Friendship was one of the most important aspects of Equestrian society, and Fleetfoot would've slapped herself across the face if she dared to argue differently. Much of their history was shaped by the mere concept, and with a Princess of Friendship around, it might've been more important than ever. That hadn't changed how other ponies would've thought she had zero idea of how friendship made Equestria a better place, let alone if she even knew friendship.
Those ponies kind of had a point. Whenever she looked at herself in a mirror, Fleetfoot saw not a prodigy of friendship or the embodiment of loyalty, but a mare who exuded a peculiar aura. It was the kind of aura that earned her arched eyebrows, groans, or carefully chosen words. How she found her calling in the form of her fellow Wonderbolts was a miracle as far as she was concerned; some were struggling with friendship just as much as she was. Perhaps that was why Captain Spitfire was visiting Princess Twilight more often.
Today, all of that was hopefully destined to change. Fleetfoot stood just outside of Ponyville wearing a baggy, brown cloak over her uniform. She would've slipped it off if she had the time, though with practice ending just a few minutes ago, she yearned for some advice as soon as possible. A similarly colored hat adorned the top of her head, its form somewhat withered. The outfit stood out like a sore hoof, though Fleetfoot couldn't help herself from smiling whenever she received a little attention. All that mattered was avoiding being called Fleetfoot by some passerby.
She had her reasons; that recognizable visage and the weight her name carried would've foiled her plans.
Fleetfoot took a deep breath, wings twitching underneath her cloak. "Yep, looks like Ponyville to me," she murmured to herself. "Doubt I'll forget it at this rate." In a flash, she reached into one of the cloak's pockets, rummaging through some of the trinkets until she withdrew a pair of shades. Fleetfoot wasted no time in slipping them on, shielding her violet eyes from both sunlight and, if everything went according to plan, suspicious ponies.
"Oh, Rainbow Crash." She groaned, then bit her lip. "How could somepony who was obsessed with us once not know about call signs? It's not a secret we got some embarrassing ones; only the nicknames themselves are kept under wraps." She took another deep breath, shuddering briefly. "Easy, Fleetfoot. I gotta do this. Ponies aren't gonna see me kindly if I don't try to improve."
Raising her head, Fleetfoot resumed trotting toward the town's center, the roads somewhat crowded as ponies pranced and mingled with each other. She recognized a few of them from the show where Rainbow acted like a moron. Just thinking about the strangeness of that day prodded her coat, but at least things were seemingly normal for now.
With her disguise, however, normal wasn't going to last for long.
Over to her left, Fleetfoot spotted a cabin stylized just like a gingerbread house, a sign with the words Sugarcube Corner emblazoned on it affixed to the structure. She recalled hearing about shop once, Soarin most likely the pony who told her about it. A cheerful mare who knew a thing or two about friendship supposedly called it her home, and while Princess Twilight seemed like the more obvious first choice, getting an appointment with her was nigh impossible. Everypony wanted to see the princess, and if something problematic was going on, even setting something up months in advance like Spitfire had wouldn't have guaranteed a visit.
How being a princess could've been busier and harder than being a Wonderbolt seemed impossible to Fleetfoot. She rubbed her head thinking about it, shrugging seconds later. She cleared her throat and whispered something inaudible to herself. The raspy tone was still there, but less pronounced than how it was prior to the Equestria Games. She cracked a smirk, chuckling softly.
Fleetfoot approached Sugarcube Corner, pushing the front door and trotting inside. A pungent aroma of candies, chocolates, and various baked goods filled the area, Fleetfoot licking her lips unconsciously. Nevertheless, there were more important things than treats, Fleetfoot's stomach neither growling nor ticklish.
"Ooh, who's that?" a cheerful voice rang. Fleetfoot's grin widened, knowing that the voice belonged to the mare she sought. And sure enough, a pink mare with a mane like cotton candy bounced toward her, the gigantic smile she wore almost infectious. It was Pinkie Pie without a doubt. "You don't look familiar. Where do ya come from? I bet you're from Trottingham! Rarity says they love those cloaks! Maybe it's somewhere cold like the Crystal Empire!" Pinkie shivered as if a blizzard swirled past. "It'd be nice to have something keeping you warm!" An excited gasp left her mouth. "Maybe it's—" Pinkie suddenly ceased speaking, straightening her posture and giggling. "Um, sorry 'bout that. It's just so exciting seeing a—" she cleared her throat "—a new face around here."
"It's fine," said Fleetfoot. She gently waved her hoof, careful to avoid revealing her uniform's more stylized details. "Since you asked, I'm from Cloudsdale." She pursed her lips, eyes darting back and forth. "Spring Breeze's my name, and since you're gonna ask, I wear this because I like it."
Pinkie nodded in an instant. "Always a good reason to me!"
A deep breath escaped Fleetfoot's mouth. "I was hoping to ask ya a few questions. I heard you know a lot about friendship, and I was wondering if you could share some tips with somepony who doesn't know as much." She feigned a few chuckles. "I kinda rub ponies the wrong way."
"Why didn't you ask Twilight?"
Fleetfoot tilted her head. "Well, I tried contacting her, but she was busy this week. You know what being a princess is like."
"Lots of hard work, but plenty of fun, too!" Pinkie pressed her hooves together, rubbing them briefly. As she placed them on the tiled floor again, she then bounced over to one of the empty tables. "Come on, let's chat for a bit! I've got a ton of amazing stories and tips to share with you!"
Fleetfoot slowly nodded, not saying a word as she followed Pinkie over to one of the tables. They sat down at opposite ends, Pinkie quickly leaning closer to Fleetfoot once they were seated. The latter nudged back in response, sweat sticking to her coat as she hoped Pinkie hadn't gotten a glance at her true identity. It wouldn't have affected much, as this was Pinkie, but it wouldn't have been optimal. She needed a clean slate, after all.
"Alright, so what do ya wanna talk about?" asked Pinkie. She rubbed her cheek, humming briefly. "How about I get to know you a bit better? That way, I'll know exactly how to fix what's been bothering you! So what kind of friendship problem are we dealing with? Is it big, small, or a little of both?"
Shrugging, Fleetfoot cracked a smile. "The third one," she said. "Long story short, I was kinda mean to one pony a while ago, and I'm pretty sure my attitude rubs ponies the wrong way. He forgave me and all, but I don't wanna have that happen again. I mean, some ponies think I'm nasty all the time, and that isn't true. I care for my friends. Sure, we call each other nicknames and tease each other, but don't most friends do that?"
"You've got that right!" Pinkie cheerfully swung her foreleg, careful not to hit anything by accident. "Dashie and I love playing pranks on our friends, even if she took it a teensy bit too far one time, but they're usually amazing!" She paused, giggling for a moment. "Oh, I forgot to explain. Rainbow Dash is one of my closest friends, and I like to call her Dashie. You've heard of her, right?"
"That's right." Fleetfoot sighed, then adjusted her seating posture. "She's—something, that's for sure. I've actually spent some time with her, though I don't know her well. She kinda acted weird around me one time, almost like she was pretending to be you, so do you know what was up with that?"
"That's easy. She was trying to act like us because of some nickname thing."
"Nickname?" Fleetfoot consciously arched an eyebrow. She knew most of the story and why she behaved that way, but getting Pinkie's side of the story might've cleared a few things up. Then again, it wasn't as though she would've had any idea why Rainbow was acting that way before she told the truth.
"Yeah, Rainbow's kinda silly like that," said Pinkie. "She sometimes makes boneheaded decisions, and even though we told her to apply the lessons we've learned together, I—" another series of chuckles escaped her mouth "—I think she kinda took it the wrong way. At least that's what I heard."
"That brings me to my next question." Fleetfoot paused, licking her lips and pressing her hooves together. "If you don't know why somepony's behaving oddly, but have no idea what to ask in order to get the full story, what do you do? Besides, Rainbow is the kind of pony who'd keep things to herself, right?"
"No, you're so right." Pinkie nodded, snickering once again. "Rainbow's kinda got a fragile ego, but she'll make the right choice in the end. Ya just gotta steer her toward that choice." She rubbed the bottom of her muzzle. "So how'd she tell you the truth? Did she mess up a stunt in front of you or something?"
"How did you—"
Pinkie playfully waved a hoof. "I had a hunch the moment you trotted in. Your voice is way too recognizable to forget, not to mention that everything ya told me lines up perfectly with what Rainbow told me about her first few days as a Wonderbolt. And besides, I almost never forget the ponies I've met. We saw each other for the first time at Rainbow Falls, remember?"
"I try to forget about that day." Fleetfoot's cheeks became warm; she cringed.
"Don't worry, I promise I won't tell ponies who you really are." Pinkie donned a smirk, then winked at Fleetfoot. The latter's chest loosened as she placed her hooves atop the table's surface. "I so understand why you're wearing a disguise. You wanted a blank slate and for nopony to recognize you. You're hoping to find out what other ponies think of ya, right?"
Fleetfoot swallowed a lump.
"Nothing can hide from Pinkamena Diane Pie." She crossed her forelegs, briefly wearing a smug grin. "I know we've only seen each other—twice or something, but I know you and the Wonderbolts are amazing ponies. You've solved all kinds of problems, are willing to risk your lives in unwinnable situations to save everypony else, do amazing stunts, and more! And as for the rudeness thingy, don't let it get to your head. A little joking here and there is okay, but there's a balance."
"Seems straightforward, if hard."
"Yeah, it's really tough." Pinkie took a deep breath, chest puffed out. "It took me ages to learn what makes the best jokes. Even after I got my cutie mark, I was learning new thing after new thing. I had my sister, Limestone, helping me out from time to time, but I was on my own a lot. It's all about practice and learning from the best! It's the same for being a Wonderbolt."
Nodding, Fleetfoot's smile widened a bit. "There's a lot to learn as a Wonderbolt. Even when you think you're the best, the truth is that you'll always be learning something new. You can't be the best at everything, and that's one of the truths we all face early on. I wouldn't be close to where I am today without the help of my teammates."
"See, you're getting the hang of friendship!" Pinkie stood up, legs wiggling, and she then approached Fleetfoot and gently tapped her shoulder. "Try meeting up with some of my other friends. I know Fluttershy's home, and Rarity might have some amazing advice. If you're looking for more, they're worth meeting. Oh, and if Twilight's got some time later today, definitely meet up with her. She's an expert on friendship!"
"I'll keep that in mind." Standing up, Fleetfoot touched her chest. She inched away from the table and kept her attention glued to Pinkie. The mare was more charming than she anticipated; perhaps that was why Pinkie had so many friends. "Thanks for helping out, Pinkie Pie. And it was nice to meet you. If anything else comes up, do you mind if I chat with you again? I think I could grow a lot with your help."
"Of course!" Pinkie's grin brightened in an instant. "That's what friends are for, right?"
Fleetfoot's heart skipped a beat. It made no sense that Pinkie would jump straight to declaring the two of them as friends, unless this was just who Pinkie was. Had she made a strong first impression by sheer coincidence, or was she better than she thought? It had to have been the former; she lacked the charisma or compassion that characterized some ponies.
Then again, was she learning faster than anticipated?
"You okay?" Pinkie asked, tilting her head.
Fleetfoot nodded in an instant. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Just thinking about something."
"If ya don't know what to do next, why not visit one of the ponies I mentioned? I bet they'd love helping out!" She skipped over to where Fleetfoot was until the two were inches apart. Pinkie then gently poked her chest. "And no worries, I won't tell 'em your little secret. Just don't be shocked if they figure it out, too." Giggling, Pinkie donned a sheepish grin.
"I'll keep that in mind." Fleetfoot's wings twitched, shaking her cloak a little. "I guess I'll go see Fluttershy next. It's no secret that she knows a thing or two about kindness." A few chuckles left her mouth. "Kind of surprised that she wasn't sent by Princess Twilight to help us with a few things. Instead, it's always Rainbow Dash and maybe somepony else."
Pinkie shrugged. "I try to not question the Cutie Map."
"The what?" Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow.
"Long story." Pinkie gently waved her hoof, stepping back for a brief moment. "It has something to do with the big castle that came out of the ground, then a giant table with a magical map on it shortly after, and that map asking us to go find friendship problems or something. It's kinda weird how well it predicts things."
"Certainly not the weirdest thing." Fleetfoot winced, recalling the horrible impressions Rainbow made in front of her and some of the other Wonderbolts. She wished Rainbow was a little more honest when it came to the latter's self-image, a bit ironic given that Fleetfoot herself was the fool who came up with the idea of luring Rainbow onto her team for the Equestria Games that one time.
"Anyway, I gotta get back to making some delicious treats!" Pinkie continued, leaning closer to Fleetfoot. "Sure you don't want anything?"
Fleetfoot shook her head. "No thanks," she said, cracking a smile. "Thanks for the help."
"No problem! I hope everything works out!"
"Same here."
As Fleetfoot stepped out of Sugarcube Corner, she surveyed her surroundings, trying to devise the best route over to Fluttershy's cottage. While Rarity was another excellent candidate for learning about friendship, kindness was admittedly one of those things Fleetfoot felt was one of her weaknesses. She was helpful most of the time, even trying to cheer Rainbow up during the latter's first week as a Wonderbolt, but fully letting go of old habits was a trial itself. Nonetheless, she took some solace in knowing that things could've turned out much worse.
The next step, however, was making sure that she'd never reach such a point. And that meant learning from one of the kindest ponies out there.
Tracking down Fluttershy's cottage shouldn't have been complicated since it was nestled within a forest-like garden. Nevertheless, why it was situated away from the rest of the town confused Fleetfoot the more she thought about it. Not everypony enjoyed living in the middle of town, and the long walks needed to get there could've made a visitor's hooves sore.
The cottage's location still brought a number of advantages alongside it, most of which involved treats for the eyes. The river making its way around the tree-shaped abode and bright lights peering through the treetops and onto the landscape brought a sense of wonder. To Fleetfoot, they had nothing on her best flying tricks, but those sights came close.
However, Fleetfoot had the task of learning more about friendship and maybe kindness from Fluttershy. She knew that their previous interactions left much to be desired, but Fluttershy hadn't appeared too distressed about those incidents. Nevertheless, keeping her disguise was necessary. And this time, leaving some of the specifics a mystery might've been the best course of action. Anything else might've blown her cover, and then she'd receive a whole different set of answers; that was the theory.
Prancing over to the cottage, Fleetfoot gently knocked on the front door, stepping back shortly after. The door then opened, a yellow mare with a flowing, pink mane and folded wings stood before her. Fluttershy hadn't changed a bit since she last saw her, though the blank visage adorning the former sent chills down Fleetfoot's spine. The two made eye contact.
"Fleetfoot, why are you wearing a baggy cloak?" asked Fluttershy.
"Seriously, was it that obvious?" Fleetfoot blurted out. She took her hat and cloak off, shedding anything that might've concealed her identity. Her brow sank and a sigh left her lips. "Sorry, I was trying to get the most honest answer possible. Since we know each other and given what happened with—you know—I was afraid that—"
Fluttershy swiftly patted Fleetfoot's shoulder. A faint smile ran across her face. "It's okay," she said. "I know you and the other Wonderbolts are sorry about how that turned out. To be honest, I think we all learned something that day."
"Good point." Fleetfoot whipped her tail about, faking another chuckle. "Do you mind if I ask ya a few questions?"
"Go right ahead." Fluttershy stepped aside, Fleetfoot making her way inside the cottage. "I'd be honored to help out, and feel free to make yourself comfortable."
Fluttershy's cottage was a little more cramped than Fleetfoot was expecting, albeit roomy enough to where she could've stretched her wings without knocking over a vase or two. Bookshelves lined the outer walls of the living room, texts about caring for all kinds of animals, poems, and short stories filling the niches. A couch and some chairs decorated most of the room, their green cushions fluffed up and appearing much like the clouds Fleetfoot occasionally rested on. And in the middle was a large coffee table, though nothing of interest rested atop its surface.
"Cozy place you got here," said Fleetfoot. She turned to face the nearby couch, making a beeline toward it and then sitting down. She brought her attention back to Fluttershy and raised an eyebrow. "How come you decided on living here? Wouldn't being in the middle of town make more sense?"
Fluttershy sat right beside Fleetfoot and assumed eye contact. "It's a long story," she said. "I'll try to explain as best I can." She exhaled, then cleared her throat and played with a strand of her mane. "As you may know, I used to have a lot of trouble being around ponies, and I still struggle with it at times. Since working with animals is one of my special talents, living here seemed like the best choice." Pausing, Fluttershy cracked the faintest of smiles. "It wasn't until I learned a lot from my friends that I had the courage to stand up for myself. Now I'm doing all sorts of things I never would have done back then."
"Like participating in the Equestria Games, right?"
Fluttershy shrugged, donning a bemused look. "Not really. I still get anxious when doing things like that, and it wasn't long ago that I finally got used to it." She pressed her hooves together, lips pursed. "I think on that day, I just felt a little different. I was more confident, ready to do almost anything, even if I wasn't good at it."
"So you found fun in something, even though you couldn't keep up with everypony else?" Fleetfoot cocked her head. While she had heard such claims in a variety of ways, there was something about hearing it once more that touched her heart. Excitement and pushing herself to clear challenges was part of why being a Wonderbolt energized her like nothing else. Being one of the best was just icing on the cake. "Is that what I'm hearing?"
Fluttershy nodded without a second thought. "That's right. On that day, part of what kept me in one piece was just trying to find something fun about it." She leaned closer to Fleetfoot. "Just between you and me, I have no idea why Rainbow Dash chose Bulk Biceps and me for the event. I know about that one event per pony rule, but I think Flitter and Open Skies were available."
"Rainbow's definitely not perfect, but who is?" Fleetfoot rolled her shoulders. "She's the fastest flyer and all, but she has a knack for landing herself into trouble." Chuckling, Fleetfoot donned a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her head. "Kinda funny coming from me, but she could've used more discipline." She blinked, shuddering. "Um, no offense."
"None taken." Fluttershy adjusted her seating posture, Fleetfoot following suit shortly after. "Did you want to ask me about Rainbow Dash?"
"Yep." Fleetfoot bobbed her head. "So I'm guessing she told ya about her—less than stellar first days as a Wonderbolt, right?"
"Yeah, she told us all about how she got that nickname again."
"Again?" Fleetfoot's cheeks became warm. "She never told us that."
"When Rainbow was young, a group of bullies called her 'Rainbow Crash' after crashing into a trash can."
Nervous laughs escaped Fleetfoot's mouth, avoiding eye contact with Fluttershy for a moment. "I guess she needs to look out for those." Taking a deep breath, Fleetfoot pursed her lips, formulating how she'd ask her questions. Images of the time she spent with Rainbow during the latter's first days as a Wonderbolt returned to her. Seconds later, her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Alright, now I know what to ask."
"What is it?"
"How do you know if something's bothering somepony?" Fleetfoot paused, rubbing her cheek. "I mean, it's one thing if somepony's acting weird like Rainbow was, but how was I able to figure out it had anything to do with her nickname. Even when she could've easily spilled the beans, we were never too sure. So what's the secret?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "There's no secret involved. The truth is that figuring out exactly what's bothering somepony is harder than it looks. I'm assuming you haven't spent much time with Rainbow before then, so it's only natural that you wouldn't know how to approach it. And I get why you gave her a nickname."
"You do?" Fleetfoot leaned back, donning a puzzled look.
"It's to toughen up Wonderbolts, right?. You're doing all sorts of dangerous tricks or tasks, and sometimes, you'll be in scary spots. I may view things a little differently than you, but I can see the reasoning behind it. You're more confident that a new Wonderbolt can handle almost anything, and it can even build team unity."
"You guessed—right." Fleetfoot's wings shook a little. "How'd you figure it out?"
"I asked Twilight about it once." Fluttershy's cheeks flushed. "She knows a lot about the Wonderbolts and institutions like it. I know you've met her brother, Shining Armor, and Twilight once told me about how he went through something similar. Back when he first started, he was known as Shining Dunce, and now he's Captain of the Royal Guard."
"We've all got our embarrassing stories." Fleetfoot feigned another chuckle. "Don't tell anypony, but I got nicknamed Flatfoot after crashing into some of my teammates on the first day. It was really, really embarrassing, but I became tougher after a few days of teasing. Some ponies might not get it, but I can now look at that and use it to push myself further."
"I guess this is why I'm not in the Royal Guard or the Wonderbolts."
Both mares shared a few laughs with each other, the two of them smiling as Fleetfoot then brought her hooves closer to her chest. And as Fleetfoot thought about Fluttershy's response, perhaps the answer was in front of her all along. There was still that bluntness that pierced her nerves, but maybe she was being too hard on herself again. Perhaps she and Spitfire could've worked together on climbing over that hurdle later on.
"Can I ask ya one more question?" Fleetfoot said, cracking a faint smile.
Fluttershy responded with a smirk of her own. "Of course," she said. "What's on your mind?"
"Do you have any tips about friendship?"
"I can't promise this will always work." Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy stood up, keeping her eyes focused on Fleetfoot. "When it comes to making friends, what's important is that you're kind, respectful, generous, and any number of different traits. You don't need to master all of them, but they all help." She paused and pursed her lips, tail swishing around for a moment. "Besides, I already thought you had friends."
Fleetfoot rubbed her cheek. Come to think of it, she was friends with her fellow Wonderbolts, and even Rainbow Dash wasn't antagonizing her despite the sloppy first impressions. It was something she couldn't help herself from smiling about; her chest became warmer.
Standing as tall as she could, Fleetfoot then stretched her wings out and cracked a wide grin. "You've got the right idea," she said. "You know, maybe what I was looking for was staring me in the face all along. I just needed you and Pinkie to spell it out for me." She snickered, wearing a sheepish smile. "Thanks for that."
"You're welcome," said Fluttershy. She lifted her hoof up, cocking her head. "Before you leave, there is one other thing."
"What is it?"
"Don't feel like you have to change everything." Fluttershy paced back and forth. She then froze in place, smile widening. "You can still be the Fleetfoot that your friends care for, even if you change some of your habits. I'm the same Fluttershy my friends care for back when we first met, even if I'm more assertive now. Maybe adding some kindness and generosity is what you need."
"I'll keep that in mind." Fleetfoot stood tall, chest puffed out as she strode over to one of the cabinets, and kept eye contact with Fluttershy. "Again, thanks for helping out."
"It's an honor."
Looking up, Fleetfoot tapped her hoof on the floor, clacks reaching her ears. "I should get going." She turned to face Fluttershy once more, gently waving whilst Fluttershy responded in kind. "If anything comes up, I'll let you know, but I know the Wonderbolts are gonna appreciate how much I'm growing."
"I'm sure they will." Fluttershy crossed her forelegs. Her wings twitched. "Is there anything else I can help with?"
"I'm good." Fleetfoot made a beeline toward the front door, opening it and waving back at Fluttershy once more. "See ya!"
As Fleetfoot stepped outside, gently closing the door, she took a deep breath and observed the wondrous sights surrounding her. However, what shone brighter than the sun or commanded more attention than any flower was what stewed in Fleetfoot's mind. It was the beginning of a new chapter, one where she had the opportunity to continue her growth as a pony.
Flapping her wings, Fleetfoot took to the skies and performed a tight loop. She grinned wildly as the wind brushed against her mane, glancing down and watching the townsponies merrily trotting about. A few even spotted her from below, pointing and watching with curious visages. And while she noticed colossal castle nearby glittering like the most valuable gemstones, it paled in comparison to one locale.
The elaborate structure known as Wonderbolt Headquarters was what caught Fleetfoot's attention, even if it was just a shining speck in the sky. However, it was where her closest friends were, and Fleetfoot just couldn't wait to inform them of everything she'd learned. They would've certainly grinned upon hearing such lessons, even if it had little to do with their drills or routines. And like said routines, understanding them better tickled Fleetfoot's coat like little else.
