Memories in the Clouds

Chapter 3: Dreamer

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"Dashie!" a distant voice echoed along the narrow foggy streets. Rainbow's ears perked up and she looked back to see a faint figure waving a hoof towards her.

"Dashie! it's dinner time! Come on back home!"

Rainbow voice cracked as she called back, "Okaa-ay! I'll be there in a second!"

She regained her focus on an unassuming small pile of boxes a little taller than herself. She put her hoof close to her mouth pretending to hold a microphone and began in her most dramatic voice,

"And now Madame-Mares and Gentle-Colts! Here she is, the best flyer in Equestria! Rainbow Dash! Watch in amazement as she jumps this towering mountain in a single bound!"

She stooped down low to the ground and began to flap her small wings in anticipation. With an instant she jumped, eyes shut tight and hooves outstretched in front of her. The wind seemed to hit her face with amazing force. She fluttered her wing as hard as she could. Her mind began to race, Oh my gosh this is it! I'm flying! As she opened her eyes, she was greeted with cardboard boxes coming towards her face.

---------CRASH--------

The pyramid of boxes collapsed around her as she fell on to the cloud street. Small feathers floated around her as she whimpered in pain. Hoof steps came galloping in the distance as Rainbow looked towards the sound to see her mother flying to her at a break-neck speed. Now she was flying.

"Dashie?! are you alright? wait... don't move!" the mare quickly glided down close to feel her daughter's soft rainbow mane.

"Ack! Mom! watch the mane please?" Rainbow detested the coddling that her mother gave her.

"Ow!" the tiny pony yelped as her mother felt where a small bump started to form. Her mother softly sighed.

"Another bump? You really have to know when to call it quits young filly!" Her mother scolded as she continued to check Rainbow any other damage.

"Pshh! this is Rainbow Dash your talking about! I don't quit for nothin!" Rainbow contested as she plopped up and started flapping her wings furiously. In her efforts she started to rise up off the ground and hovered in place. She looked down in disbelief as she tried to keep her balance.

"Hah ha! See? Check me out! Whoa!" Rainbow boasted as she tried to do a flip and lost her balance, falling on her flank with a soft thud.

The mare started laughing gently, " Haha, Aren't you excited? Well I can see why, my little Dashie, going to Flight Camp."

Rainbow nodded at her with a smirk, "That's right! I'll show'em that I aint no ordinary pony!"

"I'm sure you will... soon, but even extraordinary ponies have to eat dinner, now come on... get up." Her mother extended her hoof and Rainbow reached for it, when suddenly a voice echo in the distance.

"Get up.", Rainbow turned around to find the source, nothing was there.

She shrugged and turned back in surprise to see a sprawling cloud-field with her mother nowhere in sight. "What the...."

*******

"Um... Hey Dashie? it's time to get up.", Fluttershy nudged Rainbow gently from her slumber.

"Hnmmh? no... not yet." Rainbow mumbled dreamily as she nuzzled deeper into her comfortable sleeping spot. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly as she tried to fall back asleep.

Mmm, I don't remember the seat smelling so nice and being so warm!....Wait warm?~

Rainbow quickly bolted up in surprise as she realized she had fallen asleep on Fluttershy's shoulder, "Oops! Sorry!"

"I-It's okay, I'm really sorry to wake you. But we're almost there...." Fluttershy stammered apologetically smiling.

Rainbow rubbed her eyes as she looked at Fluttershy in concern, "You know, you should have woke me up when I started to lean on you."

"You seemed tired, so I didn't... It's alright really." Fluttershy nodded in affirmation as she looked away bashfully and started to smooth out her mane. Rainbow looked at her new friend in surprise. She had never met someone outside of the district, that had ever treated her so kindly. First the seat and now, letting her sleep uninterrupted. Rainbow gratefully smiled and was ready to thank her new friend just as the bus driver began to speak.

"Ah haha! Well young fillies and colts, here she is! in all her glory! Welcome to Flight Camp!" the bus driver roared in pride. All around them rose hoots and cheers.

The bus was coming towards an immense gated complex. Above the main gate a large golden emblem shimmered against the sun. Below it in a whimsical script was an embossed golden sign which read; Flight Camp. As they came closer the gate slowly creaked open. Deep within a myriad of cloud towers connected by pillared bridges shot up towards the sky and along the road vast cloud fields extended from the towers. Many pegasai where on them, some galloping along the clouds, others soared to great heights before plummeting back down dangerously.

In a flash a group of pegasai swooped down to pass the bus in glorious fashion. The bus' occupants gasped in awe at the precise movements of the group as they preformed intricate formations and daring stunts. Rainbow's mouth hung open and her eyes stared entranced at the display of skill. Her heart gripped in a tense excitement that left a tingling sensations on the tips of her hooves. A group of buildings in rows came closer in the distance. She looked at Fluttershy with wide eyes and a huge smile. The yellow pegasus looked at her with unsteady eyes as she continued to slowly brush her mane.

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy beaming, "I can't believe it... we're here!"

Fluttershy's ears lowered and she started so shiver in fear and let out a minuscule, "yay..."

Rainbow's thoughts gripped her with worry as she saw the distress in Fluttershy's eyes.

She's... terrified. I gotta snap her out of it, somehow...

She looked Fluttershy in the eye, putting a hoof on her shoulder and gripped tightly.

"Come on Shy, It'll be a piece of cake. I'll be watching your back! as long as you watch mine too, deal?" Rainbow assured.

"I don't-- I don't think... I can do that." Fluttershy admitted, shaking her head.

"Yes! you can! Trust me!" Rainbow insisted as she hocked up a spit on her hoof and presented to Fluttershy.

"Uhm...Ew... what's that?" Fluttershy murmured in disgust.

"Its spit promise! I can't back out of it and neither can you. I... uh already spat! so no take-backs, I promise, I won't leave you behind Shy." Rainbow ensured as she put her hoof in front of Fluttershy again. Fluttershy looked at it carefully and looked at Rainbow's eyes. A few moments later she brought her hoof slowly towards Rainbow.

With a quick jolt Rainbow pulled her hoof away as she gasped, "No! No! wait! you have to spit on it too! Or else it's not a deal."

"Oh! dear, sorry about that... what was I thinking." Fluttershy cringed eyeing her hoof in hesitation. Her mouth grimaced at the thought, but she shook her head in determination.

"(Pe---tew)!" Fluttershy sent an insignificant spit on to her hoof and presented it to a sheepish Rainbow. She inspected the spit covered hoof carefully.

After careful observation, Rainbow nodded in general approval. She looked up to Fluttershy and their hooves met with a soft smack. "That'll do... for now. We got a deal! Ya really gotta hock it up next time, okay? "

"O-Okay... Um, Thank you Rainbow, really." Fluttershy said gratefully. Her body stopped shaking and she smiled in thanks. Rainbow looked at her friend smiling and patted her shoulder reassuringly. She quickly glanced along the side windows, around them pegasai flew by shouting cat calls and banged the bus violently with their wings.

"Welcome to Flight Camp, Small Flies!" many chuckled out as they passed the bus. The young fillies and colts fell into a silence as the larger ponies grinning and looked at them like just another meal. The bus came to an abrupt stop in front of the rows of buildings and the bus driver opened the door. No one got up. Fear had frozen them all into place.

"Alright you little foals! Dormitories! get on out!" The bus driver ordered loudly as he directed them out the door. The foals hearing the urgency in his voice began to plop down and run towards the door. Soon many started to follow and even small cheers of courage came from the crowd as the bus slowly began to empty. Rainbow bounced off seat and started running for the exit.

This is it! time to show your stuff Rainbow! between you and Fluttershy... Fluttershy?

She stopped and looked back. Fluttershy sat still frozen to her chair and she was breathing haphazardly in panic.

"Come on Shy! let's go!" Rainbow yelled out as she waved her hoof towards her. Fluttershy looked at her in dismay and shook her head, unable to speak. Rainbow started back to the seat. She pushed through the stampede of ponies and dodged many hooves that unintentionally and intentionally, tried to hit their mark. When she reached Fluttershy she put out her hoof in front of her. Fluttershy looked at it questioningly.

"Don't leave me hanging now!" Rainbow yelled above the loud clamor of the other ponies. Fluttershy looked at Rainbow's hoof and clasped on to it and together they started towards the door. Fluttershy ran as fast as she could but stumbled. Rainbow lifted her up and looked into her eyes.

"Don't worry! I got you!" Rainbow held tightly as she guided them among a sea of ponies larger than both of them.

All around boorish comments seemed to come out from the crowd again.

"Get in line! Foggy!"
"I aint no cloud for you to push!"
"You can start cleaning the bus after we are gone!"

Rainbow ignored them and shoved along to the front. Just as the door was in reach bus driver glared at Rainbow but suddenly looked at Fluttershy with amazement,

"Fluttershy? is this wisp-raff bothering you?" the bus driver looking at the two ponies holding hooves.

Rainbow turned around facing the bus driver in anger, "wisp-raff?"

"No sir! she is not bothering me!" Fluttershy yelled out to the driver.

"Oh! well its very nice of you to take care of the less-fortunate, very Central courteous... but it isn't required." the bus driver ensured as he shot a disapproving glare at Rainbow. "You never know if they'll take advantage of you."

Rainbow continued to listen in disbelief.

"S-She's my friend!" Fluttershy shouted at the driver as she looked at Rainbow.

"Of course, of course... but lets not give her too much hope now. I know you feel sorry for them." the bus driver insisted. Fluttershy looked at Rainbow holding her breath in uncertainty.

Rainbow fell into a shock as she looked at Fluttershy, "So that's it? That's why you were being nice to me? because you felt sorry?!"

Fluttershy's tried to speak but her voice couldn't carry across the crowd. She shook her head dismissing the claim.

"Don't talk to her like that!.... you're lucky that shes even talking to the likes of you!" The bus driver loomed over Rainbow.

"Why did I even bother..." Rainbow mumbled to herself. She looked at Fluttershy in hurt and threw her hoof away and ran out of the bus.

"Rainbow! Wait!" Fluttershy called out as she ran after her.

Rainbow's lowered her head to hide the small tears of betrayal and busted out of the bus running in the general direction of everypony else. Her heart ached as thoughts rushed into her mind.

How didn't I see it? her perfectly preened wings, smooth silk coat, and those beautifully curved eye lashes. Shes just another one of those Central ponies. Just another one of those damn.. Central-

----------THUD----------

Rainbow ran into something firm and fell back to the ground. She looked up to a towering black-coated colt.

"Watch where you are going, factory pony!" the colt glared at her menacingly with his wings extended.

She stood up stepping back slightly in fear. But quickly stepped forward in defiance as she glared back at the colt, "I aint scared of you!... you... Central Ass!"

"What... did you call me?" The colt came closer as he began to put his hooves together tensely.

"You heard me.... I called you a stinkin', no good, Central Ass!" Rainbow shouted loudly with the faintest wells of tears in her eyes.

With a sudden blur of black the colt threw a hoof right at Rainbow's face.

---------------POW----------------

Rainbow fell hard on the ground in a daze and her vision began to blacken. But she gritted her teeth and lifted herself off the ground and put her hooves up, ready for a fight.

"Aw come on! Afraid to really hit a filly?!" Rainbow mocked as she swayed to and fro.

A small crowd gathered around the two ponies as chanting echoed around them,

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"You just don't know when to quit... do you?" the Colt chuckled as he approached slowly ready to pounce.

"Never." Rainbow whispered as she charged to him as fast as she could. She arched her hoof in preparation to strike.

The colt dashed effortlessly and hoofed violently into her gut. Rainbow let out a gasp of air as she collapsed to the ground. She tried to get up but the colt gave her hard a kick to the face and she crashed down into the ground.

He started walking away as she heard him mutter, "Stinkin' Factory Gutter pony..."

The world began to spin around her as the edges of her vision slowly darkened. Laughing echoed around her as the cloud began to disperse. The world was blurry and she would soon fall out of consciousness.

"Rainbow?!" A distant sound echoed as saw a yellow blur come close. It was Fluttershy.

"Rainbow!? Get up!! Someone help us!" Fluttershy yelled loudly. It was louder than Rainbow had ever heard her speak since she met her.

"Why should we? just let her be!" A voice echoed in the distance.

"Shut up!! Get me the damn doctor!" Fluttershy yelled in frustrated rage as she held Rainbow's head with her hooves.

Rainbow looked up in disbelief at what she saw. She felt tears flowing from her eyes as her vision finally gave way to darkness.

*******

A wonderful aroma enveloped Rainbow's nose as her mother opened the door their grey cloud home.

"Oh! Mom! you made dandelions soup!?" Rainbow screeched in excitement.

"Yep, just for your special day!" Her mother spoke warmly as she nuzzled her little filly.

Rainbow sat down on their old dusty dinner table. The table-cloth her mother laid out matched her mane. No doubt she had spent some time at one of the rainbow water canals to make it for her. The old house was dimly lit and the window let in some light that wasn't blocked by the heavy mist.

The two sat down as they started to spoon the thin broth with a meager assortment of vegetables. There were two yellow dandelions for Rainbow, one for mother, and one for Dad. But dad rarely came home on time for Rainbow to see him. He often worked all day and spends much of his late nights at a Cider Bar a couple blocks down. Her mother took care of most of the necessities and stayed home to take care of Rainbow. Mama used to tell Rainbow that Dad wasn't always like this. But Rainbow could never really believe her. To Rainbow, Dad was always drunk on cider and didn't really care of Rainbow or Mom.

"Mmmm, Mom, this is the best!" Rainbow gleefully scarfed down the broth. In less than ten seconds her bowl as empty. Rainbow looked at it in disappointment.

Her mother looked at her daughter with a saddened heart. She lifted her bowl and put it in front of Rainbow.

"NO! Mom! you have to eat too!" Rainbow insisted as she tried to push the bowl back.

"Just take it. Its okay..." She put Rainbow's hoof on the bowl.

Rainbow looked at her mother in introspection. The years had taken their toll on the once beautiful mare. Her once bright eyes, had dark bags under them and her rib bones protruded on her dull coat. But still small glimmers of a radiant past showed on her weathered face.

Rainbow jumped over and hugged her tightly, "Thanks Mommy..."

"Ohh, stop that Dashie, don't make Momma cry..." The mare spoke as lifted the little fillies head to see her mother warmly smiling. Rainbow ate everything in the bowl down to the last drop.

The day faded into night and Rainbow gleefully gave recounts to her mother of her great adventures for the day and her plans to impress all the ponies at Flight Camp. Her mother would laugh and cheer, always encouraging Rainbow. It was the same as many of the other nights. But this was a special night as it would be a while before Rainbow could see her mother again.

As the night wore on Rainbow began to get sleepy. She began to doze off as her mother brushed her mane gently as they tried to look to see the stars out in the their small window. Her mother picked her up and brought her to her little bed in the only bedroom they had. On the walls old wrinkled Wonderbolt posters hung barely held by rusty nails. Wonderbolt figurines missing various accessories and even limbs, laid on Rainbow's desk of cardboard boxes. Her mother tucked her in into the soft bed and covered her with a sheet of cloud. Rainbow looked up at her mother and smiled graciously.

Her mother sat beside her and brushed her mane softly and before she fell asleep whispered a single question, "Little Dashie, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"When I grow up I wanna be a rock star, become a Wonderbolt, and be the best flyer in Equestria..." She mumbled softly as she fell deep into sleep.

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