Chapter 1: A Filly's Question
Act I: The Shy Filly
It gleamed like a permanent jewel in the sky, the only massive cloud in the wide expanse of the pure blue sky, and from a distance could be mistaken for a Thunderhead of beauty. From it, Rainbows fell like multicolored waterfalls from the city of clouds, water hung off the sides like banners of liquid charm. But it wasn't just a marvelous cloud the size of all of Ponyville: it was the famous city of Cloudsdale, a city graced for Pegasus only, a floating benchmark of cloud architecture and weather, and housed Equestria's highest regarded Flight School, all a mile off the ground below.
Yet, as accessible as it is to any winged Pegasus, Scootaloo sat grounded on the front porch of Fluttershy's Cottage, gazing at the floating city that was miles up from her, daydreaming about what it would be like in the cloud city, what it would be like to pass and graduate from Flight School.
She glanced back to her under-grown wings, short and underdeveloped, only able to flap them like that of a bee or to her more familiar, dreaded nick-name Chicken, making a low buzzing hum.
She let out a sad sigh, folding her wings back in disappointment, and kept her purple eyes on the look out for her idol and sister: Rainbow Dash. She had to help Derpy this noon, a friend of hers she mentioned before she took off to the air to clear out the dark clouds drifting in from the Everfree Forest, and left her in good care of her longtime friend Fluttershy, promising to return in a little bit to continue her talk about the basics of flying, and why Scootaloo isn't grasping the concept correctly.
She watched an untamed cloud drift towards the direction of Ponyville, a dark, intimidating cloud with intentions to be an eye sore in Ponyville, but like a bolt of Rainbow Lightning, it dissipated like it was shot by a flaming bullet, a bullet leaving a bright Rainbow Colored trail.
"Amazing isn't it?" a tender, low voice spoke up from behind Scootaloo, a pale yellow Pegasus trotted up next to her balancing a tray with cups of steaming tea on her back, grabbing it with her mouth and setting it down on the ground next to Scootaloo.
"What is?" Scootaloo looked up to the older Pegasus, who folded her hind legs under her as she sat down next to Scootaloo, taking her a cup of her self brewed tea and taking a sip of the bittersweet green liquid, its refreshing warmth running down her throat.
"Watching Rainbow Dash fly. I don't know if any pony can match her flying skills.. perhaps the Wonder Bolts can rival her amazing skill," She took another sip of her tea, her kind cyan eyes glancing down to a cup of her tea and back up to Scootaloo, a silent offer to have some tea to make her feel better.
Scootaloo took the kind offer, taking a cup of the steaming green liquid and swishing it around in the cup, unsure how the green liquid will taste until taking the courage to take a sip, bracing herself for a awful taste; but instead, enjoyed the taste of Fluttershy's trademark bittersweet tea. "Yeah, she is an awesome flier." Scootaloo watched Rainbow Dash hover in the air, conversing with Derpy Hooves, who was tangled up inside of a thundercloud upside down.
Then something occurred to Scootaloo: "Say, didn't you go to flight school with Rainbow Dash? She mentioned it before."
Fluttershy seemed a little startled, looking down to the curious filly, "Well.. yes.. but that was a long time ago.."
Scootaloo furrowed her eyebrows, unsatisfied with the older mare's response, like she was trying to avoid the topic of discussion, which increased the fillies desire to know more.
A crack of thunder quickly got both of their attention: Derpy agitated the thundercloud, making it shock her with a bolt of lightning, slightly singing her as she broke free of the cloud, while Rainbow Dash rolled her cerise eyes.
Scootaloo exchanged glances with Fluttershy, "Derpy isn't really a good weather pony, is she?"
Fluttershy gave an amused smile, rolling her eyes up to the sky, "Well.. no.." Fluttershy looked back to the filly, "But she is probably Equestria's best Mailmare!" Another crack of thunder shook the sky, "But that's about it.."
Scootaloo nodded, a little amused by the clumsy Pegasus, "Did she go to flight school with you too?" Fluttershy, again, seemed unnerved by the remark of the school, glanced down to the filly, "Because you seem to know alot about her too."
Fluttershy rubbed the back of her head, giving a false smile, "Do I know? My, it seems I do.. that's because.. I.. Um.."
Fluttershy bit her lip, unsure how to redirect the conversation away from the discussion of the Flight School, and her glance shied away from the fillies wide eyes staring her down, leaning in to get an answer, "Yeah you do. Did you attend flight school with Rainbow Dash and Derpy? Cause' I'm getting the feeling that you, Rainbow Dash, and Derpy all seem to know each other well, so I was just wondering if all three of you went to Flight School."
Before Fluttershy could respond, something occurred to the filly, "Oh! Were you three like the Cutie Mark Crusaders of Cloudsdale? Since you didn't get your cutie mark until Dash did her Sonic Rainboom?"
Another crack of thunder made the ground tremble, "LOOK OUT BELOOOW!" a voice rang out from above, and a singed pale blue-gray crashed into the dirt in front of the two, leaving a small crater.
"Fwooh! Wow!" Derpy stumbled about a little, "Did I.. clear the thunderhead?" she fell forward in front of Fluttershy, "Oh, Hi Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy blinked, getting back to her senses, "Hello Derpy.. are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine" although her coat was smoked black in some spots, her yellow mane was singed on several ends and sticking up, and she seemed more cross eyed than usual.
"Good grief Derpy!" Rainbow Dash, who was also had her rainbow mane and cyan coat singed in some areas hovered down and landed next to the Mailmare, "Next time just let me take care of the Thunderheads.. since.. well.. just let me handle them, okay?"
Derpy stood up and gave a wide smile, nodding vigorously, "Okay! Leave the Angry Nimbus ones to you!"
"Yeah, so you don't agitate it.." Rainbow Spoke under her breath, then looked down to Fluttershy and Scootaloo, "How ya doing squirt?" She gave the orange filly a noogie, messing up her purple mane as the filly laughed, "Doing fine! Just chatting with Fluttershy here," Scootaloo chimed.
"Oh, I hope you handled her endless curiosity Fluttershy, she can just talk for hours!" Rainbow nudged Fluttershy, who simply nodded with a false smile, "Yes.. she likes to dream.."
Rainbow Dash noticed how shook up Fluttershy looked, "Hey, you okay Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy glanced up to Rainbow Dash, then shying away to the door of her cottage, "I think we need to talk about this inside.."
"About..?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, watching Fluttershy get up and walk over to the door, "It's about Cloudsdale."
The mention of the floating cloud city got Derpy's attention too, and she followed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to the door as Fluttershy continued, "It's about Flight School."