What In Equestria Is The Best Young Flyers Competition?

Silver Spanner stumbled into the kitchen with a blanket still wrapped around her waist and she blinked a few times in an attempt to get the sleep out of her eyes. Multiple attempts and she levitated a mug off the wall and poured coffee into it as her mom sat at the table, reading a newspaper.

“You’re up early,” Sweetie Charm noted as Silver Spanner went about making her breakfast of cereal and toast with blueberry cream cheese on it. “What’s up?”

“Sunset asked me to go with her and Princess Celestia to Cloudsdale for a week. We leave today in about an hour,” Silver Spanner spun around butter knife around in the air with her magic.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that,” Sweetie Charm muttered and she turned the page of her paper. “Well, have fun. Stay safe. Don’t fall off a cloud or get in any trouble.”

“I’ll be fine, Mom. Is Dad already at work?” Silver Spanner bit into her toast as she sat down with her breakfast. Sweetie Charm nodded and Silver Spanner resisted the urge to slam her face into the bowl of cereal she had in front of her. “Dang. I must have slept through my alarm to say goodbye.”

“You said goodbye a hundred times to him last night dear,” Sweetie Charm sighed and rolled her eyes. “Do you want the comics?”

“First, I wanted to say goodbye today too. It’s more personal when you actually say goodbye on the day you’re actually leaving. And secondly, yes, yes I would like the comics Mom.”

It would hopefully make the seven hour trip to Cloudsdale much more bearable. Silver Spanner swore Cloudsdale just had to be far from Canterlot this time of year to specifically spite her and everypony else going. Cloudsdale couldn’t just be thirty minutes away because that would be too convenient. Damn universe. Or damn whoever decided to have it near Whinnyappolis.

Silver Spanner stirred her spoon around her cereal to find some more marshmallows swimming around in the milk. Her favorite cereal was anything with marshmallows in it. Marshmallows are life. Silver Spanner debated whether she should sneak the bag full she hid with her to Cloudsdale.

“So how are you going to just ride on Celestia’s back the entire time or what?” Sweetie Charm commented casually as she slid across the newspaper to her daughter.

Silver Spanners hoof and spoon paused halfway to her mouth as her jaw dropped open slightly, gaping at her smirking mom.

“I don’t know. We never talked about it. Oh god, Sunset and I can’t walk on clouds, we’re simple unicorns!”

Sweetie Charm propped her head up with her hoof and she watched Silver Spanner panic for a few moments before she decided to intervene.

“Okay, calm down. They’ll probably just use a cloud walking spell on you two, simple as that,” Sweetie Charm answered and Silver Spanner tilted her head in confusion. “I’ve been on clouds many times as a teen and Cloudsdale once. You’ll have a good time there, trust me. Your dad and I met in Cloudsdale, actually.”

“Really?” Sweetie Charm nodded. “Huh, cool.”

“It was during the time he started out being an artist. We met randomly after I ran across him sitting on the curb offering to draw ponies and I said sure. It’s the painting in the living room over the couch and he asked me out for coffee as I walked away,” Sweetie examined her hoof for a moment. “Obviously, I said yes. Nine months later, we got married and two years later you came along. Anyway, I gotta get to work. I love you, listen to the Princess. And I packed you some snacks for the trip to Cloudsdale. Have fun.”

Sweetie Charm kissed her forehead and Silver Spanner stifled a groan, grateful none of her friends had been around to see that.

Silver Spanner watched her leave and she levitated up her saddlebags to the table, rummaging through them curiously.

“Yes!” Silver Spanner pumped a hoof enthusiastically in the air as she pulled out a bag of white pillow looking snacks. “Marshmallows! Thank Celestia for mom.”

Silver Spanner rested them on top of her books inside her saddlebags reverently, kinda like the way a doctor would take care of a newborn or how Twilight takes care of her books. Or how Sunset takes care of Philomena or Twinkleshine takes care of her pet cat.

Silver Spanner could go on longer, but she felt she made her point to herself as she resumed eating after looking at the clock on the kitchen counter next to the stove.

Being late was always a bad look in her eyes. Unless it was somepony she didn’t like, then she was always five minutes exactly. It showed them that she was a busy pony and they were wasting her valuable time. Or that’s how she hoped it came across.

She glanced at the clock before she started to drink her milk from the bowl. She could afford to be at least five minutes late to finish up the dishes. She always hated leaving dishes behind for her parents considering how hard they worked as is. Silver Spanner didn’t want to make them come home and then do more work.

And odds are Sunset wasn’t even up yet. The fact that they were technically supposed to leave in a bit was a minor detail. Sunset loved her sleep, Silver Spanner had quickly come to realize.

The amount of times Celestia or Raven had dragged Sunset kicking and screaming out of bed in front of her was too many times to count. Sometimes Silver Spanner herself had to do so if it was past twelve in the afternoon.

In her defense, Sunset did tell her to do so. The fact that Sunset occasionally muttered threats about teleporting her to the coldest peak is a minor detail that she didn’t deem important enough to think about.

Silver Spanner, Twilight, Minuette and Lyra were honestly the only ponies brave enough to wake Sunset up. The last two had only recently been added to their group of friends, grudgingly on Sunset’s part. Silver Spanner didn’t really know where she got the notion that since she had five friends that was all she needed. Silver Spanner herself had dozens, but Sunset was number one in the best friend spot for obvious reasons.

Silver Spanner finished her dishes and put them in the dish rack, grabbing her saddlebags and home key before running galloping out the front door, only pausing to lock it behind her.

Some rule her parents started enforcing recently was always locking the door and each of the three had received their own house key.

She supposed they had a point. Just because Canterlot had a strong royal guard presence didn’t remove break ins or crime from existing in the city.

Silver Spanner jumped over the fence instead of opening the gate. Even she was a bit impressed she managed that one.

Sunset sat inside the basket of the hot air balloon with a scowl, her forelegs crossed against her chest. A Styrofoam cup of coffee sat next to her as she levitated it to her lips, taking another sip.

She was admittedly not in the greatest of moods, given how she was woke up. She may love Cadence and all, but being woken up with an air horn was not how she enjoyed starting her day.

Especially since she almost accidentally decapitated a pony with her magic after waking up in surprise. Her magic tended to go off like that when surprised bad enough.

She sat listening to Mom continue talking to Cadence as Silver Spanner peered over the edge of the basket with a curious look.

“You look really pissed off. What I miss?” Silver Spanner questioned as she swung her forelegs over the basket and kicked her hind legs out for a few moments before falling muzzle first inside next to Sunset. “Ow.”

“You missed my lovely cousin being annoying. Have you met my dear cousin Cadence yet?” Sunset grumbled and Silver Spanner tapped a hoof against her chin.

“Pink mare, wings, horn? Couple inches taller than me? Very friendly and kind? Gorgeous wings?” Silver Spanners grin grew wider with each compliment she gave Cadence and Sunset nodded.

“Yes, that’s her. Beautiful mare, I am well aware trust me. She freaking woke me up with an air horn!” Sunset flung her forelegs up into the air. “At least it wasn’t right up against my ear, otherwise she would be dead.”

“I heard that!” Cadence called out cheerfully and Sunset growled softly as Silver Spanner snickered. “I love you too. Really like your friend, she seems nice.”

“We’re gonna have so much fun,” Silver Spanner nuzzled Sunset and the other unicorn finally smiled as she returned the gesture happily.

“Yeah we are,” Sunset agreed as the pair hugged. “Just wait till you get to see the view from our hotel. It’s beautiful, according to mom. And the two of us can go around donating bits to some homeless ponies if we find any.”

“I’m not entirely sure if I should be happy or not by the fact there’s homeless ponies in the first place.”

“Oh no, it’s awful but at least we can help a bit. If we get lucky, we can shove them in them in some hotel rooms for a bit,” Sunset mused and tightened her hug around Silver Spanners waist.

“I suppose you got a point. On to more pressing matters, how exactly will cloud walking work? I know it’s a spell and all, but we’re there for a week. How do we know the spell won’t wear off in the night and we both plummet to our death? Do you know how terrifying falling to your death sounds? Because I have nightmares about that a lot. Probably way more than is healthy. I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“Kinda, but it’s cool. I’m used to you rambling when you’re nervous,” Sunset nuzzled her and Silver Spanner yawned. “Anyway, it won’t wear off. You’re literally friends with one of the most powerful ponies in all of Equestria who has Princess Celestia as her mom. The spell will last as long as we want.”

Silver Spanner smirked and curled up into a ball next to Sunset. Sunset may be a good pony and modest most of the time, but she did have a small ego and could be arrogant at times. Compared to other ponies in Canterlot who had way worse and annoying personalities than Sunset’s.

“While I would not quite put it how my daughter has, she is correct in the fact you will be fine. As for the falling to your death, I believe another pony here is afraid of heights as well,” Celestia shot Sunset a look as Cadence stifled a laugh.

“Ah yes, Sunset hates height too,” Silver Spanner poked Sunset in the side with her hoof. “I remember that very vividly.”

Sunset rubbed the back of her head with a blush. Sunset’s fear of heights was something she didn’t broadcast often, if at all. Silver Spanner was the only pony other than her guards, family, Fleur and Fancy Pants and Raven she trusted to know.

“And if I remember correctly, you’re afraid of snakes,” Sunset shrugged with a grin and Silver Spanner shuddered. “I should get you a nice corn snake for your birthday. They’re the best starter snake or so I’ve heard.”

“So I’ve heard,” Silver Spanner muttered and rolled her eyes, curling back up into a ball with her tail wrapped around her. Sunset glanced down at the other mares head resting on her lap and Sunset yawned.

“How exactly do you know how to work a hot air balloon, again?” Sunset asked as Silver Spanner gave a whinny and Sunset stroked her mane idly.

“I read a book,” Celestia answered as she levitated open a book. “I really wish Silver Spanner was awake for this. I feel she would be useful.”

Sunset agreed with that as Celestia continued to read the book laid out in front of her. Sunset began to think they should have just used a blimp to get there. The fact that they were widely unused because of safety concerns was a minor detail. Anything would be better than this, Sunset thought.

Not that Sunset would have voiced that particular concern. Her mom was stubborn on certain things, like Sunset herself was. She had to get her stubbornness from somewhere, after all.

“I’m going to sleep with her now. Goodnight,” Sunset yawned and stretched out next to Silver Spanners sleeping form. Sunset was a bit impressed there was even enough room for her to do so. “And if we die, I’ll see you in heaven. Love you.”

“We will not die,” Celestia shot back and turned the page. “Goodnight even though it’s seven thirty in the morning. And yes, I love you too, thee of little faith.”

Sunset chose to stay silent as she closed her eyes and rested her head on her folded forelegs.

White Lightning laid lazily on her cloud, floating around the sky as she dug through her lunch box before pulling out a mint chocolate energy bar.

“Mint is love, mint is life, right?” White Lightning mused and opened the packaging, shoving it inside her metal lunch box. The green pegasus next to her snored quietly, her green mane covering her face as she laid splayed out on the cloud. “Sprinkle? Okay then. Who sleeps on a fifteen minute break? That’s the worst idea ever, you get no sleep.”

The white pegasus tossed her light blue mane out of her eyes and she stretched out her wings and forelegs, idly watching a hot air balloon break through the clouds.

Oh boy more tourists, White Lightning thought with a shrug as she bit into her food again.

“Interesting mane,” White Lightning commented and she ate the remaining half of her energy bar as she and Princess Celestia made brief eye contact as she floated past. White Lightnings eyes widened and she choked on her food, slamming a hoof into her chest repeatedly.

A brown unicorn and a orange one were hugging each other with probably the most terrified expressions on their faces that White Lightning had ever seen.

Her chest glowed a light gold color for a second and she spit out what remained over the edge of the cloud as Celestia’s horn stopped glowing and she waved.

“I really hope that doesn’t end up on somepony,” White Lightning muttered as she stared over the edge of the cloud before offering Celestia and the two unicorns a confused wave back.

“What are you talking about, Whitey?” Sprinkle Medley rolled onto her stomach and glanced at her marefriend with a bored expression. “I’m trying to rest.”

“Princess Celestia just went floating past in a freaking hot air balloon and I almost died eating a energy bar. Can’t she just fly? She has wings for a reason,” White Lightning commented and Sprinkle Medley groaned. “I think she did some weird magic Heimlich maneuver on me too.”

“You’re starting to sound like my father. And ponies say unicorn supremacists are the worst ponies in Equestria. They haven’t met pegasi supremacists yet,” Sprinkle Medley gagged and rolled her eyes.

“Agreed. Also, our break ended ten minutes ago. You looked adorable so I let you sleep,” White Lightning shrugged and Sprinkle Medley glared at her.

“Are you nuts? We could get fired over this, damn it!” Sprinkle Medley trotted in a circle as White Lightning watched. “Well? Say something!”

“We actually got five minutes left till we have to get back to cloud pushing. Relax and enjoy the view,” White Lightning stretched out on the cloud and yawned.

“Do you mean the sky or you?” Sprinkle Medley raised an eyebrow as she settled back down into her spot, wrapping her tail around White Lightning.

“Yes.” White Lightning stretched out on her side and propped her head up with a hoof.

“So you’re absolutely certain it was the Princess? Doesn’t she have like royal guards to fly her around and stuff?” Sprinkle Medley waved a hoof around. “Why in Equestria would she use a hot air balloon?”

“How the heck should I know? But she had two ponies with her and they both looked equally terrified of being that high up.”

“Hmph,” Sprinkle Medley hummed and stuck her muzzle in her lunch box. “Want my fish sandwich?”

“Not really, no.”

White Lightning was pretty much the only pegasus Sprinkle Medley knew that hated the taste of fish. Sprinkle Medley was only interested in it herself if it was made a very specific way. And no tartar sauce. Ever.

“You gonna go see the competition again this year? Raindrops mentioned she was going with Milky Way this year,” Sprinkle Medley commented as she bit into her fish.

“Probably not. I don’t feel like going. It’s always the same thing every year. Don’t you get tired of it? I mean, it’s just pegasi showing off they can fly. Like that’s impressive, all of us with wings can do it.”

“You’re a good flyer. Why haven’t you signed up? You’re always excited to show me some new trick you learned. We got see the Wonderbolts every time they come to Cloudsdale, remember?” Sprinkle Medley reminded her. “I even signed up one year, remember? Got second place. You’d do great.”

“Absolutely not. I’d mess up and be the laughingstock of Cloudsdale. We all remember what happened to Dumb Bell two years ago after he crashed into the stands and landed face first right at Fleetfoots hooves.”

Sprinkle Medley gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes.

“Whitey, Dumb Bell is always the laughingstock of Cloudsdale. How he has kept a job at the Weather Factory after being fired from every other job here is beyond me.”

“Because his daddy is on the town council,” White Lightning muttered bitterly and ripped some of the cloud apart, toying with it.

“Exactly.” White Lightning glanced at the sun and sighed as she stood up.

“Wanna hear a joke before we go to work?” White Lightning smirked and Sprinkle Medley nodded. White Lightning was well known around Cloudsdale for telling random jokes to anypony she met. Everypony she met usually went about the rest of their day with a smile or at least a better mood because of it.

“Hit me with it.”

“Why did the Genie get mad?”

“Oh lord help me. Why?”

“Because he was rubbed the wrong way.”

Sprinkle Medley snorted and spread her wings open.

“Was that good? I thought it was pretty damn good.”

“Catch me and find out,” Sprinkle Medley booped her on the nose and fell off the cloud.

“Ugh. Not this again.”

White Lightning rolled her eyes and jumped off the cloud after her.