I've got to get out if here. Fly down the stairwell. Good. Out the door. I grab my scooter and I'm racing down my street. I want to be alone right now.
How can they tell me that? How can they foster this hope and then tell me it is forever out of reach? I'm never going to fly to Cloudsdale? I'll forever be pulled to the ground?
I'm not stupid. Sure I want to be like Rainbow Dash. But I knew I was different. I just didn't want to give up. I'm not now. I can't after going this far.
Cruse past Quills & Sofas, the Legal Advice & Marital Aids storefront. These street lights will give me away. I need the country darkness outside of town. Fortunately there's only a light dusting of snow. I don't even care about the cold. My heart is pounding in my ears and I blink away tears from the frigid air. Or maybe I'm crying I can't tell. Whatever. I know I can fly.
Houndstooth Creek is ahead where dad got his cutie mark by falling off a stupid bridge. If it was that easy Sweetie would have hers. I clatter across and move on.
There's a rise ahead and I spread my wings at the top and get a little air. Maybe twenty hooves worth and my wheels touch back down. Damn. I've got to try harder than this. More speed.
I feel angry and hurt, even betrayed. But I know my family didn't really betray me. It was my stupid body. My weak magic or whatever. But they just want to give up on me? Crusaders don't give up. It doesn't matter. I'm not giving up. If I go fast enough I can do this. I can fly. I must or all this was for nothing.
Ok where am I? The lights of Ponyville are behind me. Where do I go? My breath makes big plumes of mist around me. I need something really big if I'm going to do this right. Ghastly Gorge! Perfect.
It's a ways off but no problem with the way I ride. My wings buzz away, the earth passes beneath my wheels. Stupid bucking scooter. I used to be so proud of it but now it just mocks me. Soon I won't need it anymore.
There it is up ahead! Gotta find a good ledge to ramp. There! I've got to do this. I'm no chicken or dodo. I'm a Pegasus and they Fly.
Clearing the edge I let me scooter fall away and snap my wings into position just as Rainbow taught me. And yes! They catch the air currents speeding through the gorge! I'm streaking through. There's a sharp crack as my deck splinters apart below and a ping as handlebars rebound on some rocks. Goodbye old friend.
I change my wing position to sacrifice speed for lift. Careful, remember your poise and positions... Yes! I'm soaring! This is great, I'm gonna fly over the town. I look over at the mostly-full Moon. "I did it, Luna! I chose dreams over fears! See me? See me flying? Whoo!"
Ponyville looks tiny off to my left. I am high above roads I've traced hundreds of times. This is what my sister and daddy feel like every single day. I can't believe I will too. Or maybe I can and I AM!
Uh oh, loosing altitude. Try going into dips and steady turns. It's not working! Snow capped evergreens seem to rise up like Timber Wolf teeth. I'm gonna crash!
"I got'cha, kiddo!" Strong forelegs scoop me up. I recognize the dusky voice of my sister Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow, I-"
"Let's talk later. For now you're gonna stick this landing like a taught you, like a pro." She releases me and instead holds one hoof. "Get your balance, there you go. Lets aim for that meadow up ahead."
We touch down on the frosted-over moss and grass. Maybe the lightest landing I've managed.
"Ok, Squirt. I was following you for a while; while I don't want you to pull a stunt like that until you're older you did great!"
I turn away. "Please leave me be, Rainbow. I can't look at you right now. It's just a reminder of what I can't achieve."
"What're you talking about, you were flying high! We've just got to find a less deadly launching method. I bet we could-"
"Rainbow!" I turn to her, blinking away tears. "I've wanted to be just like you my whole life! How can I settle when I've put everything into my lessons?"
"Squirt-" she was looking at me strangely.
"Don't 'squirt' me, don't remind me of how tiny I am, my wings are! Don't patronize me, 'sister'!"
"Uh, Scoot-"
"How can you tell me to just give up? It's my EVERYTHING! I don't have anything else. The Crusade failed, Rainbow! I'm a failure."
"Scootaloo!!"
"What?"
She pointed at my hindquarters.
"Look at your flank."