Ponies All Day-Writing Challenge

by ThunderTempest

09:30-10:00 "The Rainbow Dash School of Flight"

Twilight Sparkle was a rational mare. She liked lists, order and procedures to things. And while Pinkie Pie did her absolute best to accustom Twilight to the idea of random, unpredictable events, Twilight still tended to get on her soap box when talking about science. As such, when Rainbow Dash offered to teach Twilight how to fly following her ascension, Twilight did the first thing that came to mind: read a book. When they met the following morning, however,

“Jump off your balcony. Let your instincts take over. Don’t think-that one’s important,” Rainbow Dash had told her.

This, of course, terrified Twilight to no end.

“What do you mean, ‘Don’t Think”? Of course I’m going to think about it! I have to make sure my wings are flapping, that I’m not going to hit the ground, that nothing is coming at me from anywhere...”

As Twilight continued her paranoia-driven rant, Rainbow casually walked over to Twilight, grabbed Twilight’s tail with her teeth, and flung her off the edge of the balcony. Twilight disappeared below the edge, and Rainbow mentally counted to three. As she hit ‘three’ Twilight rose back above the edge of the balcony, her wings working perfectly, and Twilight giving Rainbow a stern glare.

“Rainbow Dash, what in Equestria did you do that for? I wasn’t expecting you to do that, and you could have seriously hurt somepony below!”

“Hey, Twilight? Look down,” Said Rainbow, a grin spreading across her face.

“Huh?” Twilight looked down, and discovered that she was hovering about three feet from the edge of the balcony.

“See? Don’t think about it,” snickered Rainbow, as Twilight went into panic mode, “Your body knows what to do. Princess Celestia told me that from now on, whenever you’re falling, you’ll act like a pegasus, because you getting your wings also gave you all those cool little instincts that the rest of us have. Best part is, you don’t have to think about it. Just don’t...”

Of course, that was when Twilight tried to override her instincts and move. Her wings immediately got out of synch, and she vanished back below the balcony. Rainbow winced from her position on the balcony as she heard Twilight land heavily below, before leaning over the edge and calling down.

“Lesson One, Twilight! Crashing 101!”

“I hate you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight called back, her face still planted on the ground.

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #270: “I Believe I Can Fly!”
Twilight Sparkle’s flying lessons.