Exiting the bus, I got to see the campgrounds. It was kind of like an airfield, with runways, hoops made out of clouds that were suspended in air, and columns that kept other segments of clouds up. I would question as to why gas would need to be held up by pillars, but I had no time to do so.
We were being led out to what had to be the audience hall, we were all given a seat as we entered and stared at an empty stage. With this many ponies, I could find a minion easily, all I needed to do was a little recruitment.
Will you lend a helping hoof?
To help me home, I need it
Only have to say my name
Don’t even have to praise it
Would you help… No? How about you?
They weren't paying attention, instead the talking had gone silent as a rather beefy, white stallion crossed the stage and placed his hooves on the podium. He looked completely crazy as he flexed on a constant basis as he talked. "YYEEEAAHH! ARE YOU ALL EXCITED TO BE IN SUMMER FLIGHT SCHOOL?!" I shrunk down in my seat, this guy's voice made Bad Horse's death whinny sound like pleasant laughter. "IF YOU AREN'T EXCITED TO BE HERE, THEN STEP UP HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE!" The griffon that was riding on the bus with me stood up and started walking towards the stage, answering the challenge as she looked the stallion in the eye.
"I'm not excited," she coolly remarked, making the stallion flinch back and then start laughing. "What's so funny, big guy? You mad that I shown you up?"
"MAD?!" The stallion yelled, making me lean forward in anticipation as to what he was going to say next. "I'M ACTUALLY GLAD THAT ONE OF YOU DECIDED TO STAND UP AND BE A WILLING VOLUNTEER TO BE A CABIN LEADER!" The crowd started murmuring, and I decided that I had to stand up as well. If I could be a cabin leader, then I could gain followers, minions, and eventually get back on track to getting out of here. I started up, getting to the aisle and slowly making my way to the front as well. "WELL LOOK THERE! ANOTHER ONE READY TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING TO ME!"
I kept going, resisting every urge to just run, go back to my seat, or curl up in a ball and die. Soon I was next to the griffin and looking up at the muscular wall of a pegasus and started gasping out what I needed to say. "I... I... I'm not... happy to... be here." The stallion shot an ear out to me and placed a hoof next to it.
"WHATCHA SAY? CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
"N-n... not happy... to be here..."
"SPEAK UP FILLY! I DON'T HAVE SUPER HEARING!"
"...not happy..."
I could hear the audience laughing at me, something that made me regret about making the decision to step up.
"I'm not happy either, sir!" I looked over to see that the rainbow maned pony I was sitting next to was standing beside me, giving me a sideways comforting smile. "So that means you'll have to make us all Cabin Leaders!" The stallion shot out a look to the crowd and then to us three and gave a confirming nod.
"ALRIGHT, LEADERS, THEN YOU'RE GONNA GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR CABINS, THEY EACH HAVE A NAME AND YOU'LL BE KNOWN AS THE CAPTAIN OF THAT CABIN AND ITS NAME." His hoof went to the griffon, "YOU HAVE CABIN CLAMOR!" His hoof went over to the sky-blue pegasus, "YOU HAVE CABIN UPROAR!" He then pointed to my shivering body that lay on the stage, trying to hide behind my pink mane, "YOU HAVE CABIN CHEER!" From behind the wall of hair, I gave a little 'woo hoo' and was picked up by the rainbow maned pegasus.
"INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO YOUR CABIN MATES, CAPTAINS!" A microphone shoved into each of our faces.
"Gilda," the griffon flatly spoke.
"Rainbow Dash," the sky blue and rainbow maned pegasus boldly proclaimed, she was the only one I could consider as my only saving grace by this point. Finally the microphone came to me, gulping in nervousness, I hoped not to embarrass myself further.
"Fluttershy," I gasped, the microphone just barely picking up my voice and giving a squeal of feedback. Seemingly satisfied, the white stallion flexed again and put the microphone back on the podium.
"ALRIGHT, NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR CABIN LEADERS, WE'RE GONNA SPLIT THE REST OF YOU UP TO EACH OF THEM! THEY HAVE A BIG RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING BAD HAPPENS IN THIS CAMP, ANY PRANKS, FIGHTING, OR ANYTHING BEYOND THE RULE BOUNDARIES ARE GOING TO BE HANDLED BY THEM!" My eyes didn't want to shut, they almost wanted to pop out in fear and roll away. I couldn't be that terrified of responsibility, I had robbed banks, I had captured and ransomed prisoners, why was I now shaking at the prospect of being a leader of a group of pegasi?
***
"I didn't think you had it in you," Rainbow Dash told me as we came out of the audience hall. "You're still not cool enough for Bad Horse, but you at least got a little bit of attention from me."
I blushed, I enjoyed that complement, but I had to remain strong. I'm not going to become soft hearted, I had to keep myself from falling into a sense of calmness, that's what this world wanted me to do. "This is only temporary, Billy. You've made the first step towards gaining somepony that can help you gather what you need and then you can get out of this predicament," I thought aloud, and by aloud, I meant that no pony even paid attention to my voice as we split to our designated cabins.
Cabin Cheer was a large, rectangular building. A single floor that seemed to split into three rooms from what I could tell by looking at it from the outside. Stepping inside, I remarked that I was completely right, the room I had entered was a mix between a kitchen and dining room. To the left was a blue sign with a pegasus rearing up, signifying the room was the boys dorm, to the right a pink sign with a pegasus just standing, signifying the room was the girls dorm. Waiting inside was a mare, no doubt the 'cabin mother' that would keep things in check over myself and every other pony that would reside here.
"Hello there, you must be Fluttershy." I shrunk back, watching the white coated mare approach me, her shining golden mane flowing down behind her neck and nearly touching the tips of her eyes, on her flank looked to be a picture of a movie reel. "You wanted to be a cabin captain, is that correct?" Her voice was very relaxed and calm, I felt a little better knowing now she wasn't going to scream and yell like the other muscle bound pegasus did.
"Y-yes," I kept kicking myself for not being able to speak with confidence anymore, it was becoming infuriating that I just couldn't say half of what was really on my mind. "Are you the cabin mother?"
The white coated pegasus gave a smile to me, "I am, my name is Sunset Boulevard, you may not have known this, but I was actually a movie star." I felt myself getting excited over this news, even though I had no interest in celebrity gossip, news, or even meeting with the ilk back on Earth, here I was, heart going crazy and my eyes wide in wonder about meeting a pony that was in the movies. She gave a forlorn sigh however, making me wonder if there was something else that she didn't want to tell me.
"Well, let's get ready to introduce ourselves to our cabin friends for the next two weeks, you can stay by the door and welcome everypony that comes in and direct them to their dormitories so they can unpack." She then gave me an odd stare and looked around me, "Did you not bring anything with you?"
I thought for a moment, I was sure that I left with a suitcase. I retraced steps until I remembered I left it on the bus. "Oh, no! It's all on the bus," I squeaked. Sunset gave a sigh of relief at my panic before leading me out the door again.
"It's fine, the drivers always know that there are packs left behind sometimes." She pointed out to a rather big building in the camp, "Go to the main office, they'll let you go through the lost-and-found where I'm sure your things are." I gave a look at her, trying to let her know I wasn't comfortable going alone, but instead she just shut the door and left me out in front of the cabin.
"She left me here, she left me here alone!" I tried not to shiver too much and went to re-enter the cabin until I stopped myself, that was this odd piece of my mind, and I wouldn't let it control me. Not now, not ever.
A mare’s gotta do what a mare’s gotta do
Don’t plan the plan if you can’t follow through
All that matters: taking matters into your own hooves
Soon I will gain back my life, my plan will be complete.
I turned to go straight to the main office and watched an entire parade of ponies being led by that self-centered griffon.
Stand back everypony, nothing here to see
Just imminent danger, in the middle of it, me
Yes, Captain Clamor’s here, feathers blowing in the breeze
This cabin needs my special expertise
As she said this, a copious amount of paintballs shot from nowhere, covering the entire front of my cabin and myself, leaving me in shock.
A mare’s gotta do what a mare’s gotta do
Seems destiny ends with me pranking you
The only doom that’s looming is me gaining your respect
So I’ll give you a sec to catch your breath
I gaped in awe as Rainbow Dash came flying in and trotting next to Gilda.
Thank you Gilda, chick, I don’t think I can
Explain how impressive it was that you pranked their team
She's now all splattered, covered entirely in cream
Thank you much for joining me
Now things get complicated with this here, so bear with me.
A mare’s gotta do what a mare’s gotta do
You came from above
Are you kidding?
Seems destiny ends with her all in paint
How cruel are you really?
I wonder what you're thinking of
Stop cheering her like that
When you’re the best, you can’t rest, what’s the use
Do you notice that she's breaking every rule here?
There's coolness flowing through your veins
There’s flanks needs kicking, some little bomb to go plant
I'm not at wrong, those paintballs really hurt
Must be, must be in shock
The only doom that’s looming is me gaining your respect
Assuming I’m not giving you respect
WHATEVER!
Both of them kept walking away, now leaving me in the middle of the sea of oncoming ponies ready to enter Cabin Cheer.
So we'll give you a sec, to catch your breath.
The crowd bowled me over as they all rushed in at the same time and trampled all over me. As I got up I got hit in the head by two incoming rubber balls, only prompting me to utter the last words I would say before passing out in shock.
Balls.