**Canterlot Crashers** (finished)

[Serenla the Cat]

"It would be an honer, your magesty. Thank you," she said. It honestly shocked Dreamcloud that she managed to keep up her calm, dignified manner so long. She sat tall and proud, resisting her normal urge to slink back. It was nice, not being afraid to sit tall.  

[Fenrir Shade]

Tempest hands the clerk a bit, and begins to drink the soda. A pony in a cloak approaches Tempest and whispers in his ear, "Hey, Tempest, Rapidfire got injured. We need you out there as a replacement." he says. It turns out to be Soarin, obviously not wanting to be seen, and respecting Tempest's wishes in keeping his identity secret.

"B-But, I'm so much slower then them." says Tempest, knowing they were the fastest ponies in Equestria.

"But you almost broke the record at Flight School! In a thunderstorm! That's pretty impressive, and I think you'll hold your own." replies Soarin, encouraging him to participate.

Tempest sighs and thinks for a moment. "Fine. I'll be out there in a second. I gotta get my uniform on."

"Got it. Hurry up, we're stalling the best we can." says Soarin, running off back to he field.

Tempest gallops at full speed to the locker room, and puts his uniform on. He stares at his mask, battered and burnt from the pregame show. "Come on Tempest, you can do this. Show them what you can do." He pulls the mask over his head, and charges onto the field, temporarily blinded by the harsh lights.

The announcer pony spoke up over the intercom, "It seems we have a late change. Rapidfire got injured while warming up, and the Thunderpony is taking his place! Let's see how the new pony holds up against the fastest ponies in all of Equestria! Now, today we're doing something new! Not only are we having the 100 lap race, but we're also having a second, no holds barred, win at all costs race where anything goes!"

Tempest, unaware of the change, gulped.  

[The Jolly Victini]

"What?!" Rainbow Dash called out in disbelief. "Oh, come on! Rapidfire's probably just faking it! Put him back in!"  

[Fenrir Shade]

((I've decided that PF is the only other pony who knows Tempest's secret.))

"Now now my dear, let's see what he has to offer. You may be surprised..." says PF, smiling to himself.

Tempest lines up at the gate, and gets into position. 'Alright, just as my father always said; start slow, conserve energy, wait until they start to slow. I hope he's watching, I hope he's proud... You've got this Tempest. Show the world what you've got...' he thinks to himself. The horn blares, and the gates swing open, and time slows. He sees his competitors rocket out in front of him, sees the crowd watching, and his friends laughing at the fact that he wasn't moving. But, then he saw his old friend Path Finder give a supporting nod, and he knew that he was supported. He takes off, a full lap behind the competition, a full lap to catch up. He rockets around each turn, each straightaway, and gains on the pony in third place. He held back behind this pony for every lap, until they only had twenty left. He poured everything he had into his wings, used all of his energy, and rocketed forward. He passed third, he passed second, and was gaining on first. Suddenly, the ponies he passed picked up speed as well, and left him in the dust.

'No... I've let him down... I let my father down on my first race...'

He glances up to his friends, and notices PF motioning. He was motioning to the left of him, down a few rows... there. There, standing in the middle of thousands of ponies, Tempest picked out one figure. One figure that he hadn't seen until just now... His father stood in the stands, a grin spread from ear to ear, watching him. 'Dad?'

Tempest gains new resolve, new-found energy, and picked up speed. He had never flew so fast. He once again flew past third, gunned around second, and was close behind first when he realized that the last lap was drawing to a close. Thirty meters and approaching fast. He gave it his all, and rose neck and neck with Fleetfoot, fighting for first. And suddenly, it was over...

All eyes went to the big screen, and the photo came up.Tempest and Fleetfoot were literally neck and neck, with Tempest just an inch behind, left with an extremely close second. When they finally lost momentum, Tempest congratulated the winner and looked to his father, who looked back at him with more than satisfaction. In his eyes, he had won, and Tempest was fine with that.  

[The Jolly Victini]

Bonfire hopped up and down in victory as his chosen racer won him a bonus in his wage. Rainbow Dash ripped up her ticket in anguish that she lost some hard-earned bits.

Celestia laughed. "So, Dreamcloud. Did you place a bet?" she asked.  

[Serenla the Cat]

Dreamcloud felt herself nearly ready to burst with excitement. She'd never won anything before!

"Sure did!!! Fleetfoot!!! This day... Is awesome!!" she exlaimed, and though she was slightly embarrassed by her outburst, she was ready to jump around in excitement.  

[The Jolly Victini]

Celestia smiled. "Congratulations, Dreamcloud! It seems you are not the only one to win. Young Bonfire seems pretty exited to have won as well."  

[Fenrir Shade]

"Now, Ladies and Gentlecolts, get ready for the real action! Because now it's a no holds barred, race to the end! We have paramedics on standby just in case." says the announcer pony, "So get ready racers!"

Tempest sighed, he didn't want to hurt anyone, but he had no choice in the matter. He lined up at the gate, and prepared for the worst.

Once again the horn sounded, once again everypony stormed away, racing neck and neck. Then fireballs started flying, some aimed at Tempest, ending with him barely dodging them. Then the other ponies began to ram each other, and kicking them. It was surprisingly violent for the typical peaceful pony species. ((I about said race, but then realized we're racing in a race....)) He just kept dodging, falling back and avoiding confrontation. [i]'Just fifteen laps to go, then it's over.' he thinks to himself. And that's when it happened.

A blinding flash, immense heat, an explosion, and suddenly a crash leading to a ten foot skid across solid concrete and into the field of dirt in the center of the track for another ten foot skid. Tempest had been hit by a wayward fireball launched by Soarin, and now he was laying in a burning lump, face first into the ground, in a three foot deep crater.

Paramedics rushed across the field and the racers stopped, a crowd amassing around the crater. A single pony pushed through the others, "He's my son! Get out of my way! That was my son!" shouts Tempest's father, finally plowing through the crowd. He gallops up to the crater and looks down into it, tears streaming down his face. Suddenly, Tempest moved, and pulled himself out of the hole and back into view. His uniform was burnt and shredded, his side was scratched up from the skid, but other than that looked fine. He looked around at all of the faces, and set his eyes onto his father.

"Dad, I'm so sorry I lost..." he apologizes.

"It's fine son! How are you feeling?" asks Tempest's father, Cirrus Cloud.

"If a lightning bolt couldn't take me down, a fireball can't either." he responds.

They both start laughing, until something that Tempest feared more than crashing and dieing happened. His mask, barely held on, falls off, revealing his true identity. His happy moment of survival turns to one of sorrow, expecting disappointed complaints and contempt from his friends.  

[Fadedepic]

Nightshade grinnned. Although he did not place a bet, sport was sport. The real surprise in it was Tempest. His eyebrows raised in said surprise. "Huh. That's an interesting turn."  

[The Jolly Victini]

Most of the ponies in the VIP section all shared an audible gasp at the sudden revelation. "Thunder Colt... was Tempest?!" Rarity exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash's jaw was the one that hung the lowest. "Tempest... IS A WONDERBOLT?!" she shouted.

There was a moment of silence from the VIP section, until it suddenly burst into a fit of cheering.  

[Serenla the Cat]

Dreamcloud cheered along, surprised to see that Tempest was one of them! She was friends with a wonder colt!!  

[Fenrir Shade]

((You're welcome Dakota. XD ))

Tempest was shocked, his friends were cheering, for him, not condemning him... He hadn't been so happy for the longest of times. He turns to his Father, "How did you know I was here? How did you know I was going to race?"

"Your friend, Professor Path Finder, set everything up."

Rapidfire strolls up to tempest, "Yep! I was perfectly fine! We just wanted you to open up, let everypony know the truth, and show your dad that you can fly with the best of us."

Next, Soarin approaches, "And that Fireball? Not as random as you'd think."

Tempest was equally infuriated as ecstatic. He decides to go with the happier sensation.  

[The Jolly Victini]

Celestia walks down to the track along with all the others and looks at Tempest. "Young Tempest. I'm certain you've learned something about friendship today. Would you care to tell me?" she asked.  

[Fenrir Shade]

((Oh god... I'm going to screw the pooch on this one...))

Tempest looks to the princess, "Yeah, I guess I did... I learned to not assume things about your friends, don't think they'll shun you. Don't keep secrets, because if they are true friends, they'll accept you just the way you are."  

[The Jolly Victini]

Celestia nodded. "And I think more than one pony can learn this same lesson today. Wouldn't you say so, Bonfire?" she said.

Bonfire shrunk back. Suddenly the spotlight was on him, and he knew why. "Uh... y-yeah. You're right, princess.

**

Bonfire walked up to the walkway of one of the houses in the Canterlot housing district. It was a three story house with blue and yellow trimming. Bonfire turned to the group and sighed. "This... is my old house. My parents should be home. I'd like you all to meet them." he said almost regrettably. He knocked on the door and in only a minute, a mare opened the door. She was a unicorn with an orange coat and long blonde hair, like Bonfire. She gasped and turned quickly. "Gold, dear! Bonfire's home! And he's brought friends! A-And the princess!" She turned back around and gave Bonfire a peck on the cheek. "Oh, won't you all please come in?" she said, walking into the house and making her way to the living room.