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!"