//------------------------------// // Chapter IV // Story: A Dash of Shyness // by TM2 Dinobot //------------------------------// Chapter IV Equestria was a marvelous land, filled with rolling hills, majestic waterfalls, vast parries where ponies could run for hours on end. And towering above it all, even higher than the royal city of Canterlot, floated Cloudsdale. The Pegasi fortunate enough to be in the city were greeted with the most stunning landscapes their world had to offer. Yet it all paled in comparison with Equestria at night. Standing at the edge of the city, it was possible to look out and see thousands of twinkling lanterns, stretching for miles. If the winds were just right, the fresh scent of the wild would drift in from the Everfree Forest to the south, or the crystal beach to the west, across the Smokey Mountains, adding an exotic twang to the air. Overhead the last traces of dusky pink would kiss the sky, long after Celestia had set the sun for all the other ground-bound ponies. And just when it couldn’t become any more spectacular, the stars would twinkle into place one at a time. The Ursas would appear, along with Cancer, while The Hunter would chase Nightmare Moon from the sky, forever locked in her lunar prison. Underneath the majestic audience of the sky, two fillies broke curfew, racing at full tilt to the edge of the school grounds without being seen. They slowed just as the bottom dropped out, allowing for a dive. “It’s so beautiful.” Fluttershy craned her neck, awestruck be the stars. “I know, isn’t it great? I come out here to practice.” Dash watched the ground, her rump swishing back and forth, contemplating a jump. “I wish we could go up there.” “Huh?” Dash made a face, finally paying attention to her roommate’s hypnotized face. “What do you mean?” “Up there, in the sky.” The pastel pony pointed. “I bet the stars are so warm and friendly.” “Well, let’s go find out.” Dash grinned. “Oh, no. I couldn’t.” alarm crossed her face. “What to you mean?” “That’s much too high.” Fluttershy backed away, retreating for the safety of the school. “Then we’ll just stick close to the ground.” Dash gestured. “Oh no. That’s also much too high.” “Fine.” Dash sighed. “We’ll land and wander around like a couple of Earth Ponies.” “Eep!” Fluttershy ducked, burying her head under her hooves. “What’s wrong?” Dash asked, concerned. “We can’t go down there. It’s dangerous!” “It’s not dangerous.” Rainbow Dash blew her off. “Promise me you’ll never go down there, Dashie. It’s not safe.” The words came almost as a whisper as Fluttershy held her hoof, looking into her friend’s face. “No one calls me ‘Dashie’ but my mommy…” Dash muttered. “I’m sorry.” Fluttershy let go. “I heard her call you that and I figured…” “No, it’s okay. It bothers me when other kids call me that, but not when you do. It’s weird.” “Oh.” Fluttershy simply stated. “Your mother is nice.” she smiled. “She’s the best pony ever!” Dash beamed. “She once helped Princess Celestia all by herself. Well, her friends helped. I guess. That's how she met my dad.” “That’s amazing. My daddy--” “What’s wrong?” Fluttershy had stopped talking so suddenly and turned s pale that Dash thought something bit her. “I don’t want to talk about it.” A barely audible voice came from her mouth. “Hey, let’s go flying. That always clears my head.” Dash nudged her. “I can’t.” Fluttershy squeaked, barely any louder. “Sure you can.” Dash insisted. “You just spread your wings and jump.” “No, Rainbow Dash. I can’t!” She spat defiantly through her quivering lip. As realization crossed her friend’s face, the yellow filly looked away in shame. Slowly Dash reached out, and as if holding a broken bird, took Fluttershy’s hoof. It was larger than her own, older in so many ways, but still trembled like a foal. Dash studied her features slowly slowly. “You can’t fly, can you?” Fluttershy shook her head, tears unable to allow her to speak. Why did she always have to cry? Why couldn’t she be strong like Dashie? “Didn’t anypony ever teach you?” “No.” Fluttershy admitted. “My daddy is a very important business pony in Manehattan.” “What about your mom?” asked Dash. “No pony.” was all Fluttershy could get out before her throat closed up. Dash took a moment to compose herself. “Well, that changes right now. Stand up, I’m going to teach you.” Fluttershy did as she was told. They walked to the edge of the cloudbank. It was a very long ways down. “Now, you’ve got to feel your motor running. Get it purring. Think speed. Get your heart racing. Is it racing?” “I think so. Couldn’t we find someplace to do this a little less dangerous?” “Fluttershy, concentrate! Now, feel my heart.” Dash grasped Fluttershy’s hoof and put it to her own chest. The older pony blushed red, but could indeed hear Rainbow’s heart beating out a speedy rhythm. “Is yours doing that?” “No.” she shyly admitted. “Really? Not even when you think about speed? Hmm…” Dash thought a moment. “I’ve got it! You like animals, right? Think about birds and how they soar in the sky.” “Okay.” Fluttershy closed her eyes. She certainly felt more at peace inside than she had a moment ago. “Is it working?” It was Dash’s turn to put her hoof to Fluttershy’s heart, who’s wings spread involuntarily, either from a peace of mind or puberty, she didn’t know which. Rainbow Dash was oblivious either way. “I guess so. Okay, checklist time. Eyes, check. Wings, check. Flaps, check.” “Tail, check.” Fluttershy smiled. “Hey, how did you…?” “I've been watching you, remember?" "Yeah, but I didn't know I was teaching you without teaching you." the thought rumbled in Dash's young head. “I told you that you fly beautifully.” “Thanks, Fluttershy. You ready to do this?” Dash took her friend’s hoof in her own. “No…” “Great, let’s go!” Dash jumped, pulling Fluttershy along behind her. The larger pony screamed, and forgetting her peace of mind moments ago, closed her wings and held onto Rainbow Dash for dear life. Dash did plenty of yelling of her own, because now they were both in an uncontrolled fall, and the ground was growing incredibly large. “Fluttershy, you donkey! Get off me!” Dash kicked. Fluttershy continued to scream, only changing her pitch as she was now on her own. Grasping wildly, she found Rainbow Dash’s long tail and clung to it like a life preserver. Unfortunately she was now out of Dash’s kicking radius, and they were both helpless. Dash spread her wings and gunned it, but there was just too much weight. She managed to slow their decent, possibly enough to survive. That was when her stomach growled. Supper had been a long time ago and she was now running on fumes. Dash kept trying, spreading her wings to the max as they slowly stopped purring and locked up. Maybe she could slow them enough to land on one of the clouds they were currently blowing through at top speed? If only she could think, but Fluttershy held a continuous pitch that drilled straight into her brain. “Fluttershy! Stop screaming!” Dash looked down. Bad idea. She’d forgotten how big the world looked up close. She decided now was as good a time as any to start praying. “Hail Celestia, full of grace, the sun art with thee, blessed art thou amongst ponies-- Fluttershy! We. Are going. To die. Spread your wings!” Apparently Celestia really was with them that night. Fluttershy had seen too much death, and she didn’t want to bring that kind of pain on Firefly, or even her own father. Something in Dash’s words got through to her, and she focused on the warm spot of love in her heart. But she went deeper than chemical hormones or fuzzy animals would allow. She remembered the words that she held so very close to her heart. ‘I love you.’ And her wings spread at full mast, flaps extended. There was a freak updraft from the direction of the Everfree Forest, and Fluttershy could swear she smelled jasmine. But that updraft saved their lives. It was enough wind to catch beneath their wings, pushing them back up. Fluttershy let go as Dash slowly spun around to face her. “You are the worst. Wing mate. Ever.” Dash crossed her forelegs, a sour look on her face. Living in the moment, Fluttershy didn’t care. Dash couldn’t help but smile. “You’re still my best friend.” “Thanks, Dashie. You’re mine too.” They floated there for a moment before Fluttershy looked around. “So, this is flying?” “Well, not really. This is more of-- Hovering! Fluttershy, We’re hovering! We can pass Coach McHard Cheese’s class!” “Well, I’m hovering. You’re spinning in place.” Fluttershy made a small circle around Dash. “Oh, haha. Just tell me how you do that.” Dash’s circles were getting faster. She was about to throw up, right into the updraft. “Admit I’m a better flier than you.” “You are not a better flier than me.” Dash pouted. “Fine.” Fluttershy banked away. “I’m going home.” “Wait. Fine. You’re a better flier than me. There, are you happy?” “Say please.” She turned back. “Please.” Dash drug the word out as long as she could. Of course this was just good-natured ribbing between friends, right? Fluttershy wouldn’t really leave her quite literally hanging, would she? “Alright. Now, spread your wings.” “They are spread!” “Do you want to fight or are you going to listen to teacher. Now, spread your wings further.” Fluttershy clarified. Dash sighed and did as she was told. “Now, use your tail as a rudder. Use little adjustments.” Dash gave her tail a hard swish to the left. She started spinning like crazy. “Woah!” Fluttershy grabbed her. “I said little adjustments! Better?” “Yeah.” Dash’s eyes were still spinning. “Hey, I can actually control where I’m going now!” “Yep. I think your problem may have been you were trying too hard.” Fluttershy smiled. “And yours was you weren’t trying at all.” Dash grinned. “I think we work really well together.” “Of course we do.” Fluttershy grinned as well. “We’re friends.” “Come on, buddy.” Dash took her friend’s hoof and turned for the east. “Let’s go home.”