Chapter 9 – How far she really is
The morning sun has creeped into the world almost like a foreign entity to the light purple mare as she squints her eyes tight from the slightly blinding light extending its reach through her window.
Back at home the birds outside would have stirred her awake before the sun's rays ever really got a chance to; but there's no soft morning noise today and there won't be for awhile.
Violet's ability to hold her sleep comes to an end as she stretches her front hooves from the bed's covers, as her stretch comes to an end she moves her hooves to the ground as she begins her day.
- - -
It only really takes a few minutes for the young mare to ready herself, seeing as how her unbrushed mane really only needs a little flick of her head to turn it back to her normal style; and even though she can feel that the morning's air has a slight nip to it even inside the castle she doesn't think about putting anything warm on. The cold has never bothered her so with a bright blue bow tied to her tail and her teeth brushed the mare is left just staring to herself in the bathroom's mirror.
But her slow started morning doesn't hold for long as a hoof to the door comes up.
"Mrs.Sparkle, are you awake?"
Knowing she can't just call back an answer the young mare moves from the bed as she opens the door to a slightly older blue and light sky cyan maned pale blue unicorn mare.
"Ah hello, my name is Sapphire Gems, and I have been tasked with escorting the first year students to the school after breakfast..." The faked chipper voice of the mare is pleasant but not needed as Violet just nods her head and turns her eyes to the other mare's already standing in the hallway. Most of them still have the same dull sleepy eyed gaze to them but they like her have accepted the early morning start.
Violet brings her hoof up to the chipper mare's tone as she turns her head back to the room, a satchel quickly comes up from the opposite side of the bed as a quil, an inkwell and paper float into it and then float back to her.
The mare still standing at the door cocks her head to the motions as she speaks up, "Are you not ready Mrs.Sparkle?"
Her words spark up the crystal mare in the hallway as she takes a hoof forward, "Sapphire, she has Sombrauism, she can't talk."
Violet's ear flicks to the comment as the mare in the doorway nods her head, "Oh...Well then I guess you still need some time." Her head comes back to Violet as she gives a simple smile, "We shall be in the dining hall, please join us soon and we shall leave after."
Without another word the mare starts her trot up as she leads away the readied mares; but Violet has nothing more she needs to do as she closes the door behind her and begins to follow after the group.
The crystal mare towards the end of the group notices Violet's trailing after them as she drifts back to her side and begins to speak, "I admire your willingness to start the day...But don't you think you should have gotten ready? A combed mane and fresh breath could go a long way in Canterlot...So I have heard." The crystal mare gives a simple smile as she holds to her intentionally good comment.
But Violet just blinks to the words as she darts her eyes to the mane that slightly lays to her forehead, with another flick of her head it's sight is lost as she cocks her eye to the neatly brushed and combed crystal mare.
Starlight doesn't give another thought to the mare's actions as the two mares continue their trot after the majority of the group in front of them. However as they turn into another hallway the mare's voice comes back up, "So Violet, could you tell me about the spell Princess Luna taught you last night?"
Violet's ear flicks to the mare's slightly hushed voice as she turns a questioning eye to the mare.
A smile comes over Starlight's face as she gives a faint laugh, "I can sense from you that it must have been a very emotionally straining spell...I would be very interested in helping you, after all it must be hard not being able to just ask ponies for assistance."
Violet's eyes slightly tighten to the annoying comment as she looks away from the crystal mare.
"Ok everypony...Lets be quick if you don't mind, Canterlot's Unicorn school teaches more than just spells it teaches you how to be a mature pony...And that means not to be late." Sapphire's voice breaks Violet and Starlight's stare as they take their first steps to the great dining hall of Canterlot's castle.
The light purple mare takes advantage of the break in conversation as she trots to one of the empty well carved and red cushioned seats of the room.
- - -
(Across Canterlot)
The unexpected and very unwelcomed morning trumpets have ceased, but it's effects have still lingered in the slightly shivering light orange pegasus as he struggles to listen to the blue stallion that trots down the military straight line he and the other ponies have formed.
Sorin's voice is not a yell but it's strong and deep tone comes over everypony's ears without even the slightest possibility of missing a word as it trails on, "...And that is why I am the first year judge this year and not Spitfire. Now taking a hoof away from that it's time for your agendas...In your four weeks here you will be expected to fly,eat,and sleep the Wonderbolts code. Which is Courage,Strength,Respect and Knowledge!"
The last word sparks a slight chuckle from the two stallion to each side of Sparky as the dark brown stallion with chocolate colored mane starts to whisper to the light cream colored stallion on Sparky's left, "Hey Flaps, what do you think, any mare going to pass the course today?"
A snickering laugh comes to the cream coated stallion as he pokes his head a little towards the stallion's words as his unbrushed mouth's odor runs past Sparky's snout, "I don't know, but I tell you what if that pink mare with the curly tail is flying today I don't think i'll be passing her today if you know what I mean."
From the stallion's hushed comment the dark brown pegasus starts up in another laugh.
But both of their laughs come to an end as Sorin's trot brings him in front of Sparky's position, "...Your schedules for today are this, stallions have sky track for the morning and then will return to the ground track after class. Mare's will have ground track first and then end the day after class with the sky track." The blue stallion's tone changes to a more excited tone as he parts his wings out, "Strix take your first year Dodos to their tracks."
To the words Streak and the yellow mare that Sparky saw the night before take to the sky as their voices come up, "Alright Dodo's spread those wings!"
Sparky flaps his wings out with the other ponies around him as they wait for the two lead ponies next command, Streak goes a little high in the air as he brings his voice up, "Stallions follow me to the start of your cloud relay."
Without a moment of hesitation the group of about ten or so young pegasus stallion's take to the air as they follow after the white stallion leading them. It takes a few extra moments for Sparky to bring himself into the air as the stallion to his right bumps into his extended wings, "Oh my bad bro!"
A slight laugh comes from the stallion as he pairs up with the pegasus to the left of him. As the two annoying stallions move from beside him, Sparky quickly brings his wings to a beat as he picks himself from the ground and follows them to the large cloud layer above the field.
With in a second he pops through the white cloud of fluff, as each pony passes through the white layer they lower their wings to their sides as they set themselves to the cloud. The fall chill is a little bit more prominent but Sparky no longer shakes a little as he sets his wings to his back and moves to the group of pegasus that have formed around the talking white stallion.
"...Alright we're going to have a simple five on five relay race, winning team gets to skip ground track after class if you want, losing team has to do extra laps." The white stallion points his hoof to the crudely shaped hoops in a few clouds that sit above the white surface they all stand on, "There will be one pony at each hoop,when your teammate passes through it that pony will go. Three laps to win, I will be timing."
The stallion's hoof comes to point at the group of eager young pegasus as he speaks up, "Yesterday's team of four now has five, split up in your group now."
As his words come to an end Sparky swings his head around as he tries to pinpoint the smaller group from the dispersing stallions, but he feels a hoof to his side as he stops his swaying head, "You're with us FillyFlank."
Sparky blinks to the light blue maned and cream coated stallion in front of him as he speaks up, "What?"
The light cream stallion in front of him nods his head as he blows his smelly breath unintentionally to Sparky's face, "pfff, I don't know your name. And you got a mare's flank so your name is FillyFlank-..."
His words are cut off as a dark chocolate coated pegasus trots past him to the other forming group, "Checking out stallion again huh Flaps?"
"Ya you wish Chase, you just make sure you keep your eyes off me when i'm zipping past ya!" A cocky laugh comes over the cream stallion's tone as he nudges Sparky to follow after him.
Sparky doesn't fight the cream stallion's lead as they start to a group of three other stallions, but Flap's voice comes up again as he looks over the other ponies, "Alright, Jiffy and Half Wind you two take the first post."
As the words end two pegasus take to the sky leaving only a slightly kicked up cloud piece left from where they were standing, but Flap's voice continues as he moves his hoof to the other pony, "Whiplash you start the race."
The dark yellow stallion with blond and white streaked mane sparks his wings up fast as he goes to the track's cloud start.
Flap's pink eyes turn now to Sparky as he speaks up, "Alright FillyFlank, you and me got the next clouds..." As his words end he comes up from the cloud as he waves his hoof for Sparky to follow, "Come on!"
The cloud surface below the light orange stallion turns to a few wispy remnants as he starts his wings up and follows after the leading pony to the suspended cloud towards the bend of the makeshift cloud track that shifts with every slight fall chilled breeze.
But as he sits to the cloud behind the cloud shaped hoop the cream stallion's voice comes up, "Whoa, what are you doing FillyFlank, you got the cloud ahead of me."
Sparky turns his head to the other hoop as he starts his wings up again as he soars over to the other cloud, the distance is a decent amount of flaps and as the light pegasus takes his hooves to the cloud next to the cloud hoop he starts to stretch his wings out.
As he continues to stretch his wings the stallion from the other team comes next to him, "Hey, FillyFlank, I see Flaps has me against you."
The chocolate coated stallion gives a cocky smile as he looks over Sparky's slender build. The light orange pegasus holds his gaze to the stallion next to him as he continues his wing stretches, Sparky may not be the most fit looking stallion on the track but he definitely has an advantage over the slightly buffer looking pegasus next to him...Or at least thats the idea his mind feeds to him as he sizes up his competition.
His attempt at bringing a steady confidence is cut short as Streak calls up from where he stands at the large cloud's surface, "GO!!"
Sparky turns his eyes to the start of the track that lays three hoops from him as he watches the race start up with the first two ponies. His heart's beat starts to rise as he notices the next hoop's ponies coming up and into the sky; and as they near the next hoop Sparky turns his gaze to his goal at the end of the cloud's stretch as he just waits for the sound of somepony's wings.
From the corner of his eye he sees his teammate burst through the cloud hoop quickly followed by the other pony. But Sparky's mind has already clicked his wings into gear as the cold air runs past his ears like a screaming storm; leaving the much more athletic looking stallion behind him...But only by the length of his tail.
Sparky's quick flight comes to an end as he burst through the hoop in a slight pant, his wings hold him in the air for a moment as he take in the cool air with a new found respect. But he sets himself back to the empty cloud as the stallion next to him speaks up, "Ha...Not bad FillyFlank."
A slight smile comes over Sparky as he turns his attention back to the race. From the look of which pony is starting out first his team is winning...This fact turns the light orange stallion's face to a slight smile as he watches the rounding ponies nearing his hoop again.
Like before he turns his head to his next goal as he holds his eyes to the two ponies rapidly nearing his position.
Like before his heart and wings start up in a quick rush as his teammate burst to the hoop behind him, this time the stallion next to him is only barely behind him. But Sparky stretches his hooves out as far as they can go as his squinted eyes bring the cloud hoop quickly to his face.
Again he beats the pony next to him as he sets himself to the cloud under the hoop with a new slightly louder pant.
The stallion next to him holds his own rushed breath down a little as he takes in the crisp high up air, "Alright FillyFlank i'm not doing ground track today..."
Sparky gives a light chuckle as he just holds his eyes to the track.
With in the moment Sparky's cloud becomes the focus as he readies himself to the ponies rapidly approaching.
But right before he leaps from the cloud like he's done the other two times the stallion next to him knocks into him, as Sparky stumbles his footing to the cloud's slick surface the two other ponies burst through the hoop.
The stallion next to Sparky shoots his voice back as he takes the definite lead, "Sorry Filly!!"
Sparky's eyes go wide to what just happened as he holds his mouth slightly a gasped, but his dumb stare is cut short as the pony on the cloud turns to him and speaks up, "GO! This is the last lap!"
To the words Sparky's wings flap hard and fast as they propel him through the air as he pushes himself to catch up with the other stallion, but as he just starts to near the hoop the other team's pegasus already darts towards the finish line.
Sparky burst through the hoop turning the shifty cloud creation to a mess of fading fluff as he holds his eyes to the finishing of the race. But there's no contest as he watches the other team's stallion take the close race by a pony and a half.
The chocolate coated stallion turns his head back to Sparky with a faked awww face as he speaks up, "Whoa...Tough break, you should really watch your hoof on these clouds...They get a little slick you know."
Sparky's tone comes up as he blinks to the words, "Slick! You pushed me?!"
The smaller pegasus's words turn the stallion's face a little surprised as he lowers his voice, "Oh ya? You want to prove that FillyFlank?"
Sparky's lip quivers to the bigger stallion as he holds his fight wanting body back, to the light orange pegasus's lack of motion the stallion starts to flap his wings, "Ha, like I said FillyFlank, you should watch where your hooves go...You wouldn't want to take the wrong step." Sparky's hard gaze is slightly altered to the stallion as Streaks voice shouts up, "Alright Dodos, its time to get to class. Come on down."
With a calming sigh Sparky brings his wings up as he starts to drift himself down to the large cloud, but his descent back to Equestria's world is halted as Streak's voice stops him, "Hey Sparky..."
The light orange stallion holds his hoover as the white stallion trots over to him, "You did good Dodo, you actually flew straight."
Sparky blinks to the comment as he stays silent, but Streaks voice doesn't stop as he continues, "Just make sure you watch your hooves from now on, it looked like you slipped off there."
The slight astonished look that came over Sparky's face fades as he nods his head, "Ya..."
"Alright Dodo, get to class."
As Streaks words end Sparky begins his flight down back out of the white fluffy cloud world.
End of chapter 9