Destiny. What is it? Can ponies predict destiny? Does it even exist? And if it does, do I have free will?
For the past two weeks, that was all Fleetfoot ever thought of during the long, cold nights. The phrasing varied from night to night, but the theme was the same. As she reclined on her soft bed and let her body sink into the plush cushions, the material loosening her muscles, she blankly stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. She'd only blink a few times, but other than that, everything about her face, and even her general posture, was static. The only sound that echoed in the room was that of the clock to her left.
Tick tock! Tick tock! Tick tock!
Fleetfoot counted each second that went by, but her room was still shrouded in the night's darkness as it had been for the past hour or so. She turned to her clock, the time reading 2:41 AM, and let out a sigh. Rolling back to where she was, Fleetfoot gazed at the ceiling once more and let her mind flow without constraint.
"Magic controls everything," Fleetfoot told herself in a monotone voice. "Why does it control everything? Was all that training I did for nothing?" She sighed once more. "All this time I put in being the best, did destiny decide that I'd never be the best? If not me, then who is?" She turned to her right and peered out of her window, a few twinkling stars outside visible. The brightest of these formed a constellation in the image of a swallow, which drew her eyes towards it. Something about that constellation spoke to her heart, but it was in a foreign language as far as she knew. Nothing about her consciousness changed. "Who is the best? It's probably that hotshot Rainbow Dash, so would that mean magic is the secret to her amazing abilities?"
A realization sparked in Fleetfoot's mind uninvited. Somebody, a griffon with a sharp beak and an attitude that made her meek by comparison, told her that Rainbow Dash either napped in trees or joked around with one of her close friends a lot. Lazy was the word she used. Was that true? If it was, then it would mean that maybe there was no incentive to train anymore. She couldn't get better, nor could she get worse. She'd just be Fleetfoot. Destined to be the fourth, maybe fifth, or perhaps sixth best flier. Feeling a wave of melancholy constrict her soul, Fleetfoot's eyes drooped. Everything inside of her felt empty. Something was missing that was once there, something that made her smile.
"It's not like I should care anymore," Fleetfoot continued. "Was my joy for flying meaningless? Is my special talent something that any pegasus can do, just a little bit faster and nimbler than usual? If it is, it's not really a special talent. It's just some talent." She let out a yawn and stretched her forelegs before wrapping her blanket tighter than before as though she slept in a cocoon. "I wish I had somepony to share this with." Her heart ached and her eyes teared up a little, but were cleansed of them after she wiped her eyes. "Nopony would care about me. I'm just some braggart. Why would anypony like me." She closed her eyes. "I just, I just want somepony to know how I'm feeling. Maybe I can find someone to talk to tomorrow." Seconds went by, and Fleetfoot let out an elongated yawn. She drifted off into a deep sleep.
Fleetfoot opened her eyes and blinked a few times. The world around her was a haze for a moment, but something else felt off. She waved her forelegs around a bit. She could sense they were there and noticed her hooves rush by, so why did the rest of her body not feel anything at all? Her vision regained clarity, and before her was a sight that made her jaw drop.
Surrounding her in all directions were a plethora of stars, all of them twinkling like fireflies in the dark blue sky. A colorful aurora danced across the sky, its motions visible for some reason, and made its way towards Fleetfoot. Unable to utter a single syllable from her gaping mouth and wide-eyed expression, Fleetfoot's body didn't budge an inch as the aurora wrapped around her like a python. As the aurora kept going around her, climbing up from her hooves to her head, she felt a strange warmness envelop her. As the aurora continued wrapping her, she didn't even feel constricted or squeezed by it.
It just felt nice.
But why is this happening?
"Fleetfoot," a deep voice echoed. The aurora fled like a frightened bunny and Fleetfoot swiveled her head from left to right. The warm sensation disappeared and all that was around her were the shining stars from before. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Shuddering for a moment, Fleetfoot turned around and standing before her, somehow, was a dark blue alicorn with a spatial-like mane and a soft smile. As she stared at the alicorn, something about her presence felt more real than everything else around her.
"P-Princess Luna?" Fleetfoot asked in an astonished tone as she felt a shortness of breath. "What are you doing here? Where am I?"
"Please relax," said Luna. "Just let your body drift back down and I'll explain everything."
"Drift back down?" Fleetfoot cocked her head. "There's no gravity here. I'm just floating. I mean, I could fly if I put my heart into it, but what you're suggesting sounds like I can land."
Luna giggled. "I think some of Spitfire's logic rubbed onto you."
Fleetfoot stared at Luna with a blank face. "Huh?"
"It's nothing." Luna grinned and trotted closer to Fleetfoot. "I'm just thinking out loud."
"Um, okay. So how do I land?"
Luna gazed into Fleetfoot's eyes before raising her hoof and tapping nothing. The metallic banging made Fleetfoot's eyebrows jump up. "Just think about it. Let your unconsciousness tell you that it's possible. I know you can do it."
Fleetfoot shrugged and closed her eyes. Was there gravity where she was? There had to be, otherwise everything, from buildings to fellow ponies and everything in between, would be floating with her, and it looks like Luna is standing on solid ground, even if that ground might as well be nothing.
That's it. There had to be gravity. But still, why was she—
Fleetfoot felt the weight of the world pile onto her as she fell a short distance to the invisible ground, the thump and her grunt echoing around the area. She rose up to Luna and extended her hoof towards her. Grabbing it, Fleetfoot shook her head for a moment and rubbed her aching flank.
"That hurt more than I was expecting," Fleetfoot said with a chuckle. "How did that happen?"
"You know why," said Luna, smirking.
Fleetfoot rubbed her muzzle, everything that happened from when she found herself drifting in this area to now flowing in her head. It was all surreal, that much was certain. Perhaps too surreal.
Surreal.
That's it!
Fleetfoot's eyes lit up and her lips curled into a smile. "This is a dream!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "That's why none of this makes sense!"
Luna nodded. "Correct, my little pony."
Fleetfoot leaned slightly closer to Luna, her mind beckoning for more information. "So that must also be why you were able to find me."
"That's true as well."
Fleetfoot's face beamed and she nodded. "Ah, I think I'm starting to piece this together. So you're visiting my dreams for a particular reason." Luna bobbed her head. "So what brings you, well, here?"
Letting out a chuckle, Luna trotted closer to Fleetfoot with a smile on her face. "I thought you knew that as well. Remember what you said to yourself before you fell asleep?"
Fleetfoot shifted her eyes around before staring back at Luna. Her shoulders sagged and she let out a defeated sigh. "I guess I have to come clean. I think I'm doomed to be the same forever. I'll never become a better flyer, nor will I become a better pony. I'll just be Fleetfoot, and it's because destiny says so."
Luna approached Fleetfoot and wrapped her forelegs around her, the feeling much like that of a warm, silk scarf. "I know how scary it must be for you with all of these incidents that have recently happened. Believe me, I'm a bit scared, too."
Fleetfoot's eyes widened. "Huh? You're scared? But you're an alicorn."
"Even alicorns get scared about the future." Luna let go of Fleetfoot and looked down. "Celestia and I know this very well, but that's a tale for another day." Luna took a deep breath and spread her wings. "Are you ready?"
Fleetfoot stepped back and jumped up a little. "Ready? But what are we doing? Shouldn't I know what to expect first?"
"My apologies." Luna cleared her throat. "I am going to show you a vision that will help you."
"A vision?" Fleetfoot cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but wouldn't it be easier for you just to tell me?"
"But you wouldn't remember if I just told you. Seeing it play out before your eyes will better ingrain it inside your consciousness."
Fleetfoot froze in place. While just hearing it would be easy, perhaps there was some value in actually seeing it instead. This was Princess Luna telling her that, and she probably had a lot of experience when it came to these things. Maybe taking the time to see it was the way to go, but what would she see? Would it be something heartwarming? Or would it be something horrifying? The uncertainty brought a chill down Fleetfoot's spine and tightened her chest, but if she was ever going to get her answers, she needed to be brave. She took a deep breath and looked up at Luna.
"Okay," said Fleetfoot in a calm tone. "I'm ready."
Luna's horn radiated a light blue aura and the world around her and Fleetfoot shone. "Close your eyes and relax," Luna said, her serene voice echoing into Fleetfoot's ears.
Fleetfoot closed her eyes shut as instructed. Her body felt weightless once more. She could no longer sense her limbs, the sense of unconsciousness enveloping her more by the second. Everything fell silent. The blackness of her eyes being closed was replaced by a hypnotizing swirl of colors. Red, green, blue, and yellow all mixed together in a constant pirouette. The eerie silence was replaced by the thumping of her heart and her cold, deep breaths as her body felt as though it would contort into a tight spring. A wave of nausea entered her chest and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
Then, everything ceased, and her senses all returned to her.
"You can open your eyes now," Luna said.
Fleetfoot opened her eyes. The world was still a slight blur, but everything cleared up after a second. A dizzy sensation that was tempting her to topple over coursed through her, but she remained upright through sheer willpower. Rubbing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Fleetfoot's head swung around and gazed at the various trinkets and objects that made up wherever she was. There was a smooth, wooden carving of a horse's head sitting on a table, its texture so fine to where Fleetfoot could imagine its fine texture against her hooves. Making up much of the perimeter was a bookshelf with a number of books, big and small, crammed inside in an orderly fashion all organized by title. A plush, red couch rested next to the table with the carving.
As Fleetfoot looked around with shimmering eyes and a faint smile, she couldn't help but think of the place as homely. There was something about the scent in the air and the mood the place provoked that filled her with a sense of nostalgia, but for some reason also provided a sense of melancholy. She had never been to this place before, so why did her heart react in such a way? Was it related to the dream she was in? Or was it something more?
"You seem curious about this place," Luna said as a matter of fact.
"I am," Fleetfoot replied. "Where are we?"
"We are at a place called Golden Oaks Library. This library in the shape of a tall tree was converted into a home not too long ago, but sadly the foundation was destroyed."
"Destroyed?" Fleetfoot winced, reflecting a feeling of shock on her face and she trotted up to Luna. "Was the pony who lived there unhurt?"
"She's okay."
Fleetfoot let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. Anyway, who used to live here?"
Luna winked and formed a confident grin. "You're about to find out."
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"In a minute!" a voice shouted from upstairs.
Fleetfoot turned to Luna. "Is that the pony who lives here?" she asked.
"It is," Luna said as she nodded. "Focus on the conversation and everything around it for now."
Shifting her gaze to the stairs, Fleetfoot noticed a silhouette of a pony trotting down. Not a second later, a lavender alicorn with a bright smile on her face was followed by a small, purple and green dragon. Fleetfoot's jaw dropped and her heart skipped a beat. The Princess Twilight Sparkle lived there? How could she have not known that?
"You know Princess Twilight?" Luna inquired.
Fleetfoot bobbed her head. "Sort of, but Spitfire admires her a lot. She told me about how they finally met face-to-face in a pub and how she helped her."
"She does have a knack for helping ponies." Luna tapped Fleetfoot's shoulder and pointed at the front door. "Anyway, let's get back to why we're here."
"Gotcha."
Twilight made her way to the front door and looked through the peephole in the center. Smiling and nodding, her horn glowed a bright purple and the door swung open.
"Hey there, Twi," a familiar voice said. Fleetfoot's throat tightened on cue.
"Hi, Rainbow Dash," Twilight replied. She and the small dragon stepped out of the way to make room for the cyan pegasus, who was hovering above the ground and flapping her wings. "What brings you here?"
"Something has been bothering me lately, and I wanted to talk to you about it."
Fleetfoot's face turned pale and she clenched her teeth. This had to be after she mistreated Rainbow Dash and Soarin that one time. A wave of embarrassment consumed her and her face grimaced into a glum frown. Her shoulders sagged and her body drooped, the negativity crushing her.
"Fleetfoot, it's going to be okay," said Luna as she patted her on the back. Fleetfoot glanced over to Luna, who had a warm, welcoming smile adorning her face.
"Sorry," Fleetfoot said as she turned back to Twilight and Rainbow. "It's just, well, I wish that never happened." Fleetfoot let out a sigh. "I was just way too concerned about winning that day to where I forgot what was important."
Luna didn't say a word and merely replied with a wink. Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow and cocked her head in response. Did Luna know something she didn't? If so, what did it have to do with the incident she had with Rainbow and Soarin? Her mind swirled around in a vortex, trying to decipher Luna's wink, but nothing came up. She blinked a few times and focused her attention back on the conversation between Twilight and Dash, who were now seated on the couch with cups of coffee in front of them, the scent wafting into her nostrils and soothing her spirits.
"Thank you very much, Spike," Twilight said to the small dragon.
"Not a problem," said Spike, bowing to Twilight with a wide grin. "May I be excused now?"
"Of course." Twilight squinted at Spike and leaned closer to him. "Just be careful."
Spike pounded his chest with pride. "You can count on me! Careful is my middle name!" He ran upstairs with a skip in his step and just like that, he was out of sight. Fleetfoot scratched her head as she stared at Spike making his way to the second floor. She couldn't shake this feeling that he'd make a scene at a big event one day, but her mind failed to uncover a reason as to why. Maybe it was a sixth sense or something like that. Smirking ever so slightly, Fleetfoot returned her attention to Twilight and Rainbow, her ears focused on the pair.
"What's on your mind, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You know how I passed the exam to make the Wonderbolts Reserves, right?" Twilight nodded in confirmation. "See, when I was leaving the academy, I bumped into Spitfire and Soarin."
Twilight tilted her head. "I don't see anything strange about that. Did something happen?"
"Nothing did, but there was something off about the mood."
Twilight scratched her muzzle. "The mood?"
"Remember that incident at the tryouts not too long ago? Well, it looks like Soarin has somehow already forgiven Spitfire."
"Um, how is that weird?"
"It hasn't been that long." Rainbow leaned closer to Twilight and gazed into her eyes. "Soarin acted as though nothing had happened, but Spitfire still remembered. Whenever Soarin was around while she was addressing other ponies, something about her demeanor told me she was nervous."
"Nervous?"
"She didn't stutter or anything like that, but something about how she acted just felt off when Soarin was next to her." Rainbow sighed. "I wanted to ask her if she was okay, but I couldn't find her afterwards. We saw each other again, but where we met just wasn't the place to bring up something like that."
Twilight patted Rainbow's shoulder and smiled. "Rainbow Dash, maybe Spitfire still feels guilty about what happened. If you see her again and the time and place are appropriate, I'd talk to her about what's going on. Just play it nice and things should work out from there."
"Thanks, Twi." Rainbow forced a smile. "Though there is something else about the Wonderbolts that I want to bring up."
"What would that be?"
Rainbow's shoulders drooped. "It's, well, I kind of feel bad for them."
Fleetfoot's jaw dropped and a jolt ran through her body. Did Rainbow Dash say that she felt bad for the Wonderbolts? What was she talking about? Did she think they were losers? Or was it something else? Whatever it may be, Fleetfoot's heart raced and she shuffled her hooves closer to the pair, leaning towards them and pointing her ears to pick up every last peep. A cold sweat ran down her face. She bit her lip. What was Rainbow Dash going to say?
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"When I look at the Wonderbolts, all of them, I see a group of talented ponies that try to do the best they can. All of them are actually kindhearted ponies once you get to know them. Spitfire is surprisingly humble about her position, even during intense competitions, and Fleetfoot has a compassionate side of her when she isn't racing or competing. They work best as a flight team and they have plenty of successes in rescues and missions as well." Rainbow's lips curled into a frown and she let out a melancholic sigh. Fleetfoot, however, was completely static, her eyes wide open. "It's just, it's just whenever we're together, if the Wonderbolts are involved, they seem to get tons of bad luck."
Fleetfoot sighed and looked down for a moment. Rainbow Dash did have a point if the team's recent history was anything to go by. When Rainbow and her friends weren't in the area, everything went perfectly. But if Rainbow was with one of her friends, something was bound to go wrong. Was it merely a coincidence? Fleetfoot nodded unconsciously. It had to be a coincidence, as even destiny couldn't be that cruel, right? Fleetfoot gazed back towards Twilight and Rainbow.
Twilight rubbed the top of her head and nodded. "I see what you mean."
"It's a shame. It really is. I know it sounds a little weird, but I was hoping that some of you would become fans as well. It would give us something a little more in common."
Twilight smirked ever so slightly and patted Rainbow's hoof. "Rainbow Dash, I may not be as big of a fan as you are, but I do like them as well. How else do you think I was able to get so many note cards about their history so quickly?"
"Uh, books? You are the genius of the group."
Twilight giggled and blushed. "Okay, maybe I used one or two books, but I had memorized some of the other information before. I do wish I could go to one of their shows, but the life of a faithful student or a princess is a busy one, so I haven't had the time."
Rainbow's jaw dropped and she jumped up. "Seriously? Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"You never really brought it up." Twilight cleared her throat. "Well, you did mention the Wonderbolts, but not whether any of us were fans as well. But I never mentioned that I liked them as well, so I guess we learned something about each other today. Anyway, I'm sorry for not bringing it up before."
"No need to apologize, Twi." Rainbow smiled and sat straight once again. "I was just surprised, that's all."
"Thanks for understanding." Twilight froze for a second. "Wait, I have one last question. Are you still upset with them after the problem at the tryouts?"
"Not anymore. Spitfire told me it was a huge misunderstanding and that she'll try to communicate with her team better for the future. Soarin also confirmed Spitfire's explanation and he's trying to do the same thing. I haven't ran into Fleetfoot yet, but I have a hunch that she isn't a bad pony as well. I can tell by looking into their eyes that the whole group means well and they all look out for each other. All ponies, even awesome ponies like myself, make mistakes from time to time. You do remember the Mare-Do-Well incident, right?"
"How could I forget about that?" Twilight rubbed her neck and blushed. "I went a little overboard there the more I think about it."
"At least you got your point across and I changed for the better." Rainbow's lips formed a smirk. "It wasn't your best idea, but it worked."
Fleetfoot felt a ticklish sensation course through her veins. She blinked a few times and her body shook. Her eyes closed gently and upon opening them up again, the unusual feeling dissipated and the spatial scene from before danced around her with bright colors and twinkling stars.
Shuddering, Fleetfoot swiveled her head from left to right. Was that an illusion? Did that actually happen? Or was it just symbolic? All she knew at the moment was that it was a dream of Luna's creation, and the rest was nigh impossible to decipher.
"That is what I wanted to show you," Luna said with a mild, but pleasant smile as she appeared in front of Fleetfoot. "Now tell me, what did you learn?"
Fleetfoot shrugged. "What I learned?"
Luna nodded. "Yes, what you learned." She tapped her hoof on the invisible ground and closed her eyes for a moment. "Actually, just tell me what you saw and heard. That will make things easier."
Fleetfoot remained static, only blinking from time to time. The conversation looped in her mind as each word and each action replayed in her mind. It was like trying to memorize a script for a play. The sights and scents of Golden Oaks Library returned to her, from the carving to the aroma of the coffee. "Well, Rainbow Dash talked about how Spitfire was doing and that Soarin forgave her. She then mentioned how she wished her friends also became fans so that they'd have more in common."
Luna smiled and bobbed her head. "There's more to it than just that. What else did they say?"
"Well, um, Rainbow Dash felt bad for the Wonderbolts. She, um, she said that we had some cases of bad luck and that our conflict was more of a misunderstanding." Fleetfoot placed her hoof on her heart. "That misunderstanding part seems to be true. I recall Spitfire wanting to check up on Soarin, but we kept getting too caught up in the tryouts. We actually never had bad intentions. Spitfire and I cared about Soarin and didn't want him to get hurt even more. We just failed to reflect that and our tone and behavior wasn't clear. I'm not a bad pony. I make mistakes, just like everypony does." Fleetfoot's heart warmed, a wave of ecstasy enveloping her. Her lips curled into a smile, which grew wider and wider.
"That's what I was hoping you'd say."
"I-I get it now!" Fleetfoot trotted up to Luna with a skip in her step. She knelt down and looked up to Luna, her vision blurry and a small stream of joyful tears cascading down her cheeks. "Thank you so much, Princess Luna!"
"You're welcome, Fleetfoot." Tears dripped down Luna's cheeks as her smile widened. She patted Fleetfoot on the back. "I'm proud of you, but there is one last thing that I would like you to do. I think it will help a lot."
Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Go to Ponyville Clock Tower as soon as you wake up." Fleetfoot bobbed her head. "I want you to make your way to the top floor and wait there. Somepony who knows you well will be there. I want you to talk with this pony."
Fleetfoot stood up and stretched her wings. "Who is this pony?"
Luna winked. "You'll see. Anyway, before I wake you up, do you know where Ponyville Clock Tower is?"
"I do. I've been to Ponyville before."
"That's good to hear. Goodbye, Fleetfoot. I wish you have a wonderful future."
"Goodbye, Princess Luna."
Fleetfoot opened her eyes, still full of sleep, and stretched her forelegs. She was back in the confines of her bedroom, which was as dark and dreary as ever. She rolled towards the clock on the desk by her bed, the time reading 5:30 AM. Was her dream that long? And why did it all feel so vivid and real? She could recall the scent of the coffee, her anxiety consuming her body during the tenser portions of the dream, and the memorable sights of the late Golden Oaks Library. It was like she visited it in its old glory long after it had turned to splinters and ashes.
"Well, I guess I better get going," Fleetfoot told herself. She jumped out of her bed, her limbs still stiff from the long hours of sleep she had, and made her way downstairs to the living room. Making a beeline to the front door, she opened it wide, the outside world just bright enough to see. A warm breeze blew across her face, her sleek mane gracefully flowing as a result. Taking slow steps outside of her grandiose abode, the architecture a typical Classical-Cloudsdale style, she closed the front door. She locked the door, a click ringing in her ears. Flapping her wings a bit, Fleetfoot took to the skies, shearing the wind as she made her way to Ponyville.
As she flew, Fleetfoot couldn't help herself from smiling just a little bit. The air brushing against her face, the freedom the skies provided her, and the occasional maneuver she did to please herself warmed her heart. Flying was still fun after all. It made her face beam with enthusiasm and her eyes glow. Maybe her special talent wasn't worthless. If flying was what made her happy, then perhaps that was what mattered the most.
But there was still a kernel inside of her heart trying to tell her that she was nothing in the grand scheme of things. Her mind was locked in a civil war between joy and emptiness. Fleetfoot glanced down, noticing Ponyville below and a small number of civilians trotting around, going wherever they needed to be. She quickly looked back ahead and saw the clock tower off to the side of town, looking rather pathetic to the Crystal Castle that dominated the skyline.
"Top floor," Fleetfoot reminded herself.
With a quick change in direction, she ascended down to the top floor of the clock tower, her rate of speed lessening more and more until she landed on the tiled floors. The floor was rather cold, the chill running up her legs and along her spine. Chattering her teeth for a second, Fleetfoot sat down against the back wall and curled up, shivering on occasion. Either the pony showed up and the conversation was quick or the sun rose up and made the world warm and cozy once more. Fleetfoot hoped it would be one or the other.
Time passed as seconds became minutes, but neither showed up. Fleetfoot blinked a few times and yawned. She wanted to do something to pass the time, but what if the pony arrived just as she left? Her body shook more, her breath producing a visible white mist as she exhaled. The freezing temperatures had become unbearable. This needed to happen right now.
"Maybe I should just head back home," Fleetfoot said to herself, her eyes shimmering. "This is hopeless."
"It's not hopeless," a familiar voice said.
Fleetfoot's eyebrows shot up and she turned to the source of the noise. Standing before her with a long, dark blue scarf was a cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow mane. A warm smile adorned her face, which somehow warmed Fleetfoot herself, but why such a feeling produced this effect eluded her.
"R-Rainbow Dash? You're the pony I'm supposed to meet?" Fleetfoot asked in a rapid pace.
"I heard a weird voice in my head telling me to go here and talk to somepony," Rainbow answered. "I'm guessing you're the one I'm supposed to talk to." Rainbow trotted towards Fleetfoot and sat next to her. Unfurling her scarf, Rainbow wrapped some of it around Fleetfoot and the pair were huddled together, bound by the same scarf. "You're chilly. I don't know if this will help a lot, but you could use some warmth."
Fleetfoot looked into Rainbow's eyes and smirked slightly. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash."
"No problem. I wouldn't let anypony down, especially awesome ponies like you."
Fleetfoot's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. A strange feeling rushed through her head as she remained static. Did Rainbow Dash just call her awesome? "Do you really think that? Even after all I've done?"
"Of course I do." Rainbow nodded and gazed into Fleetfoot's eyes. "I don't tell many ponies this, but I want to tell you a story that changed my life forever."
"What happened?"
"I had a long streak of being a hero in Ponyville, and it kind of got to my head. I started acting a little too arrogantly, and my friends felt that I went a little too far with the bragging."
"You were a braggart?"
Rainbow sighed. "I was. Anyway, what happened next was that my friends roped me into a wicked prank where they dressed up as a figure called Mare-Do-Well and made me feel how they felt. It wasn't exactly our proudest moment and both my friends and I regret what we did that day. However, we all learned a lesson from it, and now I'm not as brash as I was back then. It made me a better pony."
Fleetfoot bobbed her head. "I think I understand. Correct me if I'm wrong, but perhaps I can look back at the incident we had at Rainbow Falls and I can use that as a reminder to not go too far and move towards becoming a better pony."
"Exactly. It might not happen right away, but I look at you and know you can become a more awesome pony than ever. You just need to realize that we all make mistakes and act in ways we shouldn't have at times, but we can learn from them and become even stronger."
"That's what I learned in the dream that sent me here."
Rainbow cocked her head. "Dream?"
Fleetfoot chuckled a little and smiled. "It's a long story."
"So, anything else you want to ask?"
Fleetfoot paused for a moment. There was that griffon that told her the rumor about Rainbow, but connected to it was something much larger, magic. "I have to ask, because magic controls everything, will I ever become a better flyer?"
Rainbow closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them up again and shrugged. "I wish I knew. I want to improve my flying skills as well, but because magic relates to flying, I don't know if I will. It scares me as well."
"I see." Fleetfoot let out a sigh. "I wish that incident with what's-his-face never happened. Just thinking about it frightens me, not to mention how it changed the lives of millions of ponies."
"I know what you mean. Nothing has been the same since then. Ponies, griffons, buffalo, even changelings were impacted."
Griffons. Fleetfoot thought she might as well ask, but how should she phrase it? "Rainbow, do you know any griffons?"
"I do. Gilda is her name, and she has been rather bitter ever since we parted ways."
"Parted ways?"
"It's a long story. Anyway, she apparently keeps going on about how I'm lazy, and while that might be true on some days, I do work out a lot. It's tough to have someone, especially a former friend, slam on you like that."
"This Gilda must have been the one to tell me you were lazy. Why she did I don't know. Was she trying to get us to not accept you into the Wonderbolts?"
"Maybe."
"She's fighting a losing battle then, because you're too good of a flyer to pass down when the time comes."
Rainbow's eyes lit up and she leaned closer to Fleetfoot. "When will that be?"
"Complete a few more exercises and you'll make it into the main team in no time at all."
"Awesome!"
Fleetfoot and Rainbow turned towards the sky, which was now lit a bright orange. The glowing, yellow sun was slowly rising up into the sky. The birds began their melodic chirping, a concert that was music to Fleetfoot's ears. A flock of swallows took off and rose up into the sky. Down below, she could see more of Ponyville's citizens out and about, some entering the stores that had just opened, others galloping across the grasslands as they played with joyous expressions.
"Fleetfoot, you're a great friend," said Rainbow.
"Thanks. You too, Rainbow Dash," Fleetfoot replied.
"Say, do you want to get some ice cream later today? You know, as friends?"
Fleetfoot nodded, her taste buds imagining the cold, delicious taste. "I'd love to. How about we stop by the academy afterwards and chat with the other Wonderbolts?"
Rainbow's eyes glowed and her face formed a beaming smile, her excitement palpable. "That sounds awesome!"
Fleetfoot formed a wide grin and gazed back towards the rising sun. Today, and the future that was before her, would be great. She knew this, and even if the road was bumpy, Rainbow Dash or her fellow Wonderbolts would be there to pick her up. Her heart warmed just thinking about it. The emptiness inside of her was filled with what was once missing. Fleetfoot found the answers she was looking for.
I have a purpose and I have friends who will support me. Thank you, everypony.
