//------------------------------//
// So, Three Speedsters Go to the Park... 
// Story: Equestrian Eeveelution. 
// by Symphonicdysonince 
//------------------------------//

"You excited for today?" Rainbow asked, hoofing me my breakfast.

I squinted at the bowl in front of me, trying to remember what 'today' actually was. <<Izzit m' turn with th' eggs?>> A shallow saucer of coffee slid to a stop beside the bowl.

"Nope. That was yesterday." Rainbow chuckled. "Try again..."

<<Lessons with Joy?>>

"No."

<<Speed training?>> I could feel my brain get faster as the caffeine hit my system. <<It's not endurance training day, is it?>>

"That's tomorrow." Rainbow propped her head on a hoof. "I'll give you a hint: we have today off."

<<Uh-huh.>>

"... It's the weekend..."

<<Okay...>>

"... Meaning there's no school..."

<<Said the Weather Manager to the Mutant Canine...>>

"... The Crusaders aren't doing anything today, either..." Rainbow slowly leaned forward, almost as if she expected me to get it. Her eye's bored into mine as if they could force the revelation to come. I could feel my mind churning over these obvious hints as a single thought bubbled to the surface.

<<... I got nothin'.>> Rainbow's hoof slipped, causing her to faceplant. <<Should I?>>

"We're hangin' out with Scoots today!" Rainbow groaned into the table. "We're meeting up after I deposit my paycheck, remember."

I blinked owlishly at her. <<You get paid?>>

"Just start eating."




<<So, how are you going to explain you understanding me?>> I asked as we flew to the barracks.

"I'm not sure yet." Rainbow admitted. "I'm honestly hoping that she doesn't ask. I'd have to explain soul bonding, and the elements, and the dream seal thingy because that's how we found out about this. I'm not sure how much of this she'll understand. I mean, how do you tell a foal that her idol has 'problems'?"

<<By not hiding it, for one thing.>> I shrugged. <<And you'd be surprised by how smart children can be. And Scoots'd have ta be, she learned how to summon po- things. And that required a lot of reading.>>

"Ugh, egghead stuff."

<<Reading's awesome!>>

"Not you too." Rainbow groaned. "Why does everypony like reading so much?"

I scoffed. <<I liked reading for the legends and the fantasies. And for the history.>> I could feel the disbelieving eye Rainbow was giving me. <<Without the lessons gained from history, we are doomed to repeat it. And, besides, you've dealt with two things from 'a thousand years ago'. What else is there waiting to be released from that time that we don't know about?>>

"Eh, I'm sure Twilight already knows about them." Rainbow waved a hoof as we landed outside the barracks.

<<Look, I won't push you into doing so, but you should try reading at some point. You might like it.>> I suggested, hopping off of the pegasus' head.

"Like the massages at the spa?" Rainbow cocked an eyebrow.

I just smirked. We approached the two guards standing watch over the main doors. One of them, seeing us coming, poked his head into the barracks, most likely calling for Scoots. Soon enough, she came buzzing out the door, dragging her scooter behind her.

"Hey, Rainbow!" She smiled, making her way over. Plunking her helmet on her head, she rode up beside us. I stepped up to her left as Rainbow hovered on her right. Scootaloo looked between the two of us. "So, what're we doing today?"

Rainbow began to lead us of at a 'sedate' pace. "I'm thinking of just heading to the park, toss a frisbee around, maybe see if you've got any new stunts...?"

"Not really." Scoots sighed. "Been so busy with the summoning lessons from Runic, I haven't really had the time to practice." Though she tried to hide it, Rainbow and I picked up on her slight slump.

<<I think that she's worried that she's disappointing you by not flying.>> I guessed.

Rainbow glanced at me before hovering closer to her number one fan. "Hey, it's no biggie. If you want to trade stunt riding for awesome summoning, I'm not going to hold you back! And, hey, you might be able to mix the two!"

<<Yeah!>> I bounced onto the scooter. <<Isn't there any summons you can ride?>>

I saw Scoots mind start to wonder after Rainbow translated my question. "I think so." A gleam of excitement entered her eyes. "I think that there are some that I can ride on that fly!"

"All the more reason for you to earn your licence!" Rainbow cheered. "Speaking of, what's all left to do?"

"Well," Scootaloo slowed in thought, "there's the written test I need to pass. It's mostly on the Rules of Summoning and the various laws about them in different countries." Catching our confused looks, she elaborated. "Everyone who wants to learn summoning gets their basics here in Equestria. They figure Celestia will be powerful enough to help clamp down on the worst of beginner's accidents. Plus, by having ponies learn, say, Minos summoning laws will help us get a hoof up if we decide to work or go there.

"Anyways, after that, we're going to see if we can bond a summon to us. It's the entrance exam to the Summoners Circle in the university." Scoots shrugged. "Just in case we want to go that route. Sweetie wants to, but Apple Bloom wants to use her summons on the farm."

"And you?" 

"I'm not sure yet." Scoots pulled to a stop at the park's edge. "Either way, we need to wait about a year and a month before we are old enough to apply for the Circle anyways, so I've got time to think about it."

<<Wait, what did ya mean about bonding to a summon?>> I asked through Rainbow.

Scoots hung her helmet off her handlebars. "Basically, a bonded summon will always be called when its ritual is used. Porter and Gemini are both bonded to Runic, for example. How you go about making the bond is different from summon to summon, even between two summons of the same type. One Koikingu might just want a fancy fish tank, while another may only bond after being beaten into submission."

Rainbow gave the younger pegasus a worried look. "Isn't that a little, eh, violent?"

"They're just constructs of elemental mana, Rainbow." Scoots tilted her head. "They can get hostile, yeah, but they don't really know what they're doing."

I nervously looked at the young filly. I wouldn't be too sure about that. I thought to myself as Rainbow shrugged. I let my worries fade as the prismic mare pulled out the frisbee and let it fly. After all, they could be right and I wasn't going to let my own musings get in the way of our fun.