Trials of Blood and Kindness

by CommanderX5

Flight School - First Steps

An age altering spell.

Fluttershy, back when she was still called Flutterbat, once asked her parents if it would be difficult to cast. The answer was short and simple: “very hard.” Only the most powerful unicorns, the princess, and pureblood thestrals, were capable of using it.

Following her parents’ instructions, Fluttershy stood in the middle of a darkened and sealed bedchamber, a secret room with a large bed and two comfortable coffins, while a large red rune flashed under her hooves. Nearly a half hundred candles burst into dark flames as Fluttershy felt a tickling spreading from her legs up to her head, affecting both her mind and body.

The room grew in front of her very eyes, and so did her parents. The young pureblood thestral slowly raised her head, looking up at her mom and dad as her body shrank to the size of a six years old filly. She could feel her bones becoming thinner and shorter, her skin reducing in size, and the weirdest of all, unnecessary blood disappearing into nothingness, as if a hole into a pocket dimension was draining her mass from the inside.

The changes in one’s body that a common pony wouldn’t even feel, an experience she found very disturbing as her cheeks turned green. She gulped and closed her eyes, no longer looking at her struggling parents who were covered in sweat and forced to their knees.

Finally, the unpleasant feeling left her body, and Fluttershy sighed in relief. With soft steps, she approached her parents who were lying on the floor, panting from over-exertion. As she was getting closer, a new experience overtook her.

She felt tiny.

For the first time since she was a filly, she felt vulnerable and weak.

Her father raised his head and stroked her mane gently as Fluttershy jumped into his forelegs, pressing her head tightly against his chest.

Before a year passed, Fluttershy wondered if it would be hard to maintain the age spell. Her questions were answered when two, four-centuries-old, powerful purebloods always ended their day lying on the floor, exhausted to their very limits.

Now barely reaching her father’s chest, Fluttershy looked up into her father’s eyes with worry, who just stared down at her with a reassuring smile.

“Are you nervous?” Sample Taker asked as he placed a hoof on his daughter’s shoulder.

“I am,” she responded with her squeaky voice and curled ears, her eyes reminding the ones of a scolded puppy. “I know I shouldn’t be since I already attended a school before, but…” She stopped and looked down while rubbing a cloud with a hoof. The white puffy fragments danced around it with her every move.

The disguised thestral knelt to his daughter’s face and said encouragingly, “It is just a side effect from the strong exposure to an age altering spell. Your body will adapt over the years, long enough for you to fit in without causing any suspicions.”

Fluttershy sighed as she looked at the school and back to her father. "But why flight school?"

With a quick move, the disguised stallion pushed Fluttershy gently with his muzzle. “Flying is very important, especially for our kind.” As Fluttershy walked towards the school grounds, her father followed. “While your knowledge from your previous life is impressive, your physical condition is somewhat lacking.”

Fluttershy gulped at the idea of learning how to be an athlete in her second foalhood. Think positive Fluttershy. A bit of exercise won’t hurt. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all.

Or maybe it will.

“Now’s your turn, Fluttershy,” the coach’s voice reached her ears as she wiped sweat from her forehead. Her muscles were tense and her wings heavy as she felt strength slowly leaving her fragile body.

Fluttershy looked around nervously; the several eyes staring at her didn’t make this experience any less stressful.

She gulped and spread her wings while covering her eyes from the sunlight. The moment a whistling sound reached her ears, she jumped and flew… for ten seconds.

Fluttershy yelped before crashing into a cloud as the puffy surface softened her fall. Her ears and forelegs curled at the sound of laughter and pointed hooves.

“Calm down, everypony. It was just her first try after all,” said a tall bronze stallion with a whistle both on his neck and as cutie mark. His voice was filled with intimidating strength but also with understanding.

Noticing the outstretched hoof, Fluttershy grabbed it as the coach helped her stand. “Please don’t worry too much. Just keep trying and you’ll become a flight champion in no time.”

Fluttershy nodded hesitantly at the encouraging words before rays of the sun forced her to blink. She looked down at her hooves, which were sinking slightly into the cloudy surface. This isn’t good. There are no hiding spots outside of the school I could use to protect myself from the sunlight. I can’t recover my strength like that… but my parents wouldn’t have placed me here if they didn’t had faith that I could overcome my weakness… A short whimpering left her mouth. But can I really fulfil their expectations?

With a lowered head, she climbed up the staircase made of clouds until she was on the top. Once again a center of attention as several pairs of eyes observed her every move. Just like before, she repeated the process, this time lasting eight seconds at best.

“Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy can hardly fly!” were the last words the disguised vampony heard before the coach whistled, announcing the end of outdoor exercises. As he lead the class towards the school, he shot her a look of pity and disappointment.

Stupid sunlight… I’m a laughing stock, Fluttershy thought as she slammed her forehoof against the puffy surface of the cloud, somewhat annoyed by the heat she felt on her back. She took a slow, relaxing breath. Calm down Fluttershy, remember what mom and dad told you. Keep your anger in check. She sighed in disappointment. Who needs a reputation anyway?

“Are you okay?”

Fluttershy’s ears perked up as she flinched, startled by the sudden voice. She pressed a hoof against her chest and looked to the side and noticed a young blue filly with a rainbow mane. After waiting a moment for her heart to slow down, Fluttershy whimpered quietly. Now even my senses are starting to fail me. Seeing how the filly pegasus still waited for an answer, she responded, “Y-yes…”

“Don’t lie to me,” the filly said as she touched Fluttershy’s head. “You’re covered in sweat, and you can barely stand.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I’m… just a little tired, that’s all.”

“Don’t give me that, Fluttershy,” the filly responded before grabbing Fluttershy’s wing, for closer examination.

“W-what are you doing? And how do you remember my name?” Fluttershy asked as she didn’t resist, but found it slightly annoying to have her wing pulled against her will.

“Well, duuh, everypony was shouting your name over and over. It’s hard not to memorize it,” the pegasus responded with roll of her eyes. “My name’s Rainbow Dash, by the way.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath as she gathered her determination, “Would you release my wing, please? Also, why weren’t you laughing like the rest of the class?”

Dash’s eyes opened widely. She shook her head and spoke with bits of anger, “Laugh? Why should I laugh at a pony that has trouble flying? I’m not a jerk, you know.” She released Fluttershy’s wings and pointed at her own while flapping them. “I can’t imagine anything worse than having problems using these. It must be horrible.”

“Oh…” Fluttershy responded, somewhat speechless. From what she remembered about the pegasi, they are a very competitive and athletic race. It was in their nature to laugh and make jokes about weaker and less skilled ones, especially the fillies and colts. It was really unexpected to be shown kindness and understanding from the most talented and athletic filly in the school.

Class!

Fluttershy quickly got up to her hooves and pointed towards the school. “We have to hurry. The class will–”

“On it,” the filly responded as she grabbed Fluttershy and flew towards the school building. Before the vampony could respond, a pleasant cold overtook her. It felt great to no longer have the rays of the sun assaulting her shrunken body, like eating ice cream after spending several hours in a hot desert. Little by little, the strength returned to her. “By the way, If we’re going to be pals from now on, I’ll need to come up with a nickname for you. How about Flutters?”

“Pals? Nickname? What? Why?”

“And once we are done with all the boring lectures, I’ll help you get those wings of yours going! Whaddaya say?”

Fluttershy rolled her eyes as she was swiftly placed on a random cloud inside the classroom, once again the center of attention. She is so kind and friendly, even if a bit impulsive, but why? Why would the best flier in the school want to befriend me when everypony else laughs at my weakness? As the class started, and everypony was told to read about wing's structure, Fluttershy looked at Dash who was now sitting right behind her.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, Fluttershy quickly picked up the fast heartbeat and increased temperature of Rainbow Dash, who was poking the table with a pen. If she’s so nervous while reading, I can hardly imagine how she will react to exams.

As another memory from her previous life suddenly surfaced in her mind, Fluttershy smiled. Maybe I can help her learn about basics of aerodynamics? This is the least I can do for not laughing at me.