Scootaloo could hardly sit still in her bed, while Rainbow Dash continued to sleep cozily in the room beside her own. The resonating sound of a clock ticking on the wall was just another thing the young filly continuously acknowledged throughout the morning.
She eventually looked up at the clock. 6:43
It was fairly early for Scootaloo, and she knew very well that Rainbow wouldn't wake up for a few more hours. This gave her time to think, which she rarely got at home. Her fillyhood was usually loaded to the brim with adventures that her and her friends attended to daily, which were always focused on earning their cutie marks. But here in Cloudsdale, finally spending some time to herself in order to achieve her lifelong dream, it helped to put things in perspective.
Trying to think about what she was really doing here made her feel quite silly. The only reason she was here in the first place was because of the possibility of her regaining her pegasi magic. And ultimately, that was just it: a possibility, and little more.
Scootaloo felt the familiar burning sensation of anxiety beginning to form in her gut. She decided to sleep in a little longer, as the last thing she wanted to do was overthink things. That would only make the feeling worse.
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A sudden banging on Scootaloo's thin door woke her for a second time. "Hey squirt, it's almost lunch time," a muffled, familiar voice called from behind the barrier.
Snapping out of her slumber, Scootaloo darted from her bed and swung the door open. "Sorry Rainbow Dash! I just woke up really early and wanted to go back to sleep but I didn't mean to—"
"Hey, no worries – it's alright," Dash said coolly as she ruffled Scoots' mane. "I hope you're ready though, 'cause we've got an awesome day ahead of us!"
Scootaloo looked up at Dash, her face contorted with confusion.
Rainbow chuckled at the sight. "We're going to the weather factory! That's where I got my start with controlling the weather so well," she boasted, grinning down at the filly. Despite Rainbow's smugness, Scootaloo truly admired her idol, smiling wide at the prospect of seeing where it all began.
"Alright kiddo, let's go grab some lunch," Rainbow said as she trotted ahead of the excited filly.
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After lunch, the two pegasi went straight to the weather factory. Scootaloo had heard over the years how pegasi worked together inside the factory. The weather ponies made all types of weather and distributed them to the different regions of Equestria. Designated ponies would travel to designated areas and contact the local weather patrols to inform them of any incoming weather. It was an intricate system of schedules and assignments, one that had been followed by pegasi for ages.
Although she understood the process in concept, strict regiments like this were still foreign to Scootaloo. She was only a school-filly, and a simple class schedule was all she had ever had to follow. But she trusted that Rainbow Dash wouldn't thrust her into anything that would make her uncomfortable. Whatever she had planned related to weather, Scootaloo felt ready to face. Besides, what's a weather pony if they can't fly?
Upon entering the facility, many ponies greeted Rainbow Dash, waving or offering a "long time no see" in passing.
"Here, squirt," Rainbow said at one point as she hoofed a small jacket from a rack to the younger filly. "You'll need to gear up. Weather is serious business, and you'll be working with some later today," she exclaimed with a playful smile. Scootaloo smiled back as she slipped on the jacket, excited for whatever lied ahead.
As the two began to head down a hall, a voice called from behind the pair. "Hey Dash, who's the little one?"
Rainbow stopped to glance back at an indigo pegasus with a fluffy pink mane. "Oh, hey Rainbowshine!" Patting a hoof on Scoots' back, Rainbow said, "This here's Scootaloo. Scoots, meet Rainbowshine. I've worked with her in the Rainbow department for years!"
Scootaloo blinked a few times at the mention of so many Rainbow's. After a moment, she tilted her head toward the stranger and extended a hoof.
"Nice to meet ya,” Rainbowshine said as she shook the filly's hoof. Glancing up at Rainbow Dash, she asked, “So, what brings you two back here?"
"I wanted to show Scootaloo how to control some clouds! She's never done it before since she hasn't got the hang of flying yet, so we're heading over to Cloud Manufacturing now."
“That sounds like fun!” Rainbowshine giggled as she knelt down to the filly. “It'll be a breeze, Scootaloo – don't worry about a thing! Controlling clouds is super easy. It's actually one of the first things I learned!"
Scootaloo nodded and smiled at the mare. "Thanks, that's good to know."
As Rainbowshine stood back up, she said, "So, you two want to walk over together? I was just heading that way myself!"
"Sounds good to me,” Rainbow replied as she knelt down beside Scootaloo. “Let's go, kiddo!" With a nod, Scootaloo hopped on her back, and the three continued on their way.
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After a while, the three made their way into a large room, lined with machines of various sorts against the walls. Some had clear canisters filled with water, while others were clouded over with condensation. Thirty or so ponies were either working the machines, taking down notes, or sitting at tables to the left of the room. A few looked up to wave at Rainbow Dash and Rainbowshine, while the others kept to their work. Directly above them was a tall ceiling, capped off by a large glass container. A nozzle leading inside the container churned out clouds of various sorts, which would then disappear through a hole at the very top.
"That's where the ready-made clouds exit the facility,” Rainbowshine explained to the fascinated filly on Dash's back. “We have ponies up there guiding the clouds as they leave while keeping everything in check."
"And those guys over there are testing some of the clouds, making sure they're the right kind and all that science-y junk,” Rainbow Dash said as she suggested to the group of ponies working the machines. Turning her head back toward the filly, she added, “Heh, I'm kinda surprised Twilight hasn't signed up to work here!" She laughed to herself for a moment, earning giggles from the other two mares.
As the three continued walking along, Rainbow eventually turned to Rainbowshine. "Speaking of Twilight, she thinks Scootaloo can't fly because she doesn't have a lot of," she quoted the air with her hooves, “'pegasus magic.' She thinks that by spending some time here, it'll help her get back some of it.” Glancing up at the clouds overhead, she said, “Maybe we should let Scoots try working with a to see if she can get it to rain. Think you could lend us a hoof?"
"Well of course! Let's go up and grab a cloud from the ponies outside!”
"Awesome! Hang tight, Scoots." Kicking off the ground, the two mares took off toward an opening in the top of the facility as Scootaloo held tight to Rainbow's back.
__________
Scootaloo felt a steady nervousness building in her gut again as questions began racing through her mind. What if she couldn't do it? What if she did something wrong? What if this was all for nothing?
Rainbow would never learn about her anxiety if she had it her way. Rainbow doesn't have anxiety over these little things, she thought to herself – she's done it before a million times, after all. Handling weather was as easy as flying to Rainbow, but it just wasn't the same for Scootaloo.
Shaking her head clear of the thoughts, Scootaloo looked up from Rainbow's back to see a small crowd of pegasi navigating various types of clouds in front of them. "I'm sure they'll let you borrow a cloud," Rainbowshine said as she nudged Scootaloo and Dash toward the group.
"Right, then.” Rainbow Dash knelt down on top of a factory platform for Scootaloo to hop off, then stepped up to the pegasi. “Hey guys, do you mind if I borrow a cloud from you? I need one to practice with for a bit." She glanced back at Scootaloo and Rainbowshine with a grin.
"Go right ahead, Dash," a blue stallion nodded to her as he hoofed over a small white cloud. Grabbing the cloud in her hooves, Rainbow glided back to the two eager pegasi.
Rainbowshine examined the cloud for a moment, then glanced over at Scootaloo. "Rainbow Dash and I have to fill the cloud with rain first. Once we're done with that, we'll give it to you for you to jump on – that's what makes the rain fall.” She smiled as she said, “Soon, you'll be able to do this too."
“But for now, let us do the hard work,” Rainbow Dash added as she set the cloud to hover between her and Rainbowshine.
Scootaloo nodded silently. She had been silent for nearly an hour at this point, happy with just taking in everything they had been saying. Although she had many questions she wanted to ask, she was more content with observing until they were ready for her to do something. This way, she wouldn't miss anything important.
For a while, Scootaloo watched with envy as the two older pegasi worked the cloud with their hooves, the white puff gradually turning a dark navy blue. It wasn't long before they set the fully formed rain cloud in front of her. Scootaloo squirmed a little in place, the sight of the hovering cloud somewhat intimidating to the young pegasus.
"Don't worry, squirt – it's just like hopping on your scooter," Rainbow insisted. Walking over behind the filly, she hoisted her into her forelegs and hovered over the cloud. "Ready?"
Scootaloo gulped. "Ready."
Rainbow gently placed the filly onto the cloud. For a moment, Scootaloo wobbled in place, her hooves sinking into the spongy mass. She flapped her small wings as hard as she could, but got nowhere, though it did help her to gain her balance.
"Alright, Scoots. Once you're set, all you have to do is…” Hovering beside the filly, Rainbow hollered, “Jump!"
Scootaloo closed her eyes tight and jumped straight into the air.
Time seemed to slow for an instance as the filly descended back onto the cloud. Opening her eyes a sliver, she slammed her hooves onto the surface of the cloud with a resounding thud. Rain abruptly started to fall from beneath the cloud, and a loud bang of thunder came from under her hooves.
Everypony in the vicinity turned their heads to gawk at the orange pegasus, their faces contorted with curiosity and shock. Small lightning bolts shot out from the bottom of the cloud as a blue aura suddenly lifted Scootaloo from the cloud. Another flash of light enveloped her as the cloud returned to normal, floating off and away to the side.
As the flash receded, everypony watched in horror as Scootaloo collapsed motionless to the platform.