Willing The Heavens

"Tia, wait up!"

Luna ran after her sister, trying to catch her. Celestia looked over her shoulder as she flew ahead.

"Come on Luna! We have to be on time!"

"I can't fly as fast as you!"

Celestia groaned as she slowed her pace.

"You need to grow faster."

"I can't help that my wings are short!"

"Maybe Gusty can make your wings bigger."

Luna smiled.

"Do you think she could?"

Celestia rolled her eyes.

"I hope I wasn't that gullible when I was your age."

Celestia picked up her pace again, but only stayed a few steps ahead of Luna. Luna frowned as she attempted to stay close.

"You're no fun."

"I just don't want to late for our lessons."

They rounded a corner and saw the rest of the village fillies and colts gathering. Three teachers sat at the front of the small group. The one in the center looked around.

"Where are-?"

Celestia called out.

"We're here!"

Celestia came in for a landing, sitting down at the edge of the crowd. Luna arrived, panting for breath. She sat down next to Celestia as the teacher began.

"Today's lesson will be concerning the weather. You'll all learn what you can do to help in situations that might require your skills. Even though pegasi have the most control over the sky, it is possible for unicorns and earth ponies to lend a helping hoof at times. Now I know you either already can or will eventually be able to handle clouds like pegasi, but it is still important to get a sense of how other ponies are able to handle them. We'll split into three groups so you can all practice with a cloud."

The teachers began picking students. Luna listened carefully, waiting for a teacher to pick her and Tia.

"Celestia, you'll be in my group."

Celestia smiled.

"Okay!"

She jumped up and walked to the front. Luna watched her with dismay as she realized the truth; they weren't going to be together.

Luna wanted to cry, but she forced the tears back. She didn't want to be made fun of again.

"Luna?"

Luna looked up to find Miss Poppy in front of her. She had a big smile.

"Would you like to be in my group?"

Luna slowly nodded, her gaze drifting to Celestia. Miss Poppy followed her gaze, spotting Celestia talking with the other three members of her group. The teacher nodded.

"I know you love to stay with your sister, but it's important for you to grow as individuals."

Luna looked at the ground.

"We usually work together."

"And when you do, Celestia tends to take the lead, doesn't she?"

Luna slowly nodded. Miss Poppy knelt to Luna's level.

"We want you both to be strong. You don't want to rely on your sister forever, do you? Eventually you'll want to do things on your own."

Luna's lip trembled.

"I don't want to be alone."

Miss Poppy's eyes flashed with alarm.

"Oh sweetie! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean like that."

She pulled Luna close.

"I know it must be hard for you two to be without your parents, but I know they would want you both to be strong for each other. And...you get strong by practicing on your own. Does that make sense?"

Luna nodded again as Miss Poppy pulled her into a hug.

"There, there. Let's go join the others and I'll show you how to wrangle a cloud."

Luna smiled and nodded, a little more energy in her eyes.

"Okay!"

She followed Miss Poppy and they joined with two other young ponies. Miss Poppy then led the way to a nearby cloud. It was hovering a few inches off the ground. The young ponies each took a side of the cloud and Miss Poppy smiled.

"Now, we all know that pegasi are the best at working with the weather. Rosy Meadow, would you give a little demonstration?"

Luna watched as Rosy Meadow, a pony about her age, took the cloud and moved it around. She began shaping it with her hooves and then suddenly kicked it. The cloud dissipated into mist, leaving Rosy looking embarrassed.

"Sorry Miss Poppy. I got carried away."

Miss Poppy nodded.

"It's okay Rosy. Will you go grab one of those low ones up there?"

She pointed up above them to a small group of clouds. Rosy nodded and flew up to grab one. Miss Poppy looked at the rest of her pupils.

"Pegasi can do just about anything to the weather with their own hooves. But that's a special trait only they have due to their biology. Alicorns are the only other ponies that share that trait."

Rosy returned with a new cloud. Miss Poppy nodded to a young earth pony on her right.

"Care to try Apple Twist?"

The colt stepped forward and tried to grab the cloud. His hooves passed through it, causing him to nearly fall onto his face. Luna had to stifle a giggle, but enough escaped to catch Miss Poppy's attention.

"Luna?"

Luna shrunk back a little.

"Um..."

Apple Twist straightened up and rolled his eyes.

"Not like she could do it without her sister."

Luna looked defiantly at the earth pony as she lit her horn. Her gaze moved to the cloud as she encompassed it in her aura. She screwed her face in concentration as the cloud began to lift over Apple Twist's head. He looked up at it warily.

Luna focused on her spell and put pressure on the cloud. A drop of water fell onto Apple Twist's nose. His eyes grew big as rain started pouring out of the cloud. He screamed in shock and jumped away, already soaked.

The other ponies in the group started laughing. Miss Poppy was doing her best to keep her composure.

"I think...I think that will...be enough for now. Rosy?"

Rosy nodded, taking off and towing the cloud up to the sky. Luna had a big grin on her face as she locked eyes with Apple Twist.

"Am I still too young?"

He rolled his eyes and walked off. Luna turned her gaze to find Miss Poppy approaching her.

"That was quite the trick Luna. Usually you need some more practice before making a cloud rain."

Luna's smile turned more sincere.

"So, I was good?"

Miss Poppy chuckled.

"Yes and no. You showed some real promise with your magic, but you didn't need to soak poor Apple Twist."

Luna looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You didn't hurt him in any lasting way. Are you starting to see what I was talking about earlier?"

Luna looked up in confusion.

"See what?"

Miss Poppy smiled.

"You have great ability hidden in you. You need to exercise it and help it grow so you can be strong on your own. You don't want to always rely on Celestia, right?"

Luna looked over to her sister's group. Celestia was reshaping her cloud into a duck. Her group was watching in awe while Celestia wore a proud expression.

Luna turned back to Miss Poppy.

"She's so good at magic..."

"She's older. When you reach that age, you'll be better too."

"You really think so?"

Miss Poppy leaned over, touching noses with the young filly.

"I know so."

Luna giggled as she turned to watch Tia again. Someday, she'd be just as talented as her sister. Maybe even better.