//------------------------------// // Day 4: Clearing the Clouds // Story: Scoot Camp // by theNDinspector //------------------------------// Major Soarin wasn’t kidding about it being a rather boring day. The training for the cadets that day was cloud busting. The purpose for it was to clear away as many clouds as quickly as possible while working as a team. It wasn’t too bad; it kept them busy for the next hour or so. Compared with everything else, though, it was pretty lame. Major Soarin wasn’t even there to supervise them. Instead Lieutenant What’s-his-name was observing them. He stood by a chalkboard that was divided in sections by companionships. He kept a close eye on the cadets and marked their progress. How he was able to keep track of all the companionships and mark down the clouds they all cleared was anypony’s guess, but he still did it. Soon, there were no more clouds to clear so all of the cadets landed waited for the final tally. Both Blue Yonder and Scootaloo were shocked to learn that Hot Shot and Silverwings emerged on top, having cleared away most of the clouds. “I guess whatever training program Hot Shot has them on is definitely working,” Blue Yonder commented while Scootaloo nodded in agreement. Blue Yonder and Scootaloo came in second, but with a sizeable margin between them and the leading stallions. Scootaloo learned a thing or two about clearing weather while she was still learning from Rainbow Dash; yet it still wasn’t enough to compete with whatever Hot Shot’s technique was. The most surprising outcome, though, was who came in dead last; Barrel Roll and Lavender. They were both very capable flyers and among some of the better performing companionships to that point. Yet the column underneath their cutie marks on the chalkboard was practically empty. It didn’t look like they even hit double digits. ‘Maybe Lavender thought that the clouds were too filthy to touch,’ Scootaloo thought. Scootaloo couldn’t dwell on the matter further because they were dismissed and had free time for the rest of the afternoon. A loud commotion of chatter emerged as the cadets started walking off to other parts of the compound. Blue Yonder decided that they could go to the track and do some more laps for a while. Scootaloo agreed and followed suit. Unfortunately, they found that the section with the track was currently closed. It was being worked on by several ponies from the academy. They could also see that Major Soarin was directing them as they set up some bleachers. “What’s going on?” Blue Yonder asked. “I’m not sure,” Scootaloo replied. “But it looks like it’s going to be big.” “What are we supposed to do now?” Blue Yonder whined. “Well, it is a nice day out thanks to our ‘training’ earlier,” Scootaloo observed. “Maybe we can just enjoy it and have a nice, relaxing afternoon.” “All right,” Blue Yonder agreed. “But let’s stop by the barracks first. If we’re going to relax then I want to have a book with me.” “If you insist,” Scootaloo said as they turned back around. They made the relatively short trek back to the barracks. Cadets were walking everywhere, trying to figure out what to do with their free time. However, one white stallion wasn’t walking around at all and he was sitting right outside of the mare’s barracks. “Barrel Roll, what are you doing here?” Blue Yonder asked, eying him suspiciously. “Huh?” Barrel Roll mumbled, looking up. “Oh, it’s Lavender. She’s not talking to anypony and avoiding them.” “Yeah, tell us something we don’t know,” Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes “Well, it seems that something is bothering her,” Barrel Roll explained. “I thought it was because we performed horribly earlier today, but she wouldn’t talk about it. She just walked over here and barricaded herself in the barracks. I know she doesn’t like to socialize—I definitely noticed that over the past three days with her—but it honestly seems like there’s something else and I just can’t figure out what it is.” “She’s just an obnoxious pony who hates everything,” Scootaloo huffed. “That’s her problem.” “Come on Scootaloo, you know better than to say that,” Blue Yonder reprimanded. “Besides, you don’t know anything about her.” “And you would?” Scootaloo countered. “All you did was talk to her about books. What could you possibly know about her from that?” “A lot more than you think,” Blue Yonder said, but Scootaloo raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Okay, not that much, I admit it. But I do know that she is willing to talk if you show that you are genuinely interested in her. Now come on, let’s go talk to her.” “What?” Scootaloo shrieked. “Why do we have to talk to her?” “Because Barrel Roll is a stallion and we’re the only ones that know about this right now!” Blue Yonder exclaimed. “Can’t we get an officer to take care of it?” Scootaloo suggested. Blue Yonder sighed. “Listen, I know that you two don’t get along, but right now Lavender needs help. It’s better to figure out what we are dealing with first and then report it if necessary. I’m going in there and I would like your help—even if its only moral support for me. So are you coming or not?” Scootaloo hesitated briefly before saying, “Fine. Let’s do this.” Blue Yonder nodded and turned to open the door. It was dark inside. Lavender had closed the curtain that they usually left open during the day to let the sunlight in. Blue Yonder then flipped the light switch. The room was empty—except for a lump over on Lavender’s bed. Blue Yonder approached the mare and got a lot closer than anypony else had ever dared. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, hung back a little. Lavender’s back was towards them, so they couldn’t tell if she was asleep or not. “Lavender,” Blue Yonder said softly. “Lavender, are you up?” Scootaloo was about to turn back when a voice croaked out. “What do you want?” Lavender asked. Blue Yonder took a moment to put together what she was going to say. Scootaloo silently remained at the center of the room. “Barrel Roll told us that you weren’t feeling well,” Blue Yonder said. “Is it because of what happened today?” “No,” Lavender said flatly. “Was it something that somepony said?” Blue Yonder continued. The sheets on Lavender seemed to get a little tighter, but she remained in the bed. “Do you think I don’t realize what ponies think of me?” Lavender finally said. “I know they hate me, or rather not be with me. Clean freak, crabby, uptight…PANSY! I’ve been called worse things. Nothing anypony says matters to me.” “Are you sure?” Blue Yonder asked. “Because words do affect us, no matter how much we believe they don’t. And it would help to talk about it.” “You really don’t get it, do you?” Lavender exclaimed. She threw off the sheets, got out of bed and faced Blue Yonder. Lavender’s eyes were narrowed and her nostrils flaring. “I don’t want anypony’s help!” Lavender stated as she marched towards Blue Yonder. “I don’t need anypony’s help! Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I never wanted to be here in the FIRST PLACE!?” She backed Blue Yonder into the post of the bunk bed on the opposite side of the room. Scootaloo was about to go and help her, but Blue Yonder gave her a look that told her to stay where she was. Scootaloo wasn’t sure how either of them was going to help now that things got heated up. But Blue Yonder held her head up high and looked Lavender straight in the eye. “Then why are you here?” Blue Yonder asked. Lavender continued to glare at her, but her eyes were starting to tear up. “Because my DAD wants me to be here!” Lavender shouted. “But why would your dad want you here if you never wanted to?” Blue Yonder asked. Tears were starting to fall from Lavenders eyes, but she fought to keep her composure. “Because he was in the Wonderbolts too,” Lavender explained. “Every generation of my family has been! My mom died when I was young, my dad never remarried, and I’m an only child. So those expectations fell on me alone. “I tried to tell him that I wasn’t interested in being a Wonderbolt, but he wouldn’t listen. I didn’t want to disappoint him, so I signed up. I never thought that I would be accepted though. Now I’m here and…and I…I just can’t take it anymore!” Lavender finally broke down completely. Both Scootaloo and Blue Yonder stared at the sobbing mare before them. Lavender might not have been held in the highest regards, but she had never looked so pathetic. Even Scootaloo felt sorry for her. “But if you never wanted to be here, then why don’t you leave?” Blue Yonder asked. “Because that would be worse,” Lavender sobbed. “My dad taught me to always see things through till the end. I could never look him in the eye if I quit!” Blue Yonder was at a loss for words. She had succeeded in getting Lavender to open up, but she had no idea what to do with the pieces that spilled out. Scootaloo came to her rescue. “Maybe you should meet him halfway,” Scootaloo suggested. “What do you mean?” Lavender sniffed. “I mean go through the rest of the camp, and prove to him that you have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt,” Scootaloo explained. “Then explain to him what you truly want to do with your life. He can’t ask for much more than that.” “I don’t know,” Lavender said doubtfully. “Well think about it,” Scootaloo said. “Besides, your dad needs to realize that you are in control of what you do in your life, not him.” Lavender bit her lip as she thought those words over. “Okay, I’ll think about it,” Lavender finally said. “Good,” Blue Yonder chimed in. “Now Barrel Roll is outside; worried about you. Do you think you’d be able to explain this to him?” “Sure,” Lavender answered. Lavender got up and slowly left the room. When she left, Blue Yonder walked up to Scootaloo and patted her on the back. “Good job,” Blue Yonder said. “I didn’t know you had that in you.” “I didn’t know I did either,” Scootaloo replied. Blue Yonder then opened her wardrobe. She found the book she wanted and the two remaining ponies left the barracks for the afternoon. *** Major Soarin entered the commanding officer’s office, feeling exhausted and very sweaty. Spitfire was busy stamping the last of some Wonderbolt memorabilia. The piles she signed had significantly lessened ever since the Equestria Game’s incident and her semi-retirement. Yet there was still a small demand for her signature, and Spitfire gladly responded. “The bleachers and observation platforms have been set up Ma’am,” Soarin reported. “Very good Soarin,” Spitfire said as she stamped the last picture and sighed. “Thanks again for supervising the set up on such short notice. I would’ve done it myself, but Film Reel was being especially irritating today.” “I understand,” Soarin nodded. “Do you have information on Fleetfoot’s arrival tomorrow?” Spitfire asked. “Yes,” Soarin answered. “She plans on leaving first thing in the morning with her squadron. Their E.T.A. is 0900 hours.” “Have quarters been set up for them?” Spitfire continued. “Yes they have,” Soarin said with pride. “Excellent,” Spitfire approved. “Thanks for everything Soarin. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” “It was my pleasure,” Soarin said before leaving the office with a salute. Spitfire opened a drawer in her desk and grabbed some envelopes. She started writing down addresses and placing an autographed picture in each one. ‘It’ll certainly be a pleasure for all of us,’ Spitfire thought as she sealed the envelopes.