//------------------------------// // VI: A Roadblock in the Clouds // Story: Trinity // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// Later that afternoon, the Crusaders met up with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon at Sugar Cube Corner. "So, how did it go?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Well," Sweetie Belle said, "it...it wasn't what we were expecting." "It was a mix of boring, annoying, and eye-opening," Scootaloo said. "Honestly, you didn't miss anything special," Apple Bloom added. Shuddering, she went on, "you both bein' earth ponies, you would not have enjoyed it." The two rich fillies looked at each other in confusion. "But...it was a private lesson with two princesses!" Silver Spoon protested. "And the most annoying berry bush in Equestria," Sweetie Belle muttered. Shaking her head, she added, "Anyway, the whole lesson was pretty much meditation." "And we learned a lot about alicorns," Scootaloo added. "That was the best part. Well, the part that didn't involve standing still and concentrating on a dumb bush." "What did the princesses have you three do, anyway?" Diamond Tiara wondered. Sweetie Belle suddenly smirked. "You know, if you wanna find out what it is we're doing, you could come along for tomorrow's lesson," she said. "They could?" Scootaloo asked. "Sure, why not?" Sweetie Belle responded with a shrug. "I mean, now that we know what we're doing, them being there won't make us nervous, and..." With a half-lidded gaze and a mischievous smile, she added, "Well, we are going to one of the few places in Equestria these two can't buy their way into." The two rich fillies perked up. Apple Bloom frowned at Sweetie Belle. "Okay, one, that's awful petty, an' two, that don't make no sense. It ain't like Cloudsdale is some secret place or restricted or nothin'." The two rich fillies blinked. "Yeah, but earth ponies and unicorns don't really get to go there," Sweetie Belle pointed out. "So uhh...how are you two going there?" Silver Spoon asked. "I mean, even if Scootaloo can't fly, I'm pretty sure she can still walk on clouds like any pegasus, but—" "Twilight has a cloud-walking spell," Scootaloo said. "She went to Cloudsdale with all her friends back when Rainbow Dash won the Best Young Flyers competition." "So," Sweetie Belle said with a grin, "you two in?" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon exchanged a glance. "Absolutely!" they cried. * * * * * Early the following morning, the five fillies headed for the balloon dock, where Twilight Sparkle was waiting. She smiled brightly when she saw the Crusaders. "Good morning, girls!" she called. She then noticed the other two fillies and tilted her head. "Oh, are you bringing your little friends along?" "We thought they'd enjoy seeing Cloudsdale since earth ponies don't really get to go there," Sweetie Belle said. "That's okay, isn't it?" "Of course it is!" Twilight said. "Where's Princess Celestia?" Apple Bloom asked. "She's meeting us in Cloudsdale," Twilight said. The fillies piled into the basket; Twilight kept pace with the balloon as it ascended into the clouds. Scootaloo watched Twilight longingly as she made lazy circles around the balloon. "It's not fair," she complained. "What's not fair?" Twilight asked. "Two years ago you didn't even have wings, now look at you." Twilight's face became sad, her ears folding down. "I'm sorry, Scootaloo," she said gently. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle moved in to put a hoof each on Scootaloo's shoulders. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shifted uncomfortably. "Princess Twilight?" Silver Spoon asked. "Why...why can't Scootaloo fly?" "I don't know," Twilight said sadly. "Rainbow Dash doesn't know, Fluttershy doesn't know, even Princess Celestia isn't sure." "It's gotta be because of my stupid tiny wings," Scootaloo grumbled. "No, that's not it," Twilight said. "I mean, Bulk Biceps has the same wing size problem you have, and he flew in the Equestria Games. There's some other cause." She offered Scootaloo a reassuring smile. "You're a pegasus. One of these days, we'll figure out what's keeping you on the ground. I promise." Scootaloo sighed. "I hope so," she said. "It might even be something as simple as you're just a late bloomer," Twilight went on. "I mean, there are unicorns who can't use magic at all until they're teenagers or later." "Hey, yeah!" Diamond Tiara said brightly. "I mean..." She paused, then looked around as though checking for predators. "I don't like to admit this—so I never do—but my earth pony magic? Is really, really weak." With a self-deprecating chuckle, she added, "If you three had gotten sick enough of me to clobber me, I wouldn't have been able to defend myself. All I've got going for me is a big mouth and an attitude." "Oh, we were sick enough of you," Apple Bloom said. "It's just that if we'd done that, we'd have been worse than you two." She paused, then added, "No offense." "None taken," both rich fillies said. "That's right, girls," Twilight said. "When you're dealing with a bully, violence is only the answer when the bully is violent. Then you're just defending yourself." Sweetie Belle blinked. "I thought grown-ups always say violence is never the answer." Twilight sighed. "In a perfect world, it really wouldn't be, but sometimes it can't be helped. I mean, sometimes you do have to stand up to a bully. That's just how it is." "You mean like when you fought Tirek?" Silver Spoon asked. "Exactly." "You know, we learn so many interesting things just from talking to princesses," Scootaloo said. "I wish half the stuff we learned in Miss Cheerilee's class was this interesting or useful." Twilight shot her a dirty look. "Education is important," she said. "You do not want to follow Rainbow Dash's example when it comes to school." "Gotta go with Princess Egghead on that one, squirt," a new voice intruded. A colorful blur resolved itself into Rainbow Dash herself, coming to a sudden stop next to Twilight, her wings beating lazily to keep up with the climbing balloon. "Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo shouted excitedly, her wings buzzing. "It's great to be awesome, but..." Rainbow Dash leaned in close. "Pay attention in school while you can, kid. Trust me. If you don't, one day you'll end up freaking yourself out because you didn't learn how to learn stuff." She cracked her back. "So, you kids goin' up to Cloudsdale today, huh?" "That's right," Twilight said. "Princess Celestia and I are conducting their second lesson on Trinity Magic there." "Oh yeah, that cool thing these three can do since they got their Cutie Marks," Rainbow said. "Man, I kinda wanna sit in on that." She frowned. "If I didn't have a shift at the weather factory..." "Trust me, you'd get bored in five seconds," Scootaloo said. "All we're doin' right now is standing still learning how each other's magic works." "It's not the most interesting process to observe," Twilight agreed. "It's important for what they'll be learning later, which will be something to see, but these first lessons are almost entirely meditation." "Oh," Rainbow said, drooping. "Well, guess I'll see you all later, then. Maybe when I get off work I can show you around a bit!" She waved and flew away. "I didn't know Rainbow Dash worked at the weather factory in Cloudsdale," Silver Spoon said. "It's a temporary thing," Twilight said. "She's working off the damages she did when she tried to stop winter last season." "You mean that freak blizzard was her fault?" Diamond Tiara asked. Twilight laughed nervously. "Well, she thought what she was doing made sense..." She shook her head. "Anyway, we're almost there, so let me cast my cloudwalking spell now..." Five minutes later, the balloon docked in Cloudsdale. A nervous, anxious group of fillies looked at one another. Silver Spoon swallowed heavily, clambered over the lip of the basket, and screwed her eyes tightly shut as she stepped out onto the clouds. She let out a frightened squeak as her hoof sank a half inch into the fluffy surface...then stopped. Opening one eye, she watched her hooves carefully as she emerged fully onto the cloud. "How's it feel, Sil?" Diamond Tiara asked anxiously. Silver Spoon opened both eyes, looked around at the expanse of white mist around her, and gave a little hop. The cloud caught her as easily as the grassy ground below. She giggled. "This is incredible!" She turned back to the basket. "Come on out, girls! It's safe!" The rest of the fillies laughed as they scrambled out of the basket. "So this is Cloudsdale," Scootaloo said as she looked around. "You've never been here?" Twilight asked. "Not since I was three or four," Scootaloo said. "I don't really remember anything. Mom and Dad brought me to a pegasus hospital up here. I barely remember that." At the sad expressions on her friends' faces, her ears fell and her eyes widened. "Not about that! I had wing mites. They wanted a pediapegasus doctor to take care of me instead of an earth pony or unicorn doctor, that's all." She shrugged. "I mean, wing mites are no joke, especially in a foal." "Oh," Twilight said. "Well, anyway...Princess Celestia's waiting for us in the north side cloud garden. Follow me, my little ponies!" The fillies followed Twilight through the streets, gawking at everything around them: the banks of clouds, the columns, the fountains full of rainbows. Passing pegasi watched the little group with interest, unaccustomed to seeing not only an alicorn roaming the city, but a group of wingless ponies walking on clouds. A pegasus colt flitted over to their group, flying backwards to talk to them. "How come you're in Cloudsdale when you don't got wings?" he asked. "Princess Twilight knows a spell that lets us walk on clouds," Apple Bloom said. "Yeah but how'd you get up here? Cuz you don't got wings!" "We flew up in a balloon," Diamond Tiara answered. "Twister!" a pegasus mare snapped. "Quit bothering these nice ponies!" The harassed-looking mare swooped up the colt and gave Twilight a simpering, apologetic smile. "I am so sorry about that, Your Highness," she said. "Twister's never left Cloudsdale, so he doesn't know much about the world below." "It's quite alright," Twilight said with a smile. "I can understand his being curious. It is pretty unusual to see a bunch of earth ponies walking on clouds!" The mare tilted her head. "I must admit, I am a bit curious myself. Oh! Not that I'd dare to meddle in a princess' business!" "Oh, I'm not here as a princess today, just a teacher," Twilight said. "We're having a little field trip for a special lesson." She paused. "Actually, Miss—?" "Windwhistle," the mare supplied quickly. "Windwhistle," Twilight continued, "could you tell us the quickest way to the north side cloud garden? I don't get up to Cloudsdale all that often and I want to make sure I don't get lost." "Oh, certainly! Just keep going down Nimbus Avenue until it meets Cirrus Circle, take a right, then a left on Stratus Street and go all the way to the end and you're there!" "Thank you," Twilight said. Twister, meanwhile, was studying Scootaloo curiously. "Wow, your wings are tiny," he said. "Twister!" Windwhistle snapped. She snagged him by the tail and dragged him away. Twilight forced a smile. "Well! Let's get going." * * * * * The cloud garden at the north end of Cloudsdale was a broad expanse of puffy white clouds ringed with columns and sculptures. Four large fountains stood at each corner of the garden, pools of rainbow collecting in the basins as rivers of separated rainbow flowed from the mouths of the Wonderbolt sculptures that topped each fountain. In the center of it all stood Princess Celestia, smiling beatifically at them as they entered. "Welcome, my little ponies! Oh? I see we have guests today." Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon bowed to Princess Celestia. "We hope it's alright if we came to watch," Diamond Tiara said. "Of course it is," Celestia said. "Though I expect you'll find your surroundings far more interesting to watch than the lesson." The Trinity Gems levitated out of her saddlebags, once again fastening around the necks of the Crusaders. "Alright, girls. You remember yesterday's lesson? Do the same thing today, only this time focus on feeling Scootaloo's magic." The Crusaders sat down in the middle of the fluffy clouds, touching hooves and closing their eyes. The Trinity Gems glowed brilliantly. "Feel the shape of the clouds," Celestia said gently. "Feel all the little raindrops living inside them, waiting to be born. Feel the colors of the rainbow, how they come together to create natural beauty. Ponies must be like the rainbow, different but beautiful when they unite. You three are the rainbow." As the minutes dragged on, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon slowly lost interest in watching the Crusaders sit still and silent and began roaming the cloud garden, examining the fountains, columns, and sculptures. After half an hour, the Crusaders separated from each other. "Ugh," Sweetie Belle groaned. "This is a lot harder than last time." "Yeah, Ah feel it, Ah know it's there, but Ah can't quite..." She shook her head. "Course, you two already did this part, Ah was th' center last time." "It will be difficult for you to synchronize with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom," Celestia said. "Earth pony nature and pegasus nature are direct opposites." "Yeah, it took me a while to really get a feel for your magic too," Scootaloo said. "I don't think it's that," Sweetie Belle said. "I think there's more of a..." She frowned. "I mean, it's..." She sighed. "How do I explain it?" "I think I know what the problem is," Twilight said suddenly, her voice quiet and sad. "Scootaloo...how often do you do things only pegasus ponies do?" Scootaloo frowned. "Not often," she admitted. "I mean, since I can't fly, I don't really...y'know?" Celestia sighed. "That...is a problem," she said. "You two will not truly be able to feel the flow of Scootaloo's pegasus magic if she herself is not..." She trailed off. Everypony present watched Scootaloo with sad expressions. She bowed her head, her ears folding down. "Not a real pegasus," she said. "Scootaloo, you most certainly are a real pegasus!" Twilight said. "It's just that, well...you don't have any experience being a pegasus." She frowned. "So the question is...what do we do about that?" "Uh, hello?" Diamond Tiara said. "We're in Cloudsdale?" She snorted. "Seems to me if you arrange for Scootaloo to stay here for a few weeks doing weather stuff she can do without being able to fly, that should be enough of a crash course in pegasus magic." She paused, blinked, then took a step back, blushing. "I mean...would that help? Your Highnesses?" "It would indeed, my little pony," Celestia said. "Scootaloo? Would that be acceptable to you?" "Well..." Scootaloo frowned. "I don't like the idea of being away from my friends and family for too long, but..." She scuffed a hoof through a tuft of cloud. "I mean, it's true I don't get the chance to come to Cloudsdale or do pegasus stuff that often, so..." She looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, then swallowed. "If it's for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, if it's for Equestria, then yeah, I can deal with a few weeks of pegasus boot camp." "Very well, Scootaloo," Celestia said, dipping her head in acknowledgement. "I'll make the arrangements. Twilight, why don't you and the girls spend the rest of the day touring Cloudsdale?" "Of course," Twilight said. "Come on, girls. Let's go visit the weather factory." She smiled. "Maybe it'll help Scootaloo get started finding her pegasus roots!"