It was a few weeks after the battle for Canterlot and Lightening Jolt had officially joined their weather team along with serval other pegasus. Tomorrow would be her first day but it was today that worried her. When one joined the weather team of the royal city it was customary for the new recruits to show off their skills in the cloudsdale arena. Part of it was so that the leaders could judge talents and experience then put them in the positions that suited them best. The other reason was just an excuse for a competition. Starlight Glimmer and the Cinder Island Ponies would hate it.
In the cloud stadium Lighting Jolt could hear the cheering as the last of the others showed off his skill. She sat on the floor of the empty side stage room awaiting her turn.
She had joined partly because she was flattered by the invitation and partly because she knew that her skills at cloud busting and lighting would be useful. Thing was, that was about it. It was useful. Sure lightning was flashy but try impressing a weather pony with lightning. She didn't know any fancy moves. She hadn’t even been flying seriously that long. Sure she was a natural but so was every pegasus.
Not only that, it was the fact of her body, mainly her heart. Her oversized wings gave her an advantage but there was still the fact of what the doctor said. She was free to live an active lifestyle. With training she could fly faster and further than pegasus who didn't train but she would never be an extreme athlete. From what she saw of the others in training those ponies were. They were fit for the WounderBolts. Despite her cool talent for busting clouds and creating lightning she did not have their level of skill and fitness and today she might demonstrate this in front of so many eyes.
She waited listening to the cheers and dreading the moment that the stadium would fall silent denoting her turn.
"Hey lightning Jolt!" A voice called out making her jump. She turned around to see Rainbow Dash leading the cutie Mark Crusaders towards her.
"What's wrong? We just came to see you off." Apple Bloom said.
Rainbow Dash took one look at her and smiled. "I know what you’re going through,” She said putting a foreleg around her shoulders. “Pretty scary huh?"
"Very much so," Lightning Jolt replied. "I know that I don’t have the skills that they do. I'm going to look so green next to them. Then there is my heart and all. No matter what I'll never be an athlete like they are. I can do my very best but it will never be enough."
"Oh really?" Rainbow Dash said raising an eyebrow. "I can recall a certain pony that picked up flying skills very quickly. Then she battled timber wolves and changelings."
"That's different," Lightning almost wined.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I don't think that it is and..." She looked around to make sure that other pony was in the room. "There was a time when I was an amateur flyer, "She whispered. " A time when there were ponies better at flying than me. No flyer no matter how awesome ever starts out that way. You are still starting out and I think that your awesome already. You don't have to be the best athlete out there, nor do you have to be one to do an amazing job, you just have to be the best that you can be. Don't worry about the other pones. Just focused on what you can do."
Lightning Jolt finally smiled a little at the encouragement. Then the crowd outside went silent and she heard the announcer call her name. Her ears drooped and her knees wanted to buckle.
"Lightning Jolt your looking at this all wrong." Scootaloo stated
"Yeah, you may still have your cutie mark now but your still one of us." Apple Bloom added.
"And you know what? We have hearts as strong as horses!" Sweetie Belle stated with a stomp of her hoof. "Even a pony who has one like yours. You'll do better than them because your one of us and-"
The trio of little ponies began singing all at once.
"We're the toughest little ponies in town,
“Got the moves, got the mojo, no harder working ponies around.
“We are here for you, will cheer as a team and you'll be the best one out on the weather pony scene.
“We get going when the going gets tough,
“Even though you think your very best is just never enough.
“We’re kinda short but so what? We don’t get defeated.
We could take a little break but we don't need it.
"We've got hearts as strong as horses."
We've got hearts as strong as horses.
"We've got hearts as strong as horses."
As they chanted the trio nudged her to the stage entrance and marched with her all the way. Lightning Jolt could not help but be swept up in their uplifting song. Not only that, with as much as they cared she could not let them down. As they stopped at the edge of the stage she took off, still nervous but she was going to do it for them. No matter how scared she was she was till going to boldly take it on.