Rainbow Factory

The Test [Part 2]

Many, like Orion, shielded their eyes with their wings, as others like Scootaloo could only watch, terrified, as the blur of yellow, green, and red plummeted into a cloud with a dull ‘thump’. Wasting no time, the instructor walked forwards again as the three judges simply pointed down and started shuffling papers around. Speaking loudly, as if nothing had happened, he called out again. “Daisy Fields. Clear, fly, fall, complete.”

Scootaloo and Orion stared slack-jawed, as another pony gulped, then walked forwards onto the path and took off. They turned back to the tuft on the cloud where Aurora landed and stared. As the wind blew the fragments that were thrown up from the collision away, they saw the shivering yellow body attempt to move, only to collapse with a cry.

“Faraday Spots. Clear, fly, fall, complete.” Aurora still struggled to walk, wailing with every step. Her legs weren’t broken, she could use them fine, but it was obvious the pain from her wing joints and the loss of her potential life was crushing her. Scootaloo felt Orion shuffled uneasily, tears welling in his eyes as a frown formed on his face.

"Holiday Shine. Clear, fly, fall, complete.”

“No one’s coming to help her,” Orion seethed through closed teeth. Scootaloo felt extremely sad for the yellow Pegasus, but couldn’t see herself helping her. She would be failed herself and sent away, far away from Cloudsdale and any familiar place on Equestria, to a place where she and any other failed students could never stain Cloudsdale’s reputation. It was a terrible shame, but Scootaloo couldn’t fail herself. She couldn’t fail her friends, and she definitely couldn’t fail Rainbow Dash. Not after the care and help she had given her Scootaloo’s whole life. Scootaloo blinked the tears from her eyes, and forced herself to watch the competing students. One after another took off, successfully passed the test, and flew to the east gate, under the judges’ spot in the stands. That’s all Scootaloo focused on. Pass the test. Fly to the gate. Live a happy life.

“Orion Solstice. Clear, fly, fall, complete.”

“...No.”

“What?” The instructor took a step back, one leg left raised in the air. “You can’t just refuse your flight test. Get out there before you piss the judges off.”

“No. D-Don’t even pretend you care about my future if you don’t care about hers,” Orion defied, unsure about himself. “You say you want me to get a good life, and yet you let those that fail suffer unbearable pain.”

“Get the fuck onto that field before I fail you myself,” the instructor shouted menacingly.

“Fine,” Orion spoke sharply before walking onto the ramp. He stared at the Judges, waited for the individual nods, and the second they came he took off. However, long before the starting altitude, he turned sharply and landed gently next to Aurora.

She turned and looked at him, blood running down her forehead and sides, and tears streamed down her face. “Wh... What are you doing? You’ll fail like me. You’ll be exiled.”

“I’d rather be exiled from a place that treats ponies like this than live my life while other’s don’t live theirs.” Aurora smiled, happiness briefly replacing her sadness in her blackened, puffy eyes, until she stumbled again and intense pain flashed across her body. Orion leaned in close, using his wing to brace the yellow pony against himself. He stared up at the judges, beaming hate with his vision. They stared down, unaffected, and simply pointed down, before looking back towards the ramp for the next contestant.

Scootaloo stood shocked, hardly hearing her name called. She moved numbly up the ramp, never taking her eyes off her friend and the pony who sacrificed himself to help. After a brief moment, she shook her head, recovered her thoughts, and looked to the judges. Thoughts passed through her head as she watched them all nod. Oh, Celestia. What do I do? I can’t let everyone I know down... but, I’ll never see Orion again... I suppose... I hope he knew that risk when he did that. I’m sure he’s thinking the same right now.

She glanced at Orion. He wasn’t looking at her. She took off, heartbroken. Instinct kicked in as the familiar rush of wind cooled her and blew her thoughts away. She stopped at the right altitude, and then launched again, sensing and seeing every cloud, formulating a game plan. In a matter of a couple dozen seconds, the sky was clear.

She did a quick loop in mid-flight, aiming at the first hoop. With a powerful flash of her wings, she propelled forward through the first ring. And then the second, and the third, expertly turning and drifting. She curved in towards the second last ring, near the bottom of the field. As she descended, she caught sight of Orion and Aurora, almost at the west gate now. Orion turned his head and smiled weakly. Scootaloo’s focus shattered. Orion knew what he did. He cared about her. He’d miss her, and he’d never get to say goodbye.