//------------------------------// // 56: It’s my turn to fly / Watch as we all fly away. // Story: Xenophilia: Further tales. // by TheQuietMan //------------------------------// It’s my turn to fly / Watch as we all fly away. Chapter published 11th Dec’14 *************** August 1224 Wonderbolts Academy Final Test Flight - Advanced Course August 1217 Wonderbolts Academy Final Test Flight - Advanced Course Tucking a pencil behind his ear, Master Chief Iron Eagle readied his clipboard. Carefully smoothing out the pages with a forehoof he ran through his mental checklist one more time. By now, what with all the years he’d held the rank of ‘Chief of the Flight’, it felt like he’d run through this same list at least a few hundred times now. But, to him, it didn’t matter if today was the first time, the third time or the thousandth time- each item would be checked, doubled checked and triple checked without fail; every tally would be confirmed, every reponse would be acknowledged, every ‘i’ would be dotted, every ‘t’ would be crossed. Every single mare and stallion that passed through his hooves was his responsibility, every single one of them owed a duty of care. Each one would be afforded exactly the same level of professionalism and dedication as the next, and the next, and the next. All of them. No deviations, no exceptions- until the day finally came for that one last student to pass before his watchful eyes. He’d worked hard to get where he was today. Years of hard graft and even harder flying. Years of blood, sweat and tears... most of it his own. He was hard, but he was fair. He accepted no mistakes, brooked no excuses, suffered no fools. He expected every pony in his care to give him one hundred percent dedication, and he believed that they deserved one hundred percent perfection in return... and by the creator that’s what they were going to get. Sunglasses lowered, eyes cast to the sky, Iron Eagle took one last chance to check on his NSOs - his 'Non-Soaring-Officials' - confirming that they were all in position, ready and waiting for today’s test flight to begin. Every one of his team were professionals, every one of them ready to perform to his exacting standards. From their identical uniforms of vertical black and white striped flight jackets, to their equally identical expressions filled with both concentration and confidence, to the skills and abilities he knew that each of them possessed- he expected the best, and they had never failed to deliver. Timekeepers? Check and check. Linesmares? Ready for action. Spotters? Reporting in. Air-Marshalls? In the pipe... five by five. Today’s candidate trainee? Up on the starting cloud, a young mare was poised and ready, chomping at the figurative bit for the moment she was allowed over that line. Head down, hooves spread, shoulders squared- her wings flared, furled, then flared again. From where he hovered Iron Eagle could make out the muscles tensing under her coat, the sheer determination in her eyes. She wanted to go... needed to go, to fly, the soar, to show them all what she was made of. A bundle of pure energy and boundless potential all tied up in a cage of flesh and feathers. After checking the timepiece around his neck, the Chief motioned to his senior NSO, letting her know that she was cleared to start the test whenever she was ready. Nodding back, the NSO lifted a wing as she carefully placed her whistle between her lips. At the raised wing, the trainee buckled down; nostrils flaring, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. First came the first whistle- short and sharp. Hooves dug their way into the cloud as leg muscles tensed and knees bent. Condensed flight magic ran along the candidate’s body, causing fur all along her barrel to stand on end while numerous hairs in her mane and tail began to rise and curl.   Next came the second shortwhistle. Limbs stretched, barrel pushed backwards, wings twitching with anticipation. Had anypony been foolhardy enough to get close enough they may well have heard a low hum coming from the young mare’s body as she pulsed wave upon wave of magic into her flight muscles. Then the third, longer, whistle... and she was gone.   ****************** Before the third blast had even had time to fade away, Rainbow Dash was more than a dozen body-lengths away, powering fast towards the first checkpoint. The first part of the test was the five mile horizontal sprint- a distance designed to burn off any candidate’s initial burst of energy and leave them at the mercy of the more... ‘troublesome’ maneuvers soon to follow. Five miles? Ha! She was Rainbow Dash! Five miles was nothing. Banking hard, Scootaloo shot past the five mile marker, angling herself towards the next section of the test. Up next was the high speed three-dimensional slalom. By this point most trainees would have burned a big chunk of their energy and sloughed off at least some of their initial burst of speed, but not Scootaloo- years of training with her big sis meant that a five mile sprint was nothing but a warm up, something to get the heart pumping and the magic flowing. Wings spread wide, Rainbow trimmed her left wing ready for a roll. Arcing around the first slalom marker, she was already in the optimum position for the second and was swiftly on her way to setting herself up for the third. Tipped up on one wing, zigzagging between the closely spaced fourth, fifth and sixth markers, Scoot brought herself back into level flight before pulling both wings in tight against her body, letting gravity take hold of her. Using just her momentum to carry her forward, she released the last of her flight magic. With her body no longer negating most of her weight, she dropped like a stone through the ring shaped seventh marker. Wings spread wide once more, Rainbow arrested her downward fall, her control feathers coupled with the positioning of her body turning most of the downward momentum into horizontal velocity. Most trainees would have performed some kind of loop in order to be able to pull off the sudden change from flying horizontally to powering straight downwards - wasting precious seconds in the process - but not Rainbow. She’d perfected that little trick years ago. Gritting her teeth, Scoot set herself up for the next part of the course. Rainbow’s ‘cannonball’ trick had got her through the vertical drop but now came the tricky part. The next half dozen marker rings weren't stationary, but instead floated around in a seemingly random pattern. But she’d been watching them from the corner of her eye. Like Auntie Twilight always said, patterns were everywhere if only you knew where to look. Twilight was right, these things were spinning in a pattern, Rainbow just had to know where to look. Picking an approach path, she put herself into a slow spin, like an arrow shot from a bow. Choosing her moment carefully, she committed herself to passing though the first ring, clearing it just in time  for the second to roll into position directly in front of her. Through the third ring, twisting herself so she flowed through the fourth like water through a spout, the fifth came into view. The sixth ring presented itself slightly left of where she’d expected it to be but, by pulling her wings and legs tight against her body, Rainbow hurtled through it without incident or contact. That was it, she was through! Now it was just the obstacle course to clear and the first part the test would be over. ***************** Reports from his NSOs were coming in thick and fast. The spotters were relaying their scores, the linesmares were all reporting no collision or contact issues. All was looking good so far. While there had been some concern that this particular trainee’s... connections may have given rise to some kind of favourable view in the grading of their performance, Iron Eagle was confident that this was not the case. Not only were his team too well trained for any personal bias to slip through but, from what he knew of the mare herself, he was sure she’d be offended by even the slightest suggestion that she hadn’t earned every merit that came her way with her own two wings. Heck, she'd probably insist on doing the whole course again just to prove a point. Over the top of his clipboard, the Chief took the chance to watch for himself as the candidate dove directly into the obstacle course. She was a sight to behold as she fearlessly ducked and weaved her way around everything that the course threw at her. Lightning clouds flashed, letting loose great bolts of electricity that could down even the most hardy of flyers - but she jinked her way around each one like a pro. Localised gale force winds battered her again and again, pulling at her goggles, pushing at her wings - but she powered through without so much as a wobble. Hailstones the size of a pony’s eye filled the skies, each packing enough of a punch to knock a pegasus right out of the sky - but they found no target to hit. Specially prepared stormclouds dropped their payloads, unleashing in less than a minute a unstopable deluge comprised of more water than a decent sized village could use up in a whole week - and all the while the lone flyer pressed on, her path never wavering. Signals came to him from the left and from the right-  she’d made it past each obstacle without even a minor penalty to be reported. Suppressing a smile, Iron Eagle made the relevant notes on his paperwork. ******************** Shaking water from her body, the pegasus began to climb, letting the warm midday sun beat down on her wings, the bracing wind drying her mane and tail. Next came the required maneuvers. She had twelve to choose from, and she only needed to perform six of them to pass. But, heck, she was Rainbow Dash, the greatest flyer in Equestria- She was Scootaloo, the world’s best stunt-mare! She was going to- -do all twelve. Yeah, she was gunna rock this thing! So she dove- -and rolled- -and soared- -and span- -from Tailslide to Imma-mane Turn- -from Barrel Roll to Hesitation Roll- -from Hammerhead Stall Turn to Reverse Half Cuba-mane Eight- -across the sky she soared, banking and rolling and diving- -and through it all, she revelled in the fact- -that she was having- -the time of her life! ********************** The reports just kept on coming. Turns taken without a hitch, rolls performed to perfection, dives taken with perfect form. As pencil moved across paper, the smile was becoming harder and harder to suppress. So, today’s candidate'd done the full dozen, and without a single penalty too. That wasn't something you saw everyday. Up next was the freestyle, the last section of the test. This was where they separated the mares from the fillies, this was where reputations were made or lost. It was time for the kid to show them the difference between being great, and being the greatest As the NSOs watched, the testee pulled into a hard ascent, pushing herself higher and higher. Wings beating, lungs and muscles screaming. Mile after mile she ascended. Pretty soon the Air-Marshalls had to break off their pursuit, the trainee pushing on so far above them that she was well above their operational ceiling. Even with pegasus vision, all the NSOs could see was a speck high above them, still pushing herself harder and faster. By the looks of it, the kid was going for an ‘Icarus Sun Salutation’, one of the most difficult of maneuvers to perform unaided. If she managed to pull it off... well, this would be one for the books. ******************* Further, higher, ever upwards. The air was so thin, so hard to- -breathe. As she pushed further and further from the ground, even the planet’s magical field- -loosened its grip. Gravity itself became weaker. Just a- -few more body-lengths- two more, one more- -and there it was- the prize- -the sweet spot, the lofty heights- -where few brave souls would ever reach... ...The edge of the world! For that moment - those scant few seconds where her remaining upward momentum exactly matched gravity’s waning pull, that beautiful moment of perfect equilibrium - she let herself float. Wings held still, eyes closed, she let herself tumble, ever so slowly, end over end. With mane and tail splayed out around her, limbs left loose, she slowly rolled herself into a ball, enjoying the momentary feeling of weightlessness. For those few seconds, there was no test, no worries, no quest for greatness, no desire to impress. In that moment she felt no burning fire of ambition- no cares, no worries, no troubles at all. Up there - the point where the magical world of Equestria met the eternity of the heavens - there were neither lovers nor liars, herds nor hierarchy, shame nor glory. No future. No past. Nothing at all. Just peace.   *********************** Far, far below the slowly spinning figure, even the most professional of NSOs were left with jaws hanging loose as they watched. Up at the very outermost reaches of Equestria’s atmosphere, the young mare floated, curled into a ball like a sleeping foal, her mane flowing freely in the near vacuum all around her. A lone flyer, completely unaided, touching the edge of forever.   Up high, far out, far beyond the planet’s boundaries, watching over the world as it had since time immemorial, the sun itself laid witness to one of its children’s salutations. It saw that this child was good, and just, and honest. And that this child was worthy. At the beckoning of its mistress, the fiery ball responded to this lone mare’s greeting, letting rip with a mighty solar flare, tendrils of flaming gasses rolling out from the celestial body’s immense surface. Through the vacuum of space the solar winds ran and span and jostled and raced as they sped towards the planet far below. The first waves hit the upper atmosphere, ionised particles bathing the pegasus pony with raw energy which rippled and writhed and bounced all around her, causing a halo of light to spread across the sky, with her at its centre. Brightly coloured aurora radiated away in all directions from this tiny ball of flesh and bone, spreading out from the slowly spinning form, like ripples in a pond. With wave after wave of solar energy gently pushing at her body - nudging her back towards the world below - gravity reasserted its claim on its recent escapee. The mare began to fall, slowly at first but quickly gathering speed, leaving waves of greens and pinks and blues spread throughout the sky behind her. As the pony plummeted away - downwards, ever downwards - vast swathes of atmosphere's upper reaches lit up like the mane of the solar princess herself.   ************* Gravity pulling her downwards, she opened her wings, focusing all of her magic into her flight muscles, pushing herself towards the ground, gaining speed with every second that passed- the wind pushing at her face, pulling at her wings, ripping at her feathers. For all those that had believed in her, to all those that had doubted her. She pushed back, forehooves thrust out in front of her, a bow wave forming around her hooftips. With teeth clenched, the wind whistling in her ears, she forced every last ounce of energy she possessed into her wings. For the mother that had left her behind, for the father she had hardly known. Down and down, faster and faster- the pressure on her wings was almost unbearable, but there was no way she was going to give up now. For the friends and family that she had found, that had taken her in. Magic arced along the leading edge of her wings, friction from the pressing wind charging each arc, adding more and more energy to her last few remaining strains of magic. For all those who had supported her and loved her, even when all seemed at its worst. Pushing herself further, just that bit further, small sparks of orange and gold started to form around her wings, numerous tiny flames winding their way around her feathers. Reaching deep inside, pulling everything she had, she reached the limit... reached it and pushed right through it. Pushing herself further, just that bit further, small multi-coloured sparks started to form around her wings, compressed rainbows winding their way around her feathers. Reaching deep inside, pulling everything she had, she reached the limit... reached it and pushed right through it. For those that had made it okay to believe in herself, to follow her dreams wherever they might take her. All around her, roaring flames formed all over her body before exploding outwards, a rolling ring of fire expanding away from her, filling the sky with a Sonic Fireboom, rolling its way across the land. From its core shot a figure completely encased in fire, leveling out less than a mile from the ground before arcing back up and over the academy, a trail of smoke and flame left hanging in the air behind her. All around her, rainbow fragments formed all over her body before exploding outwards, a multicoloured ring of every colour imaginable expanding away from her, filling the sky with a Sonic Rainboom, rolling its way across the land. From its core shot a glowing figure, leveling out less than a mile from the ground before arcing back up and over the academy, a vibrant rainbow trail left hanging in the air behind her.     This was for them... this was for all of them. *********************** Still checking, double-checking and triple-checking his notes as he touched down, Iron Eagle passed through the large double doors into the Academy’s main administrative block. Doors were held open for him as he walked, respectful salutes snapped off left and right as he passed by. Reaching the Academy Commandant’s office he rapped on the door, waiting for permission to enter before letting himself in. Stepping into the office, he found Commander Spitfire seated behind the large and imposing desk. At her side stood a nervous Captain, staring out of window, trying their best not to let their nerves show through. Anxiety about their protege’s results aside, the captain really believed in this kid, that was for sure. “Come on, dude!” Captain Rainbow Dash hopped from hoof to hoof before catching herself, trying (and failing miserably) to throw up a last minute facade of professionalism. Yeah, she wasn't fooling anypony. From behind her desk, Spitfire tried to stifle the grin brought on by the bitter-sweet pang of deja-vu that washed over her. Some things never changed. “So, how did she do? She ace it or what?” “So?” Captain Rapidfire turned from the window, fixing the Master Chief with a level gaze. To the uninitiated he would have appeared completely calm and collected- only those who knew him well would see the anxiety and excitement in his eyes. Unfortunately every pony in the room did know him extremely well. “Don’t keep it your yourself, man. How did she do?” Taking the time to carefully remove his sunglasses, Iron Eagle let the captain stew for a few extra seconds as he hooked one arm of his eyewear over the collar of his flightsuit. Okay, that was long enough. “It’s official. She’s done it- a perfect score.” Holding out his clipboard, turning it so that the results could be clearly seen, he graced the room with one of his rare beaming smiles. If ever there was a time to let his facade slip, just a little, this was it. The kid, she certainly had what it took. She was going to make a fine Wonderbolt. “She’s in.“