A Racing Adventure [Lightning Dancer, Crescent Blaze, and Winter Bolt]

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent smiled at the two they were certainly doing well.

"Alright you two that wasnt bad. Not bad at all. I got one more test for ya but we'll take a quick break and let you get the strength back in your wings first."

Crescent turned around and started dragging a hoof on the cloud drawing out a flight pattern for a very difficult trick that would allow him to properly judge their agility and precision. I was a team maneuver that required precise timing from all of them. it began with Winter on his right and lightning dancer on his left. The three of them would take off crescent strait up and the other two on opposite 45 degree angles to Crescent's sides. Crescent would swoop forward into a loop and act as marker to help guide them and be there in case something went wrong. As Crescent would angle downwards the two would converge back to his side touching their wings tips to his. Crescent would perform a forward loop and the prospects would attempt to circle around him in a close but gradual spiral staying on opposite sides. upon Crescent leveling out they would cross each other beneath him and make their way back to the cloud where Crescent would meet them. I took Crescent few good minutes to sketch the trick out on the cloud. On completion he turned back to them.

"Alright. All rested up? Good, come here and tell me what you think of this maneuver."

He stepped aside for them to examine the sketch. He wanted them to see it first so they could be sure it was something they could handle.

[SonicRainboomGirl]

Lightning's eyes widened as she looked at Crescent's diagram.

"Wow...that's...intense." She sighed, regaining strength in her wings. Of course, she was still a bit winded. "Can you do that?" she asked Crescent, wondering if he was actually an expert flyer...or an arrogant stallion.

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent smiled devilishly over at Lightning Dancer. Instead of answering he lowered his goggles and launched himself into the air and screamed through the air pulling off his part of the maneuver, swooping, looping and twisting, (he even through in a barrel roll for good show) and landed back where he had been next to Lightning.

"Does that answer your question Lights? You dont mind if I call you that do you? Anyway I wasnt given funding to lead a team of equestria's next top fliers for nothin. Also I designed that stunt so I aught to be able to pull it pff pretty well haha. I want you two to try this with me as the wing positions. Dont feel bad if you dont think you can do the whole thing I dont really expect you to, but thats the idea. Judging by how for you make it through the routine I can get an idea of your level of agility and precision. I dont want you pushing yourselves too hard either, if you feel like you're going to lose control, just bail and meet at this cloud. I'd rather you not crash into a building or hurt yourselves somehow."

Crescent thought back to the wonderbolt streak who had first advised him to work on his agility. He had lost a little muscle since then, he had changed his combat style to more evasive and timing based maneuvers that hit hard but required more precision and grace than just clobbering someone. He smiled happy to have found a way to hold up the family tradition and work towards his goal at the same time.

[Winter]

"That... okay, then. I'll make sure not to hurt myself, Crescent. It seems like this trick isn't TOO hard... Just a needs a little teamwork. It seems like the cross would be the hardest part. Maybe we could have some sort of signal?" Winter replied, looking over the plan. "As long as we have enough room, though, it shouldn't be too difficult."

[SonicRainboomGirl]

Lightning nodded, but on the inside she was incredibly nerve-wracked.

"Yeah...uh...Lights is fine, I guess. I've never really had a nickname. Maybe it's about time. And while spinning and looping isn't really my thing, I guess I could learn some new tricks. As Winter said it will probably just take some teamwork."

She looked Crescent over, wondering how this mysterious pony even learned that trick. He was a bit intimidating, and she could tell he was a bit of a perfectionist. She feared he was even manipulative. But she tried not to judge his character quite yet, for she hadn't known him long.

The other thing that bothered her was him saying that he didn't expect her to do the entire trick. She knew that HE was testing her character, analyzing if she was a quitter. Lightning Dancer was no quitter! And she had never even tried the trick, perhaps it was a piece of cake. If she approached it from a speed/precision/dexterity angle, that is. Which she would need to. Her wings no longer felt tired, and her breathing was once again slowed. It was time to keep going.

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent could sense Lightning's apprehension at trying such a difficult trick and considered talking it over with her first, until he noticed a familiar look in her eye. Crescent had seen it before, that was a flier's confidence, she wanted this challenge. He looked over to winter, he seemed confident in his abilities and he was a bit older and Crescent trusted the stallion knew his limits.

"Alright then if you both feel that you can do it. Winter, you take the right side, Lights you take the left. When we come together for the spiral loop I'll do a slow barrel roll so each of you will know where you have to be by the position of my wings, and then for the cross look to me and I'll raise a hoof to signal you to go. Whenever you're ready take up position.

He gave Lightning a reassuring pat on the back and a smile, nodded to winter and took up position crouching and flaring wings up and out.Crescent narrowed his focus down to himself and the other two, he would be responsible for these two during this stunt and had to be ready to react fast to make sure nopony got hurt. The smallest distraction could cause someone to make a mistake and lose control. He did a little stretch of the wings while he waited for the others.

[SonicRainboomGirl]

I'm not sure what to say now

[Winter]

(I'll try to help you out then, friend )

Winter took up his position on the right of Crescent, preparing to launch with him. He slowly pulled down his goggles over his eyes and nudged Crescent, signalling he was ready. "Come on, let's do this, guys. I know we can." he said steadfastly confident in their abilities. "Whenever you are ready, Crescent."

[CrescentBlaze]

((just get prepped with crescent and if you cant think of how to describe going through the trick just give a brief description of whether or not she made it all the way through or where she bailed))

[SonicRainboomGirl]

"Alright. I'm ready to try this trick." Lightning said, spreading out her wings and shaking them off. She looked and Crescent and Winter expectantly.

Crescent nodded, and the three blasted into the sky. The first spiral was a piece of cake, the only problem was when Lightning's hair got in her eyes.

She shook her head, her bangs falling to one side, and tried the barrel roll. She found herself spinning off away from the others, and she landed on a cloud, making it fluff and shake.

[Winter]

As Winter flew with Crescent, he noticed Lightning have a problem and fall away from the group, landing safely on a cloud. Er... At least she tried he thought to himself. As he performed the solo barrel roll with Crescent, Winter felt so alive! He was rushing through the air, feeling it beat across his face and wings. They were nearly to the end, where Crescent would pull away and Winter and Lightning would have done the crossover. Wrapped up in the thoughts of grandeur, he didn't notice himself straying away from position. He noticed too late, and couldn't make the crossover. He was going to crash into Crescent! Using all his wing strength, he pulled in his left wing and pushed as hard as he could with his right, sending him into a spiral away from Crescent, avoiding the crash and falling away safely into open sky below. As he went down, he spread his wings back open to slow himself and landed on the cloud, watching Crescent expectantly. He knew he messed up big time there.

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent took notice of each pegasus as they bailed form the formation, each had made it pretty far into the routine which was a complex maneuver to say the least it had even taken Crescent more than a few tries to be able to do each part. He slowed to a stop making sure everypony was alright. He returned to the cloud they had started on and hollered out to them.

"Alright guys that wasnt bad at all! C'mon back and we'll talk!."

Crescent already knew what he was going to say and was rehearsing it in his head.

[Winter]

(SonicRainboomGirl, feel free to come back any time now I miss you )

Winter saw Crescent land on the cloud and hesitantly flew towards him, fearing inadequacy. He landed slowly on the cloud, looked over Crescent a few times, then looked down to the cloud below him before working up the nerve to speak. "So... er... How'd I do, then, sir?" He thought he couldn't have done too bad.... He made it through most of the trick alright, and avoided a crash... Winter braced himself for Crescent's response, fearing the worst.

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent smiled broadly at the nervous stallion savoring this moment.

"Well Winter despite not making it all the way through the stunt..."

He bit his lip as he paused for dramatic effect.

"Congratulations! I offer you full-time membership to The AeroBlades! If you accept you'll be the lead flier on the reserve squad. You still may not be the fastest or the most skilled flier but I can work with you Winter, you know the ins and outs of flying. I need that kind of creativity and experience, expect a lot of consulting and collaborating on new tricks."

Crescent held out a hoof in acceptance. He couldnt wait to break even more good news to Lights, and was bouncing in excitement in finding his first recruits.

[Winter]

Upon hearing his acceptance, Winter slowly looked up to Crescent and a grin slowly spread across his face before he exclaimed while shaking Crescent's hoof rapidly, "YES! Woohoo! I made it! YES!!!" Winter suddenly stopped in his cheering when the realization hit him that he would be lead flyer on the reserve squad... "Wait... Lead flyer... On the reserve squad? ... That is amazing! Thank you so, so, so much! This is SO awesome! Do I get a cool team flying suit? That would be even more amazing!" Winter was bright eyed and could hardly contain his joy as he spoke to Crescent. Realizing he was putting off way to much energy, WInter took on a very calm demeanor and said smoothly, "Thank you so much, sir. I will do my best not to disappoint you."

[SonicRainboomGirl]

(Sorry I've been gone, school is crazy! )

Lightning Dancer flew over to Crescent, feeling ashamed of her performance. She hadn't completed the trick, not even slightly. At least Crescent looked cheerful. Perhaps he wouldn't be too hard on her, she thought nervously.

She landed on the cloud next to him, and looked at her hooves in embarrassement.

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent looked down at the crestfallen filly with joy, preparing for his announcement.

"Well Lights I gotta say your speed is respectable and your stunt skills above that of normal ponies, but...

He paused similarly to how he did for Winter.

"I offer you full-time membership as a reserve member of the AeroBlades! Congratulations short stuff, if you accept you will be Winter's right wing. I think you have a lot of potential kiddo, your still young and there is still a chance for you to make it to the core team with improvement."

Crescent smiled and held out a hoof for her to shake and allowed her a moment to let it sink in.

"Now you should both know what you are getting into before you accept membership. Being an AeroBlade is a full time job, you will be paid very well by our sponsor but its not going to be easy. We will train every other day as the 'Bolts do, participate in races, perform stunt shows and make appearances. There isnt much downtime during the season. But! you will get an awesome flight suit like mine. Custome tailored by the same seamstress who makes the Wonderbolt's uniforms. And you get the added benefit of expert advanced flight training at every practice from yours truly. So what do you guys say? Are you in?

He lifted off hovering above them in anticipation as he finished his little speech.

[SonicRainboomGirl]

Lightning's mouth hung open in shock. This what she had always dreamed of! She grinned and shook Crescent's hand.

She exchanged a look of delight with Winter, and then returned her gaze to Crescent.

"So is it just me, you, and Winter? Or are there more Aeroblades?"

[CrescentBlaze]

"As of right now you two are the only ones on the reserve team and the core team is me and a mare named Silken Ribbon. Dont let the name fool you, her mother may have been a fashion designer but she's a hard core flyer like myself, a little girly maybe but her talent and skill arent in question."

Crescent had to take a moment to figure out what to say next. He put his hoof to his chin to think for a moment.

"Ok so tommorow or the day after you two are going to need to head to canterlot to get sized up for your uniforms. You will go to the Lace family mansion, Mr.Lace owns the business that sponsors our team, and present yourself as an AeroBlade. the talor will size you up and you will stay over night at the mansion. Dont worry about intruding Mr.Lace may ask you a few questions but other than that he keeps to himself, very busy stallion. Anyway you will stay the night and your suit will be ready by morning. Practices will begin for you on the thursday after you get your suit and goggles. Got it?"

[Winter]

Silken Ribbon? Interesting... Well, at least there weren't TOO many ponies ahead of him, and she sounded like she deserved it, too! Winter looked over to Lightning with return a smile of delight and accomplishment before responding to Crescent. "Yes sir, and thank you again. I can't wait to get my hooves on one of those racing suits!" He thought a second about his schedule. Practice on thursday... Was he busy on Thursday? A quick mental check confirmed his suspicions. He was completely open and ready to go. "I can't wait for our next practice, sir!"

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent facehoofed at Winter's formalities.

"Ok seriously Winter stop calling me sir. We arent in the guard, we're a flight team, we're all friends here. Like I said if you wanna be formal, its Captain got it?"

He addressed them both now, taking a step back.

"Alright starting next thursday you will attend bi-daily practices. I know that means the practices wont always fall on the same day but thats the point so that you wont have to conform to a fixed schedule. Anymore questions?"

[CrescentBlaze]

Crescent looked back and forth between the two but they stayed silent.

"Alright then AeroBlades you have your orders. Dismissed!"

Crescent launched himself into the distance, truly slashing the sky just as the AeroBlades moto went.