Fluttershy, looking over the head of Rainbow Dash, stared into the forest of bright colored flowers and trees in full bloom. The birds were chirping warmly as each gust of cool wind caressed their feathers. It was a very hot day, and the sunlight scorched and sizzled her fur as she sat on the patio of her cottage.
She vaguely heard a voice catch her attention as she thought of her childhood memories. Most were not very pleasant. In fact, only a few were not atrocious. She could not recollect most memories, or why she was thinking of her childhood at all...
"Fluttershy... Fluttershy, are you even listening!?... FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow Dash impatiently yelled at her, obviously intolerant of Fluttershy's day dreaming.
Instantly shocked, Fluttershy shrieked, realized Rainbow Dash was watching her, and lowered her head, apologetically saying, "Sorry Rainbow Dash, what were you saying?"
Rainbow sighed, annoyed by Fluttershy's deep ignorance towards her suggestion. It seemed that Fluttershy has been having the case of the thousand eye stare since, well, Celestia knows since when.
"I was saying, would you like to help me teach Scootaloo to fly tomorrow? She asked me a week ago and I still haven't been able to fit her in my schedule, ya know... too many naps to squeeze her in for an hour or two. Besides, with two teachers, she'll learn twice as fast. Then I could go and take a nap..." Rainbow Dash thought.
"But Rainbow Dash, flying isn't like baking a cake, it takes lots of practice and steady instructions. I remember when I learned to fly... it took forever, and it was so embarrassing..." Fluttershy softly reminded Rainbow Dash.
"I know but it only took me a day or two. Besides, Scootaloo's determined to fly, so I bet she'll try her hardest." Rainbow assured.
Fluttershy wasn't so sure. In fact, she was offended, "Are you saying it took be a long time to fly because I wasn't determined?"
"Nah, see, Scootaloo has been following me around since forever, so she probably already knows the basics, unlike you, you were completely new at flying. Scootaloo has practiced before. I'm sure of it." Rainbow argued.
"I don't think so..." Fluttershy began, concerned about Scootaloo's lesson plan,"It still might take her more than just one or two lessons. She's no you, Rainbow Dash."
"Fine, fine, whatever you say... Just remember to meet me at the park tomorrow around noon. I promised Scootaloo that I would be there by then." Rainbow directed.
"Ok, Rainbow Dash, but why is she asking you to teach her? Why not ask her parents?" Fluttershy curiously asked.
She had asked the wrong thing.
Rainbow Dash turned her head, away from Fluttershy. She was astonished that Fluttershy didn't know... Was it not obvious? "She's like us, Fluttershy. She's an orphan."
"Oh."
Scootaloo opened her eyes to the bright sun shimmering through Apple Bloom's windows. She rolled over on the spare mattress, allowing her eyes to readjust from the ferocious pierce of the sun. Apple Bloom's alarm clock rang, announcing time for Apple Bloom it rise and shine.
Apple Bloom raised her head, bags were under her eyes and she yawned, tired of waking up. "But ah just woke up yesterday..." she said.
Scootaloo was astonished by Apple Bloom's resistance to waking up. She knew she was a deep sleeper, all of the Crusaders were, but Scootaloo always woke up early. She had no choice. That was when the orphanage demanded that all children get up. But she knew waking up at five was better than waking up in a dumpster. She was glad Ponyville had an orphanage.
"How did you sleep?" Scootaloo asked.
"Good as ever. Ah wonder what Granny Smith has been cooking up for breakfast, I'm starving!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"Me too, I could eat anything, I'm so hungry..." Scootaloo agreed.
"Even me?" Apple Bloom joked.
"Yep, even you!" Scootaloo answered, laughing at the even thought of it.
"Well then, let's go down stairs and she what she's ah cooking!" Apple Bloom said.
"You bet!" Scootaloo answered, following Apple Bloom downstairs. "Man, I love sleepovers," Scootaloo said. It was one of the only times when she could fall asleep knowing that she could wake up whenever she wanted and to the slow breaths of Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle, instead of other orphans she barely even knew.
The fumes of the apple pancakes attracted the two fillies, excited by the delicious meal that awaited them. Scootaloo knew that there was always something good to eat at the Apple family's home. Not only was the breakfast warm and inviting, but those traits defined the entire family, as well. They were very kind people. Scootaloo hoped that her parents were very kind people, too. She would never know.
At breakfast, Scootaloo broke the silence made by the two fillies who were too absorbed in their pancakes to speak. "I'm getting a flying lesson from Rainbow Dash today!" Scootaloo announced, proud of herself for convinced Rainbow to teach her.
"Cool! That sounds so great, you might even get your cutie mark, can I watch?" Apple Bloom asked, excited by the idea of more crusading.
"Yep, I can't wait, it'll be so much fun!" Scootaloo declared happily.
The two friends rushed through the rest of their breakfast. It was obvious they were more interested in Scootaloo's flying lesson than apple pancakes. That was a first.
They were so excited that, as they ran outside, they spilled a barrel of apples that Big Macintosh was sorting. Not stopping to apologize, they ran through the apple orchards and into the town square.
"She said she would meet me at the park around noon," Scootaloo told Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom looked up at the big clock above the mayor's office. "Well, then we better get going, because it's already half past eleven," Apple Bloom said.
They hopped into the park, ready to be amazed by Rainbow Dash's amazing flying tricks and possibly a sonic rainboom! The two friends were so excited they began making up tales of how cool it would be if Scootaloo got a cutie mark in flying.
"Then I'd be just like Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo realized, excited by the thought of being even closer to the cyan pegasus. Then she might actually have a parent figure...
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom impatiently waited for Rainbow Dash. As Apple Bloom merrily "flew" on the swings, Scootaloo sat on her swing, barely swinging at all, with head facing the ground and a gloom expression on her face. The wind shook the trees and clouds covered the skies as Scootaloo waited. Her ears drooped low and her eyes were filled with dread. It was almost one o'clock.
"When is Rainbow Dash ever going to show uuuup!" Scootaloo complained, dragging her hooves on the ground as she swung a little higher.
"Relax, Scoot, she'll be here soon, she always come, no matter how late," Apple Bloom assured.
Scootaloo sighed and realized that Apple Bloom was probably true. Still, she was not very happy about Rainbow's lateness. Her absence did not please Scootaloo, who was very excited to start learning how to fly. While waiting for Rainbow Dash, she began very attentive of the ponies nearby. Two fillies were playing catch. A unicorn was having a picnic with her two friends. Fluttershy was counting the flowers, eyes on the petals, but it seemed that she was waiting for something to happen. The two fillie's ball ran past her and into the lake, where one of the fillies rushed past her and retrieved it.
A small rustling sound appeared in a nearby tree, and Scootaloo swore she heard the flapping of wings. The leaves trembled as a blue feather emerged from the dark foliage of the fully grown pine tree. Scootaloo quickly turned her head in that direction, noticing a cyan pegasus... napping?
Both anger and shock overwhelmed Scootaloo. She was waiting for Rainbow Dash so long, only to realize that her idol was already there. Napping.
Scootaloo gasped shortly, and then her frustration melted inside her... She was waiting for Rainbow Dash so long, only to realize that her idol was already there. But Scootaloo couldn't just yell at her idol, she was afraid she would not get taught to fly, and that she would have to go back to the orphanage. So she tried being excited instead of mad.
"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo yelled excitedly, "I'm ready for the flying lesson!" Scootaloo said. She was tempted to add "are you?", but didn't, in fear of being called mean. She didn't want to be like the other orphans- they were very mean.
The blue pegasus looked down from the tree to the orange furred filly. Yawning, Rainbow shook the tree, stretched her wings, and flew done to Scootaloo. "Ok... I'm ready, squirt," Rainbow replied, not very enthusiastically. Scootaloo's flight coach then scanned the park, spotted Fluttershy, and yelled, "Hey Fluttershy, come here, we're starting the flight lesson!"
Fluttershy turned her head from the interested gaze she held on the lilacs. She gently flew over to where Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were standing, remembering when she, too, was a very weak flier. "Hi, Rainbow Dash, um, is it already time... to.." Fluttershy said, gulping, "fly...?" She was concerned that Scootaloo might fall and get hurt. Rainbow Dash was too assertive.
"Yep," Rainbow Dash replied. "Ok Scootaloo, let's see what you got!"
Scootaloo faced Rainbow Dash. She was determined to prove how great she was at flying. Sure, she couldn't stay in the sky for over two seconds, or carry her body weight, but Scootaloo had practice on her scooter and knew she was ready to learn from the master herself. "Ok!" Scootaloo yelled eagerly.
She pushed her weight into her hind legs like she was told to do before, and leaped into her air, desperately flapping her wings as she hovered 6 inches above the ground. Sweat rolled down her face as she tried to keep airborne, she worked hard to continuously keep her wings moving, but she moved them too fast and was instantly out of breath. She fell onto the hard-packed ground, her left side aching. She couldn't fly.
"Oh, not much... ok, we can fix that.." Rainbow Dash said thoughtfully. This would be a lot of hard work. She couldn't even stay airborne for over a minute. "Let's first work on staying above ground, and then we can work on technique and steering and stuff like that.. ok?"
Scootaloo was disappointed in herself, her willingness to impress her idol was crushed by her inability to fly. But Rainbow Dash was teaching her, and wasn't that enough to be happy? Besides, she should be grateful... the orphanage didn't teach flight or magic. This was her only chance to learn how to fly. "Ok!" Scootaloo agreed excitedly.
"Alright, first, remember to always put your weight into your hind legs when you kick off because then you will have a good start. So let's practice that." Rainbow Dash instructed. She walked over to Scootaloo and demonstrated, "Remember to have your forelegs bending forward and have just a little bend in your hind legs. Keep your eyes focused on where you are going, push you weight into the hind legs, jump, and take off!"
Scootaloo paid close attention to Rainbow Dash's instruction. She tried to replicate Rainbow Dash's model, and leaped into the air, joyfully flapping her wings as she hovered above the ground. Glad in her successful ability to take off, Scootaloo smiled. She then carefully stopped moving her wings and floated to the ground like an autumn leaf.
As Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo continued practicing taking flight until Scootaloo was perfect at, Fluttershy watched attentively. Too frightened to help teach and then end up with the orange filly having a broken bone, she sat next to Apple Bloom on the swings, eyes wide open and ears alert. Fluttershy never let her guard down... she had too much experience when treating her animal friends. Sometimes they were so silly...just like fillies.
Fluttershy continued watching Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. This time, Scootaloo kicked off the ground so forcefully she was ten feet above the ground. Fluttershy was shocked, Scootaloo couldn't possibly land unscathed when she was that high above the soil. She would break her wing, or bruise her entire side, at least. Seeing that Rainbow Dash didn't realize the predicament, Fluttershy flew up to Scootaloo, already noticing the fear in Scootaloo's eyes. Scootaloo was already sweating and losing breath. Fluttershy grabbed Scootaloo's tail with her teeth and tried flying down, but Scootaloo was really heavy and she hadn't experienced carrying anything heavier than a bunny or two before. She glided slowly to the ground, the extra weight was giving her excruciating amounts of pain, but Scootaloo was on the line, so she continued to flap her wings. Scootaloo's front hooves touched the ground and Fluttershy sighed in relief, knowing that both Scootaloo and her wings were not broken.
She then concluded that Rainbow Dash, was, in fact, a little too pushy. Would she ever realize that Scootaloo can't just be a natural in the first lesson.? Or that Scootaloo was no prodigy? Yes, indeed, Fluttershy thought. Rainbow Dash would learn...
Fluttershy groaned, unappreciative of Rainbow's don't-worry-you-got-this-even-though-you-don't attitude. But, she knew that Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were growing closer together. Their relationship was taking flight.
