//------------------------------// // Chapter Thirteen; Introductions // Story: Working Towards The Future // by Dasponi //------------------------------// If Scootaloo was expecting to be disappointed in her assumption that the week would be the best ever, then her expectations were not to be lived up to. With Diamond Tiara out of school she had one of the best weeks of school she'd ever had. Her friends hadn’t questioned her about her missing a week anymore and that she was just ill was becoming the recognised truth of the school. Rainbow Dash was also adjusting to her new schedule better, and she didn't oversleep anymore. She could be found napping a little more often than usual, but no weather disasters had happened so it wasn't like she was putting anypony in danger by not keeping a closer eye on the weather. Because Scootaloo was feeling happy and even a little excited at school she began to feel hopeful and excited about other things, such as her upcoming flight lessons. By the time Friday rolled around she was practically bouncing off the walls of the school, waiting for the final bell to ring. “Ah don't remember the last time Ah saw you so excited Scoots.” Apple Bloom said. Her, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were sat outside the school enjoying their lunch. When her friends had questioned Scootaloo about how she always had a lunch now when she barely ever had one before she just told them that Rainbow Dash didn't eat breakfasts as big as her parents and so she had to eat lunch again. Her friends still though that Rainbow Dash was foalsitting her while her parents continued their holiday and that they would be back in a week, or a few days now. They still didn't know any of the details behind anything that had happened between her and Rainbow Dash. “Didn't I tell you?” Scootaloo replied. “Tell us what?” came Sweetie Belle's voice. “I'm going to be starting flying lessons!” Scootaloo said excitedly, jumping up and giving her wings an enthusiastic buzz. “That's great Scoots! Ah'm surprised it took Rainbow this long to do it though.” Apple Bloom said, wrapping a foreleg around Scootaloo and holding her close. Sweetie Belle joined in to turn the affair into a veritable group huddle. “Oh it's not Dash that's teaching me. She's been too busy with...work, so she's asked a friend of hers to teach me. He lives a while away so that's why its taken so long.” Scootaloo explained. She hadn't told her friends about her failed attempts at flight. They would have probably been reassuring, Scootaloo told herself, but she was just too ashamed and embarrassed to tell them. They weren't Pegasi like her so they wouldn't be able to understand what it was like. “Oh, well I'm sure that they'll go well. He must be a pretty cool guy if he knows Dash, right?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Right.” Scootaloo replied nervously. She had been full of excitement before but the reminder of her failed attempts had taken that away from her. Where there was hope, there was now doubt. Rainbow Dash was supposed to be the best of the best, so who could teach her if not the best of the best? “You okay Scoots?” Sweetie Belle asked, picking up on Scootaloo's sudden unease. “Yeah I'm fine. I'm just thinking.” Scootaloo replied, putting on a fake smile to reassure her friends. “Oh, what about?” “About what it's like to fly of course.” Scootaloo said, giggling. It wasn't exactly untrue. She was also thinking about what it would be like to be told that no matter what you would never be able to fly too, but what it was like to fly was in there too. “Ah'm sure you'll know soon enough, and then you can show off your fancy flyin' skills like Rainbow.” Apple Bloom said. The three continued their lunch, the topics of conversation turning lighter and more cutie mark oriented. Apple Bloom mentioned she had a plan that she thought of after the latest Sisterhooves Social but that she would need time to put it all together. She was missing one last vital ingredient she told her friends. It was something Scootaloo had asked about before but something they had never found, but she wouldn't give any more hints than that. Soon enough the school bell rang again, signalling the end of their lunch break, and the fillies went inside to finish off the school day. When the final lesson finished and Scootaloo rushed outside to greet Rainbow Dash, who had yet to fail to turn up, she saw that Rainbow Dash wasn't alone this time. Stood next to her was a Pegasus colt with a dark blue coat and a two tone brown and black mane. It was cut like Rainbow Dash's but the colt’s was shorter. Rainbow Dash's mane continued past her shoulders and reached her forelegs but the colts stopped at the shoulder and lightly brushed his back. Rainbow Dash and the colt were talking and Scootaloo was able to see his cutie mark. It was a set of three small stars. Scootaloo shook herself out of her reverie and walked up to the pair. “Hey Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo called as she walked up to the pair. “Hey Squirt, say hello to your new flight instructor, Star Shine.” Rainbow Dash replied with a smile, pointing a hoof at the colt next to her. Star Shine smiled as well and brought himself down to Scootaloo's level. Scootaloo could see deep into his bright green eyes. “Hey Scootaloo, how was school?” Star Shine said. He had a thick accent like the one Pip Squeak, the little colt from Trottingham, had. He really had come all the way from Trottingham. “It was fine Mr. Shine.” Scootaloo replied nervously before giggling at her little rhyme. “Please, call me Shine. I don't like being called Star, so I just go by my second name.” Star Shine replied, smiling wider and trying to make things less formal to put Scootaloo at ease. “Why not change your name? If you don't mind me asking.” “Oh that one's easy. It was the name my parents gave me. Wouldn't want to get rid of the second gift they ever gave me now would I?” Star Shine explained. “The first was life by the way.” he added, answering a question nopony had asked. “What's it mean anyway?” Scootaloo asked, remembering the small piece of advice Rainbow Dash gave her. Rainbow herself grew more alert because it was something she was a little curious about herself. “Well at first my parents wanted me to be some kind of star that shines across Equestria, but it became apparent as I got older that wouldn't happen to me because I wasn't a very fast flier. Instead I became a flight instructor because I was good at getting other fillies to fly. The fillies I teach are very good fliers and become stars themselves and so my name still meant something anyway. That's how I got my cutie mark actually.” he explained, stopping to briefly look back at the mark on his flank. “I might not get to shine across Equestria but I still help train and develop little stars who shine themselves.” he added, turning back to Scootaloo. “Wow, so you really think I can fly?” Scootaloo asked. “I'm yet to find a filly I can't get to fly. So, when do you want to begin lessons?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo was about to respond when Rainbow Dash finally broke her silence and spoke up. “She can start today, but only when she's done her homework.” Rainbow Dash said, deflating Scootaloo. “When did you get so serious?” Star Shine asked Rainbow Dash. “Since she came into my life, I guess.” Rainbow Dash replied, wrapping a foreleg around Scootaloo. Scootaloo huddled up close to Rainbow Dash. “You really do seem to have changed Dash. For the better though if you don’t mind me saying.” Star replied, smiling at the display. He couldn’t remember seeing Rainbow Dash ever act like that before. “She hasn’t changed much. You should have seen her when Diamond Tiara was teasing me. She dropped right outta the sky and shouted at her.” Scootaloo replied, smiling at the memory. This time it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to be deflated and look despondent. “Sounds like we’ve got some catching up to do huh?” Star Shine said. “Let’s get back to your house and we can catch up while the kid does her homework. Then we can get started on lessons as soon as you say she can.” he added. Rainbow Dash nodded and knelt down so Scootaloo could hop up onto her back and took off into the air. Star shine took off after her and flew close to Rainbow Dash so he could talk to Scootaloo. “So what did Dash do with you during your lessons?” he called over to the filly when he got close. “Oh she had me build up my wingpower a little to try and make it easier for me to fly.” Scootaloo replied, thinking back to the lessons. “Did she have you do much flying?” “She tried. She had me flap my wings instead of moving them, saying that it’s good for a filly learning to fly.” “Well she was right.” Star Shine replied, nodding his approval of Rainbow Dash’s teaching methods. “How did that go? What happened?” “Not much.” Scootaloo said, shifting nervously. “I flapped as hard as I could but nothing happened. When Rainbow Dash did it she took off but nothing happened when I did it.” “Nothing?” Star Shine was curious now. Something must have happened. “Well, I could feel the wind under my wings, and it seemed powerful, but I still didn’t take off.” “You can walk on clouds can’t you though?” “Um, yeah. Why?” “No reason. I just need to think about something.” Star Shine replied. He tried to keep his voice level so he didn’t make Scootaloo nervous but she felt that something might be wrong. She was too scared to have it confirmed or denied though and kept her silence.