I scuffed at the sidewalk with my hoof as I waited, and started whistling a bit.
Laverna said she'd meet me around this time. Maybe she decided not to?
Last night had been strange for me; I had spent a good ten minutes talking to the little filly in the alleyway before her yawning started to become regular. We'd made smalltalk – flight techniques, Wonderbolt trivia, that sort of thing. I'd asked her if she was alright there, but that was as far as I could bring myself to broaching the topic of her living conditions.
I can't believe I left her there! What kind of pony leaves a foal on the street?
Though I guess it's not like I had a lot to offer. I'm sharing a hotel room with two other 'bolts as it is, and I didn't want her to be weirded out. Ugh, dang, I'm such an idiot! I should have done, like... something!
I smacked myself on the forehead with my hoof, admonishing myself because nopony else was around to do it.
I mean, I can't just let her keep sleeping on the street. What do I do? There's so many things I need to ask her about. I mean, why is she living on the streets? Why the interest in the 'bolts? How's she get food? I mean, aside from today.
I glanced at the sandwiches wrapped up on the bench beside me, and caught sight of Laverna, standing off to the side of the bench, watching me. She was smiling, but it seemed a little strained to me.
"Oh, uh... hi. How long have you been there?"
"Just for a minute. That for me?"
"Yep! C'mon!"
I thumped the seat next to me with a hoof, and scooted over. I gave her a winning smile, and I meant it, this time. She hesitated for a moment, but then smiled and hopped up on the bench. As we started to unwrap our sandwiches, I decided to strike up some more conversation.
"So, you seemed really good at that move last night. You want to show me what else you can do, today?"
"Are you serious? That'd be awesome! You have time for that?!"
"Sure. I mean, we're not heading out for another few days..."
"For the show in Fillydelphia, right? Sweet!"
She really does seem obsessed with the 'bolts.
"You must have been practicing a long time to get skills like that. I guess you're really interested in joining us someday, huh?"
All I got was a vaguely affirmative 'mmf-hmmf' sound as she tore into the sandwich. I chuckled and bit into my own, though it was masking a sinking feeling.
I have to wonder if this is the first decent meal she's gotten in a while. She doesn't look thin to me, but, I mean, I'm no doctor. Sweet Celestia, what am I doing here?
We sat there eating for a minute before an idea occurred to me.
"Hey, did you ever go to a flight school?"
I saw her stiffen a bit, and she spent a few seconds thinking it over before giving me the most suspicious face she could make. It was a bit undercut by how adorable she looked.
"Why y'wanna know?"
I stared at her for a moment, before giving her a flat, dull look.
"Because you're a good flier, and you wanna join the 'bolts, duh."
I snickered at her, and after a moment, she snickered, too.
"Sorry, I just... nevermind. Some ponies are stupid. Anyway, yeah, like, I went to a flight school for a while, sure. It was, y'know – it was fine, I guess."
I saw her ears flick around while she spoke, and it gave me an uneasy feeling.
Did something happen at flight school? Rrgh, I'm really bad at this! I might just be reading too much into it!
... Wait. I could just ask.
"Did, like, something happen? You seem sorta down."
"Huh? Oh, naw, it was just... y'know, it was kinda boring. Not my speed."
Something about her mannerisms really reminded me of Rainbow Dash.
Wait... I think she's embarassed. I should probably bring up something else. But what? All I've got to work with is flying!
In a burst of completely sensible inspiration, I prodded her in the side while leaping to my feet.
"Hey! Race you to that cumulus!"
I wildly stabbed a hoof towards a random cloud passing by and took off. I barely heard her voice call out 'Hey, no fair!' as I started gaining altitude, but a glance back revealed that she was following me with a look of pure determination. I grinned devilishly as I zipped towards the cloud and whipped around behind it. I snickered to myself as I heard her approach, and then come to a stop. I heard her voice carry around the cloud.
"Hey! That wasn't fair, you didn't give me enough warning!"
I smirked to myself.
"Ah, but Laverna, a good flier... must have great reflexes!"
And just like that, I pushed the cloud over onto her. It engulfed her like a giant wad of chewing gum, and she grunted and yelled to get free as I started laughing. When she started to break free, I took off for another cloud.
"When I get out of here, I'm going to—mmf!"
I cut her off with a cloudball to the face. She shook her head in confusion, and then stared at me. Comprehension dawned in her eyes as I shaped up another cloud-ball with a grin.
"Oh. OH YOU'RE ON."