//------------------------------// // A CRASH course in Flight // Story: Twilight's Love // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Once again, Flash had come to visit Twilight in Ponyville. This time, he had managed to secure a weekend off, and wanted to spend it all with Twilight. The two were currently walking across a field together. "What a beautiful day." Twilight smiled. "I know." Flash agreed. "And look at that sky. Just perfect for a nice flight." "Flight?" Twilight asked nervously. "Sure." Flash nodded. "You've got wings, right? Might as well use 'em." "I'm not that good a flyer, actually." Twilight admitted. "I can get up in the air just fine, but I'm always off-balance, not to mention strong winds blow me right out of the sky." "Sounds like you could use a crash course in the fundamentals of flight." Flash noted. "Come to think of it, why didn't you ever ask either of those pegasus friends of yours for help?" "Well, Fluttershy's not the strongest flyer herself." Twilight explained. "And Rainbow Dash? To be honest, she doesn't really have the patience to be a teacher." "Well, then." Flash smiled. "Guess it's up to me." "You?" Twilight tilted her head. "Of course." Flash smiled. "Think of it, Twilight; You and me, flying through the clouds together, just the two of us..." "That does sound nice." Twilight sighed. "Okay, grant me the benefit of your wisdom, my new teacher." "First up, let's see how you fly right now." Flash instructed. "Okay." Twilight took a breath. She opened her wings and flapped, lifting herself a few feet off the ground before landing. "How was that?" "Not bad." Flash considered. "But there's a couple of problems. First, you keep flapping your right wing ahead of the left." "I do?" Twilight frowned. "Only slightly." Flash pointed out. "But that's probably just instinct. You're used to putting one hoof in front of the other as you walk, so you're doing the same with your wings." "I guess that's what happens when you get a new pair of wings from out of nowhere." Twilight declared. "Try this." Flash spread his wings slowly, then tucked them again. "Slow and steady, keep opening them at the same time time." Twilight mirrored Flash as he repeated his movements. "There you go." Flash smiled. "Get those wings in synch. It'll be second nature to you before you know it." "I can feel it." Twilight noted. "It's pretty easy, once you get the hang of it. So, what's next?" "What's next is building up those wing muscles." Flash told her. "A few push-ups should do the trick." To emphasise his point, Flash got down on his stomach, and lifted himself up and down using only his wings. "Your turn." He prompted. Twilight herself to the ground, and tried to lift her body weight using just her wings. It was a lot harder then Flash made it look. Just as she managed to rise up to her peak, the feathered appendages gave way, and she collapsed. "Let's call that 'one'." Flash cringed. "Sorry." Twilight scrambled back to her hooves. "I'm not what you'd call 'the athletic type'." "That's not what I've heard." Flash smiled. "They say you've done some pretty athletic things in your time; Dodging a hydra, tackling Changelings, outrunning a living cloud of darkness... I even heard about the time you finished in fifth place in your first ever race." "That was on hoof, though." Twilight blushed . "And those other times were pretty much 'life or death' situations." "Still, they show that you have the potential in you." Flash pressed on. "Come on, let's take a flight." "If you insist." Twilight sighed. The two opened their wings and rose up into the sky. "Try to feel every muscle in your wings." Flash instructed. "Feel the wind blowing against each feather." "Easier said then done." Twilight remarked. "Don't think about it." Flash added. "Feel it. It should be as natural as breathing." Twilight followed Flash's instructions. She felt herself bcoming more even in her movements. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." She smiled. "Doesn't it feel great up here?" Flash asked. "Looking on the beautiful world below, wind flowing in your mane..." "I have to admit, it is quite nice." Twilight agreed. "Follow me." Flash instructed, as he flew around the clouds. "We can work on the ol' flight manoeuvres." The two flew through the skies of Ponyville, performing small swerves and light dives. Twilight had to admit, the freedom of the open sky was truly unique. But, just as she was starting to enjoy herself, a galeforce wind blew right into her face (courtesy of an unfortunate mixup from the weather patrol). "Whoa!" Twilight cried, helpless before the buffeting wind. "Twilight!" Flash called, flying towards her. The wind caused Twilight to spiral downward. Just before she hit the ground, she managed to get control of her wings, (too late to avert her descent, however), ensuring only a mildly painful crash landing. "Are you okay?" Flash asked, landing by her side. "I'm fine." Twilight groaned, getting back on her hooves. "I've had worst tumbles then this, believe me." "Maybe we should call this a day, and head back to the library." Flash suggested. A short while later, the still-sore princess was rubbing her wounded areas, Flash dutifully watching over her. "You sure you're okay?" Flash asked. "I'm sure." Twilight nodded. "Though my wings are a little stiff from all that action today." "Maybe I can help with that." Flash mused. "Lie down." "Lie... what?" Twilight asked. "Just trust me." Flash smiled. "And open your wings." Once Twilight complied, she found her wings being gently caressed by Flash. "Um, what are you doing?" Twilight asked. "Wing massage." Flash smiled. "Gets that soreness right out. Helps you relax, too." Flash rubbed Twilight's wings with his hooves. Twilight sighed with contentment. It had been a while since she had felt quite so relaxed. "Hey, Twilight." Spike said as he entered the room. "I made you some teaaaaaaaand what exactly are you two doing?" "Nothing." Twilight flushed. "Just a... wing massage." "Uh-huh." Spike raised a scaly eyebrow. "Totally on the up-and-up, little guy!" Flash insisted. "I swear!" "Hey, I'm not judging you." Spike shrugged. "What you two do together is your own business." And with that, Spike left the room. "That was... awkward." Twilight grimaced. "So awkward." Flash agreed. "Anyway, what say we give the old flying thing another crack tomorrow?" "You're really hung up on this, aren't you?" Twilight asked. "Of course I am." Flash smiled. "There's nothing I'd love more then to be able to soar through the skies with you, my darling." "Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" Twilight blushed. After a good night's sleep (Flash sleeping in the spare bed - neither felt their relationship was at that level just yet), Twilight and Flash went out to the fields of Ponyville to try again. After spending most of the morning practising, Twilight found her flight patterns improving. "You're definitely getting better." Flash smiled. "Thanks to your encouragement." Twilight chuckled. "It was sweet of you to help me." "What kind of coltfriend would I be if I didn't?" Flash shrugged. "Now, how about another lap before lunch?" As they flew around the Ponyville skies again, Twilight was once more struck by a powerful wind (twice in two days would seem like coincidence, but truth was that a certain wall-eyed pegasus was in charge of the wind that wekend). Thanks to her training, Twilight was actually able to weather it; It pushed her back a ways, but she was able to maintain her balance. "I did it." Twilight gasped, surprised at her own fortitude. "Yeah!" Twilight thrust her front hooves up. She was so overcome with pride, she forgot to keep flapping her wings, and dropped down once more. Flash dove down and caught her in his front legs. "I got ya." He smiled. "Yes, you do." Twilight blushed. "But you didn't have to do that. It was just a momentary lapse in concentration." To emphasise her point, Twilight flapped out of Flash's hold. "Point taken." Flash chuckled. "Seriously, that was pretty good back there. You faced the wind, and stood your ground - so to speak." "Having the right teacher helped." Twilight smiled. "You're a pretty great student, yourself." Flash grinned. "Wanna be teacher's pet?" "Ask me after lunch." Twilight giggled, nudging him playfully. "I'm starving." "Me too." Flash agreed. "All that flying really builds up an appetite. Race you back?" "Try and keep up." Twilight teased. The two flew back to the library, engaged in their friendly race. Thanks to Flash, Twilight had put her little-used wings through quite the workout. She fully intend to repay him for that by giving him as many hugs and kisses as she could. There was still a whole afternoon left before he had to return home, after all...