Best in the World

Rainbow Dash was a nervous wreck. Her conversation with C.M. Pony had left her angered without a doubt, but it also left her feeling uneasy. She started to regret ever approaching him in the first place. She tried to tell herself he was just bragging without anything to back it up. But the way he spoke, the confidence in his own abilities did not support this theory.

She vaguely started to hear the numbers being called at differing intervals. She even started to make out the sounds of the announcer outside announcing the name of the contestant and where they were from. She continuously tried and failed to block out all of the surrounding sound so she could work out the performance she had been planning for weeks out in her head one final time. She had practiced much to hard to let nerves get the better of her now. She couldn't let her fiends down, but more importantly she couldn't let herself down.

"Number thirty-four!" called the old mare"You're up!"

Dash was jolted into reality once again. She couldn't believe how much time had passed without her noticing. She then began to realize how much closer she was to her number being called. Rainbow became visually flustered by this revelation. She then took notice of C.M. Pony chuckling to himself on the opposite wall. Rainbow shot him a death glare that any rational pony would wilt under, but only served to encourage C.M. Pony.

"Feeling nervous Rainbow Dash?" He asked with a smug grin.

"Shut up" Rainbow replied dismissively.

"Oh now you don't feel like trading the witty banter with me?" he asked mockingly.

Rainbow began to ignore him trying to use some of the calming breathing techniques Fluttershy had taught her. They proved ineffective in this instance as mocking laughter of C.M. Pony increased.

"Aw what's the matter Rainbow?" he asked "Are you ignoring me now?"

"Number forty-one, your up!" called the old mare once again.

"Looks like your destiny is close at hand." he stated "How does that make you feel?"

Rainbow couldn't stand it any longer 'It feels like I'm gonna kick your flank!" she screamed.

C.M. clapped his hooves together with a laugh. "There's the Rainbow Dash we all know and love!" he exclaimed.

"Egotistical and ignorant right up to the very end." he stated.

Rainbow felt ready to explode at him when she heard the old mare "Number forty-four, your up!"

"Well Rainbow this is it just you and me." C.M. said "I am going to take you down in front all your friends and fans."

Rainbow was angered but a thought occurred to her "Why do you have it out for me so bad" she asked.

C.M. Pony raised his eyebrows "I'm surprised you don't remember me Rainbow Crash."

Rainbow was shocked and C.M. continued "I was the best in that stupid flight camp and everypony knew it." he said as his frown deepened. "But after the stunt you pulled with the sonic rainboom all eyes fell on you."

"And now I finally get to give you your much deserved comeuppance." he said with a satisfied smile.

Rainbow tried to take it all in. He has been holding a grudge against her since flight camp when she was just a filly. And now he was on some kind of mission of revenge. What was she to do? Try and upstage him? Apologize and try to befriend him? What would her friends do?

Her thought's were interrupted by the old mare one last time "Number forty-nine!"

"Your up" C.M. Pony finished.