Equestrian Ice Skating Championships
"I wonder why Pinkie Pie has invited us all to Sugarcube Corner." Twilight Sparkle said to Spike as her hooves crunched across the freshly-fallen snow outside the library. "I hope it's not for another pre-Hearth's Warming Eve party, I've got a lot of work to do before the holidays."
"Lighten up Twilight." Spike replied, lazing on his guardian's back. "Her letter said it was very important. Pinkie doesn't normally get serious about parties."
Twilight adjusted her scarf. "You're probably right. But I'd like to be back at the library in less than an hour. The reorganisation of the East Wing won't do itself." She rolled her eyes and headed for the distinctive cake-shaped building in the Town Square.
"Oh, hi Twilight." Came the voice of a familiar pegasus, who swooped down and landed gracefully in front of the purple unicorn. "Did Pinkie invite you too?"
"Hi Fluttershy." Spike said, moments before Twilight could do the same.
"Yes, she invited both of us. Ohh, now I'm sure it'll be a party; maybe I could use an excuse to get out of it?" Twilight mumbled to herself, irritated.
Fluttershy flew along beside Twilight so her hooves didn't have to touch the cold snow. "I know what you mean. I'd love to attend a party, but Angel Bunny is in bed with a terrible cold and I just couldn't bear to leave him for a whole afternoon."
"Pinkie Pie can really be a nuisance sometimes." Twilight added, lowering her neck in annoyance and nearly causing Spike to slide off her back. "Oh, sorry Spike."
"Personally, I hope it is a party. I always have a good time." Spike laughed, patting Twilight's mane. "I'm not a workaholic like you."
Fluttershy just smiled patiently. "We'd better wait and see. I don't like trying to guess in advance... ponies can be so startling."
'I hope she's right', Twilight thought as they stepped into the bakery. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were already there, with Pinkie Pie bouncing happily up and down near the counter. There were no party decorations, but Twilight knew the potency of the party cannon first-hand. 'Anything but another party.'
"It's so great for all of you to make it to my little get-together." Pinkie Pie said quickly once Twilight had resigned herself to the situation and let Spike get down. "I've got big big BIG news to tell you all!"
"Well, we're not going anywhere." Applejack said kindly, trying to get Pinkie to hurry up. Twilight noticed that she looked like she was also keen to get home.
"I should hope not! The invitations definitely all said three o'clock and it's now exactly three, so if any of you ae going anywhere it had better be to a party!" Pinkie bounced.
"What's the news, Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash said, bored.
"Oh, well, it's super-exciting. I've been invited to take part in the Equestrian National Ice Skating Championships! Isn't that exciting? I've never been so excited, well except-"
"The Equestrian National Ice Skating Championships! Oh my Celestia!" Rainbow Dash yelled, suddenly excited. The blue pegasus jumped up into the air and swooped around the room. "They're the best displays of speed and excitement outside of a Wonderbolt display! I can't believe you're lucky enough to compete!"
"Well done sugar cube." Applejack said, giving Pinkie a hoof bump. "That's really a great achievement. When and where are they being held?"
"They're this weekend in Vanhoover! Isn't that exciting? I just can't wait to go!" The pink pony said, bouncing around in a circle. "I can get my ice skates out again!"
Her friends were not all so keen. Applejack gave a worried look to Fluttershy, who looked in turn at an anxious Twilight.
"Wow... that's great." Twilight said to Pinkie, smiling as best she could. Pinkie stopped bouncing.
"What's up Twilight? You don't seem too excited?" Pinkie asked, looking concerned for her friend. "Are you still afraid of ice skating after the last Winter Wrap-Up?"
Twilight shifted awkwardly from hoof to hoof. "Well thing is Pinkie, I don't think I can make this weekend. I'm supposed to be going to Canterlot for the School for Gifted Unicorns' winter ball. It's been in my diary for months and Princess Celestia is expecting me to make an appearance. I'm sorry."
"No problem Twilight, I understand that your school-thing comes first." Pinkie replied, smiling brightly to cheer her friend up. "You'll be missing quite a blast though!"
"Ahem, Pinkie? I must confess that I'm hosting a charity fashion show this weekend... strictly low-key of course, as it is for charity, but it's a personal favour to Hoity Toity and I just can't avoid it." Rarity said, hiding her eyes behind her coiffured mane. "I'm terribly sorry, darling."
"Don't worry Rarity, it's quite alright."
Applejack cleared her throat. "Well, er, I have to help out on the farm... the last of the south fields have to be tended, you know, because of the snow. The trees might die otherwise."
"And Angel Bunny has a terrible cold. He won't be fully recovered for at least a week, and I simply can't leave him alone." Fluttershy ventured softly.
Pinkie looked around, a little bewildered at first. "Well, if my friends are busy, then that's just okay. I'll still have a good time, it's just bad luck."
"Seriously? Can none of you rearrange your plans to support our friend at the Equestrian Championships?" Rainbow Dash demanded. But there were only four apologetic pony faces looking back. "Well if you four won't, I will! Pinkie, I'll come to Vanhoover to support you."
"Really?" Pinkie said, her wide smile returning as she looked at her pegasus friend.
"Of course! The chance to win an Equestrian title only comes along once in a while, and you're easily the best ice skater in Ponyville. You'll do great and I'll be in the stands cheering as loud as I can!" Rainbow Dash did a loop-the-loop and pulled a pose.
"Woo hoo! We'll have a great time, I just know it! Vanhoover, here we come!" Pinkie shouted, bouncing over Rainbow Dash and spinning around on a hooftip.
***
"So, what's your plan for the contest?" Rainbow Dash said, confined to a seat in the railway carriage for the duration of the journey. The white countryside skimmed past the window.
"What plan?" Pinkie Pie asked, blinking at her companion. "I don't have a plan. Do you mean for a party? Because I don't think they allow us to throw parties there, there's probably an official party. Although I could throw a pre-party party, but that might-"
"No Pinkie Pie, your plan for the contest." The blue pegasus said, already regretting not forcing one of the others to come with her. "Your routine? You did remember your ice skates, right?"
Pinkie Pie sat down for a moment, deep in thought, before springing up and bouncing around the carriage. "Of course I did! You're so silly Rainbow Dash."
"Then what about your routine?"
"Oh, I don't plan a routine. I just put on my skates and skate!"
Rainbow Dash buried her face in her hoof. "You've got to plan a routine! Otherwise the competition will totally smoke you."
"I'm just here to have fun! Isn't that the point?"
"No Pinkie, the point is to win! Don't you want to show everypony in Equestria that you're the best ice skater?"
The party pony shrugged. "I'm sure there are lots of totally great ice skaters here in Equestria and I'm just looking forward to meeting them!"
Rainbow decided that this was going to be a very long train journey.
***
"Hello Vanhoover!" Pinkie shouted when she alighted the train, bouncing around the platform in excitement. "Maybe I should sing a song?"
"No Pinkie, no song. We need to get to the hotel so we can register for the competition."
"Okay Rainbow Dash, let's go!" And then the pink pony disappeared in a pink blur.
It was an eternal mystery to Rainbow Dash just how Pinkie could move so quickly. Probably all that pent-up energy. "Wait Pinkie, we'll get lost!"
Pinkie Pie came to a dead halt just outside the station. "Oh, well do you have a map?"
"I was going to fly over to the hotel then work out a route."
"Okey dokey lokey."
"So you are Pinkamena Diane Pie, competitor representing Ponyville?" The moustachioed clerk asked, one bushy eyebrow raised.
"Indeedy! When do we start skating?" Pinkie Pie asked, still bouncing slightly on the spot. Rainbow Dash looked away, embarrassed.
The clerk was unimpressed by the bubbly pony. "Not until tomorrow. Kindly report to Vanhoover Ice Dome at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow. Here's your room key."
Pinkie was stretching a hoof out to take the key when Rainbow Dash butted in. "What? We only get one room?"
"Yes... why?"
"No reason." The pegasus replied through gritted teeth, looking out of the corner of her eye at Pinkie chewing gently on her candy floss mane.
Once the lights were out and Rainbow Dash was trying to get used to sleeping on a solid mattress, Pinkie went still.
"Rainbow Dash?"
"Yes Pinkie?"
"Oh... nothing."
"Okay Pinkie. Goodnight."
"Wait, Rainbow?"
The rainbow pony sighed silently. "Yes Pinkie?"
"I feel nervous about tomorrow."
"Why would you feel nervous? You're such a great skater. In Ponyville you do it effortlessly!"
"But... all those ponies watching."
"Hey, you supported me at the Best Young Fliers Competition. I'll be in the crowd to cheer you on."
Pinkie went silent again. "How did you get over your nerves?"
The other pony paused for thought. "I just didn't think about it. Go out onto the ice and do your best."
"Thank you Rainbow."
***
"Fillies and Gentlecolts, welcome to the nineteenth annual Equestrian Ice Skating Competition. Thank you all for joining us here in the delightful Vanhoover Ice Dome for the qualifying rounds - twenty talented ponies will skate their hardest, but only five will make it to the finals tomorrow." The announcer's voice boomed through the public address system, clear enough that Rainbow Dash could hear every word backstage, where she was securing Pinkie's blue skates.
"Now are you sure you have no routine?" Rainbow asked in a hushed voice, trying not to let any of the other competitors hear.
"Oh, no no no. I'll just skate like I always do!" Pinkie replied, waving one of the metal blades dangerously close to her friend. "Oops, sorry Rainbow."
"Just do your best." The pegasus replied, looking at the number 20 pinned to Pinkie's flank. "You're qualifying last, so don't allow your nerves to get the better of you. I'll be in the crowd waiting."
"Okay Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow gave her friend a last reassuring smile before heading for the stands, confident that her pink friend would completely fail to qualify without a spectacular routine.
"Well well well, if it isn't the great Rainbow Dash." A sneering voice said as Rainbow neared the staircase. "I take it you're not skating today? A pegasus like you would be less than a joke on the ice."
It took Rainbow a few moments to work out who the voice belonged too, but when she turned and saw the blue unicorn she knew instantly.
"Trixie! What are you doing here?"
"Skating, of course." The same sneer continued. "Why else would I have these skates on my feet?"
"But magic isn't allowed. You'll be disqualified."
"Au contraire, my slow athletic friend. I simply don't use my magic."
Rainbow Dash was suspicious. Trixie had shown herself to be a liar during her brief yet eventful visit to Ponyville, and the pegasus didn't want anything to ruin Pinkie's big day. "Well, okay. But I'll be watching." She turned to go.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, tell me. Who are you supporting? Please tell me it's not that awful Applejack mare, she'd probably try and eat the ice!"
Eyes narrowed, Rainbow answered. "No, it's my best friend Pinkie Pie. She's easily the best skater here."
"Still such a foal. You'll see when I'm on the ice." With that, Trixie turned away, nose in the air, and headed back the way she came.
Shaking her head, the pegasus made her way into the stands, ready to cheer on her friend.
"And competing seventh, we have... ahem, well, the Great and er, Powerful Trixie."
There was a smattering of hoof stamping as Trixie skated out into the spotlight, clearly soaking up the admiration. Rainbow just crossed her hooves and scowled.
A classical number struck up and Trixie pushed off, her trademark smirk still on her face.
As the routine continued, Rainbow was drawn more and more into it. Whilst the pegasus really disliked the bragging unicorn, there was no denying that she possessed real talent at skating. And there was no sign of any foul play - Trixie's horn remained unused as she executed difficult technical turns and graceful sweeps. Rainbow was far more interested in speed and danger than the elegant classical routine, but it was very impressive.
The final chords of the music played and Trixie spun on one hoof, finishing perfectly with her hooves flung wide. Rainbow joined in the rapturous hoof stamping, she couldn't help it. Maybe Trixie was different when she was on the ice.
"And the judges have awarded the Great and Powerful Trixie a score of eight point eight for that performance."
8.8 was easily enough to qualify and Trixie had her smirk back as she skated away.
"Finally, last but not least, competing twentieth we have Pinkamena Diane Pie!"
Rainbow cheered her loudest when her cheerful friend skated happily onto the ice. "Go Pinkie, yeah!"
The music turned out to be a catchy dance tune that Rainbow recognised from some of the parties Pinkie had thrown. Everything was going well, with the audience starting to stamp their hooves in time to the bouncy beat. But then Pinkie actually started skating.
Of course, the pegasus had expected it to be bad. But the crowd was stunned into silence as Pinkie began a series of crazy turns and spinning loops, spending most of her time on only one hoof or even bouncing up and down on the spot. It was nothing like Trixie's graceful routine. The only redeeming factor was that it did at least suit the music.
The party pony was doing handstands, backflips and all kinds of twists, not using her skates in any kind of good way. Even the pony operating the spotlight got lost sometimes.
The music stopped and Pinkie slid to a halt, mid-handstand. She somehow managed to hold it, looking over at the judges from her upside-down pose. Then she effortlessly flipped back to upright and skated away, with no hoof stamping at all from the confused audience.
Rainbow was torn between going to comfort her friend and waiting for the result. In the end she decided to wait for the result. At least that way she'd know just how bad it had been. Maybe if she scored three or four, then it wouldn't be totally terrible.
"Well, after that routine, we should know the scores of everypony in the contest. Ah, here we are. The judges have awarded Pinkamena Diane Pie a score of nine point five for that performance!"
All that was visible of Rainbow Dash was a rainbow-coloured blur as she ran backstage as fast as possible.
Pinkie was in tears, sitting by herself in a corner of the backstage room. Her pink mane seemed less voluminous than usual.
"Pinkie, you did it!" Rainbow shouted as she ran over. "You qualified with the best score of anypony!"
"I did?" The pink pony asked, her eyes still full of tears.
"You must have really impressed the judges. Your strategy worked!" Rainbow pulled her friend into a rare hug, even though she hated being sappy.
Pinkie smiled and leapt upwards, bouncing off the ceiling before landing on all fours, skates still attached. "Woo hoo! And I had so much fun! It was great, just skating around on one hoof or something, flipping and spinning... I've always wanted to do that kind of thing but normally I have to skate in straight lines so that the ice breaks up."
"You were definitely the best skater on the ice."
"So you're... Pinkie Pie." Trixie said with disdain, walking up to her skating rival. "Looks like we'll be competing tomorrow for the crown. Don't think you'll win it."
"Oh, I don't mind if I don't win. I just love having fun on the ice!" Pinkie smiled happily.
"Yes, well, you'll lose badly. I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, shall-"
"Nice to meet you Great and Powerful Trixie." Pinkie interjected, grabbing Trixie's hoof and shaking it. "I love meeting new friends, and I don't think we've ever met before, so that makes us new friends!"
"I am not your friend." Trixie said haughtily, pulling her hoof back. "I'm the mare who'll completely defeat you tomorrow."
"Oh, well, good luck! Maybe we can become friends at the after party? I hear there will be all kinds of nice drinks like sarsparilla and soda and-"
"Ugh!" The magical pony stormed away, leaving Pinkie looking bemused.
"Who got her horn in a twist?"
***
The rink was free for the rest of the afternoon so that the competitors could practice. Pinkie spent her time skating around the perimeter and saying "wheeeee, this is so fun!", so Rainbow left her to it and floated over to Trixie, who was sitting in the stands observing.
"I just wanted to say I thought your routine was really amazing, Trixie." Rainbow admitted, sitting down next to the unicorn. "Why aren't you practicing for tomorrow?"
"The Great and Powerful Trixie does not practice. She is perfect."
Rainbow shrugged. "Okay. So you're scouting out the competition? Good plan."
"I don't scout. I'm just here so I can laugh at the losers who the Great and Powerful Trixie will defeat tomorrow afternoon."
The pegasus found Trixie's attitude hard work, but kept persevering. "Well, okay then. Good luck tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to seeing your routine."
Trixie didn't reply, so Rainbow went back to following Pinkie.
"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, I just completely forgot to put it in my bag! I hope it's still here." Pinkie's voice echoed through the empty corridors leading to the lockers. "Maybe some pony handed it in to lost property?"
"I'm sure it's still there." Rainbow said. They'd had to come back to the rink to retrieve Pinkie's missing skate. As Pinkie searched the lockers, Rainbow noticed that the lights were on in the rink. "One minute Pinkie, I'll be back in a flash." She barely heard the "okey dokey lokey" response as she flew into the rink to see what was going on.
The scene which met her made her gasp. There was nopony around except for Trixie, who was still sat in the stands. But her horn was glowing brightly and her skates were zooming around on the ice, clearly enchanted.
"Cheater!" Rainbow Dash said angrily, watching closely as the enchanted skates completed the routine without Trixie's involvement. "I knew something was up!"
"Can we go now Rainbow? I'm quite tired." Pinkie said when Rainbow returned. "I need my sleep for tomorrow's final! I'm so excited, I've never been so-"
"Listen up Pinkie. Trixie is cheating! She's making her skates do the routine whilst she just waves her hooves around!" Rainbow said, eyes blazing. "You have to beat her tomorrow! It won't be fair if she wins!"
Pinkie shook her head. "I'm just going to do my best."
Rainbow beat her wings in frustration. "Pinkie, you have to! You need to learn a routine and everything. Today's was cool and everything but it won't impress them twice."
"I'm here to have fun, not to make other ponies lose."
"You don't understand! Cheating is wrong!"
"Maybe, but you should report it to the authorities."
As they lay in the hotel room, Rainbow couldn't believe that Pinkie would prefer to have fun than get even with a cheater. Surely she realised how important it was to put the arrogant unicorn in her place? Show that cheats never prosper? The pegasus resister the urge to growl in frustration and just rolled over onto her side, wishing that the next day would just arrive already.
***
"In the final round, each pony will perform a routine. The highest scoring routine will win, and marks will be given for the difficulty of the routine and the elegance with which it is executed." The official announced to the five remaining competitors. "Good luck everypony."
"I can't wait!" Pinkie said happily, her hoof around Rainbow's shoulders. "This is going to be so fun!"
"Yes, fun." Rainbow said unenthusiastically. "Look Pinkie, won't you please just try to win?"
"Nopey dopey! I'm here to take part, not to win!"
Rainbow retired to the stands, resigning herself to the fact that Trixie would win when she didn't deserve to. Trixie was up first, to make matters worse, and the crowd eagerly awaited her performance.
"More classical rubbish." The blue pony complained to herself before being shocked when a bouncy dance number came on. Trixie began skating in exactly the same style that Pinkie had used, flipping and turning to the beat.
"A cheat and a copycat!" Rainbow said, smacking her hooves together. "I can't believe this!"
"If she wants to dance like me, she can. Please Rainbow Dash, I don't want to be all competitive." Pinkie replied when Rainbow informed her of Trixie's copying. "Ice skating is always about having the most fun."
By the time Pinkie came out onto the ice, Trixie was miles ahead on the scoreboard. Her score of 9.2 looked like it would probably be enough to win the contest, and if Rainbow hadn't wanted to loyally wait for her friend's routine to finish, she would have left already.
Instead of her previous dance number, Pinkie had chosen a heavy techno beat, and she skated to the edge of the rink. Then she started just skating in circles around the rink, like she had done the previous day in practice, laughing to herself inexplicably.
"Come on Pinkie, don't throw it away." Rainbow urged from the stands, sure that her friend was just going to go round and round endlessly.
And that's exactly what Pinkie did, but she began to pick up more and more speed, spinning around faster and faster until she was nothing but a pink blur.
"Now this is my kind of routine!" The pegasus shouted, jumping up and down. "So fast and awesome! Yeah!"
Pinkie kept going faster and faster, scoring deep grooves into the ice as she did so. When the music stopped, she went into a wild spin, finishing exactly in the middle with a flourish.
"The judges have awarded Pinkamena Diane Pie a score of 9.2!"
The dead tie was a bad thing. It meant that the two ponies had to skate-off, and Rainbow wasn't sure if her shredded nerves could take it. Whilst she wanted to support her friend, part of her was definitely wanting Trixie to lose.
"The skate-off will begin shortly. Trixie will perform first."
The crowd hummed excitedly. There had never been a skate-off in the ice skating championships before, and with two talented skaters it looked like a doozy.
If Rainbow hadn't known she was a cheat, she would have thought Trixie's performance to be nearly flawless. She returned to her classical routine but did it with such elegance and poise that you could hardly fault it. Rainbow couldn't see any way it could get less than 9.5 again, which Pinkie would find tough to beat.
But then, as Trixie performed a triple spin under the spotlight, a crowd of hundreds looking on, her extravagant hoof wave to the judges backfired. She overbalanced and fell to the ice in a heap, her mane a mess.
Everypony present took in breath in unison, waiting until she got up. The music stopped and Trixie shakily got up, before storming off the ice in anger. Clearly the mistake had cost her the contest, Pinkie simply had to skate around a little to win. Rainbow was secretly pleased.
"The judges have awarded the Great and Powerful Trixie five point zero."
Pinkie skated slowly into the spotlight, ready for her skate off. The bouncy dance music started, but Pinkie simply looked at the crowd, seemingly in wonder.
"Come on Pinkie, skate!" Rainbow shouted, annoying a few of the ponies around her in the stands.
Pinkie didn't respond. She simply stood there for a few moments, before suddenly dropping to the ice, skates going in all directions. The crowd gasped again.
"Noooo, Pinkie!" The blue pony couldn't take it. Pinkie was forfeiting to let Trixie win, even though she was a cheat! "Don't!"
But Pinkie skated away, her head held high.
"The judges have awarded Pinkamena Diane Pie... two point one. The Great and Powerful Trixie is our champion!"
Rainbow expected Trixie to not come out and receive her prize, but she did. She basked in the glory, her smirk returning in a big way. When interviewed, she told the microphone all about how she'd known she would win all along and Pinkie's forfeit had been because she was afraid to take on the Great and Powerful Trixie, even after her fall. The unicorn held the trophy high and laughed as the camera flashes recorded her moment of triumph.
***
Rainbow didn't move from her seat, even when everypony else had left. She was too upset that a cheater had got her way.
"Rainbow?" Pinkie asked quietly, sitting down in the seat next to her pegasus friend, still wearing her skates. "Are you okay?"
"I suppose so. I just hate Trixie."
"Oh, don't worry about her. There's always next year. Maybe she'll have stopped cheating by then?"
Rainbow laughed derisively. "I doubt it. Why did you let her win?"
"I didn't want to win after she fell. Falling down is never any fun, unless it's on a trampoline, or a bouncy castle, or into a giant cake." Pinkie said, hugging Rainbow. "Thank you for coming here and supporting me."
Rainbow just shrugged. "Well done for coming second. That silver trophy looks awesome."
"I'm going to keep it in price of place at Sugarcube Corner." Pinkie started, but saw her friend's sad face and stopped. "Dashie, will you come with me?"
"Huh?"
"Come on, I want to show you something."
Rainbow followed her friend, her hoofsteps heavy and her shoulders sagging.
"Put these on."
"I can't ice skate, Pinkie. My wings make me unbalanced." Rainbow replied, looking at the spare set of skates.
"Just do it. For me? I want to repay you for coming with me."
Rainbow shrugged and slipped the skates on. She couldn't walk in the funny blades, so she flapped her wings to follow Pinkie Pie towards the rink. Of course, Pinkie could walk effortlessly in the skates.
"Step onto the ice, but hold onto the side." Pinkie instructed.
Rainbow did as she was told, the spotlight still shining down onto the white rink. It all seemed so... cold. And scary. And slippery.
"Now, bite onto my tail."
"Pinkie, this is silly. I can't bite your tail."
"Do it Rainbow! You'll enjoy it."
Pink tail now firmly between her teeth, Rainbow nodded, her knees shaking. And then Pinkie Pie pushed off from the side, skating along with Rainbow Dash in tow.
At first, Rainbow hated the experience and kept her eyes screwed shut. But when she realised that they weren't crashing or falling over, and that they were actually moving quite quickly, she opened her eyes and began to enjoy herself.
Pinkie towed Rainbow around the rink again and again, pulling the pegasus pony round as fast as she could. When she looked over her shoulder, the look on the blue pony's face showed that she was loving the thrill.
"Hold on Dashie, let's go even faster!"
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learnt two lessons about friendship. Firstly, I learnt that sometimes, it's important not to let your personal feelings get involved in a competition, and that maybe winning isn't always the fairest thing to do. Making new friends is the best part of any kind of competition. And secondly, I learnt that it's always best to have fun when you're doing something you enjoy. One of my best friends showed me this today and I hope I never forget it.
Your faithful... well, future Wonderbolt,
Rainbow Dash
