If there was one thing that Pegasi culture had praised since their ancient days, it was athletics. Considering their origins were from a military-based empire focused on combat and physical prowess, it wasn't surprising to see that the most worshiped and admired ponies in pegasi society were individuals with such skills. Those who had made history in the sky were given paragon-like status.
The highest of these heroes were the Wonderbolts. They were seen as the epitome of Pegasi paragons. Not only were they considered the greatest fliers in the nation, but they were also a top-tier military branch trusted to keep Equestria safe. It wasn't just a group of ponies who had performed tricks for crowds. They were tough, skilled soldiers ready to risk their lives to defend their citizens from danger. Even when you retired, a Wonderbolt was always seen as a true hero among their kind.
Rainbow Dash had been one of those little fillies and colts who dreamed of becoming a Wonderbolt. However, unlike those who grew out of those dreams or gave up, the rainbow-manned mare had dedicated her entire life to making her dream come true. There were plenty of challenges that Dash had to deal with, from dealing with her own fears of failure to having to prove herself to her peers. It sometimes felt that saving the world from evil was a lot easier than trying to become a Wonderbolt. But Rainbow Dash did it. She had become what she had dreamed most of doing, and now, after twenty years of service, it felt strange to retire.
Rainbow had been so focused on being a Wonderbolt that she never really considered what life would be like after she was a Wonderbolt. Sure, she married her rival-turned-lover Applejack and eventually settled down shortly after Twilight formally took over Equestria. Still, she always thought she'd be a Wonderbolt forever. But a little over a year ago, she finally hung up her suit and joined her teammates in the blissful wonders of retirement. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't still show up to conventions like Ponycon with her old unit.
"I swear this convention gets bigger and bigger every year," Fleetfoot said as she, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, and his wife Spitfire walked down the convention lanes past the various booths. Each offered examples of new sports products, promoting teams in multiple sports, and promoting current and retired stars in today's leagues.
"Well, having other races living in Equestria has helped in the past few years," Rainbow Dash pointed out as she waved to a few Hippogriffs and Yaks wearing Wonderbolt memorabilia. Some of them were of hers and her team. Still, a good number of them had the next generation of the Wonderbolts on them, including Dash's old student Silverstream who had become the first non-pony to become a Wonderbolt. "But hey, that's more fans for us. Right?"
"True enough," Fleetfoot chuckled as she flared her wings out for a few nearby foals waving at her. "Glad to see we're still remembered despite all being retired."
"I feel our team will be remembered for a long time," Spitfire assured them with a grin. "A lot of crazy stuff happened during our run."
"Yeah, thanks to Rainbow Crash," Soarin joked as Dash rolled her eyes before lightly hitting him in the shoulder. "You have to admit. Ever since you joined our team, we've gone on some crazy adventures."
"What can I? Adventure and I go together like PB&J," Rainbow Dash declared with a grin.
"You call getting lost in an unknown tundra for six weeks with flying ice wolves hunting us down because they thought we were invading their territory an adventure?" Soarin asked in disbelief.
"Not as bad as that time we had to help evacuate an entire donkey society from an exploding volcano on that island," Spitfire chimed in. "It took us forever to convince them to leave their home before they became ash. Donkeys can be such stubborn creatures."
"Anyway," Rainbow Dash looked around, eyebrow raised, "where is our autograph booth? I think the guy said it was right here?"
"I think I see it over there," Fleetfoot pointed out before her eyes widened. "Oh..."
"What?" Soarin asked.
"Check out who's next to us."
Rainbow Dash eventually found the colorful blue and rainbow colors of the Wonderbolts booth all prepared for them. Right next to them was a black and green booth with a familiar logo of a green lightning bolt on fire. It was only when she saw who was among the ponies at that booth that Rainbow Dash grumbled to herself. "The Washouts."
Of all the things Rainbow Dash hadn't expected to continue after all these years, and gain a following over time, was the Washouts. It was an extreme stunt group initially consisting of failed academy students who were denied the chance to become Wonderbolts. In time, the group took others under their wing. While there was a lot of controversy in their starting years, the group remained popular enough to this day. Even long after she retired, Lighting Dust was still seen as the head of the Washouts and had personally trained the current generation's team. And while she had been the source of such controversy, Lighting Dust had eventually changed her behavior for the most part. She was respected among certain circles for bringing in a new and creative means of entertainment.
Personally, Rainbow Dash and Lighting Dust rarely had interactions with one another ever since she almost got Scootaloo killed with that stupid stunt of hers. She had seen her fighting on their side during the battle against Crystalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow, so at least she wasn't really a villain compared to those guys. But beyond that, the few times they had seen each other, they just glared and ignored their presence.
However, Lighting Dust decided to finally break from their usual actions and smirked upon seeing the Wonderbolts. She told the other Washouts something before walking over to the four, who stared at her silently. "Well, look who finally showed up. You guys must be getting on in years since we've been waiting an hour for you to arrive."
"Did you put our booths together, Lighting Dust?" Rainbow Dash asked, narrowing her eyes at the smirking stunt pony. "What are you planning?"
"Believe it not, Dash, I didn't even plan this out," Lighting Dust replied as she nodded to both their booths. "If I had my way? I'd make sure we were far from opposite ends of each other, but it's too late to change that now. I don't like being next to you guys as much as you like being next to us."
"Well, at least we agree on that at least," Spitfire grumbled as she made her way to the booth. "Just try not to do anything to sabotage our line of fans, Lighting Dust. Wouldn't want you endangering anyone like you did at the Academy."
"Oh, come on," Lighting Dust muttered, rolling her eyes. "How long are you going to hold that over me? It was years ago. Besides, I'm not the same Lighting Dust as I was back then. Well, somewhat. I'm still better than you guys at being awesome."
"Save the world a few times, and then we'll talk," Rainbow Dash pointed out with a satisfying smirk as Lighting Dust glared at her.
"That doesn't count. Being picked by destiny is a cheap way to be a national hero," Lighting Dust pointed out.
"Sounds like cope to me," Fleetfloot said, which made her and Soarin bump hooves. "Now, if you excuse us, we need to get ready to greet our fans."
"Fine, I got to do the same as well," Lighting Dust said as she turned around with a flick of her tail. "After all, we're going to get a bigger crowd than you guys ever will."
"Excuse me, but what?" Fleetfoot chuckled as she pointed to the Washouts. "You guys might be popular, but no stunt team is more popular than the Wonderbolts."
"Wonderbolts are old news and too traditional," Lighting Dust stated with a roll of her eyes. "Extreme stuff is the new thing. You guys are in yesterday's popularity. We're the new hot stuff."
"Oh, I did not just hear that," Spitfire growled as she marched up to Lighting Dust and growled. "Listen here, Cadet-"
"That's Leader," Lighting Dust interrupted with a snort. "I ain't one of your students at the Academy anymore, Spitfire. We're the same rank as far as I am concerned."
"Whatever," Spitfire replied as she poked Lighting Dust in the chest. "The Wonderbolts are not just the prime legacy of the pegasi but Equestria as a whole. We're the best of the best, and every creature with wings dreams of being one of us. You guys might be the new popular thing around here. Still, we're the dynasty of the skies and always will be, with a better and richer history than your little band of punks ever will be."
"Yeah, and the four of us were part of the greatest generation of Wonderbolts that has ever been seen," Rainbow Dash added as the four stood proud. "What makes you think that you can compete with us?"
Lighting Dust grinned. "How about a little bet, then?"
"What kind of bet?" Soarin asked.
"We'll see who gets the most fans to come to their booth by the end of the convention. Winner buys the other drinks," Lighting Dust proposed as she held her hoof out. "What's wrong? Chicken?"
"How do we even know you'll play fair?" Rainbow Dash pointed out.
"Ugh, fine. How about this? We can use whatever means we want to get the fans' attention save for sabotaging the other side? Better?" Lighting Dust asked before spitting into her hoof and holding it out. "Now, are we going to do this, or do you oldies need diapers to go with those lame outfits?"
One by one, the Wonderbolts all looked at each other before nodding as Rainbow Dash, deciding to represent them, spat into her hoof and bumped it with Lighting Dust. "Let's do this."
***
When some of the other Wonderbolts attending the convention learned of the bet, they too, were determined to help out and see their side win. Not for the free drinks but because it was a matter of pride. And all fliers, regardless of their race, had a large measure of pride for good or ill. Once the convention was firmly open and flooded with fans, the two lines of the Wonderbolts and Washouts were instantly flooded. It was too close to call early in the bet to see who was winning. Still, each time a fan asked for an autograph, photo, or piece of memorabilia, a point was added to the tally counter for either side. Sometimes the Bolts went ahead, and then sometimes, the Outs went ahead, with the two sides switching for first place almost as quickly as they could fly.
Despite wanting to win, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel energetic from all the competitive energy between them. One thing she could say about Lighting Dust was that she was a good rival. Something Dash honestly had lacked ever since she married her old one years ago. She’s still a jerk with a bolt up her flank, though.
“Hmm, there has to be something we can do to get more creatures on our side,” Soarin wondered as he noticed that there were just a few long lines on the Washout’s side than their own.
“Any ideas?” Fleetfoot asked.
“Relax, I got this,” Rainbow Dash assured them as she decided to fly up a bit into the air. She put her hooves to her mouth and shouted, “Hey! Who wants to see a Sonic Rainboom?!”
Even if you were not a big fan of flying stunts, practically everyone had heard of what a Sonic Rainboom was. This got the attention of almost every creature everywhere as voices of excitement were heard in all directions. Rainbow Dash, despite her age, was still capable of doing them with ease and to this day it was still the best trick in her arsenal. Seeing the attention all on her, Rainbow Dash took a moment to check out Lightning Dust’s reaction, and seeing her scowling was enough to make her smile grow a few more inches.
After doing a few light exercises, Rainbow Dash saw an opening in the window-covered ceiling by spotting an open one for the light breeze. With a flap of her wings, she flew right through the window and found herself in the open sky. Doing a few flips in the air to get her wings properly stretched, Rainbow Dash tried to find a good cloud to start her best trick and soon found it. Landing on it, Dash looked down and saw that she had just enough height to do her trick “Alright, Dash. Let’s kick some flanks and paint the sky.”
She bounced off the cloud and dived down, wings flat and body poised like an arrow to gain her first moment of speed necessary for the trick. She continued to plunge downward, closer and closer to the glass ceiling. Dash was sure the audience below was getting worried about her crashing through the glass. Then, at the last second, she curved upward and flew back up, much to the cheers of those below.
Dash then started spinning around to gather centrifugal force around her as she then made her way to a large white cloud and started spinning around it. The gravity and pressure building around her gave her extra power around her body, and she felt the familiar electric feeling building up in her hair. Dash gritted her teeth, not just in concentration but also in excitement and anticipation. Knowing that she was getting on in years, Rainbow Dash knew there would come a day when she wouldn’t be able to make this move anymore. So every chance she got to use this move was something she would always treasure forever more.
Once she felt she had enough force, Rainbow Dash decided it was time for the final part of the trick. She dived straight down like last time but faster and more narrowly to create the energy that was building up around her. Rainbow Dash could feel it trying to push against her weight, almost like a shield of an invisible aura that refused to be broken. However, she was Rainbow Dash, and nothing prevented her from accomplishing whatever she put her mind and body to do. With a growl, she burst through the energy cone just as she was a mile away from the convention center. From that burst of energy erupted a large ring of rainbow energy.
Dash felt her heart soar and her spirit fly out in joy as she lifted herself up as a streak of rainbow decorated behind her. There was a pain in her joints from doing the trick, but it was worth it as she could hear the cheering and cries of joy even from her height above. Rainbow did a few more simple loops in the air before descending down at a regular pace through the open window where the supporters were stomping their hooves or clapping their limbs. Bowing in the air, Rainbow Dash returned to her teammates, who were all congratulating her for another successful Sonic Rainboom. She then glanced over at Lighting Dust, who was frowning with her forelegs crossed at first. However, Dash soon saw a competitive grin on Lightning Dust’s face and whispered something to one of her fellow Washouts, who grinned and left in a hurry.
This made Dash frown in return, but a part of her was expecting this. After all, Lightning Dust had her own tricks to pull out, and no doubt she would be planning to do one of her own. But I’ll worry about that later, Dash thought as her side of the booth suddenly doubled in terms of creatures in line waiting for autographs and photos.
***
Rainbow Dash's plan to get them more fans for the lines had worked in spades, and for nearly an hour, the side of the Wonderbolts was twice as big as the one for the Washouts. The Washouts were clearly upset about the whole thing, which only made the Wonderbolts smiles even bigger. Still, Rainbow Dash never stopped noticing that Lighting Dust kept her cool even after the performance that lost her the lead.
"She's up to something," Dash whispered to Fleetfoot as they drank from some water bottles. They were all taking a break, but so were the Washouts. They soon all left shortly after and hadn't been seen since.
"Come on, you're being paranoid," Fleetfoot replied with a roll of her eyes. "That Sonic Rainboom you did practically nailed this bet for us in the bag. She's got nothing that can compete with what you've done."
"Maybe," Rainbow Dash muttered. "But I still think-"
"Attention, all conventioneers!" The announcer of the convention spoke, which got every creature's attention. "This is a last-minute announcement, but the Washouts have just told us they got a special show outside the convention center that is free for all creatures! They'll start in ten minutes, so if anyone wants to see one of the best daredevils in the world perform some fantastic stunts, now is the time!"
"Ah, Ponyfeathers!" Dash cursed as the announcer's statement worked as crowds of creatures started making for the exits to get outside. "Come on!"
The others didn't need to be told twice as they flew as fast as possible.
***
"Okay. Lighting Dust? She's lost it."
Rainbow Dash didn't voice it like Fleetfoot, but she shared the same thoughts. The Washouts had quickly managed to put together an awe-inspiring stunt track in a short amount of time, making Dash wonder how they did it in the first place. The stunt track started with your simple long downhill road about twenty feet in the air, followed by three loops. But that wasn't the crazy part. Then there was a jump that went through five rings of fire and electrified simultaneously. But that wasn't the craziest part. It finally ended with a springboard that would catapult the one doing the trick into a safety net ten feet away for the finish. But that still wasn't the crazy part.
The crazy part was that Lightning Dust was doing this on a skateboard while blindfolded and her wings tied down by rope.
Rainbow Dash would admit that she didn't like Lighting Dust very much, but even she wouldn't want her rival to get seriously hurt. However, Lightning Dust didn't look one bit afraid as she prepared for her stunt with the team doing a final safety and equipment check. The crowd sounded just as energetic as Rainbow Dash's when she was doing her Sonic Rainboom. Many creatures were already cheering and begging her to do the trick as medical units stood by just in case.
One advantage of Stunt Performing over Stunt Flying, like the Wonderbolts, was that the entire point was to do the tricks without wings, magic, or anything save for pure athletic skill. Rainbow Dash wouldn't deny that it was more complex and versatile, but it was much more dangerous and required such perfect planning that one wrong slip could send you to the hospital.
Or the grave.
Preparing herself, Lighting Dust waited for a buzzer to signal that she was ready to go. After nodding that she was ready, Lighting Dust got on her skateboard and let them blindfold her. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes, and, despite knowing that this might close the gap between the two teams, she actually hoped that Lightning Dust would come out of this alive and well. Everyone went quiet as they waited for the trick to begin, the entire area as silent as if it was the dead of the night. Time seemed to slow down as sweat was building up on everyone's brow. A few were even shaking with anticipation. Despite what had to be enormous amounts of pressure, Lighting Dust looked as cool as a cucumber.
Finally, the buzzer went off, and Lighting Dust kicked herself into high gear. The skateboard went downward without stopping as Lighting Dust leaned forward, gritting her teeth to gain speed. The first loop came and was cleared. Then the second and the third. Dash wasn't much of a skater like her biggest fan Scootaloo was. Still, she remembered Scootaloo telling her idol that a loop was top-tier in board tricks. To do three simultaneously was nearly impossible. Scootaloo would have flipped her mane if she knew that Lighting Dust had done just that.
Everyone held their breath as the trick's next essential and most dangerous part came up. Lightning Dust didn't once decrease her speed, and yet she let herself apparently place herself harder on the board. Rainbow Dash now wished she understood boarding better than she did despite her friendship with Scootaloo. Tricks in the air and aerodynamics? Rainbow Dash could figure it all out in ten seconds flat. Tricks on the ground? Applejack could tell you better than Dash.
The rainbow-manned pegasus held her breath as Lighting Dust made it to the edge of the jump, and she sailed through the air. Everything seemed to slow down as Lighting Dust scrunched down as low as she could and started flying through all the rings. The embers of the flame and tiny sparks of electrical bolts flickered as Lighting Dust soon cleared through them one by one. By the final one, she had nearly hit the ring's edge, which made everyone gasp. Relieved breaths were released as Lighting Dust landed on the other end without falling over and quickly jerked the skateboard back on track before it made it to the springboard.
Lighting Dust sailed into the air with a large jolt, her board long gone as she did a few flips. Once she started to descend, she extended her limbs and landed safely in the net.
A split second later, the crowd roared like an army that had achieved victory in battle. Lighting Dust took the blindfold off and held it up with pride as she was quickly helped out of the net. Once her wings were freed, she flew up and bowed as the audience cheered and clapped. The name "Lighting Dust" was shouted multiple times as balloons and streamers were shot out of mini-cannons hidden behind the crowd.
"Damn, she is good," Spitfire said as she started clapping. The others soon did as well, with Rainbow Dash slowly doing so before joining at average speed. Even she had to admit it was an awesome trick.
Lighting Dust, as if sensing that they were clapping, looked at them and smirked with confidence before joining her teammates, congratulating their organization's founder. The four Wonderbolts looked at each other before heading back inside, no longer needing to see what was happening. It took a while for them to stop hearing the cries of the excited crowd.
***
Lightning Dust's gamble paid off, and soon it was the Washouts that had bigger lines than the Wonderbolts, with said pegasus having the most out of all of them. The Wonderbolts still had an extensive line, but it had drastically diminished. However, more than one fan switched to the other after getting an autograph or photo of one of the athletes on the other side. It was agreed to count them for both if it happened, regardless of who got it first.
Needing a break, Rainbow Dash excused herself to go use the restroom. When she got to the bathroom, she quickly used a stall to relieve herself before heading to the sink to wash her hands. Just as Dash was about to dry her hooves, the door opened, and in came Lighting Dust, who looked just as surprised to see Dash but soon shrugged and went over to a stall. She paused upon seeing Dash looking at her and raised an eyebrow. "What? Want to compete to see who can pee the longest next?"
"One, ew. Second, I just wanted to say," Dash took a deep breath before grinning. "That was pretty cool. What you did, I mean. You did all that blindfolded and without using your wings? That took guts."
Lightning Dust looked surprised at first before she smirked and nodded. "Thanks. I found it pretty rad that you could still do that Sonic Rainboom at your age. Doesn't it hurt?"
"Sometimes a few hours later, but I got a nice bath that takes care of that. Plus, my wife is a good masseuse. Comes with all the work she does with her legs," Rainbow Dash answered.
"Yeah, my husband is really great with those claws of his. In more ways than one," Lightning Dust replied with a slight pervy grin.
"W-What?!" Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped as she stared at Lighting Dust. "You're married?"
"Yeah, didn't know that?" Lightning Dust asked with genuine curiosity.
"No! And claws? Wait, are they a griffin?"
"Changeling," Lightning Dust replied before chuckling upon seeing the even more shocked face of Rainbow Dash. "I know. Surprised me as well. But it happened. Been married for fifteen years now."
"Heh, nearly twenty for me and AJ," Rainbow Dash replied.
"Not everything is a competition," Lighting Dust huffed.
"This coming from you of all ponies?"
"So what?"
The two stared at each other for a long time before they burst out laughing and shook their heads at their antics. Sighing, Rainbow Dash looked at Lighting Dust with a smile, who returned one of her own before frowning. Clearing her throat, Lightning Dust said, "Alright, let's get this over with. I'm sorry I was a jerk before. You were right about me. I disregarded not just the safety of others but my own."
"What made you finally learn your lesson?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Nearly getting killed and being in a hospital for six months on a trick gone wrong," Lighting Dust replied while looking down. "I saw my life flash before my eyes, and I thought I was dead that day. I didn't like what I saw and did a lot of thinking while recovering. Made the tricks and team safer, fixed my attitude, and finally moved on from that grudge we had....for the most part. I still want to beat you and all."
"I can live with that, so long as it's done safely," Rainbow Dash said as she walked over and held her hoof out. "Truce?"
"Truce." Lighting Dust bumped hooves, and just like that, years of animosity faded as if it wasn't there in the first place. "Now, if you excuse me, I gotta wiz before going back out there and helping my team kick yours butt in that bet we have."
"Day's not over yet. We're still in the lead," Rainbow Dash teased as she walked out of the restroom feeling more refreshed than she had been all day.
***
It really had all come down to the wire. The numbers were neck and neck. Eventually, the convention drew to a close. When the last of the posters were signed, photos taken, and hooves inked on the signature books, everyone on both teams got together to see the final score.
And neither side could believe it.
“A TIE?!” Every Bolt and Wash shouted in shock and then groaned. If there was one thing competitive ponies hated, it was a tie.
“Well, great, so what do we do? Have a tiebreaker?” Fleetfloot asked in frustration.
“How are we going to do that?” One Washout asked before a figure started running towards them. The mare was dressed in a long brown coat and stanton hat while looking at the two groups with deep breaths.
“S-Sorry?! I’m I late?!” She said before taking off her hat.
Everypony gasped and quickly bowed before the one standing before them. Well, all except Rainbow Dash, who smirked and waved. “Hey, Princess Flurry Heart. Didn’t know you were coming to this convention.”
“Well, I kinda am not supposed to be here. I’m incognito,” Princess Flurry Heart replied with a chuckle. The young mare was a stunning image of her mother in beauty while having her mane style similar to her father’s yet with some bits of her Aunt Twilight. “I love coming to this convention, so I have to hide every year to ensure I’m not swabbed by other ponies who want to meet me.”
“That’s okay, Princess,” Spitfire said with a smile as she stood up along with the others. “Your secret is safe with us.”
“Great! Since that’s the case,” Princess Flurry Heart then pulled out a small book and a quill. “Could I have your autograph? I want to add it to my collection.”
“Sure th-huh?!” Spitfire’s mouth dropped as the princess handed it over to a surprised Lighting Dust. “Y-You’re a Washout fan?”
“Yup! Their tricks are really cool! Not that I don’t like the Wonderbolts, but I also think their costumes are cooler,” Princess Flurry Heart replied with a smile as a stunned Lightning Dust signed the book. “Thanks! I better get going before my train arrives. Great to see you all!”
She soon teleported away, and the two groups just stood there silent.
“Um, does that count?” Soarin asked, but even the Washouts looked unsure.
However, before anyone could say anything, Rainbow Dash stood forward and held her hoof out. “Let’s not bother thinking about it. It’s late, we’re tired, and we should both be happy that we got so many fans. I’m willing to let this end now if only because I’m really thirsty and could go for something hard and sweet right about now.”
She turned to the Washouts and said, “So how about this? We split the bill? Fifty-fifty, but we handle the tip? Deal?”
Lighting Dust looked at Dash before looking at her fellow stunt ponies, who looked at her and nodded. “Done. But we’re going to settle this over shots.”
“Oh, buck yeah,” Rainbow Dash replied with a grin. “And I’ll win that one. When you get access to the hard cider, the Apple family makes you build up a tolerance.”
“Hah! That’s weak sauce. Trying dragon blood wine. That’s the real hard stuff,” Lighting Dust replied, making everypony chuckle.
As they walked toward the exit, the two groups continued to boast about how much they could drink. However, Rainbow Dash noticed that their spirit of competition was less hostile and more friendly than before. She couldn’t help but smile as she walked side by side with her old wing pony.
Author's Note
This is the first of three commissions I took last year. Thanks again to Sunset_Shimmer83 for commissioning me. The second one is still being reviewed and the third one is in the works.
I am not accepting any more commissions at this time.
