Hey, Dude, Bro! Check This Out!

As we were making our way towards Cloudsdale and my soon to be teacher, a feat I was surprised I could pull off at first with no formal training, Rainbow Dash thought it was about time she made conversation.

"Hey, so...what did you mean when you said you never learned how to fly?"

I looked over at her and spoke. "It's like I said. I just never learned."

"But that's impossible." came Rainbow's reply. "Every pegasus learns how to fly as a foal. Either their parents teach them or they go to flight camp, like me."

"Flight camp?" I was intrigued. Of course, I knew what flight camp was, but telling her that now along with the fact that I already said I never learned would raise too many questions.

"You know, the program where pegasus foals enter to get better at flying? I'm proud to say that I was first in the best young fliers competition."

I inwardly smirked. Typical Rainbow Dash. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell."

"Wow. You were serious. You really never learned."

"That is what I said."

She suddenly came close to me, and put a hoof over my shoulder. "Well, Don't you worry, Bronze. Where we're going, we'll have you in peak flying condition in no time at all."

"I hope you're right, Dash." I gave her a nervous smile. After my little accident last time, I was a little reluctant to get back up there.

"Of course I am. You'll do just fine."

I may be brony, but never in my pointless, purposeless, sorry excuse of an existence did I ever think I would come to equestria.

Much less actually see the sights here. The Wonderbolts academy was even more amazing up close. From its massive flight track and its breathtakingly large main building, to its hardworking recruits, all flying in a chillingly cold wind that seemed to call to me as we got closer, as if it was beckoning me.

see, a perk of being me, is that you don't get cold easily. Well, I do now, but back when I was younger, the cold didn't seem to affect me as much as other people.

Mainly my mom. She can't stand the cold. I, on the other hand, was and in fact, still am it seems, okay with it. She once joked about me having snake skin, which now that I think about it makes no sense.

Anyway, back to the story. We touched down on the clouds of the academy -I still can't believe I'm walking on a cloud- and she led me towards a flame maned mare who I was one hundred percent sure was Spitfire.

As we made our way towards her, I decided to ask what I was thinking "Hey, uh, Dash? Are you sure I'll be alright? I still can't believe I was able to make it up here."

Rainbow looked at me and smiled. "Relax, Bronze. Any pegasus can fly in a straight line. And with Spitfire teaching you, I'm sure you'll do great."

I pointed in a hoof in Spitfire's direction. "Is that her?"

"Yep! How'd you know?"

"I dunno. I just guessed."

"I get you. Anyway, You'll do fine. Go out there and be awesome. Be careful though. Spitfire likes to yell at all the newbies."

"I'll, uh...keep that in mind."

With that, we made our way towards her. When we got to her, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

"Hey, Spitfire!"

The orange pony turned her head to look at us. "Dash! It's good to see you." She looks at me. "And who is this I see. Is he a new colt friend or something?"

Dash blushed, and flew in front of me, blocking me from Spit's view. "No. No, no ,no, it's not like that at all! He's-He's just..."

Spit simply stared at her. Rainbow stopped flying and hugged herself with a hoof, blushing furiously.

"Relax, Dash, i'm kidding." Immediately Dash perked up at that.

Spit walked around Dash to look at me. After a while she said, "Noow that I get a good look at you, I don't think i've seen you around here before. Who are you?"

"My name is Bronze Feather."

Rainbow Dash, filled in the rest, causing us both to look at her as she spoke. "He's here to learn to fly. He says he's never learned."

"But that's impossible. How could he not know how?" came Spit's response to this news.

"I said the same thing." came Dash's own reply. "But he doesn't even know about flight camp. Not to mention there was that incident."

Spitfire looked at me. "What incident?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, silently cursing whatever fate kept forcing me to relive that moment.

"I, kinda...nearly died trying to fly down to Ponyville. I accidentally stopped flying and ended up almost dropping to the ground. If it wasn't for Dash I would be in the hospital now."

Spitfire simply stared at me. Then she burst out laughing, causing me to give Dash a look that said, "Why did you have to tell her?"

Dash gave me a sheepish look and waved her hoof at me in a silent apology.

I looked back at Spitfire as she finally finished shaming me in front of the entire academy.

"Oh...oh, oh my Celestia, kid. That was the funniest thing I've heard all day. I can't believe you did that."

"I can't either." I looked away, but then I felt a hoof on my shoulder. It was Spitfire.

"Sure, kid. I'll help ya. We'll have to start slow, but I think I can get you up and flying in about a week."

"Really? A week?" I nearly jumped into the air right then.

"Whoa there, kid. Hold your horses. I said I can help, but you're way behind all the other pegasi if you don't even know how to hover. You'll have to be ready to put in some real effort If you want to catch up in just a week. Are you sure you're ready to learn?"

I thought for a moment. While the idea of hard work did not appeal to me at all, I did want to learn how to fly. My entire life I was nothing but a lazy, good-for-nothing fool with no direction in life. I spent day after day lazing about and doing whatever I felt like for as long as I could. It was about time I learned the value of something I earned for myself instead of having it handed to me. Here it was. My dream, laid out in front of me, just within my grasp. All I had to do was reach out and take it.

I looked up at her, determination shining in my eyes for the first time in my life.

"I'm ready. I'll learn how to fly, and i'll do it in a week. You'll see."

Spitfire smiled. "Good choice, kid. I like your determination, too. I'll train you personally. I'll help you in whatever way I can, but from here on out, Its all up to you."

I saluted. "Yes, ma'am."

She let out a laugh. "Don't call me ma'am. I'm not that old. Meet me here tomorrow. I have a few things to do first, but I'll be there to help you. I'm gonna make sure you work hard, so be prepared to sweat, kid!"

"I understand." I yelled back to her as she trotted away.

"Wha..?" Rainbow was surprised. She came up to me. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Get Spitfire to like you?!"

"What do you mean?" I fixed her with a confused look.

"It took me years of hard training, and several flight tests just to get Spitfire to make me a Wonderbolt, and she still yells and shouts and screams at me just as much as the rest of them. And she's never offered to personally train anypony before! So how did you, of all ponies, get Spitfire to show interest in you?"

I looked at her like she was talking complete nonsense for about ten seconds, and then her question hit home. "Oh! That. I don't know. It just happened."

"Things like that don't just happen, Bronze! You have to tell me how you did it. I need to get her to stop bursting my eardrums with that stupid megaphone!"

I laughed out loud at that. "Hahaha. Sorry, Dash. I don't know either. That's just how it's always been."

"It's always been like that for you?"

"Yep. All adults are my friends. I guess it's like...a special talent of mine."

"Wow. I wish I had that talent. But where's your Cutie Mark?"

"My...cutie mark?"

"Yeah, your cutie mark. If your talent is to easily make friends, then shouldn't you have your cutie mark by now?"

"Oh yeah, that. About that. You don't know anyone with multiple talents?"

"Well, I do, but even then, their cutie marks show them both."

"I see. I guess you guys really are different from me."

"What do you mean, Bronze?"

"Oh. It's nothing. It's just that, where I come from, some people can have inner talents. Like for example. What you just saw. I don't know why, but I've always been able to make good friends with adults. I'm also smart and good at writing, but those are outer talents. You've never heard of inner talents before now?"

"Nope."

"Wow."

We started flying back to Ponyville. I looked over at Dash.

"Hey, what kinds of things does Spitfire do When she trains her recruits? I wanna be prepared for any possibility."

"Well, I know how she trains us, but you're getting trained by her personally Plus she wants to finish your training in a week, so I doubt she'll train you the same way as us."

"I understand. Looks like i'll just have to wait then."

"Don't worry. It's like I said. You'll be great. Anyone who can make Spitfire show genuine interest in them has to be great."

I laughed again. "Wonderful. And Dash? One more thing?"

"What is it, Bronze?"

"Why do you keep using my name so often. I mean I know it's a weird question, as you kind of have to but..."

"Oh that?" Rainbow Dash actually blushed. "I like it. It's...fitting."

With that, we touched down in Ponyville, a comfortable silence in the air around us.