Dash's Performance (Patreon)

I arrived back at the Royal Box just as the last performer was finishing up their routine in my Equestria dreamscape. I settled into my seat the young mare finished her last set of pirouettes and receive a her hearty applause from the crowd.

      My seat put me smack in the middle of party gathered there. Carousel and Petina were on my right and Twilight, Luna and Celestia sat on my left. As I settled into my seat Petina leaned over and whispered to me.

      “How is Dash doing? Hopefully she’s not freaking in her dressing room like last year?” I shook my head.

      “No she’s doing much better!” I replied back. “A bit nervous but that is natural. I just told her to stick to the routine she’d been practicing and she’d do just fine! But when we get back home there are things we really need to discuss.”

      Petina smiled and nodded her head. “Well one way or another she’s about to go into the record books.”

      I was about to comment about that when the Master of Ceremonies voice echoed throughout the arena. Apparently she had some talent or device that allow her to do a good impression of the Royal Canterlot Voice.

      “Mares and Stallions! Now for the moment you have been waiting! Our final contestant! Last year she amazed us with her Sonic Rainboom and came from behind to win the title of Best Young Flier! This is her last year to compete in the competition and she’s trying to win back-back championships! So prepare to be amazed everypony; it is my pleasure to welcome back The Element of Loyalty and Cloudsdale born. RAINBOW DASH!!”

       The crowd gave an enthusiastic round of applause and then the music began. One of the biggest sources of discussion throughout development of Dash’s performance had been what kind of music she should do her routine to. After much arguing and debating the consensus was that it should have a strong, rhythmic beat that would be easy for the orchestra to play and it would carry throughout the stadium. Also it had to have a beat that Dash could keep in her head so even if she could not hear the music over the crowd she’d still stay in time with it. Also her routine could be no longer than six minutes.

      The final choice was something very much like Ravel’s Bolero. If you start listening at about five minutes into the piece it will give you a good feel for what she danced to.

      As soon as Dash flew out into the arena it became very obvious that everypony in the stands knew she was not going to do a repeat of last years routine, but they weren’t exactly sure what she was going to do this year. There were responses to her outfit in the form of whistles and cheers from the younger ponies. From the looks of some of the older ponies they were uncertain about what exactly she was trying to achieve with her outfit. Then Dash reached the first pylon.

      Now RD and I had visited Cloudsdale a month or so before so we could put up flyers in locations around the city where it was hoped ponies of right age and mood would see them and turn out for the competition, but we’d been uncertain how effective they would be. It had worked.

      From the stands closest to Pylon number 1 there arose a great cheer as Dash performed her first set of pole maneuvers. Dash then proceeded to the next pylon performing a series of slow aerobatic tricks along the way. The prismatic tassels of her gloves and chaps sparkled in the bright sun-filled arena. Having gotten a glimpse of her routine she was greeted with a hearty round of applause at Pylon number 2. There were some old ponies in the stands that obviously disapproved of her performance but they were being drowned out by the roar of the younger ponies assembled in the arena.

      Dash’s next stop was Pylon number 3 directly in front of the Royal Box. This section was populated with a mixture of the older Cloudsdale establishment and the younger affluent members from Canterlot that tended follow the Royal Sisters whenever they made a road trip. The Princesses and Twilight’s response to getting an up close demonstration of RD’s routine was very, um, exciting for me, and uh interesting to observe firsthand. But I will save that for the next posting.

      By this time many a pony in stands had picked on the beat of the music and were now stomping and clopping their hoofs together. Also I could observe several mares in the stands that were dancing and mimicking Dash’s moves. Accompanying this was a growing chorus chanting ponies in the audience.

      “Dash! Dash! Dash!”

      This continued for the next three minutes; as ponies assembled in the Cloudsdale Central Arena watched history being made. By the end stands were in a state just below pandemonium, with some ponies were booing and shouting at the ponies who were cheering Dash on, but their voice was lost amongst the chorus that had now risen to almost ear-splitting volume.

      “DASH! DASH! DASH!” Roared the crowd. Good thing Petina and Carousel had selected a piece of music RD could memorize because toward the end there is no way she could’ve heard it, and then it was over. Rainbow Dash struck a final pose at the center of the arena and stood there for a moment. It was very obvious that she had been so intently focused on her performance that she hadn’t truly realized the effect of her act had had on the audience. She stood motionless for several seconds then she smiled and launched herself into the air, gave the audience one last twirl and then exited the arena. Her final performance Best Young Fliers was over, now it was up to the judges to total the scores and make their final choices.

To be continued.