//------------------------------// // 19 - Reservist // Story: Soaring on Little Wings // by tom117z //------------------------------// Ponyville “I know you got in!” Little Wing gushed, bouncing around the blushing orange pegasus. “It’s impossible to think you didn’t! You not getting in would be like if the sky wasn’t blue!” Scootaloo gave a chuckle that was both sheepish and nervous at the same time. “Well, if you’re so sure… But first, could you help me put these things back?” Little Wing stopped and looked up at the pile of books Scootaloo was pointing at, and then gave a sheepish chuckle of her own. “Right. Yeah, I can do that,” Little Wing said, not failing to notice the amused glances of the guards at the door. The two pegasi were standing within what was certainly the largest collection of books in all of Ponyville, and probably one of the largest in Equestria as a whole. They were standing in the library of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s castle. During her training to join the Wonderbolt reservists, Scootaloo had been allowed to make frequent use of the library by the Princess to study relentlessly for the role. Unlike her idol, Scootaloo hadn’t required any special measures when it came to studying and had spent many hours muzzle deep in various related texts. But now the day of her acceptance or denial had come, and so had the time come to return all that she had borrowed from the Princess of Friendship. “Make sure you put them back where they’re supposed to be,” Scootaloo warned the filly who had volunteered to help with the task. “Twilight will notice otherwise.” “Yeah, I’ve heard the horror stories,” the filly responded. “The guards are a good incentive.” Scootaloo laughed. “I don’t think they’ll arrest you for that, Wing. Hay, it took Twilight a good part of a decade to get any guards in this place at all.” Little Wing did recall the lack of guards the first time she visited the castle so many years previously. It had seemed strange for royalty to not have anypony protecting her home. “Why did she change her mind?” Little Wing asked. “Reluctantly,” a voice explained. “But it became necessary. My former student and a few changelings were only a few among those who walked through those doors unopposed.” Both Scootaloo and Little Wing swivelled their heads to the sound of the voice, spotting their lavender-furred visitor. Twilight Sparkle had, like so many things, changed with the passage of time since Little Wing’s initial arrival eight years previously. Where the Bearer of the Element of Magic had once stood but an inch taller than her friends, the Princess now towered over even the adult Scootaloo while emitting an aura of regality to those around her. Her golden regalia shone magnificently along with the crown atop her head, her kind eyes wisened and yet still noticeably younger than those of her three counterparts. Her hair was done up into a neat bun, silvery ribbon tying it together with another wrapped around her equally immaculate tail. A style that was undoubtedly a design by the Element of Generosity. “Not that it hurts to have extra hooves keeping the castle in order, mind you,” Princess Twilight Sparkle continued, smiling at the two visitors to her home. “Twilight!” Scootaloo exclaimed on seeing the royal alicorn enter. “I was just returning those books you leant me, Little Wing was helping.” “Little Wing, huh?” Twilight questioned as she approached the filly, towering over the young pegasus. Little Wing would have been lying if she said she wasn’t the least bit intimidated by the size difference. “Uh… yes?” Twilight gave her a kind smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with you, Little Wing. We met once, a very long time ago.” “I remember!” Little Wing stated. “You thought everypony was being jealous.” Twilight blinked in surprise. “Yes, about that silly little acronym I called myself, B-A-E right? I’m… surprised you can remember that. You were less than a year old at the time.” “I, uh… ponies say I have a really good memory,” Little Wing said as an excuse. “I remember lots of things.” “She’s not wrong,” Scootaloo added in. Twilight hummed. “A strong memory can be a valuable thing indeed. Sometimes that sister of yours can barely remember what she had for breakfast.” “Well, she has important Wonderbolt stuff to do!” Little Wing argued in defence of her elder sister. Twilight chuckled. “I’m sure she does. But whatever the case, I’m glad I ran into you. I think all of Equestria can expect great things from the little sister of Rainbow Dash.” “Oh come on, Princess,” Scotoaloo interrupted. “Way to put the pressure on a thousand. I think I’m the only one meant to be feeling anxious today.” “You’re getting your confirmation from the Wonderbolts today,” Twilight noted. “I’m sure you did fine, and that’s actually why I’m here.” Scootaloo blinked. “Huh? What do you mean?” “Your sister wanted me to come get you,” Princess Twilight explained. “Rainbow did say you came to the castle, and the guards said you were in here.” “If she knew where I was, why didn’t she come get me herself?” Scootaloo asked. “Instead of bothering you about it, I mean. It’s not like the guards would stop the Bearer of Loyalty from entering the castle.” “Don’t worry Scootaloo, it was no bother,” Twilight assured the pegasus. “Rainbow Dash is very… busy at the moment. And for once my schedule is relatively clear, at least until late this afternoon. So it was no trouble at all.” “Alright then, what did she want?” “She wants you to return to her home, immediately,” Princess Twilight stated. “You’d better take Little Wing back with you, unless you want me to play foalsitter.” “Uh, that won’t be necessary,” Scootaloo replied. “But why go back?” Twilight shook her head, turning to leave the library. “You’ll have to ask her. Don’t worry about the books, I’ll have Spike clear up the rest.” And with that, Princess Twilight Sparkle departed while leaving behind a thoroughly confused pair of pegasi. “What was that about?” Little Wing asked. “Beats me,” Scootaloo replied with a shrug. “Honestly, trying to figure out the alicorns is like trying to figure out Pinkie Pie. Don’t even try.” “But what does big sis want?” Little Wing asked further. “Once again, no clue,” Scootaloo stated, allowing Little Wing to hop up onto her back and sit down comfortably. “I suppose there’s only one way to find out.” Scootaloo departed the library with Little Wing in tow, leaving their mess for the castle’s only draconic resident to sort out. The guards remained rigid as they passed, as did the others they walked by on their way out. After a few twists and turns, they found themselves staring out of the two massive doors acting as both the main entrance and exit to the largest building in Ponyville. The sun was high in the sky, sitting directly above them as the various inhabitants of the town went about getting their lunches. Moving past a final pair of guards, Scootaloo opened her wings and shot off towards the cloud mansion at the other end of Ponyville. The floating structure quickly grew bigger as the pair of pegasi got closer, and in no time at all four orange hooves stepped down onto the steps leading directly to the home’s front doorway. All was quiet around them, albeit with the exception of a few tweeting birds flying past the duo and then off towards the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres. The farm in question being visible in the distance, the Apple Family undoubtedly hard at work harvesting their usual crop. “Well, everything seems normal,” Little Wing noted. “If it was urgent we would have known about it,” Scootaloo pointed out to the filly. “She probably has some errand she wants me to run while she’s busy doing whatever it is she’s doing.” “Ugh, but we were DOING an errand!” “And now we’ve got a new one,” Scootaloo remarked. “Whatever, let’s just get this done with.” Scootaloo ascended the few steps between her and the mansion’s entrance, placing her hoof straight onto the door when she got there. She gave it a shove, and the doorway opened up to reveal the hall within. And was immediately assaulted by an army of confetti pieces, Little Wing falling from Scootaloo’s back with a surprised yelp and landing with a thud into the floor. “SURPRISE!” a chorus announced from inside. Scootaloo blinked, Little Wing getting herself off the floor with an indignant huff. Inside was a decent sized gathering of ponies, the largest of whom was the very lavender princess who had sent them there in the first place. Also, there was Rainbow Dash standing front and centre, Scootaloo’s various friends as well as Little Wing’s parents. The two final ponies was a familiar excitable pink mare operating a confetti cannon and one walleyed pegasus who seemed to be a little lost. A large banner hung atop the grand staircase, ‘Congratulations Scootaloo’ emblazoned on it. “What’s going on here?” the elder of the two confetti covered ponies asked in confusion. “Well, it’s only a SURPRISE PARTY!” Pinkie Pie pointed out as she bounced rapidly up and down next to the wide-eyed Scootaloo. “Were you surprised Scootaloo? Huh? HUH!?” “What? Oh, uh… yeah. Just a bit,” Scootaloo replied sluggishly. “So… what’s the occasion?” “And why wasn’t I told?” Little Wing asked in irritation. “Sorry squirt,” Rainbow said while ruffling Little Wing’s mane. “We didn’t know whether you’d be able to keep the secret.” Little Wing’s cheeks puffed up. “I would have too!” “Once again, what in Celestia’s name is happening!?” Scootaloo demanded to know. “Well Scootaloo, what else would it be?” Rainbow said coyly as she presented an envelope to the younger pegasus. “Congrats Scoots, you’re a reservist. What’s more, you’re already near the top of the list. A little more work, and you’ll be first in line to replace one of the main members when they leave.” Little Wing’s eyes shifted from holding an irritated look to a sparkling one faster than a sonic rainboom. “She made it!? She really made it!?” Scootaloo was blinking a lot. “I… I did!? But… Dash, did you read it!?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Didn’t need to, I AM a Wonderbolt remember? I was there when it was decided. You had my vote since day one.” “So since she already knew you were in she wanted to throw this super amazing surprise party to celebrate!” Pinkie Pie further elaborated. “And Twilight knew you’d probably be returning those books so she volunteered to come get you when the time came.” “Guilty as charged,” the Princess admitted. Scootaloo looked up at the alicorn. “But… I thought you were going to be busy this afternoon?” “Oh, I am. Petitioners from Canterlot,” Princess Twilight explained. “But the morning was free, so there was no reason to miss you reaching such an important life goal. You have been working so hard, Scootaloo.” “Hard is an understatement,” Apple Bloom stated as she thumped Scootaloo on the shoulder. “She practically lives in those books now. Kinda like you, Twilight.” Twilight threw Apple Bloom an amused glance. “So of course we were going to be here!” Sweetie Belle added in. “AB has her farm, my music career is going great and now we have a Wonderbolt Cutie Mark Crusader!” “Reservist,” Scootaloo pointed out. Apple Bloom snorted. “Yeah, we’ll see for how long.” “And we weren’t going to miss this either, Scootaloo,” Windy Whistles added in, while making sure to pick her youngest daughter up off the floor and onto her own back. “You have no idea how proud we are of you.” “She’s right,” Bow Hothoof agreed. “Considering where you started off, with your disadvantage, you deserve it more than anypony.” “So, you going to open it or what?” Rainbow Dash asked, pointing at the letter. “Just to make it official, you know?” Scootaloo glanced at the letter she was now holding and gave a nod. Moving in short order, she tore open the envelope and extracted the message inside. Sure enough, it was as Rainbow Dash said, she had been accepted into the reserves. It was only then that it actually felt real to the pegasus, rather than some fantasy she had conjured up into her head. And it was at that moment she took flight and thrust a victorious hoof into the air. “Awwww yeah! I’m in the Wonderbolts! Wahoooooo!” Her own excited declaration was met with a flurry of stamping hoofs and cheers from those gathered to witness Scootaloo’s moment of triumph. Young Little Wing was among them, ecstatic to see her sister-figure finally succeed and get to the place she had always dreamed at being. But as the cheers died down, and the party began, Little Wing began to ponder to herself. Would she be in Scootaloo’s position in however many years time? Would she know what it’s like to achieve her dream? Would she be the third of the three sisters to enter the Wonderbolts and continue that new unspoken tradition? She hoped so. She had no desire to be a failure, to be the one who couldn’t make it despite the support of those around her. First, she just needed to get that elusive cutie mark.