Flyer

He was falling. He didn't know where and there wasn't a speck of light around him. Reaching out a hoof, he tried and failed to grasp something but only brushed against the empty air.

"Help," he meekly called out before squeezing his eyes shut, hoping for the darkness to go away.

He landed on something soft shortly after. Sitting up, he opened his eyes only to be forced to squint from the immense light that met him. He was sitting in the middle of a grassy terrain, much similar to the field he practiced his flying earlier. Getting up, he brushed himself off but soon jumped as he caught sight of a shadowy figure moving toward him. Then slowly it began to morph until it took the shape of a lanky pegasus.

"H-Hello," Woodchip attempted a nervous wave, but the shadow remained unmoved, staring at him. Then it began to laugh, low and deep at first but then slowly progressing to shrill maniacal screams. The sky around began to darken as the screams grew louder. Suddenly, another shadowy figure floated up, joining in with the screams.

"Stop it!" Woodchip crouched down, covering his ears. "Stop!"

More shadows joined in as the screams slowly morphed into taunts. "Dodo wings, Dodo wings. Chipmunks got Dodo wings."

"STOP!" he shrunk as the shadows bore down on him, growing steadily larger.

They then began to prance around him, the taunts becoming louder and more prominant until even covering his ears couldn't block it out.

Then one shadow, the pegasus, leaned down until he was face to face with the young colt.

"Earth Ponies can't fly, you idiot."

Wood Chip woke with a start, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. What was he thinking? Earth Ponies can't fly and they never will.

He cut class the next day to go sit up on the hill he tried to fly from. The bullies were at school anyway, so no chance of them bothering him up here...after all, he just wanted to be left alone. He was stupid for thinking that he could learn how to fly when he just wasn't built like that. The shadows from his dream were right...

"Hey Pansy!"

Wood Chip jolted at the voice of a filly nearby.

"Yes you, with the brown coat! I'm talking to you!"

"Leave me alone," he mumbled, lowering himself to the ground. He was only answered by a stomping of hooves and the filly grabbing his face, jerking it so hard that he swore she almost broke his neck. And the worst thing was he recognized her...she was the pegasus that saved him from the bullies the previous day.

"Don't ignore me like that," she snapped at him, giving him a death glare. "I came up here to tell you that you owe me one for me having to bail your sorry flank out yesterday."

"Ow..." Wood Chip mumbled, pulling away. "Fine, what is it you want? Money? A snack?"

"I want you to stop being such a wimp."

"What?"

"Where are your wings?"

"I...you saw what happened I'm assuming."

"And instead of trying again, you come up here to sulk."

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Wood Chip got to his hooves, raising his voice slightly.

"I don't go to school, but we're not talking about me here!" she fiddled with her ponytail. "I want to know why you let a few useless jerks get the better of you instead of coming out here and trying again."

"WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?!" the small colt burst out. "WHY DO YOU CARE? Cause apparently nopony does." He sat on his flank again, looking down.

"Just because nopony else cares doesn't mean you shouldn't either," the filly sat down as well, voice slightly softer.

"Earth Ponies don't fly," Wood Chip retorted coldly.

"Fillies don't fight. Not like what you saw anyway."

He looked up slightly.

"Listen Pansy, in all honesty I think you're crazy. Insane even, but that doesn't change the fact that your idea is...well the best I've heard in a while."

"You really mean it?"

"Of course I do!" She shot back to her hooves, voice returning to its normal harshness. "If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it! Now I want to see you here tomorrow afternoon, ready to fly, no exceptions!" She turned to leave. "Name's Starshine by the way."

And with that she spread her wings and took off. Wood Chip stared after her, a small smile growing on his face. Did she really mean it? Did she really just think his idea was the best she's ever heard?