Author's Note
This story is one of my first pieces of fiction ever and the first i've written in English which is not my native language. Feedback would be greatly appreciated! Other than that, i hope you enjoy!
Motivational Training
Rainbow Dash lay on her back on a fluffy cloud with her front hooves below her head and stared up to the roof of leaves above her. She had woken up early that morning because the Ponyville weather team schedule had required her to do so. The day before had been hot, and there had been no clouds in sight. Now it was the weather team's job to create storm clouds and place them above the forest north of Ponyville which would then travel slowly towards and beyond Ponyville and rain down to moisten the soil and cool the air. It was hard work that was best done in the moderate temperatures of the early morning. She wasn't someone to wake up early by any stretch of the imagination, but she'd rather do that than do work in this heat.
Now her work day was over, and she used the time for one of her favorite activities: Chilling out. She had moved the cloud she was lying on under a tree to get out of the hot summer sun. She had thought about taking a nap back at Cloudsdale within her own cool four walls, but she had been too lazy and too tired for the trip. Besides, she didn't really feel like going home at the moment. She wanted to be out. She was a pegasus. She preferred to have the open sky above her instead of a low ceiling. But there was more to that.
Lately, she had been feeling a bit gloomy and... confined, a feeling that was only amplified by narrow hallways and low ceilings. She couldn't put her hoof on why she felt that way. She was Rainbow Dash! Everything she did was awesome! She was awesome!... Right? She had experienced before what happened when she became anxious. The Best Young Fliers Competition came to mind as one of the best examples. She shuddered. The truth is, self-doubt was nothing new to Dash. In fact, she experienced it all the time. Her overconfident, bragging demeanor was really just a facade, meant to keep her real feelings a secret in front of everyone, even in front of her best friends. Her feelings were no one's business.
She even doubted her flying skills. When had been the last time she practiced flying? She thought about it. It had been almost two weeks ago. How the time flies by! She should be practicing every day, otherwise she'll never be at the required skill level to join the Wonderbolts! That is her life's dream, isn't it?... But, watching them perform, seeing their insane skill... it seems so unlikely she'll ever get to that point. Why even bother? Maybe she should just be content with what she has now, be realistic. Frugality is a virtue, right? Maybe she should just lie here on this fluffy cloud under the tree and stare at the leaves as they slowly and quietly moved in the hot, stifling summer air, doing nothing at all.
A lump formed in her throat. She was in disbelief. Her face formed an angry grimace, and she sat herself up vigorously as she put her hooves to her forehead.
What's wrong with me? Seriously!? Get a grip, Dash, you're a grown up!
She heard a noise coming from her left. It sounded like someone cleared his throat. She spun around and glared at a male pegasus standing a few feet away on the grass. He had a light brown coat and a wild, slightly darker brown mane, very inconspicuous. His cutie mark was a gray crescent moon. He was about her age. His eyes were blue and wide as he looked over to Dash with a surprised look on his face.
"Oh, i didn't mean to disturb you, sorry." He put on a nervous smile.
Dash cleared her throat vigorously to get rid of that damn lump. "What is it?" She didn't mean to sound as annoyed as she did.
"Ahem... Light Gleam sent me to look for you."
"And why is that?"
She meant to sound annoyed this time. Light Gleam was the coordinator of the Ponyville weather team, and the two didn't really get along well. She constantly complained about Dash's work ethic and how she could show a little bit more interest in her job. It wasn't Dash's fault she tended to fall asleep during meetings. How was anyone supposed to stay awake when they're that unbearably boring?
"Apparently Light Gleam overlooked the assignment for sector 5B this morning." So much for MY work ethics, Dash thought and rolled her eyes. "Turns out you were supposed to place storm clouds there too. She asks you to deal with it before tomorrow."
"Today!? In this heat?" Dash was certain Light Gleam did this on purpose to annoy her.
"Sorry." The pony smiled sympathetically.
Dash sighed. Well, no point in delaying it. If she wanted to be finished with a whole sector before tomorrow, she had to start as soon as possible. "Well, thanks, i guess." She turned around and was about to take off.
"Wait!"
She turned around again to see the pony reaching out a hoof in her direction with a slightly distraught look on his face. "What else?"
The pony opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but hesitated.
Dash looked at him in anticipation. "Well?"
"I could help, if you want."
Dash hadn't thought about asking him for help, but she could surely use it. "Mh, do you know anything about weather manipulation?"
Dash was surprised to find a disappointed look on his face. "Dash... i'm on the same weather team as you."
"Oh!" Dash smiled forcefully, feeling embarrassed. Inconspicuous! "Ahem, what was your name again?"
His face lightened up a bit. He didn't answer immediately, his look fixated on Dash. "Crescent Moon!"
Dash's look shifted to his cutie mark again, the gray crescent moon. "Figures! Okay, you can come."
His face had the biggest grin on it. Dash was confused. Were there actually ponies beside Light Gleam who enjoy weather manipulation this much?
Both of them took off, their destination being Cloudsdale where they first had to pick up the storm clouds that were left over from earlier that morning. It was early afternoon, and it wasn't going to cool down until evening. The wind made the heat a little bit more bearable, but it wasn't exactly refreshing. When they landed and arrived at the cloud factory, Rainbow broke into a fast trot. She didn't want to spend more time there than necessary, increasing the chance to run into Light Gleam. She was lucky though, and both Dash and Moon picked up their clouds, compressed into small containers so that they could carry them all at once, left the factory, and headed towards the northern forest.
As soon as the two arrived there, they decided to enter the forest by hoof to be better protected from the heat. Also, now that Dash wouldn't have to place the clouds on her own, the work would be done sooner, so there was no need to hurry up anymore. They walked down the path, deeper into the forest.
Dash took in her surroundings. The forest was adorned with many different shades of green, the air was rich with all sorts of pleasant scents, and birds sang their songs in the trees in harmony with the sound of soft wind, brushing through treetops and undergrowth. It was a beautiful day. Dash couldn't appreciate it all that much though.
Suddenly, she noticed something from the corner of her eye. It came from Moon's direction. Her eyes darted to the side only to find him looking over her shoulder into the forest before his eyes met hers and he gave her an unsure smile. His look returned to the path before him after that. Dash wasn't really in the mood for talking, but the silence began to make her feel uncomfortable.
"So, why did you want to help me with this? It's a nice day, why not spend it doing something fun?"
Moon didn't turn his head to her and hesitated to answer. She could see his eyes moving fast. For some reason, he really had to think hard about it. He then turned to Dash. "I think it is fun. I think it's great that our work has such a great impact on ponies' lives, don't you?"
Oh, come on! "If you say so." She shrugged, then glanced at his cutie mark once more. "I guess that explains your cutie mark, right? At first, i thought it had something to do with magic, but you're not a unicorn. So i guess it stands for weather manipulation?"
"Eh, not exactly. It represents my ability to empathize with ponies. It's easy for me to connect with them and read them. It's useful if i want to know if someone's lying for example. Because that's what the moon is really, what it stands for, i mean: introspection, that what's hidden, the emotional side of life."
Dash just blinked. She wasn't sure she fully understood what he had just said. What kind of an odd special talent was that? The question intrigued her. "Sooo, you're some kind of shrink or something?"
Moon laughed heartily. "I guess. I don't need to ask what your cutie mark stands for. Everyone in Ponyville knows."
Dash felt pride rising in her chest. "Oh, i sure hope that by now everyone in all of Equestria knows of the unparalleled flying skills of the one and only Rainbow Dash."
Again Moon burst into laughter. Rainbow Dash was irritated. Was he laughing at her!? She frowned and wanted to confront him, but then a thought hit her. Didn't he just say he reads ponies true emotions? Did he just look right through me? Her expression of anger changed to one of frustration. She looked away from him, turning her eyes to the path before her, and cursed herself for starting this stupid conversation in the first place.
Moon stopped laughing and fell completely silent. Dash didn't bother to look at him. She could feel his gaze on her though which didn't do much to lift her mood. She scowled and kept her eyes on the road.
After a few seconds, Moon spoke again, his voice reassuring. "I didn't mean to irritate you. I'm sorry."
Dash couldn't help but feel her anger slowly fading away. It was clear that he was sincere. She didn't feel the need to look at him, let alone speak to him, again for the rest of the way though.
Moon felt the need to point out the obvious. "Here we are!"
They were standing on a clearing with a small stream, coming from the northern mountains beyond the forest. Moon set his cloud container to the ground while Dash opted for throwing. Why did these things that only contained clouds weigh that much?
Moon was amused. "Haha, annoying, isn't it? You'd think carrying clouds is easier."
Is he doing it again!? This is beyond annoying!
They began their work, assigning each other parts of the sky to work with and then taking out the clouds out of the containers and placing them on the correct spots in the sky. The clouds themselves weren't heavy, but you couldn't carry more than one small one at the same time because they had to be handled with care, being volatile storm clouds. The exhausting part was flying back and forth between the sky and the container on the ground countless times to retrieve the clouds, and, as expected, the heat didn't help. It also took some practice to put them together in a way so that they wouldn't separate themselves again later. This was fiddly work which annoyed Dash more than any other part.
Throughout the whole process, Moon was trying to start conversations now and then, but always got short replies from Dash or sometimes none at all. Dash's mood worsened the longer they worked, and she didn't bother to hide it from him. At the same time, Moon's mood didn't seem to be affected by anything which aggravated Dash even more. When they had been working for roughly two hours, Dash even started snapping at Moon which finally led him to give up on conversation.
The sun was already setting when both Dash and Moon pointed their backs towards the huge storm cloud they had created and flapped their wings, trying to apply the exact right amount of wind to every spot evenly so that the cloud wouldn't break apart. That would have meant even more work before the day was over. They both managed it though, and the cloud slowly but steadily started its journey to the south towards Ponyville.
Dash was exhausted and suppressed a groan. "Thanks!" Not waiting for an answer, she flew down to the stream on the clearing to refresh herself.
Moon did the same. "My pleasure!"
When they were done at the stream, they went over to the containers to retrieve them. Moon cleared his throat. "So... are you heading straight home from here?"
"After bringing these back."
"Sure... I'll accompany you."
"I do know how to get there by myself, thanks."
"I insist."
Dash took a look at him. He was smiling at her genuinely, and it was that sincerity which again calmed her mind like it did before. As she looked at him, she realized that she had been acting rather childish, letting out her frustrations on him. She felt like she should make up for it at least a little bit. "Okay, suit yourself!"
There's that damn grin again.
They took off from the clearing, not walking under the tree tops this time. The sun was touching the horizon, and the air had cooled down enough to make flying bearable again. Warm air was whizzing past their faces, and after a while the clear sky darkened, and the first stars began glimmering above them. All of this had a calming effect on Dash, and the anger and anxiety she'd felt earlier that day seemed to vanish as she hang in the air, sleepy in a relaxing kind of way that you get when you've exhausted yourself before coming home and coming to rest.
Both of them arrived in Cloudsdale to give back the containers, but didn't waste any more time there than necessary. After they'd taken off again, the feeling of guilt for being harsh to Moon once again overcame Dash. The night had finally come, and the only illumination was provided by the bright full moon and countless stars in the clear sky when they arrived at Dash's house and landed by the front door. It was then that she decided to apologize to him. She turned to him, opening her mouth-
"Thanks!"
It was Moon talking, a genuine smile on his face like she'd seen so much of that day.
She was confused. "For what?" Before he could answer, she went on. "I mean, we did work, and that's it. Plus, it took all afternoon. I still believe you could have used the time better." She turned away, an annoyed look on her face, more annoyed at herself than at anyone else. "And i wasn't really all that friendly, i guess."
She looked back at him. His smile was gone, now replaced by an inquisitive look on his face, telling of his eagerness to hear whatever would come next. Without much thought and feeling like perhaps she'd somehow gain something from it, she continued.
"And it's me, not you." She looked away again. "Ah, whatever."
"No!" He sat down comfortably in front of her, still looking intrigued by what she had to say. "Please, you can tell me."
And after a few second of hesitation and a heavy sigh she did. She told him about her anxieties, her self-doubt, her disguise she put on every day. She told all of that which was "no one's business" to this pony she'd only just met a few hours ago (properly that is), all the while walking up and down nervously, trying not to look at him. When she was done, she just stood there, staring at the ground for a few moments, feeling childish. When she looked up again, Moon was smiling.
"Now, didn't that feel good?"
Dash shrugged, but then hesitated and finally nodded.
Moon held his smile for a few more moments before he gained a more serious look and stood up. "Now, i think it's all horse apples."
"WHAT!?" Dash's mouth fell open in disbelief and anger.
Moon held one hoof up defensively. "Hold on! I'm certain you're genuine, but i think you underestimate yourself. Here's the thing: All of what you just told me isn't you, and that's what you will have to convince yourself of."
Dash only managed a perplexed look as a response, so Moon continued.
"Basically, we choose who we want to be. You've made the right step by telling me about all of this because it shows that you haven't resigned to your problems, but are instead fighting them.
"Dash, you managed a sonic rainboom when you were a filly. There's no question about your flying talent. Everyone who doubts it is lying to themselves whatever the reasons for that may be. You're burdening yourself with worries that have no basis. And you know all of this.
"However, spelling out the obvious isn't going to do much. I assume that some of these feelings are deeply rooted, so they won't go away over night. Like i said, ultimately it's all up to you." Dash wasn't sure about his expression in that moment because of the darkness, but she could tell it changed considerably. "But... I can help you with that, if you want."
Dash had listened to Moon intently and without interrupting him. Even at the offer, she only managed a nod and a short 'Thanks'.
Moon gave her a short smile. Then his eyes strayed away, looking for something else to focus on. "Well, you're home now. I guess that means i'm no longer needed." He looked at Dash again, his eyes searching for something before he slowly stepped forward and embraced her in a comforting hug. "Goodnight, Rainbow Dash!"
Dash hugged back. For the first time that day, she managed a genuine smile. "Goodnight!"
With that, Crescent Moon took to the sky and flew towards Cloudsdale. Dash didn't take her eyes off of him until he was out of sight. After she'd entered her house, she went to bed as quickly as possible. She drifted off to sleep soon after and without much trouble, eagerly awaiting the next day.
