//------------------------------// // Wild Ponies in the Moonlight // Story: Best Young Flyer // by bookplayer //------------------------------// Scootaloo blew her whistle to gather her class. It was close to the end of the day on Friday, and their attention had started to wander. “Alright kids, one more time!” The six pegasus foals sighed and grumbled, but lined up next to each other. “C’mon guys, get it together. Who here wants to fly?” Six little hooves went up, and Scoot smiled. “Then you’d better give it your all. Standing around never got anypony into the air. Now, I want two minutes. That’s two minutes of flapping your wings for a lifetime of flying. Today might be your day, and it’s just waiting for you to try for two more minutes. So... everypony ready?” Her pep talk had its desired effect: her six students nodded, their little faces determined. “Alright, go!” she shouted. “Good job, Windy, just like that... Kite Tail, even flaps... better. You guys are doing awesome! Keep it up!” “Miss Scoot! Miss Scoot!” a white foal called to her. She glanced over to see his rear legs pulled off the ground by his little wings. “Keep going, Blizzard! Great job! Keep going just like that and try to reposition to the front just a little. Like I showed you last week, remember?” The foal’s eyes were wide; this was the first time he’d gotten any sort of lift. Her words seemed to be washing over him in his excitement. “Focus, Bliz! Focus on me. Twitch your wings forward. Come on, you can do this kid!” Blizzard looked straight at her. He scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue, and tried to make the delicate adjustment to his wings without losing lift. Unfortunately, he overcompensated. His front legs lifted too fast while his hind legs dropped to the cloud, and he fell backwards onto the cloud. Scoot blew her whistle and hurried over to him as the other five sets of wings stopped. The other kids crowded around her and Blizzard. “You okay, Bliz?” she asked. “Yeah!” he answered, sitting up and shaking his head. “That was awesome! I almost flew, Miss Scoot!” “You sure did! That was amazing! You’re really getting it now. You’ll be in the air in no time. Now I want everypony to go home tonight and work on those wing movements. Don’t worry about lift, just flap and try to move them forward and back, the tiniest bits you can. If you can see them move to the front or back while you’re flapping it’s too much and it’ll throw you off balance. Got it?” None of them answered. She looked up from Blizzard to see them all staring someplace behind her, their eyes wide and mouths hanging open. Scoot glanced back and smiled. Rainbow Dash was hovering there, in uniform, with her coolest smile on her face. “Oh yeah, how would you guys like to meet a real Wonderbolt?” In the time it took Scoot to blink, every one of her students was gathered beneath Dash. Scoot walked up behind the kids as Dash landed carefully. “Class, I think you might have heard of Rainbow Dash.” “Hey there, kids,” Dash said, eating up the attention from the awe struck foals. “What are you doing here?” one little filly asked with a huge grin on her face. “I’m here to see your teacher. Did she tell you guys I’m training her for the Best Young Flyers competition?” Immediately the class’s attention shifted to Scootaloo, but with the exact same faces of amazement and wonder. “You’re getting trained by a Wonderbolt?” Windy asked, her voice barely a squeak. “That is so... so...” Scoot smiled. “Awesome? Yeah, I know. Rainbow Dash has been my friend since I was a foal like you guys. She helped me learn to fly, like I’m helping you. And I know I’ve said it before, but remember I was older then most of you when I finally got off the ground.” “She’s right, but nopony has ever tried harder then Scoot. You guys have to give her one hundred and ten percent, ‘cause that’s what she gave me. Got it?” The foals replied with shouts of “Yes!” and “Yes, ma’am.” The horn blew, signaling the end of the school day, but none of the foals seemed ready to move. “Hey guys, time to go home! Why don’t you go get your saddle bags, and maybe if you ask nicely Rainbow Dash will sign them for you.” The foals scrambled across the clouds towards the school building, talking excitedly. Scoot turned and smiled at Dash. “So how was Las Pegasus?” “It was okay. Same old drill. Practice, fly, party, practice, home.” “Yeah, I’m sure practicing and flying with the Wonderbolts and going to the biggest parties is really boring. Maybe you can take a vacation and teach a few classes,” Scoot said, smiling and rolling her eyes. Dash grinned. “Hey, these kids look like fun.” “They are. But it’s not exactly flying with the Wonderbolts in Las Pegasus.” “Scootaloo!” a voice called from a couple of clouds over. Scoot looked up to see another junior instructor, Skylark, a white pegasus with a dark blue mane and tail, and a golden feather cutie mark. She flew over and landed next to Scoot and Dash. “Hey, Scootaloo... oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... interrupt. Aren’t you...?” “This is Rainbow Dash. She’s a friend from way back. Dash, this is Skylark. What’s up, Sky?” Skylark’s eyes went wide as she realized who Dash was, but for some reason that didn’t hold her attention, and she turned back to Scoot, blushing. “I, um, wanted to ask if you wanted to get together this weekend to hang out. I mean, with a bunch of us. From the school. Not, like, you and me. Not that –” “Actually, I’m kind of busy this weekend. Sorry.” Scoot glanced at Dash. Dash was looking at Sky with a smirk, and Scoot was left trying to guess why as she went on. “But I’d like to hang out with you guys sometime. I don’t have a lot of friends up here.” “Okay! I’ll talk to you Monday. Um, see ya!” She took a few steps, then turned back. “Oh, and nice meeting you, Rainbow Dash.” “Same here,” Dash said with that same smirk and a little wave. Scoot watched Sky leave, still trying to figure out why Dash was looking at her like that. Did Dash think Sky was cute? Sky was pretty, sure, but she didn’t seem like the type of pony Dash would go for. But then Dash had gone for Scoot, so maybe she did want to ask Sky out. “Dash, what did you think of –” Scoot turned to see that her class had returned, along with every other foal in the school. Obviously word got around that there was a Wonderbolt on campus. Dash had jumped right into signing autographs, leaving Scoot with plenty of time to clean up her training space. As she fluffed up the clouds in the area, she thought about Dash and Skylark. Scoot refused to let herself be jealous, Dash wasn’t hers, and it was that simple. If Dash ever asked her about Sky, she’d arrange for them to meet. She’d still be friends with Dash, and she’d even try to be friends with Sky. It’d be disappointing, sure, but it wasn’t like she loved Dash or anything. When more or less every foal in the school had their Rainbow Dash autograph, Dash flew over to Scoot. “Ready?” Dash asked with a grin. Scoot nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah!” “Cool. We’ll stop by my place and drop off our stuff first. I know of this great club...” • • • A few hours later, Scoot was standing in a dark club, drinking a cup of crumby pineapple juice. She watched Dash at the bar, waiting for her drink while a pale green pegasus with light blue hair tried to catch her eye. Dash noticed the pony as she turned around, and smiled at him. Scoot held her breath. But Dash just turned and flew back to where Scoot was standing. That had been the 7th time in two hours, not that Scoot was counting. She knew that Dash could do whatever she wanted with who ever she wanted, but she would rather not have their weekend together end right after it started. Scoot wasn’t too crazy about the club. It was dark and loud, there was dancing, which Scoot didn’t like, alcohol, which Scoot didn’t drink, and a lot of ponies with styled manes and make-up, which Scoot didn’t have and wasn’t into. The only cool thing here was Rainbow Dash, and she was about to start on her third drink in two hours. “Having fun?” Dash said happily. Scoot tried to force a smile. “I guess.” Dash raised an eyebrow. “You need a drink.” “Nah.” “Why not?” “I don’t drink.” Scoot blushed a little. “You’re kidding,” Dash said, grinning. “Come on, you’re not a foal anymore.” “No, I mean, I’ve had drinks. That’s kind of the problem,” Scoot said with a little laugh. “What do you mean? I never heard anything about this.” “We weren’t really supposed to tell you guys when we started sneaking alcohol, were we?” Scoot grinned. Dash laughed “I guess not. So what happened that was so bad you swore off the stuff forever?” Scoot blushed, but she was smiling as she explained, “Well, Snails had a party two years ago, and I kind of... told everypony I was a fillyfooler. I mean, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle knew, but I was hoping to tell everypony else in a mature and responsible way. Instead I kinda did it by getting trashed and saying it really loud to Diamond Tiara, then kissing her before she could say anything. She was drunk too, but she sure remembered that the next day.” “Well that’s one way to do it,” Dash said, eyes wide. Scoot laughed “Yeah, but it wasn’t all bad. Sunny Daze asked me out the next weekend, so that was cool. I just Pinkie-promised Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle I’d never get like that again. So I just don’t drink.” “But you can’t let something like that keep you from having fun,” Dash said, holding out a fruity, multicolored drink temptingly. Scoot shook her head. “I don’t usually need a drink to have fun. You don’t usually need a drink to have fun either.” “What do you mean? I always drink at clubs,” Dash said, slightly defensive. “No, that’s totally cool,” Scoot said quickly, blushing. “...I just thought that you don’t drink much in Ponyville, and you seem to have fun there.” “Well, yeah...” Dash relaxed a little and smiled. “But that’s a different kind of fun.” “Yeah, I can see that.” Scoot nodded. “But which would you rather have?” “I can have both, I don’t have to choose.” Scoot raised her eyebrows. “Where would you really rather be right now? Here or... Sugarcube Corner?” “I’d rather be...” Dash trailed off as she started to look confused. “Well, I mean...” Dash grinned. “Come on, let’s go.” Scoot felt a wave of relief as they left the crowded club and took off towards Ponyville. They had a nice long flight ahead of them, and delicious cupcakes, and then a whole weekend together after that. This was how she really wanted to spend her time with Dash. Even if she only had a few evenings like this, she could at least try to make them perfect. • • • An hour later, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were sitting in Sugarcube Corner with two bottles of Sweet Apple Acres apple juice and two of Mrs. Cake’s delicious cupcakes in front of them. They talked and laughed, and it wasn’t long before they were joined by Twilight and Spike, then Applejack and Apple Bloom, and finally Pinkie Pie. At Dash’s prompting, Scoot and Apple Bloom shared some stories about things they’d done that they weren’t about to tell the older ponies at the time. Even AJ laughed at the story of how Scoot, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had snuck off to Canterlot to go to a concert and gotten on the wrong train to come home. The older ponies told some stories too, ones Scoot and Apple Bloom had heard but with details that had been left out to make Dash and AJ and the rest seem more responsible, or at least cooler to little foals. When it was time for the Cakes to close up shop, the group moved to Pinkie’s new house for dancing and games, turning the evening into an impromptu party. Dash had a really great time, and she was glad to see that Scoot seemed a lot happier as soon as they left the club. She had wanted to impress Scoot, but now she wasn’t sure why. It was way more fun to just hang around with her. On the flight home, Dash ran through the list of reasons why she ever wanted to go to clubs. To show off was a big one, but telling stories about being awesome to ponies whose admiration she actually cared about was way more fun. Picking up a hot pony was another, but she had one of those flying home with her anyway. Going to Sugarcube Corner had never seemed cool enough for a night out with any of the ponies she was usually with, but with Scoot it seemed like a way better deal then a club. “Hey Dash!” Scoot called, pulling Dash from her thoughts. Dash looked up to see Scoot about ten yards ahead. They were just outside of Cloudsdale, but Dash must have slowed down as she was thinking. “Race ya!” Scoot called, grinning, and she took off as fast as she could go. Dash just grinned and started after her. There was no reason to complain about Scoot’s head start, Dash caught up in no time. She slowed down when she had a healthy lead, grinning over her shoulder at Scoot. “Give in yet?” Scoot was obviously flying her fastest, so she nodded. Then she seemed to notice something, and her face lit up. “I’ll give... if you can catch me!” Scoot banked hard to the left, and flew off into the night sky. As Dash followed, she realized that Scoot was heading into the area where the clouds were waiting to be sent out all over Equestria for tomorrow’s weather. Dash nearly caught up with Scoot time after time, but Scoot darted between clouds, over, under, changing directions mid loop to throw Dash off. Dash hadn’t played games like this since... well, since Scoot was a kid. But Scoot was a lot better now, apparently she’d been practicing. Dash’s power and speed meant that she frequently came close to bouncing off clouds, and sometimes crashed into one and had to reorient herself. But Scoot’s smaller wings and lighter flying style let her flit through the clouds like a hummingbird between flowers. Not to be outdone, the older pegasus flew up towards the full moon, waiting well above the field of clouds until she caught a flash of orange in the moonlight. “Gotcha.” She went into a dive, full speed. In just seconds she flew straight into her target, shoving them both down onto a cloud. “I win,” Dash said, grinning at the younger pegasus pinned beneath her. Scoot was grinning too, and they were both out of breath. Looking at that pretty face, Dash couldn’t help but give her quick kiss. Scoot just laughed. “As always. But I really don’t mind losing like this.” “See? I can even make losing fun,” Dash said, rolling from on top of Scootaloo. Scoot smiled and looked up at the moon and stars, then around at the nearby clouds. She pointed to one. “Think I could make it without wings?” “Only one way to find out,” Dash said with a grin. Scoot grinned back, tucked in her wings, and leapt for the cloud. She fell short by a long shot, plummeting towards the ground. After only a second she came flying back up, laughing. Dash had to laugh along with her. “I guess that’s a no.” “Stand back and watch a master,” Dash said, backing up the two steps that their little cloud would allow, tucking her wings, and taking two steps to gain momentum as she launched herself at the cloud. She felt the tips of her front hooves clip the edge, but she was no where near landing on it. She started to fall, but spread her wings and flew back to Scoot. Scoot was still laughing a little. “Oh yeah, you totally showed me.” “That’s completely impossible.” Dash said, glaring at the cloud. “Nopony could jump that.” “Okay, I guess we’re stuck on this one forever,” Scoot said, flopping down with a smile and a wink. “Sounds good to me,” Dash said, laying next to Scoot and nuzzling her chin. Scoot grinned and blushed, then hesitated. Finally she leaned over and nuzzled Rainbow Dash next to her ear. Dash responded by leaning her head up and catching Scoot’s lips in a kiss. When they parted, Scoot whispered, “Wow.” Dash laughed. “That’s, like, the tenth time I’ve kissed you and you keep saying that.” “It’s gonna take some getting used to,” Scoot said, still blushing. “It took me three months to stop saying it every time I lifted off, after I learned to fly.” “I remember that. You finally stopped when you swallowed a moth.” Dash grinned. Scoot laughed. “That’s something I love about the clouds: No moths. I can keep being amazed as long as I want.” “My kisses are amazing?” Dash said with a smirk. “Everything about you is amazing! You know that. Your mane, your eyes, your body, your hooves, your –” Scoot stopped as Dash put a hoof over her mouth. “Shut up and kiss me again,” Dash said, looking into her eyes as she removed the hoof. “On it.” Scoot grinned as she leaned in with more certainty this time. As their lips met again, Dash shifted on top of Scoot and ran her hooves down her orange body. Dash could feel her own wings getting stiff, but there was something else happening that worried her. She knew she wanted Scoot’s body, but right now she just wanted to kiss her, and look in her big violet eyes. She didn’t want this evening to end, everything about it had been so fun and perfect, all because of Scoot. Dash wrapped her forelegs around Scoot, and realized that she never wanted to let her go. She stubbornly put all of those annoying thoughts out of her mind, and went back to focusing on that orange body with all her attention.