A/N: Not based off a word, this time. More like a song. Since this is my first MLP fic, I might as well start with my favorite pony. This is sort-of dedicated to my best friend, who reads a lot of MLP fics but can't write 'em. She introduced this song to me, so I guess this should be dedicated to her. Song doesn't belong to me.

outrun my gun

Rainbow looked at the other pegasi, who were laughing at her again. She humphed, and her rainbow tail swished like it always did when she was annoyed, and shook to let the clouds fade away from her tiny frame. She was rather small for a filly, but her sire always told her that it didn't matter, because when you were fast, you didn't have to care about anything else but yourself and the sky. He told her it was a great feeling, and while Rainbow wasn't exactly known for being observant, she knew he was itching for when she finally knew how to fly in a straight line without a scratch.

Miss Mercury didn't look too pleased that this was obviously not the day that Rainbow would learn, but she was far too used to her crashes to do anything but sigh. "Rainbow Dash," she said in the weary, old mare voice she'd grown into over the years. "Young mare, you simply have to learn! Flying isn't about speed. Flying is about grace, and precision. There is a reason why we pegasi are the only ponies born to able to reach to the heavens. I trust that your parents have raised you well enough to know this?"

She bit her lip to keep from saying, I only have one parent. She gulped, and nodded. "I'm ready for one more try, Miss," Rainbow said, stomping her hoof into the cloud. Miss Mercury didn't look happy at that either, and her pale brown wings drooped. Nevertheless, she told Rainbow to be careful this time, because clouds don't come cheap and the factory is working as hard as it is to keep supplying the school with something to house the hyperactive fillies. Rainbow nodded again, not really listening, but glaring at her hooves.

Snickering, one cocky stallion shouted, "Rainbow Crash, Rainbow Crash, never flies without a smash!" The other fillies laughed, singing the stupid song that Honey Cakes had made up a few weeks ago, and Rainbow gritted her teeth.

One day you'll be better than them, Dashie, her father's voice echoed in her ears. In fact, you already are, and that's why you'll be flying with me soon. He had winked, that morning, and ruffled up her mane even more. That was before her dam had left them. Before she told the both of them that she couldn't handle this anymore. That she couldn't live with a withering disappointment like Rainbow.

Before Miss Mercury had blown her whistle, Rainbow was already off.

the sleight of my hand is now a quick-blown trigger

Her eyes were narrowed with concentration. Rainbow could only slightly hear Fluttershy cheering her on, and the mare was right behind her. "You have got to do better than that, you silly pony," she muttered under her breath. "You're looking at the next winner of the Best Young Fliers Competition here." But she didn't say it any louder than what she could hear, making sure that Fluttershy just thought she was just having a verbal pep talk with herself.

"G-Go Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy screamed, or tried to. Rainbow decided against a facehoof on account that the mare was actually trying to be loud, which she certainly was not. She appreciated the effort though. She was about to turn her head back and tell Fluttershy to yell louder, but the air suddenly changed into something a bit more...harder.

Showtime, she thought, taking a deep breath. Her wings were held closely by her sides, only slightly inching up and away from the rest of her body. Her right front hoof ground at the the dirt harshly, making a little dust cloud that the wind quickly blew away. Her rainbow mane was getting in the way of her sight, and she blew a gust of air upwards. She could feel her tail riding along with the wind, along with her hind legs shaking for some action. Her hoof went a little deeper in the ground. Sweat trickled at her face. Rainbow didn't mind. This was her element.

This was her sky.

Rainbow shot up to the endless blue, a rainbow streak following her. She was glad she got some of the other pegasi to help her mold the clouds to the pillars and the the other, smaller ones to form bigger clouds. But those were only for the first two parts of her plan, and they were, to be honest, rather easy for a pegasus like her. She breezed by them in ten seconds flat each, and she could hear Fluttershy stomping her hooves in approval. Rainbow bit back a smirk. She, or the judges, or, hay, even the Wonderbolts, would not be able resist her final act. Part three, the finale, was too awesome for clouds. Clouds were fluffy, easily destroyed, white, and blank. Rainbows, however, were colorful and alive and were important. Rainbows represented the coming of another day. They represented change.

Diving down, Rainbow knew she wasn't going fast enough for the Sonic Rainboom. But she knew that when the time came, she'd be able to do it. She'd go in a bang, and she'd impress every single pony who used to laugh at her, and everything would change. The moment will be a blink-and-you'll-miss-it sort of moment, when she accomplishes it, but only one quick moment is all she needs.

She closed her eyes and tried to go faster.

your hair's on fire, you must've lost your wits

Rainbow put her hoof down, eyes blazing. Spitfire, one of her heroes for being the only mare on the main three Wonderbolts, stared at her confusedly, as if she didn't know what's wrong. At any other pony, any other day, she would've gone right into her face and yelled, "What's wrong? What's wrong?! What's wrong is that you're wrong, 'cause it's wrong, and everything is wrong right now so go fix it!" She would have kicked her right out of her own office, and she'd tell her that when she has a job, she better do it right.

But the mare looking at her was her fillyhood hero. She couldn't do that. She wouldn't. Not when Spitfire didn't know the whole story, not when Spitfire didn't know how it affected the other ponies, how it affected her friends, and how it affected her. Rainbow was shaking. That had been one of the scariest moments in her life. And did the pony in front of her care? Did her hero care about that?

She looked at Spitfire and wondered why she had to ask. She didn't care. There was her answer.

Rainbow was this close to spitting at her face. And did she want this? Did she ever, truly and honestly and deep within her heart, want this? Did she really want to dream about being a pony so selfish that she didn't care about the others, a pony who trampled on their hopes just to look good? Just to be recognized for her talents, for what she was born to do? Did she want that?

Once.

Never again.

Quickly, she ripped out the Wingpony badge from her Wonderbolt uniform. She glared at the mare who had given it to her, who had not cared, and who had been the pony to lead her here. The pony who inspired her want to fly, to race, to succeed, to be the pony who inspired other ponies to be somepony great. The pony who inspired her. Rainbow slammed her badge onto Spitfire's table. She said, "I quit," and turned her back. Swished her tail for good measure. Headed to the door.

When the door closed behind her, Rainbow put her hooves up and prepared to run as far from here as possible.

you better run, better run

She zoomed through the holes, swirled around the pillars, swooshed and spun and turned and flew. It was a great feeling. Just her and the sky; just her and the wind. Her wings were small, just large enough for her equally as small frame, but fast and agile and everything she wanted to be. The sun on her face, the air in her ears, and the thrill drowning away anything that wasn't elation. Guess those classes actually helped out, idly thought Rainbow, passing through a hole well above the third tallest pillar Cloudsdale had to offer. But it's probably just me and my awesome dad. I think he'd like this.

Grinning, Rainbow thought of coming home later that afternoon, telling her sire about how she finally, finally, proved to them just how much better of a flyer she was than them. She'd tell him how they marveled at her when she won the race, and that she won her very first race. And lastly, she'd tell him how happy she was, and she'd ask if they could go flying together. Then he'd say yes, because what else would he say?

She whooped, her sky-blue wings taking her as fast as she could. With these wings, she could take over the world. She'd be the coolest pony in Equestria. Nobody could stop her. Nobody will.

And especially that one checkpoint that was almost touching the ground in its lowness. Definitely not that.

Taking a deep breath, she made her wings form a different formation. One for speed and agility; one that would never let her down. Rainbow folded her wings, gritting her teeth, then let the tips spring up. One, two, three. Then she let go, and let her wings expand. One, two, three. They bent with the dive, and she let them. Her eyes watering, she thought, I can do this. Legs shaking, eyes focused, wings flapping, heart pounding, the wind whistling through her ears. I can do this, and a white arc of light appeared in front of her front hooves. She ignored it. I can do this, and the arc spread wider. She could feel herself going faster, and she bit her lip. Around this time, she should have lost control of the dive, crashing into the ground. The teachers from flight school would look at her and send her to the hospital while she was still groaning and not opening her eyes. Then when she'd open them, she'd see everypony looking down at her. And they'd be laughing at her. And she doesn't know if she can take that.

Rainbow Crash, Rainbow Crash, doesn't fly without a smash! The song echoed in her head.

You simply have to learn, Miss Mercury's voice said to her.

One day, her father's voice fervently whispered to her, as if they were sharing a secret.

And those two words stuck. One day, she'll be better than them. One day, she'll be the stuff they only dreamed of. One day, she'll be adored. One day, she'll be recognized. One day, she'll be special. One day, maybe tomorrow, maybe a few years later, and everything would change. She'd be cool, for once. She'd have a job that she loves, and she'd be awesome at it. She'd grin. She'd mean it. She'd have people aside from her sire to talk to. She'd have friends. She wouldn't be alone anymore. One day, and they can't stop her.

Rainbow Dash smirked.

I can do this. And I'll show them. All the other ponies with their pumped-up kicks. She dived down. And she shot up, a Sonic Rainboom exploding in her wake. She grinned, and zoomed over Cloudsdale, making a rainbow. Everything is changing. She could feel it in her wings, flapping along with rejuvinated adrenaline and energy. She could feel it on her flank, where her Cutie Mark was glowing with its newness. She could feel it in her heart, pounding against her body with a rapid beat of one, two, three, one, two, three.

She's coming at them, fast and new and suddenly whole. She'll show them.

They better run.

faster than my bullet