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The Wonderbolts training session was in full swing, the sky bussing with engine roars and sharp commands from Spitfire. The sun was burning through Rainbow Dash’s skin, sweat running along her back as she ran across the field to strike a goal. She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins, the same kind of feeling she would chase in every game she plays.
Rainbow Dash could picture it, her awesome play in the upcoming Friendship Games, the Wonderbolts winning against the Shadowbolts– courtesy of her of course–, her being awarded as the star player of the game, and everybody praising how awesome and cool she is!
Alright, Dash. You got this. If we want to win that trophy in the Friendship Games and leave the Shadowbolts in the mud, we gotta start by scoring this goal.
Rainbow Dash sprinted among her teammates, the sharp breeze hitting her cheeks as she ran along the grass towards the ball. C’mon, Rainbow Dash. Just a little more. She finally arrived in front of the opposing player who was guarding the ball. Rainbow Dash made an attempt to steal it but the other was quick enough to evade her.
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow at that. Now, if there’s anything she didn’t like, it’s getting interrupted when she was just about to get her flow. And true to her skills, she was able to steal the ball with one sweep of her foot.
She dribbled the ball as she ran towards the opposite direction they were going towards earlier. Now’s the chance. Rainbow Dash sped up as she led the ball towards the net, expertly passing through every player from the other team who tried to get in her way.
Rainbow Dash could see it, the trajectory of the goal she was about to score, the angle, the speed, the amount of force she had to exert to make it fly into the right direction. She was ready to run into position and kick when a flash of pink passed by her peripheral vision.
Her head snapped faster than Trixie’s magic tricks (she would later feel the repercussions of this reflex) and wouldn't you know, as soon as Rainbow Dash lost her focus, fate also thought that it was a very good time to make her lose her footing and trip on the ball.
“Crash!! Get your head out of the clouds! We’re in a game for Celestia’s sake!”
Rainbow Dash is probably getting scolded by now, she thinks, but she’s much too distracted by the flush of pink in the bleachers to care.
“You–” Spitfire just facepalmed. “Ugh, nevermind. Break for 15!”
That’s all Rainbow Dash needed to hear as she sprinted, ahem, jogged towards the bleachers to greet her friend.
“Shy!” The athlete said breathlessly, if it’s from running across the other side of the field or from the sight of the girl in front of her at that moment, who knows. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were going to visit.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy blinked. “Sorry if I'm interrupting Rainbow Dash. You can just ignore me and practice. I… uhm, just happened to have nothing to do and when I passed by the field, I thought it would be nice to watch you practice.” The pink haired girl said timidly, almost hiding behind the strands of her hair as she did so.
The faint pink that dusted her cheeks made Rainbow Dash hold her breath as her brain worked faster than it ever did to refute the condescending statement her friend said about herself, again.
“Are you kidding me!? I think it’s super cool of you to visit. I mean, sure, our friends are always present at all my games, but none of them really visit me in my practices! I get that everyone’s busy and whatnot but…” Rainbow Dash took a breath. “What I’m trying to say is, you’re not interrupting anything and I appreciate you being here for me, Flutters.”
As soon as those words left her mouth, Rainbow Dash could feel the blood rushing to her face. Thankfully, she was able to stop it at her neck. Now, though she was sporting a bloody red neck, she did her best to smile genuinely at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy giggled at that, “Oh, Dashie.. thank you.” The athlete could feel the altitude of her blood returning to normal just from her friend’s laugh. “Well, I wouldn't mind going to your practices. Though I’m not sure if I’ll be able to be at every one of them, I’ll try to attend most to keep you company. And to cheer you on, of course.”
Rainbow Dash brightened up when she heard that. “You promise?” In a fit of excitement, the athlete inched closer to get a good look at her friend’s eyes to see if she’s being serious or not, unknowingly invading her friend’s space.
Fluttershy blushed at the proximity, she’s never been this close to Rainbow Dash before. “I…”, before she could answer, the two were interrupted by a whistle from the other side of the field.
“Oops. I guess that’s my cue, huh.” Rainbow Dash took a quick glance at her teammates and saw them rounding up at the side of the field. She looked back at Fluttershy, taking in the soft glow her hair radiates as it is hit by the sunlight, her long lashes, and her eyes that looked like the sky on a warm, sunny day, just like today.
They stared at each other for a few seconds until they heard a distant angry yell of ‘Crash!!!’. Fluttershy jumped a little as the two tore their gazes away from each other. “I… really should get going now.” Rainbow Dash laughed awkwardly as she fixed herself up, getting ready for another session of sprinting across the fields.
Well, if it means being able to look good in front of her very special friend, then she’d be very glad to do so.
“Oh, right. Shy!” Rainbow Dash looked back towards the bleachers as she jogged backwards to the field. “Wait for me after practice! I’ll walk you home.”
And if they developed a routine of going to Rainbow Dash’s practice every post-school hours and going home together afterwards, that’s only for them to know.