I am a Pegasus
My mission is to soar,
Through the reigns of honor,
And wings of courage,
I am a citizen of Cloudsdale.
Keeper of its wind.
Authority of its skies.
I am a Wing-Pony,
I will never leave a pony behind,
Together we weather the storm,
These promises I must keep,
I am a Pegasus.
and I was born to Fly.

-The Flight Camp Creed

Along a wide expansive cloud platform a group of pegasai gathered from the direction of the dorms. A red mare stood vigil near the edge of the platform. Past the edge the cloud dropped off into a massive expanse of empty blue sky. Further along the horizon a distant storm of billowing black clouds rumbled.

"ATTENTION!" A shrill bark came from the red coated mare.

The procession of young pegasai held their bodies rigid and wings flared open in a long line. Their eyes held forward and their muzzles lifted to the sky. The red mare walked down the line meticulously looking at each pony in the group. She stopped at one of the fillies and roughly adjusted her wings to the proper 'Flight' prose. Near the very end of the line Fluttershy and Rainbow stood together. She stopped at the middle of the line and faced them.

"I am a Pegasus!" The mare yelled out as she cocked her ear toward's the group in expectancy.

"My mission is to Soar!" a myriad of voices answered back in unison.

"For two years! That was your mission! For two years you have been battered, bruised, and broken! And yet all of you are small flies!, Cloud puffs!, bucking raindrops!" Her eyes burned through the ponies eyes like hot fire. She grinned and pointed a the looming grey mass in front of them, "You see that storm?" the mare pointed at the billowing black clouds , a crackle and a flash of hot white lighting pierced the sky and careened towards the ground.

"That beauty... was made especially for you today! Through the reigns of honor and the wings of courage, today! you will defeat this storm! Today, you will soar! or you will stall!" the mare continued as she glared at the recruits.

"You will be it's keeper! its authority! but it cannot be done alone! Together... you will weather this storm." the mare stopped at a small green pegasus in the middle of the line. The colt continued to look forward as his mouth quivered and his feathers shook in a ruffled fury.

"Small fly! what is the golden rule!?" the red mare came muzzle to muzzle with the colt. Her fierce crimson eyes sent licks of flamed fear into the shaking colt.

"Nev...Neeev..nevvv" The colt stuttered along as his legs started to buckle under the instructor's pressure. The colt fell over and cowered as soft whimpers came out of his mouth. Just as the mare was about to yell a voice came from further down the line.

"Never leave a pony behind, ma'am!' Rainbow shouted out with pride as her eyes focused on the gathering tempest. The mare looked up and started towards Rainbow until she was muzzle to muzzle with her.

"That's right Crash! NEVER leave a pony behind! ever! Your one glorious crashing example! Even when everyone else left you to the gutter. I still took the time to keep your sorry flank and make you into a half-decent flyer!"

"Yes ma'am! Thank you ma'am" Rainbow nodded at the gracious affirmation.

"... Shame that can't be said about your poor choice of a wing-pony." The mare's gaze shifted and looked at the shaking filly next to Rainbow.

"Klutzer! you wouldn't leave a pony behind right?!" Her eyes again sent a fiery demand of confirmation as she towered over Fluttershy muzzle to muzzle.

"Nnn..nn.." Fluttershy started to stutter as she tried to hold back the shaking coming from her knees.

"No she will not ma'am!" Rainbow shouted as she side glanced Fluttershy.

"Oh-hoho?... Well? is that it Klutzer? you letting your marefriend finish your sentences now? After all this time... still letting other ponies hold your hoof?" the mare smirked looking at Fluttershy with distaste. A few small snickers could be heard from within the group as Rainbow clenched her teeth and remained staring forward.

"No ma'am! I would never leave a pony in need!" Fluttershy's voice rose up from her small frame as she looked the instructor with a new light under her teal eyes. The red mare made the slightest nod and broke her gaze from Fluttershy. She came close behind Fluttershy's ear and whispered, "I expect more from you. More than just your... kindness, Klutzer."

Fluttershy held back the urge to sob coming from her chest as she uttered back, " Y-yes ma'am."

The mare stepped back and began to address the group as a whole again. "You and your wing-pony are to go through the designated route through the storm! together in formation! Do not break formation! Now suit up and go!" The mare pointed at the misty tables. On the tables were worn-down trainee goggles. A rush of feathers and hooves surrounded the table and the ponies grabbed ferociously at the goggles. Fluttershy tried to push herself towards the table. But the others closed the gap and she started to go farther away from the table. She reached out her hoof in desperation towards the table, meekly pushing on the group of ponies. The group began to thin out and she finally reached the table only to be greeted with not a single goggle.

"Shy! catch!" Rainbow's voice echoed above her. Fluttershy looked up too late as a pair of goggles hit her in the face.

"Ow!.... thanks!", She quickly grabbed the goggles and fumbled them on to her head. She squinted her eyes and rubbed the lenses with her hoof.

"C'mon Shy! we are lagging!" Rainbow yelled out hovering by the edge of the cloud.

Fluttershy let out a small sigh and furrowed her brow as she started to gallop towards the edge. She started to flap her wings viciously. The distance from the edge grew smaller and Fluttershy gritted her teeth as she looked at Rainbow beckoning her over with a hoof. Small beads of cold sweat appeared as Fluttershy felt her chest beat quickly. The edge dropped away to the clear endless sky and the glimmering water below.

In that moment, she held her breath to the utters silence. Her body moved forward slightly, until the lurching feeling of gravity fell upon her and she felt herself plummeting down. Rainbow grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and lifted her up towards the course. Fluttershy flapped her wings furiously in a attempt to stay afloat. Even with Fluttershy's weight Rainbow barreled down the obstacle course. She passed many of the groups and was mere meters behind the first group. The rolling of thunder and crash of lightning greeted the two and Fluttershy felt the pattering of ice cold rain on her entire body. Her eyes only saw the flashes of light and the blur of blue in front of her. Hard turns and violent bursts of speed and the course was finished in almost a blink of an eye. They both landed on the cloud platform. Rainbow gasped for air loudly in exhaustion. Fluttershy's heart was beating furiously and her eyes saw the darkness closing around the edges of her vision. The echoes of their instructor was the last thing Fluttershy heard.

"All she does it bring you down Crash... that's all she does."

A dull-throbbing soreness coursed along her legs and wings. Her ears heard the pattering of rain on the windows. Fluttershy began to open her eyes as she slowly stretch her wings slowly out, fighting the raw tension that kept them folded. She lifted herself up on the bed brushing her bed-mane with a spare hoof. She was in the dorms, it was almost dusk outside the window. She must have passed out and Dash brought her back. Her eyes blinked sleepily glancing around the room eventually falling on her roommate's bed.

A tattered slew of pillows and blankets rested on the bed, which lazily poured over onto the ground. The surrounding floor was littered with various editions of The Flying Pegasus and little bowls and cups stacked along the base of the bed. The walls were haphazardly plastered with old and new Wonderbolt posters. A shelf above the bed shown of more magazines and was lined with small Wonderbolt action figures. They were worn out and some of the paint had faded off from heavy use.

Fluttershy's ears perked up to the sound of a shower curtain shifting and the eager humming of a pony in the bathroom. She glanced towards a magazine half-opened and laying on the bed beside her, she picked it up and began to quietly flip through the pages. The bathroom door opened with a resounding bang, causing Fluttershy to jump and yelp in surprise.

"Oops! Did I wake you? My bad." Rainbow apologized as she ran a towel through her damp mane.

"It's alright, I was awake." Fluttershy lowered back down on the bed and released the newly crumpled pages on the magazine from her tight clutch. She frowned and tried to flatten them with her hooves.

"Ugh, again with Feather and Fashion, Shy?" Rainbow looked at the cover of the magazine in dismay as she ran the towel along her prismatic mane and carefully started to dry her wings.

"Its not that bad.. you should look at it sometimes!- that is, if you want to. Its just so pretty to look at. I kinda wish I could wear some of these dresses... And even some of these dresses would look great on you! Like this one! It would so match you mane!" Fluttershy pointed her hoof at one of the myriad of dresses in the magazine as she lifted the magazine towards Rainbow.

Rainbow shook her head in disapproval and waved off the comment, "Pffft... No way! Since when does Rainbow Dash wear a dress? C'mon my coolness factor would just fall to the ground! and plus I think anything would match my mane... I mean its a rainbow! That's how matching works right?... you gotta have the same color or something?" Rainbow tossed the small towel on her side of the room relatively uninterested. She took a small leap and propelled herself up with a strong flap of her wings and fell on her back on her bed. She crossed her hind legs and put her hooves behind her head and closed her eyes.

"No! its more complicated-... (sigh) Well...um. I think you would look 'cool' in a dress." Fluttershy muttered silently as she gently turned another page.

Soft flashes of light and a low rumble echoed out in the distant clouds. Fluttershy's head lowered as she nervously flicked another page. She let out a soft sigh as tried to stretch her wings out without causing another surge of pain. A small yelp escaped her mouth in failure. Rainbow blinked open her eyes and turned towards Fluttershy.

"Shy? you gotta keep pushing yourself out there. You've been slacking ever since- "

"(Sigh) This again? I know... I know. It's just... I don't know." Fluttershy interrupted as she closed the magazine with the slightest hint of frustration and carefully placed it on her dresser in a neat pile with her other magazines.

"You don't know?! what the hay don't you know? You just gotta keep your head in the clouds! Its easy!" Rainbow stood up on her bed and pointed towards the faux-sky ceiling in a dramatic pose.

"Hm.. you definitely had your 'head in the clouds' during our Equestria Geography test." Fluttershy remarked with a grimace

"Oh puh-leez! The only places I need to remember is how to get back to our room and the Flight Camp's mess hall! Man they have the best dandelion fries! Yep, the clouds baby! that's all I need." Rainbow waved off Fluttershy's mocking as she fell on her bed again, eyes closed and a smirk of confidence on her face.

"There is more out there than just clouds." Fluttershy refuted as she turned away from Rainbow in disinterest and began brushing her coat and mane with a large brush.

Rainbow said nothing as her eyes fell on the butterflies that Fluttershy was brushing on her flank. There was a moment of silence as Rainbow lost herself to the slow strokes of Fluttershy's brush along her coat. She felt her ears tingle and she felt her heart through her chest. Rainbow shifted her eyes away tightening her jaw as she looked towards the clouds and prismatic lightning that was on her flank. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts and jumped out of bed.

"Shy... I'm being serious. I want you to make it. You are not going to make it here if you don't start trying harder! I need you to be with me on this. I need you to care about flying!" Rainbow looked at her friend with a solemness in her eyes.

Fluttershy sighed loudly and turned to her friend in irritation "I AM serious! It's not all sky in the world! There is more to it than this... this stupid flying around!"

"Stupid flying around?... so what are those wings for?! just to doll up with your little flowers and dresses?! Shy... Flying... its EVERYTHING to me! Because I am a Pegasus! and so are you! Ever since that... fall... you've changed." Rainbow exclaimed as her eyes glinted of anger.

"And what? I've changed... and you never do! You're so stupid!" Fluttershy yelled as she gave Rainbow a shove. Rainbow fell down to the floor. Fluttershy gasped in shock as the words escaped her mouth, "I'm... sorry." Rainbow's eyes glistened as she continued to glare at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy's eyes were stained with tears and she trembled in defeat, "I'm sorry... But lets face it... I have been nothing but trouble for you since we got here. I just keep bringing you down. But... I found where I belong Rainbow...down there. Not here. I was happier there. That moment Dash... it was the happiest moment of my life." Fluttershy's confession made her weak in her knees and she collapsed on the floor next to Rainbow.

"Happier... than with me?" Rainbow asked sternly. Their eyes met together, Fluttershy broke their gaze and began to walk towards the door.

Rainbow gritted her teeth and hissed, "Wait!" Fluttershy stopped at the open door and turn to face her glaring eyes.

"One time I promised... we would be friends for life. I guess I was the only one that made that promise.. " Rainbow's voice cracked as tears streaked down her cheek. But her betrayed glare remained.

The door closed softly behind her.

********

Author's Note

It took a year... but I'm here to finish what I started.