//------------------------------// // Prompt #179: Short Course // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// “Rainbow Dash, you got a minute?” called Spitfire, sticking her head out of her temporary office in Canterlot, just beside the derby track. Rainbow, who had been there as a reserve to help out, shrugged, and headed back down the corridor to Spitfire. “What did you need, ma’am?” asked Rainbow, once the door closed. “Just going over your paperwork. Making sure everything’s in order for when we register you for a full try-out. Just got a couple of questions for you.” “Sure thing. Uh, ma’am,” said Rainbow. Spitfire smiled. “Don’t sweat it, kid. Most of us aren’t big on the whole ‘ma’am/sir’ thing. As long as you say it first up, we don’t care. Anyway,” said Spitfire, shifting through a few peices of paper, “says here that you were weather manager for Ponyville for two years?” “Yeah,” said Rainbow, “well, it was really closer to two years and six months. There was a while when I was out doing the cloud-pushing, and the older guy was doing the paperwork. Thing is, I was getting paid weather manager rates but was only listed as weather worker, so...” “I get it,” said Spitfire, waving off Rainbow’s explanation, “two years is fine. Now, I can’t see a weather certification number here. Couldn’t you find your certificate?” “Uh, I sort of don’t have one,” mumbled Rainbow. Spitfire froze. Slowly, she looked up from her desk at Rainbow, who was looking everywhere but at Spitfire. “You don’t have one. Care to explain, Reserve Dash?” said Spitfire, dropping into drill instructor mode, which Rainbow immediately picked up on. “Yes ma’am! I dropped out, ma’am! Moved to Ponyville, who didn’t know to ask for one, ma’am! I was trained on the job, ma’am!” Spitfire sighed. “Well, I guess it can’t be helped. At ease, Dash,” finished Spitfire, glancing back at Rainbow, who immediately relaxed. “Is this going to get me kicked out, ma’am?” asked Rainbow. “No, it’s not,” said Spitfire, “but you can’t join the Wonderbolts without a weather certificate. Quite honestly, this is why we have the reserves-so ponies we like can have a bit of time to get themselves up to our full standard. I think you’re the first we need to send to school, though.” Spitfire rummaged through one of the drawers on her desk, finally emerging with a single sheaf of paper. “Here we go,” she said, “Cloudsdale College offers a one-month accelerated course for weather certifications. You complete that, get your certificate, and we’re good to go.” “Aw man, I have to go back to school?” grumbled Rainbow. “Do you want to get into the Wonderbolts or not, Reserve Dash?” “Yes, ma’am!” “Look, I’ll make you a deal because I know you know your stuff,” said Spitfire, “if you can convince the teacher to give you the final exam early, say, after a week of classes, and you pass the course, I’ll accept that.” “Sweet. I mean, thank you, ma’am,” said Rainbow Dash, “was that all?” “Yes. Now go and get yourself signed up for that course, Rainbow Dash.” “Yes ma’am!” ****Time**** Spitfire barely had time to say ‘Come in’ before Rainbow Dash was slapping a certificate down on her desk. “Who’s awesome? I mean, I have my weather certification, ma’am,” said Rainbow Dash. Spitfire looked over the certificate, verifying that yes, Rainbow Dash was now allowed to work weather in Equestria. “I see you managed to convince your teacher to give you the test. And only after a week in the course, too.” “Well, I don’t like school. Don’t learn well in a classroom, ma’am,” grinned Rainbow Dash. “Why do I sense that there’s a story behind that, Rainbow?” said Spitfire, filling in the remaining spaces on the forms for Rainbow’s paperwork. “There is,” said Rainbow, “I’ll tell you about it after my try-out. Whenever that is, ma’am.”