//------------------------------//
// XI: Hooves on the Ground 
// Story: Trinity 
// by MythrilMoth 
//------------------------------//

It took the better part of a week for life to return to normal in Ponyville. Once the daily routine resumed, the Crusaders and their friends gathered in the clubhouse at Sweet Apple Acres.

"So, Scootaloo, you learned some awesome pegasus stuff in Cloudsdale, right?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"Yeah, Scoots, Ah ain't never seen nopony come up with that crazy a plan," Apple Bloom said with a grin. "Ah bet we'll be able t' move on with our Trinity lessons now for sure!"

Scootaloo frowned. "Maybe, but..." She shook her head. "I dunno. I mean, sure, I learned a lot about clouds and wind and rainbows and stuff, and I'm glad I learned all that stuff, but I still feel like something's missing." She looked at her wings. "Every pegasus I learned from could fly. It's like, they don't even think about it. It's just part of their nature." She bowed her head and sighed. "And it's not part of mine. And...I just don't think my pegasus magic is complete, you know?" She shrugged. "I just...it's hard to feel like a real pegasus if you can do everything except fly."

The other fillies let out sympathetic whines and bowed their heads, studying the floor.

"You know, I don't get it," Silver Spoon said. "I mean, it doesn't make sense that you can't fly. Don't tell me it's because your wings are stunted. I mean, have you seen Bulk Biceps? And he flew in the Equestria Games! So if that oversized mess can fly, then..." She trailed off. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Scootaloo said. "I've wondered that myself. Like, a lot. Nopony's ever really explained it to me, but...I think I kinda have an idea of what's wrong with me after spending so much time in Cloudsdale."

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo nodded. "The thing is...I can feel pegasus magic with every part of my body except, well...my wings." She spread her feathers. "Up there in the clouds, with the wind blowing, I...I could feel the wind in my mane and across my coat, but it gets to my wings, and it's like, it's not there, you know?"

Apple Bloom bit off a curse. "Manacirculation," she said. The others turned to face her. She looked around, then dragged a hoof across the floor. "It's somethin' Ah learned about at Zecora's place. It's like...alright, y'know how everypony has blood vessels an' stuff, your heart pumps th' blood, it goes all through your body? Well, ponies actually have two circulatory systems, an' one of 'em's invisible. It's th' way magic flows inside you." She looked at Scootaloo sadly. "Ah wouldn't be surprised if your problem is your manacirculation doesn't...doesn't reach your wings."

"You'd think that's something a doctor would've told her by now, though," Silver Spoon said.

Apple Bloom shook her head. "It ain't common knowledge," she said. "Ah wouldn't be surprised if Twilight don't even know about manacirculation. Zebras know all kinds'a things about magic that ponies jes' don't."

"Then do you think Zecora could fix me?" Scootaloo asked hopefully.

"Ah doubt it," Apple Bloom said. "Ah mean, it's like...if a pony's born with three legs, you can't just make 'em grow a magic leg. There's ways t' cope with it, but you can't fix th' problem if that's jes' th' way you're born."

Scootaloo sighed. "Great. So I'm right back where I started."

"Maybe," Sweetie Belle said thoughtfully, "or maybe you just need to look at this a different way."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle started pacing. "Well, so far, you've tried connecting to your pegasus magic by doing things flying pegasi do. It seems to me you need to spend time with a pegasus who doesn't fly, get a feel for how they stay in touch with their magic."

The other fillies looked around. "But...there aren't that many pegasi who can't fly," Scootaloo pointed out. "I mean, I'm the only one I know of."

"I didn't say can't fly," Sweetie Belle pointed out. "I said doesn't fly. A pegasus who lives on the ground and doesn't really fly all that much. One that can fly, but just...doesn't."

"Where are we gonna find a pony like that?" Diamond Tiara asked. "I mean, sure, there's a lot of pegasi in Ponyville, but they pretty much fly if they aren't doing something they have to be on the ground for."

"There's one pony I can think of," Apple Bloom said, realization dawning. "Ah know for a fact she's a pretty good flier, but you almost never see 'er flyin' around town."

Scootaloo gasped. "Fluttershy!" Her wings buzzed excitedly. "That's a great idea! I should go visit Fluttershy, see what I can learn from her!"


* * * * *


"Oh! Hello, Scootaloo!" Fluttershy said as she looked up from filling a long feed trough with acorns. Dozens of squirrels, chipmunks, and other fuzzy little things gathered around it, scooping up nuts and cramming their cheeks full before scurrying away again. "I heard you had a wonderful visit with my parents. Mom says she really enjoyed having you around the house!"

"Your parents are great," Scootaloo said. "I learned a lot." She rubbed one hoof with the other. "But...there's still something I need to learn, and, well..."

"Oh? I thought from the way you and your friends saved Ponyville, you'd gotten past whatever trouble you were having."

"Well, that was more desperation than anything," Scootaloo said. "The thing is, I did learn a lot about pegasus magic, but I'm still not...really connected with mine."

"Oh. Oh my." Fluttershy gave Scootaloo a sad look. "Is it...is it because of your wings?"

"Something like that." Scootaloo flicked an ear. "Me and the girls were talking, and we think we figured out a way for me to get around this. But I'm gonna need your help."

Fluttershy blinked. "My help? I don't know, I mean...I don't really know much about pegasus magic, or—"

"But you feel your pegasus magic, right? You're in touch with it?"

"Well, yes," Fluttershy said. "I can't imagine not feeling it, even if it isn't really something I think about or rely on that often."

"That's why I need your help," Scootaloo said. "All the other pegasi I've been learning from live and work in the clouds. You're a pegasus who keeps her hooves on the ground. Since I can't fly, I need to learn how a pony who doesn't spend half her life in the sky stays in touch with her magic."

"I see," Fluttershy said, nodding. "That certainly makes sense." She smiled. "I'd be only too happy to help. It's just...I'm not entirely sure how much help I'll be. I mean, my pegasus magic is just there. I wouldn't even begin to know how to help you learn to connect with it. Oh, but don't worry, I'm sure we can figure something out together."