The New Recruit

Ace spent the next three weeks at the academy without incident. Over that time, he'd made himself known to all other ponies at the facility. After all, the fact that there was a student that wasn't a pegasus was exciting news, and everypony wanted to see him. He was still a little bit shy, but as more and more cadets were coming around to his cause, he was becoming more and more comfortable around them. He was still a spectacle, but it wasn't long before he was a spectacle that was also a student.

He had been assigned a role in the kitchens, as requested, and had met the two unicorns that regularly showed up. They didn't step out onto the clouds like he did, just unloading their stock from the safety of their wagon, which was still pulled by pegasi. As Ace had a history in warehouses, he was quite helpful in unloading the stock and carrying it to where it needed to go, mostly to the pantry, fridge and freezer.

As he was having breakfast, about a week before the classes began, Soarin walked up to him and dropped a folded-up newspaper in front of him before sitting down across the table. "You made the front page," he said, sipping his coffee. "Bad press, but you're there."

Ace swallowed the bite of egg and sausage sandwich and set the rest of it down, wiping his hooves and mouth with a napkin. "May I?"

Soarin nodded.

Ace grabbed the paper and unfolded it. Sure enough, he was on the front page.

The Wonderbolts have always been known for their tricks. Loop-the-loops, barrel rolls, flatspins... but now it seems they've pulled the dirtiest trick of them all: fraud.

Our sources indicate that a certain earth pony, one Ace of Clubs (pictured above with mustard dripping down his lip) has been accepted into the Wonderbolts Academy as a student. Mr. Clubs has declined an interview with this publication.

When asked for her reason, Captain Spitfire had this to say: "He understands the risks involved and was willing to risk his life to come [to the Academy]. He's welcome to leave if he wishes, but I'm pretty sure he wants to stay. Besides, I feel sorry for the little guy." No further comments were given.

It is the opinion of this journalist that it is unfair to lead on a handicapped student such as Mr. Clubs and let him believe that he can actually pass any of the courses in the academy. Captain Spitfire has fraudulently allowed him to believe that he can...(cont. pg 7)

"So the media's printing lies again," shrugged Ace. "We can sue for libel, can't we?"

"Oh, Spitfire's already doing that. She left for Canterlot ten minutes ago. She just asked me to come ask you why you refused to talk to the reporter."

"I didn't know I had. Nopony's introduced themselves to me as a reporter, and this article doesn't list the author, so I can't tell you whether or not I talked to them at all. But I've talked to a lot of ponies over the past three weeks, too, so I can't remember all of the details of everypony I've met."

"Yeah, we thought that was suspicious..." He tapped the table twice with his hoof. "You can keep the paper. Or throw it out, if you like. I just needed to know what you said to them, and what they said to you. Knowing it was nothing, I can--"

"Wait... I just remembered, one of the ponies I met did have a notepad, and asked if I could go with her. I told her I was busy, and that I'd talk to her later, but she never showed up again. Could that have been her?"

Soarin shrugged. "Doesn't matter. If she didn't disclose that she was a reporter, then she has no case. I'm off to give my report. Just keep in mind that that article is now public, even if it is false. You might want to take caution because of it. Just because it's a lie doesn't mean it can't hurt you. Enjoy your breakfast."

Ace swallowed hard. He couldn't possibly enjoy his breakfast now. He was too upset. Still, he ate the rest of it and made his way to the gym. An hour on the treadmill helped him feel a lot better, and that was before he even started lifting weights. Exercise tended to have that effect. He'd had time to think on what he was going to do if anypony confronted him about the article, and his response couldn't have been simpler: He was going to tell the truth. He didn't remember ever talking to a reporter, there was no mention of an interview, and Spitfire told him that she had every confidence that he'd succeed.

After weight training, he took a shower, and Bub walked in shortly after. "Mornin' Ace," he smiled as he entered the next shower stall. "Doin' okay in that big, empty room by yourself?"

Ace nodded. Gent, Bub, and the other three were all moving on to their second term of courses, with bigger dorms to match. Twenty pegasi had failed to pass their exams out of the hundred that had been enrolled, and nineteen more had dropped out. Sixty-one students was pretty high for a second-year class, and a hundred more were on their way to replace the eighteen that had just graduated to Wonderbolts Reserves.

"So, I don't know if you've seen this morning's Canterlot Tribune, but--"

"I have," confirmed Ace. "That article about me is a lie."

"I figured as much. I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks, Bub. Soarin already let me know, though, so we're good."

"Good. You nervous?"

"Nah. I'll manage. Like I said, it's all lies."

"I meant your classes. They start in a week. Are you ready to take them?"

"Yeah. I've been studying."

"Studying's all well and good. But how are you going to pass your practical courses? What are you planning to do when on that first day, you have to pass the obstacle course?"

Ace just sighed. He didn't know how yet, but he was going to pass that obstacle course. If he had to try a hundred times, he was going to make it through. "I'll think of something..."