[Canterlot Stadium, 10:45 a.m.]

I arrived as early as I could to be the first one to see the course. Apparently I wasn't the only Pegasus with this idea. There wasn't too many of them that had showed up this early. There was about 4 to 5 of them.

One of them had looked over and started towards where I was. When she was close enough to not have to yell to talk to me, she said "Hey you here for the tryouts?"

"Yeah. What about you?" I asked her back.

"Me too. How rude of me, I haven't introduced to myself. My name is Thunderclap." She said bowing her head as a gesture of politeness.

"Nice to meet you Thunderclap. My name is Rainbow Dash." I responded to her.

"Wait, Rainbow Dash? Rainbow Dash, the one who won the Best Young Fliers Competition?" She asked.

"Better believe it." I told her.

"Oh my gosh! You also saved the Wonderbolts' lives, right?" She asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Alright, well I guess you're here with the same reason the rest of us have. You wanted to see the obstacle course, huh?"

"Yeah, whats it look like?"

"Nothing to complicated. You could probably complete in your sleep."

"Really? Its that easy?"

"Yeah, they're down there exercising right now." When she brought that up, I had remembered what I had promised AJ. I need to get down there and talk to Soarin' while he has some free time. Well, exercising may not mean "free" time, but it's close enough.

"Well it was nice to meet you Thunderclap. I have to get down there and talk to them."

"Oh? What for?"

"Its a business thing I'm helping my friend with." I told her. She seemed to buy it. She nodded and rejoined the group of other Pegasuses that were just lounging around the area. I took off and flew towards where the team was exercising. They had just trotted into the center of the field and started to take a break.

I spotted Spitfire, and flew towards where she was at. I landed and walked over to her, when I was within earshot I heard her call out "Morning."

"Morning, I wanted to ask you a question." I told her.

"Tryouts don't begin til-" She stopped mid-sentence "You're Rainbow Dash, aren't ya?" She asked.

"At your service." I responded.

"What can I do for you? Like I was saying though, they don't start till 1ish." She finished.

"I wanted to know if I could exercise with your team this morning." I told her. After all, it wasn't a lie. I did want to get some exercise in so that way I wouldn't cramp up while I was flying. But by doing this I would be able to get to Soarin' faster.

"That'd be just fine. We're going to be doing 4 more miles, with a 5 minute break between every 2 miles. I fill you in on the next part once we've got the miles finished. I suggest you get yourself into a harness," She pointed towards where they were at "they make it easier to trot. You know, so you don't get any air-resistance with your wings."

"Thank you, I'll get on that." I said. She nodded and I walked over towards the harnesses. When I had finally fastened it, I heard Spitfire give the signal to go for the next 2 laps. I began my trot at a good pace. I stayed in the majority of the group. We continued on our way. I looked around for Soarin'. Where is this Pegasus at?

[Canterlot Stadium, 11:00 a.m.]

I felt the sweat beading down my withers and sides. This newly added trotting exercise was kicking my ass. We were only on the 3rd mile and I was too tired to think about continuing. "Hey, Soarin'." I heard an unfamiliar voice call me. I turned my head to see who it was.

I couldn't believe my eyes. It had been the Pegasus who had saved Aftershock's, My sister's and my life. "Rainbow Dash, was it?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She said, trotting faster to catch up to me. I wonder what she is doing here.

"Whats up?" I asked.

"Nothing much. Listen, there is really no nice way to say this, but..." She dragged off. I gulped, Is she one of those fan girls that really wants to go out with me? That would make things really awkward. Well, there was only a few ponies that I liked. Like one of Dash's friends for instance, I can't quite remember the name...

I snapped back to thought on Dash, Please, please, don't make it awkward. "Alright, my friend Applejack," Applejack, that was it. She was one of Dash's friends. The one that I had a small crush on. Well, if you mean small crush as in thinking about her in my free time, then by all means it was a small crush. "Applejack, has a crush on you." She finished.

"Really?" I said low enough for her, and her only to hear.

"Yeah, I told her that I'd at least tell you." She said in the same low voice.

"Well, to tell ya the truth. I-I kinda do too..." I told her. She showed a little surprised look towards me.

"Well, I bet she'll be glad to hear that." She replied "One last thing I have to know, are you and Spitfire related." The question came from so far out of the blue, that I tripped over my own leg.

"Come on, get back up Soarin'." I heard my sister yell to me when I finally stopped.

"Are you okay?" She asked, slowing down. She waited behind, while the rest continued on with the last mile.

I began to get up. I started to trot slowly again, She's sharp. Me and Spitfire try to make sure that no pony know we're related. "How'd you figure?" I said as we picked the pace back up.

"I just get this vibe from you two. I can tell that she pushes you harder than the rest of the team, without letting them know that. It was quite obvious to me. If I had a little sibling I would push them to surpass me." She replied.

"Well, just don't go telling every pony. Its one of the hardest secrets to keep. We don't want ponies trying to use us to get to the other." I told her. Well, I'm actually glad that I am able to tell her. After all, she did save our lives.

"I'm going to be bringing AJ with me for later today. If you want to talk to her then, I'll tell her." She suggested.

"That sounds perfectly fine." I replied. I didn't know how to feel towards that exact situation. I just decided to think of it as a really good thing that would be happening today.

"Well I think you should just know anyways," She began "I'm dating her brother." I remembered Applejack say something about having a brother when I saw her at the Grand Galloping Galla.

I began to think, I need to start actually making more of a public appearance, make some friends. I don't even know that many ponies from where I was born. Man, if I wasn't on this team I wouldn't have anyone to hang out with. "Hey Dash." I told her, after taking in a breathe.

"Whats," She breathed in "up?" She answered back.

"We should hang out sometime. Nothing weird, but I'm just going to admit it. I really don't have any friends. Plus going off of what you said, Applejack would probably be thrilled." I told her.

"That's awesome, when?" She asked.

"I don't know, um how about later today. After the tryouts?" I suggested.

"Perfect, I'll make sure to have AJ, and Big Mac open to go hang out. We should get lunch. Hey it'd be like a double-date thing." She said.

"Hey, hey, we aren't going out," I told her, then added in softly "yet."

"Oh come on, you and I both know that if you asked her out she'd say yes." She gloated to me. I took a deep breathe, I really couldn't deny it. If I did, I think she would undoubtedly say yes. We were silent for a few moments. Then I had remembered what we were doing. I felt the sweat on my back, and I felt my fatigue. You really don't notice how tired you are until you stop talking.

We had just passed our 3 lap, one more lap until we get to rest. The amount of trotting I was going to be doing was mind-boggling. After this, we'd still have to run 4 more miles. Plus I already felt like shit, I wondered what I would feel like if I had o continue running the rest of the miles without taking a break. Just thinking about made me feel like crap...

[Canterlot Stadium, 12:10]

I feel over onto the grass for the last time. I was sweating and didn't want to move. I think that everyone else felt the same way. I looked around, some of the members had assumed the same position. As I laid there I heard Spitfire call out "Alright everyone, you get a 20 minute rest period. After that I want you all back here and ready for the obstacle course."

I just laid there for the greater part of 3 minutes, letting my self cool down. I've done a lot of running like that, but not to recently. I tend to focus on flying exercises. Since it being one of the things that I do a lot.

I began to get back up, I looked over for Spitfire. I saw her over by the water fountain and began to trot over there. Most ponies that say 'Oh I'm so tired, I'm never trotting again' are lazy. That or they are never in a hurry, one of the two.

When I got close enough to not yell, and when she wasn't drinking anymore, I asked her "So, what are we doing next?"

"We'll be going through some flying exercises. Just the regular dives, and such." She started "Say, are there a lot of Pegasuses up there? I would look, but then they'd freak out." She asked. I looked up there, it was roughly the same amount of Pegasuses. Add about 1 or 2.

"Around 6 or 7. Why, might I asked." I told her.

"Well, I'd rather have a few Pegasuses that I already know can fly. If the set rule wasn't to have each one of the Pegasuses tested to see if they knew how to fly, I wouldn't make you fly. Because you obviously know how to fly, being that you saved my life with those skills." She told me "Could you go up there and invite them down?"

"Of course." I answered.

"Thank you." She said, I nodded. I took off and headed towards the stands that allowed visitors to always stand upon. Even if the Stadium wasn't open. I landed around where they were.

"Hey, any of you want to come talk ?" I asked the group. They looked at me with shocked glances. I saw Thunderclap step forward.

"Sure, lets go guys." She said, addressing the group that was behind her. The rest stepped forward. I nodded and took off. We flew back towards where the clearing that Spitfire was standing at. I landed, and told Spitfire "Aye, they all wanted to come down and talk to you."

"Well, Dash, I have to get my team prepped. So do you think you could give them the run down on what I would want them to do? It would really help them, due to the fact that this is what today's try out is going to be." She told me.

"So the simple Dives, Corkscrews, Banks, and all that?" I asked.

"Yup pretty much. Then after that, take them for a 2 mile trot." She added.

"Understood." I told her, then turned back towards the group "Alright, who wants to get a little practice in for the tryouts?" I asked. They all looked around and started to give mumble of conformation. "Alright, well, we'll start with the flying exercises. Everypony hit the obstacle course." I said, then took off towards the beginning of the obstacle course.

[Canterlot Stadium, 12:55]

"Hey, Spitfire." I called out to her.

"Whats up Rainbow Dash?" She asked.

"Say, since we kinda did the practice rounds. Don't you think its redundant to have us do it again? Not saying I wouldn't mind it." I told her.

"Well, I guess not. May I ask why you wanted to get marked off fast though?" She questioned.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind I'd like to borrow your brother." I told her, obviously Soarin' hadn't told her that I had known, because her face flared a shade of red.

"Uh, what brother?" She asked trying to keep her composer.

"Sorry, I guess he didn't tell you. Anyways, yeah, he wanted to talk to one of my friends." I replied. She seemed to accept the fact that I knew her and Soarin' were related.

"Who's he going to me with?" She asked.

"My friend, Applejack. She is the owner of Sweet Apple Acres." I answered.

"Alright, I'll let him. I guess this might happen for the next 2 days also?" She inquired.

"Well, maybe, I don't know about Apples. She's got a business to run."

"Alright, well, he's dismissed as soon as you finish the tryouts I guess." She went on "Let me guess, this is that same Applejack as the one he got that pie from?"

"Yeah."

"I think he is just love-sick from a pie." She started to chuckle.

"Maybe, maybe. Well, I guess I should go get here anyways. I'll be back later." I told her "Could you make sure he's presentable." We started to laugh at this comment.

"Only so much I can do. Well ceya later anyways, Dash." She finally said.

"Same to you." I said taking off. Man, even though this is for Apples it's going to be really awkward. I sighed, Well, at least I don't have really anything to do for the rest of the day except hang out with Applejack and Big Mac.

I got the sudden idea, I should get what Soarin' thinks about my routine. I started smile. That's a really good idea. I flew back towards Ponyville, with a stupid smile on my face and over-excited for something small. As I saw it, it was normal.

[Author's Notes]

Heya everyone! How's everyone's Labor Day Weekend been going? Sorry that the first publish of this chapter was bad, I was rushing to get the idea out. Now that I had a little bit of time to go back and remake it, I'm pretty satisfied with it. Anywho, more or less expect a chapter around tomorrow or Wednesday. Hopefully I'll be wrapping it up around chapter 14 xD Anyways, Ain't got nothing but love for ya'll.

Mrhelmetman

Posted Date and Time

9/4/2011 – mm/dd/yyyy

16:34 – 4:34 p.m.