//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Basic Navigation Drills // Story: Pegasi Of A Feather - Love At First Flight // by Skatter //------------------------------// I jump up out of bed as the sound of a whistle being blown invades my dreams. "Get up! Steel Wing is waiting for you in the main field," A stern voice yells. Looking around for the owner of the mysterious voice, I see a green mare with a sharp blue mane, standing at the doorway, wearing the same outfit Steel Wing had worn yesterday. Everypony jumps out of bed, galloping every which way, all the while combing their mane, brushing their teeth, and getting into their flight suits. Lost in the commotion, I hear a faint, soft, voice coming from above me. "Morning, Daze. Are you ready to get out there, and show them some moves?" I realize the voice was Lily and look up to see her jumping off the top bunk, wearing an amazing silver flight suit that was decorated with fiery red and lightning-yellow lilys. "What do you think of my suit? It doesn't make my flank look big, right?" Lily asks, giggling ever so softly. "It's amazing. Where did you get it?" "It was a gift from my mother...Before she passed away last year." I watch as her ears go down, hinting it was a touchy, and sad subject. "I-I'm so sorry Lily...I didn't mean to-" My sentence was interrupted by her smile and quick response, changing the subject. "It's fine. Hey, is that your flight suit?" She says, pointing to the golden flight suit laying on my bed. "Yeah. It was a gift from my friend back in Gallopega. You've mighta heard of him. His name is Pin Cushion." Lily suddenly jumps into the air, flapping her wings madly before dropping back down. "You mean the, Pin Cushion!? As in the premiere, fashion-forward, clothing designer? No way! Put it on! Put it on!" Blushing, I unfold and put on the suit. "H-How do I look?" I ask. "And be honest." "Wow...You look so beautiful...Oh gosh! We gotta get to the main field!" She exclaimed, before zooming off. I look around to see the cabin was empty, and quickly dash off as well. As I fly towards the main field, I take a moment to take in the amazing feeling of the wind as it caresses my wings. I get the urge to smile and laugh...Just like last night when I was with Lily...I wish I had the time to make sense of it all but I can't afford being late to the first lesson. After awhile I catch a glimpse of a crowd full of colorful Pegasi and dive towards it at full speed. The force of the air against my body tries to slow me down, but I fold back my wings and continue to fall like a rock. Only a few feet from the ground, I spread my wings and brace my self for a not-so-soft landing. "Cadet! You are close to being late! Explain why!" Steel Wing grunts as he points a stern hoof at me. "I...I...I...I," I say, stuttering only the word 'I' over and over. "No excuse!? Drop, and give me ten wing-ups!...All of you!" Everypony drops, and sighs as they stretch their wings and begin to do wing-ups, following Steel's count. "Up! Down! One! Up! Down! Two! Up! Down! Three! Up!-" He continues to count, shouting every word. I start to zone out as I do my wing-ups, wondering about the relationship between the exhilarating feelings of flying and the mysterious feelings I have for Lily. They both...Make me feel...Good. My thoughts are interrupted by Steel Wing as he shouts out a new command. "Ten! Stop! Get up! Now today we are going to run a series of standard weather drills. You forty-eight Pegasi will be assigned randomly together in pairs of two! For the rest of camp, you and your partner will complete tasks together! As! A! Team! I can not stress that enough! Any group that does not complete the tasks as a team will be dismissed from the lesson, and await judgement! Judgement is where I will make a choice to kick you two out or give you another chance! Am I clear?" The crowd roars a single answer. "Yes, Sir!" "Good! Go to the mess hall for breakfast! Your teams will be decided and announced in fifteen minutes!" He roars, flying off towards the camp office. I begin to trot over to the mess hall when I hear Lily calling my name. "Daze! Daze! Daze!" I turn around and look for Lily as she called me. Not seeing her, I turn around and jump. "Daze!" She was standing right in front of me, muzzle-to-muzzle. "Ah! Lily! You startled me!" I say, my cheeks becoming rose red as I blush. "Oh, sorry, Daze. I just wanted to say your landing was pretty cool. Hey wanna eat breakfast with me?" "Uh, s-sure," I stutter. "Perfect! Lets go!" Lily gallops off to the mess hall, leaving a trail of dust behind her. I chase after her, and arrive at the mess hall just as she sits down. "Saved you a seat!" She states, happily. "Thanks. Uh...What do you want for breakfast, i'll go get it." "Um...A bowl of oats. You don't have to get it though." "No, no. It's not a problem. I'll be right back." Trotting off towards the oats table, I am struck by an odd, warm feeling. As I look back at Lily, it gets stronger. I try to shake it off as I pour two bowls of oats. Stretching out my left wing, I place the two bowls on it and walk back over to Lily. "Thanks, Daze! Here, sit down and relax. I don't bite, hehe." I sit next to her, feeling her warm body against my own. My heart begins to race, and her smile floods my thoughts. I can't control it...There is just something about her. Trying not to think about the matter too much, I begin to eat. As I finish my oats, the whole mess hall becomes silent. The reason: Steel Wing, had just entered the hall. "Alright! Listen up! Your teams are written on this here piece of paper!" He says, pinning the paper onto the bulletin-board at the entrance. "If you want to see who your teamed up with, come look on the board! I advise you to do so now, as we will begin the drills in ten minutes!" The whole mess hall fills with chatter and movement. I watch everypony swarming to the board. Intrigued by the mystery of the teams, I make my way to the board. After about six minutes, I am able to squeeze to the front of the crowd and read the paper: From the office of Steel Wing List of cadet teams: 1. Sky Brace x Glyder 13. Down Pour x Westly Cruiser 2. Hook Wing x Fire Flight 14. Royal Rift x Yellow Light 3. Vortex x Dreamy 15. Snowy Daze x Thunder Lily 4. Windy Hoof x Hail Storm 16. Sun Star x Winter Trot 5. Silver Rain x Fleur Dew 17. Droplet x Hail Hoof 6. Cloud Buster x Dust kicker 18. Slow Front x White Thunder 7. Honey Trot x Iris 19. Thunder Crusher x Cloud Frost 8. Stone Kolt x Crimson Rose 20. Dry Air x Jump Racer 9. Moon Flight x Sun Storm 21. Blue Blazer x Red Razer 10. Air Fleet x Quick Flash 22. Utopia x Dawn 11. Dashing Way x Green Glow 23. Dusk Leaf x Lunar Luck 12. Force Wind x Open Air 24. Frost Bite x Aero Rose I skim through the list, looking for my partner. As I went through the list, I paused at my name. My heart began to beat fast as I read the name of my partner. "...Thunder Lily..." The warm feelings returned as I read her name over and over, making sure I was reading the list right. "Hey, Daze! You and me are a team! How cool is that?" Lily states excitedly. "Its amazing! Were gonna be the-" I am cut off by Steel Wing. "Alright! I hope everypony has found their partners, because it is time to head back out to the main field! Move out!" As Steel Wing finished shouting, Lily smiles at me and flies off. I open my wings quickly, trying to catch up and synchronize my flying with hers. We arrive at the main field and land softly. "OK, cadets! We will start with something easy. Navigation drills! Navigate the cloud maze that is above us! If you do any of the following things, you will be removed from the lessons! You and your partner may not: split up, use cloud-busting to destroy walls, fly over the course, or talking to anypony besides your partner! The first three teams to finish will be allowed to go eat early, while everypony else will remain and do fifty wing-ups! On the count of three, you will fly up to the course and begin." Lily looks at my and smirks. "One! Two! Three!" Lily and I dart up to the course and begin. "OK, Daze. Which way?" "Uh, Left!" We take a sharp left at the first fork in the maze and fly down the twisting path, arriving at another split. "OK, Lily, your turn." "Hmmm...Right!" We take off down the right and continue taking turns at each split we arrive at. We arrived at a few dead ends before making it to the exit. As we clear the maze, we are greeted by Steel Wing. "Congratulations! You two are the second team to finish! Head on over to the mess hall and eat up. When your done, report back here for another drill." We gallop off to the mess hall, and begin talking about the maze drill. "Who knew a basic navigation drill would take so long," Lily asks cheerfully. "Haha, yeah. But we got another drill after lunch. Any guesses on what it is? "Well...I'm guessing it will have to do with weather, like snow or rain." When we enter the mess hall, the scent of sunflower sandwitches and oat burgers fill our noses. "Mmmm. It smells delicious in here! I'll get our food this time, Daze. What do you want?" "I'll take an oat burger." "That's what I was thinking of getting too. Two oat burgers coming right up! Be right back!" I nod happily and sit down at the same table I was at during breakfast. While sitting, I begin to ponder about my feelings for Lily. Whenever she is close to me...I get a warm feeling...A feeling of happyness...A feeling of joy...It's all so strange. The only other time I have had a similar warm feeling is when I am at home with gran...But these feelings are much stronger for Lily. "Here's lunch!" Lily puts two oat burgers on the table. "Let's chow down!" She chirped. I start eating, thinking of something to say. Lily looks at me silently before saying, "You ok, Daze? You've been pretty quite." "Y-Yeah...Lily? What if somepony...Felt a warm feeling everytime they saw a certain other pony? Like...What kind of feeling would you call that?" I ask softly. "Sounds like that pony is in love. Why? Do you have a crush? Hehe." I pause for a moment to finish the puzzle with the last piece: 'Love'. It makes sense...I have a feeling of love for gran but...That means I...Love...Lily? I ponder for another moment and then respond to Lily. "N-No...Just wondering." I finish my oat burger just as the rest of the cadets enter the hall, panting and sweating. I had not noticed how much time had passed until now. "You all have ten minutes to eat before we start the next drill!" Steel howls as he trots out of the hall. As the ten minutes went by, Lily and I made small talk while we waited for Steel Wing. "Attention, cadets! It is time for the next drill. You and your partner will be navigating through a severe thunderstorm! The location of the drill is still the cloud maze! Now, you and your partner may not: distract other teams, interfere with other teams, cloudbust the maze walls, or split up! Am I clear!" "Yes, sir!" Everypony yells. "Good. Now meet me in the main field!" Lily and I exit the hall and take to the skies, as it was the fastest way to get to the field. Arriving at the field I see large lightning bolts striking the cloud maze. Once we landed in the field, the other cadets arrived. "Alright! Listen up! On the count of three, you will start the course! First team to complete the course will get an early pass to the mess hall and then they can turn-in for the day! Ready? One! Two! Three!" Everypony takes to the skies, racing to the entrance of the course. Lily and I take the lead, entering the stormy corridors of the maze. "Lily! Fly low! There wind force is weaker at the bottom!" I yell, trying to be heard over the crashes and bangs of the stormy weather. "Roger that!" We dive to the bottom of the pathway, avoiding the major turbulance above. "Daze! Watch out for the lightning!" Quickly doing a barrel roll, I avoid a large bolt of lightning. "Thanks, Lily! We should fly close together! The closer we are, the more wind resistance we will have!" "Good idea!" Lily and I glide towards one-another and keep flying straight. "There is a split coming up! Which way should we take, Lily?" "Let's take a right!" We take the right path and continue weaving around lightning bolts. As we once again take turns deciding our route to take, we eventually make it to the end. "Look! An opening! Were almost there!" I shout. Just as we make it to the opening, a bolt of lightning clips my wing, causing me to plummet towards the ground. "Daze!" Lily screams as she dives to catch me. Huging me close to her body, Lily flies us both to safety. "Daze! Are you ok?" Steel Wing asks softly. "Y-Yeah...I just need some chow and a good rest," I say feebly as I walk to the mess hall. "Daze, are you sure your OK?" "Yeah." "Let's get some chow together. Ill help you back to our cabin too." "I...Thank you, Lily." We arrive at the mess hall and chow down on our dinner before heading back to the cabin to turn-in for the day. I sit on my bed and think about Lily for awhile before closing my eyes...Maybe...Maybe I do love her...