Night mare night

The big day

Her irritation from the lengthy wait evaporated and she bouncily strode to the desk where a dull expressioned female pegasus sat.

"Fourteen bits," said the mare dryly.

Rainbow Dash dropped the fourteen out of the fifteen bits she brought. "Thanks!" she exclaimed, elated.

"Uh huh." The pegasus turned her gaze to the next pony.

RD walked inside the stadium and surveyed the available spots. After a moment of browsing, she located the only cloud strip without anypony settled on it. She immediately perched on it.

"Dangit," somepony muttered. Rainbow had beaten them to the seat.

Rainbow ignored them and overlooked the bottom of the colesseum, searching for Soarin's navy mane. The announcer was just starting to introduce the Wonderbolts before their beginning race.

"The team captain and the most talented flyer—SPITFIRE!" Spitfire practically flared to the starting line from the colesseum basement. "The swiftest pegasus—FLEETFOOT!" Fleetfoot zipped in. Each time a Wonderbolt was named, cheering ensued. The announcer declared Surprise and Rapidfire. Rainbow knew the drill of the announcing order. Soarin' was next.

"Yes," she breathed, excited to see him.

"The quick yet extremely durable stallion—SOARIN'!" The pale cornflower pegasus streaked to Rapidfire's side.

Rainbow joined in the applause and hailing. "YEAH, GO SOARIN'!" Dash screamed. Her shouts were pointlessly drowned in the rest of the cheering, but she couldn't help herself.

The rest of the Wonderbolts were announced and all were arrayed at the starting line.

"Aaand for the first event," the announcer said, "the Wonderbolts will race fifteen laps and, while doing so, perform epic stunts that will blow your minds!" He nodded to the pegasus athletes. "On your mark-" The Wonderbolts crouched simultaneously. "Get set-" Their wings unfolded and outstretched. "GO!"

The pegasus athletes flew in a varying jagged line. Fumes with flickers of electricity billowed in their wake. Fleetfoot led with Rapidfire's muzzle on her tail. Spitfire and Soarin' constantly traded third and fourth place. Five minutes in, Rainbow Dash hardly widened her eyes with astonishment when Surprise skyrocketed to first.

"Poor Fleetfoot." Dash commented with a chuckle, looking sympathetically at the exasperated mare.

Soarin' looped in front of Spitfire in a burst of energy. He was swiveling through the air and in close range to RD. Soarin' did a bland dip past her and in that split second he whizzed by Dash could've sworn his strained frown lifted into a warm smile. She leaned forward and returned him a radiant beam. But the Wonderbolt had already left to a different section of the stadium and didn't see her smile nor maintain his. Spitfire stubbornly flew back into third and their seesaw of places resumed.

In the end, Soarin' won first, Spitfire occupied second, with Fleetfoot ironically in third. Surprise was grinning with fourth place and Rapidfire had barely crossed the finish line after her. All the Wonderbolt's were drained, though Soarin'was pretty pleased with his victory.

The audience whooped their joy of the remarkable race and stunts the Wonderbolts performed. Rainbow Dash had been engrossed as she watched it and was thrilled of Soarin's acknowledgment to her. However, they hadn't spoken and Dash was stumped as to how she would get that chance. Marching in and demanding to see Soarin' wasn't all too appealing for her. When he mentioned to Rainbow that he might have time to talk to her after the show, she was optimistic and confident of them managing to talk. Anxiety throbbed in her chest. She frantically thought of what to do.

"Bingo," she gasped. "I'll just—" I shouldn't say that aloud. Rainbow Dash realized, and then carried on with her idea. I'll just sneak in!

The Wonderbolts had flown back into the colesseum basement as the last of the cheers died away.

"After this half and hour break," the announcer informed the audience. "The Wonderbolts will perform synchronized aerial stunts!"

Everypony descended in babble with one another, while Dash, however, slunk behind the cloud seat. She would take a peek, and seeing that the coast was clear, would go forward to the next cloud. Rainbow was quite experienced in stealth. Of course, if she weren't, she wouldn't have been able to pull of the so successful pranks on Nightmare Night. Continuing that process, she lurked cautiously to the final cloud a short distance from the basement entrance.

Swallowing back down the fearful sensation seeming to well up her throat, Dash hesitated and took another glimpse of the stadium. She just couldn't make herself stop now. The reckless pagasus had done risky acts many times before (the results not always favorible) and was going to do one again.

Just get it over with. Dash silently commanded herself. Expelling any more wary consideration, she rushed in, a rainbow trail flowing behind her. She sighed. Piece of cake.

There was a yellow tiled hall connecting to a cozy lounge. The walls were dodger blue with a lightning stencil striking along it, imitating the Wonderbolt uniform. The tense pegasus slid her hooves across the floor making a muffled brushing sound to avoid being heard. While she scooted herself close to the wall, she heard the Wonderbolts exchanging words with eachother. Rainbow held her breath.

"So much for being the fastest pegasus, eh?" Soarin's voice said, amused.

"I'll beat you next time—I guarantee it," Fleetfoot retorted. "There was just a dumb cloud in the way." The Wonderbolt had accidentally rammed into a cloud during the race. The rest of the team got ahead of her and she caught up into third by the end.

"Ha, you're starting to sound a bit like how Spits did not too long ago."

She laughed. "Kinda, yeah."

Rainbow Dash, as softly as she could, exhaled and drew in another breath. She stood stiffly throughout the two's chit-chat.

"Darn!" Soarin' cursed. "Only fourteen minutes left. I'm gonna go shower and grab a snack. I hatebeing sweaty and hungry for the actual performances." His hooves slapped across the tile floor and gradually hushed into another room. Fleetfoot got up and headed in the opposite direction.

Dash loosened and gingerly stepped forward. She sighed, seeing the room was finally empty. Couches were tucked in corners and a long sofa in particular was centered in the room. Rainbow had to restrain herself from flopping onto its tempting velvet cushions. Behind it was a mannequin suited in a Wonderbolt uniform. She smiled at it, slightly wistful.