Pound Cake catches up to Flurry Heart in the sky. She’s holding Pumpkin Cake over her head with her magic as she continues to fly towards Cloudsdale.

POUNDS: Flurry!

FLURRY: Wow, you catch up fast! Glad you’re joining us, Pounds.

POUNDS: I am not joining you, I’m here to get my sister back, we need to run the shop–

FLURRY: Oh look! There it is!

With Cloudsdale in view, Flurry speeds up. She lands gently on a cloud and lays down, shutting her eyes as Pounds lands beside her, while Pumpkin still hovers above her in the magic aura.

FLURRY: Ohh I’ve never gotten to just lay on a cloud before. These are sooo soft, I could stay here forever. I wonder if I can put these in my room? Make a little cloud bed…cloud couch…ooh, maybe a cloud loveseat!

PUMPKIN: Uhh…Flurry?

FLURRY: Right, sorry!

Flurry’s horn lights up and shoots a spell toward Pumpkin, who falls onto the cloud. Pumpkin stares at her hooves in awe.

FLURRY: That spell lets you walk on the clouds, too.

PUMPKIN: Oh, okay. Nice. When does it wear off?

FLURRY: Hmm…I’m not sure actually. Pounds, keep an eye out in case she falls!

PUMPKIN: What?

FLURRY: Just kidding!

POUNDS: Come on, Flurry, why are we here?

FLURRY: Because…of this!

(She points to a sign a little ways down from them reading, “PARTNERS FLYING COMPETITION: INTERMEDIATE LEVEL”. She giggles.)

I actually didn’t even know that would be here. None of this was planned. I think it’s great, don’t you think it’s great? You can sign up and show off your stuff for the first time!

POUNDS: Intermediate?

FLURRY: Yeah like I said, I didn’t come here with an agenda. It would’ve been great if it was an overachievers flying competition, but that would’ve been wayyy too on the nose. Besides it’s a partners competition, and I’m not the most athletic pony; intermediate is probably the best I can do with you. We can stick around and see if another competition shows up–

POUNDS: Ugh, fine. I’ll sign up. If it gets us out of here sooner…

FLURRY: WHEE! Let’s go! Pumpkin, you coming?

A crowd of little Pegasus fillies and colts have gathered around Pumpkin, staring in awe as she talks to them.

PUMPKIN: And this is a teleportation spell…

(She performs it, disappearing for a short moment and reappearing just a few steps away from the crowd. The little Pegasi cheer. She turns to Pounds and Flurry.)

You go ahead without me.

They nod and fly over to a Pegasus standing beside the sign and holding a clipboard in one wing, Misty Trail.

FLURRY: Hi! I’m Flurry Heart, and this is Pound Cake. We want to–

MISTY: Princess? O-M-Goodness! It is, like, so totally great to have you!

(She bows quickly; it’s more like a dip.)

I’m Misty Trail, top flier in all junior competitions–‘cause obviously I can’t enter any professional competitions yet but, like, I totally would if I could, and, you know, maybe even be top flier there too or whatever.

POUNDS (unimpressed): Sure.

MISTY: Anyway, Princess, I can’t help but notice you’ve never been to Cloudsdale before. What’s up with that?

FLURRY (nervously): Oh, I just sort of uhh…never got around to it. Not that I’m not really allowed to leave the castle or anything. Hee hee…

POUNDS: Flurry, you just called out yourself. You know you just did that to yourself, right?

MISTY: O-kay. Well, what brings you here? And who’s your friend? I haven’t seen you around, either.

POUNDS: Pound Cake. Nice to meet ya.

MISTY: Pound Cake’s a funny name for a Pegasus.

POUNDS: It’s less nice now. Can we just sign up for the competition?

FLURRY: Pounds is a super great, super awesome flier. I figure between his skill and my floppy Alicorn wings, we’ll make a good team. After all, these wings are a lot better in the air than on the ground. You won’t believe how much I trip on them.

POUNDS: I’d believe it.

MISTY: Wait, you wanna sign up for the…for this competition? This one? The one right here?

(She points to the sign.)

FLURRY: Yup.

MISTY: The intermediate fliers competition?

FLURRY: Uh-huh.

A Pegasus that had been lingering in the back, Thunder Strike, turns toward Misty.

THUNDER: Is that the princess?

MISTY: Yeah.

THUNDER: Okay, I’m out.

MISTY: What?!

THUNDER: Listen, I can lose in front of all these regular ponies no problem, but I’m not about to embarrass myself in front of a princess–especially not that princess. She sees Rainbow Dash all the time! I can’t have the Captain of the Wonderbolts hearing about me making a fool out of myself.

MISTY: But you’re my partner!

THUNDER: Not anymore. I don’t need to be doing these silly intermediate competitions with you, I can enter an actual competition. And better yet, I can win it. See ya.

She flies off.

FLURRY: Not to interrupt, but do we put our names on a list or something?

MISTY: Uhh…yes! I mean, you’re all signed up already. But how about I give you a tour before the show starts? After all, this is your first time here.

FLURRY: I’d be down! Can Pound Cake come?

MISTY: Uhh…

FLURRY: Actually, wait.

(She turns to Pounds.)

You should stay with Pumpkin. I really don’t know if that spell wears off.

POUNDS: What–?

MISTY: Right this way, Princess.

FLURRY: Okie dokie!

(She flies after her.)

Cut to Cloudsdale’s weather factory. Flurry is looking around in awe.

FLURRY: Wow, this place is amazing! So many gadgets and buttons. Is it weird I wanna press them? Can I press them?

MISTY: I’d prefer you didn’t, Princess. Everything here is, like, super meticulous. See this ice locker?

(She gestures over to the large container in front of them.)

Without the proper code inputs to open it, it’s, like, basically a vault. We’ve been updating security for years ever since some crazy pony came here and sent Winter down way too early.

FLURRY: That was Aunt Dashie. She didn’t want Tank hibernate. But wasn’t that a really long time ago?

MISTY: Oh yeah, nopony could figure out a way to make something that could secure weather elements from any type of tampering–magical tampering, included– and also properly store the element so it, like, works or whatever. They finally let me take a look at the tech last year, and the problem wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, it wasn’t, like, super easy but that’s math for you.

FLURRY: Wait, you made this?

(She taps the ice locker.)

MISTY: Mm-hmm.

(She walks toward it and inserts her wing into a crevice on the side. She moves it back and forth in a pattern and the door swings open.)

That’s the security code, only Pegasi that work in the factory know it.

FLURRY: Cool!

(She looks inside.)
Huh? Where’s the ice?

MISTY: We don’t make much in the spring so it’s empty right now. It’s still a little cold in there, but you should be fine for a little while.

FLURRY: Okay…wait, what?

Misty pushes Flurry in the locker and shuts the door.

MISTY: Sorry, Princess, but I can’t have you ruining my winning streak. I’ll be back in a few minutes, I swear! And I know you’re gonna be mad but can we just, like, be cool about this? It’s not personal.

FLURRY: What? Cool about what?! Misty!

(She sighs.)

In retrospect, I probably should’ve seen this coming. She took me on a tour just to show me a vault, that foreshadowing should’ve smacked me in the face! My premonition training is really not paying off.

Flashback. Flurry is trying to meditate beside Zecora at her place in the Everfree forest.

FLURRY: I’m not seeing anything, Zecora.

ZECORA: Shh…focus on your instinct and leave the present behind. Allow your sixth sense to come alive, letting the future show itself to you, revealing itself before your eyes.

Flurry tries again, keeping her eyes shut. She shakes her head.

FLURRY: Yeah, the future looks a whole lot like nothing.

Cut back.

FLURRY: Welp, time to zap on out of here.

(Her horn lights up as she casts a teleportation spell, but she stays where she is. She blinks in confusion and tries again. She groans in frustration.)

This isn’t working. Why is there a magic blocker in an ice locker?!

(She giggles.)

Heehee. I’m a poet and I didn’t even know it!

(She shakes her head.)

Okay, get yourself together, Flurry. It’s freezing in here and Pounds needs his flight partner. Maybe there’s a way I can get my magic to extend out of here.

She shuts her eyes and strains. The magic from her horn shoots out, making its way through the crevice Misty inserted her wing in and bouncing out of the locker. Outside, it bounces against another weather contraption and back toward the locker, engulfing it in Flurry’s aura. The entire locker teleports, magically reappearing somewhere in the sky. It starts to fall. Flurry clings to the back wall as she descends.

FLURRY: AHH! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

Meanwhile, Misty lands back beside the competition sign.

MISTY: Has anyone seen Thunder Strike?

Pounds notices her return.

POUNDS: Hold on a second. If you’re back, where’s Flurry?

They all turn to look as the locker whooshes down past them, Flurry’s scream trailing with it. Misty shrieks.

MISTY: NO! Ohh, this isn’t good.

(She turns to Pounds.)
You have to stop that thing! The princess is in there!

POUNDS: What? Why?!

MISTY: I-I panicked and made a dumb mistake. Please, you have to go help her!

POUNDS: I thought you were supposed to be the best flier.

Pumpkin runs up to them, there’s a little pegasus foal still clinging to her mane from earlier.

PUMPKIN: For the love of Celestia, Pound Cake, just go get her!

Pounds takes off. Pumpkin looks up at the foal on her head.

PUMPKIN: Also, does anyone know who’s kid this is?

Pounds catches up to the locker in a swift whoosh.

MISTY: Wow, he’s, like, really fast.

Pounds flies under it and groans as he pulls it up, just nearly stopping it from crashing on the ground. He lands it gently and wipes his forehead.

POUNDS: Phew.

Misty flies down a few moments later. She inserts her wing back into the crevice and the door swings open. Flurry topples out, dazed.

FLURRY: Wh-whoa…

She trips and spins. Pounds catches her.

POUNDS: I gotcha.

FLURRY: Thanks, Pounds.

Pumpkin’s voice is heard off-screen.

PUMPKIN (off-screen): I’m here! I’m here!

She’s being carried down by a familiar cross-eyed Pegasus. Ditzy (Derpy) brings her to the ground.

DITZY (DERPY): Thanks for watching Time Muffin for me after she wandered off. You’ve got a good heart, Pumpkin Cake.

(She leaves with the foal that had previously been attached to Pumpkin.)

PUMPKIN (calling out): Of course, anytime!

POUNDS: Time Muffin?

MISTY (to Flurry): I’m so sorry, Princess. I never meant for this to happen. I don’t even know what I was thinking I just, like snapped.

POUNDS: The baby was named Time Muffin. Did anybody else pick up on the baby being named Time Muffin?

FLURRY (to Misty): I just wanna know why. I don’t even know you.

MISTY: I know, I know. Let me try to explain.

(As she speaks, flashbacks are shown.)

My parents, Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger, were both Wonderbolts. That is, until Mom died in a freak accident a few years back. Mom was Dad’s everything, she had been his right-wing pony since they were foals. When she died, he gave up his place as a Wonderbolt and hid away, I hardly even recognized him anymore. And here I was, my mom’s spitting image, the only one who could carry on her legacy while Dad got worse every day, and I couldn’t be less like her. Before she died, she gave me this.

(She gestures to the Wonderbolt pin on her headband.)

I’ve worn it ever since, hoping it might make me even a little bit like her.

(She sighs.)

Thunder Strike told me not that long ago that the other young Pegasi my age had been purposely losing in competitions to me ever since Mom died. She said she wasn’t gonna play along anymore but I asked her if she could…for just a little bit longer. She agreed, until she saw you today. She said she wouldn’t fly with me if you were there, and I’m not confident enough to fly by myself even if I know the competition’s rigged. So, I panicked, I didn’t want to forfeit the competition. I didn’t wanna let Mom down. I know that’s wrong, and she wouldn’t have wanted me to end up like this. And this whole time I was so caught up in thinking you were a threat, I didn’t even realize that Pound Cake was the real competition here.

POUNDS: Sounds about right.

MISTY: I’m really sorry, Princess.

Flurry sighs, but smiles.

FLURRY: I mean, you could definitely use a friendship lesson, but I don’t think I’m as qualified as my aunt to give those out. It’s okay, Misty, I forgive you.

MISTY: You really do?

FLURRY: Well, sure. We all make mistakes. When I was a foal, I destroyed my empire’s source of light and love which keeps the place from becoming instantly plunged in in an icy wasteland. Ha.

MISTY: Oh.
(She smiles.)
Thank you, Princess.

FLURRY: Just call me Flurry.

There’s the sound of hoof-steps. Several royal guards come into view in the distance.

ROYAL GUARD: You ponies! Over there!

Flurry tenses and gasps.

FLURRY: AH! I’ll be right back.

(She teleports away.)

The guards approach.

ROYAL GUARD: Good evening fillies, gentlecolt. We’ve heard word Princess Flurry Heart might’ve passed through these parts. Have you seen her?

PUMPKIN: Umm…no, sir. Is she okay?

ROYAL GUARD: Princess Twilight Sparkle is looking for her. Apparently she’s disappeared just before the eve of her coronation. You kids make sure to let us know if you see her, okay?

POUNDS: Will do!

PUMPKIN: Of course!

MISTY: Sounds good!

POUNDS, PUMPKIN, and MISTY (waving awkwardly): Byeeeee….

The guards walk away. A few moments later, Flurry reappears behind a bush.

FLURRY: Are they gone?

MISTY: I’m starting to think the whole “not being allowed to leave the castle” thing might’ve been for real.

FLURRY: Sorta.

PUMPKIN: Flurry, you can’t just leave your home without saying anything. Your aunt is probably worried about you.

FLURRY: I know, I know. It’s just…my coronation is tomorrow and I…I’m not ready! I-I don’t even have any friends yet! How am I expected to become as great a ruler as my aunt, the Princess of Friendship, when I don’t even have a single one! Not to mention succeeding my Mom. She was the Princess of Love, everypony in the Crystal Empire loved her as much as she loved them and I can never replace that!

(She sighs, outstretching her wings and turning around.)

But you’re right.. I should never have left like that. I guess I’ll see you guys around.

POUNDS: Wait hold on, Flurry.

She stops, turning back to see Misty, Pumpkin, and Pounds walking towards her.

POUNDS: Where are you going without your friends?

~STARRING~

Princess Flurry Heart: Princess Flurry Heart: The daughter of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor and Princess Twilight Sparkle’s niece. An Alicorn.

Pound Cake: The son of Mr. and Mrs. Cake and Pumpkin Cake’s brother. A Pegasus.

Pumpkin Cake The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cake and Pound Cake’s sister. A Unicorn.

Misty Trail: The daughter of Misty Trail and Sky Stinger. A Pegasus.

Thunder Strike: The daughter of Spitfire and Soarin. A Pegasus.