Cloudsdale, the Untold Story

Cloudsdale Junior Speedster Flight School, 7:59 A.M., Monday, August 20th, 2001, 10 years ago

“Okay class, class is about to start, and it looks like everypony is here except for a young filly by the name of Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy flashed back to the pony she crashed into before.

“I’m sorry about that. Here, let’s start over. My name is Rainbow Dash. What’s yours?” Suddenly, the pony from before bursted through the door

The teacher walked up to the pony, “Hello, welcome to Physics of Aerodynamics. I’m guessing you’re Rainbow Dash. Please have a seat over there by Fluttershy in the corner so we can get class started.”

Rainbow Dash walked over to the empty seat. She looked over at Fluttershy, who was looking at Rainbow Dash. But Fluttershy quickly looked away when she made eye contact with Rainbow.

“Alright class, welcome to your first day of Physics of Aerodynamics. Now for our first lesson of the day, I need all of you to find a partner.”

Everypony in the room started scattering around the room trying to get with their friends, but no one went towards Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy noticed Rainbow trying to move her desk towards her. “Oh no, She’s gonna hurt herself.” Fluttershy thought. The desk wouldn’t budge. Rainbow Dash fell out of the desk, and onto the ground.

Fluttershy looked down at her. “Are you okay?” She asked.

“I’m fine.” Rainbow said while getting up.

“Did you not see the desks are bolted to the floor?”

“No, but how did you know that?

“Sometimes, you just gotta stop to see the small things.”

“Okay everypony, for our first activity we will need to step outside. Everybody get with their partners.” The teacher led the class through a pair of double doors, out to an elevated platform with a seesaw next to it. “Alright, this exercise is all about picking up speed based on the way you fly. One pony will jump off the top of the platform and land on the seesaw, which will launch their partner into the air. Once you get to the height that of the platform, start flapping your wings. If you do it right you should get the highest possible speed from this exercise. You and your partner will each take a turn to do both parts. Who wants to go first?”

Rainbow Dash stood and started jumping up and down ecstatically. “Oh, we do! Me and Fluttershy do!”

“Good, now one of you get to the top and get ready to jump off.”

“I’ll be the first to jump off.” Rainbow said “Fluttershy, you go get yourself on the seesaw.” The two ponies readied themselves on the platform and seesaw. “Tell me when you’re ready Fluttershy!”

“Um, I’m ready. I mean, if that’s okay with you.” Rainbow Dash jumped off and landed on the other end of the seesaw launching Fluttershy into the air. Fluttershy flapped her wings as hard as she could, but only managed to land on the platform.”

“It’s okay!” yelled the teacher, “Not every pony can do it on their first try.”

Rainbow Dash worked her way from one end of the seesaw to the other “Ready when you are Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy looked down at the platform, squeaked, took a few steps back, and started shaking. She remembered falling off of the cloud a few years back.

“Fluttershy? What’s wrong?” Rainbow asked.

Fluttershy looked down at Rainbow. “This is really high up...”

“Come on Fluttershy, just jump. Trust me,” Rainbow Dash added reassuringly, “if you jump off you will be safe.”

Fluttershy stood on top of the platform, shaking for a few seconds. “Alright Fluttershy,” she thought to herself, “you came here to become a better flier and to make some friends, and this is gonna help a lot with both.” Then she squeaked again, closed her eyes, and jumped off. Rainbow Dash flew into the air, sped up, and started doing flips and barrel rolls, then landed down on the ground next to Fluttershy. “See, I told you you’d be fine. Come on, let’s go watch the rest of the class.”

“What class do you have next?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh, um, I’m in formation flying next.”

“Oh, well, I’m in tricks class next. So I guess I will see you in 1st hour every day.”

“Okay class,” the teacher spoke up, “it looks like that’s all the time we have today.”

“Okay, well, see yah later Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash sprinted out the door of the class.

“Let’s see where formation flying is.” She pulled her schedule out of her bag again. “Room 385 all the way down at the end of the hallway.” She ran down the hall as fast as she could. “Oh, why does this hall need to be so long.” running out of breath she finally makes it to the door at the end of the long hall. *RRIIINNGG* “I’m here.” She said as she collapsed to the ground.

“What’s wrong with you?” the teacher asked, “What class did you just come from?”

“I *gasp* came from *gasp* Understanding *gasp* of Aerodynamics.”

“Oh, well that makes sense. That’s all the way on the other side of the school. And yer gonna hafta do that every day. Take yer time, I understand if yer a little tardy. Alright, everypony who was in this class last year, yah know what yah need to. All the new ponies go over there and talk to Gilda. She’ll tell yah what you need to do.”

Every pony except for Fluttershy started flying through the air in perfect formation. Fluttershy stood up, and walked over to Gilda.

“So, you’re the only new pony here? Oh man, this is gonna suck trying to teach only one new pony formation flying. Hey Mr. N, do I really gotta do this? There’s only one new kid.”

“Yup. This constitutes for all the detention yah missed with me last year.”

“Alright dude, listen up. Take a good look at me because I’m the one you’re gonna be workin’ with for the rest of your time in this class.” Gilda was different from anyone Fluttershy had ever seen, because she wasn’t a pony. Gilda was a Griffin, a creature that is part eagle, and part lion. She had the most intimidating stare Fluttershy had ever seen in her young life. “Let’s get started. Go over there and make a basic V-line formation.”

“Um, Gilda, I mean, not to question you or anything but, how am I supposed to do that.”

“Hey, did you just talk back?! Go over there and make a V-line!”

“Uhh, I don’t know how to do that.”

“Oh come on dude! How can you be in a formation flying class if you don’t know how to do a basic V-line! Mr. N this isn’t working! The dweeb here doesn’t know what she’s doing!”

“Calm yerself Gilda. There’s only one of them. I’ll handle this fer today.”

“Fine. You better smart up, dweeb.” she walked away and joined the rest of the ponies in formation.

“Don’t yah worry ‘bout her. She’s always like this. Don’t worry ‘bout anything today. I’ll work on gettin’ more youngin’s like you to join. Just relax this hour.”

“Okay...” She lied down, looked down at the clouds, and fell asleep.