Dusk Village

"Come on, Maree! You can do it! A little Higher!" Rainbow Dash cheered her daughter on, hovering just a few inches off the ground, as Maree ran at top speed next to her. "I want to see you fly! Today!"

Maree was a 10 year Alicorn filly, who Dash had taken in many years ago and treated as one of her own. The growth and development of her muscles had been stunted due to a birth defect, brought on by a significantly premature birth. It was thought she could never fly. But today she was going to prove the doctors wrong. Today, she was going to fly. She'd been getting stronger and faster everyday, and she was almost there. She could feel it. Every day, Maree would run along side Rainbow Dash, and every few seconds she would hop, flap her wings, and try to get airborne. She could jump high and far, and she could slow her descent greatly, but that wasn't enough for her. She had to fly. She wanted to fly. Ever since she was young, she had envisioned flying to be an exhilarating experience, and had longed to become airborne by her own two wings one day. It only made sense, after all, that a creature born with wings should someday fly. And that day was today.

Another leap; a fluttering of the wings; and a touch down. She hovered along for 30 feet. Hovered, yes, but she didn't fly. Another leap; another flap of the wings; she could feel this one drag on just a hair longer than the last; 35 feet. Hardly a chicken's flight.

"Come on, Maree, you can do better! Keep trying!" Dash cheered.

"I'm... *gasp* trying!*" Maree said, short of breath.  Sweat was pouring down Maree's face. They'd been at this a long time, with little time for breaks. Dash was really pushing Maree hard, but it was working. She was getting better. She was flying further, and she was lasting longer every time. She was becoming quite strong for her age, despite the fact that she couldn't fly. Yet.

Once again, Maree prepared herself for another attempt. She was burnt out, and she knew that she wouldn't last much longer. A couple more attempts at the most. She leaped once again, heaving all of her faltering strength into her legs and wings. She flapped her wings with an adrenaline-drenched burst of strength. And then she... then.... then nothing. She had clenched, and her eyes were shut, but now she forced them open, trying not to lose focus. She looked down. The ground continued to roll by, but her legs were not moving. She couldn't believe her eyes! She was flying! She was really, really flying! An ecstatic grin exploded across her face, and she felt her wings come alive with a renewed sense of confidence and power, as she pushed passed the fatigue she had felt just a moment before.

Dash was overjoyed to see her little filly fluttering right next to her, and her happiness shone through her face. "Maree, Look at you! You're doing it! You're flying!"

"I'm flying!" Maree repeated, reinforcing the reality of the occasion. "I'M FLYING!!" Her was overflowing now, and she giggled gleefully, puttering along about 8 inches above the ground. She wasn't breaking any records, but she was, on all accounts, flying. The feeling was surreal. Maree's mind and heart were racing each other as the excitement of knowing that she was, at this very moment, triumphing over what used to be considered a life-long opponent took over her entire body. She was beating the odds at this very second, and was surpassing everyone's expectations, even, admittedly, her own.

The high of the moment started to fade when Maree finally realized she simply could not possibly keep going, and her flapping eventually slowed down enough that her feet made contact with the grassy ground again. She stumbled slightly, readjusting to a running pace, and slowed herself to a stop. Dash circled around and landed next to Maree, who was already in the process of laying down, exhausted.

"Maree, you did it! that was... amazing!" Dash exclaimed, wanting to hop up and down in excitement, but stopping herself. "For a while there, you... really were flying, I'm so ha-...happy for you!" Dash said, accidentally stopping for breathe in the middle of "happy".  She didn't normally  make irregular pauses like that, but Dash was just so happy; as well as tired; that she briefly slipped up. It was a tough thing for her to get over, and even now she wasn't totally used to it. Years ago, when Maree had gotten really sick, One of Maree's lungs had given out, and Dash gave her one of her own. Now, with only one lung, Dash had a much more limited amount of breath, and had to take pauses to breathe often during her sentences. It was hard for her to overcome at first, but through exercise and practice, she had it basically figured out by now. Still, she had to be careful not to overdo herself.

Maree looked up at her mother and smiled. "We did it together, Mom. I could never have pulled it off without your help." She said, picking herself up to give her mom a hug.

Dash put an arm around her little filly, returning the hug. "Yeah, we make a good team, huh?" She thought out loud, losing herself in their embrace.

After a moment, Dash stopped to take a look at the field they were in. In the early stages of their flight attempts, they had started in their big backyard, but once Maree got up to speed, they had to move to a larger site, so they came to this field just outside Ponyville. "Hah, I bet you must have cleared... a solid 300- no, 350 feet... with that last one! Not bad at all... for a first time!" Dash said, patting Maree on the shoulder. Maree smiled proudly. "I betcha all that running... works up a mean appetite! Just watching you... made me hungry! Let's go eat... what do ya say, kiddo?" Dash asked, starting off for home.

"Yeah, I'm starving!" Maree replied, following close behind. No matter the exhaustion, a pony always had energy enough to run all the way home to have a meal.

The next day, the duo were in a clinic, as it was time for a regularly scheduled check up for Maree. Their regular physician, Dr. Leon, was ready for them as soon as they walked in and began examining Maree. After running several regular physical and mental tests, Dr. Leon asked Maree to sit down in a chair while he talked with Dash.

"So, Dr. Leon, how is she doing?" Dash asked. The look on her face showed that she pretty well knew it was all good news already, she just wanted to hear it from another source outside her own head.

"Well, Ms Dash, as usual it's good news. She's doing remarkably well, and she is of comparable, even somewhat superior,  physical strength and stature to other of her age. She's coming along wonderfully." Dr. Leon replied, smiling at Dash with his be-speckled blue eyes. "What's even more impressive is the development of her brain; She's a very bright young filly, brilliant even. And what's more, she isn't just smart, she's very mature for her age too. Her body remains that of a child, but her mind is practically grown up! It's so fascinating to watch." He said.

"Oh hey, that reminds me... how did those other tests... come out?" Dash asked.

"Ah yes, the IQ tests, you mean? I have the results, and I'd like to share them with you." Dr Leon replied, going to retrieve 2 envelopes. He opened the first and took out the papers inside. "Your test came back with a score of 99." He reported.

"Is that out of something?" Dash asked.

Dr. Leon chuckled a little. "No, you see, it's set on a scale you see, and the average is always 100, and is adjusted frequently to maintain that average." Dr. Leon explained.

"So... you mean I'm... below average?" Disappointment was clear in Dash's voice. Dr. Leon was quick to correct her.

"Not at all! The standard deviation in an IQ result is 15 points on either end of the scale; the difference a single point makes is virtually unnoticeable. You're a perfectly normal Mare, Ms. Dash."

"Well, if you say so.." Dash replied. You could still hear a little disappointment in her voice, but it was reduced this time. "Anyway, what about... Maree?"

"I'll get to that one right now! Let's see..." Dr. Leon opened the second envelope, taking out Maree's test. He looked it over carefully, seeming hesitant to speak on it. "Now, I want to remind you that this test is age adjusted; a higher score doesn't necessarily mean greater intelligence, rather it more accurately represents a higher capacity for learning." Dr. Leon explained.

"So her score is higher than mine, then?" Dash concluded, unsurprised. She had a feeling.

"Yes, actually. significantly higher..."

"Well, how much higher?" Dash asked.

Dr. Leon paused. "Her IQ... is 163."

Now it was Dash's turn to pause. At the risk of sounding stupid, she bothered to ask, "Is that good?"

"Dr. Leon chuckled again. "Good? It's brilliant! I imagine there's probably only a few ponies around with that kind of potential intelligence inside them!"

"Well Twilight does love to... go on about how much of a... treat she is to have around... always eager to learn... soaking up every ounce of... information, never repeating herself..." Dash commented. Then a look came across her face, and her attitude changed. "Say, Does Twilight ever get... tested here?"

"Yes, she comes by about twice a year for the same kind of test." Dr. Leon replied.

"What kind of scores... does she get?" Dash asked.

"I'm really not supposed to say without her permission.." Dr. Leon avoided eye contact.

"I'm not going to tell anyone... you're not gonna get in trouble... I promise!" Dash insisted.

Dr. Leon just sighed. Fighting with her never worked out in the past, why start now? "148."

Now Dash smiled wildly. "Smarter than Twilight! Ha! That's great, oh man... you just made my day, Dr. Leon!"

"Just don't go around telling everyone I said that!" Dr. Leon warned. "I'll admit, I've been very unprofessional with you in the past, but I can get into a lot of trouble for that."

"Well, anyway Doc, thanks for everything. And.. I mean everything." Dash said as they started to leave. "You've been helping me this whole time... I seriously wonder if either of us... Maree or Me... would have even made it... this far without your help." Dash started to smile, but then her faced turn to one that showed her coming to some sort of shocking realization. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed suddenly. "I just realized... I can't believe it..."

Dr. Leon, frowned. "What is the matter, Ms. Dash?" he asked.

"I just realized... after all these years of knowing you... I've never even asked you... for your first name!" Dash face-hooved herself. "Guh, I'm such an airhead sometimes..."

Dr. Leon, relieved, laughed out loud for a moment, and then looked Dash in the eye with a warm smile. "It's Stal."

Dash made a face, half smile, half confusion. "Stal Leon? Really?" She couldn't help but chuckle a little, even though she knew it was rude.

Luckily, Stal Leon took it with good nature, chuckling along with her. "Yes, my mother was just the sort of tongue-in-cheek mare who'd come up with a name like that.... bless her soul..."

Dash got the idea that Dr. Leon's mother was probably not around anymore by the look in his eye, and decided not to pursue the topic. "Well, Anyway, Stal, I'm sure I'll... see you again soon enough!" She said, starting to leave.

"Take care, and stay healthy!" Dr. Leon said, as he turned to return to his office.

Some time after dinner, Dash noticed Maree, sitting in the living room, just sort of staring off into space. Something seemed to be troubling her.

"Something wrong, Maree?" She asked.

Maree looked up at Rainbow Dash, but didn't reply for several seconds. By then Dash knew something was wrong. "I'm..." She paused again, looking away briefly. "I'm adopted... aren't I?" She asked. Dash's heart sank a little. It was about that time. She always meant to have this conversation, but no time ever seemed appropriate. She probably should have told her years ago. Maybe part of her believed Maree already kind of just knew from the look of each other. She looked Maree right in her deep, green eyes. She could see that Maree wasn't looking for the answer to a question; rather, she knew the answer, and wanted to know if Dash would bother lying about it. Well, Dash knew she'd look like a damned fool if she sat there and tried to tell an Alicorn that she was her real mother, so Dash figured she may as well just come out with it.

"...Yeah..." That was all she managed to say. She couldn't really think of any other way to put it. It was only a 'yes' or 'no' question, after all. "But, that doesn't mean I don't... love you as much as I would... if you weren't!" Dash said in a rush, or at least as much of a rush as you can be in with such irregular sentence spacing. "I took you in as my own, and that's... all there is to it. You are every bit as much... my daughter as anything I could have... made myself, even if we don't look... the same." Dash walked over and sat down beside Maree and put arm arm around her shoulder. Maree smiled at her.

"I know... and I love you too, because no matter who my parents are, you're still my Mom. That won't ever change." She snuggled up beside her mother, the security of her hug just as welcoming as it always had been. "So... did you ever know who my parents were?" Maree asked.

Dash thought back 10 years ago, when she first came across Maree. "No. You were alone when I... found you." She replied. "What would you do if you ever met your birth parents?" Dash asked out of curiosity, since the topic was upon them anyway.

"I guess that depends on what kind of ponies they are." Maree replied. A very reasonable response.

"I'd say they're probably Alicorns." Dash said.

"No, I mean like if they're good, or mean, you know!"

"Heh, I'm just kidding." Dash said. "Still though... Alicorns... I don't know any Alicorns who... aren't royalty. You could be a king's daughter... you know?"

"I guess so, but I wouldn't want to live like that." Maree admitted.

"What, you wouldn't want to... live like royalty, with all the... servants, and the money, and the...glamor and whatever else?" Dash asked.

"Well, I've got nothing against any of that, but if it was seriously worth considering getting rid of me in the first place, even if they decided to keep me, I probably wouldn't get along with them very well, just based on that fact." Maree pointed out.

Dash laughed. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

"Besides.. I also wouldn't have come here, and met you." Maree added. They shared another hug.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay. I was afraid you might be... upset, when I finally let you in... on the truth." Dash said with relief. "I love you Maree, I really do..."

"I love you too.... Mommy."

blood is thicker than water, but love is far thicker than blood. If you have love, you will be happy, no matter where you are, or who you are with. This is the lesson to be learned from Rainbow Dash and Maree, as they share in their final, fleeting moment of ignorant bliss together, oblivious to the tragedy soon to befall them.. soon to befall all ponykind...

END OF CHAPTER 1.