Once at the monument, Rainbow Dash pulled out the diary and wrote, "Coming soon!" to Twi. As she put the book away in her duffle bag which was bulging with human-world gifts for her friends, she noticed Schmidt out for a morning's run on the road that straight-lined past the two bronze Marines and their flag and sighed impatiently. She'd have to wait for him to go on past before diving into the portal – no use having to explain THAT to somebody she didn't care to talk to should he catch her in the act.
Irritated, Rainbow Dash leaned against the pedestal of the monument, duffel bag at her feet, arms folded. Schmidt was as conscientious and methodical a runner as he was a pilot, long arms and legs pumping up and down with deliberate intent, breathing steady and measured, blue eyes fixed straight ahead of him in the zone of a fanatical runner.
Borrrrr-inggggggggg!
"I bet he even SWEATS by the book!" Rainbow grumbled as he rhythmically thumped past, "Good riddance!" she added as he loped towards the nearby intersection before taking a right towards the dorms. She slung her duffle over her shoulder and got ready to step through the portal and home.
Only she stopped mid-step, grinning devilishly.
She had an idea. One that would make up for all the wrongs in this strange world.
One that would tip the balance in her favor.
"Yo, Mike!" she called. "Come here for a second!"
Lt. Schmidt slowed down mid-intersection, "What?" he yelled back, jogging in place.
This was too good to be true. "Just get over here— you have GOT to see this!"
Her unasked for competition, her wingperson jogged back towards her across the lawn the surrounded the monument. How could he be so, so, gullible? As he approached, Rainbow Dash stuck out a cross-trainered foot and tripped him so that he tumbled headfirst into the portal with a yell.
And then she dove in after him, but not before writing in the diary, "P.S. Sorry! I couldn't stop myself!"
