Newbie Dash (Alternative)

On the weekend, the girls are having another get-together, to hang out and to check up on and support Rainbow Dash.

“Oh my! Look at you!” Rarity instantly remarks cheerfully, making Dash blush and a bit uncomfortable.

“You’re looking a lot better, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack says with a relieved smile.

“Heh.. thanks, guys.” Dash says nervously, and Twilight wraps an arm around her shoulders.

The alicorn had told the others long ago to never, ever comment on Rainbow’s weight or physique. Even these genuine little compliments could be perceived wrongly, so she gives their friends a pointed look.

“Sorry, darling.” Rarity apologises, and Applejack pulls down her hat a little.

“It’s fine-” Dash gets interrupted by Pinkie Pie practically jumping her, and giving the pegasus a crushingly tight hug. Normally she’s used to it, but her wings are still a tad sore and the pressure was really hurting her. “Argh- Pinkie!”

Twilight engulfs Pinkie Pie in her magical aura and releases the Pegasus from her impossibly tight hold.

“Thanks…” Rainbow murmurs to Twilight, trying to resist the urge to scratch at her wings again.

“What’s the matter, dear?” Rarity asks confused. The others are also confused at what just happened.

“Rainbow is re-growing some feathers, so her wings are pretty sore.” Twilight explains.

“And itchy.” Dash complains, then carefully preens a couple of displaced feathers back to how they should be with her mouth.

“You’re moulting again?” Fluttershy asks surprised. “Why didn’t you say anything?” She knows firsthand how much that annual process annoys her fellow pegasus friend, having spent many long days and nights with her during their many years of friendship. Oftentimes they would moult at almost exactly the same time, so they help each other out.

“You’re already taking care of Tank for me…” Dash starts, then looks over to their alicorn friend, “and Twilight has been helping me get through it.”

Twilight smiles at that. She has only been through moulting twice in her life, and the first time she had barely even realised that it had been happening. Her wings are larger than those of a typical pegasus, so the process took a lot longer, but it was also a lot more gradual.

While Dash had pretty much lost most of her feathers in one week, Twilight pretty much lost and regrew only a few feathers at a time, so all she got was a little twinge, not the full on irritation and horrible itching and pain that Dash is still going through.

Rainbow has told her that she normally regrows the feathers in pretty much the same amount of time as she loses them, and so she’s usually through the whole thing within a week’s time.
It was now the end of the second week and there are still some feathers taking their sweet time to fully grow out.

But…. Rainbow flaps her wings and grins widely at her friends when she finally hovers above their heads again. Every pony and Spike cheer in joy.

She has to land all too soon again, but it was an amazing feeling to be able to fly again, even if just for a little bit.

“Since when were you able to do that?” Twilight asks surprised.

“Since this morning. I test it every day, and today I was finally getting off the ground.” Rainbow tells her excitedly.

“That’s wonderful news!” Fluttershy exclaims, to everyone’s surprise. “We all know how much flying means to you. We are all so, so happy for you!”

Rainbow chuckles, looking down at her own flank. “I mean, it is my cutie mark.”

“We all know how much yah love to race.” Applejack says with a playful eye roll. “Speakin’ of which: the Running Of The Leaves is tomorrow. Any of yah wanna compete?”

Rainbow feels spoken to, smirking at the earth pony. “Heck yeah! I still have to officially beat you, AJ.”

“Hah! In yer dreams, RD. At least this time yah can’t cheat with yer wings.”

Rainbow rolls her eyes and blows a raspberry.

Twilight suddenly looks panicked at the idea of Rainbow taking part in the race.

“Uhm, Twilight?” Spike carefully pokes her with a claw.

All eyes are instantly on the alicorn.

“I don’t think you should run at the race…” She tells Rainbow.

Dash looks around confused, then back at her. “Why not?”

“I’m just not sure if your body can handle it, yet. Remember that your starvation could have affected your heart?”

The girls look worried at the implications.

“But… it’s been months, Twilight. Months. I feel fine.” Dash defends. “And to be honest, I could really do with the exercise.” She mutters under her breath.

Everyone heard her perfectly, and Twilight raises an eyebrow at that. “Rainbow, do you want to do the race so you’ll lose weight?” She asks her straight out.

She hates how Dash looks startled and guilty, like she just got caught red-hooved.

“What? No, of course not! I just want to feel like myself again. I’ve been cooped up in here for ages.” The pegasus defends, though she won’t meet her friends’ eyes — none of them.

Applejack approaches her, gently lifting Dash’s lowered head and trying to get the downcast eyes to meet her own. “Sugarcube, you’ve got nothing to prove. If ya want to run against me for fun, then that’s okay! But we don’t want you to overdo it, and definitely not for the wrong reasons.”

Rainbow hates how her friends can see right through her. Or rather, see through her disorder. Because the reality was that she really just wants to have fun with her friends, but this thing inside her head has to turn everything into a competition, constantly having to prove her worth by being better — even if it kills her.

And right now, that voice inside her head is screaming at her to exercise, because she’s been way too lazy, and laziness turns toned, sleek bodies into lard.

I don’t want to push myself so hard, either, Applejack. She thinks miserably. I’m just not strong enough to not let this thing control me.

“If you feel off at any point, I want you to stop and take a break, or quit the race altogether.” Twilight lectures for the fourth time that day. “Your health and recovery take first priority!”

Dash rolls her eyes. “I heard you perfectly the first ten times you said that. I promise you that I’ll stop if I start to feel unwell. Can I get a number now?”

Applejack gives her sporty friend a pointed look. They all know that Twilight is just as worried as the rest of them, though she’s the only one to actually voice it. “Behave, Dash.” She scolds lightheartedly, before turning to the alicorn. “I’ll keep an eye on ‘er, Twi. You don’t need to worry.” She promises.

Twilight still looks unsure. “Maybe I should join the race, after all…”

“Oh please! There’s no way you’ll be able to keep up, Twilight.” Dash exclaims. “We already told you a bazillion times: Applejack will be right by my side and help me, if I need it.”

Twilight sighs. “I know… I just can’t help but worry. You don’t know what it was like when you fainted right in front of us, or when you passed out and Spike and I couldn’t wake you up right away.”

Now looking and feeling guilty, Rainbow hangs her head with a sigh. This race was supposed to be her breakthrough, to prove to herself and everyone else that she was back to being her awesome, athletic, enduring self.

“The Running Of The Leaves will begin in five minutes!” An announcer calls through speakers.

Twilight nudges Dash’s side. “Go and get your number.”

Confused, the pegasus looks at her with a raised eyebrow. “You sure?”

Twilight nods.

All three of them walk over to the stand so that Dash and AJ could get their starting numbers.

They just make it to the starting line a moment before the race begins.

“See you at the finish line!” Rainbow calls over to Twilight as she, AJ, and the other racers start to sprint and gallop.