BiE Bonus Story: Day at the Races

=BiE Bonus Story: Day at the Races=

 

>Year 6 in Equestria.

>You hopped off the train and breathed in the city air.

"Welcome back to Canterlot, Thunder."

>Thunderstrike walked off the train and looked around the city. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Dad?"

>"Of course it is!" Came another voice from above.

>Rainbow Dash fluttered down to the ground and hoofed you in the shoulder. "Heh. Told you I could beat the train here."

"Yeah yeah, you're fast. Wanna get moving?"

>Dash chuckles as the three of you start moving. "Late to the Wonderbolts Derby? You couldn't pay me."

>Thunder remains land bound as you walk along. "I haven't been here in forever..." He says.

>Shit.

"Hey, you okay? I know this place has some bad memories..."

>Thunder shakes his head. "It's fine, dad. Why are we headed this way, anyway? I thought the Derby was at the stadium."

"We have to pick up your uncle first."

>As the three of you reach the correct house, you knock on the door.

>Four times.

>You could hear him from the other side. "-swear to god, if I die when I open this door!"

>He swings open the door and shifts his eyes between the three of you. "Oh. It's you, hey."

>Mous turns back into the house. "Babe! They're here!"

>He loops a bag around his shoulder as Lotus comes trotting out of the house. "A pleasure to see you again, Anon."

"Hey Lotus."

>"Alright, I'm all set."

>Good.

"Let's hit it."

 

>You were in the locker room with the other racers.

>Before every Wonderbolts Derby, they had a race for kids.

>Once around the track and the winner would get a picture with The Wonderbolts.

>Thunder looked scared as he watched the older kids mill about with their parents.

"You okay, buddy?"

>Thunder looks at you with pleading eyes. "Dad, I don't think I can do this."

>You kneel down to his level.[spoiler][/spoiler] "Why's that Thunder?"

>Thunder looks around the room again. "Because all of these kids are way bigger than me! They have tons more wing power and they'll go super fast!"

>Stage fright, you knew it well.

>Thunder's head falls. "And I know mom is in the running for becoming a Wonderbolt soon...If I lose, it might mess that up for her..."

>Who now.

>You place a hand on Thunders head.

"Hey, none of that. It's our job to worry about you, not the other way around."

>You tilt his chin up.[spoiler][/spoiler] "Besides, you can't be scared Thunder."

>He looks you straight in the eye. "But I am dad! I'm scared that I'll screw up!"

>You rest both hands on your son's shoulders.

"You can't let that stop you, Thunder. You gotta keep moving forward, even when you're scared."

>Thunder shuffles his hooves. "Is that what you do?"

>You give him a thumbs up.

"All the time kiddo, now go knock em dead."

 

>The four of you sat on the bleachers as you watched the foals on the field.

>Thunder was stretching out by himself away from the general pack.

>"That kid reminds me of fucking Roid." Mous says as he points to a particularly large colt.

"You think every big kid looks like Roid."

>"He's burned an image into my mind. All those massages he asked for..." Mous shudders.

>You let Mous have his little episode as you turn to Rainbow.

"How do you think he'll do?"

>Rainbow brings a hoof to her concerned face.

>"Thunder has the skill and the speed...But..."

"His heart isn't in it..."

>Rainbow shakes her head. "He's just too nervous! He reminds me of Fluttershy sometimes."

"Mom of the year, Everypony."

>Rainbow tilts her head to you. "Hey, you ask a pro flier for her opinion, you can't be mad when you get it."

>"Besides, I can fix that." Mous says.

"Don't take all the credit! I picked the song!"

>"It's was my idea, though! And I have the better shouting voice!"

>Lotus and Rainbow share a concerned look.

>"What do you two have planned?" Lotus asked.

>"A surprise" The two of you say in unison.

>A voice comes over the loudspeaker. "Junior racers! Take your positions!"

>Mous pats you on the shoulder "Time to move."

>"Where are you going!?" Rainbow shouts back to you as you walk up the stand stairs.

"We're gonna go help Thunder!"

 

>You were Thunderstrike.

>Your dad has taken you to Canterlot to see the Wonderbolts Derby and race in the Junior Derby.

>That has you terrified.

>These other kids were mountains compared to you!

>Their wings must stretch from here to Fillydelphia!

>You can't do this.

>You shouldn't have done this!

>Why did you agree to this! You should have stayed home!

>You were scared, more scared then you had been in your entire life.

>Screwing this up would screw everything up for mom!

>She'd be laughed out of the Wonderbolts for having such a slow son!

>She might regret picking you...The other kids at the orphanage were probably way faster than you...

>You could never measure up to mom...

>She was the fasted in Equestria!

>Even if you won this, you'd just be her "slow son".

>She could go of to be the best Wonderbolt ever if you weren't holding her back!

>You looked out over the stands.

>The other kids families were cheering them on, filling the stadium with a cacophony of names.

>You couldn't make any out, but you saw your family.

>Or well...half of your family...mom and aunt Lotus...

>Looks like dad and uncle Mous didn't want to watch you embarrass yourself.

>You couldn't blame them...

>The call comes out to assume your places for the start of the race, you don't do it with any enthusiasm though.

>Your head dropped as low as your heart did.

>And then the music started.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d7OBluielc-

>Everyp0ny turns to see the source of the music blaring over the loudspeakers.

>Standing on top of the announcers box stood two figures.

>Two bipedal figures.

>Dad? Uncle?

>They were bobbing in time to the music, joining their voices in the choir coming from a small white box by their feet.

>The plucks of the instruments echoed all over Canterlot.

>They violently bang their heads as the song says a word.

>"THUN-DER!"

>They continued to bang their heads to the music's drum, pumping their fists at each THUNDER.

>To your open mouthed shock, the rest of the stadium begins to join them.

>"THUN-DER!"

>The entire stadium was chanting your name.

>Were they doing this for you?

>"THUN-DER!" They shouted.

>You heard another sound rising over the music.

>The sound of your heart beating in your ears.

>Their shouting was really getting the stadium going.

>Dad handed Uncle a small microphone.

>"I WAS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAILROAD TRACK!"

>"THUN-DER!"

>They did all this for you.

>All to make you feel better.

>"I LOOKED 'ROUND, AND I KNEW THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK!"

>"THUN-DER!"

>"MY MIND RACED, AND I THOUGHT "WHAT COULD I DO?"

>Dad said you had to keep moving forward.

>"AND I KNEW THERE WAS NO HELP, NO HELP FORM YOU!"

>Dad and Uncle did all this for you.

>To make you move forward, even if you were scared.

>You can't let them down.

>"SOUND OF THE DRUMS! BEATIN' IN MY HEART!"

>The ref raised his flag as you lowered yourself and flared your wings.

>No fear. No doubts.

>You were gonna win this race.

>"THE THUNDER OF GUNS! TORE ME APART!"

>All was still in the stadium for a moment.

>"YOU'VE BEEN-"

>The ref waves his flag.

>You shot off the start line.

>"THUNDERSTRUCK!"