"Hey, Iron, you know, the best young flier competition is coming up soon." My mother reminded me.
"Yeah. I know." I said, with little interest in my voice. "Don't you want to try yourself at it?" she inquired "Mom, you know I don't like showing off, it's just not me." I explained "Well, I think you should at least go to watch." she insisted, "Why would I want to go see a bunch of show off ponies who think they're better than everypony else?" I asked, exasperated "Well, you don't have to go, I just thought you'd like to go socialize with other pegasi, and this is a perfect opportunity." She offered. She was right, of course, in Manehatten, there weren't a whole lot of pegasi, most ponies here were unicorns, even my mother. "I remember," she said, interrupting my train of thought "Your Father used to love to go there, he went every year. I wished every time that I could go too, but of course, not being a pegasus, I was forced to stay here. I could, at least, hear about it when he got home, then I could feel like I was there, with him." She said, starting to get a little distant. I sighed, obviously, this meant a lot to her. "Fine." I said, resigning, "I guess if you really want me to go, I'll go." Then I hastily added "But I'm not competing." She looked at me, the tears were just forming. I gave her a hug, "I miss him too, mom." I said, sympathizing. We stood there for a good ten minutes, embracing one another in remembrance of our dearly departed friend.
Later that week, it was time to get going. My mom was running around fretting over every detail, she magiked a saddle bag full of stuff I honestly didn't think I needed onto my back. "There's a map in there in case you get lost, and I also put a few bits in this pouch, here," she said, poking one of the side pouches, "just in case you need some food or something, and-" I interrupted her "Thanks, mom, I think I'll be fine." I smiled at her being so over concerned. She relaxed "Have a good time." she said "I'll try." I offered. She gave me a quick hug, then I started walking. I kept walking until I reached the edge of town, where I took off. I really did love flying, just not in front of anypony. It was my time to myself, when I could enjoy the wind in my mane, and the peace and quiet of- "Hey!" somepony interrupted my thoughts catching me off guard, I stumbled in the air for a second before catching myself. I looked, and there was a pegasus mare with a cyan coat and a rainbow colored mane, she was really kind of interesting, "Sorry," she chuckled "didn't mean to startle ya like that." "No, you're fine." I said "So, are you headed to the "Best Young Flier" competition too?" she asked, making sure to say the name with importance. "Yeah." I answered, with less enthusiasm "Are you competing?" "Of course!" she replied, as though it should have been obvious "I'm awesome! I've got this one in the bag!" I sighed, this was exactly why I didn't want to go to this event, ponies like her annoy me to no end. "Are you?" she asked. For some reason, it seemed like she was less sure of herself than she let on, the way she asked her question "No, I don't really go for that sort of thing." I answered, honestly. That seemed to suede some of the mare's now apparent fears. We flew in silence for a minute, then I asked "So, are you coming up here alone, then?" "No," she started "but I may as well be, my friend down there" she pointed down below us where I saw another pegasus mare, this one with a yellow coat and pink mane "has got to be the worst cheering section ever." then, as if she just realized she wasn't being nice, she added "I mean, don't get me wrong, she's a great friend, and she really does try, but she couldn't cheer if her life depended on it." "Oh," I said, beginning to be annoyed a little less, seeing she wasn't just another show off, "Well, if it'll help any, I'll cheer for you." "Thanks," she started "I just wish my other friends could come up here." "Oh, are they busy?" I asked, curious why they would miss out on cheering on their friend, "No, Twilight and Rarity are unicorns, and Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie are earth ponies." she explained "Fluttershy here" she said pointing at her again "is my only pegasus friend." "Oh, I see." I said. Then, for some reason, I felt inclined to say "My dad used to come up to these every year, my mom wanted to go with him, but she's a unicorn, so she couldn't, it always made her sad, but my dad would come back with tales of amazing ponies who defied the laws of physics. It was all exaggerated, of course, but it made her feel like she'd been there with him." I paused for second before adding "I kinda wish I'd have gone with him at least once." I kept the tears back with a little effort. The mare noticed, and said "Hey, you're here now, right?" I nodded, "Well, you can imagine your dad here with you, cheering by your side." she said. Then, realizing she was getting a little sentimental, she added "That way, I'll have two good cheerers!" We both laughed a little. We were nearing cloudsdale, now, so it was time to say our goodbyes. "Well, I guess I'll see ya later." she started, then "What'd you say your name was?" "Oh, sorry, I'm Iron. Yeah, I'll catch you later, um..." "The name's Rainbow Dash!" She introduced herself with pride. "Okay, see you later, Rainbow Dash!" And with that, she flew one way, I flew to the ticket stand.
I landed at the ticket stand, where there was a short line. As I waited in line, I looked around. I hadn't been in cloudsdale since I was a little colt. I could remember sitting on my dad's back, as he showed me around. To this day, I could still remember where all the important places were. "Excuse me, sir, the line's moved, you're next." said the ticket clerk, interrupting my thoughts. "Sorry," I ran up to the window and pulled out some bits for the ticket, "I'm going to see the Best Young Fliers competition." I said "Yeah, you and everypony else." Replied the desk clerk, "you going to place a bet?" he asked, almost monotone. I remembered that my dad'd always place a small bet on one of the underponies, he'd come home and say "I really thought he'd make it this time." with that huge smile of his, and mom would just shake her head and say "Your bets are gonna put us out of money, one of these days." "Hey, sir!" the clerk snapped out of my thoughts yet again "Are you going to place bet or not?" I decided I'd carry on my dad's tradition, so I said "Yeah, sure." "Okay, well minimum bet's five bits, who'll it be on?" He asked, pointing a hoof at a list of competitors. I scanned the list thinking about who the underpony might be, then I saw Rainbow Dash's name and remembered how nervous she seemed, however much she tried to hide it. "I'll put it on Rainbow Dash." I said, "Suit yourself." The desk clerk replied, obviously thinking there was somepony else who ought to win. "What's your name? For the record." "Iron Lightning." I provided. At this, the desk clerk looked up at me like he was trying to recognize me "Lightning? You wouldn't, by chance, be related to Swift Lightning, would you?" He asked with great interest. "Yeah," I replied "he's my Father." "Really? Is he here with you? How's he been?" The clerk seemed to get more and more excited as he asked these questions. When he calmed down a little, I said "He passed away six years ago." "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," he said getting sad, himself. "he was a great stallion, one of the best, my close friend. You know he competed, once." "What? My dad actually competed?" I was very surprised, he wasn't the pony to show off at all. "Yeah, and he was really good! Woulda won, too, had he not dropped out. Guess he couldn't stand showin' other ponies up. He was like that." "Hey," said the pony behind me in line "I remember that one, what was it seventeen years ago? Sweet Celestia, that pony could fly! I'd never seen anything like it!" I was practically beaming, now I was so proud, my dad the best young flier! "Well, the son of my dearest friend deserves a discount, your tickets on me." said the desk clerk, now smiling. "Thanks." I said "Anything for Swift's colt." He handed me a ticket, and I made my way to the stadium.
I sat in my seat, waiting for the event to start, scanning the audience for Rainbow's friend, Fluttershy. I, of course, saw Princess Celestia sitting in her royal place, but she didn't interest me all that much, too much pomp and circumstance, then I saw Fluttershy, but she wasn't alone, there were three other ponies with her. That couldn't be right, two of them were earth ponies and the other, a unicorn. But how were they standing on clouds? I concluded that the unicorn must've found a spell to make it so they could. Then I realized there was one missing. Rainbow Dash said that two of her friends were unicorns. Oh well, she must have a good reason for not being here. If I had to guess, I'd say the pink, over exuberant one was probably Pinkie Pie, making the orange one Apple Jack. The purple unicorn, though, could be Twilight or Rarity. I waved at the group, but then realized they wouldn't know me. Then the event finally started, I cheered along with everypony else, actually excited to see what these ponies had in store. I watched as pony after pony displayed their prowess and skill in flying, but I didn't see Rainbow come out, did she get cold hooves? Please tell me she isn't going to quit now! Then the announcer said they were pressed for time, and would have to do the last two performances together. Now that seemed odd. Then, out came a white pony with giant butterfly wings, Impressive, but she seemed really rather showy, especially with that gaudy make up. Then when I looked more carefully, I saw she was unicorn! Maybe the missing friend? Then Rainbow Dash came out, she seemed really nervous. The unicorn said something to Rainbow, and the music started, like some ballet song. I guessed it was the unicorn's song, cause it didn't really fit Rainbow, for how much I knew of her. The unicorn began to fly around displaying her beautiful wings a little too flauntingly for my taste, so I decided I'd ignore her and watch Rainbow Dash, instead. She seemed to pull herself together a bit and started with flying through the pylons. She did rather well, going very fast, but she ran into one, flying straight into a wall. Then she started flying around some clouds, making them spin very fast but one started to spin out of control careening toward, and almost hitting the princess. She wasn't doing too good, probably because she was a bundle of nerves. Then the unicorn started to fly up high, climbing up to the sun. Rainbow Dash quickly raced to catch up, the unicorn said something to bring attention to herself and called herself "Rarity", so she was the missing friend. Then, suddenly, her wings burst into flames, completely disappearing! Rarity began to plummit to certain death, I was just about to get up and try to catch her, when three of the wonderbolts raced down to do just that, but Rarity was flailing her hooves around so violently that she accidentally knocked them out! Now there were four ponies falling, it was too late now for me to be able to do anything. I turned away, not wanting to see what came next. But then, I heard Rainbow Dash yell "Hold on Rarity! I'm coming!" I turned just in time to see a rainbow streak rush by, faster than anything I'd seen before! I looked down to see Rainbow Dash Flying fast toward her friend, but there was no way she could make it, she won't be able pull up in time, I thought, she's going to run into the ground! Then a cone of compressed air started to form around around her, it began to tighten, getting narrower and narrower as she approached the speed of sound! I'd heard about this before but, That's impossible! I thought but that's just a pony's tale, there's no such thing, there can't be! But sure enough, she pushed past the cone and it exploded in a spectacular display of a rainbow disc, It was the Sonic Rainboom! She proceeded to catch all four falling ponies, and came up leaving a trail of rainbow in her wake, to get them safely back to the stadium. Other ponies came in to pick up the unconscious wonderbolts and the, now wingless, Rarity. I heard her thank Rainbow for saving her life, and her friends came up to join her all praising her on a job well done, I was going to come down there to congratulate her on her amazing performance, when Princess Celestia came down and started talking to them, Rarity apologized for ruining things, and said Rainbow is "the best flier in all of Equestria", which I would have to agree with, and the Princess agreed and awarded Rainbow Dash the Best Young Flier award. Everypony cheered, I'd like to think I cheered the loudest, partially because I just won sackfull of bits, but mostly because I knew she really deserved it.
I had a lot to tell my mother when I got home, she'll be surprised when I come home with all this money, I guess I finally proved my dad right, the underpony did win, this time! I silently thanked Rainbow Dash for helping me reconnect with my dad, and enjoy a wonderful display of courage, loyalty, and mad skills!
((I just made a new story that will tidy up my stories area soon, cause I'm putting all my "Iron Lightning" stories into it as chapters, it's called "The Life and Times of Iron Lightning" unfortunately, that means this and the other story, "Iron and the Story", will be deleted, fortunately, that means you only need to follow one story :) [not to mention I don't have to enter a captcha five times every time I post a new one (it never works the first time)] also, this story will no longer be updated, any updates will go to "The Life and Times of Iron Lightning", instead)) [Edit] I've decided I'd leave both the "Life and Times" story and these ones there adding new stories as both chapters in TLaToIL and stand alone stories.