-Time-lapse: 9 years-
Spirit sat quietly on his couch, and watched TV to pass time. For all of his hard, back-breaking work at the rock farm, his boss gave him the week off. Although he was happy about it, he hasn’t been very used to the concept of being…free. He spent most of the week in front of the TV.
Last Hearths Warming Eve, he had gotten Rainbow Dash one of those new Wii U things to plug into the TV. She still plays it all the time, and it looks like it’d be a lot of fun. If only he knew how operate it.
…
Just then, the front door opened, and Rainbow Dash skipped inside. The door then slowly closed by itself. It did that for some reason.
“Dad, I’m home!” Dash exclaimed gleefully.
“Hey, Dashie. How did school go?”
“Hey dad, I have to ask you something.”
Spirit flinched, and got ready for the “where foals come from” speech. In 3…2…1…
Rainbow Dash walked over to him, and held up a flyer.
“Can I join the wrestling club?”
Home base. He was safe for now.
“The wrestling club? Seriously?” Spirit took the flyer, and studied it. “This is a club for colts only.”
“Yeah, so? I can pass off as a colt whenever I need to. All we need to do is dye my mane and tail, and I can start talking with a low voice.”
Spirit sighed. “That is a bad idea in so many ways I won’t be able to stop listing them until I’m sixty.”
“Please, dad? Pretty pretty please?”
“I’d feel better if you joined Junior Speedster Flight Camp. You need to learn to start flying, Dashie.”
Spirit was very concerned for Rainbow Dash at this point. At the age of nine, she still didn’t have her cutie mark, nor did she ever lift off the ground once.
“I don’t want to fly! Flying’s too hard!” She whined.
“But you’re a pegasus. You weren’t born with wings for nothing.” Spirit mentioned.
Rainbow Dash glanced back at the feathery appendages that were attached to her back, midway down her spine.
“Tell you what, let’s go to the park. If you can fly up about fifty feet, do a twirl, and fly back down, I’ll humor you.”
Rainbow Dash put a hoof up to her chin, and though for a moment.
“You’re on!”
………………………………………
Spirit and Rainbow Dash walked through the park, trying to find a clear, unpopulated field area where Rainbow Dash could perform. Spirit looked around, and saw a couple sitting at the same picnic table that he’d found Rainbow Dash at so long ago. It made him shudder to think about how long it’s been.
Eventually, they both reached a nice, open spot.
“Alright Rainbow Dash, show me what you’ve got.”
Rainbow Dash began to flap her wings very quickly. A slight breeze could be felt by Spirit as air was blown around from her efforts. Her eyes were closed tightly, and sweat began to roll down her face.
She stopped suddenly, gasping for air. In her struggles, she had barely lifted off the ground a mere inch.
“I’m sorry dad…flying’s just not my thing.”
…
Spirit rubbed his chin.
“Dashie, I don’t think this is your fault.”
Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up. How in Equestria could something like sucking at flying not be her fault? She looked up at Spirit, bewildered.
“How could this not be my fault?”
“It might not be you; it might be your body.” Spirit said thoughtfully. “Come on, let’s go see if the doctor can give you a quick checkup.”
Rainbow Dash gulped. She hadn’t really liked the doctor ever since he told her to pee in a cup that one time. She still wasn’t quite sure why they needed her to do such a perverted thing.
…………………………………………
The mare at the front desk of the clinic was filing papers when the front door opened. She looked up, and saw Brave Spirit and Rainbow Dash walk in.
“Brave Spirit! It’s been quite a while since you and little Dashie came in here! How can I help you?” The mare asked.
Rainbow Dash pouted. Only Spirit was allowed to call her ‘Dashie’. Nopony else had the honor of doing so but him.
“Well, she tried flying today, and it didn’t go so well. I know that somewhere in that colorful frame of hers is a boatload of raw talent. However, I believe a medical condition has been getting in the way of it.” Spirit explained.
“Ah, so I’m assuming you’re asking for a checkup with the doctor?”
“That would be correct.”
The mare smiled. “He’s just down the hall, to the left. It’s been a pretty slow day today, so I’m sure he’ll be able to see you right away!”
“Thank you.”
Spirit held Rainbow’s hoof, and they traveled down the hall to see the doctor.
…
When the door opened, the doctor could be seen checking files on his computer. He looked up, and smiled as soon as he saw who the visitors were.
“Ah, if it isn’t Brave Spirit and little Rainbow Dash! Just the ponies we need to brighten up our day!” He exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s definitely been a while!” Spirit replied.
The doctor knelt down in front of Rainbow Dash, and adjusted his glasses.
“Why, I don’t think I’ve seen you since your diabetes exam! You don’t look like you’ve changed a bit.”
Ah, the diabetes exam. That’s why he took that perverted test. What the heck is diabetes, anyway?
The doctor stood back up. “So, what do you need?”
“Well, Dashie tried flying today, with little success. I’m thinking that most pegasi her age should be in the air by now, so I’m getting concerned.”
“And you came to me to see if she has any medical problems? Say no more.”
The doctor walked over to the chair that was up against the wall, and patted the seat. “Alright Rainbow Dash, please sit here.”
Rainbow Dash walked over to the seat, and sat down.
“Please unfold your wings.”
Rainbow Dash did as she was told. The doctor ran his hoof down the length of her wing, from the base to the tip. This made her shudder, and giggle softly.
“Sorry about that…” She said, blushing.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s perfectly natural to get physically aroused by the feeling of a wing-stroke.” The doctor responded.
"What does 'aroused' mean?" She asked.
"It means to get sexually excited." The doctor responded.
"......Oh......"
…
For the next five minutes, the doctor studied, and performed various tests on Rainbow Dash’s wings. Finally, he asked her to flap them a couple of times.
Rainbow Dash did as she was told, and a small breeze filled the room. Various loose objects blew off the counter and onto the floor.
“Hmm…”
“What is it, doc?” Spirit asked.
“That is a very unnatural wing pattern… I think I might know what the problem is.”
“What is it?”
“Your daughter here was born with a relatively rare deformity in which the wings don’t produce enough primary feathers.”
“W…what does that mean?” Rainbow Dash stuttered.
“Primary feathers are the long feathers on the very tip of the wing that play a massive role in the patterns of flight. If you don’t have enough of them, I’m afraid flight is impossible.”
Spirit and Rainbow Dash gasped. They both stared, crestfallen.
“Strangely enough, we had a newborn filly in here just a few days ago who was diagnosed with the same deformity. What was her name…Scootaloo? She was orange, and had a magenta mane and tail.” The doctor added.
Rainbow Dash trudged over to Spirit, and buried her face in his chest. He put his arms around her.
“Thank you for telling us, doc.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, I think we’re good. We’ll just be going now.”
The doctor just stood in that one spot as he watched the father and daughter walk out the door. He truly felt bad for them, especially Dashie. Imagine what it must feel like for a pegasus to never be able to fly.
To be Continued…