching each other...and slowly realizing they were doing it. They were both flying as one in midair. As that dawned on them, both of them began to light up in amazement.
The tortoise reached the bottom of the pit. Since he stopped moving, he risked leaning his head out and looking around. Soon after his small black eyes bulged on seeing the monstrous Antlion in front of him, drooling and lunging forward.
Dash snapped out of it and quickly tensed up again. "Alright, it's time! Forward diagonal dive right over its head! One-two-three!"
Nodding, Dust snapped her wing down in sync with Dash and both of them went into an angled dive. Their bodies sailed downward right over the Antlion's head to the space in front of it. Both tried to reach out and seize the tortoise, but the dive, being their first ever as a pair, wasn't accurate enough and they went too high. However, they did cross the Antlion's path and on spotting them it reared up and focused its attention on them instead.
Seeing they had overshot and were headed rapidly for the edge of the pit, as well as a crash, Dash gaped. "Diagonal climb! One-two-three!"
The pegasi angled their wings up. Both of them got their hooves scraped against the dirt from how tight it was, but they stayed airborne and rose up the side of the pit. The Antlion's jaws snapped behind them, clipping the edge of Lightning Dust's tail, but other than that hit nothing.
"Left bank! One-two-three!"
This was a trickier move. Dust had to think for a moment since one wing would be acting one way and the other an opposite, but Dash anticipated that. She stalled out until Dust looked certain in her expression before making her own move. The two banked one way and swept around, just as the Antlion angrily flung sand up at them to try and knock them out of the air.
"Level out and forward diagonal dive! One-two-three!"
In spite of being two commands, Dust kept her eyes on Dash and the two managed to level out their wings and dive again for the tortoise. Unfortunately, this time the Antlion was ready. He quickly shoved the top of his body in their path and opened his jaws wide, meaning to eat them both in one snap.
Both pegasi exclaimed and began to flap their wings erratically, quickly disrupting their flight and threatening to drop them out of the air, when Dash snapped out of it and screamed in a near babble: "Stall! Onetwothree!"
Both quickly flapped their wings out in front of them, buffeting against the wind. The Antlion snapped forward and slammed its jaws shut but seized only air. Their own hooves were precious inches away from the teeth, and they quickly lashed out to buck them, using the impact to send them away from the monster.
"Hover back! One-two-three!"
Both moved away as the Antlion shook its head and clicked its jaws, glaring at them in a mixture of anger and hunger.
"This isn't working! And we don't have time to practice!" Dust cried.
Dash thought a moment. "I got one idea...but you're going to have to stick with me really tight if it's going to work!"
"Ok, fine!"
Taking in a deep breath, the blue pegasus narrowed her eyes. "Alright, full forward as fast as you can! One-two-three!"
Both pegasi snapped their wings and went into forward flight, sailing straight for the Antlion again. The monster growled, but hunched its body over and opened its mouth wide again. If they were coming right at it, it intended only to keep its jaws open and intercept them.
Dust began to grow nervous. "Uh, Rainbow...?"
"I said full forward! Go faster!"
The pegasus continued to look uneasy but did as she was told. Matching Dash, their wing flaps pushed them faster and faster. The Antlion kept its mouth open expectantly.
"Rainbow...!"
"Not yet!"
The monster started to drool. The two were now going so fast their streaks were appearing behind them. Dust looked to the side, not knowing what crazy idea Dash was thinking of. It looked like suicide. She glanced to the knot on the rope and realized she could reach out with her teeth to break it if need be. She stared a few seconds, but then clenched her teeth and forced herself to wait for Dash's word. Finally, they were in range of the jaws, which snapped for them like a steel trap...
"Right bank! One-two-three!"
Dust immediately responded and the two snapped away to the side of the pit. The Antlion snapped its pincers closed with a loud clap, but growled on seeing it still had nothing. It snapped its head to one side, but Dash and Dust were now ringing the side of the pit at a blazing speed. They were moving so fast their trails left rings and both were gritting their teeth from the G-forces they were experiencing from their unified mass. Yet Dash hadn't given a new order and so Dust stayed with it.
The Antlion snapped around, snarled, and lashed out for them. It got nothing but a mouthful of sand for its effort. It lashed out again afterward but still got nothing but dirt. On the third failed try it screeched in rage. As for the two, they were straining harder and harder. They heard their ropes begin to groan and the knots start to buckle. Both could barely hold into the loop together, but still they maintained course.
Just as both of them thought they were at their limit, the Antlion finally had enough. Rearing back, tightening up its body, and following them as close as it could, it lunged forward so hard it pulled its entire body out of the dirt in one last attempt to bite them. Yet while it got closer than before, they were simply going too fast for it. Its jaws sliced only air and its entire body smashed into the side of its own pit. It instantly knocked loose a ton of sand that swept over its own head and anchored it in place, leaving only its swollen abdomen and tiny legs dangling out behind it.
In an instant, the two ponies had come around and were headed right for it.
"Stall! One-two-three!"
Both snapped their wings out together to act as a chute, arching their bodies up and forward. Dust looked to Dash's face and, on seeing the bold smile on it, she understood. She quickly smiled as well as both of them pulled their hooves back. As they reached the Antlion's body, both of them snapped their legs together and bucked with all four legs and the force of their momentum behind it.
An echoing clap rang out for miles, and instantly the Antlion ripped right out of its own pit and launched into the sky like a catapult. The monster was helpless to do anything but gape in shock and wiggle its legs ineffectively as it was flung a clean half mile away and then unceremoniously left to smash into more densely-packed ground head first. In spite of sand breaking its fall, the impact was still hard enough for it to crumple on itself with a resounding smack. The monster slowly slumped afterward, its eyes now googly and spinning over each other. Letting out a dull moan, it lazily began to dig its way back into the desert; finally abandoning the hunt.
As for the pit it had just left, moments later the two rose from within it; this time carrying the Desert Tortoise in between them. The reptile looked around in amazement before smiling at its two pegasi saviors. Both kept in the air long enough to fly the rest of the way to the oasis before finally sweeping around and touching down.
They quickly leaned over and let the tortoise go, which paused long enough to look up to them gratefully before making for the water hole. As for the two pegasi, they both smiled back and kept smiling as they looked to each other.
After a few moments, Dust grinned. "You know...when you saved your friends from that tornado, I thought that was awesome. But going full speed like that right at that monster, ringing around his own pit to mess with him, and then using your stall to buck him? Uh-uh... That. Was. Awesome. "
"Well..." Dash shrugged, "I couldn't have done any of it without a great teammate helping me out the whole way."
Dust cracked her own grin a bit wider. "I guess I did make a pretty good 'Wingpony' after all, didn't I?"
Dash grasped the knots with her teeth and pulled them out to untie the two. "I'd say we both did."
She held out her hoof to her.
Dust's jaw dropped at the gesture. She hesitated and looked back up at Dash, but she only smiled and winked back. After a moment, Dust began to smile again too and held out her own hoof to bump against hers.
Both continued to smile a moment before the turquoise pony looked away, slumping again and sighing. "Well, I guess we better set those fireworks so you can get back to officiating and I can get started on training for the 101st Atacanter Crossing..."
This made Dash's own smile erode, looking uneasy instead. She grimaced and dug her hoof into the grass uncomfortably as Dust glumly started looking around.
But then, a thought came to her.
"Maybe not..."
Spitfire was normally not the easiest pegasus to talk to when she was on Wonderbolt duty, but when acting as the drill sergeant at Wonderbolt Academy in her full regalia she was even more intimidating.
"I assume you have a good reason for bringing a pegasus who's received a lifetime ban from the Wonderbolts to my office, Crash? Because I'd love to hear it."
After finally being picked up by the staff ponies, rushed back to the start to get treated for a badly sprained wing and dehydration, and enduring a battery of questions from Twilight about both her ordeal and her incident with the Antlion, Rainbow Dash had been more tired than ever but had still been intent on healing up as quickly as possible and head back to Wonderbolt Academy. Now, with one day to go, the dreaded moment had come. She was standing in Spitfire's office with Lightning Dust herself standing at a distance; head bowed and not saying a word unless spoken to.
"Yes, ma'am. I brought her here because..."
She took in a deep breath.
"...I request that you give Lightning Dust another chance."
Just as she feared, Spitfire's hard face didn't change. "Really now. I'd think you'd be the last pegasus I'd need to remind of the fact, but Lightning Dust recklessly endangered the safety of her fellow cadets, her Wingpony, civilians, and Wonderbolt Academy itself all in the name of setting new academy records for her own personal glory. She proved herself to be thoughtless and self-centered in regards to her own success over that of the Wonderbolts and others on multiple occasions. To be blunt, Crash...why should I?"
Dust cringed a little more with each statement, but Dash pressed on. "Ma'am, Lightning has come a long way since her first time in Wonderbolt Academy. She's learned a lot in the few days I've spent with her; including humility, teamwork, and putting other ponies and individuals ahead of herself. I wouldn't be here right now if we hadn't worked together in the San Palomino desert. And I guarantee that she understands what it means to be a real Wonderbolt now--that it's not just about being the best but coming together to make sure everypony succeeds."
Spitfire didn't change.
Beads of sweat began to mount on Dust's brow. She swallowed before breaking her formality slightly. "Also, I don't want to be rude, but uh...you did kinda, sorta keep congratulating her and rewarding her every time she set a new record at the expense of everypony else when she was here the first time..."
Spitfire's frown deepened as her eyes narrowed.
Dash swallowed a lump. "...With all due respect, ma'am."
Spitfire stared at her silently for a few seconds before turning to the other pegasus. "Lightning Dust."
The pegasus quickly drew herself up and walked to Rainbow Dash's side. She stood as tall and attentive as she could, not a shadow of the cockiness and self-confidence she once had showing on her face. "M-Ma'am."
The fiery pegasus leaned over and folded her hooves.
"I don't take any cadet's behavior who acts the way you did lightly. Even if you had been a full Wonderbolt that would have been inexcusable and I would have just as easily banned you for life then as I did at the academy. And unlike Rainbow Dash here, I find it rather hard to believe that any pegasus could turn over a new feather so easily in just a few days, and even if they could I am not about to let something that was grounds for a lifetime ban just disappear with a wink and a nod. The day I expelled you from Wonderbolt Academy was the day I would consider you even showing your face here to be a mark of disgrace to the Wonderbolts, and one that Rainbow Dash has violated by going so far as to bring you into my office. Do you understand?"
Dash looked surprised at the harsh retort but could say nothing more in her defense. Dust quivered slightly, but tightened her jaw and forced herself to look her in the eye. "Yes ma'am, I understand."
"So you accept why you received your ban from Wonderbolt Academy?"
A pause. "...Yes ma'am, I do."
Spitfire leaned back. "Very well then. There is nothing more to discuss. Your trial run for membership in the Wonderbolt Reserve remains 'Incomplete Due to Explusion'."
Dust slumped as she let out an exhale. Dash looked at her helplessly and sorrowfully. As Dust began to turn to leave, she looked back at Spitfire and opened her mouth...
Before a word could get out, Spitfire slapped a piece of paper on the desk. Both Dash and Dust froze.
"If you want back into Wonderbolt Academy, you will just have to reapply with a new, clean record like every other pegasus...provided you first perform 500 hours of community weather service to demonstrate to me just how willing you are to humble yourself to help others succeed."
Dust was stunned. She nearly stammered, clearly not believing what she was hearing. Dash began to light up. "You mean...?"
"You don't have a problem with that, do you, Lightning Dust?"
The pegasus nearly sputtered before quickly shaking her head. "N-N-No, ma'am! Thank you!" She quickly snatched the paper from the desk. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Now get out of here and don't come back unless we send you another letter of acceptance."
Grinning from ear to ear, Dust spun around and flew off. As soon as she was gone, Dash quickly moved into her place. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Soon she was off like a shot after her.
It wasn't until both pegasi were gone and Spitfire was looking back at the latest recruit records that, for just a moment, she risked showing a smile.
As Wonderbolt Academy grew smaller behind them, Lightning Dust was still beaming and clutching her new application tightly to her chest. "I can't believe it! I actually get another shot at being a Wonderbolt!"
Rainbow Dash, flying alongside, smirked a little. "Yeah, well...I wouldn't be too excited if I were you. I still remember how much it was a pain the first time around, and now you're back on square one. And I'm pretty sure Spitfire's going to run you three times as hard your second time in the academy."
Once she calmed down, Dust looked back at her. "Never thought you'd be the one to stand up for me, even after everything that happened in the desert."
"Well," she shrugged, "you had a good point out there."
"I did?"
"If I want to keep being the best flier I can be, I can't just ride on my reputation." She smirked. "I could use another pony who's always trying to aim for the top spot around to keep me at the top of my game."
Dust smirked back. "And I guess, if I ever do get into the Wonderbolts, I could use another pony to keep my head out of the clouds and my hooves on the ground when it comes to being a good teammate."
"Heh...maybe we made a better team than we thought."
Dust flew quietly for a moment. "Say...how's your wing doing?"
She shrugged. "Ok I guess. Why?"
"I was thinking..." She grinned. "Up for a quick race to Cloudsdale, Ms. Wonderbolt?"
Grinning back, she stretched her wings out. "You're on, newbie."
A second later, a streak of rainbow and a streak of lightning painted across the sky.
The End
Author's Note
Hey everyone. Hope you enjoyed.
I don't think this one is as good as "The Sweet Spot", but I hope you found it enjoyable none the less. For months I was trying to think of another idea for a fanfic that could realistically be an episode of the show but I hit nothing but writer's block, especially since I wanted to focus on a character I don't normally do. Finally, I started getting an idea with Rainbow Dash meeting an old rival she used to beat back as a child, and eventually I remembered Lightning Dust. I was never really satisfied with the ending of that episode (as I hinted at when I had Rainbow Dash call Spitfire out briefly), so I went with it.
This ended up being a bit longer than a standard episode, in my opinion, but I decided to just leave it. Hope it was still enjoyable.
