After the shock and awkwardness of the strange filly’s outburst wore off, Spitfire turned back to face her new recruits. “What are you looking at? Back to drills!” she barked out, causing them all to scramble and fly off.
Spitfire hastily stuffed the filly’s bag with her belongings and set it aside. She focused on the flying recruits and found, to her amazement, that nopony was screwing up much anymore. Of course, they could just be having a lucky day, she thought wearily.
"So, that just happened,” a stallion’s voice piped up from behind.
She turned back and saw one of her teammates, Soarin’, grinning sheepishly at her.
Spitfire rolled her eyes and nodded. “Yeah, it did. You didn’t happen to see which way she ran off to, did ya?”
He blinked in confusion, then giggled nervously back at her. “Not unless she was in that pie store…”
She sighed and donned the filly’s bag. “Fine. I’m gonna go stow this in the lockers. Watch them,” she commanded, pointing a hoof at the other recruits. He saluted her and she flew off.
Spitfire wasted no time in practically slamming the bag into her locker. She had no time for crying fillies or lost bags. She glanced back at the locker and sighed. I’ll deal with it later, she thought bitterly. A simple smile and a quick explanation would calm the filly’s fears and Spitfire could move on with her life. If I find her, she reminded herself.
Cloudsdale was a pretty big city. Not being limited by having to build things on land, they could, potentially, make the place as big, or small, as they wanted. Expansion had slowed down over time, but there was no denying that Cloudsdale was a very big city.
She was crying, she thought all of a sudden. She grunted and did her best to ignore her conscious, though, so she could focus on finishing up the rest of her day. Colts and fillies cry all the time. She’ll be fine.
Just then she heard a loud crash and rushed out to see what the commotion was about. “Recruits,” she muttered with another sigh. A dozen or so pegasi all laid sprawled out on the floor, looking as if they had just outrun a flying dragon. Most looked to be in a dazed state. She could waste her time here, picking up the recruits and getting them back into formation, or she could go console a crying filly. Both choices seemed so horrid that she nearly cried out in frustration, but she kept her cool.
She looked back and forth, wondering what to do, then finally decided. A few moments later she was out of the stands, flying high above everypony, with a small saddlebag attached to her side.
“Soarin’ owes me, anyway,” she muttered.
Several moments later were spent asking random ponies if they had seen a grounded, orange-coated filly. Of course, she didn’t use these exact words; stating that she wasn’t flying about was enough to get her a few nods of recognition. After several flybys, a few turnarounds, and a quick right, she had found the filly in question. She was walking lazily away from her but didn’t appear to know where she was going.
“That was easy enough,” Spitfire said under her breath, and she performed a graceful landing in front of the filly. “Uh, hey. Scootaloo, right?” she tried.
The filly nodded slowly.
Spitfire had seen enough starstruck fans to know when this was not one of those cases. “You dropped your bag back there. Here.” She held it out and was shocked to the point of stepping backward when Scootaloo swiped it from her hooves angrily.
“Thanks,” Scootaloo replied icily and she strolled off again, not expecting any other reply. She knew, of course, that it was the Spitfire that she was snubbing off; but frankly, she didn’t care. Everything felt numb to her.
Why are fillies always such emotional… things? Spitfire thought to herself. “I can fix your wings, kid,” she said in a blunt manner. “You didn’t let me explain that before you, well, ran off.”
Fix my wings? Scootaloo thought while her body stopped dead. Anger boiled up through her. How dare she even insinuate that somepony’s wings were broken! Like she was some… toy!
“Thought that would get your attention, kid. So--”
She whirled around and stormed at Spitfire with a fury she didn’t even know she could possess. Her mind felt as if it had just woken up from a very deep sleep, and she no longer felt the cold numbness from before. She snarled up at the mare, which took Spitfire by surprise; and she was especially surprised when Scootaloo suddenly reared up and headbutter her under the chin hard enough to knock her sunglasses off. They raced through the air and dropped beneath the clouds before the mare could even think of reaching for them.
“I’m not some broken filly! I don’t care how famous you are or how awesome Rainbow Dash thinks you are! My wings are not broken!” Scootaloo screamed out at Spitfire, ignoring the gawking stares of the other ponies. For a split second, she felt as if she had gone too far, but she shook her head and practically shoved Spitfire out of her way. Again, she didn’t care where she was heading now, so long as it was away from the other pegasus.
Spitfire had half a mind to march over to the filly to teach her a lesson. She had seen grown stallions and mares cower under her gaze, so it wasn’t hard to imagine that a stern talking-to would set this filly straight. Instead, however, she snorted and simply decided to fly away. Doesn’t want my help? Fine. Ignoring her conscience and her patience, Spitfire soared back through the air and in a matter of moments was back at the stadium. Her obligation to the strange filly was fulfilled; she had returned the bag and, as far as she was concerned, if the filly didn’t want any further assistance, then she wasn’t going to get it.
“Hey, what happened to your sunglasses?” Soarin’ asked.
“After you’ve re-done the entire yard, you can come inside for lunch and to start on your homework, Missy,” Filthy Rich stated as he hoofed her a trash bag and a few other tools.
Grumbling to herself, Diamond grabbed the bag and started to pick up leaves from the courtyard. She yelped in surprise when something hit her in the back and she whirled around, spotting a very broken pair of sunglasses that had seemingly come from nowhere.
“Somehow, Scootaloo, I know that was you,” she stated confidently. “I’m gonna get you back so bad--”
“What was that?” her father's voice interrupted.
“Nothing!”
“Never you mind! Did you get the recruits back into formation?” Spitfire snapped at him.
“Uh, mostly. A few sort of… quit.”
“Whatever. Wusses, the lot of them!”
Soarin’ blinked at her while shaking his head. “Wait, did you tell that filly how to fix her wings?”
“She didn’t want my help. I brought her bag back and that’s all I had to do,” Spitfire said rather bluntly.
“Interesting. You ever knew a filly to turn you down?”
She sighed. “No, but I don’t care. She’s just another brat. I just want my day to be over with so I can rest some, alright?”
“Alright, alright,” Soarin’ said, holding up a hoof placatingly. “But how did you word how you wanted to help her? I’m just curious.”
She gave him a seething glare, but he held both his hooves up and smiled back.
“Just humor me,” he said in a pleading tone.
Spitfire stared up to the setting sun and muttered some curses. “Fine. I said I could fix her wings.”
Soarin’s muzzle made a hissing noise and he shook his head in an exasperated manner. “You used those exact words? You never were good with children.”
“I was trying to help that brat, and she assaulted me and knocked my sunglasses right off my face, that little--” she paused to curse under her breath again. “All I said was I wanted to fix her freakin’ wings!”
“Okay, I’ll admit that I don’t know much about foals either, but they probably don’t like being told that something about them is broken,” he said sagely. “Just a thought, anyway.”
She threw up her hooves in defeat and stormed off. “Too late for that. She’s probably a million miles away by now. Let’s just forget this and finish our day.”
Looking up, the duo looked at the recruits who had begun to fly off course… again. “I think they’re gonna crash again… yep,” Soarin’ said.
If ever there was a time where Spitfire wished she could be a pretty princess, one that could burst into flames, it was there and now. Instead, she shot back into the air, determined to have at least one thing go right that day.
“Don’t know how to talk to foals, huh? I’ll show him,” she said over the wind. A plan quickly formed in her head on how to deal with the distraught filly. It wasn’t perfect, but if she could keep her cool then she may just stand a chance. Spitfire then suddenly stopped in midair to think. “There’s no way that kid would want to talk to me if she’s anything like… well, me. Think, think, think!”
I don’t care how famous you are or how awesome Rainbow Dash thinks you are!
“That’s it!”
“And that, Fluttershy, is how you stay so awesome, like me!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed then struck a pose reminiscent of some heroic warrior. “Any questions?”
A sudden gush of wind and a blurry figure swept past Fluttershy and yanked Rainbow Dash out of the air before the yellow mare could blink. When the dust and wind died down, Fluttershy found that she was no longer staring at her friend, but an empty field.
Fluttershy blinked, supremely impressed. “Yes, um, how do you teleport? Teach me… if that’s alright with you?”
Rainbow Dash wouldn’t say she was a heavy dreamer. Despite how often she could be seen sleeping on the job, she very rarely woke up screaming from a bad nightmare or waking peacefully from a splendid dream. This was, however, one of those splendid dreams. It had to be! How else or why else would The Spitfire of The Wonderbolts be carrying her through Cloudsdale?!
Oh man, what if we’re going to face an attacking dragon and she needs my awesomeness to help stop him?! Or her, I’m not picky!
“Uh, have you been listening, Rainbow?” Spitfire’s voice suddenly echoed in her head.
Rainbow blinked then looked up and saluted her. “Yes, ma’am! I’m ready to face whatever’s attacking Cloudsdale, ma’am!”
“...What?”
“Uh, isn’t there a monster or something that’s rampaging Cloudsdale? A dragon? Something awesome to fight?” Rainbow asked in confusion.
“No, just a filly who I scared off. She mentioned you, so I figured you could help. Do I actually have to start over?” she asked back in a huff.
Rainbow blushed when she suddenly realized that it couldn’t be a dream. For one, the wind felt too real and the way that Spitfire gripped her had started to hurt.
Spitfire rolled her eyes, then dived once more into the story of how she had upset Scootaloo and where she had run off to. Rainbow remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Oh, right.” She plopped Rainbow down onto a cloud bench and landed near her, “I need you to explain to her how to fix her wings. She won’t listen to me, but maybe if she hears it from somepony she knows…”
“Oh, okay. I don’t really know too much about her though. Just that she kind of worships me and stuff,” she said matter of factly.
Cracking a smile, Spitfire soared back into the air. “That’s perfect. She was somewhere around here, by the way. Spread out and find her; if I see her first then I’ll come get you.”
“Wait! How do I fix her wings? I didn’t even know they were broken,” she said, feeling rather guilty inside.
Noticing this, Spitfire sighed. “Look, most ponies would never notice something like that. I only knew because… because of a friend of mine. She went through the same thing. But, anyway, just tell her that I heard you had some trouble flying and you know a foolproof plan on how to help. Yeah, that should work,” Spitfire said while rubbing her chin in concentration. “Tell her that you know a friend who can help, then come find me. Alright?”
Rainbow Dash saluted and sped off before Spitfire could even breathe. Just gotta find a little filly in Cloudsdale. Easy! Rainbow thought with determination.
The Element of Loyalty was that for a reason; she was not honesty. Rainbow had told more fibs in her life than Pinkie had eaten cupcakes in hers. If there was one pony, however, whom she lied most to, it was herself. Things in life often weren’t as easy as she always had claimed. Being ‘awesome’ required hard work, training, and focus. Fighting off evil villains usually came down to careful planning and lots and lots of dumb luck. And, finally, finding a lost filly in a huge city, meant for flying ponies, was not easy in the least bit.
It had been well over thirty minutes, and Rainbow had not seen even one hint of an orange-colored pony. It was a testament to her patience and respect for the little filly that she didn’t stop for a cider break by now. Stupid cider stand... taunting me, Rainbow thought, while glancing over at the stallion who ran it. He waved and grinned.
She dashed away, leaving a trail of cloud dust in her wake. The stallion coughed and sneered back up at her. “She’ll be back… nopony escapes from Poe!”
Moments later, Rainbow found that her right wing had started to cramp, so, reluctantly, she landed. “How do you even find a flightless filly in Cloudsdale?” she said impatiently. She blinked, then looked back to her cramped, fluttering wings. “Duh, by not flying.” She could have slapped herself for being so thick-headed, but she had no time to waste with self bodily harm. She trotted off on hoof. She had a filly to find!
“What do you mean, you don’t pick up random fillies from off the street?!” a distant voice proclaimed.
“I don’t know how to be more clear than that,” a mare replied.
“Well, I’m, uh, royalty! Yeah! Royalty! So, C'mon! I just want to be flown down there!”
“You are not royalty, and I don’t feel like being arrested. Good day.”
“Arrgg!” the voice screamed, her shout echoing in the streets.
Rainbow’s ears swiveled. That had sounded familiar. “Scoots?”
The filly froze in her tracks, trying to process just who had used her name. Slowly she turned around and nearly smiled until she had remembered her current predicament. “Uh, hey, Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey, kid. Heh, I didn’t know you lived up in Cloudsdale. Pretty cool.”
“I don’t.”
“Hmm, then what are you doing up here?” She wasn’t sure how to tell Scootaloo to stay put; that she knew how to help her if she would just listen to Spitfire, but stalling for time seemed like a better idea than anything else she could think of.
“Oh, just visiting and stuff,” she said while circling Rainbow, casually. “Why?”
Rainbow was taken aback by the blunt manner in how she spoke but shrugged it off. “Oh, no real reason, just curious is all. Uh, so how’s your flying been going?”
A million scenarios raced through Scootaloo’s head. Did she already know? Had she always known? Did Spitfire know that Rainbow Dash knew her and rushed off to say something?!
“I’m just wondering because I know I said I’d teach you some things, but you haven’t been by my place in a while,” she said, her hoof scratching the back of her head awkwardly.
“That’s because I… uh, I’ve been busy, trying to be awesome for your lessons!” While it sounded like the most ridiculous statement ever, Scootaloo knew that it wasn’t entirely untrue. She wanted to be ready for Rainbow’s teachings so she didn’t waste anyone’s time.
What a ridiculous thing to say, Rainbow thought while deciding on what to say next. She thought back to how much she had actually interacted with Scootaloo in the past few months. Aside from one incident at a sleepover, there wasn’t a whole lot there. Sure, they had talked, but Rainbow Dash hadn’t actually taken the runt under her wing, and she knew this. Rainbow promised to give her lessons but fell short of actually teaching anything, let alone showing up. She sighed.
“Rainbow?”
“Kid, I know you’ve been having trouble flying,” Scootaloo winced at the comment, but she continued, “and I’ve been so busy lately that I get too distracted to help ya. I--”
“It’s okay,” Scootaloo interrupted. “Really I’m fine.”
Rainbow shook her head. “Don’t you want to fly?”
“Of course! I just… look, something came up, okay? I guess I just--”
“I can help you, kid. Just gotta trust me and come with me. Like, now.”
Scootaloo considered her options. She could say nah and just leave, avoid the embarrassment of having to tell Rainbow about her wings. If the practical queen of flight says something is wrong with my wings, then something is wrong, she thought with an inward sigh. But the smiling form of Rainbow ceased these melancholy thoughts. This is Rainbow Dash… A part of her wanted to really believe that her hero could help, even if she hadn’t exactly been that reliable in recent past. The irony of what Rainbow was, her Element, wasn’t lost on Scootaloo.
“Just trust me and come with me.”
Rainbow held out an outstretched hoof and donned a smile. Scootaloo hesitated, but reached out; and as soon as their hooves touched, she was unceremoniously pulled onto Rainbow’s back. “Hang on, kid!”
Scootaloo hung on for dear life, but she couldn’t deny that she was about to have the most awesome journey of her life.
“But where are we going?” Scootaloo asked, resisting the urge to cheer because she was riding on the Rainbow Dash!
“Cloudsdale Stadium, kid!” Rainbow answered.
“Huh? Woah!” Scootaloo’s body jerked forward and she was forced to hang on, her mind abuzz with what the stadium held for her future.