The Pursuit of Pride

by The Real Steel

Chapter 2

The day passed agonizingly slowly for the impatient orange coated teenage mare. A little while after she had arrived the detention room teacher started going off on a long winded rant about what would become of their lives and some such, Scootaloo didn't know what he said as she wasn't paying attention.

She sat at a desk nearest to the window and sat there with her hoof under her cheek to prop her head up as she looked out the window, observing the wonders of nature. She wished she was out there with the wind in her mane, the sky beneath her hooves and her idol by her side but instead she was stuck in this boring classroom with her stupid teacher who thought she cared about what he had to say.

The detention teacher was a crimson coated earth pony with a white mane that had a light streak of jagged orange running through it, his name was Reform and it was his job to shape these young colts and mares up so that they may be productive members of society one day. His eyes were a light purple and his gaze always seemed unduly cold as he looked upon the delinquents in his classroom.

As he scanned the room as Cheerilee had earlier he too had his gaze fall on Scootaloo and soon he found himself angrily trotting over to her before slamming his hoof down on the table and meeting her own grayish purple gaze.

He spoke out in a deep, gruff and agitated voice as he glared the young filly down, determined to make the young foal listen to him or die trying.

“Do you find somepony trying to help you brighten your worthless future to be boring delinquent? Do you think you can make it out there?”

Scootaloo turned a cocky gaze back to her teacher, meeting his gaze the same as he met hers. She stuck her tongue out soon enough and once again, as she had done to Cheerilee, showcased her defiance.

“Whatever you say Reform, you aren't even a legitimate teacher. They put you in charge of detention because you don't have what it takes to be a good teacher. I am going to be a world class flier however so i don't need your help.”

Reform stared at the overly defiant young mare like she was insane, nopony had ever stood up to him like that before seeing as he was a very intimidating stallion. This brash, arrogant young mare was going to be quite the handful for all who met her in the future and after a few more minutes of arguing with the thickheaded student eventually he gave up and went back to his desk.

Scootaloo felt a triumphant smirk cross her young features before she went back to looking out the window until she saw the sun reaching a point in the sky she knew and she actually began to take some interest in the day. Her freedom was fast approaching and she knew it.

As soon as the school bell rang Scootaloo ran right past her detention teacher and bolted out the door, spreading her wings out and taking to the sky with an exhilarated whoop of joy. Once she had finished celebrated her freedom from the evil of school she took off towards where Rainbow Dash, her idol and mentor was.

Rainbow dash on the other hoof had been practicing this entire time, she was now purposefully using the sound barrier to increase her mid air trajectory and flight correction. Practicing what she would do if she ever got knocked off course in mid flight and learning to deal better with extreme wind pressure so that she could fly faster in those situations.

She had only started her serious training and was in the middle of a spinning nosedive towards when she saw the orange mare approaching and she righted herself in mid air, calling out to the fast approaching blot as it got closer.

Dash was waiting in mid air with her hooves over her chest as Scootaloo finally got close enough to hear her if she spoke and she had her usual arrogant smirk on her face that Dash had on hers.

Scootaloo spoke out in a voice that seemed to mirror Dash's as well a little but it was definitely her own, it had deepened considerably from her time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She still hadn't found her special talent but she no longer cared, she got to train with her idol and that was all that mattered to her.

“Hey Rainbow Dash! I finally got out of that boring and stuffy classroom, i was so uncool in there. Got thrown in detention for not listening to the teachers.”

Rainbow laughed at this and extended a hoof for her young student to bump which she did before answering her student with her won voice which too had deepened but still had that overly self confident, arrogant, cocky and loud tone to it that had become, among other things, a Dash trademark.

“Hay yeah! Nice one squirt, those teachers don't know what they're talking about and you know I do. Now come on Scoots, I want you to show me how fast you can go so I can see how we can improve your flying.”

Scootaloo nodded and took off into the sky, she was flapping her wings fast as she flew but getting only about average acceleration since she was leaning her body weight backwards with her pace, most likely as a reflex but still Dash clocked her in at about 25 FPM (Flaps Per Minute) whereas Dash's max was around 60 FPM when she wasn't Rainbooming and most would have said Scootaloo would not be anything but Dash, she knew better than that.

“Alright Scoots! That's good, now get over here so I can tell you what you're doing wrong! That was an alright speed though kiddo, about average but you are not average and we both know it.”

Scootaloo heard her idol call her flying average and it hurt, she wanted to impress Rainbow so she was determined to hear what she told her and take it to heart. She was going to get good enough to impress Rainbow Dash one day, this she vowed.

“Thanks Rainbow Dash, I know I can go faster but I just can't seem to get there, something keeps holding me back.”

Good the kid at least knows whats holding her back or at least part of it, I know I saw something in her. Dash thought to and inwardly talked to herself as she spoke to Scootaloo about hat she had done wrong and how she could improve.

“Alright Scoots, I thought you had learned this before but you seem to have gone back for whatever reason. Don't fight the current by pushing backwards, e like a bolt and fly straight, pushing your chest into it and slicing through the air. Like this.”

With that Dash decided to show instead of say, bolting off from their position and leaving her signature prismatic trail in her wake, the love she had for flying and, though she'd never admit it, for her student always made training fun. She pushed her chest out as she flew, her speed easily going at around 40 FPM before she flew back to Scootaloo and smirked at her. She went over to her orange coated apprentice and asked if she was ready to try to which Scootaloo gave an affirmative “YES!” and took off into the sky.

As Scootaloo flew she imagined Dash watching her, poking her chest out as Dash said and soon reaching 30 FPM and climbing, she was doing it, she was really doing it and she felt great! Scootaloo soon began zooming around, going over the tree line and under the cloud line. She was doing barrel rolls and flips, she was becoming one with the sky and as she watched the mare fly Dash got an idea, calling out to Scoots. She got so enraptured with flying that she barely even heard Dash call for her to stop and return to her but she heard it and did it.

Once Scootaloo was close enough to hear Dash once more it was revealed that the bright orange mare was smiling and sweating, a sure sign of a good training session and Dash had one idea for them to finish up for today at least and a reward for a job well done.

“Alright squirt, last thing for today is you are going to race me. I am gonna be going at about half speed and I may speed up to see of you can catch up, don't worry about me as Rainbow dash your friend and mentor. Think of me as your rival for this and somepony you desperately want to beat and if you impress me then I am gonna treat us both to some ice cream at Sugarcube Corner, sound good?”

Scoot quickly nodded and assumed the racing position, extending her wings to her side and lowering her body in the air so that were she on the ground her chest would almost be touching it. The only thoughts on her mind were impressing her idol and the opportunity to spend some quality time with Rainbow outside of training.

Dash however kept her mid air position, her hooves crossed over her chest and pointed at a mountain that she and her friends had gotten rid of a Dragon at once. Her thoughts were on testing Scootaloo and seeing exactly what the kid could do, what better way to test that than a race?

“First one to the base of Dragon Mountain and back to this cloud behind me wins. Ready..........get set.........GO!!!!!!”

With the words GO said Scoot released the brakes and took off, her wings making a slight buzzing sound in the air as she flew, the wind in her mane and the sky in front of her was like magic to Scootaloo. This was a world high above the others at speeds that belonged only to her and her idol right now, Scootaloo was not the delinquent she had been in school. Instead she had become the eager young student that she was around Dash and she had a huge smile on her face as she looked back to see if Dash was with her.

As soon as Scootaloo had shot off Dash gave her a little bit of a head start and then bolted off after her, catching up very quickly and finding herself impressed with her student. She was flying rather fast for somepony who wasn't Rainbow Dash and the sky blue mare quickly caught caught up to her orange coated apprentice, both of them conquering the skyways. Nopony was around for miles, it was just them and the sky.

“Not bad squirt, lets see if you can keep up with me with a little more speed though. See you at the finish line Scoots.”

With that Dash increased her speed to about 35 FPM where as Scootaloo was going at around 30 FPM, Dash was going slightly ahead as the mountain grew closer and closer. She hoped that Scootaloo would push herself for more speed, Dash of all ponies knew that to surpass your limits first you had to find them.

Scootaloo eagerly accepted the challenge from Dash and pushed her body for more speed, finding out that 33 FPM was her maximum speed and pushing herself to go faster despite her body screaming at her that it was impossible as they reached the base of the mountain and then darted back towards the cloud that they had started near.

Dash was still a neck ahead of Scootaloo, so this was her max speed she thought to herself not bad. The kid would be great with some quality practice and training. Rainbow Dash would give her both and in big amounts. She would turn Scootaloo into the second greatest flier Equestria had ever seen, this she swore. Her apprentice would be second only to her.

After a few more minute of competitive they arrived at the cloud, Dash having gotten there before her apprentice. She wasn't even sweating but Scootaloo looked as if she had just run the entire Running of The Leaves. Which was good, it meant she had pushed her limits and would be able ti find them easier next time and push past them.

“Not bad Scoots. I am impressed and as I promised lets head to Sugarcube Corner and get some treats. You earned it kiddo, this was a great session.”

With that Dash flew down to the ground so they could walk the rest of the way, the orange coated mare right behind her. They made some mirthful and friendly banter as they made their way into Ponyvile Proper and headed towards the giant gingerbread house known as Sugarcube Corner.

Once there Dash ordered some rainbow ice cream for herself and Scootaloo ordered some orange sherbert, soon they found themselves sitting at a table and enjoying their frozen delicacies. At one point Scoot closed her eyes in pain from a brain freeze which Dash laughed at before falling victim to an evil brain freeze of her own which Scootaloo laughed at and then they both just laughed. Enjoying each others company like this it was obvious they were more than master and apprentice, they were friends. They were like sisters since neither had an y blood relatives that they could relate to.

Soon the weary sun began to retreat behind the horizon and made way for Luna's moon. With that Dash flew Scootaloo to her home where her parents greeted her happily and thanked Rainbow dash who told them it was no problem and hoof bumped Scootaloo before flying off towards Cloudsdale and her own home.

The orange coated pegasus mare went to sleep that night the happiest she had been in a long while and looking forward to the future, hopeful for what it would bring. Soon she drifted to sleep with thoughts of flying around in the open blue skies with a mare just as blue, together as a team.

The sky blue mare in question soon found herself at her own cloud home and after lazily feeding her pet tortoise Tank she hopped into her bed, eager to get some sleep and looking forward to the future as well. The most anticipated days of her life was coming in a few months and she already couldn't wait.