=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!"