Rainbow Dash was a rather proud mare; headstrong as well. When she had an idea in her head, she set out to do it. This idea was no exception. Such a good idea Rainbow Dash thought confidently to herself. Her head held high, she trotted with pride whilst little Gale mimicked her movements.
“Rainbow Dash please reconsider this.” Twilight urged.
“Reconsider what? My awesome idea?” Rainbow Dash quipped. “No way! This is going to be perfect.”
Gale had no idea what the two big ponies were talking about. All he knew was that his mommy was happy and the purple lady was upset about something. He loved it when Mommy was happy. The purple lady had been no fun during the time Mommy was away. Now that Mommy was back, he could have lots of fun.
“But you can't teach him to fly! He's too young!” Twilight argued.
Rainbow Dash scoffed. “You're never too young to learn.”
“But he just hatched not too long ago!” Twilight attempted to reason with her friend. Rainbow Dash on the other hoof didn't seem to pay her any mind.
“Well I read that a griffon's wings develop far earlier than a pegasus's. Some of them even fly days out of the nest.” Rainbow Dash informed.
Twilight's face scrunched with irritation, regretting the fact she had given Rainbow Dash that book. “Yes but these aren't normal circumstances.” Twilight once more attempted to reason. “Maybe if you were a griffon you could probably do this no problem but you're not.”
Rainbow Dash turned her head with an irritated glare. Gale, who was too busy copying Rainbow Dash, bumped right into her leg. “First you want me to raise him then you don't. Make up your mind Twi.”
“I never said I didn't want you to raise him.” Twilight corrected. “I just think you need to reconsider your method, that's all.”
“Method smethid.” Rainbow Dash retorted. “I know what I'm doing! Trust me.”
“You can't throw him out of a tree!” Twilight exclaimed.
Rainbow Dash halted momentarily muttering “Dang! Scratch that one.” only to continue moving again. Twilight held even more reservations, but they fell upon deaf ears, for Rainbow Dash was already out of range. Twilight stared outward with concerned eyes before letting loose a sigh.
“I really hope she doesn't get him killed.”
XXX
With her initial tree plan out the window, Rainbow Dash needed a new plan in order to make teach her adoptive son flight.
“No that wouldn't work.” She told herself, dismissing another idea. Each one would pop into her head only to be discarded a second later. She wanted the kid to fly but wanted to do it in a way that seemed reasonable. That and she didn't want to be judged as an unfit mother. It was still peculiar that she had warmed up to the idea so quickly. As her eyes drifted to Gale, she spied him playing amongst the grass, tearing it up and snapping at invisible enemies; so unaware of what was going on around him. Rainbow Dash managed a small grin as she watched the child play.
Sighing, she flopped her backside against the ground; resuming her pondering.
“I'll make a flier out of you kid.” she promised once again.
Nothing but the blue sky stared down at her. That is until a certain pink face popped itself, or rather herself into view.
“Hi Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie's excited voice greeted.
Rainbow Dash jumped slightly, making a strangled sound in her throat. “Geez don't jump out like that!”
“Hee hee! Sorry.” Pinkie Pie apologized.
Looking around the field, Rainbow Dash spied nopony was with the pink storm that was Pinkie Pie. What she was doing in a field all by herself was unknown. Rainbow Dash almost decided to ask of it, but decided against it seeing as the reason for such an action was probably “just because”, or a simple “I dunno” from her friend. It probably was best if it remained unanswered.
Pinkie Pie was so random after all.
“So whacha doing?” Pinkie Pie asked.
Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof towards young Gale who to her shock was starting to bound off again. Quickly, Rainbow Dash jetted towards the young griffon, grabbing him by the tale with her teeth. “Not so fast ya little whirlwind!” the pegasus scolded.
Gale scratched at the ground leaving little claw marks. Pinkie Pie eyed the little griffon, with wide eyed interest.
With a loud gasp, Pinkie Pie stuck her head right in front of Gale's. With a loud cry, Gale hid behind Rainbow Dash.
“A baby griffon? Where'd you get him?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“I adopted him.....sort of.” Rainbow Dash answered.
Pinkie Pie remained silent for a moment, but not before asking, “Does that mean you're a mommy?”
Rainbow Dash thought of nothing else to answer but “Yeah I guess so.”
Pinkie Pie fell silent as a realization hit her. “So that makes you a Mommy Dash?”
Finding the statement true in a sense, Rainbow Dash agreed.
The pink pony's body began to shake and shudder as a feeling welled up inside her. It was a feeling she was quite familiar with, overtaking her on numerous occasions. “YAHOO!” She cried. Leaping high into the air. Spontaneously she began hopping from place to place, as a musical tempo began to play out of nowhere.
“It's the bomb
She a mom
Oh, I'll sing it to the sky
Now you've got a Mommy Dash
And I'm Auntie Pinkie Pie
Hip hooray
Happy day
I should stop, but I can't
Cause I've always, always, always, always
Wanted to be an aunt
And it's so much better for you, you see
Now you'll find a whole new world in maternity!”
Pinkie Pie outstretched her front legs as the impromptu song ended.
Rainbow Dash didn't really know what else to really think about it. “Yeah, that sort of sums it up I guess.”
Pinkie Pie's excitement hadn't left her just yet; there was still a few little spurts left inside her. Continuing to hop around, she resumed her celebration of the good news. “Oh this is so super duper fantastic!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Rainbow Dash is a mommy!”
“I get it Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash said, hoping to halt her friend's voice. “Sorry but I'm teaching little Gale here how to fly.”
“Aww his name is Gale?” Pinkie Pie cooed.
Rainbow Dash beamed with pride at the approval of her son's name. “Yep! Short for Gale Force Wind, cause that's how fast he's going to be.”
“So how's the flying lesson going?” Pinkie Pie asked.
That's when Rainbow Dash's pride ended right then and there. “Actually not so good. I'm fresh out of ideas to get him into the air.”
Pinkie Pie was no expert on flying being an earth pony and all, but she had a basic idea. “Did you try just showing him?”
A heel of realization hit the pegasus causing her to facehoof. Now why didn't she think of that? It was so simple.
And so Rainbow Dash began her lesson, while Gale and Pinkie Pie watched attentively. The young griffon was still a bundle of energy, but his mother was giving off a position that was telling him to listen. It drew him to her.
“Alright listen up.” She began. “Flying isn't as easy as it looks. Although I may be awesome at it, it took me years of practice.” Rainbow Dash reconsidered what she had just said. “Well maybe not that long as I was born with talent.” She proudly smirked at her own self aggrandizing. Enough of stroking her own ego, it was time to start the lesson. “Now first there are your wings, these babies help you fly. Now first you spread them out, nice and far.”
Gale mimicked his mother and spread out his own tiny, underdeveloped wings.
“Good, now the next process is tricky, but once you time it right it's a cakewalk.” To demonstrate, Rainbow Dash pressed her body down slightly going backwards. Then with a spring, she leapt forward flapping her wings rapidly and taking to the air. After doing a few aerial maneuvers, looping through the air and zooming across the sky, she descended. “Alright Gale, you try.”
Little Gale had watched attentively and being the master of infant miming, he followed the adult's example. The young griffon bent his knees down moving backwards only slightly. Then with a spring, he leapt into the air flapping his wings as fast as he could. Rainbow Dash watched with pride as her charge took to the air. Her wide eyes strained against their sockets, increasing in size as much as they were allowed. However, her eyes as well as her growing smile lowered into dismay as young Gale fell flat upon his chest. The fall hardly fazed the young griffon who merely leapt right back up and resumed his earlier grass playing.
“Well at least he made it off the ground.” Pinkie Pie attempted to cheer up her downtrodden friend.
Rainbow Dash shot Pinkie Pie a glare that showed her words were not helping. But still it was the thought that counted.
“Ugh the plan was stupid anyway.” Rainbow Dash reasoned. “Well I mean it was good in theory but the execution could have been better.” Her ego of course wouldn't just let her admit her plan was entirely wrong though.
“Maybe he just needs to be a little higher?” Pinkie Pie suggested. The pink pony was suddenly struck with an idea. “Be right back!”
Before Rainbow Dash could question her, she was off. Just as fast as she had left, Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared carrying several balloons. Before Rainbow Dash could ask, Pinkie Pie took all of the balloons, tying them across Gale's waist. For a moment nothing happened, but soon right before their eyes, Gale started to rise.
“Look! He's flying now!” Pinkie Pie pointed out.
Indeed, he was flying. Squealing with delight, the tiny griffon flapped his wings and paddled his legs in the air as if he were swimming. The goal itself wasn't a total success as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned. Gale may have been flying, but it was only an artificial form of flight. But at least Gale was in the air. His happy face warmed Rainbow Dash's heart. Gale was feeling the joy that his kind felt while in the air; it was a joy that pegasi held as well. However, there was one problem arising: Gale was going too high.
“Uh Pinkie Pie? Those are good quality balloons right?” Rainbow Dash asked with concern in her voice.
Pinkie Pie simply grinned and said. “Don't worry he's small, it will hold.”
Gale continued to rise before coming to a complete stop. Rainbow Dash's heart skipped a few beats before it soothed to a comforting patter. She was scared for a moment. Her own worries were further put aside the moment Gale floated to a complete stop. Gale looked about without fear in his golden eyes. Everything was so fun up here as he floated high above. Down below he could see his mommy and the pink pony below. The pink pony was a little scary and loud. Although if anything happened, Mommy would protect him. There was absolutely nothing to worry about from both sides.
Then the breeze came.
From out of nowhere, a brisk breeze blew past. In that very moment, the balloons were caught by the course of the air current. Without a choice, it followed it; Gale in tow.
“Gale!” Rainbow Dash cried.
The eyes of both she and Pinkie Pie widened in shock. Their hooves trotted against the ground in rapid succession as they followed the balloon trail.
“He's still up in the air. He's still okay.” Rainbow Dash chanted to herself. So long as the balloons were up above, she could always fly in and catch him.
Gale's eyes turned in worry as he went along for his little ride. But Mommy would protect him; there was nothing to be afraid of. The only party that was unaware of the event, was a nearby hawk. It flew about its path, uncertain of the drama that was unfolding within the air and on the land. Suddenly, something blocked its path. They were several round balls floating in mid air, but oddly they had a baby griffon attached to it. The sudden collision startled the hawk and with its talons, it pricked one of the balls (or balloons to the pony folk). This caused the baby griffon to squawk in panic and protest. The additional noise merely served to panic the hawk even more and more balloons were popped One by one they went, until only one remained. Rainbow Dash couldn't see very far from below, and the wind had blown Gale farther away then they wanted.
“Don't pop! Don't pop!” Rainbow Dash cried, hoping with all her heart that the helium filled object would hold.
Now Gale was starting to become worried. He could feel his weight starting to affect his airborne self. The balloon itself, although having no feelings of its own, was struggling to hold the child aloft. If it did have thoughts it would be saying one thing.
“Dang! This kid is heavy!”
Whether it was bad luck, or an outlying force; the balloon wouldn't hold. In that instant, it popped and Gale shrieked as he fell.
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in fright, and Pinkie Pie let out a large gasp.
“GALE!!!!!!” Rainbow Dash bolted at that very moment, in hopes to make it in time.
A/N: Just to let everyone know. The lyrics to the song were not made up by me. They were made up by Blue Paratroopa from Fanfiction.net