Pride in the Sky (Closed: Wonderbolts)

[RainbowFoxxy]

Spitfire could barely believe what she was seeing! She seethed inside as Lightning not only went too far in his pranking but ended up getting himself hurt. Once she was sure he was going to be ok, the Captain decided it was best to let the whole thing go for the moment. No reason to get upset with a pony that was going on a trip to the hospital. She would however, have a word with Lightning before he was allowed to fly formation with a Wonderbolts squad again. Now was the time to attend to the matters at hoof, namely testing out their new recruit. Rainbow had shown so much promise but she would need to be tested to the extreme to find out if she really was worthy of the uniform.

"If she tests out, let's give her Lightning's spot." She muttered to Soarin' as they took up their formation behind Rainbow. She wouldn't really strip him of his spot just like that but at the moment it sounded like a good idea to Spitfire.

They were flying over the coastline now. Spitfire could feel the soft sea breeze in her feathers as she flapped steadily on next to Soarin' and behind Rainbow. Up ahead she noted a rocky section of shoreline, complete with sea caves and tunnels. She flapped to catch up with Rainbow. "Hey, there's a section of sea tunnel ahead that really helps to pick up speed! You gotta be quick on your wings to navigate the openings and exits but it could be worth it to pick up some time since we have to go around the outside of the point anyway!"

She went back to Soarin's side. "We do have to go around the point anyway. Let's see how she does with the sea wind currents and wave timing down there."

[Bramble Rose]

Dash gulped as she watched Streak get pulled away, her eyes wide ... was this ... her fault?  She chewed on her lower lip the whole time, hovering nearby.  He'd seemed really upset with her ... she wasn't sure why, but ... had she done something wrong that had set him off?

And perhaps ... just maybe ... should she have told them that Soarin' was injured?

No, she couldn't rat on him that way.  And that included not telling Spitfire.  She'd just have to keep an eye out for him all by herself.  She flew back up to the pair of Wonderbolts waiting for her to find out they were giving her the honor of taking point... and her eyes widened in surprise.  "Sky Serpents?  Really?!"  She puffed out her chest and kicked at the air with her fore hooves.  Her voice squeaked as she cried out "AWEsome!  You can count on me!"  She almost hoped they'd run into one!  That sounded great!  Though the fact that Soarin' wanted her to distract it to buy him time... just confirmed for her how bad that wing was.

And Spitfire, all unknowing, suggested an alternate route that might make it hard for Soarin'.  She really, really thought that tunnel sounded like a lot of fun, but ... she glanced at Soarin'.  "I'm OK with it, I guess, if Soarin' thinks it's a good idea.  He's my partner, I gotta stick with what he decides!"  There.  Now Soarin' could come up with a reason not to go in, and Spitfire could be outvoted!

​

[SteelEagle]

“Well yeah. Sky Serpents like soft little fillies like you for breakfast. They make a meal-” a slight wince was ushered on in, an actor's tool he had picked up from performances in ages past, “-of you so we can escape. Don't worry, we'll tell tales of your bravery, won't we Captain?” Soarin' tittered back up towards Dash just as the sea wind current was found. Great!

For all of the playful jabs he enjoyed at the expense of Spitfire and her occasional bullheadedness, he equally enjoyed and respected her abilities. One of the more unsung abilities of a quality pegasus was the capability to spot and subject wind currents and bend them to your will. Almost all pegasi could do so easily, but it took a keen sense of flight to detect the sort of currents she could. Being able to direct her flight members among the currents was the sort of quality needed in a flight lead. If somepony was hurt, you could guide them to safety much easier. If you needed just that extra little push, a little bit of juice? Some currents were snappier and gave you more lift. She was the best of all the Wonderbolts at that, which explained how easily she was able to smooth them on over to the coastal current.

Her idea for it was sound as well. Rainbow Dash's testing was going to continue. It'd just have to take on a different flavor to it since Soarin' and Spitfire came at this from different angles. Of course, they agreed in a larger sense with what to do. She needed more experience in difficult flying environments. Experience was the greatest tool a talented flier could have in opposition to a difficult environment. Talent was always helpful but experience calmed you down and allowed you to utilize it, thusly saving yourself from harm. Sea wind currents and wave timing weren't too risky. This was especially true for a Wonderbolt! “Great thinking, Spitty,” Soarin' winked and whispered before separating a bit. No, it was not that hard for a Wonderbolt. But that made it perfect for this exercise as far as Soarin' was concerned, because they also both knew today was more about testing her emotionally. Could she pass the test of a Wonderbolt's heart or would she crash against the rocks of avarice? So far she was wavering at best.

He'd continue to test. On an 'injured' wing the sea wind current was considerably more hazardous. As his partner, it was Rainbow Dash's sworn duty to uphold the health of her teammates by preventing needless catastrophes caused by arrogance or foolish mistakes. “Hmm...” Soarin' thought for a second before nodding emphatically, “Dash, we do it. Nothing to be worried about- just a simple stage two current and some simple timing goals, right? You aren't afraid of tunnels, are you?” Soarin' laughed, torpedoing her way out of this with verve. What are you made up of, Recruit Dash?

(Sorry, not my best post.)

[RainbowFoxxy]

Don't worry, we'll tell tales of your bravery, won't we Captain?”

 

Spitfire smiled back at Soarin', enjoying the new found camaraderie now that Lightening was gone. Not that she wasn't a bit worried for their teammate. He had been taken away to the hospital for his injuries after all and he was a teammate. But, he would be fine and she would have some choice words for him once he was back in training. 

 

"Oh yeah we will!" She nudged Soarin' as she swooped down nearer to him for a moment.

 

Dash and Soarin' had a quick conversation about whether or not they would fly through the sea tunnels. Normally this wouldn't have happened but this was a different sort of activity. Usually it wasn't a choice for those in her flight squad whether they would follow her command or not. In the end Soarin' decided to follow her suggestion as she figured he would. Really the air currents and tight turns would be nothing for them. They shouldn't prove a problem for Dash either. Though she wasn't quite as ready to go for it as she sometimes was, for some unknown reason, Dash should be able to handle the sea tunnels with no problem.

 

Spitfire adjusted her flight path to head right for the opening tunnels. This one would lead them at a break neck pace through several twists and turns, dimly lit and filled with water below. Even though it was no test for her flying skills, Spitfire was going to enjoy what they were about to do.

 

"Ok recruit! Follow me!" With that Spitfire put on an extra burst of speed as she careened downwards towards the tunnel opening.The Wonderbolts Captain caught an updraft right as she entered the first tunnel. She swept along through the twists and turns, using the varying air currents to guide her. There was a slightly tricky section coming up, exiting one tunnel and entering another with a very strong updraft coming up form the surf below. The tunnel entrance was quite narrow too. A pegasus entering almost had to turn sideways to fit! She slowed down so that Dash could take the lead. She wanted to see what the recruit was capable of.

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash felt her finely tuned pranking senses tingling.  She sagged in mid-air for a moment, letting out a brief grump.  "Awww, you got my hopes up," she grumbled.  "I thought we really were gonna see Sky Serpents."

She wasn't sure what to think of Soarin's acceptance of this change of course.  Was he trying to show off?  Was he overcompensating for his injured wing?  She'd never known Soarin' to be all that prideful ... quite the opposite, he usually seemed surprisingly ... dorky, for a Wonderbolt, and often seemed just happy to be considered.  Quite the opposite to what she'd expected as a filly.  He'd never really tried to hide it, the previous times she'd seen him hurt.

And she couldn't rat him out to Spitfire, not like with Streak, where she could have counted on him to keep the secret.  She supposed they were taking the coastal caves.

As Spitfire dove into the caves, she dropped back a little bit, giving herself space to see what Spitfire was doing, without losing sight of the small entrances and the timing that she herself would need.  She glanced back at every spare moment to make sure Soarin' was doing all right, but most of her attention was on the unfamiliar surroundings.

And then Spitfire was dropping back, sending all the flight signals of 'take the lead.'  Dash gulped nervously, glanced back at Soarin' again... he'd be even further behind, and she was the only one who knew he needed to be watched ... but she had to do what Spitfire said.  She nodded and darted forward.

Still, at least she could set the pace.  As much as she wanted to dive through the tunnels, because honestly, this course seemed AWESOME!  She instead kept herself back a bit, and tuned into her incredible senses... every floating mote of dust, every stray leaf or watery spray, showed her the wind currents in the cavern.  Things seemed to go into slow motion as she cataloged and categorized everything.  There, the updraft, narrow tunnel entrance ... that was a tricky move for a pony without an injured wing... her mind raced through the possibilities ... If she added a wind current there ... no, that's ricochet around the cavern.  Counter-downdraft?  No, no, without the lift he could stall out... ah, there!

With a burst of speed, she sped into the updraft and strengthened it, giving it even more of an oomph.  Her speed increased as she shot upwards through the natural stone chimney, then at the upper tunnel entrance, she zipped right past it, loop-de-looped around, twisting the updraft into a circle, and then dove between Spitfire and Soarin' to twist sideways and dive into the tunnel - turning the sharp turn into a more gradual one that Soarin' would be sure to make, especially with how she's shaped the currents to help him out, but at the same time making it into a formation maneuver that made it seem much more awesome than just 'taking the turn slowly'.

Inside the dark tunnel was a host of stalactites and stalagmites, making an obstacle course to dive around.  She could see the light at the far end, giving her an idea of where the obstacles were, but her own body would be blocking it for the ponies behind her, making them blind to the danger.  The sense of responsibility that Spitfire had just thrust on her just increased.  Quickly she snagged one of the bottled clouds that the Wonderbolts used to leave trails for their stunts from the messenger saddlebag at her side, opening and closing it quickly to make a bunch of tiny little stormclouds.  With swift kicks, she scattered the stormclouds left and right, making them crackle temporarily with tiny little lightning bolts, the clouds acting as temporary lanterns.  they'd only last a minute or two, but that was all the light that Soarin' would need to navigate this place safely.

She zoomed between the stone columns - with light, they were nothing too dangerous, and she could see them just fine.  She even tossed in a few barrel rolls just to show off.  Then she was out of that tunnel and into a larger cavern open to the sky, light streaming to make it easy to see, and no obstacles immediately apparent.  She spared a glance back to make sure everypony was all right.

​

[SteelEagle]

Soarin' loved a nice tunnel flight. Maybe it was because he wasn't the fastest pegasus in the sky but he liked making sure everything was kept in front of him, and the short tunnels in the sky that forced a pegasus through in order to come jetting out the other side. All those high flying, agile, sometimes absentminded types that littered his life missed them and were shocked when they saw the slower Soarin' soaring past them with a laugh. And this time it was Soarin' who had to stifle a laugh because he could see little Rainbow Dash freaking out internally. Oh, how? Her aileron feathers were askew, like how the coat on an earth pony's neck stood up when nervous or the base of a unicorn's horn dimmed. Ponies like her were easy to read, young pegasi feathers being more naturally limber and reactive. She'd be harder to read as she grew older. But for now, Soarin' had the Rainbow Dash chapter book opened up and it wasn't looking good for the erstwhile heroine.

Soarin' followed his captain and his charge, each pony of the trio treating the sky like a well-heeled beast. Soarin' made sure to wince every once in a great while and tried to shade the side of his 'injured' wing with the rest of his body so Dash couldn't see, small moves in the sky enough to ensure that his plans kept forward wonderfully. The current was handled and the backdraft was minimized in no small part thanks to Rainbow Dash, who moved with the practiced ease of a prima ballerina of the heavens. It was not just in her great acts of entertainment that she showed herself worthy of being a Wonderbolt. It was in the small precision of her movements played against one of the most talented forms he had ever seen, if not the single most talented. All she needed was the experience and one day she would easily surpass them all.

They moved through the tunnel effectively and easily. He slowed down, partially to take a nice look at some of the rare stalagmites and also to play up the injury. It was hard to see in the absolute dark but once you've been blind in one sea tunnel you've been blind in them all. The sound of cloubusting up front told Soarin' that Rainbow was playing true to her career as a weather specialist and also showed acutely how effective she was as a leader pulling her charges to safety, an important element for a true leader. Not bad so far. He kept up his slowish pace, leaving a few moments out of sync with the others and wincing as he caught back up, using the short boost out of the tunnel to catch up. “Great job Rainbow...hmmm...Spitfire, what should her nickname be?! How 'bout the Flash?! Rainbow Flash?!” He yelled across the sky as he caught up.

[RainbowFoxxy]

Spitfire has enjoyed the tunnel flight even more than she thought she would. The rush on the wind currents, the caverns full of obstacles, the tiny apertures to ensure precision flight. The Captain wished this place was closer to where the Wonderbolts preformed regular training. She would have them in here all the time! So many different activities to practice and help hone the skills of flying experts. And through it all, Dash had flow quite skillfully indeed. She had marked various times when she had seen the sky blue pegasus preforming moves with excellence and accuracy. Barrel rolls, loop the loops, and all manner of tricks with the air currents. Yes, she certainly was playing the part of a true member of the Wonderbolts!

 

As the trio swooped up and out of the tunnels, Spitfire heard Soarin'.

 

“Great job Rainbow...hmmm...Spitfire, what should her nickname be?! How 'bout the Flash?! Rainbow Flash?!”

 

"Hmmmmm, has a nice ring to it..." She had slowed her flight now and was turned to take a good glance at the Wonderbolt to be. "She even managed to light up that big cavern. I've never seen it like that. Pretty cool!" She flipped around and flew on her back until she was in front of Rainbow. "So 'Flash'..." She smiled and narrowed her eyes at Rainbow as she used the new nick name. "What else have you got to show us?"

 

So far, she had passed all her tests with flying colors...literally. Spitfire was already seeing the rainbow streak that would trail from the new Wonderbolts flying team. The Captain wanted this young mare for her team and no mistake! She glanced down. They had begun flying at a tack back inland, a sparse forest was now below and some plains out further in the distance.

 

"Come on Rainbow, impress us." She spoke bluntly. If Rainbow loved to show off, which Spitfire knew she did, now was the time!

[Bramble Rose]

Dash was a bit against anyone making changes to her name - 'Dashie' or the like from Pinkie and the others was all right, but anything further just hearkened back to 'Rainbow Crash.'  Besides, Flash?  "I'm not sure about Flash... My buddy Twilight - I mean, Princess Twilight Sparkle - just went on a date with some guy named Flash recently, and you know how rumors can get started... "

But then ... she was asked to wow them...

This was that moment.  For years, she'd been planning what to do in this situation.  She'd never gotten to actually do it - but there was only one routine, one series of techniques, that she could pull off without fear of crashing, a confidence paid for with thousands of practice sessions.  One performance that could showcase her speed and precision.

She gave a confident, eager grin, then ducked her head.  "Don't think you have to keep up..." she said.  Spitfire might have made it nose-to-nose in the games, but that was because all those twists and turns kept Dash from using her full speed.  She poured it on and pulled away from the other two, diving down to the treetops.

First, the Supersonic Strut.  Keeping up the incredible speed, she lifted her head and tossed her mane, looking casual as she mimicked a simple trot - her hooves touching down in the treetops every so often.  It was deceptively simple looking, but fellow pegasi would know how difficult it was to keep touching the ground at that speed without getting caught up and sending her tumbling.

Then she pulled up into the air, made a complicated little corkscrew, and came back towards Spitfire and Soarin'.  The rainbow streak started to form behind her as the speed continued to build, and she zoomed past their heads with inches to spare.  Precision near-collision flying, the signature of the Wonderbolts, but in this case with the audience instead of with other Wonderbolts.  Her own Filly Flash.

Finally, she came around and arced up into the sky overhead, heading for one of those stormclouds that was up there.  Despite the fact that she was climbing, she kept accelerating - a very neat trick indeed.  Her signature move.  The Buccaneer Blitz.  Its sheer awesomeness was too awesome to describe, it could only be witnessed, as shining light blazed across the sky for her audience of two.
 

​

[SteelEagle]

Hmm, Spitfire liked Rainbow Flash. That was a large point in its favor and she was certain to be the one to make it known to the rest whatever name was chosen. They all had their nicknames at some point, especially the newer fillies and colts that had yet to prove themselves. It was normally a term of endearment though in a few cases with some of the more obtuse knuckleheads that had someway earned a position throughout the years it was more of a cursed mark left as a reminder. He wasn't expecting anything of the sort with Rainbow Dash, however. There was too much talent and skill in those wings of hers and too well meaning a pony's heart within to fail, even if it would take her a while to get the true necessary elements of being part of the team. Until then, her dislike of the name would only make it more important that it was the one chosen. By hook or crook, Rainbow Flash it would be.

Once they were clear, Spitfire gave the newest team member free reign to just go ahead and impress them. Geez, as if that was going to be hard for Rainbow. Team flying was the single most important element of the Wonderbolts but being able to pull off some sweet moves sure made all the fillies and colts want to be you. And Rainbow? Soarin' had never seen a pegasus capable of pulling off as many moves as she could. There were expert tricksponies who may have been better than her at any given trick but nopony, not even a single member on the Wonderbolts, were as wide-ranging, versatile, or sunning as her in flight. Soarin' made it to his position alongside Soarin' and sat back with practiced casuality, not allowing his glee to take over. He knew this kid would go far.

She started with the Supersonic Strut. Rarely seen outside of some border villages because you needed to have a nice stable of trees and most flight teams lived in major metropolises, but very, very impressive. The speed and form were what you expected out of her and the precision of her hoof steps, required so she didn't go tumbling into a crash, was well-marked. She could do with more steps so it looked slightly more impressive, but that was a infinitesimally small nitpick. She followed it up with the Filly Flash- executed flawlessly with her own flair, very impressive. Seamlessly able to work herself into productions with moves like that. All in all, he was suitably impressed, just as he expected. How could she get him over that high hump?

Then she followed it up with her most spectacular move. Soarin', if he had sunglasses on, would have had to take them off. Accelerating going up towards a storm cloud was gutsy and impressive enough, even if not something he would have normally been enamored with. What followed...defied description. Language failed to associate a word with the performance of such a mightily, aggressively amazing move, leaving his mind to roil up on itself as it tried to phrase what it saw. There was nothing it could do except settle on an entirely insignificant word: Amazing. “You know...maybe she should pick her nickname,” Soarin' whispered to Spitfire, nudging her with a smile on his face.  

[RainbowFoxxy]

 

“You know...maybe she should pick her nickname,”

 

Spitfire had watched the rainbow hued pony's moved with a racing heart. Not only could she pull off so signature sweet moves, but she did it with style. Smooth, unmistakable marks of a professional flier. All those years of training sure had paid off. There was no doubt in the Captain's mind that there would be a place on the team for Rainbow Dash. Spitfire swallowed lightly, controlling the feelings that pulsed inside of her. it wasn't often she got to watch flying that made her heart beat like a trip hammer! Rainbow had pulled off the moves, not completely flawless, but even in that little imperfections could sometimes make for a better show...as long as they were covered up correctly.

 

The yellow mare slowed up her flight, hopefully reining in Dash from her lightening quick moves. She flapped there for a moment, watching the preforming pony as she flapped through the sky. For a moment Spitfire saw Rainbow in a co-Captain's uniform. It was only a glimmer of a moment, but it was still there. This filly had the stuff. She had the same grit and determination, and probably more skills than Spitfire herself.

 

"Soarin' try not to lay it on too thick when she gets down here...flying with a swollen ego can slow a pony down you know." She winked at him as she watched Rainbow.

 

Once Rainbow was in earshot Spitfire hailed her. "Come on in Dash, we'd like a word with you!"

[Bramble Rose]

Dash pulled away from her final move to come back towards the two Wonderbolts, flying a lot more casually now.  Her wings ached from giving it her all, but it was so worth it - especially when she saw their faces.

That, right there.  That was the BEST part about flying like this - when ponies made those faces.  The fact that Wonderbolts were making those faces was even better.  She looped down under a cloud and came up to them from underneath, her chest puffed out with pride, grinning at the two, waiting for the praise.

​

[SteelEagle]

 

Yeah, you'd have to be an idiot not to be wildly impressed with what Rainbow was doing. You'd also have to be equally stupid to give in to the expected and shower her with ego-emboldening praise. It would be hard though- she was as good as they got in the world of tricks and flight patterns. That was primarily why she had recruited, really- the best of the best in what she did and what she did was beautiful. But this was a test more of her character than anything else and nothing was worse for character when confidence and pride became conceit and arrogance. She'd have to earn her right to be as arrogant as Spitfire could be after she won a race. Of course that was likely nothing like how Soarin' got after victory, so who was he to speak?

Rainbow came down from beneath the pair, obviously proud of herself. Well, he supposed she had every right to be but part of being a part of the Wonderbolts was being righteously humble amongst your peers so they couldn't tear into the flaws of your performance! That was just basic team chemistry one-oh-one, and oh-oh Rainbow, you needed to get some lessons from professor Soarin'. He looked at her evenly, trying to contain his excitement. Okay, okay, what was she doing wrong? What had she done wrong? He checked out her finely tuned body for any slight imperfection, the area for any slight mistake...there had to be something. He played back what she had done in an effort to find fault, all three lines of thought coming to the same conclusion...”Nice job, kid. You gotta show those moves off to some kids someday. But next time, don't lose a feather doing so!” he chortled and flew off down the path, remembering his 'injured' wing as he did so.

[RainbowFoxxy]

”Nice job, kid. You gotta show those moves off to some kids someday. But next time, don't lose a feather doing so!”

 

Spitfire raised an eyebrow as Soarin' spoke. He really did know how to contain himself when he needed to! Even she might have added a bit more praise than he had... might being the operative word. As it was Rainbow had proven she had the stuff to be a Wonderbolt. Not that she needed to know that right now. The training day was still far from over and there was more to be tested before Spitfire would even think of allowing the many hued pony the privilege of an invitation to a real Wonderbolt practice.

 

The yellow mare hovered, inspecting the recruit who no doubt was feeling a bit of deflation from Soarin's words. Rainbow would have to learn that praise and fanfare did little to get a pony somewhere on a team like the Wonderbolts. Still, Rainbow certainly deserved something for her grand display.

 

"You know Rainbow, I've seen a lot of flight performances in my day and so has Soarin'. We've seen everything, from the best to the worst." She flew in a little closer. "But I've never seen anything quite like what you just did." A small smile played on her muzzle for just a moment, followed by a quick wink. Then Spitfire's countenance returned to the regular steely eyed game face she wore so well.

 

She flew forward a little and then noticed Soarin's flight pattern. It looked odd to say the least. "Hey, you notice anything about Soarin' flight? Does his wing seem funny to you?"

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash swallowed nervously... sure, they didn't find anything ... *wrong* ... with the flight.  Soarin' teased her a bit, and Spitfire's ... sounded ... like she was trying not to say something bad.  She might as well have just said, 'Yeah, Dash, that was ... something."

 

This wasn't part of the script ... her chest deflated a bit, and she felt a tightness grasp around her heart.  What if she wasn't as good as she thought?  What if all that practice time had been fooling herself?  That perfect routine she'd been preparing for so very long ... was just garbage?  What if she was just another clumsy fool with an overinflated ego?

No!  No!  Stop it, Dash!  Don't do this now!  You can't shut down now, not right in front of the Wonderbolts!

But what if I'm just wasting their time?

No!  You can do a Sonic Rainboom!  The only pony in several generations to pull that off!  That's not nothing!  And you were the best candidate they had!

Except Lightning Dust would have been a better flier if she hadn't endangered everyone.  And I couldn't beat Spitfire in a race.  So I can go fast, but I can't do anything with it!

Yes, you can!  You know that if she'd been wingpony you'd both have shown the Wonderbolts a thing or three!  You'd have had way better stunts!  As far as your routine, you know their tricks, you've read theory, comon.  They're razzing ya.  They're hazin' ya.  This ain't nuthin'.  You're still the best!

She steeled herself against those fears that were always gnawing at her, using the best tool she had:  Self-congratulation.  "Ha!  You can keep that feather as a souvenir, Soarin'!  You can say you knew me back when!"

She swallowed, took a deep breath, and turned back to Spitfire.  "I .. uh ... maybe?  I'll watch an' .. uh ... see if I see anything!  Or you could ask him.  Yeah, just go ahead and ask him, that sounds best."  She wasn't a snitch!  "Can't let him get too far ahead!"

Dash turned and bolted into the sky after Soarin', taking a moment to wipe away a bit of wetness that ... uh ... was just from the harsh wind playing in her eyes from how fast she had been flying.  That was all.  She quickly caught up with Soarin', glanced back at Spitfire, and in a low voice to Soarin', said, "Hey, I think she suspects... are you sure you're OK to fly?"
 

[SteelEagle]

Soarin' allowed himself to fly for a little bit, the gentle sky not demanding much from him besides easy acquiescence to the breezes and bursts in the area. It also helped his act, seeing as he moved with the breeze far more than he would have otherwise. No fighting, no forceful flying, a nice, decidedly non-Wonderbolts stroll through the air. He didn't think it was wise to strut his stuff so closely after the last event had happened. Allow everypony to decompress before the next test. Didn't want to break the spirit too much. All it took was one fragile mind for the team to collapse in on itself in a near orgy of self-pitying terror at the gravity of their schedule and responsibility, wherein one small hurdle left unchecked could shatter the morale of the team. That was unlikely to happen in the greatest gravity of the term but that meant he was all the more vigilant, and perhaps more importantly, more ready to leap at the first sign of such trouble.

 

So when Rainbow Dash found her way next to the senior pegasi, Soarin' wasn't paying attention only to her words. She flew a little more erratically than she was before. Post-stunt flight deformity? It was common. But no, not that. The way her musculature was moving was seemingly fine and her feathers weren't misaligned. Had she run into a hard cloud? No, not even a tuft was present on her body. Closer inspection- had she been upset? Small veins in the eyes, strained and popping. Tired, stressed- not likely, not Rainbow. She had looked fine, glowing even, just a few moments ago. The only thing that had changed had been their reaction to her stunt, which was a quarter amazed, half playful, and another quarter testing. Which had followed a long string of tests which Rainbow had been graded down the middle on. She was, for all of her bluster, somepony Soarin' had worried about. Could she handle the emotional toll of the job? One of the most heartbreaking things was watching your very best performances eventually get looked over as being par for the course. Fillies and colts that idolized you more often than not considered your shtick passe by the time they were adults.

Before you knew it, your patented Trottingham Trot and the Las Pegasus Pirouette became afterthoughts. Sure people knew you were great but they stopped reacting the same, and everything less than perfection was cause for scorn. Could a pony honestly be asked to endure the eventuality of being honored but not adored, respected but not awed by? Yes. Wonderbolts, each and every one of them, were asked to do endure this fate. And Rainbow would endure it too, no matter how perfect she may be. But maybe today while she was young and vibrant and full of life, without the baggage of experience, he could indulge himself in her excellence. And in return, he could brighten her day- with the superior elements of the truth and what was really going on.

“I'm fine, Rainbow,” Soarin' smiled, regaining his form as if nothing happened. Because nothing had. He looked towards Spitfire and gave her a signal, one intended to end the tests and meet up. “See that Mare's Tail up there?” he pointed to one of the many wispy, flowy clouds in the area, “meet you there. We'll have a talk, okay?”

[RainbowFoxxy]

Spitfire noticed the signal from Soarin' as she flew behind the pair. Both of them seemed just a little bit off to the Captain but she let it go for now. Rainbow either hadn't caught onto her compliment or was expecting something from Spitfire that she just wasn't willing to give. At least not now, not during a flight test. The yellow mare adjusted her goggles a little and then sped up her flight. As she got a little nearer she noticed Soarin' signal their candidate to fly up towards some clouds a bit further off. 

 

She slowed her flight again and then came near to Soarin' when she figured Rainbow would be taking off.

 

"So," She lifted her goggles from her eyes and watched as Rainbow took off for the Mare's Tail clouds. "She's got the stuff. That's all I can say really. Rainbow Dash has proved herself before today. I saw her as Wonderbolts material before today and I know you did to. What do you think Soarin'? You feel the same way?"

[Bramble Rose]

Dash nodded to Soarin', and turned round sharply, and flew off to the clouds he'd indicated.  She landed lightly on the wispy clouds, a bit gently, all too aware that these mare's tail clouds were deceptive - but once she was sure of her footing, she settled down on one of the thicker patches and looked down to watch Soarin' and Spitfire get together to discuss her future.  Her stomach churned with nervousness, but all she could do was wait...

​

[SteelEagle]

Soarin' watched Rainbow fly away towards the designated position, heaving a heavy sigh as he allowed himself the time to think about what needed to be done. It had not been the worst test of all time, but it had hardly been the best. All of the non-physical elements of being a Wonderbolt- Rainbow had an academic understanding of it, perhaps an intuitive understanding, but she lacked the conviction to trust in either so far. Several Wonderbolt codes of conduct, small ones of course, had been broken. But those were the codes this was designed to test. Not whether she could amaze with her tricks or fly in a pattern, she could do that. It wasn't about her want to or whether she would one day be the best- she would be. It was whether right here, right now, she was the type of mare they needed on the main roster.

“Well, define Wonderbolts material, Spitfire. She's got the drive, she's got that fire we always look for. She means well. She is easily the most gifted flier I have ever seen and she works hard at it. If that's all we wanted, if that was all we were ever after, she'd be on the main roster, probably replacing me full time. But until we hammer out the small things, she's a reservist. The best of the best, but reservist. She was shaky in terms of what we were testing her on today. Some good, some bad. Some of that probably comes from being a little nervous when it comes to dealing with us. Other bits of it come from her not being aggressive enough in how she applies what she knows of our codes. Either way, she has some things to learn before she can get up to our level,” Soarin' said before he flew up with swiftness, landing on the mare's tail with practiced, gentle motions and without any sign of the wing trouble.

Once he landed, he looked at his recruit. Nervous. Discomforted. Well, who could blame her. This had not been a normal test. But the test was over, and to show that, he decided it was time to ditch the uniform so his talk wouldn't be overshadowed by rank. First came the goggles, which he snapped off with practiced enthusiasm with his 'injured' wing. Then he started to slide out of his uniform, his older body needing him to take it a little slow- and then the zipper caught half-way down his chest. Le sigh.

“Rainbow, could you help me with this? And while you're at it, recite Wonderbolt Code 63-4: Injured Teammate in the Field and Wonderbolt Code 13-2,” he said evenly, allowing the realization to sink in. Code 63-4: When a Team member shows signs of injury during an activity, it is up to her/his teammates to remove the injured Wonderbolt from the field, regardless of circumstances. Special conditions for high stress situations exist.
Wonderbolt Code 13-2: A Wonderbolt never takes a shortcut during competition, as it is dishonorable.  

[RainbowFoxxy]

Spitfire smirked at Soarin's response. Leave it to the oldest member of the team to talk the solid sense. She hadn't meant to put Rainbow on the main roster the next day. Where he got that idea was beyond Spitfire's thinking. Didn't he know she had the strictest code of all? That was how she had taken her position to begin with! She had to smile some more and shake her head a little as he took off to the cloud to talk with Dash. He had jumped the gun a little, talking to Spitfire like that. But still, he could get away with it. He was Soarin' after all. He got special rights that no other Wonderbolt had. One of those being the way he had just spoken with her. She would let it go.

 

Rainbow would spend time in the reserves of the Wonderbolts. If she could succeed in that position she would eventually make the main flying roster. She just needed time to season up. She would be one of them through and through but that would take time. She really couldn't remember the last time they had let some pony go straight onto the main flying team after a recruitment. It just wasn't done that way in the Wonderbolts. You had to prove yourself time and again to fly with the best of the best. It wasn't just the flying, it was the mind set and life style of the elite flying team!

 

Spitfire flew up and landed beside Soarin' as he began un-zipping his flight suit. She pushed her goggles up between her ears, waiting to hear Dash's response to whatever the question Soarin' had asked her was. She hadn't quite made it up in time to catch it.

[Bramble Rose]

Rainbow Dash frowned, trying to remember the codes he was talking about.  She remembered the rules, sure... but ... exactly which one went with which numbers?  She opened her messenger saddlebag and pulled out her little Wonderbolt Rulebook - all recruits were required to have those on them at all times. Sleep with them, eat with them, everything.  She flipped through it quickly, checking which rules those were.

What?  Why did he want to know those?  "Uh... Well ..."  Spitfire came flying up, then, and had that look in her eye.  Like she was measuring.  She remembered that look in her eye right before she'd kicked Lightning Dust out and given Dash her role.  Again at the games, when she'd offered to have Dash fill into Soarin's place...

Wait ...

She looked back and forth between Spitfire and Soarin'.

"Wait, wait, wait!  Now, for starters, everypony, and that means EVERYPONY, is lenient on Code 63!  It doesn't even have guidelines for what's considered 'an injury!'  Everyone gets scratches and bruises and stuff and keeps going - this is an active sort of a gig, right?  And 'high stress' situations?  Pfffft.  What does that even mean?  I mean, I'm in a high-stress situation right now with being tested all the time!"

She crossed her forelegs with a stubborn look in her face.  "And as for shortcuts, that's for, like, race-course races!  Ones with actual courses laid out!  This is a cross country race, and that's all about knowing the countryside better than your opponents and taking advantage of every little thing you can!  There aren't shortcuts in Cross-Country races because there's no course to cut short!"

She poked her forehoof into Spitfire's chest.  "You can't kick Soarin' out over such stupid little violations!  He's a *GREAT* Wonderbolt, and I don't want to be one of the Wonderbolts if it means ruining his honor over some sort of stupid little technicality just so there's an open slot!"

​

[SteelEagle]

Soarin' was taken aback momentarily by a confluence of factors that converged to make his eyebrows arch and then de-arch themselves in a matter of moments. By all the whisps of the clouds, was Rainbow Dash an adorably eager recruit and outrageously incorrect little mare. Soarin' face hooved as she replied, trying to defend her wrongheaded view of the rules. This was going to be a learning experience for sure, and there wasn't anything wrong with that. They all needed one. But Rainbow- oh boy, some discussions were harder than others and Soarin' had a feeling this one may prove especially difficult.

And then- wait, what? She though Soarin' was in trouble? Upon this, Soarin' had to stuff his mouth with a hoof to stifle a quick giggle before regaining his composure. Time to let her in on it. “Woah woah woah there, I'm not in any trouble. And really, neither are you. The test was to see how you responded to some Wonderbolt codes in action. And- well, yeah, you could have done better but I don't think there's a stallion or a mare who has flown for us who has ever really passed with flying colors. So just settle, clear your mind, and let's go for a little flight- all three of us, yeah?” Soarin' said as he started to hover, waiting for the others before he started a gentle flight. He had heard Rainbow seemed to learn better flying, thanks to a correspondence with Princess Twilight Sparkle. Hopefully this would help matters some.

“A shortcut should be pretty obvious, especially when I say, 'wanna take a shortcut? Might make the others mad but its just a derby, no reason not to cut a few corners to get ahead, right?'” Soarin' said in the exact same way he had said earlier, his tone and incantation well-trained and his wording picked exactly, “Wonderbolts never cut corners. We never take shortcuts. We don't in races. We don't in training. We don't in tricks. We don't in shows. And we also never not compete, Rainbow. Every time we suit up, we compete. We push each other to get better, be the best we can be. That is why I know one day you will be one of the best, if not the best, Wonderbolts ever. But in order to do that, you must fist recognize that there are no shortcuts for a Wonderbolt. You are a symbol of flying perfection, and perfection never takes a shortcut. Well, maybe sometimes- I mean, do we want to count Lightning Streak?” he wondered aloud to soften the mood before he coughed, readying himself for the next step.

“Wonderbolts Code 63 establishes that an injury that must be acted upon is one that causes a notable decrease in the quality of a Wonderbolts flight or health. Either of which would mean that, considering how tight we normally fly, how normally we fly, how elite we are, when you see a team member have an injury that you showed obvious concern about-” Soarin' twitched his wing, “you follow 63-4, regardless of my objections, for th good of myself and the team. I'm just an old, stubborn stallion after all. And for the record, 63-2 does give an example of a high stress situation, such as an emergency call to fight dragons. Or save ponies from a flood,” he smiled, “or to stop Spitfire from taking the last pie. No broken wing would have saved that last slice for you, Spitfire,” Soarin' said, looking over to Spitfire with a wink.

Deescalation was important. He wanted Rainbow Dash to improve, not wallow in the muck of her mistake. “But seriously, I need help out of this suit. Teeth, please?”

[RainbowFoxxy]

The mare had been about to give Rainbow a proper dressing down for addressing the Captain of the Wonderboldts in such a brash manner, but them Soarin' stepped in again. They both had a vested interest in this particular recruit and as such both had words to share with her. As it was Spitfire had let Soarin' take the front so far which was fine with her. It was true what he was saying, Rainbow would be great, she would be the best! But she wasn't yet. All Wonderbolt had to be trained and nopony got it all right the first time. Seasoned members of the team still made mistakes.

 

Soarin' said his piece, trying to let Rainbow know that she showed great promise but that she had a long way to go. Spitfire would have just come out and said it just like that, but it appeared Soarin' had more tact in this particular situation. Once he had explained things to Rainbow, Spitfire was able to add in a couple of words.

 

"Soarin's right...he is an old stubborn stallion." She winked back at her friend. "And he's right, any injury needs to be reported. You know we don't bring just any recruit out on tests like these. We know you've got the stuff Rainbow, we just need to know if you're willing to act like a Wonderbolt...in all situations." She eyed Rainbow pointedly. "If that means you need some more time to shape up, we'll give you that time."

 

Spitfire hoped Rainbow knew not just anypony got the treatment she was getting. The Captain hardly gave most recruits the time of day. But Rainbow was different.

 

"Let's help the old guy out." Spitfire's muzzle almost lifted into a small smile as she tried to assist Soarin' with his suit.

[Bramble Rose]

Dash looked back and forth between the two Wonderbolts, her hot anger giving way to bewildered confusion.  She started to move to help with the zipper, but Spitfire got there before her, so she just floated back, scratching at her head.  As it sunk in, even that confusion started to fade away to a disbelieving hurt.

"Wait... you mean ..."  She looked between the two Wonderbolts.  "You were ... trying to trick me into breaking the rules?  I thought I could trust you ..."  She bit at her lower lip, trying really hard not to let any water hit her eyes.  Stupid wind.  That was it.  "I'm supposed to be able to trust you when you're teaching me the ropes!"

​

[SteelEagle]

Soarin' sighed. The education process was never easy, and he could in a way understand whatever sense of betrayal she was feeling. It was difficult to realize that you were being tested, and that the proctors for your test weren't some nameless member in a coat and aviators, but somepony you admired and worked with. Maybe even considered a friend. It made you think that maybe the friendship you felt was itself built on something other than respect and camaraderie, indeed built on a shell of lies. Easily shattered when revealed, no? No way a pony couldn't help but feel on edge once they think that those around them are always judging them. Soarin' himself had initially gone through that when he joined, and he was sure all Wonderbolts did at one point ot another.

But that feeling was false. They were friends. They were coworkers. They were comrades in flight and among a select group who could actually be trusted to complete some of the most dizzying displays in the world, combine it with the artistry of subtle form, and weld it with an iron clad appearance of morality and ethics that made them the perfect role model. Part of that was helping one another be the best they could be, so they could be the best they could be for everypony who watched them. If they were moral and ethical, then those same morals and ethics would trickle down to those they spoke with, those who watched them, those who looked up to them. Everypony had to go on their own journey to find out if they shared the same morals as the Wonderbolts, but this test helped the veterans teach the morals to the recruits ina way that made most sense- through action.

“This test is designed to help you, Rainbow. We all go through it. These morals and ethics, these rules need to be applied by everypony to everypony, regardless of rank. The best way to learn is to see the rules, and the ways in which they can be broken more subtly, in action. We all go through it, we all fail something. And in that failure, we learn how we grow- and we learn that regardless of rank, rules are rules, concerns are concerns. You need to be able to fly up to Spitfire if you see her not take action on an injury and tell her that if she won't, YOU will, because you are a Wonderbolt and that's what you do. If my old bag of bones tries to take the easy way when we shouldn't be doing it, you need to fly up to me and make that very, very apparent,” he smiled, “you are a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash. You might be a Reserve but when it comes to these rules, we're all equal- and once you've conquered them, you'll be the best of the best. And that is why I volunteered to run your test. I believe you have the potential to be the very best Wonderbolt ever. Learn what you need to learn and apply it, become the very best like nopony ever was. Now, that doesn't sound so hard, now does it?” he finished with a cocksure grin, hovering up and towards the main course while still looking at Rainbow.