Scootaloo trotted home from school, feeling nice and refreshed from her classes. She wasn't the brightest student, but she certainly tried her hardest. Even though Diamond Tiara got on her nerves, she simply ignored her and went on listening to the lesson.
"Still no cutie mark." Scootaloo sighed as she stared at her still blank flank. She was told over and over by Cheerilee, her teacher, and other adult ponies that "A cutie mark comes when a pony discovers his or her special talent.". Scootaloo had met with two other fillies
and formed a group called the "Cutie Mark Crusaders" who's goal was to discover their cutie marks, no matter what they had to do.
Today, Scootaloo's wings needed a good stretch, since she learned how to fly from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Speaking of Rainbow Dash, that's exactly where this filly is headed for! She heads straight to the cloud house where Rainbow Dash made her home.
As she was about to take off into the air to fly to the cloud house, she was stopped by a blonde maned stallion pegasus with a blue coat of fur.
"Excuse me, do you live here?" the stallion asked.
"Yes actually... I live just down the street. Where are you from?" Scootaloo asked.
"I come from Cloudsdale. It's a pretty big city in the sky. Most pegasi come from there." the stallion said.
"Are you lost?" Scootaloo inquired.
"My name is Crimson Azure. I'm looking for a house made out of clouds." Crimson Azure told her.
"What a coincidence! That's exactly where I was going! Come on, I'll take you there!" Scootaloo gave a little bounce and sped off into the sky. Crimson Azure shrugged and followed her.
Scootaloo stood at the door of Rainbow Dash's house and knocked.
"Rainbow Dash? Are you home?" Scootaloo voice echoed throughought the skies.
"Maybe you should talk just a little quieter..." Crimson said softly.
The door opened and standing in front of the two pegasi was a blue furred, rainbow maned pegasus mare who wore shades over her eyes.
"Hey Scootaloo, what are you doing here? Still trying to find your cutie mark?" Rainbow Dash chuckled.
"Oh well... I was wondering if I could... CHALLENGE YOU TO A RACE?!" Scootaloo shouted the last words as loud as she could. Crimson Azure sighed as Rainbow Dash spoke.
"A race? Wait a sec... you're challenging the one and only Rainbow Dash to a race? Gimme a break! No one can beat me, except the Wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash's eyes sparkled as she mentioned the ponies who she idolized.
"You bet! A race! From there..." Scootaloo pointed to a portion of the sky that was above the Everfree Forest with her hoof. Then she pointed to another portion on the outskirts of Ponyville. "...to there! How about it Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow Dash's expression changed to a smirk and then fell on a cloud in a conniption of laughter.
"Bwah ha ha ha ha ha! You're serious? Well, I'll admit you have been getting better. But I doubt you could beat me!" Rainbow Dash got up and brushed her mane. "By the way, who's that with you?" Rainbow Dash made an indication with her hoof to Crimson Azure.
"It's been awhile, Rainbow Dash. Don't you remember Flight Camp? It's me, Crimson Azure!" Crimson Azure said.
"Ohhh! That's right! How long has it been? Five years? That was the last time we went to Flight Camp. But I thought you were working in Cloudsdale? What made you come to Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"To visit you and Fluttershy mostly. But I have other reasons as well. But thats beside the point." Crimson Azure's eyes were slightly glazed, lacking their usual enthusiastic luster and his tone was wistful. But before Rainbow Dash or Scootaloo could comment, Crimson Azure shook his head.
"Shall we go see Fluttershy?" Crimson Azure suggested.
"We were just about to discuss this race we were going to have, though. I was thinking of asking Fluttershy to be the referee." Rainbow Dash said in an equally wistful tone obviously wanting to go back in time and see her friends in Cloudsdale again.
"Oh... Do you mind if I watch?" Crimson Azure requested.
"Not at all! I'd love to show another onlooker how fast I've gotten in the past five years!" Rainbow Dash gave a big grin and spread her wings. She took off, at a lightning bolt's pace towards the ground, nearly causing a rainbow shockwave to erupt from her trail.
"This ought to be interesting..." Crimson Azure sighed and followed Rainbow Dash to the ground at a much slower pace and landed firmly on the ground beside Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo followed slowly, and once she had landed, the three pegasi headed over to the cottage next to the Everfree Forest.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Fluttershy..." Crimson Azure was still reminiscing about his childhood back at elementary school with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, his two closest friends. Crimson Azure was one of those foals who wasn't very athletic despite being a pegasus. He was usually picked last for sports along with Fluttershy who he was picked before because he was a colt. His school's sports program wasn't very nice to foals who weren't athletes. That's when Rainbow Dash would stand up for them. That's what Crimson Azure liked about Rainbow Dash: she was a little rough around the edges, but loyal to her friends above all else.
"Hey Crimson Azure? We're here." Rainbow Dash's voice snapped Crimson Azure back to the present.
"You go ahead and knock. She hasn't seen you in awhile." Rainbow Dash offered.
Crimson Azure nodded and knocked on the door. Fluttershy answered it wearing a white and purple housecoat.
"Umm... h-hello?" Fluttershy shyly stammered. She was still the same Fluttershy that Crimson Azure remembered from his foalhood.
"It's been a long time, Fluttershy. It's Crimson Azure from elementary school." Crimson Azure smiled.
Fluttershy's expression suddenly changed to a bright smile.
"It's been a long time, Crimson Azure. I thought when you moved away everything would be different! And then I met Rainbow Dash again and now you're here! Come on in!" Fluttershy invited.
"Actually... I'm here to request something of you in behalf of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. Could you referee the race they are having?" Crimson Azure asked.
"Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo want to race? Umm... I guess I could oblige. Angel wanted to do something but other than that, I'm free." Fluttershy said.
"Why don't you take him with you?" Rainbow Dash suggested, trotting up to the door.
"I... I suppose I could do that. He could ride on my back or something." Fluttershy nodded her head as she spoke. Since Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were close friends, Fluttershy usually did favors for Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Dash herself actually did favors for Fluttershy, like tending to her animals while she was busy.
"Alright! Here, take this cap and whistle." Rainbow Dash held out her hooves. One hoof had a black cap with a white spot on it and the other hoof held a pink whistle on a black string.
Fluttershy placed the cap on her head and the whistle around her neck. She then followed Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and Crimson Azure to a race course they set up above the Everfree Forest.
Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared with pom poms on a cloud. No one questioned her, except Crimson Azure but that's because she's done more illogical things before and this wasn't really anything new.
"Okay umm... Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo? Are you two ready?" Fluttershy inquired, holding her whistle in a hoof.
The two racers nodded.
"On your mark... get set... Go!" Fluttershy said go as softly as she could, causing the racers to stare at her in confusion. She called an apology and blew her whistle.
The two pegasi took off at a quick pace nearly causing Fluttershy to swallow her whistle and cause her cap to twist around. She quickly adjusted her cap and whistle and flew after the racers slowly.
Rainbow Dash was in the lead but Scootaloo was putting up a decent fight in going at a fairly quick speed following her trail. Rainbow Dash smirked and sped up.
"Go Dashie! Ya ya ya! Go Scootaloo! Ra Ra Ra!" Pinkie Pie cheered.
The racers were nearly even in speed, but Crimson Azure could tell Scootaloo was getting tired. The two pegasi neared the finish line with Rainbow Dash gaining speed.
Fluttershy awaited on the finish line suddenly flying upright as she noticed Rainbow Dash wasn't stopping after she crossed the finish line.
"Rainbow Dash wi-Aaaaaah!" Fluttershy let out a squeal as Rainbow Dash collided with her, nearly knocking her hat and Angel, who was hanging on for dear life off.
The two thankfully landed on a cloud and Rainbow Dash apologized to Fluttershy and the two shared a laugh.
The rest of the day went by smoothly with the pegasi hanging out at Crimson Azure's new house in Ponyville, their laughs could be heard throughout Ponyville.
