Have you ever wondered how those poor background ponies got to where they are now? I've been thinking and this was the result.
Have you ever wondered how some of those poor background ponies got to where they are now? I've been thinking and this was the result.
Cover art does not mean that those are the ponies in the fic. Cover art used without permission and will be removed upon owners request. I have sourced the cover image, for copyright reasons.
Edited by myself, so if you see anything and would like to look over it, I can give you the google docs info, but PM if you want to take a look.
“NO, NO, NO! That’s all wrong Octavia.” Bass Clef shouted.
“I … I’m sorry. I’m trying my best, but the music is … hard.” Octavia stated bluntly. “ Are you sure the trombone is the best choice as your ‘Destined Talent’?” he gently asked?
“Do you think it is? Be honest.”
“ [sigh], Well Octavia, truthfully, no, I don’t. I think that music is part of you, just not the trombone.”
“What do you suggest, then?”
“Well, I have a friend who runs a stringed instrument shop and holds classes bi-weekly. I would like you to go with me when I take my granddaughter next, Lyra there for her lyre lesson. You can test the instruments and see which one suits you best. Since you know about the shop from me, lessons are free and instrument prices are reduced.”
“OK. When are you going next?”
“When Lyra gets here. She should be here any minute from her monthly sweets class with Sweetie Drop, Bon Bon will be with her.”
DING!!
“Speak of the devil and he doth arrive. Remember that Octavia.” She thought to herself.
“Well, are we all ready to go?” Bass Clef asked the string of foals in front of him.
“YES!!” They all said together, but Octavia not as enthusiastically.
They all started silently walking to the shop, more commonly known as “G-String”. Once they got there, Lyra headed to her class and bass clef took Octavia to test the instruments while Bon Bon Tagged along. Octavia almost immediately spotted the large cello in the back. Her initial reaction was to just leave the shop now, because if she was going to have to possibly play something that big for such a small foal, she was gonna die!
“Is something wrong, Octavia?” Bass Clef asked. “I … Uh … Kinda … don’t wanna try the big one.”
“You mean that one?” He asks pointing directly at the cello.
“Yes”
Bass Clef started going to the cello and played a few chords standing on his hind legs and then showed Octavia how to do so.
“Is it fun?” Bass Clef asked.
“You know, this is kinda fun. And I can play Without using air too! I won’t have to worry about passing out again like I did when first tried the trombone.”
“So, do you wanna give the cello a try?”
Yeah, I think I will.”
One month later, Octavia woke up with a treble clef as a cutie mark. Three months following, Octavia became Canterlot’s most renowned musician. Two months after that, all of Equestria was asking her to play at parties, concerts and recitals for a heavy price, set by the client.
As Cheerilee trudged home from school, she held the report card low in her mouth in hopes her parents wouldn’t see. Ooh, I really wish I hadn’t forgotten my bag this morning. Cheerilee thought as she began to near the broken down manore she called home. She got to the front door and went inside. Much to her relief, she didn’t see her parents, so she quickly booked it up the stairs to her room to hide the report card. When she got to her room, she planned on hiding this skeleton in the closet until her parents joined it. She didn’t realize that that would be sooner than she planned.
She opened her dresser drawer and hid the report card under a set of leg warmers that she wore on occasion. She had homework to finish from the day prior that she hadn’t turned in yet. All of her work was in her bag, which was in the closet at the moment. She opened her closet and went to grab her bag, but with no light, it was a little difficult. Instead of grabbing her bag, she instead grabbed something she didn’t recognize. It was round on the end and rough. She pulled it out to see what it was. She wished that she hadn’t.
cheerilee pulled out the hoof of her mother, which by this point was encrusted with blood and some other body fluid that she couldn’t recognize at the time. Cheerilee didn’t have much time to react as she was whipped around to face the supposed killer. She was staring directly in the face of her … self? That’s right, she was looking in a mirror. No one was there. No one touched her. The guilt that she was going to lie to her parents about her grades being the last way she remembers them forced her to face herself about it. This realization that life is not a right, but a gift that can be taken away just as quickly as it’s given to you helped her see that she should take her education seriously, like her parents said. She had this thought placed in her head so long, she began to study teaching & teachers and eventually became one.
Cheerilee received her Cutie Mark during a student-teacher training period at 12 years old. Cheerilee graduated top of her class at the age of 18 with an amature teaching degree for foals. she loved the foals so much, she didn’t wish to further her career in teaching much more than a professional degree in teaching for foals. She visits her parents’ graves every month on the 16’th, the date of their death. The killer was never caught.
Spitfire slowly rose from the ashes (her bed) and began her daily routine. Get up.Eat breakfast.Brush teeth.Go to Flight School.
As she was eating breakfast, she heard a familiar ‘rapping’ sound on the door. This isn’t unusual, as the mail is usually coming by about this time. She heard her mom yell from the front door, “Spitfire, there’s a letter for you. It’s from the academy.” She got up from the table to go the front door to acquire the letter in question. Instead, her mother, Fire Song told her to remain seated and she will bring the letter to Spitfire. Fire Song hoofed her the letter. It read as follows :
Dear Mrs Spitfire,
We are sorry to inform you, but you have been denied access to attend the Wonderbolts Academy. You failed the initial flight test as your wing got caught in the Ring of Clouds. This mistake alone would have generally not failed you, but with all of your minor mistakes included, you fell below our passing standards. We hope you can improve on your skills and we hope to one day, see you attend the Wonderbolts Academy!!
Sincerely,
The Wonderbolts Captain,
Soaring Skies
Spitfire read over the letter a few more times before she finally registered what it said.
“I … I … I didn’t get in.”
…
…
…
…
…
Spitfire decided to go for a fly around Cloudsdale. She stopped by the rainbow factory for some reason. Her uncle works there or something. After a while, she went back home to start training for the next flight test. She knew she could pass the history test as she nailed it the first time. The written test was even easier as she always had a history of writing. The physical exam was her forte as wing-ups, laps, stretches, and everything else were part of her daily warm-up routine anyway. Her training consisted of a full-out, full-scale obstacle course like the one at the academy.
Starting with the barrel race, contestants must fly around alternating barrel-shaped clouds. If you knock a barrel, points will be removed from your final score. Next, we have the Ring of Clouds. Contestants must fly through ten different sized clouds ranging from four feet in diameter to six feet in radius at different altitudes shaped like rings. After that, we have the wing ring. contestants have to use their wings to transverse six rings of different altitudes without falling below the cloud layer placed below. points will be deducted for falling. Finally, we have the free fall. Contestants must fall more than five-hundred yards in thirty seconds or less, quickly change velocity, and climb back up in twenty seconds or less. additional points will be given for spare time. Three points for every five seconds will be deducted for being late.
Spitfire trained on the Ring of Clouds until she was certain she couldn’t falter like last time. After about three hours of training, Fire Song called her for dinner. They had volcano rocks (jalapeno poppers wrapped in daisies.) Spitfire went to eat and was too tired afterwards to continue training so she went to bed.
Three weeks later
Spitfire went to go pick up some milk from the supermarket when she saw a poster advertising the next recruitment session. Summarized, it said that mares and stallions who have previously participated are not required to do the history test, writing test, or physical exam as long as the pony in question passed the first time. The flight test course was the same as before. The only catch - they only had five spots available for new recruits. Only the best of the best get selected. If more than five potential recruits are chosen, a race will be held including Soaring Skies. Anyone who places ahead of her is automatically placed on the team, no further training. No ‘recruit’ time. End of story.
Spitfire participated in the flight test and received the fifth spot out of 9 total “best”. In the race, she placed third, one behind soaring skies. First place was a mare named Fleetfoot.
After a year in the academy, she was promoted to private and placed on the team. Six months later, a recruit named Soarin’ was placed on the team and took her spot. Shortly later, Soaring Skies resigned the position as captain.Spitfire was promoted to captain, as Soaring skies requested Spitfire become captain upon Her resignation. Fleetfoot became lieutenant. The captain, lieutenant, and private positions on the team have not changed since. Fire Song died a week before Spitfire’s promotion due to a heart attack. Too many volcano rocks, I suppose.
