Catch Me if I Fall

by Shahrazad

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Drama, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Fluttershy
Length: 33034

We all wear masks. They’re our armor to guard the heart. Scootaloo’s armor is solid and heavy. If she ever wants to fly, she’s going to have to let it go.

Twilight has a brand new pair of wings. Fluttershy’s pet bird is ready to fly. Scootaloo has been waiting her entire life to take wing. With Fluttershy’s help, they might soar into the wild blue yonder. Or make a gruesome crater.

It’s safe in your bed, in your house, and on the ground. Yet, the best things in life are never in our comfort zones. You’ll never know if you can fly until you’re standing on a cliff. Of course, that’s a huge risk. You can put it all on the line to reach your dreams, but who in their right mind would take such a chance? If you fail, who’ll be there to catch you when you fall?

Edited by: Level Dasher
Cover Art by: KnifeH

Published 2014-01-26 23:40:07 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-23 23:19:35 UTC

Paper Airplanes

I’M GONNA DIE!

That was the only thought in Scootaloo’s mind. She was falling, like a comet out of the heavens. The ground was far below her, giving her a fantastic view of the countryside. She could easily see Canterlot from this height in all of its majestic glory, the sun setting behind it. But she wouldn’t see it much longer. Falling really isn’t so bad; it’s that sudden stop at the end where things tend to get... messy.

Her limbs flailed about uselessly. Her wings didn’t even manage their usual ineffectual buzzing. The air tore at her face and peeled her lips back, exposing her teeth. The goggles kept her wide eyes protected, but right now all that did was give her a view of the rapidly approaching ground. A few clouds drifted into her view. She tried to calm down as the wind tore her breath away.

I’ve got to hit one of those clouds!

Her wings finally made a useful maneuver. Not flapping, exactly, but enough to change her direction. She was right on target for a wispy little cloud. Thank Celestia, I’m gonna live!

She hit the cloud like an arrow hitting water. There was a pop and the uncanny sound of torn fog, like the ripping of silk fabric. Her eyes went wide. The ground rushed up to meet her once again.

I’M GONNA DIE!

~~~~~

Three weeks ago...

“Oh I’m so glad you’re here, Gold Feather.” Fluttershy cooed over the tiny creature. It took some conniving to acquire Gold Feather as a pet, and in the end she had to contact the princess. Even Celestia could only provide her with an egg, but when Gold Feather hatched he was Fluttershy’s pride and joy. A perfect specimen of a meadowlark, Gold Feather was small, but grew quickly. “You’re just what I’ve been looking for since the Gala.”

The fact that he was handsome and sang well didn’t hurt either. Fluttershy idly wondered if she would ever allow him to be adopted. Angel, standing on her head, thumped his hind leg on her repeatedly. “Alright, Angel, we can go to the market. Just let me tuck Gold Feather into bed first.” The bed she was speaking of was a nest of twigs, artfully constructed by Fluttershy at the last winter wrap-up. It had remained empty for weeks before Gold Feather had arrived, and it was several weeks after that before he hatched. The heat lamp hovering over Fluttershy’s bed pointing at the night stand had been removed, but the nest remained. Fluttershy set the tiny bird into the nest and brushed his crest feathers back with a hoof.

Angel thumped her again. She sighed and turned to the door. Angel turned in place on Fluttershy’s head, out of her sight, looking at Gold Feather. He pointed with a paw at his eye then the same paw right at Gold Feather. His brow was a flat line and he didn’t blink. Gold Feather let loose a high trill, which sounded like an expertly-crafted note from a flute. Fluttershy turned before she left and smiled at Gold Feather. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.” Angel pulled his lips back and gritted his teeth while staring daggers at Gold Feather. The door closed behind Fluttershy, leaving Gold Feather snug in his bed. The curtains billowed into the room under a gentle morning breeze, letting in sunlight and birdsong. Gold Feather tilted his head toward the sound.

Fluttershy hummed to herself and trotted downstairs. Her animals were currently eating breakfast, giving her a bit of time to strap her saddlebags on and head to the market. Today was grocery shopping day. She took one last look around her kitchen. It was a mess; foodstuffs for various animals were scattered across the floor as the animals ate with gusto. The dishes from last night were still in the sink, and she was fairly certain that unpleasant smell was from her overflowing garbage bin. She sighed, I’ll have to get to cleaning after I get groceries. She trotted out the door, Angel lying flat on her head, smiling. She opened the front door and took one step outside when she heard a musical birdcall directly above her.

She looked up and her expression changed at the speed of lighting. “GOLD FEATHER!” She cried as she lunged forward, throwing Angel off of her head and into the mailbox. The mailbox door snapped closed and the flag popped up. There was a tremendous thump as something soft hit the ground. Angel, fuming, opened the mailbox with a creak. He saw Fluttershy holding Gold Feather in her hooves, with several new scratch marks across her body. She was some distance from the welcome mat; she had almost rolled down the hill from where she was seated now. Angel glanced up to the cottage’s second floor and noticed the bedroom window was open. “Gold Feather, don’t you ever do that again! You nearly scared me to death. What were you thinking?”

Gold Feather called out and it was still music to Fluttershy’s ears, even if he was whining. He flapped his wings, sending little puffs of dust behind him. Fluttershy looked at the bird and her expression softened. “Oh, you just want to fly, don’t you?” She gently placed Gold Feather on her back and went back inside. “What am I going to do with you?” Angel watched in horror from the mailbox as she closed the front door. He ground his teeth together and tried to burn a hole in the door with his stare. He tried learning the stare from the master, but his gaze didn’t do anything. His eyes darted around, looking for something to destroy. He grabbed the first piece of mail he could find. It said “You’ve won 1,000,000 bits from the Pony Clearing House!” in big, bright, red letters. Still fuming, he chewed it into shreds.

~~~~~

“This is going to be fun!” Sweetie Belle carefully folded the heavy paper again and again. “This might actually work!” The paper slowly took shape with a pointed nose and three fins spread out behind it.

“Ah don’t think Ah’m gonna get a cutie mark fer this.” Applebloom’s paper resembled the shape of Sweetie Belle’s, but the edges were not so sharp and the wings were a bit lopsided. She threw it with all of her strength and looked up at the ceiling of the tree house, expecting it to fly around.

It plopped onto the floor behind her left hind hoof.

She blinked and thought, how’d it do that? Sweetie Belle bit her lips together to keep herself from laughing. It wasn’t polite to laugh at your friends’ failures. Besides, her paper airplanes didn’t fly terribly far either. She tossed hers into the air and her eyes went wide as it floated around the room. The inside of the treehouse was still bright in the waning light of the sun. The paper airplane lodged itself in a purple tuft of hair. Sweetie Belle squinted and waited for the biting remark she expected from Scootaloo, but none came.

Scootaloo didn’t even seem to notice the paper lodged in her mane. She was resting her chin in one hoof and staring out the window. Sweetie Belle quietly trotted over to her. Applebloom stopped her latest attempt at a paper airplane and looked in the direction of her friends. Sweetie Belle touched Scootaloo on her withers and spoke with a quiet voice, “Is everything okay Scootaloo? Don’t you want to make a paper airplane?” She plucked her paper airplane out of Scootaloo’s mane and tossed it away. It floated across the room and landed on top of the overflowing trash can, which was full of discarded paper. Some of the papers actually looked like airplanes, others appeared to have all the well-honed aerodynamics of a brick.

Scootaloo sighed and said, “Yeah, everything is fine. I just... don’t feel like making paper airplanes. I’ll bet it takes a real brainiac to fly, anyway.” She continued to stare out the window. Sweetie Belle followed her gaze and found what she expected to find at this time of day. Derpy was delivering the mail to Sweet Apple Acres, as she always did in the evening. It was the last stop on her mail route. She traveled just above the ground in a crooked line before landing heavily before the mailbox. She stuffed several envelopes into it and slapped the small door closed. She spread her wings and after several slow beats, lifted off into the air in the general direction of Cloudsdale. Scootaloo sighed as her head plopped onto the windowsill, her forelimbs dangling out the window.

“Flying is probably really hard.” Sweetie Belle was still beside her friend and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “I tried to learn magic but it’s really tough; It’s easier if I just pick things up like an earth pony. But if I do that, I’ll never get better at magic. What do you do when you want to practice something, but you can’t even get off the ground?” Sweetie Belle let out a tiny gasp and stuffed a hoof into her mouth when she realized what idiom she had just used.

Applebloom walked up behind Scootaloo and stood on the side opposite Sweetie Belle. “Yeah, Ah didn’t learn applebuckin’ in one day ya know. It took practice, and a good teacher.” Scootaloo glanced between her two friends.

I seriously doubt applebucking takes brains. But maybe Sweetie Belle is right, Scootaloo thought to herself. “I...guess so. But who could I ask?” Please don’t say Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash!” Her friends said in unision.

They both smiled at her as Applebloom chirped, “C’mon Scoots, she’ll help ya.” Applebloom’s smile was so large Scootaloo could see her reflection in Applebloom’s teeth.“What’re you waiting fer? You’re not chicken are ya?”

“Yeah, I can’t believe you haven’t asked her already,” Sweetie Belle added.

“N-No, of course not! What would I be afraid of?” Other than looking like a total dweeb in front of the most awesome pony ever! Scootaloo thought to herself, hiding her feelings behind a mask of indifference. She tried to look cool and collected; instead she wore a plastic smile and one awkwardly arched eyebrow.

Sweetie Belle didn’t miss a beat when she said, “Great, lets go find her then.” She nudged Scootaloo towards the door of the treehouse.

Scootaloo’s voice rose an octave when she squeaked out, “You mean right now?” Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape hatch.

“Yeah, no time like the present.” Now Applebloom was pushing her to the exit. Scootaloo’s hooves dug furrows in the wood with a screech, but Applebloom’s strength was undeniable.

Damn earth pony muscles. If I could just fly away... but I wouldn’t have to fly away in the first place if I could fly at all! Scootaloo tried to think of something to say and came up blank. When she reached the threshold of the treehouse she sighed and started walking. She trailed behind her friends and hung her head, but smiled when they looked in her direction.

They trotted through the outskirts of Ponyville, passing few citizens, but plenty of scenery. It was still spring and the plants were in bloom. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle gawked and stopped to smell the flowers on the path several times. Even with these interruptions, they still kept a faster pace than Scootaloo. They had to urge her onward frequently. Scootaloo trudged along with them, like a convict headed to the gallows with a pair of guards.

They reached Dash’s favorite napping cloud, hovering as it always did near the old oak tree on the hill. Sweetie Belle called out, “Rainbow Dash, are you there? Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo shrunk down hoping not to be noticed. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle kept calling out for her idol, trying to catch a glimpse of a multicolored mane, or at least the sound of snores. With each shout, Scootaloo backed up another step. She didn’t notice the sounds of hooves behind her until she bumped into something and almost jumped into the air with surprise.

“Heya Scootaloo, what’re you three up too? Y’all know Rainbow Dash is busy this week clearing out that there mega-storm headed fer Ponyville, right?” Scootaloo turned around to find a bemused Applejack hitched to an apple cart. The sun was setting and it was high-time for her to return home from the market.

She looked at the emerald eyes for only a moment before she turned away. AJ always seemed to encourage honesty in others. Scootaloo couldn’t help herself. “N-No we didn’t. We’re just looking for her, actually. I-I... wanted a few flying tips. We figured she would be a good teacher.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Ah doubt that filly could teach ya much.” Scootaloo was about to defend Dash but Applejack continued, “Ask yer teacher, Ms. Cheerliee. S’what she’s there fer, right?” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom appeared on either side of Scootaloo.

“That’s right, she knows how to teach anything! Let’s ask her after school tomorrow.” Sweetie Belle’s enthusiasm was endless.

“Yeah, Ah’ll bet she kin help ya, Scoots.” Applebloom put a hoof on Scootaloo’s withers.

Scootaloo’s eyes found the ground, away from the gaze of the others. “Yeah, Cheerliee, tomorrow.” The knot in her stomach untied itself. Cheerliee wasn’t super awesome. She was nice, but teachers really weren’t awesome, at least in Scootaloo’s opinion.

“It’s settled then. Come along Applebloom; it’s almost time fer supper. You kin play with yer friends tomorrow.” Applejack trotted down the road towards her home.

Applebloom trotted down the road after her, whining, “Aww, c’mon sis, jus a little longer...” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn’t hear the rest of the debate, but since Applebloom didn’t come galloping back down the road it was apparent she lost.

Sweetie Belle turned back to Scootaloo. “I should get home too. Rarity will be angry if I get home after dark.” She sighed and said, “Sometimes she’s even more strict than mom and dad. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow and we can ask Cheerliee about flying.” She held a small smile and ducked her head, trying to catch Scootaloo’s eyes.

Scootaloo looked up and responded, “Um, let me ask her myself. I don’t want to keep you and Applebloom from crusading. We have to get our cutie marks, right?”

Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo’s face. She was smiling, but her eyes didn’t seem to hold the warmth of a real smile. Her eyes kept darting away from Sweetie Belle’s gaze. “Okay, I’ll try to get Applebloom to the clubhouse so you can ask Cheerliee yourself.” Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief. Sweetie Belle turned and started to trot away but stopped after a short distance and turned back. “You know, sometimes, I try using magic on my own. It doesn’t work, but I’ve never stopped trying.” With that thought she pivoted around again and left Scootaloo at a brisk trot.

Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle’s retreating form. I wonder what she meant by that? Magic is super useful. But... I guess she doesn’t really have any magic, at least not yet. Kinda like a pair of useless wings. Scootaloo blinked at the spot where Sweetie Belle was standing only moments ago and looked around. Her expression became stony, she nodded to herself, and snorted. Without warning, she buzzed her wings with all of her might. She felt lighter, but didn’t rise off the ground. She let out a breath and sank to her haunches, exhausted. She ground her teeth and pounded a hoof into the dirt.

~~~~~

knock-knock

The door opened, revealing Spike already looking up at an angle. Most ponies towered over him, and this one was no different. “Hello Fluttershy, how may I assist you?”

“Oh, hello Spike. Please don’t be so formal, you’ll make me feel like royalty. And I’m nopony special...” Fluttershy looked at the ground. Angel snorted, blowing an errant lock of pink hair away from his nose.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. There’s just been a lot of ponies visiting, asking for Twilight on royal business. They want her to sign stuff into law, or repeal laws, or decrease taxes, or issue zoning permits, or give out grant money, or do all kinds of stupid things she doesn’t have the power to do,” Spike huffed. “And they all think I’m a public servant and treat me like dirt.” He scowled at an imaginary visitor standing in Fluttershy’s space.

She let out an eep and hid her face behind her mane. “I-I’m sorry Spike, I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll just go.”

“What?” Spike’s expression softened immediately. “No no, Fluttershy, come in. Twilight could use a friendly face. And I’m sure we can help you if you have a problem. We’re still friends right? Nothing is going to break up our friendship!” Spike puffed his chest out with a smile and stood aside to allow Fluttershy to enter.

FWUMP!

Fluttershy had taken only a single, tentative step inside when the sound of something soft hitting something hard echoed through the Golden Oaks Library. She froze for a moment, fear holding her in place. The sound of a sniffle followed by a quiet moan reached her ears. That was all it took to make Fluttershy rush forward. She found Twilight crumpled in a heap on the far end of the library, at the base of a bookcase. Several books were scattered on and around her; her body was covered in scuffs and bruises. She sniffed and tried to stand but her limbs quivered and she fell. Fluttershy caught her and propped her upright. “Twilight? Are you alright? What happened?” She led Twilight to one of the two overstuffed chairs patrons normally sat in to read overly long novels.

Twilight winced as Fluttershy settled her into the chair. She folded her wings, the joints popping. She sniffed one more time holding her tears back, blushing. She avoided Fluttershy’s worried gaze. Spike jogged up behind Fluttershy, snorting. “She’s been trying to fly using that stupid book. I keep trying to tell her she needs to get Rainbow Dash to teach her, but she won’t wait. That’s the third time she’s crashed in the last hour.”

“Oh, well, it’s... um... not a bad idea.” Fluttershy pulled her first aid kit out of her saddlebag, she always carried it with her. Angel hopped out of her mane and landed on the hoofrest of the overstuffed chair. He held a miniature bottle of iodine in his paws as he gave Twilight a wicked grin. Twilight’s eyes went wide at the sight. She sank deeper into the chair, but sadly, not nearly far enough to disappear from sight. “Now just hold still Twilight, I’ll get you fixed up in no time. You’ll feel so much better.” Fluttershy was cutting a length of medical tape while Angel uncorked the bottle.

“Thank you Fluttershy, but I don’t think I need medical attention.” Her eyes darted between the bottle and Fluttershy. “I don’t have any serious injuries. I’m sure if I just had a little more time to read and—!” Twilight was watching Fluttershy when she nodded at Angel, who immediately applied the iodine. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out of them. Her left wing had already been against her barrel, but was now pressed tight and quivering, a particularly nasty scuff the source of her pain. She stuffed both hooves into her mouth and bit down. Her muffled scream could still be heard by those in the market outside.

Fluttershy gasped, “Twilight! Such language! And from a princess, no less!” She applied the bandage to the wing and took the bottle of iodine from Angel. He pouted for a second, but shot Twilight another wicked grin when he saw Fluttershy apply the iodine directly to the next bandage. “Here, it won’t hurt so much if it’s in the bandage.” She gently wrapped Twilight’s left hind leg, covering the angry red scratch just below her cutie mark. “Isn’t that better?”

Twilight nodded, but continued to put teeth marks on her hooves for another minute. She glared at Angel, but every time she got close to a vengeful idea Fluttershy would apply another iodine-soaked bandage and her thought process became a train wreck. She was quickly becoming a mummy, although the serious scrapes had been covered. “What can we help you with?” She focused on Fluttershy’s issues instead of her various injuries.

“I need a book on, um, flying.”

“Why do you want a book on flying? You already know how to fly.”

“Oh, well, I thought I could use a little help. I’m going to teach Gold Feather how to fly, and I don’t think it’s the same as a pegasus. Plus, I don’t think I would make a very good flight instructor.”

“Fluttershy, that’s not true! You’re the most caring, kind pony I’ve ever met. That’s the most important part of being a teacher: having empathy for your students. You could teach anypony, even me.” Trying to get Fluttershy to buck up was simply a gut reaction from Twilight, without forethought. A bead of sweat formed under Twilight’s ear when she realized just what she had said.

“Oh, I don’t know—”

Finally, Fluttershy’s lack of confidence works out in my favor. Sorry Fluttershy, but I promised Dash I’d let her teach me, and you’re not the best choice to give flying lessons. Twilight thought to herself as she watched Fluttershy closely.

“I don’t know If I can teach two students at once, but I’m glad you think I can do it. And you’re right, I should be more confident in myself. I’d be happy to teach you.” Fluttershy smiled, her face half hidden by her mane.

Twilight’s mouth fell open for only a second before she closed it. “Um, oh, okay. Sure. Well, I’m not sure I have any time—”

“Sure you do,” Spike said as he produced her day planner and assorted checklists. “You had me cancel all of those events with the mayor and Filthy Rich, so your week is free during the afternoons.” Spike smiled at Twilight and continued, “Now you won’t have to learn this from some dusty old book!”

Twilight could have throttled him at the moment. Instead she said, “Oh, well, I guess I am free. But I’m sure you’re too busy. You have to take care of your animals, and teach Gold Feather, plus you have those spa treatments with Rarity on Tuesdays. And you have to, um—”

Fluttershy looked at Twilight with her brows raised, her big eyes sparkling and gentle. Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat. “Oh Twilight, it’s no trouble. I can teach you along with Gold Feather starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, tomorrow. Great. I guess I’ll see you then.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow; it will be so much fun.” Fluttershy stowed the book in her saddlebag and extended a hoof towards the hoofrest of the chair. “Come along, Angel.” The bunny hopped onto Fluttershy’s head and the two of them walked out of the library. Angel blew a kiss to Twilight and waved with his paw, his wolfish grin still burned into her mind’s eye.

Spike closed the door after they left, smiling he turned to Twilight. “Now you won’t have to learn from a book anymore. You’ll get a real teacher.”

Twilight glared at Spike. “With friends like you, who needs enemies?”

“Huh?”

Twilight sighed, “Nevermind, Spike.” She put a hoof to her face and just sat in the chair, waiting for the burning sensations all over her to cool off.

~~~~~

RINNNGGG

“Don’t forget to read chapters—”

FWOOSH

Cheerliee sighed and thought, too late, don’t bother Cheerliee. You’re in an empty classroom by now. No filly or colt is going to stay past the bell.

“Miss Cheerliee?”

I can almost hear them now. What I wouldn’t give for a really dedicated student to stay after class just once for extra tutoring.

“Miss Cheerliee? I have a question.”

They would ask lots of questions, and really enjoy learning. Cheerliee sighed again, They’re still young, how could I deny them the chance to explore the world on their own? But I could teach them so much!

“Miss Cheerliee? Are you okay? She’s just staring at the chalkboard.”

“Huh?” Cheerliee turned around to face her empty classroom. Or mostly empty classroom. Three fillies were still inside, and not heading for the exit. They stood on the other side of her desk. Applebloom placed an extra apple on the corner, near the stack of ungraded tests. Cheerliee blinked and tried to order her thoughts. “Oh, thank you, Applebloom. Did you girls say you had a question?” She tried to contain herself, but she leaned forward with a twinkle in her eye.

Scootaloo leaned closer to Applebloom and whispered, “I don’t know, she seems kinda... off right now.” Applebloom’s brow went flat as she nudged Scootaloo forward. She cleared her throat and spoke up, “Yeah, I have a question. Lots of questions, really. Uh, can you help?”

“I most certainly can! You can ask me anything! Astronomy, geography, history, geometry, biology, non-linear algebra, organic chemistry, higher-order differential equations, wave particle duality rectification theory, or even about things that rhyme with Toxoplasmosis! Um, those last few might be a little advanced for grade school, but I’m willing to try!” Cheerliee spoke without taking a breath and her cheeks were flush.

“Can you teach me to fly?”

Cheerliee froze on the spot, her smile still plastered on her face. She had studied so many subjects. She had waited for her precious students to stay after class and ask her a question so she could feed their young minds. The dream was going horribly wrong. Her smile melted into something more fitting a funeral. She swallowed before she spoke, “No. I’m afraid not. You’ll have to ask a pegasus.”

“She can’t ask Rainbow Dash, she’s out of town for the rest of the week.” Sweetie Belle spoke this time. Scootaloo’s eyes seemed to find her own front hooves rather interesting. It was a look Cheerliee had seen before on dejected students, and she hated it.

“Well, what about Thunderlane?” Cheerliee suggested. If she couldn’t help them herself, she was going to find them a pegasus who could.

Applebloom shook her head, her bow waving back and forth. “Ah think he’s got the feather flu fer real this time.”

“What about Cloud Kicker?

Sweetie Belle shook her head sadly and sighed. “She’s in Los Pegasus for the rest of the month.”

“How about Fluttershy?”

Scootaloo focused on Cheerliee and her ears perked up. “Hey, that might actually work.” She broke out with a smile. “And she won’t say ‘no’ because she’s a total pushover!” She dashed out the door with her friends in her wake.

Cheerliee’s eyes went wide as the door to the school house slammed shut. “Oh dear, what did I just do to Fluttershy?”

~~~~~

knock-knock-knock

“Hello?” Fluttershy opened her front door and looked out, but nopony was visible.

“Hi Fluttershy!” An excitable, foalish voice called up to her. She looked down and pulled out a weak smile for the three troublemakers standing on her welcome mat. Each held an oversized smile for her. She could see they had broken out the halos already.

“Oh, hello. Um, I don’t really have time to chaperone for a sleepover tonight. Maybe some other time...” She backed up slowly, closing the door. As it closed with a soft click, she let out a ragged breath and turned around.

“Can we help you with anything?” Scootaloo was face-to-face with Fluttershy, whose eyes went wide.

EEP!

She backed up, but after a single step her flank hit the inside of her front door. Scootaloo was standing on Sweetie Belle, who was in turn standing on Applebloom. Sweetie Belle’s legs quivered for a second and slipped.

thud

The three of them ended up in a heap, knocking over the hat rack and breaking it in two. It only took a second for the three to untangle themselves and stand up. “Don’t worry, we’ll fix it!”

“Oh, um—I don’t need—please don’t—it’s alright—” Fluttershy stammered out as the three flew at the hat rack like a swarm of parasprites. In less than a minute it was finished. The hat rack was now best described as modern art.

“Any other coffee tables you need fixed?” Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy with a satisfied smile. Applebloom glanced at the “coffee table,” then back at Scootaloo. She just shrugged and said nothing. “We could feed your animals for you!”

“Oh, no, you don’t need to—” Before Fluttershy could finish, the three crusaders darted in different directions. Fluttershy let out a tiny gasp and chased after them. She found Applebloom feeding the turtles, which would have been fine, has she not been giving them woodchips intended for the beavers. She found Sweetie Belle petting her goats. Feeding them wasn’t the problem; she just didn’t want the goats to get fed the pre-shelled sunflower seeds that were supposed to go to—

“Awww, what a pretty bird!” Scootaloo’s voice called from upstairs.

Gold Feather! Fluttershy’s heart skipped a beat as she scooped up Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, then literally flew upstairs. Please don’t feed him anything dangerous! She imagined all sorts of things Scootaloo was doing to poor Gold Feather; what if she fed him chocolate? The thought spurred Fluttershy forward.

She burst into her room. Angel was lounging on her pillow, the remains of a half-dozen carrots surrounding him, his belly set to burst. The sunlight from the window played a spotlight on Scootaloo—she was petting Gold Feather with one hoof. He seemed content, and he let out a musical note to let everyone know it. Scootaloo gave a little gasp at the sound, and buzzed her wings. Gold Feather buzzed his wings too, but neither of them left the floor. “Cute little guy. What’s his name?”

Fluttershy’s heart finished its lap around the racetrack and settled down. “His name is Gold Feather, and he is my precious meadowlark.” In a voice so low that even the two fillies on her back couldn’t hear, she said, “please don’t hurt him.”

“Are you trying to teach him to fly?” Fluttershy looked up and found Scootaloo holding the book she had borrowed from the library. Angel glanced up and smiled. He lept across the room and onto Fluttershy’s head in only four jumps. He nodded vigorously to Scootaloo.

“Well, he wants to fly, but I don’t want him to get hurt. Why do you ask?”

“Will you teach me too? It’s only fair, we fixed your coffee table and fed your animals.” Scootaloo’s eager smile came closer as she leaned forward. She tried her absolute best to summon a shining halo over her head.

“Oh, I don’t think I would make a very good teacher.”

“Pleeeease?”

“Well, I, um... alright—”

“YES!” Scootaloo jumped into the air and buzzed her wings so loud she hovered for a split second. Fluttershy felt a pit forming in her stomach until Gold Feather trilled along with Scootaloo’s jumps. Her heart melted seeing the two of them together; Gold Feather seemed to instantly like Scootaloo. “When can we start?”

“Tomorrow.”

~~~~~

Fluttershy lined her students up in her front yard. They were a motley crew. Twilight, Scootaloo, and Gold Feather stood at attention. Fluttershy strode out of her house, full of confidence, wearing a sweatband and a whistle attached to a cord about her neck. She stopped in front of the line of students and filled her lungs to capacity. She shouted as only Fluttershy could:

“Welcome to flight camp.”

Twilight tilted her head and lifted an ear in Fluttershy’s direction as she said, “One more time?” Scootaloo nodded in agreement and swiveled both ears forward.

Fluttershy cleared her throat. “Welcome to flight camp. Um, we’re going to start with some exercises while I set up. If that’s alright with you...” Twilight and Scootaloo smiled, this is what they were waiting for: some real direction. “Drop and give me fifty wing-ups! No, how about forty? Er, no, twenty-five is enough. Or just ten, that’s plenty. If that’s okay with you.” Fluttershy started well, but by the end, her commands had turned into limp requests.

Scootaloo sighed and sank to the ground. Holding her front hooves to her chest, she pushed her wings down and with a grunt lifted her upper body into the air. Most pegasi could do fifty wing-ups if they were in shape. It was tough for Scootaloo, but she could manage ten, maybe more. She started counting them off, “one... two... thrrreeee...” The effort made her sweat; droplets trickled down her face between her eyes. She glanced at Gold Feather. He was pumping out wing-ups at a fantastic rate. Easily twice her speed! Nervously, she glanced at Twilight. She flopped onto the ground laughing. Twilight was upside down, mane and tail splayed under her. Her legs were in the air pointing in mostly random directions. She was trying to do some kind of reverse wing-up, using her horn to balance herself. Even if she were trying to do yoga, it still would have been a dismal failure.

“Um, is this right?” Twilight asked when she noticed Scootaloo pounding on the ground with her hooves and laughing.

Gasping for breath to calm herself, Scootaloo responded, “No! Haven’t you ever done a wing-up before?”

Twilight rolled over onto her stomach and pulled her legs under her. She blew away the blades of grass stuck to her bangs and shook her head. “No, I’ve only had these wings for a few weeks.”

Scootaloo blushed and said, “Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Uh, wing-ups go like this.” She demonstrated without grunting. She finished her fourth wing-up in a smooth motion. She was rather pleased with herself when she saw Twilight put both wingtips on the ground and push. She glanced at Gold Feather again and found him nestled on the ground, resting comfortably. Figures, he’s got perfect wings to go with his singing voice. Scootaloo put her own wingtips to the ground and counted, “five... six... seven... eeeiightt... n-nine.. ten.” She fell the short distance to earth and sucked in air. She could smell the scent of grass. She spared a glance at Twilight.

Twilight was counting as well. “Three.” She put her front hooves down, but didn’t stand. Panting, she looked at Scootaloo and asked, “How are you done already?”

Scootaloo blinked a few times and shook her head. “You’re not supposed to rest in between each wing-up.”

“WHAT?” Twilight exclaimed. “How are you supposed to do ten in a row? It’s impossible! There’s no strategy to it, is there? Maybe I’m doing it wrong?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No, I mean, not anymore. You just gotta have wing strength.”

“Well that isn’t fair. I didn’t even have wings or wing muscles until a few weeks ago.” Twilight began her next wing-up without the benefit of her hooves.

“Rainbow Dash can do fifty wing-ups without breaking a sweat. She does fifty every morning right after she gets out of bed.” Scootaloo waved a hoof in the general direction of Dash’s home.

Twilight looked at Scootaloo, a drop of sweat trickling between her eyes. “Really? That’s impressive.” Twilight grit her teeth and did another wing-up, but no more. She collapsed onto her stomach, panting. “Are you sure Rainbow Dash does fifty of these every morning? She likes to brag you know.”

Scootaloo was still winded, but gave Twilight a hard look. “Fifty. Every morning. I know it for a fact! I watch her when... uh... YOU’RE NOT DONE, YOU HAVE FIVE MORE WING-UPS TO GO OR I’M TELLING FLUTTERSHY!”

Twilight gasped and said, “I can’t disobey a teacher! Especially not a nice one like Fluttershy.” She started in on her second half of assigned wing-ups.

Scootaloo wiped the sweat from her brow and looked away from Twilight and her struggles. Gold Feather looked half asleep, his tiny form curled into a seated position on a tuft of grass. Fluttershy was a short distance away, finishing her “set-up.”

Fluttershy had created a set of cloud rings just above the ground. The dirt race track was normally used for six-hoofed races during Nightmare Night. It sat mostly unused for the rest of the year. It was on Fluttershy’s property, but she had rarely used it herself except for the one time she was training for the weather team. “Okay everypony, lets line up and try to follow this flight path.”

The students lined up at the start of the small track. Scootaloo looked at the cloudy rings. The first ring was so low even she could jump it, but by the third ring such a thing would be difficult. She swallowed a lump in her throat and watched as Fluttershy stood in front of them with her wings spread. “So, how do we get off the ground?” Scootaloo asked, her hoof waving in the air.

“Um, you just, you know, flap your wings,” Fluttershy cracked a smile but her eyes didn’t meet Scootaloo’s. Twilight facehoofed. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Gold Feather chirped, but gave no other outward indication of his emotions. Fluttershy gasped when she heard Gold Feather’s comment. “Gold Feather, such language! It is too that simple! Watch, I’ll demonstrate.”

With a flap of her wings, she lifted into the the air and flew through the first ring. Scootaloo knew Fluttershy wasn’t considered a great flyer, but she made it look so easy. She floated through the first three rings, hovering just off of the ground. She had to work a bit to increase her height and spiral higher as she went around the track. After she passed through the last ring, she spread her wings and began to glide. She lost altitude this way but touched down right behind the starting line after a few moments.

“You see? It’s not so bad, we’re just going to fly around this track, nice and slow. Um, if that’s okay with you.” Scootaloo shook her head as Fluttershy’s forehoof did its best to dig a circular hole in the ground. “How about you go first, Twilight?”

“Um, okay.” Twilight took off at a brisk trot, spread her wings and jumped through the first ring. She landed on the ground on the other side. Grinding her teeth, she accelerated and tried again. Her hooves hit the ground on the other side of the second ring as well. She broke into a gallop, determined not to stay on the ground for the next one. She flapped with all of her might, and lifted off of the ground.

“I did it!” She smiled wide and her eyes shut with joy.

“Keep your eyes open and try not to miss—”

woosh-crunch

Twilight accidently left the track and plowed directly into the branches of an old willow tree. Fortunately for her, the willow tree had some give, or else she would have required Fluttershy’s first aid kit again. Coughing and sputtering, she fell out of the branches of the tree and landed in a heap. She spat out several small, green leaves and said, “How did I do? Do I at least get an A–?”

“Um,” Fluttershy trotted up and helped Twilight to her hooves. “Um… how about a B+? Maybe we can work on turning next.” The two of them trotted back to the starting line. Fluttershy looked down at Scootaloo with a toothy grin and gestured to the track, “Okay Scootaloo, your turn.”

Scootaloo swallowed again and licked her lips. Her mouth felt dry, her stomach felt like it was full of feathers, and her knees felt like they were made of gelatin. She darted forward and her wings buzzed just before she reached the first ring. She took a flying leap into the air. This was it! Do or die! She was going to fly through this ring, she was going to be the top of the flight class, just like Rainbow Dash. Even if the flight class was only 3 students. She poured every ounce of strength she had into her wings, flapping them faster than she ever had in her life. They buzzed, and she felt lighter. It was working—she was flying! She could fly through the next ring as soon as—

thud

She hit the ground and dug a crater into the dirt like a crashed UFO. She was so close, she felt it. But something was wrong; she just didn’t get any air. Fluttershy rushed over to the crater to administer first aid to Scootaloo. An alien stood up out of the crater as soft, soggy clods of dirt tumbled from its head. Two antennae wiggled about, sticking right out of its cranium. It spat out a mouthful of soft earth and said, in Scootaloo’s ragged voice, “Did I fly?” Scootaloo shook her head, causing the “antennae” to fly off her mane along with several more clumps of dirt. The antennae turned out to be worms. They wiggled about on the path before they found a soft spot and dug back into the ground.

“Are you alright, Scootaloo?” Fluttershy already had her first aid kit out. “I didn’t think anypony could get really hurt, but you managed to crash pretty hard there.”

“Did I fly?” Scootaloo asked again as Fluttershy cleaned a scrape on Scootaloo’s foreleg.

“Um, you were very close, Scootaloo. I’m sure you’ll be flying in no time.”

Scootaloo snorted and sat on her rump, a little cloud of dust billowing out beneath her. She waited while Fluttershy doctored her minor injuries, of which there were several. She’d had scrapes, cuts, and bruises before. She’d gladly trade a thousand scrapes if she could fly. She felt it, but for some reason she didn’t catch air. “How come I didn’t fly?”

Fluttershy just smiled and reassured her, “Don’t worry Scootaloo, these things take time.”

“It IS time, past time. At my age, every other pegasus can fly. Are you telling me I have to wait LONGER? That I have to—” Scootaloo winced in pain as Fluttershy applied iodine to a rough patch where the fur had been scraped off, along with a few layers of skin. She sighed and said, “Nevermind...”

“I understand, Scootaloo—you want to fly. You’ll get there, I have faith in you.”

“Really? That’s your advice?” Scootaloo glared at Fluttershy. “Have you ever wanted something so bad, but you just didn’t know how to get it? And everypony around you seems to just have it given to them on a silver plate? I don’t mind getting a helping hoof, but I don’t want to wait anymore.”

Fluttershy looked at Gold Feather before she replied, “Yes, I think I know what you mean. I’m going to do my best to help you.” Fluttershy held Scootaloo closer with one wing, brushing the dirt out of her mane. “You’re right, you shouldn’t have to wait very much longer.” Scootaloo breathed out a sigh and stood on her own. She was covered in small white bandages and her coat was scuffed, but her face betrayed not a hint of discomfort. The two trotted back to the starting line.

“Okay, Gold Feather, see what you can do,” Fluttershy said as Gold Feather trilled a short song. “I’m sure you’ll do fine, and no, it doesn’t matter that you’re so short. You’re supposed to fly through all of the rings, even the first one,” she replied. Gold Feather chirped again and hopped at full speed down the track. Fluttershy shouted after him, “You’ll do great Gold Feather. You go, woohoo.”

Twilight cleared her throat, a louder sound than Fluttershy’s shout. “So, I was doing some light reading on aerodynamics last night and I understand that a good airfoil can generate lift from a thermal differential...” Scootaloo stopped listening at that point because she had already heard three words she didn’t understand. She watched as Gold Feather gave a mighty hop and spread his wings. He lifted into the air and sailed through the first ring! He floated over the crash site and continued through the second ring, losing altitude. Before the reached the third ring he landed on the ground, still flapping his wings.

Scootaloo craned her head towards the two adults and said, “Wow, that really was close. Did you two see that?”

“...Increases in air velocity also make the work required for lift substantially less, so I was thinking if we got a large rotary ventilation system we could modify it to—see what?” Twilight stopped talking and both mares abruptly turned to see Gold Feather hopping back to the starting line.

“Gold Feather flew! I mean, he didn’t fall, so that’s pretty good, right?” Scootaloo could do that on a good day. Today was just a bad day, right?

“Oh, um, yes, that’s very good Gold Feather,” Fluttershy said as the bird hopped towards them and into Fluttershy’s outstretched hoof. Placing him on her back she continued, “I think that’s enough for today. We’ll meet again tomorrow and try again. You all did very well.”

Day after day, for the rest of the week, the three students met at Fluttershy’s house and tried to fly. Twilight got several more mouthfuls of leaves from the willow tree, which by the end of the week was looking a bit bare and haggard. Gold Feather started off well, but his improvement was slow to non-existent. He could get off the ground, but just couldn’t ever do any more than glide. And there were six more UFO craters by the end of the week; one for each day.

Fluttershy watched all of this and continued to encourage her pupils. Scootaloo in particular took it hard, yet she stood back up and brushed herself off, usually with medical help. On the seventh day, after she created her seventh mini-crater, she didn’t stand up.

Fluttershy trotted over, looked down into the newly formed crater, and called out to Scootaloo, “I think you’re doing better Scootaloo. Keep at it and you’ll—” She stopped when she reached Scootaloo and saw her face. She flared her wings out to hide Scootaloo from Twilight, Gold Feather, and anypony else who might see. She sat on her flank and began to tend to Scootaloo’s minor wounds again, not meeting her eyes, and whispered, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Scootaloo had her eyes squeezed shut with hot tears dripping down her face. She had sniffled before, hiding the pain from her crash landings, but this was different. She spoke through her hiccups, “I’m n-never g-going to f-f-fly. I’m n-not g-gh-etting better, I think I’m g-getting worse.” She started to sob quietly, trying not to make any sounds that would reach the other two students standing a short distance away at the starting line.

“That isn’t true, Scootaloo. You’ll fly someday, someday soon.” Scootaloo didn’t stop, so Fluttershy tried something desperate. “How about I ask for a little help? Maybe Rainbow Dash could—”

“NO!” Scootaloo shouted, clear as a bell.

“Is everything alright?” Twilight called out to the two.

“Yes, everything is fine! I just told Scootaloo I have to use more iodine. Class is dismissed for today. I think Scootaloo might have an injury, so give me some time to fix it.” Fluttershy hollered over her shoulder, then glanced at Scootaloo and smiled. Scootaloo stopped sobbing, but the corners of her mouth were still pointed down.

“Is she alright? Maybe I can help,” Twilight offered as she walked to Fluttershy, peering around her spread wings.

“Oh, um, no, everything is fine. Let me handle it. Oh, aren’t you tired? You should get some rest for tomorrow.” Fluttershy craned her neck to look at Twilight with a stupid grin on her face.

“You know, I would like to do a little more reading. Are you sure you have everything covered?” Twilight side-stepped a bit to the left in order to get a view of the patient.

Fluttershy tilted her wing and leaned to the left as well. “Everything is just fine, I’ve got it covered. Totally covered, heh-heh.” Her stupid grin didn’t waver.

“Well, okay, see you tomorrow. C’mon Gold Feather, I’ll take you home.” Twilight lifted the bird in her magic, placed him on her back, and trotted towards Fluttershy’s cabin.

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief before she turned back to Scootaloo and asked, “What’s wrong with asking Rainbow Dash for help?”

“She’s… too busy. Yeah, too busy to help,” Scootaloo said as she looked away from Fluttershy and inspected one of the more painful scrapes on her forelegs.

“She should be back from the weather patrol tonight. I’m sure she’d be willing to help,” Fluttershy said as she tilted her head lower and tried to catch Scootaloo’s eye in vain.

“Yeah, but, um, she’s, too good. Yeah, too good to teach newbies like us. We should learn to fly first, then ask her for the more advanced stuff.” Scootaloo sniffed again.

Fluttershy placed a hoof under Scootaloo’s chin and tilted her face up. Fluttershy rarely did such things, but Scootaloo’s expression made her temporarily forget about being nervous. When she got a look at Scootaloo’s face, she paused. She stared into Scootaloo’s eyes as she thought for a moment before she nodded. “Scootaloo, I pinkie pie promise I won’t tell Rainbow Dash you need help flying until you want her to know. I will only ask her for advice and leave your name out of it.” Fluttershy crossed her heart and stopped short of poking herself in the eye.

Scootaloo blinked away tears. “Y-You’re... the kindest pony I’ve ever—” she hiccuped while Fluttershy hugged her with both wings. Fluttershy smiled and said nothing more.

~~~~~

SKKNNNNXXXX

“There you are,” Fluttershy said as she landed on the little cloud over the old oak tree. Rainbow Dash was napping, again, as usual. Most weather ponies took all day to clear the sky, but not Dash. It was too bad she didn’t do something more useful with her time. Or maybe sleeping was required to work so efficiently? Fluttershy didn’t know, but figured Dash could afford to spend some time helping out. She gently rubbed Dash’s withers and whispered as loud as she could, “Rainbow Dash, wake up. I need some help.”

Dash sat up, rubbing her eyes as she groaned, “It’s too early for my next shift. The storm didn’t change course again did it?” Dash blinked in Fluttershy’s direction, her bleary eyes matched her bed head.

“Um, there’s no storm. I need some help teaching some foals how to fly.” Fluttershy smiled, but her eyes found the cloud beneath them more interesting than Dash herself.

Dash snorted, “Wait, I’m back home. Sweet, time for sleep! Wait, did you say, ‘teaching foals how to fly’?” Dash rubbed her eyes again. She tried to focus on the pink-and-yellow blob in front of her.

“Um, yes, I’m trying to teach a little bird how to fly. I’m having some trouble and I was wondering if—”

“Is it Scootaloo?”

Fluttershy’s stomach felt like it had dropped into her hooves. She swallowed and blinked several times before she responded, “Um, no, it’s my meadowlark, Gold Feather.” Her smile was overwide.

Dash was bouncing on her hooves when she blurted, “Finally, the squirt is serious about flying! I was wondering when she’d come around. So when is her next lesson?”

Fluttershy’s eyes darted left and right as she responded, “Um, I’m, um, not teaching Scootaloo. I’m teaching my pet meadowlark—”

“Yeah-yeah-yeah, sure. Gold Flapper, got it. Now tell me about Scootaloo. I’ll bet she’s a natural, right?” Dash leaned closer to Fluttershy, her overeager grin made Fluttershy backpedal. She fell to her flank on the soft cloud.

“Please don’t tell her you know about the flying lessons.” Fluttershy pleaded with Dash, using her best set of puppy-dog eyes. She frowned, and her hooves quivered, but she continued, “I’m begging you.” She clapped her hooves together as if in prayer. “I promised her I wouldn’t say anything about teaching her; I pinkie pie promised.”

Rainbow Dash backed off a bit, but Fluttershy stuck to her, begging the whole time. “What? Why?” Dash looked around the horizon, and spotted a tiny figure that seemed to blur the air above it.

“She adores you too much, Rainbow Dash. She doesn’t want to appear weak in front of you. You won’t tell her, will you?” Fluttershy didn’t dare take her puppy-dog eyes off of Dash.

Dash wasn’t looking at Fluttershy, she was staring at the growing figure in the distance. She could make out propeller blades now, and a peppermint color scheme. Uh oh. “Uh, did you say you pinkie pie promised not to tell me?”

Fluttershy didn’t even blink when she said, “Yes. Why?” She didn’t let up on the begging. If she could just get Dash to look at her, maybe now she would understand and agree with her.

“I-think-we’d-better-go-I-won’t-tell-her-TIME-TO-FLY-AWAY-NOW!” Dash bit down on Fluttershy’s tail and shot towards the setting sun.

A minute later, a scowling pink pony on a red-and-white striped flying machine trundled past the cloud Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had been talking on. Grumbling something about using a cannon and extra-sticky dough to catch her prey next time, the pony relentlessly followed them.

Fireflies

skknnxx

Sweetie Belle snored softly as she settled into the guest bed. She had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of the story Rarity was reading to her. It was a silly story about monkeys jumping and falling off of beds. Rarity used her magic and pulled the covers over her sister before opening the glass lamp on the nightstand, letting the fireflies out the window. “Sweet dreams, little one. Just remember, I’ll always be there to catch you, even if you jump off the bed,” she whispered at Sweetie Belle’s sleeping form. She kissed her sister on the forehead before leaving, closing the door quietly behind her.

~~~~~

WHOA

Applebloom tried to jump into bed, but Applejack caught her before she slammed into the headboard. Her leap was overeager and she probably would have possessed a lovely bruise had her sister not been there. “Careful, sugarcube, ya don’t want ta go to dreamland that way.”

“Thanks sis,” Applebloom said as she watched a small cloud of fireflies flit past her window from the direction of Ponyville; they headed around the edge of town.

“Don’t mention it. Ah’ll be there ta catch ya if’n ya fall,” Applejack said as she walked out of her sister’s room. The door closed with a soft click.

“Ah know,” Applebloom said as she smiled at the door and closed her eyes.

~~~~~

FLOP

Scootaloo was raw inside and out when she fell into bed, totally exhausted. Crashing into the ground multiple times could do that to you. She glanced around the room at the other bunk beds. Hers was a nice one; she had a bottom bunk with a comfortable mattress and a view out of the window. Some of the other fillies and colts in the orphanage weren’t so lucky.

Various levels of snoring issued from every other bunk. The others went to sleep after the matron killed the lights only a few minutes ago. Scootaloo still couldn’t sleep, tired as she was. She couldn’t stop thinking about flying. She stared out the window into the fields and the Everfree forest beyond.

I’m going to learn to fly so I don’t have to rely on anypony else. Even those fireflies can fly on their own, and they’re just bugs! Scootaloo thought as a little cloud of fireflies darted and swirled past her window.

~~~~~

Scootaloo looked terrible, but galloped down the track at full speed anyway. She buzzed her wings, jumped through the first ring, and closed her eyes. A quiver in her lip and a knot in her gut were the only things she could do for the painful crash landing she was about to endure. C’mon, just a little flying! Please? Just so I don’t slam into the ground. Just enough so I float on super-soft... air? Scootaloo’s eye popped open. Her wings were still buzzing and she was flying! She could see the track below her, along with all seven mini-craters.

She looked around her and the knot in her stomach did a backflip. She tried to hide her face behind her forelegs, and stopped buzzing her wings after another moment; they were useless anyway.

“Looks like you’re trying real hard here, squirt. I was wondering why little craters were appearing out here. Did it hurt when you made ‘em?” Rainbow Dash said, craning her head over her shoulder. Scootaloo fit neatly on her back between her wings.

“N-No it didn’t hurt.” She thinks I’m a dweeb who can’t even get off the ground.

“Awww, that’s too bad,” Rainbow Dash said, without a hint of sarcasm.

The statement made Scootaloo peek at Dash over her hooves. “Bad? It’s good if it hurts?”

“Yeah, well, I mean, no, it’s not good to get hurt. But I would know a little more about you if it DID hurt. Especially if it hurt a lot.” Dash was still gliding around the track through all of the rings. She wasn’t even flapping her wings. The air just seemed to hold her.

Scootaloo glanced at Twilight and Gold Feather, looking up at her from the starting line. She sucked in a breath and whispered, “It hurt... a little.” I can’t tell her it hurt a lot, she’ll think I’m a double dweeb.

“And you made six more craters anyway?” Dash queried as she was circling lower and lower.

A dweeb, and an idiot, Scootaloo admonished herself. “Yeah...”

“Awesome.”

“I guess I shouldn’t—what?” Scootaloo perked up and looked at the back of Dash’s head. They landed just behind the starting line near the others, as if Dash had planned it that way. She probably did.

“You fell down and kept getting back up. Losers stay down when they fall, winners get back up. There’s not gonna be anymore craters, not with me around. I’ll catch you if you fall, I promise.”

Dash bent her left legs and tilted her left wing down to form a short slide. Scootaloo slid off, still looking at Dash. She could see her idol in profile when her flank hit the dirt. “R-Really?” She used all of her willpower to keep her voice even and her eyes dry. She swallowed the massive lump in her throat before Dash answered.

“Every time,” Dash said as she smiled. She walked purposefully forward and turned to stand in front of the tiny class. “Okay, flight class is in session—” Twilight raised a hoof. “Yes?” Dash pointed a hoof at Twilight.

Twilight held a tense smile and tilted her head, “Where’s Fluttershy?”

“Fluttershy is taking care of some extremely important business in Sugarcube Corner. Let’s just say she is making this flying lesson safer.” From party cannons! Dash thought.

“What could she be doing at—”

“No more questions, everypony—er—everyone follow me!” Dash whipped around and trotted off at a brisk pace. She hoped by keeping Twilight busy she wouldn’t have to answer pesky questions, like why Fluttershy was delivering a metric ton of peanut butter sugar cookies to Pinkie Pie, or why those cookies were laced with sleeping aids.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the edge of Ponyville’s pond. The water was like a massive mirror, reflecting the cattails and distant trees in it. Dash sighed and said, “Wait here,” before flying away. She returned after a few moments, piloting a fluffy white cloud. “This,” she said, patting the cloud, “is going to be our diving board.” Scootaloo swallowed and looked on as Dash stopped the cloud in front of the class. “Who wants to go first?” Twilight and Gold Feather stuck a hoof and wing, respectively, up in the air. Scootaloo looked down and made little circles in the dirt with her forehoof. Dash blinked and snorted, “C’mon squirt, you’re up!” She snatched Scootaloo up, causing her to yelp. Scootaloo found herself sitting on the cloud as Dash held out a hoof to Twilight. “All aboard, Princess, and don’t forget your cloud-walk spell. Oh, and bring the little bird with ya.”

“Do I even need it?” Twilight asked Dash. They both looked at each other and shrugged. Twilight’s horn flashed briefly before she picked up Gold Feather and stepped onto the cloud. The little bird was squawking so excitedly he was almost singing. It was a random mishmash of notes as far as Scootaloo could tell, but it didn’t sound irritating. Even when he’s screwing up he doesn’t screw up! Scootaloo thought bitterly. Dash flapped her wings and drove the cloud high into the air. Scootaloo looked around and down at the pond. It seemed to stretch far away from her, a tiny blue smudge on the green landscape below. It looked like a drop of water on a mottled green sheet of paper. She gulped and closed her eyes, trying to keep her head from spinning. Who ever heard of a pegasus with vertigo? I’m such a dweeb, Scootaloo thought to herself. As Dash pulled the cloud higher and higher, Scootaloo’s eyes shrank to pin pricks. Once they stopped, Scootaloo was sure they were in orbit above Equestria.

“Try to use the extra speed and keep your legs tucked in. Off ya go, squirt,” Dash said. Without further warning, Scootaloo felt a powerful hoof on her flank push her forward. She blinked for a second, and then the ground rushed up to meet her.

Her mind locked up and her wide, unblinking eyes reflected the tiny pond as it expanded to ten times its size. Her wings buzzed on instinct just before she hit the water with a giant splash. Scootaloo gasped as her head burst from the surface of the water. She could swear she could still see drops of water hitting the far bank from her impact. How high did I have to be to make such a big splash? She shook her head to clear the water from her face, and the fear from her head. “That was close.”

“Uh, not really. I said to tuck in your legs remember? Not flap them around like your wings.” Scootaloo looked up to find Rainbow Dash floating above her. Dash’s forehooves were on her flanks and the corner of her mouth was curling down. “Move it, squirt. It’s time for the others to jump and I want everypony to get in as much practice as we can.”

Scootaloo’s vision began to blur. I disappointed Rainbow Dash, and she gave me a direct order! C’mon Scootaloo, pay attention! But she wasn’t paying attention when Dash plucked her out of the water and began to ascend. “Uh, right, the other students... Sorry...” Scootaloo was quivering on Dash’s back, but the water wasn’t cold at all.

“Sorry? What for? You don’t have to apologize if you’re having fun. Are you gonna quit?” Dash said the word quit with venom.

“No way!” Scootaloo said. She had made craters for a week; splashing into a pond was nothing, even if it was from orbit.

“Then you got nothing to say sorry for,” Dash said as Gold Feather shot past them, chirping madly. His wings were flapping, but it didn’t do him much good. Scootaloo looked down as a speck hit the pond far below as she nuzzled into Dash’s mane. They reached the cloud a moment later. Dash piped up, “Your turn, Princess.”

As Twilight looked down over the edge of the cloud, her voice quavered, “Um, I have a few questions before—AHHHHhhhhhhhh!” Her voice fell away after Dash used one forehoof to lazily push her off the cloud.

“Don’t forget to tuck in your legs!” Dash yelled after her. Dash watched for a moment, then sighed, “Maybe she didn’t hear me? Honestly, hooves aren’t gonna help you get lift.” She turned to look over her shoulder at Scootaloo still on her back. “You still here? What’re you waiting for? Don’t you want to have fun jumping into the pond?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo said with a fierce grin on her face. She took a mighty leap off into space and plummeted like a stone. She managed to tuck her legs in before—

SPLASH

Scootaloo huffed as she broke the surface of the water. It was fun and scary, but she really wanted to fly more than anything. Gold Feather and Twilight didn’t really seem to be paying too much attention to her. Now all I have to do is be the first to fly and impress Rainbow Dash.

SPLASH

SPLASH

SPLASH

SPLASH

SPLASH

They kept practicing until the sun went down and the pond grew cold. Scootaloo was shivering, but didn’t complain. She tried to do everything Dash told her to do: legs tucked in and her wings pointed in the direction of the air flow. That meant facing down and looking at the ground as it rushed up to meet you. Scootaloo tried, but could never keep her eyes open for long in free fall.

~~~~~

Fluttershy set down her cup of tea and looked over the table at her oldest friend. “I think they did great for their first day,” she said before adding a sugarcube to her tea.

“What? None of them flew, not even a little bit. Twilight has the wingspan, but I swear she has noodles for wing muscles. Gold Flake—”

“Gold Feather.”

“Whatever—he’s got the talent, but he won’t take direction. He’s a spoiled, arrogant little snot.” Dash snorted as Fluttershy let out a tiny gasp behind her tea cup. “And Scootaloo, I don’t know what’s wrong with that kid. She’s got wing muscles to spare. I’d like to say she has heart, but something is holding her back.” Dash put her hoof to her chin and glanced to the corner of the room. “It’s really hard to think with... that.” She gestured to her left.

Fluttershy and Dash were seated at the dining table, Fluttershy with her tea and Dash with a glass of ice water. The table was cleared and all the chairs had been pushed in to make a little extra space. In the corner of the room there appeared to be a giant pink balloon with little fat hooves sticking out and a fluffy, undersized pink tail. Every few seconds a loud, crude snore would issue from somewhere inside the balloon. “I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said quietly. “I was worried about her and I wanted to watch her to make sure she was alright.”

“Did you have to let her eat the entire batch of cookies? You said you made twenty dozen!”

“I actually made forty dozen.”

“Did you put a half sleeping pill in each one like we planned?”

“Yes.”

Dash’s mouth fell open. “Then why did you let her eat them all?!”

“Well, I didn’t want her to be mad at me, so I wrote a letter and told Spike to deliver it to her while I baked the cookies. I was almost finished baking them when Pinkie Pie burst out of the mixing bowl I was using with the letter. She was so happy to hear I was making her cookies, she said she would talk about pinkie pie promises after I had given them to her,” Fluttershy explained.

“You still shouldn’t have let her eat so many.”

“I didn’t!” Fluttershy shrank in her seat, defending herself. “I made her pinkie pie promise to only have one bite before we talked about any other promises. I thought with the plate of cookies in front of her it would make the conversation shorter...”

“Well what happened?”

“She ate one bite.”

“Right, so what happened to all the cookies?”

“Just one bite...” Fluttershy looked down at her tea and shuddered. Dash blinked once and her eyes went wide.

“That can’t be healthy. Or even possible! How...?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

The pink balloon in the corner of the room quivered, and the sound of a pony smacking her lips with contentment floated over the dining room. The giant pink balloon rolled a bit, and Dash could see Pinkie’s head now, her tongue hanging out and drooling. She wore a smile even in sleep, and she was still breathing, so she wasn’t dead. Dash shook her head to clear it and said, “I’ll let you worry about that. What I want to talk about is what to do with the students. This is gonna be a tough group. I think we should try a starfall.”

OOOF

The tea cup clinked against the saucer and Dash found herself on her back. Two yellow hooves pinned her to the floor. “No!” Fluttershy barked as she looked right at Dash, intensity burning behind her eyes.

“Hey, lay off me! I was just—” Dash stopped. Fluttershy was staring at her. Dash gulped and mumbled, “O-okay, no starfall.” Dash blinked and found Fluttershy back in her seat, sipping tea with her eyes closed, content. “Uh, see you tomorrow for flight practice,” Dash said as she stood and brushed herself off.

~~~~~

Scootaloo looked out of the treehouse door and into the night sky. Little points of light flickered behind slowly rolling clouds. A thick crescent moon burned brightly tonight, illuminating the countryside in a diffuse, white glow. She could see Sweet Apple Acres with all of the lights off. Ponyville had a few lights on, including the orphanage. Her ears fell as she sighed and mumbled, “They’re probably looking for me.”

Scootaloo jumped into space and buzzed her wings again. This was the seventh time in the past half-hour. It didn’t turn out any different; she still hit the ground a moment later with a thud. Groaning, she struggled to her hooves. She winced again when she found a new scrape along her flank this time. She spat out a blade of grass, shook her mane to remove any loose dirt, and sucked in a breath to steady herself. Climbing up the ramp to the treehouse was getting harder with every attempt. “I’m not giving up, no matter how many times I fall. Only losers give up. That’s what—Rainbow Dash?”

Scootaloo’s ears perked up when she saw an undersaturated rainbow streak fly overhead. “Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo called out. She was covered in minor wounds, and bags were under her eyes, but she smiled when the rainbow streak stopped.

“Hey, squirt,” Dash said as she drifted down. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

Scootaloo could only see a dark silhouette with a rainbow mane. She sighed and nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess so. I just...”

“Up here, squirt,” Dash said, flying up to the treehouse window. Scootaloo had brought a small lantern with a half dozen fireflies inside. Aside from the moon and stars, it was the only source of light. “Let me get a look at you.”

With quick steps, Scootaloo obeyed, and trotted into the treehouse. She stood before the window, with Dash peering at her from outside. The light from the lantern cast deep shadows over Scootaloo’s features, which did nothing to improve her appearance. Dash’s eyes widened slightly when she saw Scootaloo and the injuries she wore. Her mane was a mess, her coat was covered in dirt and scratches, and Dash was fairly certain Scootaloo hadn’t got that bruise from flight practice earlier today. But the look in her eyes, the fire that lurked behind them made her eyes glitter with an inner light...

~~~~~

Many years ago...

Rainbow Dash darted behind the cloud sculpture in the middle of the park. Her father was calling out for her, but she just giggled and flew to the next tree-like cloud sculpture behind his back. She had just learned how to fly three weeks ago, and the smile still hadn’t left her face. She was flying everywhere now, even around the house. She knew it irritated her father when she crashed into things, but he never told her to stop. No matter how many broken dishes, cracked walls, or odd trinkets ended up on the floor, her father never told her to stop flying. He always caught her when she really fell; she hadn’t ever hit the ground at speed.

Now she didn’t need him to catch her. She could recover from a wild free fall, a tumbling arc, even a razor crosswind. She was playing an impromptu game of hide and seek with him, but he didn’t know that yet. She flew low over the wide open cloud; this was the Cloudsdale park, and there were plenty of places to hide if she was careful. She floated by a puddle and saw herself in the water.

She was scruffy—learning how to fly had given her quite a number of minor scrapes and bruises. Her mane was a mess from all the wind shear it had suffered, and she had bags under her eyes. Despite all that, she was smiling, and her eyes glittered with mischief.

She flew behind a thick cloud column, and out of her father’s sight. She glanced over the edge of the park. The ground was so far away that the trees looked like fuzzy green dots, and the rivers looked like silvery wires. A carriage whistled past, the wind tugging her mane in its wake. She always admired the pegasi who pulled the carriages; they had to have powerful wings to move something so heavy so quickly. The sun was sinking low on the horizon, making all of Cloudsdale glow with soft, golden light. Across the empty channel that served as a street, she could see her favorite ice cream parlor. Dash licked her lips as she watched the clerk trot to the front door—and flip the sign from “open” to “closed.”

“Awww, c’mon! I wanted ice cream so bad, I could scream,” Dash whined to nopony.

“aaaaaaaaahhhhHHHHHH!”

“Yeah, like that—huh?!” Dash looked up and saw a little pegasus filly with a pink mane and tail flail her wings and legs uselessly in free fall! She was going to pass right through the “street” and from there it was just a nice long drop to the ground. Without thinking, Dash shot forward.

Her eyes went wide and her heart slammed against her ribs. She stretched out her forelegs and the filly fell into them. Dash felt like she had caught an anvil. It caused her forelegs to instantly snap down. Dash grunted and clenched her teeth, pulling with all of her strength. The filly wrapped her legs around Dash’s barrel in a death grip. They fell below street level.

“Please don’t let me die!” The filly squeaked out.

Dash strained with the extra weight. “Don’t worry... I won’t... drop you.” Her wing muscles burned and her forelegs felt like the candy in the taffy stretcher. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. She gritted her teeth and focused on the ice cream parlor.

With a heave, the two fillies rose over the lip of the cloudy sidewalk and flopped onto it. Dash couldn't do anything but suck in air for several moments. “Oh, oh thank you. You saved my life.” The yellow filly hugged Dash around her barrel and quivered, sobbing quietly. “You’re… awesome.”

Dash smiled and flared her nose; between breaths, she introduced herself. “Yeah, I am awesome, thanks. My name is Rainbow Dash. What’s yours?”

“I’m… um… Fluttershy.” Her voice trailed off, but she smiled at Dash anyway.

A pink pegasus mare with a yellow mane landed heavily next to the two fillies. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates. “You saved my daughter!”

~~~~~

Dash just stared, her face slack and her eyes unfocused. Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow and leaned back slightly. “Do I have something on my face?”

“N-no, I was just thinking...” Dash stared at Scootaloo a moment more, then nodded to herself. “Hop on squir—kid.” Scootaloo blinked as Dash held her left wing steady, like a bridge, towards the window. It was incredible how she could just hover there using only one wing. “Hurry up, it’s hard to fly this way.” Scootaloo smiled like she had just won a lifetime supply of ice cream. She darted onto Dash’s back and wrapped her forelegs around Dash’s neck. In a flash, they were aloft.

They flew in silence for a few minutes, rising higher and higher. Scootaloo held on tight, but her stomach was still. She nuzzled into Dash’s mane as she felt the powerful muscles flexing on Dash’s back and wings. She glanced down to see the lights of Ponyville shrink to pin pricks. She sighed and laid down. “Where are we going?”

Dash barked out a laugh and said, “I was wondering when you were gonna ask that. We’re going to the First Cloud.”

“The First Cloud?”

“Yeah, just an old, boring pegasus legend…” Dash let the words hang in the air with just the right amount of dramatic mystery.

Scootaloo held in a little gasp. “Tell me, please?” Scootaloo’s eyes grew wider as she stared at the back of Dash’s head.

“Well, I don’t know, it’s kinda boring…”

“Please?”

“Well, okay.” Scootaloo pumped a hoof in triumph before wrapping her forelegs around Dash’s neck again. “The legend says that a long time ago, like a really, really long time ago, when Equestria was still young—”

“Yeah? Cool!” Scootaloo hugged Dash even tighter and held her breath.

“Hey, don’t interrupt, squirt. Where was I? Oh yeah—when Equestra was young the first pegasi roamed free in the sky. They loved the sky so much, they didn’t want to sleep on the ground, but they had no choice.” As Scootaloo let out a quiet yawn, Dash continued, “Ponies didn’t have names back then—they didn’t know how to talk. They did know how to fly, though. One of the first pegasi, a mare with a golden coat and big wings, hated sleeping on the ground. It hurt her back waking up every morning on the cold, rocky ground. This was before there were clouds, before the earth ponies worked the land.” Scootaloo rubbed Dash’s soft mane as she continued with her story. “When night fell, this mare knew she was going to have to fall asleep on the rocky ground again. She was frustrated, and didn’t want to sleep, so she flew in circles as fast as she could. She was just trying to stay awake, but she got lucky.”

“What happened?” Scootaloo asked, yawning again.

“She was flying over a river near an active volcano. There were lots of volcanos back then. Anyway, without knowing it, she funneled the water into the sky all by herself; that’s how awesome she was. The volcano decided to erupt right then, scaring her away. The water fell back to earth, but not before some of it was hit by lava. It flashed into steam and created a big, fluffy, white cloud. The mare didn’t know what it was. She was curious, because she had never seen such a weird thing in the sky. She found it was super soft, and decided to try sleeping on it. In the morning, her back didn’t hurt and she found a weird mark on her flank.”

“She got her cutie mark?!” Scootaloo was awake now.

“Yep. The First Cloud, and the first cutie mark. Her mark was a cloud, obviously, and she kept making more clouds for the other pegasi. But she slept on the First Cloud every night ‘til the end of her days. It’s said that her spirit is in that cloud. She gives her strength to any pegasi that stand on it.”

Scootaloo snickered. “I don’t think an old nag is gonna help me fly; I doubt she can do anything.”

“Really?” Dash said without a hint of sarcasm. “Have you ever seen a golden cloud?”

“Yeah, there’s lots of them around sunset,” Scootaloo replied.

“No, I mean always gold. Just like... that cloud there.” They had been flying higher and higher the whole time during the story. Scootaloo could see many clouds below her, as the two pegasi were far above the cloud layer. But there was a little cloud up here, far higher than the others. Even in the dim light of the stars and moon, Scootaloo could see it was the color of wheat. She gasped, and Dash landed on the cloud. Dash sat on her flank and Scootaloo slid off, her mouth still hanging open. Dash smirked and looked over her shoulder. “So, what do you think now?”

Scootaloo flopped onto the cloud and flapped her limbs, making a cloud angel. She looked up at Dash with wide eyes. “It’s so soft, and it really is gold!” She stood up and dusted herself off, little bits of cloud tumbling from her mane and back. “Can I sleep here? Maybe soak up some flying talent? Or get a cutie mark for cloud sleeping?”

Dash laughed and shook her head. “If you could get a cutie mark for sleeping on a cloud, I would have it. Besides, you gotta get home at some point. I gotta get you into bed.”

Scootaloo snuggled into the cloud, hugging it tight. “But you told me a bedtime story, and then put me on a cloud. So...”

Dash turned and faced Scootaloo with one raised brow. “I didn’t bring you up here to put you to sleep.”

Scootaloo looked up with one raised brow as she asked, “Well, what are we doing here then?”

Dash opened her mouth to reply, but closed it while her brain paused. She looked at Scootaloo with a blank expression. She stared, unblinking for several moments. She nodded to herself, then used her wings to pull Scootaloo in close, hugging her with both wings and forehooves. “Do you trust me, Scootaloo?”

“Um, yeah.” Scootaloo was starting to sweat. She wasn’t lying, but the way Dash was acting made her heart beat and her mouth dry.

“Good. remember, I will always catch you if you fall.”

Scootaloo blinked. Dash paused again, while Scootaloo looked down and gulped. She had never been this high off the ground. Flight practice was a stair step compared to this skyscraper fall. She looked into the distance and could see the horizon; it made a frown-like shape. I can see the curve of the planet! Scootaloo realized. She could see the stars and moon; they were sharp and clear this high up. She gulped again, trying to get rid of that cottony feeling in her mouth. Dash smiled a tired smile at her, and with a tiny flick of her wings, gave Scootaloo a deft push.

And then the world flipped upside down.

The First Cloud

Air was burning past Scootaloo’s form, peeling her cheeks back. Tears were being torn out of the corners of her eyes by the wind whipping past. She frantically looked about. Dash was there, right side up, her mane being pressed into her head. Scootaloo looked ‘up,’ and saw the ground rushing towards her. Her eyes went wide and her mind drew a total blank.

“Tuck your legs in.”

Scootaloo flailed her limbs about uselessly. Her wings buzzed, her heart hammered in her chest, and if she were able to get any air in her lungs she would have screamed. She could see Dash flying straight down a short distance away. She could almost reach out and grab her. Almost.

“I will catch you if you fall.” Dash’s voice was calm, boring even, like she was reading out bingo numbers. Scootaloo gulped, and with trembling hooves, pulled her legs to her barrel. “Good, now just flap those wings, and keep your nose pointed into the wind.”

Scootaloo’s wings buzzed even faster, the air tore her breath away. Her eyes blinked furiously as the wind stung them. She tried to keep them open, but it was proving to be difficult. She felt herself accelerate. The ground came at her even faster than before. “AAAHHHHHH!” Somehow, she found the breath to scream.

Dash shouted over her, “You almost have it! Now just tilt slowly, like you’re trying to lift your head up! Angle your wings and your head to the horizon and your tail in the opposite direction, and try to even out!”

Scootaloo’s entire body trembled as her thoughts became a jumbled mess. The only thought that she could latch onto was even out, get level. The ground came closer and closer as they shot past a wide gap in the cloud layer. Scootaloo’s scream cut out since she didn’t have anything left in her lungs. The edges of her vision turned black. She could see a road, a dusky ribbon snaking its way through the dark-green Everfree. She was rushing towards it with terrifying speed. She snapped her wings “down” and tilted them as far as they could go.

The world turned into a confusing mess.

Scootaloo tumbled in free fall. Her legs shot out every which way, flailing about in the air, searching for purchase. Her breathing became rapid and uneven when the blackness crept into the center of her vision. All she could see was a little disk of clear vision, flashing between the ground and sky, before everything went dark.

GASP

Scootaloo woke up, and instantly began to struggle. Her limbs were tight against her barrel—she couldn’t move them! She could see the ground below her speeding past. The world slowly spun, the ground rolled away, and she turned upside down to face the sky. Her breathing evened out, but her heart didn’t slow down. The tears in her eyes didn’t stop flowing as she looked up at the sky. She felt a soft, warm belly against her back.

“I told you I would catch you.” Dash’s voice came from behind her. Scootaloo lay on Dash’s belly and tried to breathe evenly. Dash was flying upside down, holding Scootaloo in her forelegs. Scootaloo’s heart still slammed in her chest.

Scootaloo sniffed, and squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, hey, none of that. You did fine up ‘til that last part.”

“B-But, I d-dihi-dn’t k-keep my l-legs in,” Scootaloo sobbed out.

Dash’s brow shot up. She isn’t scared of falling so much as she’s scared of disappointing me. Dash used one hoof to stroke Scootaloo’s mane and whispered, “Do you want to try again some other time?”

Scootaloo sniffed again, and let out a ragged breath. She opened her eyes and spoke clearly, “Yes.”

“Then I’m proud of you,” Dash said as she kept stroking Scootaloo’s mane. “Um, maybe you shouldn’t mention this to Fluttershy. I don’t want to make her nervous.”

Scootaloo nodded. After a moment her sobbing slowed, her tears dried up, and her heart rate returned to normal. By the time Dash reached the orphanage Scootaloo had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

~~~~~

He landed on a golden cloud. His wings were large and powerful, his mane the color of the sky. His yellow coat almost matched the cloud he landed on. It was dusk, and he hugged the filly close to his chest. “Do you trust me, Butterbean?”

“Of course I do, daddy,” she breathed out. Her voice was a wispy thing; it didn’t carry far on the wind. She looked down and quickly snapped to her father’s chest, hugging him tight. Her pink mane quivered as she buried her face in his barrel. He pried her off and held her out with two forehooves. Her hindquarters and long mane dangled over empty space.

“You’re going to be a shooting star today. Trust me, Butterbean.”

Her lower lip quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her father smiled. Then the world turned into rushing wind and fear as she fell, alone, into the sky.

THUD

“Ahhhhhh...” Fluttershy kicked her legs out and flapped her wings. It didn’t do anything but get her more tangled up in her bed sheets. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and her sheets were soaked with sweat. As she rubbed her nose, Fluttershy swore she could still smell her father’s cologne. She was on the cold floor in her bedroom, aching from a fresh lump on the back of her head. She sighed and placed a hoof to her chest before rising to reset her sheets. She climbed into bed and rubbed her eyes. “It’s all over now, Fluttershy,” she said to herself quietly. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

She turned to her side, and watched Gold Feather sleep in his nest, his chest slowly rising and falling. She didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

~~~~~

“Hmmm... Starfall... Starfall... What is a starfall?” Spike muttered to himself as he flipped to the back of the book, searching for the index. He hadn’t been able to find any references to a “starfall” in any of the other flight books. This one mentioned it, but the word didn’t appear in the index, and nothing in the text told him what a starfall actually was.

sigh

Twilight was on the couch, her body spread out in a rather undignified way. She couldn’t help it; numerous collisions with the willow tree had left her body with a medical textbook’s worth of minor injuries. She hadn’t moved in over an hour. Only her horn was glowing, holding her favorite astronomy text in front of her nose. The nice part about it was that she could use her injuries to call in sick when it came to any royal duties. As it turned out, princesses got infinite sick days. She was going to remember that next time she needed a vacation.

“Twilight, do you know what a Starfall is?” Spike was holding a book open with a pleading expression. He was pointing to a spot midway down the page of the open book in his claw.

She could never turn down a pony asking for help when it came to books, and she could never turn down a friend. Spike asking for help with a book was an irresistible siren’s call, even if she was unable to move much. Her eyes rolled up and to the left for a moment before she said, “I think I remember reading about a starfall in The Complete Biography of Commander Hurricane, First Edition. Why do you ask? I think the book is in that stack over there—OW!” Twilight pointed with a hoof and regretted it as pain lanced up her limb. She thought she heard a bone pop, but it might have just been her imagination.

“Don’t move, Twilight, I’ll get it.” Spike rocketed across the room and returned with the entire stack of books. It was at least six times his height, but after years of practice Spike was able to carry the towering stack of books without dropping them.

“I heard Rainbow Dash mumble something about a starfall after I fell into the lake for the seventeenth time, and I was wondering what she was thinking about.”

With an impossibly swift motion, he snatched a book right out of the stack without causing it to fall. This time. He read the titles out loud, “Let’s see, Don’t Panic, I dig the large, friendly-looking font, but this is the wrong book.” He tossed it over his shoulder and snagged another one. “The Complete Biography of Commander Hurricane... Fourteenth Edition. Darn, so close.”

He continued to go through books. He read out their titles, checking Twilight’s expression each time. “A thirty-six page glossy booklet titled: A Complete History of Equestrian War?” Toss. “An extremely thick book titled: A Complete History of Equestrian War AND Peace?” Toss...THUD. “Wave Particle Duality Rectification Theory. Seriously, who reads this stuff?” Twilight glanced away and blushed. Toss... Thunk! “OW!” Spike rubbed his head when a book fell from the top of the stack. “Gravimetric Gyrations, by Newhoof.” Toss. “The Pony Sutra? What’s that?” Spike glanced at Twilight.

“I’ll take that!” She swiped the book away from him with her magic and hid it behind her. She covered the lower half of her blushing face behind the open astronomy book.

Spike shrugged and continued, “The Griffon, the Zebra and the Wardrobe.” When Spike tossed it, it sailed into an open closet but didn’t make a sound of impact. “A Catcher in the Wheat, hey, who wrote ‘buck you’ on the back cover?” Twilight sighed and shook her head. It was a common thing for fillies and colts to deface library books. Toss. “Gone with the Breeze.” Toss, the book flew out the window as if it were made of feathers. “Of Mice and Mares.” Toss, it too flew out the window and landed with a deadly thump in front of Angel who was hopping by. Angel kicked the book with a scowl on his face and continued on his way. “To Kill a Teasing Bird.” Toss, it bounced against the wall. Zecora was on her monthly trip to town when she heard a strange thump from the treehouse. She shrugged, after all, it was safe here in Ponyville, right? “The Old Pony and the Sea, enough said.” Toss. “How to Train Your Dragon.”

“Oh, I’ve been looking for that!” Twilight said as she snatched it away with her magic. Spike shrugged, but inwardly smiled. I’ve already written ‘feed your dragon gems at every opportunity’ to the end of every chapter he thought. It took considerable willpower to keep from grinning like an idiot, but the gems coming his way would be worth it.

“Here it is, The Complete Biography of Commander Hurricane, First Edition.” Spike frowned at the book. It was worn, dusty, and the spine cracked when he opened it. It was also thick, heavy, and had no index. “How am I supposed to find anything in this mess?” he said, flipping to a random point mid-way through the tome.

“It’s near the beginning of the book. Commander Hurricane talks about his foal-hood, and how he had trouble learning to fly. I was interested in the founding of Equestria when I read it so I just skimmed the early parts. I remember he mentioned a starfall.” Twilight used a hoof to flip to an early part of the book. She looked at the book in Spike’s claws, upside down, but was still able to find the page she was looking for.

Spike set the book down, and the two began to read.

~~~~~

“Okay, everyone. I’m back, and I’m going to do my best to teach you.” Fluttershy spoke with what she thought was confidence. Her voice was barely audible over the sighing of the grass in the breeze.

Twilight twisted a hoof into her right ear. “One more time? I didn’t catch that.”

Fluttershy sighed and continued, “We’re going to try some high dives into this pool of water.” Fluttershy pointed with a hoof to the “high dive” she was talking about. She had set up a ladder and a diving board. Under this, she had set up a swimming pool. It was well constructed, and would be lots of fun.

For colts and fillies.

The diving board was no more than two meters high. The pool was almost too big in comparison, it was large enough for a whale and easily deep enough to drop one into it without hitting the bottom. The edges of the wooden pool were wrapped with rubber thick enough to prevent injuries to falling ponies… or anvils. In addition, there was a sign bolted to the side of the pool that read, “No galloping.” An empty box sitting on top of a pile of tools behind Fluttershy read, “water softener.”

“Is everyone ready?” Fluttershy smiled and looked at her students. “Are you ready to be a lifeguard?” Fluttershy looked up and called to Rainbow Dash. She was floating above the pool on a small cloud, a whistle around her neck. Her brow was flat, and her mouth was in a pout.

“Yes, I am ready to save anypony from drowning, but I won’t have to because they will fly today,” Dash droned. She had practiced this line at least one hundred times. Fluttershy made her do so after their last conversation. Fluttershy had become rather… insistent since that discussion. Dash had to convince her to allow the students to continue to jump to get some speed, but the extra safety features were the price she had to pay to get Fluttershy to allow it. When she suggested a trampoline and a foal’s pool, Dash had to put a hoof down. The result was the monstrosity that took all day to construct.

Fluttershy smiled and nodded her head vigorously at Dash. “Okay, lets have some fun.”

“I’d rather be flying,” Scootaloo mumbled. Gold Feather sang a few notes quietly as well.

Splash

Splash

Splash

“C’mon, Fluttershy, at least extend the diving board to its full height. They’re not getting enough speed.” Dash watched as Scootaloo climbed out of the pool.

“I don’t want them to fall too far and get hurt,” Fluttershy said as Scootaloo shook like a dog to dry off.

“We’ll be fine, I’ve done dives from way higher up,” Scootaloo said just as Twilight was about to climb the ladder again. She stopped and turned both ears in Scootaloo’s direction. “Just the other day Rainbow Dash—”

Scootaloo was looking at Fluttershy as she spoke, but could see Rainbow Dash in the air behind her. Dash was shaking her head and making a halting motion with her hooves. She gave Scootaloo a pleading look.

“Yes? What did you do the other day with Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy cocked one eyebrow and leaned towards Scootaloo.

“I… We dove into the pond from a cloud. It was way higher than this diving board.” Scootaloo swallowed and gave Fluttershy a toothy smile.

“Oh, I suppose we can raise the board a bit. Are you sure you aren’t scared?” Fluttershy hugged Scootaloo with her wings. “You know you can always tell me if you’re scared.”

Scootaloo glanced around instinctively, searching for any of her peers who might be watching. “No, I’m not scared. I’m fine. Really, can we get some extra height on this thing?”

“Well, if you really think so…” Fluttershy and Dash flew to the diving board and Scootaloo was surprised to find it had an ingenious slide system that extended the ladder and the diving board. It was now high enough to properly call it a “high dive,” but still leagues lower than Scootaloo’s last jump with Dash. “Now don’t let them get hurt in the water, Dash. If they hit the water too hard, you have to save them!”

Dash rolled her eyes. “They’ll be fine, Fluttershy. They’re gonna fly, not hit the water, right?”

“Oh, of course, you’re right!” Fluttershy smiled and looked down at the three students. “Try again, Twilight. See if you can fly with this extra height.”

Twilight nodded and climbed the ladder with Gold Feather on her back. “Are you sure you don’t want us to get even more height?”

“You can do it, Twilight. I believe in you.” Fluttershy smiled warmly as she spoke.

Twilight rolled her eyes. I don’t need empty platitudes, she thought to herself. “I just don’t know if this is going to work. Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer a different teaching technique?”

Fluttershy continued to smile, although it was looking a bit strained now. “Do you trust me, Twilight?”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. She hesitated a split second before she replied, “Of course I do, Fluttershy.”

“Well, let me teach my way. I know it will work eventually if we just keep at it. Just trust me, and everything will be alright,” Fluttershy said, still smiling. Confidence, Fluttershy; remember to instill confidence, she thought to herself.

Twilight nodded and said gravely, “Okay, I understand.”

Splash

Splash

Splash

Another round of wet students. Twilight watched Fluttershy, Dash, and Scootaloo closely. Fluttershy is nervous; well, nothing unusual about that. She did ask if I trusted her. Twilight looked at Fluttershy as she helped Gold Feather out of the pool. The little bird was dripping wet and he sounded waterlogged. Twilight strained not to laugh at him.

Dash is acting aloof; that’s a bit unusual. Dash was sitting on the cloud watching the lesson intently, but she had said little. Something is keeping her from jumping in. Twilight followed Dash’s gaze to Scootaloo. She’s acting a little scared, but that’s normal for a filly learning to fly, isn’t it? Scootaloo bravely pushed herself up the ladder and dove into the pool without hesitation. She hit the water with a tremendous splash, then broke the surface of the water with a gasp, wiping the water from her closed eyes. She struggled out of the pool; the water had turned her mane into a greasy mop, and it was weighing her down. She looked at Fluttershy, who gave her another warm smile. Twilight watched Scootaloo again. Her eyes didn’t so much as glance up, not even once. She won’t look at Dash; that isn’t right. Something really IS off, and I’m going to get to the bottom of this!

Twilight turned to Scootaloo and whispered like a conspirator. She acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world for two students to talk during class, something she had never done before in her entire life. “Hey Scootaloo, would you like to stop by the library for some taffy after class? Spike is trying to make some homemade stuff, but I’m allergic to it.” Twilight’s eyes shifted when she said allergic; she looked anywhere but at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo snapped to face Twilight so fast her whole body twitched. “Sure. Why not? Can I bring Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?” Great, taffy, just what I need. The last time I tried to eat taffy we got stuck to the ceiling, but it tastes so good! Scootaloo’s mouth watered, but she also shuddered at the sticky memory.

Twilight smiled and seemed to ignore the quiver running down Scootaloo’s spine. “Great, I’m sure Spike will be thrilled. Maybe we can bring Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.” Twilight watched carefully for Scootaloo’s reaction.

She wasn’t disappointed; Scootaloo responded almost instantly. “No no, that’s okay. Just us fillies, I’m sure Dash is too busy to waste time stuffing her face with candy.” Twilight glanced up at Dash. She was fairly certain Dash had fallen asleep, but it was hard to tell from the ground.

A drop of sweat trickled down her flank to her trembling left hind hoof. This can’t be right. Dash wouldn’t… Fluttershy certainly wouldn’t… but Scootaloo—and “trust me”—and the diving board—and-and-and…” Twilight’s mind raced with the possibilities. The imaginary scenarios became more and more ghastly by the second. Meanwhile, Scootaloo had climbed the ladder once again and dove into the pool with a running start.

“Twilight?” Fluttershy had walked up behind Twilight, who was standing at the base of the ladder staring blankly off into space. “EEEP!”

Fluttershy could not be blamed for staggering back. Twilight reacted as if she had been hit with a bolt of lighting. Scootaloo hit the rubber side of the pool with her head and bounced into the water. At the same time, Twilight bucked straight back, narrowly missing Fluttershy’s head. Twilight swiped Scootaloo up in her magic and dragged the sputtering filly out of the pool. She held the little filly protectively behind her. Staring at Fluttershy, Twilight’s barrel expanded and contracted with her labored breaths. Her eyes darted around and she swallowed. “S-sorry about that Fluttershy, you really startled me.”

“Oh, that’s alright, Twilight. I’m sorry, I’ll try to be more careful next time.” She hovered above the ground and floated towards Twilight. She had just enough composure not to buck Fluttershy again, but Twilight backed up rapidly. “Um, Twilight? I need to look at Scootaloo. I think she might be hurt.”

“Awww, leave her alone Flutters. Trust me, she’s fine.” Dash had been watching the whole time and took this opportunity to speak. Twilight’s eyes shot skyward. Her eyes grew large, and her wings flared out like a protective shield for Scootaloo. “Is everything okay, Egghead? You look… nervous.”

“W-what? Why would I be nervous? Everything is fine. Yes, just fine. Time-for-taffy-class-dismissed-students-only-bye-bye-now!” Twilight almost tripped over her words when she swiped Gold Feather up in her magic as well. She trotted at a brisk pace away from the pool.

“Finally, done with that useless junk,” Dash said under her breath.

“W-wait! I need to look at Scootaloo!” Fluttershy hovered after Twilight and the other two students. Scootaloo was rubbing her head, but glanced around with her newfound view. Gold Feather squawked at being mare-handled. Twilight rounded a corner and broke into a gallop.

~~~~~

“SPIKE!” Twilight shot into the library, calling out for her assistant. Her eyes darted around the foyer. “SPIKE! Where are you? I think you were right!” She allowed Scootaloo and Gold Feather to sink to the floor. Scootaloo was still rubbing her head. “Are you two alright? Don’t worry, I won’t let anypony hurt you.”

“Huh?” Scootaloo stopped rubbing her head and looked at Twilight. “I’m fine—I thought we were just gonna try Spike’s new taffy recipe. Is it dangerous?” Her ears perked up. “Maybe I could get a cutie mark as a candy taster? Let me get Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.” She stood and turned towards the door.

The door glowed purple and slammed shut in Scootaloo’s face. “Stay inside, Scootaloo! Spike! Where are you?” Twilight called out again. This time, the patter of short strides running across the kitchen floor responded to her. “Bring the book, Spike. We have some questions we’re gonna have answered, and then we’ll have to figure out what to do with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”

Twilight turned to Gold Feather and Scootaloo. Her horn glowed, brighter and brighter until Scootaloo had to look away. “What the hay is going on?” Scootaloo asked, her voice rising in panic. Gold Feather squawked and hid behind Scootaloo.

The light flared once more before it vanished. Twilight let out a pained breath and coughed. Spike was at her side in a flash with a glass of ice water. Her flank hit the floor as her hind legs gave out. She took the water and drank greedily. Twilight sighed when she dropped the empty glass. Spike hovered near her, one claw under her shoulder. She drew in a slow breath before she spoke, “We’re safe now. I put a barrier over the entire library. Ow...” She winced and put a hoof to her temple. “Shining did warn me about headaches if I overcharged this spell. I just didn’t have any choice…”

Two unicorn guards trotted into the room from the upper floor and saluted the princess. The one on the left was grey with a metallic quill and paper for a cutie mark. The other was white with the silhouette of a pony’s head as his cutie mark. Looking at Spike, the one on the left spoke up. “My name is Iron Law, and this is Vigilance,” he said, nodding to his co-worker. “While we appreciate the tea, are you sure a crime is being committed?” Spike nodded. “Alright then, we’re ready to take a statement from the witnesses.” He stared at Scootaloo and Gold Feather. “I don’t speak avian, so the filly will have to do.”

“Okay, Scootaloo, just tell the nice guard what you’ve done with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.” Twilight smiled, but something in her smile told Scootaloo that this was serious. Scootaloo wracked her brain. She couldn’t think of anything Fluttershy did that was even remotely illegal. And if Dash had done something illegal, she wasn’t going to rat her out anyway.

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about. Rainbow Dash hasn’t done anything wrong. And if you think Fluttershy has done something bad, why don’t you just ask her?” Scootaloo looked at Twilight as an ally. The guards were large, powerful, and didn’t smile.

Twilight sighed, “We just want to know if Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash have tried pushing you off of a cloud. Don’t feel scared, Scootaloo—we’re here to help you. Nopony is going to hurt you in here.”

“Why did you put up a barrier, then?” Scootaloo looked at Twilight with one brow cocked. Maybe Twilight has a screw loose.

“The barrier is there to keep Fluttershy, Dash, and any other pony that might want to hurt you away from here.” As Twilight spoke, the guards nodded in agreement.

“Then why is Fluttershy upstairs?”

Twilight blinked, and blurted, “WHAT?!” Her head whipped around so fast her neck twisted as her body didn’t have time to follow. Fluttershy was standing at the top of the stairs. The look on her face was one normally reserved for finding Angel murdered or something equally ghastly. “What are you doing here?!”

“Um… I just followed Scootaloo because I was worried she was hurt. And then this weird purple bubble appeared around the library so I couldn’t leave. You locked the front door, so I had to open your bedroom window to fly inside so I could help Scootaloo.” Fluttershy looked at Scootaloo from the top of the landing, her eyes soft. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Nope, I’m okay. That rubber was really thick.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Fluttershy descended the stairs, letting out a pent-up breath as she did so.

“HOLD ON!” Twilight shouted. Even the guards looked at her. “You’re telling me to trust you, and I still haven’t learned how to fly right. I’ve studied everything from friendship, to magic, to chemistry, to astronomy, and I’ve never had so much trouble learning anything as I do with flying. Are you telling me we’re going to dive into that pool of water over and over ‘til we learn how to fly?!” Her voice grew louder as she spoke; she was nearly shouting by the end.

“Oh no, if it doesn’t work I’ll try something else.” Fluttershy trotted closer to Twilight, who’s ears dropped at Fluttershy’s response.

The guards glanced at each other. “I take it this is Fluttershy?” This time it was Vigilance who spoke, as he pointed a hoof at the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy shrank on the spot, as if Vigilance’s hoof was firing a shrink ray. She crouched low and hid behind her pink mane. Her eyes found the corner of the room and her wings pressed into her sides. “She looks guilty to me,” Vigilance whispered to his compatriot.

“This is absurd, it just can’t be true.” Twilight whirled on Scootaloo and picked her up with both hooves. Her nose was inches away from Scootaloo’s. “Tell me, did you get pushed off of a cloud?”

Scootaloo tried and failed to shrink away from Twilight. Her eyes had a crazed look to them and she stared at Scootaloo. She couldn’t stand it and blurted out, “Yeah, okay! I did! Rainbow Dash took me to the First Cloud and pushed me off. But she fell with me; it was totally wicked!” She tried to make it sound like it was lots of fun, but sweat rolled down her brow.

“She what?” Fluttershy blew her mane out of her face and stood up straight. “How dare she! That’s not how it’s done!” She began to trot to the front door.

Before she could reach it, Twilight dropped Scootaloo with a dull thud and whirled on Fluttershy, crouching like a predator. “How it’s done?! Guards! Arrest her!”

“Yes, Princess,” they said in unision.

EEEEP! Fluttershy froze, which is the last thing one should do when trying to avoid being tackled by burly guards. She was shackled before her brain had time to form her next thought.

~~~~~

Rainbow Dash yawned and rolled over. She loved this cloud. It was so soft, and the night sky always made her feel peaceful. She could have flown home, but her house was kinda far away and she didn’t have work tomorrow. So why not sleep on this cloud? She could get some shopping done tomorrow, maybe catch a flick at the theater. Yeah, that would be cool.

FWUMP

The cloud glowed a steely grey for a split-second before it was violently ripped apart. “HEY!” Dash hollered as she tumbled into freefall. It wasn’t far to the ground, but it would hurt if she didn’t land correctly. She twisted expertly in the air and with one powerful flap of her wings, hovered over the ground. “What the…?”

Clink

Her hooves became heavy. Metal shackles clung to her fetlocks, and the chains that connected them clinked together as she hovered in the air. Iron Law and Vigilance were standing on her left and right. Dash looked down at her legs, wondering what the extra weight was from. Both guards leapt on her and the three of them crashed to the ground in a heap. “Hey! What’s the big idea?” Dash protested.

“You’re under arrest for attempted murder.” Iron Law began his recitation of her rights. It was a speech he had given thousands of times. “You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to counsel. Unless Celestia decides you don’t. Do you understand?” He was always a bit uncomfortable with that bit about Celestia; it always struck him as something that didn’t belong. But she was the princess, and his vows compelled him to obey. She never exercised that right anyway. Well… almost never.

“What? That’s stupid. Who am I trying to murder?” Dash fired back.

“A young filly by the name of Scootaloo. Your accomplice, Fluttershy, is already under arrest. It will go easier for you if you just admit the truth.” Vigilance always tried to get a confession when the suspects were a little flustered. It never worked.

“I wasn’t trying to murder her, I just pushed her off of a cloud from the top of the stratosphere.” Dash said matter-of-factly with a smug smile on her face.

Iron Law’s eyes went wide. He looked at Vigilance, who mirrored his expression. “That sound like a confession to you?” Vigilance asked, stunned at this unprecedented success.

“Yep,” Iron Law responded with a rare smile. Today was going to be an easy day.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Dash shouted as she was dragged away, kicking.

~~~~~

SLAM

The cell door closed on Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. They were seated on cots across from each other in the same cell. Each had shackles around their legs and their barrels, pinning their wings to their sides. They were wearing pinstriped shirts and little matching hats. Each glared at the other.

“You told the guards I was trying to kill Scootaloo!?” Dash burst out.

“You tried a tandem fall with her, didn’t you! From the First Cloud no less! Rainbow Dash, how could you? It’s so dangerous.” Fluttershy blinked away tears. “She could have died.”

“Are you kidding me? She’s never gonna learn how to fly by jumping off that dinky little diving board. We should have done a starfall. But noooo, you were too much of a scaredy-cat.”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes at Dash and spoke louder than she had in a long time. “At least it’s safe. You think dying is worth learning to fly?”

“YES!” Dash hollered back.

Fluttershy gasped, then opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She repeated this two more times, like a fish gasping for air. She closed her mouth for the third time and flopped onto the cot. Hiding her face behind her hooves, she started to sniffle.

Pony feathers, now look what I’ve done. The water-works are gonna start. Dash stood, shuffled across the tiny cell, and sat next to Fluttershy. When she put one hoof on Fluttershy’s withers the chain pulled the other leg across her body. It was annoying, but Dash ignored it for the moment. “C’mon, Fluttershy. I know it was scary, but our starfall worked out, didn’t it?”

Fluttershy sniffed and said, “Yeah, I guess it did.”

The Clink

The sunlight crept across Twilight’s room. It found Spike peacefully sleeping at the foot of her bed. It found her soft blankets, cozy and warm. It usually found Twilight asleep with a book open on her chest at this hour. Instead, it found her with a frazzled mane, bloodshot eyes, and a dusty history book about pegasus culture open to a dry page. She had to read it four times to get any meaning from the words. She groaned and looked at the clock.

“Finally! Time to get some answers from the horse’s mouth!” Twilight sprang out of bed and landed on her hooves. She winced and stretched, causing several joints to crack, then rubbed her eyes and yawned.

Spike rolled out of bed, yawning and rubbing his eyes as well. “Good morning. I hope today is better than yesterday.” He yawned again. “So… starfire espresso this morning? You look… uh, not great.”

Twilight shook her head and moaned, “I won’t be able to sleep until I get to the bottom of this. They were… are... my friends. How could they do this? To a filly no less! We’re going, right now!”

“Where?”

“To jail.”

~~~~~

“Visitor for you two.” Iron Law lead Twilight into the rear of the guard station. The holding cells were tucked back here. The lights flickered on occasion, the ground was damp, and there was a faint, unpleasant smell of mildew. An old brown stallion, snoring in one of the cells across from Twilight’s friends, shifted in his sleep. The flecks of salt around his mouth did nothing to cover his smell. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat on their assigned cots, each wearing pinstripes, although now they were unshackled. “Are you sure you want me to leave you alone with these cons? They’re a shifty bunch, I wouldn’t trust ‘em, Princess.” Iron Law sank into a small bow.

I’m going to have to get used to that, Twilight thought. “No, that will be all. You’re dismissed, I will call if I require assistance.” The command caused a smile to flash across Iron Law’s face, and he trotted out with his head held high. The bars slammed shut and all three mares began to talk at once.

“How could you?”
“What were you thinking?”
“Have you gone nuts? Nutsier?”
“I was only trying to help.”
“I’m doing what’s right.”
“Flying isn’t easy.”

Twilight glared at Rainbow Dash and clacked a hoof against the stone floor. “You could have killed Scootaloo!”

“Excuse me?! I was right there with her! You haven’t had wings for more than a few weeks; what the hay do you know about teaching foals to fly?” Dash shouted back, slamming a hoof against the bars.

“I know pushing a pony off of a cloud is dangerous, especially if they don’t know how to fly. It’s unbelievable that pegasi have been doing it for centuries! I guess you really are barbarians. I can’t believe you’re loyal to tradition over your students!” Twilight shouted back at Dash. Righteous fire burned inside of her.

“How dare you insult a time-honored tradition! It’s taught pegasi to fly for centuries. And it’s not barbaric, your students have to fully trust you for it to work. You think you sprout a pair of wings and you’re an expert on flying now? Huh, Princess?” Dash’s words dripped with venom. Being accused of disloyalty turned out to be one of her hot buttons.

Fluttershy had been quietly sniffling, watching her two friends scream at each other. Now she broke down crying. Big sloppy tears ran down her face and dribbled onto the floor; she made no effort to wipe them away. Rainbow Dash and Twilight turned and looked at her. It didn’t take long for the two of them to avert their eyes downward and bite their lips. Dash was the first to recover. She trotted close and held Fluttershy like a protective parent. “Now look what you’ve done. You’ve insulted Fluttershy, too.”

“What? She’s crying because you’re acting unkind—you’re downright cruel. I came here to find out the truth. I was hoping to hear it was all a big misunderstanding, but no! You’ve admitted it. Why? Why would you try a starfall?”

Dash’s head snapped up to look directly at Twilight. “How do you know what a starfall is?”

Twilight puffed her chest out and said, “I read it in a history book. It told me all about it.”

Dash’s eyes narrowed at Twilight. “Really? And what did it say?” Fluttershy continued to sob into Dash’s foreleg.

“It’s the worst, most dangerous way to teach a foal to fly. You take them as high up as you can go, then you push them off a cloud. They either fly or fall to their death. It’s murder dressed up as a teaching tool. How many young pegasus foals would be alive today if not for this practice? I’ve never really felt like I needed to be a princess and pass laws, but that changes today!” Twilight stood at her full, regal height, and flared her wings out.

Dash scoffed and replied, “Well, Princess, maybe you should get your facts straight before you pass any laws. A starfall is a one-shot teaching tool for foals that are having a really hard time learning to fly. And you’ve ruined yours—you’ll never get a chance to use it now.”

Twilight didn’t pull her wings in, but her chest deflated a bit. She flinched at Dash’s words. “What do you mean?”

“I thought we had every reference to a starfall taken out of the history books. No pony wants a foal to run across it and ruin their best chance to learn to fly.” Dash took in a deep breath and let it out. Fluttershy stopped crying but didn’t look up. “A starfall is—”

“A barbaric practice, just like you said, Twilight. It’s horrible...” Fluttershy’s words were a bit muffled as she was speaking into Dash’s chest, but Twilight could hear her all the same.

Dash looked aghast at the top of Fluttershy’s head. “Don’t say that! Look what it brought you.”

Fluttershy looked up at Rainbow Dash, her eyes dry. “I… guess you’re right, but it was still really scary.”

Twilight’s wings had returned to her sides. She put a hoof to her lip and thought, I think… I’ve made a mistake. “What is she talking about?”

Dash sighed and said, “Tell her, Fluttershy.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Fluttershy said, her voice cracking.

Dash sat on the cot next to her oldest friend. “Don’t worry, I’ll step in if you can’t go on.” Dash rubbed Fluttershy’s back in little circles with a hoof.

Fluttershy nodded and turned to Twilight. Twilight shifted her weight away from the bars, but she dared not leave. Fluttershy closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. “It was a long time ago…”

~~~~~

Many years ago...

Fluttershy’s father landed on the First Cloud, which was still golden and fluffy. His wings were large and powerful, his mane the color of the sky. His yellow coat almost matched the cloud he landed on. It was dusk, and he hugged the filly close to his chest. “Do you trust me, Butterbean?”

“Of course I do, Daddy,” she breathed out. Her voice was a wispy thing; it didn’t carry far on the wind. She looked down and quickly snapped to her father’s chest, hugging him tight. Her pink mane quivered as she buried her face in his barrel. He pried her off and held her out with two forehooves. Her hindquarters and long mane dangled over empty space.

“You’re going to be a shooting star today. Trust me, Butterbean.”

Her lower lip quivered, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her father smiled.

And then the world turned into rushing wind and fear as she fell, alone, into the sky.

“AAAAAAAHHHHHhhhh…” She screamed until her lungs gave out. The world rushed up to meet her. A meeting she was unprepared for.

She shook with fear as her wings tightened up and snapped to her sides. Her limbs flailed about uselessly. She was crying, her tears falling much slower than her body. They leaked out of her eyes and “fell” upwards past her mane and tail. She saw a cloud a second before she darted past it. She latched onto it with all her strength, but she only managed to grab it on the edge. It stretched like taffy and sheared off, leaving a long wispy trail pointing down. Fluttershy hugged the bit of cloud so tightly to her chest it oozed out between her hooves and floated away. She was left holding a tiny patch of white.

She screamed again as her last hope floated away.

“aaaaAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“Yeah, like that—huh?!” Dash looked up and saw a young Fluttershy flail her wings and legs uselessly in free fall! She was going to pass right through the “street,” and from there it was just a nice, long drop to the ground. Without thinking, Dash shot forward.

Her eyes went wide and her heart slammed against her ribs. She stretched out her forelegs and caught Fluttershy, although Dash didn’t know who she was at the moment. Dash felt like she had caught an anvil; her forelegs instantly snapped down. Dash grunted and clenched her teeth, pulling with her forelegs and wings with all of her strength. Fluttershy wrapped her legs around Dash’s barrel in a death grip. They fell below street level.

“Please don’t let me die!” she squeaked out, tears in her eyes.

Dash strained with the extra weight and grunted out, “Don’t worry... I won’t... drop you.” Her wing muscles burned and her forelegs felt like the candy in the taffy stretcher. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. She gritted her teeth and focused on the ice cream parlor.

With a heave, the two fillies rose over the lip of the cloudy sidewalk and flopped onto it. Dash couldn't do anything but suck in air for several moments. “Oh, oh thank you. You saved my life.” She hugged Dash around her barrel and quivered, sobbing quietly. “You’re...awesome.”

Dash smiled and flared her nose; between breaths she introduced herself. “Yeah, I am awesome, thanks. My name is Rainbow Dash, what’s yours?”

“I’m...um...Fluttershy.” Her voice trailed off. She still smiled at Dash anyway.

A pink pegasus mare with a yellow mane landed heavily next to the two fillies. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates as she shouted, “You saved my daughter! WHY?! Why would you ruin her starfall?!” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Dash. She looked like an angry pink thundercloud.

“Star...fall? I thought… I mean… she was falling, so…” Dash stumbled over her words.

The mare scoffed and sneered at Dash. She snatched Fluttershy away with one hoof and trotted away. “That’s just like you spoiled fillies. You can fly, so why do you care if you ruin it for others?” She stormed away, dragging Fluttershy along with her.

Dash just stood there flabbergasted. Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at Dash and mouthed the words, “You’re awesome!”

~~~~~

“Wow, I know you said you knew Dash from way back, but I didn’t realize it was that long ago. And Rainbow Dash, you must have four lucky horseshoes! Your best friend literally fell out of the sky!” Twilight had sat on the cold floor somewhere in the middle of the story. The cold knot in her flank muscles was slowly traveling upwards; it stopped to rest in her stomach. “I’m sorry. When Scootaloo said… I thought you were…”

“No, it’s okay,” Dash said. “It’s a secret; if the student knows what’s going to happen, it doesn’t work so well.”

The lights flickered off and the sunlight filtered through the bars of the prison. “So you push the student off the cloud, but another teacher is ready to catch them, right? You don’t just push them off the cloud without some kind of safety net?”

Dash stood and walked to face Twilight with the prison bars between them. “Of course not! The speed and the fear can push some foals to fly when other techniques fail. It’s kind of a last resort, and it doesn’t always work. What kind of parent would just push their kid off a cloud without a safety net when you know they have trouble flying? That would be super stupid!” Dash shook her head and sighed. “The trouble is, it only works once. If the foal is saved, they know they’ll be caught, and it won’t be as scary anymore.” She glanced back at Fluttershy who was still sitting on the cot, staring at the ground.

Twilight frowned and said, “That’s still not very nice.”

Dash shrugged. “Like I said, not every foal needs to learn that way. And the foal has to trust their parents.”

Twilight tilted her head. “Why? I thought fear was the motivator. Why is trust important?”

Dash opened her mouth, and paused. She put a hoof to her lip. “You know, I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it, but I didn’t need a starfall to learn how to fly. Fluttershy?” She turned to her oldest friend.

Fluttershy looked down, her mane hiding her face. “Um… I think if you don’t trust your parents, it can really damage your relationship. I never completely trusted my mom and dad after that; I still don’t like to visit my parents. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day...” Her voice was so soft, Twilight had to put her ear in between the bars to hear her.

“OW!”

Twilight jerked her head back and rubbed her ear. Rainbow Dash wore a self-satisfied smile and put her hoof down. “Did… did you just tweak my ear?! What are you, my mother?”

Dash raised an eyebrow, and without skipping a beat said, “Apology accepted. Princess apologies are the best after all.”

“You twisted my ear!”

“I’m in jail wearing pinstripes, Princess Twilight,” Dash shot back, her expression hard. “I forgive you anyway.” Dash’s expression softened as she looked at Twilight and waited. Fluttershy was smiling a bit, but didn’t look either pony in the eye.

Twilight’s face ran through several expressions over the course of a few seconds. Her flat brow and pursed lips relaxed as she kept rubbing her ear. She looked at her hooves for a moment, then to Fluttershy, then back at Rainbow Dash. She shook her head. “You’re impossible. And… I’m sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing again?” Dash arched a brow at Twilight.

“Again? But, I didn’t—”

Dash waved a hoof as she cut her off. “The awesome pegasus and her awesome best friend have already forgiven you. So please, get us out of here.”

“Oh! Right, sorry—” Twilight said sheepishly.

“And stop apologizing,” Dash said as she clacked a hoof against the hard floor of the jail cell. Fluttershy was looking down, but she was smiling.

“Sor—yeah, um, getting you out.” Twilight’s magic enveloped them and they appeared outside the bars in a flash of indigo light.

The exit gate squealed as it slid open, and Iron Law strode into the corridor. “I’m terribly sorry Princess, but visiting hours are over and I’ve already let you stay—!” Iron Law just stood there for a second before he recovered. “PRISONERS ESCAPING!”

“What?! No no no, they’re innocent. It’s all a big misunderstanding. They deserve medals for what they’re trying to do.” Twilight spoke like she was talking to her friends.

Iron Law saw things… differently. His face screwed up for a split-second, like he had bitten down on an apple to find half a worm left inside of it. His expression returned to the placid standard of the royal guards. He bowed low and intoned, “Yes, Princess. I will retrieve a selection of medals for your approval.” He stood, turned, and trotted towards the gate.

Vigilance burst into the corridor, his horn flaring. “Where are the prisoners?”

Iron Law replied in a clipped, professional tone, “Nevermind, the prisoners are getting medals for their behavior. Princess’ orders.”

Vigilance’s eyes narrowed at Iron Law, then at Twilight. He closed his eyes and held a breath. With his eyes still closed, he saluted and said, “Understood. Let’s get a full assortment for the new princess. I hope they don’t get the Equestrian Medal of Honor; I’ve been trying to get one for years…” The two royal guards trotted toward the exit.

Twilight’s mouth hung open. Iron Law was a step outside of the cell block gate by the time she recovered. “Wait! Don’t give them medals!”

Vigilance and Iron Law whirled around and saluted at attention. In unison they said, “Yes, Princess.” They stared at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy backed away a step and looked down. She shifted another step backwards to put Twilight between herself and the guards. Dash flared her wings and glared back.

There was a tense pause before Iron Law broke the silence. “What would you like us to do with the prisoners, Princess?”

“They’re not prisoners. They don’t deserve medals. Just let us go.”

Dash’s wings deflated. She turned her head to Twilight and said, “We don’t deserve medals? We’re teaching an orphaned filly how to fly! How is that not worthy of a medal?” Dash tilted her head away from Twilight.

Twilight shook her head violently to get the cobwebs out. “You don’t—I mean you do—but—I can’t give out medals!” she exclaimed.

Iron Law and Vigilance both raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Understood, Princess. You’re stripping yourself of the ability to bestow medals.” Vigilance was writing down the new law.

“Stop writing! I’m not a prin—” Twilight gasped in the middle of her sentence and stopped short.

Fluttershy stood, but still didn’t meet the gaze of the guards. Dash’s grin was wide as she said, “Not a princess? They seem to think so.”

“I just—I mean I am—but—why would you two do anything I say?” Twilight looked askance at the two guards.

Dash piped up, “Uh, because wings are awesome. Obviously.” She spoke with a smug grin as she gestured to her own wings.

Iron Law and Vigilance blinked and looked at each other, then back at Twilight. Iron Law said, “You’re an alicorn and a princess. I have complete confidence in your judgment. You wouldn’t be an alicorn otherwise.”

Twilight's eyes shrank to pinpoints and she gulped. “That’s… a great deal of responsibility.”

Fluttershy put her hooves around Twilight, who yelped and almost jumped into the air in surprise. “It’s okay, Twilight; we trust you. We always have, and now they do too.”

Twilight’s muscles relaxed under Fluttershy’s hooves. She looked at the guards with a small smile and said, “I’m not stripping myself of any powers. Throw that paper away.” Vigilance nodded and the law was turned into a crumpled ball before Twilight could say anything more. “I want the charges against these two dropped.” Twilight nodded to Dash and Fluttershy in turn.

Vigilance’s head drooped a bit as he replied, “Yes, Princess, I understand that. However, there is still the matter of the filly’s testimony. Attempted murder is still a crime in Equestria, unless you want to countermand the laws put in place by Celestia.” He turned to Iron Law. “Isn’t there some old law about trying to countermand a royal decree?”

Iron Law nodded and replied, “Yeah, the punishment is banishment to the moon.”

Twilight’s ears fell. She glanced nervously at Fluttershy, who was hiding behind her. A light bulb went off; she faced down the guards and said, “Okay, forget that. Instead, I’m ordering you to release these two into my custody. I’ll get the filly to recant her testimony, THEN you can drop the charges without any lunar visits, right?”

Iron Law and Vigilance nodded, and for a fleeting moment it seemed as if they were smiling, although it could have just been a trick of the light. Iron Law trotted around the small group of mares like a circling predator. Fluttershy shivered slightly, watching him like a cornered animal. She shot forward when he barked, “Move out!” She stumbled into Twilight, who almost fell into Vigilance. Dash snickered and draped a wing over Fluttershy as the convoy trotted out of the cell block.

Twilight didn’t really pay much attention to where they were going. She just allowed Vigilance to lead the way. Her mind was working in overtime. How are we going to get Scootaloo to recant her testimony? Especially when it’s essentially true!

~~~~~

Spike stirred the bowl full of sugar and added in the flour slowly. He liked his cookies to have the consistency of clouds, not beef jerky. He glanced over his shoulder and wiped away the drop of sweat that threatened to roll down his snout and into the mixture. The three fillies were “helping” him bake a batch of cookies.

He didn’t need their help. In fact, he hadn’t planned to be baking at all today. But when Pinkie Pie burst out of the medicine cabinet while he was brushing his teeth this morning, she was quite convincing. After he stopped screaming like a little filly, Pinkie explained that Scootaloo was feeling “super-bad” and would he please foal-sit while she prepared a party? When Spike objected and tried to follow his day planner (sleep till noon, eat gems, nap, dinner, help Twilight with whatever hair-brained scheme she’s come up with today, then fall asleep before sunrise), Pinkie had simply delivered the Crusaders to the library’s foyer and left without even listening. In less than five minutes, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had managed to get a half-dozen shelves worth of books on the floor and wake Owlowiscious from his daytime slumber. It took Spike the better part of an hour to reorder the library and convince them to help bake cookies. That was when he noticed Scootaloo hadn’t moved since being dropped off.

Scootaloo was on the floor, her forelegs flat on the ground under her with her flank in the air. Her brow was flat and she looked ahead, her eyes unfocused. Spike was glad she wasn’t destroying the library, but her despondency was even worse. He suggested cookies on a whim, causing all three of the fillies to perk up. It was the first sign of life out of Scootaloo since she arrived. Spike mixed the bowl while Sweetie Belle slowly poured in more flour. Spike glanced over his shoulder and called out across the kitchen, “Hey Scootaloo, are the chocolate chips ready?” She was supposed to be grinding them up into smaller bits, but she was eating roughly the same amount she was crushing in the mortar and pestle.

“Yeah, I guess so.” She sighed and pushed the bag of chocolate chips away.

The front door creaked open and Twilight’s voice floated into the library. “I don’t know, Dash. It still seems really dangerous. Isn’t there some way to guarantee it’s safe?”

“Oh thank Celestia, I’m saved!” Spike exclaimed.

“From what?” Applebloom asked as she turned to Spike. Her flank bumped the counter and the ingredients sitting on it trembled for a second from the impact. The butter slid off its small plate and continued over the edge of the counter. It fell onto the open oven door with a small splat. Why the oven door was open during the preheat cycle Spike would never know. The butter sizzled and turned into a puddle before catching fire.

“I’ll fix it!” Sweetie Belle shouted, as she dropped the rest of the flour into the mixing bowl all at once, creating a cloud of flour to cover Spike. She darted to the sink and filled a large glass with water. With the sink still running, she ran over to the open oven door and tossed the entire glass of water onto the fire.

“Spike, are you in here?” When Twilight opened the door, she found a disaster. Spike was covered in flour. Sweetie Belle was holding an empty glass of water, refiling it at the sink. Applebloom was desperately trying and failing to keep a stick of butter from sliding around the counter. Scootaloo was sitting back with a bulging stomach, chocolate covering her mouth. Also, the oven was on fire. “What in Equestria is going on?!”

“Okay, I can guarantee this isn’t safe,” Dash said from behind Twilight.

“Eeep!” Fluttershy hid behind Dash and Twilight when she saw the fire.

“Honestly Spike, can’t I go to jail for a couple hours without you burning the house down for the insurance money?” Her horn flashed and the water floated out of Sweetie Belle’s glass.

Scootaloo hopped down from the stool and galloped to Rainbow Dash. “I-I’m s-so sorry D-Dash. P-Please d-on’t hic hate m-me.” She wasn’t crying, but was so close she might as well have been.

Dash scooped up Scootaloo and trotted into the main hall of the library, leaving the disaster in the kitchen behind. Fluttershy followed with her ears pressed to the sides of her head. She ducked behind a bookshelf and peered around the corner at the kitchen door. Dash flopped onto one of the library chairs and held Scootaloo in her hooves. “Why would I be mad? I just went to jail—that makes me a total bad-flank now, and I’ve got the rap sheet to prove it. And no namby-pamby stuff, I got booked for attempted murder! Ain’t no pony gonna mess with the Dash now!” She flared her wings and puffed out her chest.

Scootaloo swallowed her tears and hugged Dash. “So, you’re not mad?”

“Nahh, you just told the truth, right? Go ask AJ if that’s bad. You weren’t disloyal, were you? Did you make it sound like I was trying to kill you?” Dash tilted her head and looked at Scootaloo.

“N-no! No way!”

“Well, then it’s the guard’s fault for not getting all the facts straight. Don’t worry about it.” Dash sighed and lounged in the chair.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo sniffed.

“No, Sweetie Belle! That’s flour, not baking soda! Don’t pour that on the fire!” Twilight’s shout could be heard from inside the kitchen.

Dash snickered and said, “You got a little something here on your face.” She pointed a hoof at her own mouth. Scootaloo blushed and wiped her mouth, leaving cocoa stains all over her forelegs.

“AHHHHHhhhhhh!” Twilight hollered as she galloped outside with Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and a bucket of water on fire held in her magic. How water was set on fire, Fluttershy didn’t want to know. She inched her way behind Dash, keeping Dash between herself and the door. Fluttershy stared at the exit with wide eyes.

“Hey, um, can we do that falling thing again?” Scootaloo asked Dash. Fluttershy’s attention abruptly changed focus.

“Really? You want to try again?” Dash smiled.

“Yeah, I really do. I know you’ll catch me if I fall.” Scootaloo smiled at Dash.

“Scootaloo, it’s so dangerous. Are you sure?” Fluttershy spoke with a quiet, yet serious tone.

“Yeah, I totally trust Dash to catch me. You’d catch Twilight or Gold Feather if they were falling, right?”

“Yes, of course,” Fluttershy responded.

From Dash’s lap, Scootaloo responded, “Do they know that?”

Fluttershy blinked and mumbled, “Um… I don’t know.”

Dash barked out a laugh and said to Fluttershy, “See? It’s all good. Let’s ask the others.”

Fluttershy’s wings and ears drooped, but she said, “O-okay.”

~~~~~

Scootaloo’s legs quivered. It was daytime, which gave her a great view from the golden cloud—it was so high in the sky. She could see the mountains make a frown-like curve. She could even see the top of Canterlot Castle, but it was little more than a speck on the mountainside. That mountain appeared to be little more than a clod of dirt in a vast line of hills. She gulped, wrapped a hoof around Dash’s leg, and peered over the edge of the cloud.

Tweet!

Scootaloo jumped and nearly fell off the cloud. Gold Feather chirped happily and loudly on Fluttershy’s back. “Whoa, we’re not quite ready yet,” Dash said as she held Scootaloo back from the edge. “We’ve still got a few things to go over before it’s time for the high dive.” Dash smiled at Scootaloo, who tried to smile back. Even her teeth were chattering, and not from the cold.

“Um, this is... really high up.” Twilight sat on her flank on Dash’s other side. Her eyes traced the river that issued from Canterlot, snaked its way around Ponyville, and wound its way through Foggy Bottom before it disappeared into the Everfree.

Dash snickered. “Really high up, huh? Is that a scientific measurement?” She said with a smirk and one raised brow.

“Rainbow Dash, don’t you dare tease anyone now. This is a matter of life and death, it’s not a time for jokes.” Fluttershy narrowed her eyes at Dash and spread her wings. She turned to Twilight and said softly, “Don’t worry, Twilight. I’ll catch you if anything goes wrong.”

Twilight swallowed and turned to face Fluttershy, keeping her eyes away from the ground. “Wouldn’t it be better if both of you were there to catch me?”

Dash stroked Scootaloo’s mane and her chattering teeth calmed. “No can do, Egghead. One instructor has to stay up here for safety reasons. What if one of you fell?” Scootaloo shrank to Dash’s side.

Twilight huffed, “Well, I guess I’ll go first. I’m the Princess after all. I should set an exa—” Twilight clapped her nose with both hooves.

“Is everything okay, Twilight?” Fluttershy tilted her head.

“My nooze iz pleedin’, da air iz too th-in up her.” Twilight went cross-eyed looking at her own nose.

Fluttershy gasped, “Oh dear, keep pressure on it. You should be fine in a minute.” Gold Feather chirped again, and Fluttershy rolled her eyes. “Yes, even a princess can get a bloody nose. It’s not a big deal.”

Dash blew a raspberry. “I’m not waiting around for that. You ready to go, squirt?” She looked down at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo puffed out her little chest and said in a quivering voice, “Y-yeah, I’m ready. I w-was born ready.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Dash said with a toothy smile. Her eyes glittered with an inner fire. “What are you waiting for?” She gestured to the edge of the cloud.

Scootaloo huffed a few times, trying to get a lung-full of the weak air. She trotted forward to the edge…

…and in her haste, tripped and fell off.

“GYAHH!” Scootaloo tumbled end over end. Her mane and tail nearly got tangled with each other. She couldn’t help it: her heart slammed in her chest. Her lungs burned for air as she breathed in and out too fast for her own good. The world was spinning. She could see sky and ground, but they switched positions so fast she had no way to tell which way was up.

“Tuck your legs in.”

Dash’s voice cut through to her like a ray of light breaking through the clouds. Her trembling legs pulled into her barrel.

“Now spread your wings and keep your tail out straight—that’ll give you some stability.”

Her wings! How could she forget about her wings? It was ridiculous; here she was trying to fly, and all she could think about was falling and using her dumb legs. Stupid stupid stupid, Scootaloo! she thought to herself. She spread her wings and tried to push her tail out straight.

Suddenly, the world snapped into focus. She was heading straight down into the ground. The air became heavy and burned past her wings. It peeled her lips back and forced her to blink so much she could hardly see.

“Now just tilt those wings and tail so we can even out. Then we can get some lift!”

Scootaloo started to shake even more. Even out, she thought in her mind, but something in her stomach shook her entire frame. Get some lift, she thought, but her body had other plans. Even out, she thought again, but she couldn’t move! Her body was just frozen, all of her muscles tense and shaking. EVEN OUT! she shouted in her head, but nothing happened. A wispy little cloud darted past her as she fell. She started to cry, tears leaking out of her eyes. MOVE! she screamed at herself as the word echoed louder and louder inside of her head like a rising tide.

“AHHHHHhhhhhh!” Scootaloo screamed as hot tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. The ground rushed up to her.

Time’s up, it’s over, POW!

Except she didn’t hit the ground.

Powerful legs wrapped around her from behind. Over her wings and under her front limbs, they clasped together over her chest. She instinctively latched on with her forehooves and gasped as the air was squeezed out of her. Like an iron bar, those powerful legs pulled her up and held on. She had so much inertia, she felt like she was going to be cut in half when they pulled up.

“You okay, squirt?” Scootaloo was still crying. Her brow furrowed and her lip trembled. Her hooves shook and she stared at the ground. From above her, Dash looked down and said, “You uh, wanna hit something?”

Hot tears were still streaming from her eyes. Scootaloo sniffed, and her head shot up to look at Dash. “Y-yeah… It’s so unfair. What do I have to do?”

Dash held a feeble smile. “You just gotta trust the air. It’ll hold you if you let it.”

Scootaloo snorted. “Fat lot of good it’s done me so far,” she mumbled.

Dash set her on the ground on the top of a grassy hill topped with an old oak tree. “Wait here, squirt. I gotta go back up there to help with the next tandem fall.” She spread her wings. “Just relax, okay? Think about how much fun it’s gonna be to fly.”

Scootaloo sniffed again and said under her breath, “If I ever fly.”

“Trust me, you’ll fly,” Dash said as she leapt into the air.

~~~~~

Scootaloo’s legs quivered. She had a great view from the golden cloud—it was so high in the sky. The mountains in the distance made a frown-like curve. She could even see the top of Canterlot Castle, but it was little more than a speck on the mountainside. That mountain appeared to be little more than a clod of dirt in a vast line of hills. She gulped, wrapped a hoof around Dash’s leg, and peered over the edge of the cloud.

Tweet!

“Shhh, be quiet, Gold Feather. Don’t pester Scootaloo. I know you’re eager to jump, but it’s Scootaloo’s turn today.” It had been over a week since they had tried to tandem fall with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Twilight was making slow improvements: she was able to stay aloft, but turning was proving difficult. She could turn, just not nearly fast enough to avoid small objects like trees, clouds, housing, and small mountains. Gold Feather had become an excitable ball of energy whenever he was on the First Cloud. Restless and eager, he hopped around Fluttershy’s back and constantly twittered about getting his turn.

And then there was Scootaloo.

She was glad Sweetie Belle and Applebloom weren’t there to witness her constant failures. Whenever she was in freefall, it was like the commands she normally gave to her limbs became a cascading avalanche of noise in her head. After the third day, she sat on the grassy hill while Dash returned to the cloud and just shook. She wasn’t crying, but her body was shaking like she was freezing; yet, it was a warm spring afternoon. The next morning, she tripped on her own four hooves at school, causing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to call her “stumblebum.” It didn’t end there. By the next day, she had lost her appetite; she went to bed with only an apple for dinner. By the fifth day, her stomach was always cramped, her legs buzzed almost as much as her wings, and she couldn’t sleep. Of all her problems, the worst part was the insomnia. She was sleeping less and less as the week wore on. Last night, she hadn't slept at all, and now here she was—frazzled mane, ruffled wings, and messy tail—trying to fly again.

The echos were already a dull roar in her mind, and she hadn’t even jumped yet! Her thoughts formed a running commentary. Even out, stumblebum. Tuck your legs, loser. Use your tail, chicken. I believe in you—

TWEET!

Scootaloo nearly jumped off the cloud. Gold Feather had chirped so loud that Fluttershy winced, and Twilight stuck a hoof into her ear to stop the ringing. Dash caught Scootaloo and looked down at her. “Are you okay, squirt? You look a little tired.”

Scootaloo mumbled, “Um, I haven’t slept so good.” With unfocused eyes, Scootaloo looked down as she responded. She swayed slightly in the breeze and continued to blink slowly.

“It’s ‘I haven’t slept well,’ Scootaloo.” Twilight corrected her just like she had been taught years ago.

“I’M NOT A DICTIONARY!” Scootaloo snapped angrily at Twilight. She abruptly closed her mouth when her eyes focused on Twilight. “Sorry,” she whispered loud enough for everypony to hear.

Twilight’s eyes were wide for a moment, but she composed herself and smiled. “It’s alright, I’m sure we’ve all been under much—err, a lot of stress. How about I jump first today?”

“What? But Twilight, it’s Gold Feather’s turn after Scootaloo. You wouldn’t want to steal his spot, would you?” Fluttershy spoke softly, but her mane was a bit frazzled as well.

Dash looked down at Scootaloo and said, “Whaddya say, squirt? You wanna go last today?” The two pegasi looked eye to eye with each other.

Scootaloo could see Dash’s eyes glitter with hidden energy. She knew Dash wanted her to keep trying, and as far as Scootaloo was concerned, that was all she needed to know about that subject. “No way, I’m jumping now!” Dash smiled, crow’s feet appearing under her eyes. When she looked into Scootaloo’s face, it was there. Her face had worn lines creeping around the edges, new flight goggles were under her chin, bags were under her eyes, and a smudge of food was on the corner of her mouth, probably left over from lunch. But her eyes ignited with an inner fire that told Dash all she needed to know about Scootaloo.

“Ready?” Dash tensed and held Scootaloo with her forelegs.

“Ready,” Scootaloo said as she held her breath. With Dash here, she knew she wouldn’t end up as a pulpy stain on the ground, but she didn’t feel like she could fly. Scootaloo snapped the goggles over her eyes as Dash uncoiled like a spring. They fell into space and rocketed downward, the wind whistling in their ears.

Scootaloo felt her eyes water, but not from the wind. Her stomach tied itself into a knot tighter than the time Silver Spoon had flung a glob of honey into her mane during lunch. She buzzed her wings as she felt the nausea rise to overtake her. She could feel her stomach lurch and threaten to empty itself. The thought of heaving in mid-air with Dash watching made her eyes water even more.

“Tuck in your legs.”

Tuck in your legs, turd. Her legs quivered and slowly tucked into her barrel. The ground rushed up to meet her as the wind whistled past, along with a chunk of Cloudsdale’s real estate.

“Good, now spread those wings out. And let’s see the tail straight; I don’t want it causing any drag.”

Wings out, you flightless wonder. Scootaloo’s wings didn’t slow down, but instead kept buzzing like she was panicking. Wings out. They just kept buzzing, the ground kept getting closer, Dash kept flying her up there only to fail again, and she still couldn’t fly. Maybe that was her special talent? Not flying?

“Spread your wings out, Scootaloo. Don’t flap your wings so fast—you need to arch them so they push you up. The way you’re doing it, you’re going to push yourself down as much as you lift yourself up…”

Wings out. Wings out. WINGS OUT! The ground was getting closer, and Dash was there, but she couldn’t fly—not with her wings buzzing like that. She needed to spread them out and catch some air. She tried to focus, but her thoughts ran together like muddy paint. Ground-getting-closer-Dash-catch-the-not-flyer. Spread your wings out! NOW! Ground-close-Dash-no-fly! SPREAD ‘EM!

TIME’S UP: POW!

Scootaloo had spread her legs out in every direction, grasping for something—anything. When Dash wrapped her hooves around Scootaloo’s barrel, she was shaking. Her entire frame shook like she was trapped in a snowy place without fire, shelter, clothes, or even a thick coat of fur. Scootaloo wasn’t thinking about being saved from a messy death, she was just thinking about trying to fly. By the end, her thoughts were reduced to simplistic noise, while something far more primal took command of her. When Dash squeezed Scootaloo tight, it felt like she was going to get cut in half; her breath was forcibly squeezed out of her.

Dash held Scootaloo to her chest, but didn’t roll over this time. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” she said as she flew in a gentle descent. She tried to keep Scootaloo unencumbered so as to give her a feeling of flying. Scootaloo let out a tiny moan, then sniffed several times. Dash tilted her head down at the sound, wondering what Scootaloo was doing. She sniffed again, then broke into pitiful, wailing sobs. Dash set her down on the grassy knoll, as she did every time for the past week after Scootaloo’s tandem fall. “Is everything okay, squirt? You seem kinda scared. You wanna talk about it?”

Dash landed a few strides away from Scootaloo and folded her wings. She took a step forward, then Scootaloo darted against the tree on top of the hill. She cowered at the base of the trunk and curled into a tight ball, as if she had been stabbed in the stomach. Dash tilted her head at the filly and took another step. The sound of her hoof-fall sounded like a funeral dirge to Scootaloo. “G-go away. I-I’m j-j-just a b-baby ch-ch-chicken,” she said, still sobbing and clutching at herself as if it would shield her from the entire world.

Dash was only a single stride away when her nose flared. NO… no, it’s over. Dash knows how big of a loser I am. I’m a wimp, a coward, a weakling, and a filthy, disgusting foal, Scootaloo thought as her cheeks flushed and she felt tears burning tracks in her face.

Dash snorted, taking in a lung full of air. Was that… ammonia? Dashed tilted her head low, trying to catch a glimpse of Scootaloo’s underbelly. At first she thought Scootaloo was hurt, but now she wasn’t so sure. Or perhaps the wound was of a different nature? She could see a trail of pale yellow liquid staining the grass leading up to Scootaloo; it must have happened when she grabbed hold of her, just before they landed. Now Dash felt her own cheeks flush as she said, “Hey, uh, are you okay, squirt?” Don’t call her squirt! Dash thought, admonishing herself. Scootaloo sobbed even harder, her rapid breathing preventing her from saying anything intelligible. Dash opened her mouth, but thought about what was going on. Dang it, what would Fluttershy do? This isn’t my thing, she thought, wracking her brain. Dash blinked and thought about Scootaloo for a moment, trying to think like her. I hope this works. “Scootaloo, you’re not weak.”

Scootaloo stopped and looked at Dash with wide, wet eyes. Tears still leaked from them, but she didn’t blink. “D-do you have l-like, P-Pinkie sense or s-something?” Scootaloo relaxed a bit, but her tail was still tucked between her legs. She looked up at Dash with her lip and heart quivering in Dash’s hooves.

Dash breathed a sigh of relief, she had guessed right. Now all she had to do was be the element of loyalty. That was something she was good at. “Are you gonna quit? If you don’t quit, then all that junk you’re thinking about yourself isn’t true. If you quit now…” Dash let the rest remain unsaid. She figured Scootaloo had been pushing herself hard enough. Dash sat on her haunches, careful to avoid any wet grass, and held Scootaloo’s chin in one hoof while stroking her mane with the other. Scootaloo never blinked. She just stared at her heroine, sniffling. It gave Dash easy access to her eyes; she could look right into Scootaloo. Dash smiled warmly, careful not to appear as if she were taking joy in Scootaloo’s anguish. Dash knew Scootaloo’s answer before she said anything: the fire was still there, underneath the tears.

“I want to quit, but I want to fly even more. But… I’m…” Scootaloo swallowed another round of tears. “Will you catch me if I fall?”

Dash nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ll always catch you. Trust me.”

Scootaloo choked up again. “T-then, who will c-catch you?”

Dash really had to try hard not to bark out a laugh. Catch me? But now wasn’t the time to laugh, so Dash thought about it for a moment; she was willing to give Scootaloo a real answer. The words came unbidden to her. “My dad—he always caught me when I fell.” Dash blinked and thought, where did that come from? And yet, she knew it was true. Scootaloo’s entire body relaxed to the point where it seemed as if she had deflated into Dash’s chest. “C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up.”

“W-What are you g-gonna tell the others?” Scootaloo asked, looking up at Dash with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’ll just say I was giving you some pointers, if they even ask anything at all. Don’t worry about it, squir—kid. As long as you don’t give up, I won’t either.” Dash shielded Scootaloo under a wing as they trotted to the pond to clean her.

~~~~~

“I’m telling you Flutters, we gotta try a starfall.” Dash hunched her shoulders, preparing for the tackle and ‘the stare.’ She didn’t know what else to do with Scootaloo, but she wasn’t going to give up. She’d endure a thousand of Fluttershy’s stares if it meant Scootaloo could fly, but it would be nice if Fluttershy didn’t flatten her this time. She winced…

And nothing happened.

She cracked one eye open and looked across the library table. Fluttershy was staring at her tea cup, the tea inside having long since grown cold. Twilight was seated next to her, going over the lesson plan for tomorrow. They had reached the point where they had scheduled another tandem fall, when Dash spoke up. Twilight froze, like a deer caught in headlights. She furtively glanced between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy flattened her ears and hid her face behind her mane, as if her cold tea would provide answers. Dash peered over her glass of juice with one wary eye.

Twilight broke the standoff. “Well, that’s… something. Isn’t it, Fluttershy? What do you think?”

Fluttershy sighed and said, “O-okay.”

Dash set her juice down on the table and rested a hoof near it. The darkness of the late-night library seemed to guard their privacy, shutting out the outside world. Within the cone of light cast by the lantern above the table, only these three ponies, the chairs, the table, and the ring of bookshelves seemed to exist. Twilight liked it that way; it allowed her to concentrate. But she never expected to hear Fluttershy agree to a starfall. Dash blinked several times before she responded, “Really? That’s great—”

“Does Scootaloo trust you? I mean really, really trust you?” Fluttershy looked at Dash, her eyes holding an edge. Dash knew she was on thin ice, and she gulped.

She took a drink of carrot juice before she answered, “Yeah, I’m sure. You want me to be the one to drop her?”

Fluttershy shook her head and replied, “No, I’ll do it. I think… I think that’s the way it works. Gold Feather trusts me, so… will you drop him?”

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Wait a minute, are you asking Dash to drop Gold Feather so you can catch him? What about me?”

Fluttershy shook her head again and said, “No, I don’t think a starfall will work for you. You know what’s going on. We could try it, but I don’t think it would be any better than a tandem fall.” She turned to Dash and asked, “Well, will you drop him or not?”

“Oh, uh, sure. I’ll drop Glad Feather for you.” Dash wore an overwide smile and mumbled under her breath, “Drop an annoying snot? No problem.”

Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed at Dash as she said, “His name is Gold Feather.”

Twilight refilled her cup, the teapot hovering far higher than it needed to. The tea made a noisy splash as it hit the inside of the empty cup. Twilight spoke up before her friends started to argue about Gold Feather’s name. “Ahem—you’re sure you can catch her, Dash? This scares me, and I’m not the one in danger.”

“I’ll catch her, or die trying.”

Starfall

Fluttershy held Scootaloo under her wing while she explained where Dash was. “Rainbow Dash was called away for emergency cloudbusting in Fillydelphia this morning. She should be back soon, but I don’t want to wait ‘til it gets too cold for our lesson today.” An errant gust of frigid wind blew by, causing Scootaloo to shiver despite Fluttershy’s protective pinions. Scootaloo had enjoyed the time she landed on the First Cloud with Dash, but now her stomach started to cramp just standing there.

“Can somepony else go first?” Scootaloo asked Fluttershy, without turning her head. She continued to look out over the edge of the cloud. They sky was vivid purple, fading to black. It was quickly darkening to night as the sun touched the top of Canterlot Castle, far in the distance.

Tweet

“I’d prefer it if you went first, Scootaloo,” Fluttershy said while petting Gold Feather. He was perched on her head in Angel’s usual spot. Her thick mane made for a fine place to sit. She didn’t even feel his tiny weight on her head.

Twilight walked up on Scootaloo’s other side and stopped next to her, looking out over the edge. “I have a good feeling about today; I think you’ll do great.”

Scootaloo snorted and replied, “Thanks.” She would have let rip a sarcastic comment, but something in Twilight’s face kept her quiet. Twilight looked… Scootaloo didn’t know, but not normal. She wore a smile, but it looked funny. Like the smile Cheerliee wore when Scootaloo asked where foals came from.

Fluttershy swept Scootaloo up in her hooves and summoned all of the kindness she could muster. She asked quietly, “Do you trust me, Scootaloo?” Twilight grimaced and swallowed the lump in her throat, but said nothing. Fluttershy held Scootaloo in front of her, with Scootaloo’s hind legs dangling into space. Fluttershy’s eyes widened just a tiny bit. Here she was, in her father’s place, doing something horrible.

But our starfall worked out, didn’t it? Fluttershy heard Dash’s voice in her head. She closed her eyes and nodded to herself.

For Scootaloo, the deja vu was just as powerful. Just like her first fall with Dash, the warm memory untied her stomach. She remembered that night, about two weeks ago. The fall was scary, but she wouldn’t trade that memory for anything. It was one of the happiest memories she had, right behind meeting Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. Scootaloo sighed; her calm expression and closed eyes made her almost appear to be sleeping. “Tuck my legs in, right?”

Fluttershy’s eyes snapped open, and she nodded with a bright smile. “That’s right.” Her forelimbs quivering, she hesitated.

Scootaloo responded, “Aren’t you gonna drop me?” She tilted her head and raised one brow.

Fluttershy gasped and said, “Aren’t you scared?”

Scootaloo didn’t wait to respond. “Nope. I just sorta remembered the first time I was with Dash up here. She told me a story about—”

Fluttershy hugged Scootaloo into her chest, her grip nearly crushing the filly. Gold Feather chirped again. “Just a moment, Gold Feather. You’ll get a chance to fly too.” Tears were in the corners of her eyes, but they didn’t fall. Fluttershy held Scootaloo out over the edge again. “Are you ready?”

Scootaloo nodded and said, “Yeah—if anything goes wrong, Dash will catch me.”

Fluttershy gasped and shook her head. “You need to fly on your own. You can’t rely on her every time.”

“Hey, I want to fly, so lets do this!” Scootaloo said as she knocked Fluttershy’s hooves away and arched backwards. She fell into the sky with a smile. I really feel good about this. Maybe Twilight is right—maybe today I’m gonna fly.

As she accelerated, she snapped her goggles onto her face with a wild grin. Okay, tuck in my legs—where’s Fluttershy? Scootaloo’s head darted around. There was nothing, and no pony near her, just endless sky and roaring wind in her ears. She could see the First Cloud, a golden smudge above her, rapidly shrinking. “FLUTTERSHY? TWILIGHT? RAINBOW DASH? ANYPONY?!”

Suddenly, her stomach twisted up, her pupils dilated, and her heart rate skyrocketed. Unfortunately, her body fell like a rock.

Up on the First Cloud, Fluttershy and Twilight bent over the edge to watch Scootaloo fall. Fluttershy was staring at the orange speck as it fell away from them. Twilight forced herself to take a ragged breath. She had been holding it in for several seconds. She glanced at Fluttershy and said, “Hey, where’s Gold Feather?”

Fluttershy broke her gaze and looked at Twilight. “Gold Feather? He’s right here…” She put a hoof to her head and searched. And searched. And searched. “Gold Feather?!” Her voice became frantic. “Where are you?”

Tweet

Fluttershy and Twilight’s eyes snapped down again to see Gold Feather falling after Scootaloo. His legs were tucked in and his wings spread, just like he’d been taught. “GOLD FEATHER, NO!” Fluttershy screamed and jumped after him.

Scootaloo saw him a second before he flew past her. He was just a golden dart to her; he was going much faster than she was. She heard Fluttershy scream and saw her jump after them. No, this is bad. If Fluttershy is going to save Gold Feather, who’s going to save me?

Scootaloo buzzed her wings and flailed her limbs about. She was breathing fast, the air burning in her lungs. She could see Fluttershy trying to catch them, but she could already tell it was too late. If Fluttershy was as good as Rainbow Dash, she might have been able to catch Scootaloo. There was no way she could catch Gold Feather, not at the rate he was going. And Fluttershy wasn’t a great flyer. Scootaloo watched as Fluttershy rocketed down as fast as she could go… She isn’t going to catch me. She’s too slow. Oh Goddess, who’s going to catch us?

I’M GONNA DIE!

That was the only thought in Scootaloo’s mind. She was falling, like a comet out of the heavens. The ground was far below her, giving her a fantastic view of the countryside. She could easily see Canterlot from this height in all of its majestic glory, the sun setting behind it. But she wouldn’t see it much longer. Falling really isn’t so bad; it’s that sudden stop at the end where things tend to get... messy.

Her limbs flailed about uselessly. Her wings didn’t even manage their usual ineffectual buzzing. The air tore at her face and peeled her lips back, exposing her teeth. The goggles kept her wide eyes protected, but right now all that did was give her a view of the rapidly approaching ground. A few clouds drifted into her view. She tried to calm down as the wind tore her breath away.

I’ve got to hit one of those clouds!

Her wings finally made a useful maneuver. Not flapping, exactly, but enough to change her direction. She was right on target for a wispy little cloud. Thank Celestia, I’m gonna live!

She hit the cloud like an arrow hitting water. There was a pop and the uncanny sound of torn fog, like the ripping of silk fabric. Her eyes went wide. The ground rushed up to meet her once again.

I’M GONNA DIE!

Scootaloo quivered in the air, fear and wind roaring over her. She clutched at herself out of instinct, curling into a ball. Tears began to form around her eyes.

Tweet

Scootaloo glanced at Gold Feather, a short distance below her. His wings flapped around, but his tiny body couldn’t withstand the crosswind that buffeted them both. Scootaloo hardly noticed it; on instinct she had spread her wings and righted herself. She watched as Gold Feather tumbled in freefall, his eyes closed and his wings limp. He’s out! She couldn’t believe it, the prodigy had been knocked out by… Am I going down?

Scootaloo glanced to her left and right, noticing that her own wings were spread. She accelerated down, Gold Feather drawing closer. I’ll catch you if you fall. Scootaloo could hear Dash’s voice in her head, as if she were right next to her. Scootaloo’s mouth closed and her lips went into a line.

She could feel Dash’s hooves around her barrel, lifting her up. I’ll catch you if you fall. Scootaloo nodded, It’s alright, Scootaloo. Just fly. Dash will catch you if you mess up, she thought to herself.

Now she could hear Dash’s voice, and only Dash’s voice. Tuck in your legs.

Scootaloo spread her wings straight out, uncurled herself, and kept her legs tucked in. She could see Gold Feather, still turning end over end. I’ve got Dash to catch me, but who’s gonna catch him? Scootaloo started to feel her stomach clench again. It’s gotta be me! I’m gonna catch him!

That was when something changed. As her eyes focused on Gold Feather, the sound of the rushing wind and Fluttershy’s screams faded away. The sunlight softened, the world beyond her and Gold Feather becoming dark. Scootaloo drew in a slow breath, and focused.

She could hear Dash, speaking as if reading off bingo numbers. Now just tilt slowly, like you’re trying to lift your head up. Angle your wings and your head to the horizon, and your tail in the opposite direction; try to even out. Dash’s voice was calm… and Scootaloo couldn’t imagine why she wouldn’t be calm. What was there to be afraid of? She couldn’t mess up—Dash would catch her. That was the worst that could happen: her hero would catch her.

With her wings spread, Scootaloo accelerated downward. She reached out with her hooves and snagged Gold Feather before he floated past her. She held him like Dash held her. No wonder you can’t fly. You’re trying to do this on your own without anypony to catch you. She tilted her head, wings, and tail slowly. The horizon rotated to meet her eyes, a long, jagged line of mountains slowly growing wider. Scootaloo buzzed her wings with heightened strength. Her body felt like sunlight: lightweight and hot.

She was falling, but hovered for the smallest fraction of a second with every beat of her wings. Pumping her wings harder only made her sweat, and she was still falling. Her hind quarters quivered and a chill ran up her spine. Focus, Scootaloo, focus. What did Dash say about flying? She thought as her wings kept buzzing. The ground was close enough that she could make out individual trees and houses. The final cloud layer was rapidly approaching, but none of the clouds were anywhere near her. Don’t flap your wings so fast. You need to arc them so they push you up. Scootaloo almost slapped herself. Normally, panic would make her beat her wings as fast as she could, but the ground didn’t concern her. It wasn’t that she had ignored it, it just wasn’t important. Like so many things in her life, it was something she couldn’t do anything about. She could fear the ground and the air, or she could work with them. The ground didn’t care what happened to her, so why should she care about the ground? Although, it was getting awfully close...

One—two—one—two—one—two... Scootaloo closed her eyes and counted the beating of her wings, forcing them up and down in wide arcs. She could feel the air resist her on the down stroke when she spread her wings out. As she pulled them in and let them flow through the air on the upstroke, the air gave for her.

One—two—one—two—one—two. The feeling of the air faded, the tiny weight of Gold Feather faded, and even Dash’s voice faded away. It was as if she had been trying to listen to a song in a noisy room; it was impossible to hear anything with all of the other voices. Now, all the other sounds were gone. She couldn’t hear Gold Feather chirping, or Fluttershy screaming, or the wind roaring, or Twilight fretting, or Dash reassuring. She couldn’t see anything, she couldn’t feel anything. She couldn’t feel gravity’s pull, or the air peeling her lips back, or Dash’s hooves like an iron bar on her chest. She could only hear herself count.

And then she couldn’t even hear that.

All Scootaloo could hear was the soft flapping of her wings, like the steady beat of a drum, synchronized with her heart. They were both in the same steady cadence, like she was trotting to school on a familiar road. It was the most natural thing in the world; she didn’t think about it, she just felt it. Now, she couldn’t imagine trying to fly any other way.

Because of course, that’s what she was doing: flying.

“Toldja you’d fly, kid.”

Scootaloo’s eyes popped open as the wind roared in her ears. Fluttershy’s voice called out to her—something about the quivering ball of feathers in her hooves. She saw Dash on her left, flying straight ahead with languid beats of her wings; she hardly moved at all. Before today, Scootaloo thought it wasn’t fair that Dash didn’t have to work so hard to fly. Now, she understood that was the best, maybe the only way to fly. “Eyes forward, kid.”

“Whoa!” Scootaloo gave a powerful downstroke just in time to lift herself above the top of an evergreen. She glanced down and gulped; the ground was close, to say the least. She was flying over the outskirts of Ponyville, and the trees here were not so tall. If she fell, it wouldn’t even hurt that badly, at least not anymore. “Rainbow Dash… were you there to catch me?”

Fluttershy flew up on Scootaloo’s right side with wide, tearful eyes. Her voice cracked as she said, “Please give him to me.” Scootaloo blinked, glanced at her own forehooves, and realized she was still holding Gold Feather.

“Oh yeah! Uh, here.” Scootaloo hoofed him over.

Fluttershy snatched the unconscious bird from Scootaloo and hugged him to her chest. “Oh I was so scared. I wasn’t sure if Dash could catch both of you, and he was going so fast…”

Dash snickered and exclaimed, “I wasn’t worried—I saw Scoots doing just what I said to do. You were focused, I could see it! That’s all you needed: focus.”

Scootaloo’s wings were beating at twice the rate of Dash’s as they flew side by side. She’d had dreams about doing this, and it was exactly like she had imagined it. “I was kinda scared ‘til I realized you’d catch me. Once I knew that, I didn’t worry about falling anymore.” She blinked away tears. “I just couldn’t focus when I was scared, but I was okay when I knew you’d be there to catch me.”

Dash looked at Scootaloo, flew close to her, and whispered, “Hey, is everything okay?” Scootaloo sniffed once more and swallowed the lump in her throat.

Scootaloo nodded vigorously as a wild grin broke out on her face. “Yeah, I just…” She glanced at Fluttershy, who was hugging Gold Feather and whispering to him. He appeared to be peacefully, dreamlessly, asleep—that’s what happens when you pass out. “I just wanted this for so long. I… It’s even better than I imagined it would be.” Little tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. She blushed, putting a hoof up between herself and Fluttershy.

“Are you embarrassed?” Dash asked. She smiled at Scootaloo and said, “You don’t have to be embarrassed if those are tears of joy. Besides, I don’t think Fluttershy will notice much ‘til we get to the ground. You wanna learn how to land?”

It took a moment before Scootaloo replied, “...Do we have to land right now?”

Dash shook her head as she laughed. “No, we can keep flying for as long as you like.” A thin sheen of sweat covered Scootaloo, and she started to pant. “As long as you can keep this up,” Dash said as she spread her wings and allowed herself to glide forward.

I’ve still got a lot to learn, Scootaloo thought as she watched Dash glide effortlessly. She hardly moved her wings, but still didn’t lose altitude or slow down. “No way am I quitting now,” Scootaloo panted out.

Rainbow Dash laughed with abandon in between her words. “Okay! I’ll just tell ya how to land, and when I’m done, it’ll be time, I think.” She snickered as Scootaloo dipped for a split-second before redoubling her efforts just to keep aloft. “First, you gotta slow down; that’s the easy part. Then, let your hind legs dangle and tilt your wings back…”

~~~~~

Vigilance’s eyes scanned the page. Iron Law sat next to him drinking tea, trying to hide his smile. He likes tea too much for a royal guardspony, Vigilance thought. His eyes continued to scan the page as he watched Iron Law, the little purple dragon at the Princess’ side, the pair of pegasi lounging on the couch, the Princess herself (of course), and… well… everything. That was his talent, and it made other ponies nervous, because he always knew what they were doing. That’s why he was paired with Iron Law, who never did anything illegal. His conscious was always clear, so he wasn’t worried that Vigilance knew what he was doing all the time. That didn’t mean Vigilance wouldn’t tease him later about liking tea with sugar in it rather than the black coffee that most guards drank. Iron Law referred to such beverages as “boiled rust,” but that little bit of banter would have to wait. They had a filthy criminal to exhonerate.

“Well, everything seems to be in order,” Vigilance growled, keeping his voice just this side of professional. “The criminal—ahem—suspect, is free to go, and all charges have been dropped. I still would like to interview the filly again,” he said as he gestured in Scootaloo’s direction. She was sleeping, curled into Dash’s side, using a cerulean wing as a blanket. Dash wore a little smile as she read her Daring Do novel and waited for Twilight to do her “legal thing.”

Fluttershy was also in the library, caring for Gold Feather. Spike had to retrieve Gold Feather’s bed from Fluttershy’s cabin hours ago. Once the two guards arrived, Twilight wasn’t going to let Fluttershy or Dash out of her sight. It just wouldn’t do to break her word in front of the guards, not after she had spent over an hour drafting the document with Scootaloo. She was quite surprised when Dash had retrieved her from the First Cloud and told her Scootaloo had flown. The filly was still bubbling with excitement when she and Dash landed next to her a few minutes later in front of the library. She still didn’t quite have the hang of turning, but she did avoid crashing into some obstacles, like large houses. The two guardsponies knocked on the door a couple of hours later, giving Twilight the opportunity to get her friends out of trouble. “That won’t be necessary, I took the interview myself. Scootaloo recanted her accusation just like it’s written there. I assure you, I took her diction faithfully.” Twilight tried to sound like Celestia, but those were big horseshoes to fill.

Iron Law set down his teacup with a soft clink on the table. It was getting late, the moon was out, and most ponies were going to bed. Their shift was over, but Vigilance would never drop a case like this one without being thorough. He gazed across the table, over his still-full teacup. The liquid inside had stopped steaming and was growing cold. “Really? This filly said, and I quote: ‘I recant my previous testimony regarding the matter of State of Equestria vs. Rainbow Dash. I wish for all grievances to be dropped, and require no further assistance from the state in this matter’?”

A drop of sweat rolled down Twilight's neck as she said, “Yeah, that sounds like Scootaloo.”

Vigilance and Iron Law both stared at Twilight for a moment. Twilight gulped before Iron Law smiled and said, “Great! Now we can close this case. I must say, that little filly must be a walking dictionary to say something like that at her age.”

Twilight smiled sheepishly and glanced away. “Uh, well, yeah, she’s such a smart filly, and she studies really hard. I’ll have to thank her teacher for being so good at her job.”

“Wait a minute…” Vigilance narrowed his eyes at Twilight. “I’m not satisfied with this. I want to interview her again—wake her up.” Dash raised her head from her book and looked over at the three ponies at the table. She and Scootaloo were suddenly the subject of three sets of eyes. Twilight gulped as her left forehoof began to shake under the table.

Iron Law piped up, “Is something wrong with the document?”

Vigilance turned back to his colleague and replied, “No.”

“Is it not signed by the witness?” Iron Law asked.

“It is,” Vigilance replied. His right eye had an almost imperceptible twitch to it.

“Do you suspect coercion or improper diction by the court clerk? Or do you suspect her credentials have been forged and/or her seal is insufficient for the task?” Iron Law glanced at Twilight’s royal seal at the bottom of the page and raised one brow.

“N-no!” Vigilance stammered out. His eyes went wide and he could no longer look at Twilight.

“Then I see no reason to spend state resources when they could be better spent elsewhere.” Iron Law stood and saluted Twilight. “Thank you for the tea, Princess. May we be relieved?”

“Absolutely. You deserve the rest of the night off.” Twilight’s forehoof stopped shaking and she relaxed into her seat.

Iron Law stood and trotted towards the door, his hooves making crisp notes on the hardwood floor. When he reached the door, he opened it and turned back to Vigilance. “Sir? It’s time to go.”

“B-but...you...the little filly...FINE!” Vigilance snapped the scroll into a tight roll and tucked it into his saddle bag. It was useless to argue with Iron Law about legal matters. Possibly worse than useless if Iron Law thought he was wasting state resources and internal affairs got involved. He bowed low to Twilight and intoned, “Good night, Princess.” He trotted out, but not before glaring once more at Rainbow Dash and the door behind which Fluttershy was tending to Gold Feather.

When the door closed, Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “You showed ‘em, Twilight. I told ya they’d do whatever you asked. Now how ‘bout we work on the Royal Canterlot Voice?” Spike said with smug satisfaction as he looked at the door. “Maybe you could get them to do something about all the ponies asking for favors? By the way, you got 6,934 new messages asking for lower taxes today.”

“It’s called a petition, Spike, and I don’t want to even think about them right now. Let Princess Celestia handle that for the time being. I can barely handle two guards—what’s gonna happen when I have to make a real decision?” Twilight’s eyes grew wide and she spoke quickly, “What if I don’t lower taxes and all the citizens of Equestria hate me? What if they stop buying tea because the taxes are so high? What if they form a ‘no-tea party’? Spike! The library is going to be attacked by angry tea merchants! Get my books on dehydration spells—we must defend the library from the chamomile crusade!”

Dash roared with laughter from the couch. Spike tumbled to the floor quaking with a belly laugh, while Twilight blushed. “Cool off, Egghead. If the tea merchants get really mad, Celestia will handle it. She’ll catch all the boiling hot tea that gets thrown at you,” Dash reassured her while trying not to laugh too hard.

Scootaloo yawned and poked her head out from under Dash’s wing. “What’s so funny? Are the guards gone? Can I fly with you tomorrow? You’re not going to jail, are you?”

“Nahh, I ain't going to jail. I can’t fly with you tomorrow, though. I have to get a rainstorm ready for next week.” Dash sighed and closed her eyes; her wings felt like lead weights.

Scootaloo glanced at Twilight, who was flipping through a book Spike had retrieved from a dusty top shelf titled Dehydration and Dust, or How to Package Milk. Scootaloo shook her head and looked back at Dash. “What if I fall again?”

Dash cracked her eyes open and yawned. “Then I’ll catch you. Weren’t you listening?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s right...” Scootaloo’s body relaxed as she rested her head on her forehooves again. “...I can’t wait to show Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. They’ll be so jealous…” She yawned and closed her eyes. “...I wonder if they got anyone to catch them when they mess up...”

Dash hummed softly, trying to fall asleep. She glanced at the upstairs bedroom door, where Fluttershy had sequestered herself with Gold Feather. She nodded and said, “I’m sure they do. Every successful pony had somepony to catch them when they were learning.”

Scootaloo snored softly, and Dash just chuckled. They were both tired, and right now, she was more than willing to just fall asleep on the couch. She’d tell the matron tomorrow that Scootaloo had to speak to the royal guards, and it took all night. She fell asleep with her wing still covering Scootaloo.

Epilogue

She landed on the porch at dusk. It took several attempts, and plenty of heavy breathing, before her hoof landed on the door.

knock-knock

“I told you, I’m just a weather factory worker! I don’t have the bits to buy any magazines, now go—” The door opened. The home was humble by Cloudsdale standards. It was still made of fluffy white clouds, and had a small porch with delicate white columns. A set of musical wind chimes made out of rainbow-colored crystal rods played a random tune in the breeze. Warm, yellow light spilled out of the house when the door opened. A radio crackled with static from somewhere inside. “...You…”

She smiled sheepishly and looked down. “Yeah, me. So how have you been—gahh!”

He rushed forward and crushed the mare in a hug. “You don’t write, you don’t call, what’s the matter with you?” He sniffed and squeezed harder. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen my little Dashie.”

Rainbow Dash’s face was starting to turn purple. “Dad—can’t breathe!” He released her, and she let out all the air trapped in her lungs with a great wheeze. She pounded a hoof to her chest once before she continued, “So, it’s nice to see you. You’re looking good, did you lose some weight?”

Full Spectrum smiled and glanced at his own barrel while lifting one wing. “I did lose a little weight, but don’t try to butter up your old stallion. I haven’t seen you since you visited for Hearth’s Warming Eve, what, two, three years ago? You mentioned you had new friends and now I’m reading about them in the papers! And you’re the Element of Loyalty! So much for loyalty to your poor father.” He drooped his head and wings.

“Dad… I’m sorry, I just got a little busy.” She drew closer to him and put a hoof out to touch his shoulder. She never got the chance.

“MY DAUGHTER IS AWESOME!” He shouted at the neighbors. He half-hugged, half-tackled her, and dragged her into the house. He tossed her like a sack of potatoes onto the couch, which let out a gasp of air on her rough landing. Like most things in the house, it was made of clouds. “Tell me everything!” Dash blinked to stop her eyes from rolling in opposite directions, and looked around the family room of her youth. Pictures of her adorned the walls, several of them recent. Over the mantel there was a framed news clipping showing her in her Wonderbolt cadet uniform, next to a card. She could see a page peeking out from behind the frame. Another frame held a picture of her with her best friends at a picnic several months ago. There was also a present, wrapped with a flamboyant red bow, sitting next to that picture. The picture of her as a filly with Fluttershy sat at the end of the mantel. Dash and Fluttershy were about to leave for their first day of flight camp, lunch boxes packed in their saddle bags, covering their blank flanks. Full Spectrum was out of the kitchen with two frosty bottles before she could finish looking at what had changed since she was last here. Without ceremony, he popped the top on both of them and set one in front of Dash. He snatched the present from the mantle and set it next to the open bottle. “Go ahead—I know it’s early, but I don’t care!” He flopped into his favorite recliner and gazed at his daughter, his pride and joy.

Dash gingerly took the bottle and took a swig. Apple cider, she thought, and couldn’t help but smile. “I, uh, see you got my letters.” She gestured to the mantel. She went for the present, tearing open the wrapping paper and bow. Daring Do was underneath, blurred on the front cover of the book, being chased by something large with teeth. Dash felt herself choke up. “Thanks, dad. It’s what I really wanted.”

Full Spectrum snorted and said, “Nahh, what you really want is for everypony to tell you you’re awesome. I just want you to be happy with the ponies who do say that. You know, me and your friends.”

Dash looked at him with wide eyes. “How do you know my friends call me awesome?”

He raised one eyebrow. “Um, because you are? And they see you the same way I see you? Seriously, Dashie, how many elements of harmony do you need to be before it’s enough?”

Dash looked away, because she knew looking into his golden eyes would make her cry. Instead, she looked at her new Daring Do book and said, “I wanted to say this face-to-face, instead of sending a letter. I wanted to thank you—”

“What for, Dashie?” He smiled and relaxed into his seat. He looked like a flower ready to soak up sunshine.

“For being there to catch me when I fell. I’ve been teaching this little filly how to fly, and she didn’t have anyone to catch her until I came around. I just didn’t realize how important it was ‘til I saw what happens without it.” Dash looked her father in the eye. “I didn’t realize how horrible it must be to not have somepony there to catch you. You’d never leave the house ‘cause you’d be too scared of getting hurt.”

Full Spectrum sat up, shrugged, and said, “Every parent does that for their children, Dashie. I’m just lucky to have such an awesome daughter. I hardly ever had to catch you.”

“Dad, this filly doesn’t have any parents around, so I caught her. We did a starfall, and it worked.”

Full Spectrum put his bottle of cider down slowly. He looked at Dash, mischief glittering in his eyes. “Well, that was awesome of you, Dashie. I wasn’t going to let you drink any more cider ‘til after dinner, but I think you deserve another.” He jumped up and darted into the kitchen to make dinner.

“After dinner? Um, sure, I guess I’ll stay for dinner then.” Dash sank in her seat. She couldn’t ever say no to her father. It was embarrassing, but she loved being cared for by him. “Dad… who’s there to catch you when you fall?”

Full Spectrum stopped for a moment, a knife hovering over the asparagus. He gently set it down before he replied, “Your grandma.” His eyes became unfocused as he looked at the urn on the mantel.

“Oh… it doesn’t matter that she’s—?”

He shook his head and said, “No, it doesn’t matter. She’s there to catch me every time. Just like I’ll always be there to catch you. Just like you’ll always be there to catch this filly.”

“That’s a relief. I thought I’d have to actually be there to catch her every single time.”

Full Spectrum laughed. “We’d have pegasi zipping all over Equestria every minute catching each other. No, she’ll be fine. Have you ever fallen and needed my help to get back into the air again?”

“Not since I was a filly,” she replied while shaking her head. “You know, it’s funny. If you don’t have it, you need it. But if you have it, you don’t need it anymore.”

Full Spectrum trotted back into the family room carrying a bowl of apple salad, one of Dash’s favorite dishes. “Funny how that works, isn’t it, Dashie?”