I opened my eyes and hoped out of bed leaving my sheets and blankets messily bunched up at the foot of the bed where tank was slowly stretching and yawning. I was up very uncharacteristically early. I just couldn't help it though; I was just so excited, today I went to the Wonderbolt base for a briefing and I would start settling in soon. I raced downstairs and poured Tank a bowl of his favorite cereal; Crunchy Flakes, in his favorite yellow bowl. Tank motored down the stairs in his one of a kind turtle fly-a-tron2000; he let out a gurgle of appreciation as I set the bowl down on his favorite mat where he liked to sit and watch clouds, and the occasional Pegasus pass by the house.

He sat quietly munching on the sweet cereal, as I grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl sitting on my kitchen counter, and propelled myself out of the kitchen window, extending my wings, I caught an up draft and soared parallel to the ground and on past Sweet Apple Acres, waving to BigMac as he harvested the latest zap apple crop, and then continued on toward Ponyville, I leveled out to an easy glide and scanned Ponyville for early risers, my eyes were met with the pleasant sight of pony's starting their day, and a group of sparrows darting about and chirping. Colgate could be seen strolling about in the direction of the sofa and quill store and I glimpsed Derpy sitting on a roof, looking very wobbly eyed and content.

I lazily landed outside of SugarCube corner, swung open the door and waltzed inside of the colorful bakery, my mission was to tell Pinky of my departure to the Wonderbolts Base, if any of my other friends wondered where I had disappeared to. Once I located her and explained my trip to her she immediately launched into an excited monologue. "Oh my gosh, should I throw a going away party, who am a kidding? Of course I should! It will have balloons, and streamers, and cake, and candy, and."

"Pinky." I cut her off. "None of that is necessary; I'll only be gone a few hours at most. I'll be back before sunset for sure."

"So, should I throw a welcome back party?" Pinky asked raising her voice, and head hopefully.

"No." I said with a slight chuckle creeping into my voice. "Not today, maybe you can some other day." Pinky's face looked crestfallen, she really did want to party. "Maybe you could have a party for Opal's 100th pedicure?" I waited with apprehension to see if my suggestion was met with enthusiasm, it was.

"Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about Opals 100th, we can have balloons, and streamers, and cake, and."

I made my way out of SugerCube corner and left Pinky to her party planning. Once I was outside I could see more ponies' up and about daily chores, buying from the market, collecting newspapers from their doorsteps. I took off into the skies gracefully, and carefully, as not to hit any pony.

Once I was up in the air I angled myself toward the rising sun, and proceeded east toward a sea of clouds. My letter had been very ambiguous about where the Wonderbolt base located; all it said was head east from Ponyville and keep straight, until I was intercepted by a Wonderbolt. I mentally switched on autopilot and let me mind wander about what the Wonderbolt base could look like, maybe It would be a huge cloud mansion that they could move to wherever they liked with cloud currents, or maybe it would be hidden inside a massive mountain, maybe Celestia used her powers to make it invisible. My mind continued to wander to increasingly improbable structures as I sailed across a massive forest of evergreen trees. Now that I thought about it, I didn't even really know who I was looking for. It could be any of the Wonderbolts, even Spitfire, though I doubted they would send their captain out to collect a newbie. Heck I didn't even know how long I had to fly for, it could be hours, or maybe only minutes more.

I was jolted back to reality when I felt raindrops splatter on my back. My gaze turned up and I took in a view of swirling storm clouds, I heard lighting in front of me and the wind started picking up, I had to squint against the growing downpour and my fur was slicked back by the rain. I was soon fighting against strong head winds, and my body was being thrown about by the storm. Lighting was now cracking all around me so close that I could smell it and it made my skin crawl. I was running out of energy very fast and needed to find the Wonderbolt that was going to collect me. With a crack of lightening I lost control and was sent plummeting toward the ground with flailing limbs as I tried to righted myself.

My options were soon very limited, I was moments from crashing into the evergreen trees beneath me and all I could think to do was flare my wings, so I did. Then with a sharp jolt I heard a frightening rip, and searing pain shot down my right-wing. I fumbled and almost lost control again but I managed to keep my wings extended and continued to stabilize myself. As I gained control I succeeded in gaining a bit of height bringing me several feet above the forest below me. I fought to gain more altitude but eventually decided it would be best to hug the treetops.

All the sensible parts of me told me to get on the ground and wait for the storm to pass, or at least calm a bit, but the future Wonderbolt in me told me to soldier on through the frightening lighting and injured wing. Every flap of my left-wing ached, and I couldn't even feel my right-wing, but I was not a quitter, and I wouldn't ever give up, especially when the Wonderbolts were involved.

The out of nowhere I slammed aggressively into the side of somepony, all I could make out in the storm was a deep blue mane and, goggles? A Wonderbolt, yes I had found my guide. The Wonderbolt looked at me and nodded to his left toward the heart of the storm, I nodded back at him. With a quick flick of his tail he turned around and led the way. I followed dutifully avoiding as many gusts of wind as I could, but still getting caught by most.

After what seemed like ages my Wonder guide slowed, and then started an abrupt decent toward a mass of fog. I continued descending a tail length behind him. Through the fog I saw a huge marble mansion sitting firmly atop a massive rugged mountain. I landed clumsily and ran through an enormous set of ornate marble double doors behind the Wonderbolt. Once inside I saw spitfire in her Wonderbolts flight suit pacing worriedly across a vast marble lobby, she turned to face me and her face lit up and a smile broke out across her face. "Turns out this rookie has more spunk than we thought, mixed with just the right amount of recklessness." She said with a light chuckle as she trotted toward me. "We had a bet on whether the storm would turn you around. I guess somepony owes me ten bits." She cast a sideways glance at a sheepish Fire Streak, and then turned to my Wonderguide. "Soarin, you take her to get that wing patched up; it looks like she might have torn something."

"Sure thing Spitfire." He said with an enthusiastic nod, and then he turned to me and said. "Follow me this way Rainbow." He gestured toward a long ornate marble hallway and then started to stroll down it. I trailed along beside him. I couldn't help but laugh at myself a little for not realizing my guide was Soarin, he was the newest Wonderbolt, he had been selected to join them last year, at only a slightly younger age than me, making us about the same age now. He was taller than me, his shoulders were broad, and he turned his head to smile at me and say. "So, you're the newbie, eh? Aren't you the same pony that saved my pie at the gala? And the same pony I danced with at the royal wedding?"

I smiled. So he remembered me, I must be an awesome dancer. "Yup, yup, and yup."

"Well, I must admit I knew you were. I'm just not very good at starting conversations." He said looking embarrassed.

"Ha, its fine Soarin, I have awkward moments too." I said reassuringly.

"Well, I think you'll make a fine friend us newbies got to stick together. The seniors like to play pranks." He said with a meaningful look. "Extreme pranks." I let out a snort, which in turn made Soarin laugh, and then I started laughing harder, and the pattern continued to the point of which when we arrived at the infirmary we were both in tears from the laughing.