The gumdrop flew, and Ashley flew after it, because he was determined not to let it get away. This was about justice now. Of course, maybe he could have instead found out who'd hit it before it crashed into him, but that wouldn't have been as much fun. Besides, the exercise was to hit the candy, not classmates or anything, so it wouldn't have done any good anyway.
He watched the gumdrop, then decided to try and fly faster than it, to cut it off and hit it back in the direction from which it'd come. He'd gotten the going faster part down, but he hadn't quite realized that once he got ahead, he was going to have to make a sharp turn. Slowing down, he tried to rethink his plan, but the candy was now coming toward him again, and he didn't want to miss it. Instead of turning, he just backhanded the bat, hitting the gumdrop back in the opposite direction. Then he turned and followed it.