Once breakfast time was over, many pegasi went out to stretch themselves and enjoy the cool breeze tinging through their furs. They were eager to keep their routine on the behalf of being a pre-Wonderbolt member, and their honor stands before anything else.

There are those who were not in the mood to crowd in with everyone else, of course. Especially for those who are outliers that are either the apex player who can perform magic in her teammates' eyes, or those who mindlessly gawk at her teammates with no consent from herself that she will one day, be just like a fantastic flyer herself.

Apparently, these outliers are roommates of extreme opposites.

"What's wrong, Lightning Dust?" Meadow Flower called by the door, "Still not feeling all too well?"

And as much as she had to admit it, Lightning Dust knew that Meadow was only trying to be nice to her, as she is an idol to the pink pegasus. But because she was an idol to someone who was a clumsy failure made the athletic mare reevaluate her beliefs. The eventual response was another growl at her timid roommate.

Scratch scratch scratch.

"I'm fine, alright? Just need to write something up real quick."

"Alright newbies! Today we're gonna do something different! See those clouds placed diagonally across each other?"

Everypony drooped their eyes from Spitfire and looked up. From their viewpoint were the enormous white giants warning them to back away like cowards. It was not only the clouds that sent shivers down their fragile spines, but the heavy gusts of high winds available only in Cloudsdale were of no less frightening. Many juveniles bit their lips as they shakily looked at one another, some gulped, some choked, but regardless they had to go through the hardships in order to just maybe qualify as a true flyer. The title of a Wonderbolt was incorporated within their tiny hearts and wings after all.

"I'm not done there just yet. Asides from doing five hundred laps around those giant cotton clouds, which are hard to fly through as they trap you with dense moisture; and the wild winds that you're all incapable of dealing with right now, I'm sure."

"Once you're done with this obstacle course, an hour break is more than enough to prepare you for your cross country flight around a couple of towns or so, total distance should be about fifty thousand meters, or a good thirty-one miles."

Ignoring the newbie groans, Spitfire narrowed her eyes in sudden realization that two obvious mares were not here when supposed to. With a blow on the whistle, she quickly began the rigorous training on her trainees and trotted for a search on the absent roommates.

Scratch.

"What are you planning on doing, Lightning Dust?"

Scratch scratch.

"Meadow Flower please, just shut up for a second and let me concentrate."

Cringing, the average flyer did nothing but obey the order.

'Now where the hell is that damn piece of paper and the pencil?' She thought to herself as she flipped through closets and shelves, disruptive sounds banged through Meadow's eardrums, but she was already too frightened to say anything. But what Lightning expected to be truly disrupting was the uncalled scribbling that took control of her mind. No matter how hard she tried, futility remained to be the case.

Scratch scratch scratch.

"UGH!" She knocked a desk over, causing sound loud enough for Spitfire to detect. She saw Meadow Flower standing by her room's doorstep. Right off the instant Spitfire knew something was wrong, and immediately she stormed into the room, only to find her elite flyer rampaging through the room like a wild Everfree beast.

"Lightning Dust! For damn sake are you trying to do?!"

Ceasing to a halt from that familiar voice, Lightning Dust quickly trotted over to her superior, her head hung low in embarrassment. In the past, she would have retaliated verbally and perhaps even ruthless violence, but that was then, this is now.

Scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch.

"Sorry ma'am, I couldn't help but get rid of something that was bothering me this whole time—"

"I do not want to hear your excuses!"

I don't want to hear your damn excuses!"

Staggered by his outburst of anger, Lightning Dust had herself onto the ground in almost submission and fear. Her father, Ethereal Cloud, moved in onto the filly as he knocked the chairs and the table aside, giving his daughter a glare that Death had once resided in. A bodybuilder and former world class athlete himself, he chose to retire for his family's sake, and create somepony who will one day surpass himself.

But right now, that pony he created will have to overcome an obstacle.

"B-but daddy, I—"

"Shut the hell up! How many times have you promised to me that you will get your grades up in school? You've been failing in numerous academic classes and major exams, how the hell would any damn sports team even take you in for your slacking attitude?!"

On the verge of tears, Lightning Dust wanted to break free, but she knew she couldn't with such a fearsome warden who had been known to pick fists with whoever that cheated in a competition against him, and eventually emerge as victorious. Not even Lightning's mother dared to stop him, because he had been the one raising the family with his incredulous income. Without him, they will suffer financial crisis and fall apart altogether.

Not knowing what to say, Lightning bit her lips in shame and walked into her bedroom. On the way she knocked a pot of flowers aside, shattering it into pieces. Ethereal Cloud noticed this but took no response, for he knew what was to happen if anything more serious.

Lightning Dust shook her head, she wondered whether the uncanny pencil scribbling was behind these dark folded memories. Spitfire's raising voice was merely above the buzz of a mosquito in her ear. She tilted her head, wondering why her captain was barking at her in such a way.

"Hey, hey! Lightning Dust! Are you paying attention for Celestia's sake?!"

"U-u-u-uh!" She stammered, "I-I-I-I can hear you, y-y-y-yes m-ma'am!"

"How the hell are you even gonna pass today's obstacle courses if you can't even talk to someone straight, damn it!"

She turned around, and whispered quick rounded breaths into Meadow Flower's ear. The juvenile nodded her head, and stormed off was the disappointed captain, calling to them without ever turning back,

"Do not be late to today's training, you have caused me much trouble, newbie."

Gritting her teeth, the response was Lightning Dust's hoof onto the desk, shattering it into pieces. Meadow gulped, before slipping quietly away to meet her other comrades.

Scratch.

Author's Note

Meh, I got a bit lazy and don't want you to wait for too long, so I decided to throw a "curve ball" to keep y’all a heads up.