The Flying Problem

As I lay on the Ponyville hospital bed, I hardly heard Applebloom. ‘I think we’ve found your flying problem…’ she said, hoof to her chin and a slight blush on her cheeks. Clearly she was just impressed by the huge rump that now sat behind me, taking up most of the bed. I just looked at her with an air of disbelief, really? I was trying to work out whether she was being sarcastic or was actually just realising that my fat flank which was weighing me down…considerably was why I ended up in this state. It was a bit painful to move after the crash and each time I did, my thin body struggled to keep up with the two huge cheeks that were resting gracefully behind me. It all started a week ago, and I’m blaming Rainbow…

I know, I know – its stupid right? When she said ‘How do you fancy a little contest, squirt?’ I instantly assumed it was going to be the usual. How fast can we reach the next cloud, can I do that sweet jump off the high hill just outside of town on my scooter, how quickly can we do 3 laps of the town or something like that! I didn’t think she was going to suggest an eating contest, it was so unlike her. Dash was super-fast, slender, and the best flyer in all of Equestria – she’s my idol. If she wants to do something, no matter how silly or dangerous it sounds I’m usually willing to give it a go, unless its like super dangerous. But when she started reasoning as to why it was a good idea, I actually listened.
‘You’ve always had trouble flying, right sport?’

‘Well yeah, I just want to be a great flyer, like you are Rainbow Dash!’

‘Well I might know a way to help you, and it involves what I just said. Have you ever tried…eating clouds?’

No, I had never tried eating clouds. Partly because I could never fly up to get to them in the first place. Why would you eat a cloud? Wouldn’t they be like, all fluffy and just taste of nothing? I mean I never really thought about food much anyway, I just ate what most ponies ate and sometimes went a bit overboard when I was hanging out with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle but that would just be like hay fries or something. As I was thinking about it Dash continued, clearly bored with my lack of response.

‘You know how clouds stay up in the sky? Cos they’re suuuuuper light that’s why! So if you ate a bunch of them, don’t you think you would be super light as well? It’s the obvious answer! If you can eat enough cloud to make your body lighter you can fly in the sky – just like me!’
Of course, that totally made sense! If I could fly like Dash I’m pretty sure she would think I was the coolest Pony ever. I mean that’s all I ever wanted my whole life, was to fly and be like the rest of the Pegasi, but it seemed like it was taking my forever to get there. Don’t get me wrong, my scooter is pretty cool and I feel like I’ve totally mastered pulling super cool tricks and riding it well enough so I don’t fall off…most of the time, but flying was definitely where I wanted to be. There was no way I was not doing this.

‘Well yeah, that does sound like a good idea. But who would the contest be with?’

‘Ahh that’s what I meant to tell you’ Dash smirked ‘You would be in contest with me! Well sorta, I used to challenge myself to see how much cloud I could eat in the shortest amount of time. Best I did was 10 clouds in 10 minutes, 1 per minute! 10 should be more than enough to get you afloat anyway, whaddya say? Think you can beat 10 minutes pipsqueak?’

‘I’ll give it my best shot Dash! When do you wanna do it?’

A slight grin spread across Dash’s face, at the time it looked like she was smiling cos I had accepted her challenge, now thinking back it was more like a smirk because she knew, the great prankster she was, she had tricked me into yet another one of her hilarious jokes. She was better after the whole zombie cookie thing but she still liked to joke around a lot.

‘Meet me under my house tomorrow at this time, I gotta go gather up the lightest, fluffiest 10 clouds I can find. You can’t eat storm clouds or anything like that, trust me.’ Which sounded like it came from personal experience more than anything else. ‘See ya tomorrow Scoots, and don’t be late!’ and with that and a rainbow blur, she disappeared over the horizon.

I was super excited about tomorrow, in fact that night I hardly slept. All I could think about was flying and finally being able to get myself off the ground under my own power and flying alongside Dash. It was a dream come true! If I knew what she had in store for me the next day I would have never agreed to it. But there I was, the next day, waiting for her under her house earlier than we agreed because I just couldn’t wait to get flying.