//------------------------------// // A New Mission // Story: L.I.P: Rarity's Little Scout // by PegasYs //------------------------------// We flew. The sky was tinted red with the rising sun of late summer. Clouds dotted the heavens, sparse but very present in the morning air. A dusty desert spread in almost all directions, save for one. Off in our heading, breaking the horizon, no more than twenty miles away now was the skyline of Fillydelphia. I coordinated my team of six as we banked slightly to adjust our heading for the outskirts of the city. We had only one job to do in Fillydelphia. They told us to make it brief, and head for our next destination with as much haste as possible. Our job was to read the weather. “What’s the atmosphere reading, Smoke?” I turned to my second in command, Smokeshade, who was evaluating the barometer measurements on his utility barding. There was a strong turbulence, rocking us from position and forcing us to lower our altitude. Smoke took position next to me, the rest of my team falling behind in a V formation. “The meter reads 1520 mmHg, sir.” The atmospheric pressure was just resting on the Equestrian standard. The rest of my team was giving me reports of similar good readings. Moisture level was suitable for current biome setting. The current weather conditions were right on schedule with the Central Weather Calendar. All readings checked out with climate setting, and were consistent with all Urban Climate Standards. The pegasi on the Fillydelphia Weather Team were surely taking care of business in their area. It was always a relief to bring back at least some good news to headquarters. “Fly into the city, we need to chat to the head mare of FiW Team about her schedule for the next month. From there, we head back to Canterlot to give our reports to Sir Valiantwing at HQ. Are we clear?” “Eye-eye, Scout!” My team replied in unison as we turned into the heart of the city. Ponies below us looked skyward, their faces full of elation as we flew by, some of them stopping to wave at us from their position below. Youthful pegasi looked up at us with passing desire, some even daring to fly below us, struggling to keep up, only to fall behind in inspired wonder and amazement. Everypony knew who we were. Pegasi envy us, wishing they were in our position. We were the Gods of Weather. We were the Storm Scouts. Our day had started bright and early, before the crack of dawn. We were stationed in Ponyville, prepared to speak with the head of the Ponyville Weather Team as soon as the sun broke the horizon. The head mare of the PoW Team was never happy to see us, as she was always our first stopping place every morning for our monthly weather reports. She was an interesting character, a light blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail. She was not the head mare best known for doing her job punctually. We constantly had to intervene with the weather in Ponyville every time something went haywire, which was often. She met us this morning, obviously quite irritable due to the early morning hours. She was short with us, and tried to explain that everything was fine and on schedule in accordance to the C.W.C. I questioned the Head Stallion’s motives for placing her in charge of the PoW Team, but he never gave me a direct answer as to why exactly. From there we had already visited and spoken to the head mares of Las Pegasus, Manehattan, and Seaddle, and Fillydelphia was our final destination before heading to back to the HQ, where the information we gathered would be sent to Cloudsdale, so they could then prepare the necessary weather needed to fulfill the requirements of every corner of Equestria. It wasn’t an easy job, but it was a job that my team and I performed well. You don’t get the nickname Wayward Scout for performing an adequate job. We met the head mare of the FiW team outside of city hall. We landed on the marble steps leading to the main entrance to the whitewashed stone building. The sun was fully visible and no longer touching the horizon. Tall buildings surrounded the yard in front of the capital political center of Fillydephia. We approached a pony wearing Weather Team utility barding, emblazoned with a crest indicating her status as the head mare of FiW. The pegasus, a light pink mare with a red mane, gave us a curt bow of respect as we proceeded toward her. “Scout, nice to see you and your team again. I trust you found the weather to be in order. Our monthly storm schedule has been refined to a tee in accordance to the U.C.S. and the C.W.C. schedule.” She smiled briefly, obviously proud of her accomplishments; She was new to her position, having been in charge only two months. Her first month had taken a toll on her, but she pulled through with much enthusiasm. She had learned from those mistakes, and made sure she would never make them again. She was a hard working pegasus, and a much more likeable of a mare than Miss Dash of PoW. She stood firm and tall, awaiting my approval. “At ease, you have done well and learned much this last month. My coordinator will now give you scheduling for the next month based on readings taken this morning. Keep up the good work.” The slightly younger pegasus eased considerably, and patiently awaited the results to be created on the spot of weather preparation for the next month. My third ranking officer gave her the printed calendar, and returned to position. I gave her a nod, and a salute, and we were off into the sky. We banked to the North, and acclimated to make the return trip to headquarters. I was in more than high spirits. I was in for a promotion soon, and there wasn’t much left to promote from my current position. With hope, I might be put on Valiantwing’s right side, as his personal advisor. He told me to come to his office as soon as we had finished and made it back to Canterlot. This was definitely a reason to celebrate. “Good work, soldiers. Tonight, a round of cider for everypony!” My team gave a celebratory cheer. Within an hour, we would be home, and we would get the rest we deserved. We flew with the sun to our right and Canterlot in our sights. We touched down in Canterlot, coming to a stop on the landing platform on the roof of the Storm Scout headquarters. The team stretched their wings, and made their way to the entrance that leads to the barracks. My wings ached as well from almost six hours of almost straight flying, but it was a feeling I was used to. I didn’t need to rest, not yet at least. I had more important business to take care of at the moment. I headed the other direction, toward the entrance to the office section of the stark white building. I walked down the steps, and into the hallway. Doors lined the walls, leading to various office spaces where white-saddle ponies pushed pencils and did other meaningless tasks. The walls themselves were painted sky blue, and were magically enchanted to display the positions of the sun, moon, and every cloud on the Equestrian horizon. At the end of the hall stood the entrance to the office of the head stallion. I pushed open the double mahogany doors and stepped into his circular shaped office. I looked up at the domed glass ceiling; the sun was hanging just overhead. Pegasi were going about their daily business, coming into view above the office every now and again. Canterlot was surely the most beautiful places to live in Equestria in terms of weather. After all, I was in charge of the CaW team. Valiantwing was sitting at his desk in the middle of the office, leaning over some paperwork. He was an old, greying stallion with a short cropped mane and tail. His coat was a striking shade of bright blue. His cutie mark, though hidden behind his desk at the time, was an insignia of two black wings on a white cloud. The insignia of the Storm Scouts. I knew it well, as it was emblazoned on my flank as well. The Storm Scouts were so selective that the only pegasi who made it in had it in their special talent. Pegasi sought the position so persistently, that a select few young fillies and colts would get the very insignia branded on them forever. It was every young pegasus’s dream to be a Storm Scout, but only a select few were chosen by destiny to join our ranks. Every one of my team had the crest on their flank. Valiantwing looked up from his work at me. I gave him a salute of respect. He waved a hoof at me, in signal for me to relax. “Sit down, you’ve done well today, Aero.” I took a seat in a chair in front of the desk. He was one of the very few ponies who still called me by my real name. Aero Rightwing. Even my name tag on my utility barding read my nickname, Wayward Scout. “We have very important business to discuss… Firstly, your reports from the civilian Weather Teams.” “Sir, all head mares gave good readings and reports, the four corners of Equestria are in ship-shape in both climate and weather. They have all received schedules for next month. My team will be sending weather import requests to Cloudsdale later today. Cranberry has improved greatly from last month, sir.” “Very good, and how has Miss Dash been holding up with the PoW team?” “Sir, with all due respect, there are surely more qualified ponies to run the Ponyville sector. We can send somepony over there from Cloudsdale, with much more experience and work ethic.” “That’s not what I asked, Aero.” I bit my lip, “She is doing well, no reports of any problems this month.” Other than the head mare being an ungrateful little… “Very well. Now, to discuss your current position…” I perked up a little in my seat. This is the moment I had been waiting for all day. “You know I’ve valued your work and your opinion ever since you joined us those few years ago. You are still young, but you have proven yourself to be the most mature and able pegasus on the team.” I was beaming with pride. I was the youngest stallion ever to become head of the Storm Scouts. “That being said, I wish for you to maintain your position as head of the team.” I sagged in my seat. That was not the news I had expected to hear. I tried not to let my disappointment show on my face. “Sir…” “That being said, I have a special mission for you… If you complete this mission to my liking, you will be in line for a position upgrade in the near future.” That was slightly better news. I wonder what kind of mission he had planned for me. What corner of Equestria would this assignment find me? I was a little bit excited at that moment in apprehension for what lay ahead. “We have been using the same barding for generations, and I believe it is time we make an upgrade, don’t you agree?” Yes. My barding was wind torn and battered and in extreme disrepair. It seemed like he was getting off topic. “I’ve hired an expert designer and tailor from Ponyville to make us new uniforms. She will be arriving in Canterlot in three days to begin designing. I want you to assist her in the making and fitting of the barding. You will be her design model. Make sure it has all the necessary equipment and aerodynamic requirements needed to be optimally suited for field use. You will have to show it to the safety department for approval. Are we clear?” The elation I had when I walked into the office had been ultimately obliterated. I felt like I had deserved way more credit than I was being given. “Yes… sir.” “This is very important, do you understand me? I want this to go as smoothly as possible, and I trust you to get the job done.” I gave him a mute nod, and rose from my seat. I turned and walked out the double doors, which closed behind me. I leaned against the wall outside his office, and gave a deep sigh. I had been defeated. It’s a good thing nopony was in the hallway with me. I didn’t want anypony to see me in my currently frustrated state. I should have gotten that promotion on the spot. I deserved it. But Valiantwing thought otherwise. He knew best. All I had to do now was comply with his wishes. I righted myself and walked down to the end of the hall. I met the rest of the team in the barracks. I walked in the doorway, and suddenly all eyes were on me. They let out a huge uproar. They all knew what I had initially gone into the office for. Their cheering subsided when they saw the look of frustration on my face. The room was silent as I walked to my bunk. Their eyes never left me as I walked by each and every one of them. I didn’t want to have to bear the questioning that would later come from my comrades. Smokeshade came to my bed and sat down next to me. He was silent for a moment. “Hey bud, what happened in there?” Smoke was my best friend, and definitely my favorite of the Storm Scouts. He was older than me, but ever since joining the team, he had taken care of me, almost like a bigger brother. While all the others in the team had seen me as the snot nosed brat who had just gotten lucky, he had made sure I never fell behind. He was the reason I had made it so far. He knew what I had in me, and brought me to be the best I could be. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have had the drive to become the most famous weather pony in Equestria. His dark grey hoof rested on my left shoulder, waiting patiently for me to be ready to speak. I was staring at the floor. I was weak with disappointment. The team had seen me at my best, and my worse, and had never lost confidence in me ever since I had become their leader. I never let my emotions show, tried to never let a hint of doubt cross my face. I was too strong, I had to keep my resolve at all times, or people would lose faith in me. I had worked all my life to be where I am, and didn’t want anything to compromise it. “I didn’t get the promotion.” He patted me on the back with his hoof. “He said that I should stay where I’m at for the time being. He wants me to go on a… special mission. To prove I’m ready to move up in the ranks.” “Well hey! That sounds exciting! What kind of special mission has he got planned for you? I bet it’s gonna be something really important and dangerous.” He could read me so well. He was trying to raise my spirits. Anypony else would have thought I was just talking as casually as I would about the weather. (a phrase that doesn’t really apply to the Storm Scouts, we tend to talk pretty serious about it) But he saw through my monotonous speech, and saw my genuine disappointment. “He wants me to help with the new utility barding design…” I could just imagine standing still for some frou-frou pony for hours while she measured me and draped cloth on me. It was humiliating. Anything else and I would be fine. But this is just… “I have to be a model for the ponies in the safety department. I’ll be working with some fashion designer from Ponyville.” “Well… I can’t sugar coat it. That sucks man.” He let out a laugh, and his wings flared out. I couldn’t help but let out a laugh as well at the absurdity of the assignment. He rose from my bunk, and motioned for me to get up too. “We should still celebrate. We performed an awesome job today. How ‘bout I take the team out for some free drinks?” That was really what I needed right now. I got up and we gathered the rest of the team. Nothing helped drown out disappointment like a tall glass of apple cider with your favorite people in the world.Parties always helped a pony get into a better mood. I was in a little bit of a better mood as we flew to the closest bar in Canterlot. We were greeted warmly. Everypony in Canterlot knew who the Storm Scouts were. Everypony in Canterlot knew who the Wayward Scout was. I didn’t have anything to worry about. After all, I was the fastest flyer in all of Equestria.