Chapter 26: Lucky the Showoff
It was August first when Lucky graduated from flight camp. She was the 5th best at flying. Lucky considered herself to be the best only because she tied with her cousin the first day of camp, she thought she should have been first. Twilight and all the others were there for her graduation. Twilight had cast the cloud walking spell again on the non pegasi. Lucky was in the middle of the roll call for getting their flight camp diplomas. Lucky trotted proudly to her parents with her diploma in her mouth. She dropped it on Rainbow's lap. "I did it mama! I graduated flight school!" Rainbow grinned, "That's my girl. Did you get first in class like me?" At that question, Lucky's proud look went away.
"Uh-oh. That's not a happy face. What did you get?" Lucky said extremely quietly, "5th." They all looked at each other questioningly. "What was that sugarcube?", Applejack asked. Lucky turned her head away from them. "5th.", she said just a tad bit louder, but still not enough to be heard. Twilight then said, "Just tell us Lucky. We're not going to be disappointed." Lucky sighed and looked at them, a little ticked. "I got 5th in the class ok?! I should have been first, I tied with my 16 year old cousin the first day of flight camp, that should have counted for something!" They all looked at each other, then back at Lucky, who had tears in her eyes.
She was mad, mad at herself for not trying hard enough to be the first, mad at the 4 who were the first four before her, which were Comet at 4th, Cherry Blossom at 3rd, Thunder Storms at 2nd and Flash at 1st. She should have done what she did during her race, pushed herself to be first. "Oh Lucky. Don't be discouraged dear. You did your best, and that's what counts.", Rarity said. Lucky just shook her head. "No, I didn't. I didn't do my best. I should have done my most excellentest. I tried, but it wasn't enough. I couldn't beat the four in front of me. I came in 5th, that's probably worse than Aunt Fluttershy did even."
Fluttershy just said, "Actually, that's better than I did. Actually, I didn't even finish flight camp. During Rainbow's race against the two boys who called me 'Klutzershy', they flew by me so fast they literally knocked me off my cloud and I fell to the ground. After I saw all the wonders of the ground and what it had to offer, all the butterflies, the squirrels, the bunnies, I didn't want to leave. I stayed there and so I never finished flight camp. Though if I did, I probably would have been last in my class. That's only because I was a weak flier back then, and I still am not that strong of a flier now, although I've gotten better."
"Oh great. Least I did better than Aunt Fluttershy.", Lucky said sarcastically. The older mares gave her a look, "Lucky! That's not nice. Just be happy you didn't come in last. You got 5th, that's better than the rest of your class.", Pinkie said. Twilight nodded, "Now tell Fluttershy you're sorry. That wasn't really nice." Lucky had a pouty face, but apologized. Fluttershy just smiled and waved it off. At Lucky's insistence, they left the graduation early. "How about we go to Sugar Cube Corner? Maybe something sweet will cheer you up.", Pinkie said. Lucky just shrugged. She didn't care. So that's where they went. Lucky flew down with Rainbow and Fluttershy.
"Well, at least you can fly like the rest of us now, right?", Rainbow said. Lucky just kept silent, still peeved a little. Rainbow just looked sad for her little filly. She looked over to the balloon, where Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight were. She was actually looking at Applejack. Applejack knew what Rainbow was thinking, she just shrugged, as if to say, 'Hey, what can ya do?'. They got down to Sugar Cube Corner and went inside, where Twilight's family was. This day was their last day. "Mom, dad, I would like you to meet the Princess of Ponyville. Princess Lucky." They all turned around, smiled at Lucky, then bowed, Cadance and Armor knew to bow whenever they see the Princess, even if they already met her.
"Hello Princess, how do you do?", Twilight's mother said. Lucky bowed back to them. "Not really too happy right now.", Lucky replied. They all stood back up. "How come?", Twilight's father asked. Lucky just pouted, sat down, and crossed her forelegs. "She's upset because she didn't get first in flight camp.", Applejack said. "Ooooohhhh. Well, getting first isn't always everything. I didn't get first in my class either. I was in a school for magic, and I only got 3rd.", Shining Armor said. Lucky groaned. "Well I got 5th in my flight camp." Cadance said, "Well that's not too bad. Definitely better than me when I first started out. When I was in fight camp, I only got 6th."
Lucky raised an eyebrow, she knows Cadance is telling the truth, she can feel it. She's just surprised Cadance was one rank down from her. "Wow, well you wouldn't know it now." Cadance nodded, "That's because I practiced a bunch more and I got better." Lucky thought. Well, yeah. Makes sense because she just remembered what her parents always told her; practice makes perfect. Lucky grinned, she'll just have to practice. Well, she can already do many awesome things now. "I'm going out to practice, actually, I'll show y'all what I can do. C'mon!" Everypony grinned as well and followed her outside.
Lucky took off into the skies, then she did a series of complicated tricks that only Rainbow that she knew of could do. She always practiced these moves and she almost got them down too. She just needed more practice, and she though for sure she'd get first, but Flash got first and she ended up with 5th. She did a slalom course then she did a bunch of flips and loop-de-loops and all that jazz. Everypony was amazed. When she touched down, she was all, "See? The looks on your faces, that should have said it all, but I got 5th. Not fair right?" They weren't sure only because they didn't see the other four's moves.
"I dunno Lucky, we'll have to see the other four foal's moves, then we could judge.", Pinkie said. Lucky then got an idea. "How about a race much like Fire Dancer and I did? I know you guys watched me, I could hear Rainbow-mama." Rainbow grinned, she actually did hear her. "Dunno what she said, but I just heard a small voice. The wind whistling in my ears didn't really help at all." The others all giggled/chuckled. "Well, I guess that's a good idea. We'll have to see if the other foals will agree to it.", said Twilight's father.
"Oh trust me, they'll agree. Especially Flash and Thunder Storms. A filly named Wishful Comet and another filly named Cherry Blossom were also in the top 5 of the class with me." "Cherry Blossom? Ain't that Ms Jubilee's daughter?", Applejack asked. "I think... does Ms Jubilee have a cherry orchard?", Lucky asked. Applejack nodded. "Then yes, I believe that might be her daughter." "Well I'll be. I worked for Blossom's mother some time ago, and now my filly went to camp with my boss' daughter. Was she nice?" Lucky smiled, "Yeah, Blossom's really nice. She told me all about her mom's orchard and everything. Just not the fact you worked under Ms Jubilee. She probably didn't know."
"Well yeah. She was at a friend's house the time I stayed there. It was only a weekend that I worked there until these guys came and got me. I worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday and left Monday mornin'. Blossom was ta come back Monday afternoon. I left before I got ta meet her." Lucky looked at Applejack a little scrutinizingly. "Why did you work for a cherry orchard?" Applejack shook her head, "I ain't talkin' 'bout it. Just leave it be." Lucky took a bit before letting the subject go. "Whatever, well, I'll go get the other four foals who came before me.", she took off to the flight camp.
There were a few more foals to be given their diplomas, so she waited, a little impatiently. When everypony got their diplomas, Lucky went up to the four foals who came before her. "Hey guys, wanna do what me and my cousin did the first day of flight camp? I want my family to judge who does best and if I should have gotten better than I did." The four of them looked at each other. Then Rainbow and the others came back to the camp, this time Twilight's family were with them. They got off the balloon and went to Lucky. "Sure, I'll challenge you Princess.", Flash said. Thunder and the other two agreed as well. So Lucky's family and the other foals' families went to the stands, the other ponies just went home.
Lucky and the top four foals of the camp went to the start line. Rainbow went to the cloud with the flag. Rainbow raised the flag, the foals all bent down to start, then Rainbow waved the flag. They took off. Lucky was in second, Flash living up to his name and being extremely fast so it's like he flashes by. Lucky looks disappointed, but then again, she expected that and knows Flash is extremely fast. Thunder isn't too far behind, then there's Comet almost in second, but is just behind Thunder. Blossom is keeping up but is in last. They all then do a series of tricks, the top four foals, of course, did way awesome tricks, compared to Lucky's.
Lucky's family looked at each other concerned for Lucky and her reaction when they tell her they agree with the camp leaders, Flash being first, then Thunder, then Comet, then Blossom, then her. They watch the foals again, Lucky actually doing an awesome move that Rainbow hasn't even taught her yet. "Wow. That was really cool.", Shining Armor said. The others nodded. Then Lucky took on a thoughtful look. Maybe she could create her own signature move. Rainbow has the Sonic Rainboom. She could create her own move. She flew faster, going past Flash, who looked surprised, then he tried to go faster, but he couldn't. He got discouraged, but he still stayed in second.
Lucky looked behind her and grinned, then looked forward. Then she loop-de-looped and then strutted in the air proudly, and then did a complicated flip and spin trick, which was where she flipped then spun right afterwards. Everypony's jaws dropped. They were impressed. When they were finished, Lucky was in first, then Flash, Comet was In third by just a nose, then Thunder and Blossom last. "Did you use that trick when they tested you?", Rainbow asked. "No, I just thought that move up." Pinkie then said, "Well I'm sure that you would definitely have come in first if you did do that move." Lucky grinned. Comet went up to Lucky, not to congratulate her, but to tell her that, "You may be the Princess of Ponyville Lucky, but that won't stop me from saying that you're such a showoff. You may have just done that move, but it's still showing off if you wanted first in the class. If you wanted first, you would have done that move in the first place, not only just now in front of your family."
Then she stalked off with the others. Lucky watched them leave. "What's her issue? I wasn't showing off... was I?" Everypony looked at each other. Was she? They didn't think so... then again, if it was true she wanted to do complicated tricks in front of her family, it would be considered showing off. "Lucky, were you only doing complicated tricks only for us? If you were, then that filly is right. That is showing off.", Rarity said. Lucky thought for a second. "Maybe...", she said quietly. "What was that hon?", Applejack asked. Lucky looked away from them, not saying anything now. "I'll take that as a 'yes'.", Twilight said. Fluttershy takes over now and lectures Lucky.
"Lucky, if you only wanted to show off for us in a race/tricks thing, well... you shouldn't have done that. You saw that filly's reaction to it. If you continue to do that, you'll either lose friends or you won't make any. Showing off isn't the nicest thing to do. It's telling ponies that you think you're better than them, which you're not. Not everypony is perfect. You need to understand that. In the future, please don't do this again, you might not make any friends if you do and that wouldn't be too nice. Having friends is a good thing." Lucky just sighed. "Would you like to write to the Princess about your new lesson in friendship?", Twilight asked.
Lucky shook her head, "Not yet Twilight... I just wanna go home." The others nodded and they left for Ponyville. When they landed, Twilight's family told her they had to leave, and that they had fun visiting and loved meeting the town Princess. Twilight bid them good bye, as well as everypony else and then they left. Applejack, Lucky, and Rainbow left for their home, and the other four as well to their own homes. "Lucky, ya gonna talk or somethin'? Rainbow and I are worried squirt. Since Fluttershy gave ya the lecture, ya been quiet." Lucky just stayed silent, thinking. Applejack looked at Rainbow who looked back at her.
"Family meetin'?" Rainbow nodded, "Yup, family meeting." They got home and went to their apartment. Ever since they got the apartment, they accepted the support they would have gotten when they first adopted her as their own. "Lucky, we want a family meeting. You have to be in it too. You know the rules.", Rainbow said. Lucky froze at the doorway to her room. She sighed, then went over to her mamas. "Lucky, Rainbow and I are worried fer ya. Tell us what's goin on. We wanna help ya." Lucky looked at the both of them.
"I just can't believe I was so foalish, I showed off in front of my family and friends so foalishly, now I lost four friends I made in flight camp, when we had so much fun and I had to be so upset that I got 5th and didn't even think of how it would affect my four friends and then I just had to go and challenge them, but they didn't have to accept, though maybe I would have pressed on with the matter, so they had to accept and then I just had to show off and make them mad at me and not want to be my friends anymore... what's wrong with me?"
Applejack and Rainbow were very surprised all that came out of her in just one breath. Rainbow went to Lucky and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Anypony could have made that mistake. Hay I would have if I didn't perform the Sonic Rainboom in that race." Lucky nodded, knowing her Rainbow-mama would. She wished she hadn't acted so foalishly. "Well Lucky, ya learned yer lesson now, and hopefully in the future you'll remember this experience and not do it again. Wanna write that letter ta the Princess?" Lucky looked at Applejack. "Yeah, I think I can write it now." She went to her room and got a piece of paper and a quill and ink pot and brought them to the table in the kitchen.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
This is Princess Lucky. I learned something about friendship today. I learned that you can't be a show off because you'll lose friends. It's ok to be proud of your abilities, but not so proud you end up showing off and then you won't have any friends. See, I ended up 5th in my class at flight camp, my abilities were very good compared to the others who were behind me. I was upset I got 5th, so I challenged the four who were in front of me. I shouldn't have done that. It ended up in me showing off and them getting mad at me. I should have been proud of what I could do already and not done that. Well, I guess I'll end it there.
Princess Lucky Fire."
Applejack chuckled. "Short but sweet and to the point huh Lucky?" Lucky shrugged, "I guess.", she said, then rolled up her letter. "Hey wait a minute. Isn't this similar to a lesson learned by Twilight when Trixie came to town?", Rainbow asked. Applejack blinked a couple times. "Ah think you're right. It does sound awfully familiar." Lucky grinned, "So Aunt Twilight learned the same thing huh? Just in a different form of showing off?" Applejack nodded, "Trixie boasted about her magical abilities, and Twilight was determined not ta show her up, but when an Ursa Minor rampaged through town, Twilight had no choice but ta show her powers ta make it go back home. Twilight learned the opposite from you."
"Wow. Well, I guess I should give this to Spike so he can send it to the Princess." Applejack nodded. Lucky went off to Spike's, Twilight's, and Pinkie's home in the tree. Along the way she saw Sweetie Belle. She smiled, "Hi Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie looked over and smiled. "Hi Lucky.", she trotted to Lucky. "Just get back from flight camp?" Lucky just nodded. "How'd it go?" Lucky looked down, "I got 5th in my class." Sweetie looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry Lucky." Lucky just shrugged. "It's fine I guess. I'm just on my way to Twilight's to send a letter to the Princess."
"Oh? What's it about?" "I'd rather not say Sweetie." Sweetie nodded and let the subject go. "So, make any friends?" Lucky looked at Sweetie sorrowfully. "Oh... that bad?" Lucky just looked in front of them, they now approach the door to the tree house. Lucky knocked on it. About 15 seconds later, Pinkie opened the door. "Hi Lucky, Sweetie Belle! Come in.", Pinkie said and stood back to let the fillies in. Lucky walked in, her friend behind her. Pinkie shut the door, "Twilight! Lucky's here with what I think is the letter for the Princess on friendship she was going to send." A minute passed and Twilight came from the kitchen, she was doing dishes.
"Hey, that's good to hear. Spike's out right now, but he'll be back any minute." Lucky nodded, and sat down, Sweetie sitting next to her. "So, a lesson in friendship?", Sweetie asked. Lucky nodded. Twilight then said, "Lucky told you she got 5th in her class right?" Sweetie nodded, "Yeah, she told me that... wait a minute. Did you do something to make the other fillies mad at you?" Lucky looked away. "She did something to make the four foals who came before her mad at her. She showed off." Sweetie made an 'ouch' face. "Lucky, that's not good you know. You can lose friends that way."
"I already know that now. It's on this paper I wanna send to the Princess." Sweetie smiled, "Good, hopefully you won't do that again." Lucky shrugged. "You better not young filly. You'll be one lonely little filly if you have no friends for showing off.", Twilight said. Lucky just nodded, then Spike came in. "Hi Princess Lucky, Sweetie." Lucky looked at him, "Hi Spike. Do you mind sending a letter to the Princess for me?" Spike grinned, "I don't mind. It's not a problem at all.", he then took the letter and sent it. "Thanks." Spike smiled in response. They talked for a bit then a letter came back courtesy of Spike. Lucky took it with her magic and unrolled it and read it.
"Dear Princess Lucky,
That almost sounds similar to one of Twilight's past lessons learned, just the opposite. Well, I'm glad that you have learned from your actions and am also glad you're still doing well. Congratulations on graduating the Flight Camp and getting a very good rank in it as well. Remember, you have a meeting with the other Princesses of Equestria here in Canterlot next week. You are preparing for that, right? Well, I'll be seeing you next week.
Princess Celestia."
Lucky facehoofed. "The meeting! I have to prepare!" Lucky then raced off for Town Hall to prepare for the meeting. She's almost finished with preparing, but there's one more thing she has to get done. Her speech as being the Princess of Ponyville. This meeting comes every 20 years, so it's been 20 years since the last one. The mayor watched her Princess race by her office and go to her own office. She goes to Lucky's office. "What's the matter Princess?", the Mayor/Princess' advisor asked.
"I have to finish preparing for the Princess meeting in Canterlot.", Lucky replied. "Oh, that's next week isn't it?" Lucky nodded, "If I didn't learn a lesson in friendship and not write to the Princess, then I never would have remembered or made it there. I have to go to the castle tomorrow after school with my mamas." Mare raised her eyebrows, "You are very lucky Lucky. You definitely live up to your name." Lucky just grinned in response and continued what she was doing. "Well, I'll let you finish what you're doing. Call me if you need help with anything, ok?" Lucky nodded, then she looked over to her 'IN' pile and groaned, there's quite a lot to do today/tonight.
"Mayor, could you call my mamas and let them know I'll be home very late tonight? I really want to catch up on my paperwork. I hope these countries understand I'm still just a filly and I had other filly things to do." The mayor smiled. "I will, and I do hope those countries understand as well." The mayor/Princess advisor left to do as asked. "Ugh, now to finish this and start on the paperwork."