White Veil

Using the majority of his savings, Spike purchased a skateboard from one of the shops in town. Being that he was a beginner, he chose a board with strong grip tape to help with his balance and overall stability. When he returned home, Twilight happened to be downstairs getting a drink from the refrigerator.

"Hey, Spike."

"Hey. What's up?"

"Rarity called while you were out."

"How's she doing?"

"She told me about your conversation yesterday. I feel awful. I owe you an apology."

"What for?"

"Back then, when I warned you about the...Ummm...Adult entertainment industry, I never made an informative case against it. At the time, I was too upset to think clearly about the whole situation."

"So...What's the deal?"

"Well, the objectification argument can only go so far because women have done the same thing. The real problem is how they treat the people who produce the media for it. Many of them never see enough success from it to put food on the table and pay their bills, but even worse, some of them are forced to take part in it against their will, and there's nothing to help them cope with the resulting trauma afterwards. Some of them end up turning to narcotics to try to numb the pain."

"Oh, jeez..."

"I know if you had known, you would have avoided it of your own free will, but no one really takes the time to have honest conversations about this stuff."

"Why?"

"Because it's uncomfortable. That's one of the biggest reasons problems are never solved. No one wants to say anything, and when they do, their solutions are...Extreme...To say the least."

"Makes sense, I guess..."

"Anyway, at the end of the day, I don't want you to have to suppress your sexuality. I just don't want anybody getting hurt in the process."

"I'm with you a hundred percent on that."

"So...You're gonna' take up skateboarding?"

"Yeah."

"Is it for fun, or...?"

"For the time being, at least. If I get decent enough at it, I might try to go pro."

"That's really cool."

"I was about to get some practice in now. Wanna' tag along? Need someone to make sure I don't bust my ass too bad."

"Sure. Just let me tell Flash."

"By the way, I heard you guys the other night."

Spike made a circle with his thumb and index claw to express approval. Twilight gave him a comically sour look which defied all known emotional boundaries.

"That is so wrong."

"Now we both feel weird."

"Touche."

Over the next three months, Spike perfected his balance, along with a few basic tricks. Rumors began circulating of a contest several towns over. The winner would receive a five hundred dollar cash prize. Feeling confident enough to take his skills to the next level, Spike registered that same July.

"You think you'll be able to win," Twilight asked over dinner the night before.

"I dunno. I'm doing it more for fun than anything."

"Well, the people who enjoy what they do often end up making a name for themselves," Flash encouraged.

"The way I see it is, skill comes with practice, but there's no point if you're bored doing it."

"That's a good mentality to have."

"Thanks for dinner, guys. I'm gonna' try to get some sleep."

"We'll handle the dishes. Night, bro."

Spike went upstairs to his room.

"You really think he has a shot," Twilight wondered.

"If he can take failure and rejection in stride, he can do anything he sets his mind to. I'm almost envious."

"We should look out for video footage."

"Definitely."

Spike woke up at six the next morning. He took a shower to help himself wake up before brushing his teeth and getting dressed. He chose a simple set of clothes: a white t-shirt with a necklace and black wristbands, black jeans, and black shoes. He knocked on Twilight's door again.

"I'm out, guys. I'll be back sometime between ten and noon."

"Hell yeah, bro," Flash cheered groggily, "Kick some ass for me."

"You know it."

Spike arrived just in time to witness the crowd gather. The event was minuscule in scale, yet despite this, there was a surprising turnout. There were concession vendors and an audio system set up which happened to be playing one of his favorite bands to skate to: Bullet For My Valentine.

"This is gonna' be good."

Not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, the dragon stood off to the side.

"If I remember right, each skater takes the ramp in the order they were registered in. I'm number four on the list. Wonder who else is here. Guess I'll see soon."

Around 7:30, the registration committee announced the beginning of the contest. Spike observed each skater before him intently. It was clear they were skilled in their own rights. The third skater, a dragon like himself, pulled off a back flip seconds before the end of the three-minute timer. He was up next.

"Well, this can only go one of two ways."

Spike climbed to the top of the ramp. The sun beat down on him more intensely than it ever had before. He could already feel himself sweating. With calculated precision, he slid onto his board, cleanly dropping onto the body of the incomplete cylinder.

"Not too bad."

After building momentum, he executed a trick, using the front of the board to hang from the edge before rolling back down. On his next trick, he launched himself off the board, flipping it three hundred-sixty degrees before reattaching himself to it. He knew none of the tricks in and of themselves would be particularly impressive to seasoned riders, but he hoped his precision would lead them to believe he had some form of potential or another. When the timer reached zero, the judges tallied his score. He left the ramp for the next competitor. He was completely blindsided by what followed next.

"Everybody havin' fun," the announcer inquired through the megaphone. The crowd broke out in a unified mass of energy, "We know who you guys have really been waiting for! Carolyn Venus, get on up here!"

"Carolyn...? Wait a minute...Is she...?"

A white mare approached the ramp. Her attire consisted of a t-shirt, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. Her mane, a blinding shade of blonde, extended over her left eye. The eye still exposed was a bright, entrancing blue. There was no mistaking her collected, self-assured demeanor.

"The city champion...?"

Carolyn shot forward with a speed unparalleled. Right off the bat, she performed an impressive feat which combined an edge grind with a semi-circular slide. Even though he saw it right in front of him, Spike didn't believe it.

"Holy crap...I'm such a newb."

None of the other competitors approached anywhere near Carolyn's level of skill. As expected, her scores were the highest out of all of theirs. While everyone gathered around her to celebrate her victory, Spike hung back, deciding his presence would pile on unnecessary strain to the the frenzy. When the spectators eventually dispersed, Carolyn strolled towards him.

"You're the new guy, right?"

"Yeah."

"I was watching you earlier. You're really good."

"Thanks."

"Most of the skaters around here are more competitive than I really care for. It was refreshing to see somebody let loose for a change."

"You could tell?"

"Anyone else would've tried to pull off sloppy stunts beyond their skill level."

"True."

"I was actually wondering if you'd be interested in learning some of the more technical stuff sometime."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm interested in seeing what you can do with a little more practice. What's your email?"

"VampireCount_666@solaris.net."

"Sick, dude! That's killer! My solaris account is ButterflyMoth, all one word."

"Got it."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Spike."

"Somebody with a badass name and email address? Must be my lucky day."

"My sister and her boyfriend are waiting for me back home. Can we get in touch later?"

"Sure thing."

"Cool. I'll see you around, then."

"Sounds like a plan."

Spike ascended into the air and flew away.

"He seemed kinda' nervous..."

"Sorry you didn't win," Twilight offered in consolation.

"It's no big deal."

"You're taking it well," Flash noted.

"The chick who won said she'd teach me some stuff. We traded email addresses."

"No wonder. You got beat by the best so you could become the best."

"What's her name?"

"Carolyn."

"Is she pretty?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Looks like Rarity's advice wasn't so far-fetched after all."

"Huh...?"

"Oh, nothing. Don't mind me."

"So weird..."