Falling Down or Getting Up?
A warm breeze danced in the skies around Horseshoe Cliffs, which rested nearby to the west of Ponyville. The once humble town, now a town with a shining, colossal castle sprouting out of the earth and piercing the heavens, looked like a diorama from where Rarity stood. Looking down, Rarity could see the cover of a small forest, its trees a dark green. And separating her from all of this was a steep cliff; the light brown rocks jagged and looked sharp enough to cut metal. She shuffled her hooves closer to the edge of the path and leaned over to get a better look.
There were faint silhouettes of ponies trotting about, all of whom looked like sentient, colorful bread crumbs. A few specks in the sky danced around gracefully and flawlessly. Rarity heard that the Wonderbolts were doing a show in Ponyville, but such things didn't pique her interest or make her heart race. Despite this, she couldn't help but admire their talents.
If only her history with them was, well, less messy.
Rarity let out a sigh, her shoulders sagged. Would they hold a grudge against her? She cringed at the thought of hurting the feelings of anypony that came her way, even those of ponies like Suri Polomare. But that one day and the memories associated it drove a dagger through her heart. She wished that such a shameful moment would just fade away. She wished that the memory didn't return whenever Cloudsdale or the Wonderbolts were seen or mentioned near her.
But the memory, and the sensations associated with it, was still with her like a parasite leeching off of its host.
The feeling of weightlessness.
Gravity pushing her down.
Her eyes widening and her forelegs flailing, making miniature swishes of wind around her.
Her screeching that drowned out any noises around her.
Rarity's heart sank into the abyss, until she felt the slightest of taps on her shoulders.
"Rarity, are you in there?" a posh, but concerned voice asked.
Rarity shivered and turned around. Standing before her was a stallion with a fluffy white mane and a bluish gray coat. His mere appearance exuded a fabulous aura as Rarity gazed at him. She wasn't in love with the stallion known as Hoity Toity, far from it, but even without his fancy suit and trademark shades, she had to admit that his appearance drew the eye towards him. He just wasn't the kind of pony to make her heart flutter.
"I'm here," Rarity said. She rubbed the back of her neck and cracked a grin. "I'm just thinking about things, that's all."
Hoity raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the left. "Sometimes, I worry about you."
"Well, thanks for your concern darling."
"Are we going to do this hike or what?" an agitated voice shouted from afar.
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Coming, Caramel!" Rarity glanced back towards Ponyville before trotting after the group of ponies up ahead, a sudden spark entering her mind.
"Why did I even join this hike if camping drove me crazy?" Rarity asked herself.
"Because I don't want to let anypony down," she muttered in response. "Even if it means having to subject myself to such an activity."
Rarity's hooves ached as she trotted down the narrow path. Even with the grass-covered pathway, the coarse soil felt as though it dug into her. Her legs wobbled about for the briefest of moments, but she regained her composure, took a deep breath, and kept marching ahead with the rest of her fellow hikers. All she needed to do was not look down, but a buzzing feeling in her head beckoned to find out just how high up she was.
Rarity glanced down and caught a glimpse of the cliff's bottom. Her spine froze as she tried to take a step forwards, but her legs refused to move. Her breathing quickened and the world felt as though it was spinning around her. Why was this happening? And more importantly, why now?
"Rarity, are you sure you're okay?" Hoity Toity asked. "Look, I know we've had our differences, but I don't want you to get hurt."
Hurt.
Rarity's soul twinged with an indescribable pain. It was a pain she had never felt before, but it still felt so familiar. It was like a flying hoof smacking her violently across the cheek.
Rarity remembered more of that day again. She swished her tail around and shook her head, trying as she might to get that blasted nightmare out of her mind. She needed to stay calm and just take in the scenery around her. The warm gentle breeze, the rolling plains, the steep cliff that separated her and the other hikers from Ponyville, the birds singing as they flew in an intricate pattern, and the small size of the world that was below her.
Rarity gulped. Thinking about nature wasn't working, but she needed an out somehow.
"I'm fine, darling," Rarity said to Hoity Toity. She cracked a slight grin and chuckled faintly, which prompted a look of bemusement from Hoity. Was she that much of an open book?
"I can coerce the group to sit down and take a break if you want."
Rarity shook her head. "No thanks. I'm fine, honest." Her legs wiggled some more as she kept on trotting, urging her to fall to the ground in a heap. But Rarity kept trotting ahead and following the rest of the group.
"I'm strong. I won't fall like a stone!"
Fall.
Rarity tripped over the air and tumbled on the ground, her face now smeared with dirt. She wiggled her body a bit, but instead of straightening herself out, she felt a pull force her towards the edge of the cliff. Rarity's heart skipped a beat as she plunged towards the cliff's edge. She held her breath as she continued sliding towards the drop that awaited her. Thinking fast, Rarity grabbed onto the edge of the cliff just as she was about to plummet down, her teeth clenching and her forelegs searing with stress.
"Rarity!" Caramel shouted from afar. He galloped towards her, kicking up a cloud of dust as he dashed. He knelt down and extended his hoof towards her, his foreleg stretching as far as it could.
Rarity took a few rapid breaths, trying to shake off the nerves bundling inside of her. Her eyes glanced over to Caramel's hoof as she stretched one of her hooves towards it. It was so close to where she could taste the thought of safety, if such a thing could actually have a taste, but at the same time it felt so far away to where it was like trying to grab onto the sun. Rarity kept stretching her foreleg.
"I can do this. I'll be back on my hooves."
"But what if I can't?"
Rarity lost her grip on the cliff and plummeted towards the earth. It was at least a thirty foot drop, so she took a kernel of solace in knowing that she'd live, but the thought of how broken she'd be at the bottom of the cliff made her throat tighten. She blinked, the scenery around her replaced with a bright blue sky, a field of clouds, and a floating coliseum to complete the painting in her mind.
Rarity blinked again, the cliff and its surroundings visible once more as she was thrown back into reality.
The wing blowing across her face.
The sensation of weightlessness.
The feeling of having nothing around her.
Rarity's eyes widened and she let out a gasp. Her forelegs flailed about as she hoped that she'd fly that way. But like all of the times she fell from a height before, it was all for naught as she continued her descent. Rarity closed her eyes and her ears shut out the world's noises around her, ready to accept waking up with a body covered in bruises and some broken bones once the sensations ceased.
The feeling of falling dissipated. Rarity closed her eyes tighter than before and whimpered, but something was off. Her nerves weren't blaring up and she wasn't cringing in pain. She felt just fine in reality. Was this what death was like? Rarity's heart skipped a beat, her head aching. Maybe that was the pain from the fall, so why did she now feel blades of grass tickling her body. She needed to find out, and she opened her eyes.
The light blue sky was above her, just as it had always been, but an eerie silence filled the area. Rarity got back up on all four hooves and gazed towards a peculiar mare, her body covered in a blue uniform. Her mane was a fiery orange and her wings a brilliant yellow. Something about her made Rarity's brain itch. Did she know who this mare was?
"Wait a second," Rarity muttered to herself, her legs still wobbly. Something clicked in her mind, causing her face to brighten up just a little. "That's Spitfire."
Spitfire turned around, her eyes shielded by her goggles and her face exuding a serious aura. Upon glancing at Rarity, she flinched and her body froze for a second before quivering. She cracked a nervous smile as she made her way towards Rarity, the serious posture replaced by one so anxious that her fear was palpable.
"Oh, um, hello," Spitfire said as she gently kicked the air, her shoulders drooping. "I didn't expect to, um, see you again."
Rarity raised an eyebrow and trotted closer to Spitfire. "Are you the mare who saved me?" she asked in a polite tone.
Spitfire stepped back a little before nodding. "I, um, I am."
"She's right! I saw her save you!" Caramel shouted into the air as his body shook. His mouth was gaping and his eyes were wide open, complete with dilated pupils. He struggled to find words as he mumbled incoherently before clearing his throat. "It was so awesome!"
Spitfire turned to Caramel and formed a sheepish grin. "Um, thank you," she said.
"No, thank you!"
Rarity gazed at Spitfire with a slack-jawed expression as a puzzling perception entered her mind. Was this the same mare that was full of enthusiasm and shouted at her cadets to unlock their potential? That's what she remembered when she saw how the Wonderbolt Academy worked. Was something wrong? Or, Celestia forbid, was she afraid of her? Rarity's heart sunk at the mere thought of such a possibility. She knew that not everypony would like her, but to emotionally wound a decent mare like Spitfire by complete accident was like driving needles into her chest.
Rarity looked around with wide open eyes and a tense body. Her fellow hikers all looking on with mostly blank faces, their eyes shimmering just enough to highlight their concern. Asking somepony about Spitfire was out of the question, since that would be rude with her nearby. Should she ask her directly instead?
"Is everything alright, darling?" Rarity asked with her hoof on her chest. She crept up closer to Spitfire. "Please tell me what's wrong. I promise that I'll help."
"Um, nothing's wrong," Spitfire said in an agitated tone. Rarity raised an eyebrow, but dropped it back down in the blink of an eye, but not fast enough for Spitfire not to notice and step back a little. Pressing the matter would only make things worse. There had to be a way to show Spitfire that she shouldn't fear her, but how?
"Well, um, do you want to hang out for a bit? We could chat and do something together."
Spitfire jumped up and shuddered. "Hang out?"
Rarity bobbed her head. "Yes. Let's hang out together. Come on, I'll show you around Ponyville."
"But you just fell from a great height. Don't you want to rest for a bit?"
"I'll be fine. Now let's go somewhere nice, darling." Spitfire didn't respond and remained still, her breathing audible. "Um, Spitfire, are you okay?"
"Rarity, do you mind if we talk somewhere private?" Spitfire blurted out in a serene tone.
"Of course, and I know just the place." She looked back to the rest of the hikers and waved her hoof. "We'll do this again in the future."
The group all shifted their eyes towards each other with nervous grins and shrugged simultaneously.
"Somewhere safer and devoid of falls," Rarity added.
The group of hikers all nodded together and smiled, some of whom breathed sighs of relief.
"I'm not that high maintenance, right?" Rarity asked.
"Maybe," Hoity said with an uncertain tone, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well then, goodbye to the two of you."
Rarity gazed at the huddle of ponies as they trotted down the rough, grassy terrain, leaving her with Spitfire. She shifted her attention back to Spitfire and cracked a forced smile.
"Shall we get going?" Rarity asked.
Spitfire flapped her wings and looked around before staring into Rarity's eyes, her posture withdrawn and timid. "I guess so." She tapped the ground with her hoof and looked down for a moment. "Where do you want to, um, go?"
Rarity blinked a few times before rubbing her eyes. This had to be a trick. Spitfire couldn't be this shy, from her quiet tone of voice to her shrinking posture, it twisted her brain until it was mush. Rarity closed her eyes and took a deep breath, confident that Fluttershy would appear before her and the two would have a nice laugh and a cup of tea afterwards. Rainbow Dash would bust a gut laughing once she told the story.
Rarity opened her eyes.
The world started out as a slight blur of colors before becoming clear once more.
Standing before Rarity with a grave visage and sagging shoulders, was Spitfire. Rarity's lips were sealed shut, but her eyes widened.
"Oh, did you change your mind?" Spitfire inquired in a soft tone. "Well, I guess I'll get—"
"Wait," Rarity interrupted, raising her hoof high in the air. Spitfire tilted her head in response, her face keeping a stern, but somewhat haunted, expression. "Spitfire, would you mind flying me back down to Ponyville? I promise I won't be a burden."
Spitfire rubbed her muzzle before nodding. "I can," she said. "Where do you want to go?"
"Do you know where Carousel Boutique is, darling?"
Spitfire nodded once more. "I do."
"Okay, just fly me there, please."
Spitfire spread her golden, angelic wings out and flapped them a few times. A gust of wind blew across Rarity's cheeks, causing her body to shiver. "Hold on tight, but are you sure you want me to fly over there with you?" Spitfire glanced at the path before looking back to Rarity. "I mean, I don't mind trotting over to Ponyville."
"I'm positive. Nothing strange will happen." Rarity grabbed onto Spitfire as instructed. A soothing, warm feeling entered Rarity's body as she touched the suit's material. It was a peculiar warmness, one that she had some experience with, but it wasn't anything like love. It was meaningful, but not too much. What was the meaning behind this peculiar feeling?
Without saying a word, Spitfire took off into the sky. The sudden force caused Rarity's mane to wave and flap about. She tightly shut her eyes, increasing her grip on Spitfire as she continued flying towards Ponyville.
Rarity's heart raced; a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She winced as the sensations of falling in the sky returned to her. Her breathing quickened, the warmness in her body cancelled out by a chill running down her spine and her body feeling light, almost weightless. She couldn't pass out now. Not now.
The sensations ceased. Rarity's eyes were still closed with the only things she saw being an empty, black void. A hoof tapped her head much like a woodpecker, though it had a soft element to it.
"Rarity," Spitfire said in a blunt tone. "We're here."
The soft bonks on Rarity's head stopped and she opened her eyes. Her vision was still somewhat hazy; with the world looking like it was painted in watercolor. She stood back up on her hooves, her legs wobbling a little, and her eyes sparkled and her jaw dropped into a wide smile. The swirl of colors felt hypnotizing, calming her muscles and bringing her heart rate and breathing back down to normal, though her head still felt a little light.
"Rarity, are you okay?" Spitfire asked in a concerned tone. "You look like you're about to throw up."
Rarity's vision returned to normal as the trance-like state ended, finding herself next to the brilliant, light blue wall. The cold material felt smooth and pleasant against her body, but it was a feeling that became old after a few seconds. Pushing herself off of the wall, Rarity swiveled her head from left to right before staring back towards Spitfire. "Wait a second," Rarity said. "What just happened?"
"I think it may have been due to how anxious you were while I flew you towards Carousel Boutique." Spitfire stepped back and looked down before letting out a melancholic sigh, one that made Rarity's heart ache. "I'm so sorry if I scared you."
"You shouldn't be the one apologizing, darling." Rarity trotted over to Spitfire and patted her shoulder, the warm, soothing sensation from before returning to her senses and brightening her expression. "I should be the one apologizing. I did something that I thought I could do, but didn't."
"But I—"
"No apologies." Rarity placed her hoof on her chest. "I'm sorry." Rarity took a deep breath. Her throat tightened. Should she just have her talk here? She turned her head from left to right and then back to the left. Nopony was trotting towards them or would potentially do so. Perhaps now was the time and place. But how should she say it? She needed to heal this embarrassing wound somehow. Words upon words clogged into Rarity's throat, until eight poignant, loud words escaped her mouth and into the air. "I'm sorry for everything I did to you! I wasn't me that day!"
Spitfire's eyes twinkled as she gazed at Rarity. "Y-you mean the incident at the Best Young Flyers Competition, right?"
Rarity's vision blurred once more, only this blur felt different. She felt her heart constrict itself into a tight knot and she felt tears fill in her eyes and run down her cheeks. Her eyes reddened and words were stuck in her throat once more, all of them refusing to come out. Spitfire had to hate her at this point. There was just no other possibility. After all, she'd never sympathize with her.
Rarity felt a warm embrace wrap her body. It was the same warmness as before, only even more comforting. This had to be a trick of the mind like her trance from before. Did she get enough sleep? Or was this cuddle real?
Rarity opened her eyes, her mind expecting to see one of her friends hugging her. Maybe it was Twilight Sparkle, or perhaps Pinkie Pie, or maybe even Applejack. There was no way that the pony embracing her with a hug would be the tough as nails Spitfire.
But there was Spitfire, gently hugging Rarity and running her hoof down her back, the tension lessening more and more.
"S-Spitfire," Rarity stuttered. Her jaw hung and she wiped her eyes. "I thought you hated me."
"I can't hate you," Spitfire whispered into Rarity's ears as she continued massaging her back. "I'm so sorry that I was afraid of you. I just didn't know you that much and was afraid that you had a grudge towards me and the other Wonderbolts." Spitfire took a deep breath as Rarity felt tears raining on her shoulder. "You're a great pony. Nopony that's mean would try to make amends. You might make mistakes from time to time, but everypony makes mistakes. I make tons of mistakes. But we can both become better ponies by learning from these mistakes. We just have to keep trying the best we can and never give up."
Rarity gazed into Spitfire's shimmering eyes as a comforting feeling entered her heart. It wasn't warm nor was it cold, but it made her smile. She felt her legs loosen up and the lightness in her head disappear. Her radiant expression continued to brighten as the scars left on her soul disappeared.
"Thank you," Rarity said as the two released each other from their hug. For the first time all day, Rarity could look inside of herself and say without a doubt that she was happy. It was an indescribable feeling to her, but it felt great nonetheless.
"You're welcome," Spitfire replied. She straightened her posture and formed a pleasant grin, her body radiating a bright, confident aura. "So then, do you have anything else to share?"
Rarity shook her head. "That's what I wanted to share, anyway." She grinned and shook Spitfire's hoof in a rapid up and down motion, her high enthusiasm the direct opposite of how she felt not too long ago. "Thank you, I hope we get to meet again, as friends."
Spitfire nodded. "Me too." She flapped her wings and hovered above the ground before giving Rarity a salute. "Goodbye, Rarity."
"Goodbye, Spitfire."
Spitfire took to the skies, disappearing from Rarity's sight in the blink of an eye. Rarity's body shivered and she covered her ears for a brief moment before looking up and gazing at the fire-like trail that cut through the air. The yellow and orange sight caused Rarity's eyes to glow like stars, filling her with one more thought. A thought that, much to her relief, was a positive one.
"Thank you, Spitfire. Thank you for saving me not once, but twice today."
No height would stop Rarity now. She trotted back to Carousel Boutique, vibrating with joy at the thought of sharing this experience with her friends.