//------------------------------// // Planning Phase // Story: Flying to the Future // by moguera //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Planning Phase For a moment, silence reigned as everyone tried to figure out the meaning behind what Rainbow Dash had suggested. "Oh!" said Soarin', breaking out into a grin and thumping one hoof into the other. "I get it. That's what you were talking about on the way over. You want them to do a tandem performance." "Huh?" Scootaloo canted her head as she looked at Rainbow. "You mean like what you and Rarity did when you competed?" Rainbow's smirk vanished, replaced by an embarrassed smile as she blushed fiercely and averted her eyes. "That's not exactly what happened," she demurred. "They were pressed for time and Rarity and I were the last competitors to go, so they ended up having us go out together and do our performances at the same time." Rainbow remembered it not exactly being her finest hour, as her performance anxiety had caused her to flub trick after trick. Ironically enough, said embarrassment had immediately preceded her finest hour, when she had successfully executed her Sonic Rainboom to rescue Rarity and the Wonderbolts (including her future coltfriend). However, the fact that she'd recovered and performed the legendary maneuver never quite took the sting away from the memory of her previous mistakes. "A tandem performance is a different thing altogether," said Soarin', taking over Rainbow's explanation even as he wrapped a wing around her, allowing Rainbow to cool her face in his shoulder. "You two would be performing a coordinated routine and be judged as a single participant, rather than as two separate competitors." "Huh," said Apple Bloom,. "That sounds like a great idea. How come Ah've never heard 'bout this tandem stuff before?" She might not have been a flier, but Bloom had always followed the news of the competition every year, if only out of basic curiosity. Rainbow had finally mastered her embarrassment and pulled her face away from Soarin's shoulder, though she continued to lean against him as she spoke. "Because almost nopony ever tries to do it. There hasn't been a tandem performance since before my run in the competition. Because the group is judged as a single entity, it means that, if they win, both ponies are essentially 'the winner.' Most pegasi don't exactly want to share the glory." "Also, it's a lot harder than it sounds," added Soarin'. "A tandem performance is held to a higher standard out of necessity. What's being judged isn't just the quality of your individual performances, but how well you work together and coordinate your actions. Both participants have to be in synch with one another. If it's just two ponies doing different routines at the same time, they'll bomb big time. "On the other hoof, because coordinated formation activities are important to the Wonderbolts, a well-coordinated pair who can execute a performance in synch with one another is sure to get high marks even if their tricks aren't top-tier." He raised an eyebrow as he looked Scootaloo and Dawn over. "I can see why Rainbow thinks this is a good idea. The two of you can throw out some real jaw-dropping tricks and I bet you have the skills to really coordinate your actions. You'd probably blow the competition out of the water." Scootaloo's mind reeled at the possibilities. Before now, she'd been thinking about how to put on a show with the Gale King skills she knew. She had to admit, she was at a bit of a loss as to how to turn her skills to something performance oriented. Only lightning could really be considered flashy enough to really turn ponies' heads and only if she was absolutely certain she could keep it under control. But if she and Dawn went out there together... It's perfect! she thought eagerly. What was more, she knew that she and Dawn could coordinate flawlessly. They had trained together for years now. When they practiced their forms at the beginning of each practice session, they moved in perfect synch with one another, their wind-sense allowing them to even synchronize their breathing. They could fly in tandem, matching each other right down to their individual wingbeats. If the two of them performed together, they could easily move as a single pony. That was a surefire way to beat out the competition. "That sounds great!" she exclaimed, excited by the prospect and whirling about to grin eagerly at Dawn, "Let's do it!" Dawn blinked and leaned slightly away from her, taken aback by her enthusiasm. "Um..." "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeassssse!" begged Scootaloo, her eyes shining. Dawn sighed quietly. "All right," he said, giving her a small smile. "I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea. We could certainly do some...interesting...things together." "Awesome!" exclaimed Scootaloo, throwing her arms around Dawn and pulling him into a tight hug. At the same time, she felt something like a shudder in her heart, as though something was a bit out of place. But she ignored it. "So what do you think you're gonna do?" asked Rainobw. Scootaloo let go of Dawn and thought it over. "I don't know yet," she admitted. "We're gonna need to take some time to plan this out..." She shifted nervously. "Actually...We're gonna have to wait a week or so," she said, her tone reluctant. "I need to focus on my certification exam. The competition is great and all, but making sure I have a real job comes first." Rainbow laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Don't worry, I'll coach you. By the time I'm done, you'll pass that exam in nothing flat." "If memory served, you almost bombed the written portion," commented Soarin' slyly before coughing as Rainbow sharply elbowed him in the side. "Hush, you," she said, her cheeks burning as everyone giggled. Rainbow and Soarin' happily settled their things in the guest room of Scootaloo's cloud house, then went off to visit all their Ponyville friends. After that, they joined Dawn and Scootaloo for dinner with Fluttershy and Caramel. They were more than welcome in the little cottage. To Larksong, Rainbow was an honorary aunt (the possible confusion of her aunt technically being her favorite big sister's big sister fortunately being something that was a bit over the filly's head). After dinner, Rainbow and Soarin' returned to the cloud house with Scootaloo, where they chatted late into the night. Afterwards, Rainbow helped Scootaloo with her apprenticeship work, drilling the young mare in her weather-working skills and giving Scootaloo some useful pointers that Rainbow had acquired over her years with the Wonderbolts. At the same time, Soarin' also assisted Scootaloo in preparation for the written exam, the two of them going over the kind of questions that were likely to appear and the best way to answer those questions, including things the examiners were looking for and would actually rate her on. He prepared mock-written exams for Scootaloo to take in the evening to help her get used to the circumstances of taking the test, something Scootaloo had never experienced before. Scootaloo got an inkling that this was the reason Rainbow and Soarin' had come to visit when they did. She was grateful for the help in preparing for the certification exam, even though everything she'd heard and seen indicated it wasn't all that hard. That said, getting a high rating on the exam would help her with finding weather work if she ever looked for work outside of Ponyville, looking extremely good on her resume. The days seemed to whirl past in a blur to Scootaloo. She polished her practical skills with Rainbow Dash, trained with Dawn, practiced for the written exam with Soarin' and rested with her friends and family when she could. It was a busy time for her, but Scootaloo loved every minute of it. The day of the certification exam dawned bright and clear. Scootaloo stepped out onto the porch of her cloud house and stretched her wings. She yelped in surprise when a black shadow swooped over her, then calmed when Dawn touched down on the clouds next to her. "What are you doing here?" she asked, already having an idea of what he was up to. "I got the day off," said Dawn with a small smile. "I figured I would accompany you to Cloudsdale for the exam. I can't go in with you, but I figure I can at least keep you company on the way there and back. We can also eat together during lunch." Thinking it over, Scootaloo nodded. "Sounds like a plan," she said, leaning over to kiss Dawn on the cheek. "Thanks. It's sweet of you." "I want to do what I can," said Dawn, returning the gesture, "Are Rainbow and Soarin' coming?" "Nah," said Scootaloo, waving a hoof dismissively, "They're gonna take a day for themselves and their friends here. They just came over from Cloudsdale, so they're not interested in going back so soon." Dawn chuckled. Their decision not to go was also a silent sign of their confidence in Scootaloo's ability to pass the exam, so much so that she didn't even need them for moral support. It emphasized the fact that the exam was actually a very simple thing that countless ponies, many who didn't come close to Scootaloo in ability, had passed before. "Let's go," said Scootaloo. The two of them leapt off the cloud and began the flight towards Cloudsdale. There was no need to rush. The exam would start at ten, when Scootaloo and the other applicants would take the written exam. After lunch, they would fly for the practical exam, demonstrating their ability to put the the things they had written about to work in a real world setting. The two exams were flexible in their rating. A pony who wasn't necessarily very good at the written part could still pass if she showed strong practical skills, while a pony who had difficulties in practice due to physical limitations could still pass if she showed a strong theoretical knowledge of the principles behind weather manipulation. The results might affect what kind of weather work they were suited for, but passing and getting a general certification was easy. Beyond that, there were specialist certifications for particular weather forms that required advanced skills, such as handling volatile thunderheads or working with delicate cirrus clouds. However, Scootaloo was only taking the general certification exam. They took their time during the flight to Cloudsdale, taking it easy so that Scootaloo could conserve her energy for the practical exam. They flew in silence, neither of them really needing to say anything. That was one of Scootaloo's favorite parts of their relationship. Dawn was a quiet pony by nature. The silences between them weren't awkward, but comfortable, with neither of them needing to say anything to fill it. They could drift together like this for hours, simply enjoying the breeze and the feeling of the sun warming their backs. They arrived in Cloudsdale and made their way towards the exam site. As they approached it, Scootaloo's eyes narrowed. The exam was being held at Cloudsdale's exclusive Flight School, where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had gone to school before...circumstances...required them to leave. Back then, the attitudes promoted at the school were shaped by the tribalist bent of Cloudsdale's old pegasus clans, who had used their influence to control who was hired to work at the institution and ensure that their worldview was promoted. Then, just a few years back, a member of one of those old families, Meadowlark, had attempted to engineer a tribalist uprising, forcefully seizing control of the Weather Factory and Cloudsdale's own Guard for her purposes. The Wonderbolts, with help from Rainbow and Dawn, had put the uprising down and, as a consequence, had netted a large portion of Cloudsdale's old clans in the process. The Flight School had been temporarily taken over by Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts, who oversaw a massive revision of its staff and curriculum, bringing in new administrators and teachers and setting up new standards by which the students were to be evaluated. By all accounts, the school was a much better environment than it used to be. Scootaloo had spoken to a few of its more recent graduates in the last couple years and noticed a distinct lack of horror stories concerning tribalism and Cloudsdale elitism. Pegasi who came from mixed parentage or outside of Cloudsdale were no longer bullied mercilessly and the image of pegasi as militant warriors, ready to fight at a moment's notice, was no longer being promoted. Still, Scootaloo was glad that she'd ended up not going, happy with the course her life was currently taking. Landing at the entrance to the school's main building, Scootaloo and Dawn followed the signs pointing the way to the exam. Even if the signs hadn't been there, Scootaloo reckoned that they still wouldn't have had much trouble finding the classrooms where the exam was being held, as they joined a stream of other pegasi heading in that same direction, following the signs down halls and up stairs. A few minutes of wandering brought them to the exam's registration desks, a series of tables lined up in the hallway outside the classrooms. The desks were manned by stern-faced ponies who checked each applicant's name against a list on their clipboards and then directed the applicant to their designated exam room. Non-applicants weren't allowed any farther than this. Scootaloo turned to Dawn, feeling a little bit shaky in spite of all her careful preparations. "I guess I'm on my own from here," she said nervously. Dawn kissed her. Her wings fluttering, Scootaloo returned the gesture. There was nothing overly intimate about it, but the feeling of Dawn's lips against her own somehow seemed to leech away Scootaloo's stress and anxiety. She felt her heart slow down and her head clear. When Dawn pulled away, he had a warm smile on his face. "You'll do fine," he said. "I'll see you for lunch." "Okay," said Scootaloo, giving him a much more confident smile now. Turning around, she got in line to sign in. As she looked over her shoulder, she saw Dawn heading off down the hallway. More than a few ponies were giving him odd looks. Others, particularly her fellow applicants, were giving her strange looks as well, some of them even bordering on hostile or disgusted, like the look being worn by the stallion who signed her in, his expression almost looking like somepony had left a mound of rotting garbage right beneath his nose. Huh? What's their problem? wondered Scootaloo. It wasn't as though she was the only applicant with a special somepony seeing her off. She saw several couples going through a similar ritual that she and Dawn had gone through, but none of them were getting dirty looks... Then it dawned on her. Oh! Right! His eyes. Years spent living in Ponyville had made her forget just how distinctive and attention-getting Dawn's eyes were. The residents were so used to him, they barely gave the young stallion a second glance nowadays. The fact that he frequently served them in the teahouse helped acclimate them to his unique appearance even further, with only the occasional out-of-town visitor causing a stir. With the issue of the Cult Solar already fading into obscurity, most ponies had forgotten about the infamous article that had outed Dawn to Equestria at large. Seeing ponies react to him, now that they were outside of familiar territory, reminded Scootaloo that, even if they weren't members of the Cult Solar, many ponies found Dawn's eyes to be unsettling. They weren't the kind of eyes that you expected to see on another pony. They were a predator's eyes. However, despite knowing that, Scootaloo couldn't help but feel a little miffed that ponies seemed to hold it against her that her coltfriend had such a unique look. And here she'd thought that Cloudsdale attitudes were supposed to have improved now that the tribalists were mostly gone. Still, most ponies were too busy worrying about the upcoming test to waste too much time staring or glaring at her as they filed into their assigned classrooms. Scootaloo took a seat at her desk, readying her pencil and stretching her wings. Her fellow applicants said little, after all, the test being as strictly monitored as it was, no pony wanted the observers to think they might be preparing to cheat. After a few minutes of waiting for the last applicants to file in, the test was passed out and the rules laid down. When the clock struck ten, Scootaloo bent her head, gripping the pencil in the feathers of her right wing as she went to work... Dawn was meditating, resting near the entrance to the building. The sound of a bell ringing filled the air and he looked up. A couple of minutes after the bell rang, he could faintly hear the sound of hooves on the packed clouds approaching where he and a few other ponies waited. The air surged ahead of the oncoming ponies in a wave, their numbers displacing it like the bow wave before a ship. Ponies chattered as the pegasi streamed out of the hallway, seeking out friends and family before heading off to lunch. Through the wind, Dawn could feel the air currents bending around Scootaloo and sense her own awareness filling the air around her. Their respective senses brushed against each other, allowing the two of them to effortlessly zero in on each other. "Hey," said Scootaloo as she came up to him. "First part's over." "How do you think you did?" asked Dawn as they headed out the door. "It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, plus I finished early," said Scootaloo. "Wing-writing goes faster," said Dawn. Scootaloo nodded with a smirk. Amongst pegasi, mouthwriting was still the common practice. However, Scootaloo and Dawn had learned to use the feathers of their wings to manipulate writing implements, a skill that had been taught to them by a mercenary named Storm Front, who had pioneered the skill while working for the Civil Service in the far-eastern nation of Guoxia. Since he had settled in Ponyville, he had taught the skill to several of town's resident pegasi. Once it was learned, it was much easier and faster than regular mouthwriting, allowing Scootaloo to write down her answers to various questions much more quickly, giving her additional time on the exam to check her work over. "Any place you'd like to go for lunch?" asked Dawn as they strolled down one of Cloudsdale's streets, the puffy cumulous clouds folding under the weight of their hooves. "Well, since we're here, how about that place?" asked Scootaloo, pointing eagerly towards one small diner. Wafting out of it, he could smell the scent of grilled fish, a delicacy to pegasi. Fish were hard to come by in Ponyville, so Dawn and Scootaloo rarely had the chance to enjoy some. Meeting Scootaloo's eager gaze, Dawn smiled and nodded. They took their time with lunch, having a full two hours until Scootaloo needed to report for the practical segment of the exam. She ate a light meal, not wanting to stuff herself, but also not wanting to run out of energy in the middle of the test. Fortunately, fish was the perfect dish for that. Restaurants all around them were packed with pegasi who were eating eagerly, some of them stuffing themselves full. Scootaloo winced when she spotted a stallion across the way wolfing down a hayburger and potato fries like there was no tomorrow. She'd seen him in the classroom for the written portion earlier, looking nervous. He's gonna cramp up something awful when the next phase starts, she thought. The other thing she noticed as she and Dawn ate was that they were still attracting stares from nearby ponies. Twitching her ears, she could pick up faint whispers from ponies who looked at them before turning back to their conversations. Though she didn't try too hard to listen in, she picked up faint utterances of words like "freak" and "unnatural." Inwardly, she bristled with anger, desperately wanting to single out those ponies and give them a piece of her mind. Heck, they owed Cloudsdale being free from tribalists to Dawn. He was the sole holder of the Full-Moon Medal of Merit, the first time such a medal had been awarded since Celestia and Luna created it, following the latter's return from the moon. He'd done more in a single year than most of them would accomplish in their entire lives. Just where did they get the right to spread poison like that? Dawn's hoof rested over hers and Scootaloo found herself looking up into his blue-green eyes, those same eyes that were drawing such a negative reaction from the ponies around them, those eyes she had fallen in love with. Dawn said nothing, but simply smiled, his expression calm and relaxed, even though Scootaloo suspected that he could hear what was being said about him even more clearly than she could. Of course he'd be calm about it, thought Scootaloo, giving him a wry smile. Dawn had dealt with such reactions, even worse ones in fact, for most of his life. Before he had come to Ponyville, the Cult Solar had hounded him mercilessly, inciting mobs to violently chase him out of any town that Dawn chose to settle in. It got to the point that Dawn felt that the only option open to him was to avoid equine contact altogether, which he did by retreating into the Everfree Forest. He dwelt there for a full year before meeting another pony again, braving the forest's myriad dangers and finding them a lesser evil compared to what ponies were capable of. Given what he'd been through, a few ponies whispering behind their backs and some dirty looks were hardly even worth noticing. They finished their meal in silence, taking their time. Finally, Dawn escorted Scootaloo back to Flight School. There, they followed another set of signs, this one directing them to the school's athletic fields, where the practical exams were being held. Looking at the flat expanse of padded cumulous clouds, over which hovered all manner of obstacles and cloud constructs, Scootaloo felt her breath hitch. It was here that Rainbow Dash had once practiced and even earned her cutie mark. It was also where she had gotten into enough trouble to finally be expelled from the place. The exam administrators flitted about above the field, laying out the clouds to form a basic racetrack. Also set up were rings, fans, and other hazards. Here, Scootaloo would be tested on her speed, strength, endurance and precision. They all looked like relatively basic tests for her, things she'd done over and over again during her apprenticeship. "Looks like this is gonna be pretty easy," said Scootaloo. "It would seem so," agreed Dawn. "But I suspect the specialist tests are more difficult." She nodded. Fortunately, that wouldn't be an issue today. It was likely that there weren't going to be many ponies who failed certification exam. All the preparation she'd been through seemed like overkill, compared to how simple it was. They headed over to the registration desk, where the other applicants were signing in. Once again, Dawn stepped aside to let Scootaloo proceed on her own. This time, he and the others who had accompanied the various applicants would be free to watch the tests from the bleachers situated around the athletic field. This test promised to be shorter than the written exam, but they would only be able to evaluate a few ponies at a time, so Scootaloo had a fairly long wait until it was her turn to take off. The first tests were simple speed and endurance, flying a set number of laps around the track, trying to beat a set time. Scootaloo made the time easily, her years of training with Dawn giving her plenty of strength to work with. Next came the tests for flying under adverse weather conditions. Fans were used to create crosswinds and there was a tunnel of dark clouds that rained constantly. Once again, Scootaloo passed through those obstacles with ease, barely taking long enough to even get wet as she emerged from the other side of the course with plenty of time to spare. She wasn't the fastest, but most definitely up near the top of the pack in terms of time. The rest were basic weather-skills tests: positioning clouds, manipulating rainfall, proper storm construction. All of it was simple basics and all of which Scootaloo had gone over thoroughly with both Cloud Kicker and Rainbow Dash. Between those two, she had plenty of practice, so those parts of the test went easily as well. As Scootaloo came in for a landing after the last test was over, she went to sign out at the registration desk and received a promise that the exam results would be out in a week. As she wandered away, Dawn was already waiting for her, a smile on his face as she sidled up next to him and tucked herself under his wing. "Should we find someplace for dinner?" he asked as they strolled. "Sure," said Scootaloo. "But I want to drop off our application for the competition while we're here." Dropping off their application was the work of just a few minutes. The receptionist at the desk gave them an odd look and actually did a double-take when she saw that Scootaloo and Dawn were signing up for a tandem performance. After being assured that, no, it was not a mistake and, yes, they did know that the criteria for judging a tandem performance was different from a solo performance, she took the application and filed it away. With that done, they went to look for a place of have dinner before making the flight back to Ponyville. Dawn had brought plenty of bits with him, so they were able to enjoy a meal at an upscale restaurant, treating themselves to fish for the second time that day. All throughout the whole thing, both before, during, and after dinner, Scootaloo tried her best to ignore the odd looks directed their way. "Ah...that was delicious," said Scootaloo with a yawn as she leaned against Dawn. The two of them slowly made their way along one of Cloudsdale's roads, Dawn's wing a comforting warmth over her back, gently rubbing back and forth, the contact lulling the young mare into a relaxed state that was nearly a trance. "I liked it too," said Dawn. "Maybe we should try and come to Cloudsdale more often." "Maybe," said Scootaloo. "But it's hard. Not all of our friends can make it up here without that spell Twilight uses and it is a ways to travel just to get some fish." Dawn nodded. "Still...it's a nice thought. The only thing better would be living near the sea." "True enough," agreed Scootaloo, knowing just how much Dawn liked the sea. Shortly after saving the world from Wight Shade, Scootaloo, Dawn, along with their assembled friends and family embarked on a vacation to the small oceanside town of Gallopoli. Much to the surprise of everypony close to him, Dawn had been entranced by the sea, both the sound and smell of it. That, along with the fact that fish was much more abundant, had given him a great fondness for the town. Scootaloo suspected that, given a good enough reason, Dawn would be glad to settle in a town like Gallopoli, though she doubted he'd want to live very far away from Ponyville and his family. The idea of Dawn settling down somewhere made her think about other things, namely the question of settling down. They had been in a steady relationship for years and were still going strong. But Scootaloo didn’t see herself “settling down” anytime soon. Even though she’d just completed her certification exam and would be licensed to work with weather professionally, that was only another step up to bigger and better things. Unlike Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo didn’t necessarily need to try and join the Wonderbolts, but it was a career path she was seriously considering. One thing she did know for sure, the idea of “settling down” was not in her immediate future. But what did that mean for her and Dawn? He seemed perfectly content working at the teahouse. But the fact that he hadn’t yet gotten his cutie mark seemed to indicate that it wasn’t what he really wanted to do. Whatever it was, would it allow them to stay together if they ended up choosing wildly different paths in life? Maybe I’m overthinking it, she mused. They were still plenty young and those kind of commitments were matters to consider in the future. But right now, she realized she probably should be content with what they had. The sky was getting darker and the sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon, dying it with a tapestry of pinks, oranges, and yellows, all swirling around. In the course of their wandering amble, they’d ended up near the outskirts of the city. Dawn tapped her shoulder and nodded towards a cloud that drifted nearby in the sky. Scootaloo nodded in agreement with his silent suggestion and the two of them flew out to alight on the cloud and watch the sunset, curled up against one another. With a happy sigh, Scootaloo rested her chin across Dawn’s forelegs and felt him lower his head to rest it over hers, his wing once again wrapping tightly around her, pressing their sides together as their tails curled around each other. Yeah, worries for another time, thought Scootaloo blissfully. I’m too happy to care about them right now. Dawn’s presence settled over and around her, enfolding her, not just with his wing, but with the air around them, wrapping around Scootaloo like a warm, comfortable blanket, the kind she wanted to curl up under and never leave. She absolutely loved this aspect of Dawn’s personality. He was a cuddler, who loved to simply hold her quietly, nuzzling and snuggling the time away. She suspected he got it from his mom…not that she minded. Dawn was great to snuggle up against. Warm from his presence and drowsy from her full stomach, Scootaloo found her eyes drooping and she began to drift off, watching the sunset in almost a trance as the yellow orb drifted below the horizon, the colors around at first intensifying, then fading as night continued on. With a tired sigh, Scootaloo leaned into Dawn, pressing her head up against his chest. “I guess it’s time for us to head back,” she said reluctantly. It wasn’t too long a flight, but it would still be pretty late by the time they got back. “Actually…” Scootaloo pulled away as Dawn spoke so that she could see his face. To her surprise, he was blushing. “Actually…what?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. “I…I booked a room for us at a hotel,” explained Dawn, smiling shyly at her. If his mane were longer, he’d probably be hiding behind it, like his mother did so often. “You got a room for us?” repeated Scootaloo, her eyes widening. She hadn’t expected anything like this. True, she didn’t have work scheduled for tomorrow, on account of her apprenticeship being finished. But she figured that Dawn, at least, would want to head back. What was more, he had said “room”…singular…suggesting that he wanted to… Scootaloo blushed as well. “You mean you want us to sleep together?” she asked nervously, trying to clarify. Dawn nodded. “I know we haven’t gotten to go on many dates lately. So I wanted to spend the night with you.” “Um…wow,” said Scootaloo, smiling. She realized that it had been a long while since the two of them had gone on a proper date. Their lives were so busy nowadays, her with her apprenticeship and Dawn with helping his parents care for two foals. They saw each other every day, trained together, frequently ate dinner or lunch together, often with their families. In all honesty, it had been months since they had done anything that could be called a real date. She realized that, aside from the certification exam, that’s what today had been; a date with her coltfriend, enjoying Cloudsdale together. So that’s why they helped me, thought Scootaloo, remembering the preparation she had done with Rainbow and Soarin’. If she hadn’t had the confidence boost she’d gotten from working with them, she’d probably have been drowning in her anxiety right about now, wondering whether or not she’d passed her exams. Being prepped by a pair of Wonderbolts had reassured her that she was more than prepared so that she could take her tests with the utmost confidence and enjoy the rest of the day with Dawn without any worries. “Are you sure it’s okay?” asked Scootaloo. Dawn nodded. “Mom and Dad said they can look after the foals on their own for one night,” he said with a wry smile. Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle at his tone. It was clear that he was the one who’d needed the most convincing that his parents could handle his younger siblings for an evening without his help. “They’re right,” she said, punching his shoulder lightly. “They’ll be fine, you big worrywart.” Dawn chuckled and rested his head over hers again as she relaxed against him once more. Now that she knew they didn’t have to fly back to Ponyville tonight, Scootaloo could relax and enjoy what was left of the sunset in peace. By the time they left their cloud and started heading to the hotel, night had well and truly fallen. They took their time, walking slowly and simply enjoying being close to one another. Dawn kept one wing over Scootaloo, holding her up against his side as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They ambled along in silence. Then she felt it, swirling currents of air that were like heralds, announcing the approach of ponies from all directions. The currents surged out from nearby alleyways and pushed down from above. Scootaloo tensed against Dawn and felt his wing tighten its hold around her. Dawn had probably sensed the approach of the strange ponies even before she had, but had barely reacted at all. Instead, he silently urged them on at the same relaxed pace they were already traveling at. A set of muffled thumps ahead of them heralded a pony touching down on the clouds. Similar sounds came from all around them. In the soft light cast by the lightning-lamps that lined the street, Scootaloo could see ponies surrounding them, mostly stallions, though she thought she spotted a couple of mares hanging near the back of the group. The stallion who’d landed in front of them stepped into the light, Scootaloo wrinkled her nose in distaste at the condescending smirk plastered across his face. His eyes focused on Scootaloo specifically and she fought to keep from grimacing as he leered at her. They’d stopped now, unable to continue forward while this pony blocked their way. Scootaloo eyed him up. In the light from the lamps, it was hard to make out his colors, but he sported a dull-red coat and a black mane that was slicked back over his head, probably with the liberal application of gel. His eyes were hard to pick out against the poor light, but she fancied they were gray. From the smug looks on their faces, she could easily imagine what these ponies were thinking. However, it bugged her that something about the stallion blocking their path was familiar. He looked to be a couple of years older than her and Dawn. But she wasn’t sure. I think I’ve seen him before… The stallion spoke, not to them, but another stallion at his side. This one was a dark-blue color, with a tangled, gray mane. He was a hulking brute, easily larger than any of the other ponies surrounding them, almost as big as Big Macintosh by Scootaloo’s reckoning. Through the air, she could feel the contours of his body, hard slabs of muscle, the hallmark of a pony who worked out a lot, mostly by lifting weights. “You see, I told you they were here somewhere,” said the red stallion triumphantly. The hulking stallion snorted and nodded in confirmation. “Hard to believe a fine mare like her was taking the exam too,” he said, his tone making Scootaloo snarl. That’s where I saw him, she realized, taking another look at the dull-red stallion. He’d been in the same classroom as her, taking the written exam. She’d thought he’d looked at her a few too many times whenever he thought he could get away with it during the test. “Hard to believe she’d be with a freak like this,” continued the stallion who had been her fellow examinee. “Look at his eyes. Do you think he’s under some kind of spell?” “Probably not,” said the big stallion, beginning to walk, tracing a path around them, his movements reminding Scootaloo of a shark circling before going in for the kill. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. A perfectly good evening was being spoiled by a band of toughs. She wanted to thrash them so that she and Dawn could move along, but decided to hold her tongue. Provoking a confrontation when it wasn’t necessary would be the wrong thing to do. If they could get the ponies surrounding them to leave peacefully it would be for the best. Scootaloo didn’t hold out hope that these ponies would be dissuaded by a few words though. “Hey!” said the red stallion, who’d started circling the other direction. “Look at this! He’s a blank flank. Crazy, huh!” The big one laughed. “Yeah. That’s pretty crazy. That mean’s he’s still a foal.” By now, his circling had brought him back around to the front of them. He grinned at Scootaloo. “A fine mare like you must have it rough, being with a big baby like this. I guess good stallions are kinda scarce wherever you’re from.” An angry growl wormed its way out of Scootaloo’s throat and she tensed. However, Dawn’s wing refused to budge, keeping her up against his side. “You should ditch this loser and come with us,” said the red one, coming back to stand beside the big one again. “I saw you during the practicals today. You’re a wizard in the sky. There’s no need for you to hang out with a loser like this. I bet he can barely get off the ground.” That actually almost startled a laugh out of Scootaloo. Instead, she stopped herself, forcing it down with a choking noise as she entertained the thought of telling these jerks that Dawn was the one who’d taught her how to fly. He might not have gone through an apprenticeship in weather work, but he could still fly rings around her easily. Apparently, the red stallion took Scootaloo’s aborted chuckle as a sign of agreement, because his grin widened. “Yeah, why don’t you come with us, babe? We know how to have a good time.” Finally, Scootaloo couldn’t keep a smirk of her own from her face. “Thanks, but no,” she said. “I’m not interested in going with you.” Several of the stallions around them chuckled, while the mares tittered. Off to one side, she could hear somepony mutter, “Oooh! Shot down.” The grin dropped off the red stallion’s face and his teeth were now bared in anger. “What? No mare says ‘no’ to me.” “I must be hard of hearing,” commented Dawn, “Because I could have sworn that was exactly what she said.” “Shut it, freak!” snapped the red stallion, “I’m not talking to you.” “Too bad,” said Dawn. “Because I’m talking to you. I suggest that you go on your way and take your friends with you.” “Yeah,” said Scootaloo, glaring directly at the big one, showing that he didn’t frighten her in the least. Even if all these ponies charged in together, either her or Dawn could wipe the clouds with the lot of them without even trying. These were thugs who thought they’d found an easy pair to intimidate, anticipating levering Scootaloo away from Dawn for a “night of fun,” possibly with a beatdown of Dawn thrown in. But they had no idea who they were up against. “Like I said,” continued Scootaloo, “I’m not interested. So if you girls would step down, my coltfriend and I are trying to enjoy our date and you’re spoiling it.” “I bet you’ll sing a different tune once we pound your blank flank coltfriend through the street,” snarled the big stallion, clearly not enjoying being brushed off so casually. Scootaloo’s lips curled back, baring her own teeth in a snarl as she prepared to give the thug a piece of her mind. However, Dawn’s wing tightened its hold on her, keeping her up against him. She looked at him in confusion and was surprised to see him wink conspiratorially at her, flashing a quick grin before returning to a neutral expression so quickly that, in the poor light, nopony else would have noticed the silent exchange taking place. “You’re welcome to try,” said Dawn calmly, his entire posture relaxed and at ease as his catlike eyes focused on the big stallion, “I very much doubt you could succeed. You don’t look like the type who could manage it.” “What?” snarled the hulking stallion, clearly not being used to being addressed as though he were some scrawny weakling. “Since you brought so many friends, you might want to ask them for help,” continued Dawn, the corners of his lips curling up in the tiniest of smiles. “I know you probably have a hard time doing things on your own.” That made Scootaloo stifle another giggle. She could see what Dawn was doing. Technically, they could easily take the whole gang with their hooves tied behind their backs. But he was putting the big stallion on the spot, ensuring that the oncoming confrontation would be with him alone. Called out like this, there was no way the big guy could call on his cronies to help and not lose face in front of them. But she found herself wondering why Dawn was actually calling him out instead of trying to de-escalate the confrontation. It was almost as though he actually wanted to fight. But she knew that he was even less confrontational than she was. What’s he up to? “You think you’re tough, little guy?” snarled the big stallion, advancing. He stopped and flashed his gaze around, glaring at all the other members of the gang. “Nopony step in. This runt’s mine.” He settled back on his haunches and began flexing his fetlocks, grinding his hooves against one another. “I’ll pound you so thoroughly that you’ll get your cutie mark for getting your ass whupped.” “Yeah! Show the baby who’s boss, Slab!” shouted the red stallion, still glaring at Scootaloo. “By all means, please try,” said Dawn casually. With an angry growl, the hulking stallion bounded forward, beating his wings to clear his legs off the clouds so that he was free to punch Dawn with a powerful right hook. As he came in, Scootaloo couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The stallion might have known something about fighting in the “beating on helpless opponents” sense. But it was clear that he didn’t know how to handle an actual battle. His movement was way too slow and his swing was so wide she could have dodged it in her sleep. She felt Dawn’s left wing stir from where it rested against his side. It opened and swept forward, then returned to his side, moving so quickly that, in the dim light provided by the lamps, it would be all but invisible to their audience. Even under better lighting, it would be an almost imperceivable blur to anypony who wasn’t used to Dawn’s attacking speed. She was surprised by how little power Dawn was using, wondering if he’d misjudged how much force he needed. The big stallion-Slab was name, she guessed-continued on, apparently not even noticing the gentle surge of air that he plowed through, his swing continuing unimpeded… …Only to fall short as his hoof swiped past Dawn’s nose with barely an inch to spare. He dropped down to the cloud, clearly confused by his inability to hit an unmoving target, staring at his hoof in confusion. Scootaloo snorted quietly. “Ha! Giving the little guy a taste of fear?” speculated one of the mares off to the side, apparently thinking that Slab had deliberately missed his first punch. “Uh…Heh…Y-yeah!” said Slab, his grin twitching a little as he seized on the proffered excuse. “Just wanted to let the little baby know what he was in for.” “Thank you for your consideration,” said Dawn, now smiling openly. “Feel free to give me a taste of the real thing anytime.” Slab’s grin dropped. “I’ll show you the real thing!” he snarled, rearing up and lunging forward, trying the exact same move again. Once again, Dawn’s wing blurred into motion, meeting Slab’s attack with a gentle surge of air, so subtle that he probably didn’t even notice the increased resistance to his lunge. Scootaloo could actually sense his hooves skidding backwards against the street’s cumulous padding as his wide swing once again fell just short of the mark. Scootaloo snorted a bit louder this time. Had Slab been on solid ground, he would have undoubtedly noticed that he was being pushed back. But the clouds offered far less resistance and wouldn’t drag against his hooves as he skidded backwards. Between that and the lack of light, Slab probably didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on. “Again?” snapped the red stallion. “Quit trying to scare the runt and hit him!” “Shut up, Rusty!” snapped Slab, “Don’t tell me what to do!” “If it’s too hard for you, it’s okay to admit it,” said Dawn, his tone still even and relaxed, not even sounding taunting. “Your hooves are probably pretty soft. It would be a shame to chip them after all.” With another angry snarl, Slab reared up and lunged forward, swinging with his left this time. Again, Dawn’s wing blurred into motion and, again, Slab was subtly pushed back just far enough that his hoof missed Dawn with less than an inch to spare. Scootaloo couldn’t stop herself from giggling this time. “Sorry,” said Dawn. “It looks as though you missed.” Slab said nothing, staring in confusion at his hoof. Confused mutterings came from the darkness all around as the rest of the gang wondered aloud why he wasn’t pounding Dawn into a bloody pulp yet. “It must be the light,” prompted Dawn. “It’s hard to judge distance properly when it’s this dark out. Try again.” “Shut up!” snapped Slab, rearing into another punch. Again, Dawn pushed him back. Scootaloo giggled even harder, practically shaking under Dawn’s wing, her restraint near it’s limit. “I’m beginning to think you don’t want to hit me,” said Dawn again. “It’s no shame to ask for help.” “Quit talking!” yelled Slab, trying to punch Dawn again, only to fall short…again. Scootaloo tried to plug the stream of laughter that threatened to explode out from her lips with a hoof, only barely managing it as her cheeks bulged. Slab stared, wide-eyed, at Dawn as the muttering around them increased in volume, ponies beginning to wonder if he was actually afraid of attacking Dawn. He tried again, rearing and swinging. But the result was the same. The last of Scootaloo’s restraint fled and she burst out laughing, long and loud, as Slab stared at Dawn, this time clearly in fear. “Come on,” said Dawn, still in the same relaxed tone as always. “Keep trying. You’re bound to hit me one of these days.” Yelling wildly, Slab reared up and swung one foreleg, then the other, launching several wide punches in succession, all of them falling short as Dawn pushed him back again and again so subtly that the hulking stallion couldn’t even feel it. Slab dropped back down onto all fours, panting for breath, still not having so much as brushed his hoof against Dawn’s skin. Even as her Scootaloo’s mirth threatened to knock her legs out from under her, she found herself marveling at Dawn’s finesse. She could do something similar if she wanted, but Slab would definitely notice it. Dawn’s control was so fine that he was completely abating the big stallion’s momentum and pushing him back with Slab none the wiser. Slab’s expression was one of uncomprehending terror as he stared, aghast at Dawn, completely unable to understand why he couldn’t land a single hit. “What’s the matter?” asked Dawn. “I’m sure you would have hit me by now.” Slab panted for breath as he gaped at Dawn. Scootaloo could practically feel his fear through the air. Now she understood Dawn’s strategy. The biggest, burliest stallion in the group was swinging away at him, missing every time, and was completely clueless as to why. If Dawn had been doing something that Slab might have actually noticed, then, at least, Slab would know why his swings were missing, which would mitigate the fear. But the complete lack of knowledge as to why his swings were falling short was actually magnifying the large stallion’s terror. “Would you stop foaling around?” shouted Rusty. “Just hit the kid already.” “Shut your mouth!” retorted Slab. “I…I-it’s some kind of trick.” “Oh come off it!” shouted somepony off to the side, “The brat isn’t even moving.” “What’s the matter, Slab? Going soft?” taunted another. “SHUUUUT UUUUUUUP!” roared Slab, bulling forward, intending to simply tackle Dawn off his hooves and pin him against the clouds before pounding the living daylights out of him. Dawn’s wing snapped out again, this time slashing down and up so that it was pointing directly ahead of him before he swept it quickly to the side. Again, the motion was so fast that nopony, save for Scootaloo, actually saw it. At most, they would see a circular blur off to the left side of Dawn’s head. The cross-current he created gently nudged Slab to the side so that his charge missed Dawn by a hair. He had to notice that, thought Scootaloo as she tried to regain her breath. She wondered exactly when Slab would clue in to what was going on and what he would do about it. Slab had indeed noticed that something was wrong. As he’d tried to charge Dawn, he’d thought Dawn had slipped to the side so that he would miss, but hadn’t seen any signs of motion from the ebony stallion’s legs. Dawn hadn’t slipped to the side, Slab had. How is he doing it? “I think you’ve had enough fun for the evening,” observed Dawn, not even bothering to turn to look at Slab, but instead glancing over his shoulder. “You and your friends should leave before you humiliate yourselves any further.” “Enough gawking!” yelled Slab, glaring at his cronies, “Get them!” Ponies shuffled and hesitated, looking at one another in uncertainty, clearly confused by the strange state of affairs. Their leader, a rather dangerous and intimidating pony to say the least, had gone from arrogant confidence to wild-eyed terror, ordering them to attack in his stead. “What are you waiting for?” demanded Slab. “For you,” replied Dawn calmly. Beside him, Scootaloo had recovered from her bout of laughter and was settled against his side once again, smirking as she surveyed the confused and nervous faces of the gang around them. “What?” snapped Slab. “They are waiting for you,” repeated Dawn, “After all your bluster and bravado, you were unable to land a single hit. I think it’s beginning to sink in for them as well that they have even less of a chance than you did, even if they attack all together.” As he spoke, a few ponies stepped back, others started growling and tensing, apparently not liking Dawn saying they didn’t have a chance against him. Dawn slowly extended his left wing out, holding it straight out from his side, spreading his feathers to their fullest extent. The air around his wings began to hum, then buzz. Crackling and popping filled the air and sparks leapt back and forth between the feathers. The sparks grew into full arcs of electrical energy that crawled up and down Dawn’s wing in a web of crackling bolts. Then the electrical energy began to merge with the air itself, wrapping the wing in a flowing, white haze that blazed brighter than any of the lamps around them, throwing the surrounding ponies into stark relief as they backed up, wearing expressions of shock, fear, and awe. Even Slab was backing away. “You do not have the ability to harm us,” said Dawn. “What came before was just a bit of harmless fun, nothing hurt except your dignity. What comes after is less harmless. I highly recommend you go on your way and, if you have any sense, you will reconsider your behavior.” Scootaloo’s mirth was forgotten as she watched Dawn manipulate the lightning, focusing on the haze of energy that surrounded his wing. She frowned, not in anger or frustration, but concentration. She had an inkling of something…an idea possibly…but she wasn’t sure what. Slab and the others were quickly backing down. But Rusty was less easily swayed, glaring at Dawn before turning his eyes to Scootaloo. “And you’re okay hanging out with this guy, knowing he’s some kind of monster?” Scootaloo smirked at Dawn, who nodded slightly and pulled the wing resting over her back in just enough to allow her to extend her right wing. After a few seconds, her wing was swarming with arcs of lightning running up and down its length. “I’m not as good at it as he is,” she said, taking satisfaction in Rusty’s flabbergasted look. “But I’m good enough to give you a solid thrashing. Walk away.” With a defeated whimper, Rusty backpedaled before taking to the air. The rest of the gang were following suit. Soon, Dawn and Scootaloo were alone once more. Giggling one last time, Scootaloo leaned over and planted a kiss on Dawn’s cheek. “That…was awesome.” “I’m glad you liked it,” said Dawn, once again using his wing to pull her close. “Now that we’ve had our entertainment for the evening, we should be on our way.” “Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo.