//------------------------------// // 27. Flight School - The Cliff Notes // Story: Scootaloo the Fugitive // by Kaidan //------------------------------// "Alright Scootaloo, the Best Young Fliers is tomorrow," Dash lectured. "The most important thing is to stick to your routine. You'll either feel nervous, or invincible. Lots of ponies have failed because they tried a stunt they hadn't practiced, such as Rarity trying to touch the sun. Others were too nervous, and failed their routine, kind of like this other pony I know." Dash blushed slightly. "Anyway, your best bet is to make sure you decide tonight what your routine is and stick to it," she continued. "Now, Pegasi magic is different from the earth ponies and unicorns. Can you tell me how?" "Uh, we don't have as much?" Scootaloo answered. "Heh, a rich snob in Canterlot might think like that. The correct answer is, it's both passive and active. Unicorns have to actively focus and cast a spell to use their magic. Earth ponies are stronger, faster, and can encourage the growth of plants. They don't control it, they just are. "Now, we Pegasi have the best of both worlds. We can directly manipulate the weather. Depending on your skill with clouds, you'll be able to make it rain, thunder, snow, and more. Any Pegasi can manipulate clouds to some degree. "The cutie mark can have an effect on that magic. For instance, I can emit a rainbow contrail. It's what makes me unique, just like Spitfire's lightning and the Wonderbolt's signature black storm cloud contrail. You won't know what yours is, if any, until you get a cutie mark. "Last is the passive magic. We're not the most aerodynamic creatures out there, you know. Sure, we have lighter frames and slightly hollow bones. If you've seen a Pegasi like Snowflake or Pound Cake fly, you realize their wings aren't big enough to provide enough lift. Some Pegasi rely entirely on that passive magic to help them fly, others like me have practiced and built our muscles up. "Anyway that's really not relevant, you've trained and you've maintained a good weight. What is really important is your passive ability to sense wind currents, direction, speed, and even collide at high speeds with solid objects without dying. "So that's flight school in a nutshell, any questions?" "Yeah, Dash, could you say it again but less boring?" Scootaloo inquired. Dash laughed, "Not really. If you want, I can send in an application for you to Jr. Speedsters Flight Camp. They teach all sorts of useful stuff, and teach you some tricks. It's like the Wonderbolt's academy I went to, but for fillies." "That'd be awesome, but first I need to win the Best Young Fliers!" "Indeed, that's why you'll have to keep your strengths in mind. I've seen you fly the slalom course, your ability to sense your direction and speed is excellent. You've been learning how to predict the wind currents. I think that's your best bet." "Yeah, but it's pretty boring. I was really hoping you'd teach me to break the sound barrier." "One does not simply 'break' the sound barrier, Scoots. It takes months of practice, or a crazy amount of luck." "And if I decide to try anyway?" "You'll probably end up flinging yourself clear out of the arena, and getting grounded by your mother." "Aww, come on," Scootaloo whined. "Hey, you really want to learn to break the sound barrier, you'll be patient until you're a stronger flier. Just because you and Gale almost got lucky doesn't mean you should try it on purpose." "Man, that takes all the fun out of it! What happened to your sense of adventure? Your recklessness!? "You did, Squirt. I don't want you getting hurt." "Ugh, now I see why AJ gets so angry when I take Applebloom hang-gliding or parachuting." "To be fair, Applebloom can't fly. You're lucky the crusaders haven't gotten cutie marks in crashing or having bones set from all the stunts you pull." "At least then I could stop doing the dumb crusades like 'cherry picking' or 'Frisbee throwing.' " "Don't be in too much of a hurry to grow up, once you get your cutie mark you won't get to explore dozens of fun new things." "I guess. . ." Scootaloo shifted around in the cloud sofa. "So you excited?" "Of course! I'm going to beat Gale and let everypony in town know I'm the best young flier!" "Great attitude, Squirt. Twilight's already been teaching every unicorn in town the cloud walking spell. Celestia has loaned us some hot air balloons and chariots to get everypony up to Cloudsdale." "Wait, everypony?" Scootaloo asked. "Yeah, half the town wants to cheer you two on. Vinyl's dragging Octavia up there, Lyra's going because she is convinced they are hiding humans in Cloudsdale. Of course the elements and crusaders will be there, the Cakes, Mayor, Cheerilee, Richy Rich, even your classmates from school." Scootaloo gulped. "Heh, no pressure, right?" Dash rubbed a hoof through her mane. "Exactly, just have fun. Even if you lose, you'll still prove to yourself and me what an excellent flier you are." Scootaloo smiled, "Thanks, Dash." "So what do you want to do on your last night before practice?" "I thought I'd take my scooter around town and relax, maybe talk to everypony." "Ok, don't push yourself too hard." Scootaloo sped through Ponyville towards Vinyl's house. It was late enough that even she would have woken up by now. She hopped off her scooter and looked at it longingly. One of the bolts was loose, and the normally polished handle bar had water stains on it. Not too long ago, she had loved this Scooter more than anything. It felt so odd to be outgrowing it. In spite of learning to fly, she still wanted to feel the rush of racing along the ground, to hold onto her childhood. After knocking at the door, Vinyl answered it. "Perfect luck, hey Vinyl!" "Hey Scootaloo, I thought you'd be out practicing tonight," she stated. "I have to rest up for the big contest. I heard you are coming?" "Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. In fact, if you'd like, I'll DJ while you fly." "That'd be awesome!" "Yeah, you're sure to win now. I'll just have to do it from backstage, wouldn't want to get mobbed by the fans. It's really hard to escape the paparazzi when they can fly." "I guess so." Scootaloo glanced back at the scooter. "Something on your mind?" "Huh? Oh. I was just thinking about how much fun I've had on the scooter. Now that I can fly I don't use it much anymore." "Growing up I see. You know, I used to have this ridiculous leather jacket when I was an orphan. This guitarist gave it to me when he saw me watching his outdoor concert from an adjacent alleyway. I kept that thing with me for years, long after I'd outgrown it. I was my favorite thing as an orphan." "What happened to it?" "I still have it in my closet. I can't wear it anymore, but I'll always have it as a reminder of all the cold nights it kept me warm. Growing up doesn't mean you have to forget the good times, you'll just have to find new things that excite you." "Thanks, I just wish I could do both. Fly and ride a scooter." "Why can't you do both? Why not do stunts on the scooter and fly at the same time, you'd get some wicked air." "I'd never thought of that, it just seems like cheating." "How many flying scooter-riding Pegasi have you met? I think it'd make you unique and look awesome." "Hey, you're right!" Scootaloo cheered up considerably. "Of course I'm right, I'm DJ Pon3. Just don't go telling Octy about the leather jacket. Can't have her thinking I'm a softy." Vinyl lifted her sunglasses and winked. "Sure thing, I've got to go now!" Scootaloo hopped on the scooter and sped off. Scootaloo knocked on the crusader clubhouse. "Who is there?" Applebloom called. "It's me, Scootaloo, why's the door locked?" she asked. "Scootaloo! Don't come in, it's a surprise!" Sweetie exclaimed. "What's a surprise?" "Your surprise, we're still workin' on it," Applebloom said. "I just wanted to chat for a bit before the competition." "Oh." There was some muffled whispering inside. A moment later Applebloom cracked the door open and slipped outside. "Hey Scoots, what's up?" "Hey Applebloom. So you going to give me a hint?" "Ah reckon you should know that it's for the competition tomorrow! It'll let everypony know you're the best," Applebloom stated. "It's not fireworks, is it? They're forbidden in Cloudsdale. It gives the Pegasi royal guard flashbacks or something to the Griffon war." "No, not fireworks, though ah wish ah'd thought of that. Fireworks are awesome!" "Yeah, when you're on the ground and not being peppered by bits of burning plastic." "Ah guess ah can see why you wouldn't want to fly near 'em." "Well, I'm going to go then. You keep working on my surprise, and remember, it has to be cool!" Scootaloo flipped backwards, landing on the scooter and zooming off. The door cracked back open. "Is she gone?" Sweetie asked. "Yeah that was a close one, but what are we gonna do with all the fireworks now?" "I don't know, Applebloom. I guess we'll have to make her a different surprise." Scootaloo was jumping off hills and boulders, doing tricks. She landed near a bush only to be tackled. "Surprise hug!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Ahhh! Somepony help, Pinkie is trying to eat me!" Scootaloo screamed. "No silly, I'm trying to greet you. I mean, you might taste good with barbeque sauce but I don't even eat meat, nopony does! I suppose Griffons might eat cupcakes with meat in them, or maybe a meat pie, but they surely don't eat ponies. Only chickens and stuff." "I'm failing to see how any of this is relevant." "Oh, I wasn't talking to you. Now I am, though! Good luck at the contest tomorrow! I brought you two cupcakes. . ." Pinkie pulled out a blue and a red cupcake from her mane. "Listen closely, Scootaloo." "If you take this red cupcake, you'll wake up in bed tomorrow, as if nothing has happened. You won't remember the orphanage, or our meeting, you'll live a normal, relatively happy life as a scooter-riding orphan in Canterlot. "If you take the blue cupcake, I'll show you exactly how deep this rabbit hole goes. . . also, there's tons and tons of caffeine in the blue cupcake," Pinkie exclaimed. "Dash told me what to do if this happened. You're so random Pinkie!" Scootaloo grasped the scooter tight, and flew up into the air like a bat out of Tartarus. Looking behind her, Scootaloo saw Pinkie gaining on her with her candy cane helicopter. "Hey! You didn't eat a cupcake! Get back here!" The two raced towards Dash's house. It was a close race, but Scootaloo managed to get inside to safety. "Dash!" "Scootaloo?" "CUPCAKES!!" Pinkie shouted. "Gah! Dash, she's trying to make me eat cupcakes that'll make me go insane!" Scootaloo cried out. "Huh, that's ridiculous. Those are just her special sleep aid and caffeine cupcakes. You take the red one for a good night's sleep, or the blue one to get wired for ten to twelve hours," Dash stated. "Dash! That takes all the fun out of it. I was trying to offer Scootaloo an existential, life altering choice!" Pinkie whined. "Wait, sleep aid? Hmm… I would like a good night's sleep. You Pinkie Promise if I eat the red one I'm not going to wake up strapped to a wooden table in your basement?" "Why on earth would you think that?" Pinkie asked. Dash blushed furiously. "hahaha, yeah, why would she think that. Silly Scootaloo." Scootaloo looked at the two mares, one confused, the other hiding the embarrassment of a nightmare they had once had. "Oh, my bad. Alright then, got any normal cupcakes?" "Hmm, I suppose the purple one is normal. It's got caffeine AND sleep aids," Pinkie stated. "How about, a cupcake with nothing but sugar in it?" Scootaloo questioned. "Hmm, but without flour, eggs, and some other stuff, then it's just sugar shaped like a cupcake." "Pinkie, please, it's getting late and me and Scootaloo would like to sleep sometime tonight. Just give the kid a normal cupcake." "Aww alright, but as soon as you win the best young fliers, you're going to eat one of the cupcakes! Red or blue, live or die, your choice!" Pinkie cackled and set a box of cupcakes on the floor. She then leapt onto her helicopter and flew away. "Dash?" "Yes Scootaloo?" she asked. "Pinkie scares the living daylights out of me sometimes." "I know, Scoots, I know." Scootaloo had been lying in bed for about an hour. It was a particularly cold night and her blanket wasn't warm enough. Even after sealing the windows in the house up with clouds, the chill was still nipping at her. It didn't help that she was nervous, in fact, she was incredibly nervous. She regretted not eating fifty red cupcakes. Scootaloo got up to seek help from the one mare who always had her back. Scootaloo knocked on Dash's door, and heard her mumble 'come in.' "Dash?" "Yeah?" Dash set down her Daring Do novel. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" "I can't sleep, it's because it's cold, and totally not because I'm nervous." "I see, and you've come to the most awesome bed warmer in Equestria for help?" "Heh, yeah. You don't mind when I sleep with you, do you?" "Not at all, Squirt. Just don't go telling anypony what a big softie I am. I have an image to maintain." "Thanks, Dash. I love you." "I love you too, Squirt." Dash turned out the light and waited for Scootaloo to curl up next to her. She positioned her mane and tale, then placed her wing over the filly. "Sweet dreams."