Trials of Blood and Kindness

by CommanderX5

Flight School - Friend

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash said before slamming her face into the opened book. “It’s supposed to be a lunchbreak. I need to fill my tummy and stretch my wings.”

Fluttershy shook her head as she held Dash’s notebook, pen perched between feathers of her left wing. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you show this to Miss Snow. You were in such hurry to do your homework, that you may upset her with what you, umm... wrote.”

Rainbow looked around the lunchroom, focusing on several fillies and colts sitting on clouds while eating hay sandwiches, tiny pieces of their food falling onto the long tables in front of them. Dash’s stomach rumbled as she looked back at her friend and spoke with a pleading tone, “I’m sure she will pass me, and if not, no biggy. It can’t be that bad.”

Fluttershy pointed with her hoof at a mathematical equation. “If a pegasus is flying at a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour, and the distance between point A and point B is a thousand kilometers, the answer is anything but; ‘two days.’”

Rainbow Dash frowned. “And what about a break for lunch and sleep? We can’t fly all the time, ya’ know.”

Fluttershy resisted the urge to facehoof while her mouth released a weak cheerful giggle. After taking few slow breaths while restraining her laughter, she spoke slowly, "If you fly at a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour, in one hour you will pass...?"

Dash sighed before saying with annoyance, “Two hundred kilometers?”

“Very good,” she said while giving her friend a warm smile. “And how how many you will pass in two hours? Without break for sleep or ice cream.”

Dash rubbed her chin. “Four hundred… I guess…”

Fluttershy nodded and asked, “And in three hours?”

“Six…” Noticing a nod while a notepad and pen was given to her, Rainbow Dash grabbed it carefully and held the pen with her mouth. After several seconds of thinking, she scratched out her previous answer and wrote ‘five hours.’”

“Good job,” Fluttershy said, once again with a warm smile before continuing, “Now for the next task. How many meters per hour is a thousand kilometers per hour?”

Dash dropped pen from her mouth and looked at the ceiling. “Uugh, why can’t you just let me copy your homework? It will be sooo much faster.”

“That would be cheating,” Fluttershy said firmly before adding in a more caring tone. “At least try, pleeease…”

Rainbow Dash looked away form the pleading eyes of her friend, when suddenly a bag of flour hauled by a cook captured her attention. An idea for a prank on Miss Snow surfaced in her mind. She bit her lips and looked back at Fluttershy, who still stared at her with faith radiating from her sea-blue eyes.

After a moment of resisting the temptation as drops of sweat formed on her forehead, she lowered her head and said in a bored tone, “Fiiine…” She slowly took away the notepad and started writing with a bore expression, her head supported against her forehoof. “You always keep your word and do fifty wing-ups after school, I guess it’s only fair I put more effort into my homework.” Her stomach rumbled again as she shook her head. “Focus, Dash, focus.”

Fluttershy looked at her little wings, already expecting a burning sensation she will have to endure after going through Dash’s training under the merciless sun. But a promise is a promise, and she was going to keep her word. She smiled at her friend’s effort, but it vanished the moment her ears perked upward as she heard whispering between fillies.

With an apologetic look, she observed her at her athletic friend who was busy brainstorming to fix her homework. Poor Dash. Being lectured and convinced by me is doing nothing but ruin her reputation. She sighed. But it is for her own good. I hope she can forgive me..

“See, just like I told you. If you put a little effort into it, you can get a good grade. I’m sure your parents will be very proud,” Fluttershy said as she followed her friend. She waved to the teacher who returned the gesture while looking at her as if she was a miracle maker.

“Yeah, proud,” Dash said while trotting in place. “I… I need to do something. Can you wait once I’m done, Flutters?” Seeing a nod, she flew outside through an opened window.

Fluttershy looked for the least lit area. Seeing a mostly dark corner available, she approached and sat down into the wonderfully cool shade. Ignoring the playful fillies flying or running through the hallway, she picked up a book from her saddlebag and began reading.

Second after second, minute after minute, she sank into the fascinating lecture about the wonders of pony’s heart as she was already halfway done with all possible sickness and how to cure them, when suddenly a noise of thunder captured her attention.

Not wasting a moment, she packed the book and followed others, before arriving at some sort of scene.

“R-rainbow?” she said hesitantly as she saw her friend being held by her ear, and one of the teachers with smoke coming from his flank, right above cutie mark that looked like a wing drawn on a scroll. The fillies laughed at the scene, but were quickly silenced by his firm stomp.

“Step aside, students,” he said with strong, angered voice before pushing Rainbow Dash ahead. “To the director’s room, now!”

“E-excuse me,” Fluttershy said, capturing teacher’s attention. “M-may I ask what happened?” She curled slightly, still not used to pegasus stallions intimidating size.

Upon recognizing the filly, his glare softened as he responded with calmer tone. “Rainbow Dash thought that it would be funny to place a miniature storm cloud into the teacher’s bathroom.” He raised his head and added, “Such behaviour won’t be tolerated.”

Fluttershy facehooved before looking her friend in the eyes as she asked, “Why would you do this?”

Dash looked around at the gathered crowd and crossed her forearms, her muzzle raised. “For fun.” She pointed at the now slightly calmer teacher and said with smug on her face, “Thanks to me, using bathroom is now a very shocking experience.” The returning anger on the stallion’s face did little to discourage the echoing sounds of laughter.

“I’m sure your parents will be more than happy to hear that,” the stallion responded before pushing Dash with his wing. “Let's go.”

Fluttershy watched the scene with curled ears. It wasn’t the first time her friend pulled a prank on a teacher, despite her attempts to discourage her. She saw as the other fillies and colts gossiped on how daring of a pony Rainbow was – even to the extent of getting into trouble with the teachers. If she will seek attention that way... I fear for her future, Fluttershy thought while considering her next course of action. With a surge of determination and a plan formulating in her mind, she followed the teacher. I know you are a good pony. As a friend, I can’t let you walk this path.

Fluttershy quickened her pace, and upon seeing a space between the surrounding crowds and the teacher, she sped through to catch up with the group. “Sorry,” she squeaked as she lightly rubbed against another filly.

She halted her movement the moment she was in front of the teacher, causing him to give her a cursory glance. “I-I’m sorry for what Rainbow did, she-“

“There’s no need to apologize for your friend’s actions, Fluttershy. She causes problems, but she owns up to them, though it doesn’t seem like she’s willing to cooperate at the moment.”

The disguised vampony shook her head and continued, “But I should have known… I could have stopped her… I’m really sorry. I promise she won’t do it again! Will you give her a chance, please?”

Dash looked between the group behind her and next at Fluttershy and frowned. “Don’t put words in my mouth. I do what I want.”

“Wooo…” echoed through the hallway as everypony now looked between Dash and the teacher with rapt attention.

Fluttershy blushed as she pleaded, “If… if you must… can I receive half of her punishment?”

Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped at the notion of Fluttershy being punished for her wrongdoings.

“I can clean up the trash, detention after school… just please, don’t be too harsh to her.”

“F-Flutters…” Dash responded, her mouth agape.

After a moment of contemplation, while murmurs between students became louder, the teacher nodded and made the final decision. “Alright.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy responded as she lowered her head after giving the teacher a thankful smile, when suddenly her friend walked between her and the stallion.

“Flutters had nothing to do with it, you can’t punish her,” she said with a stomp while looking up at the towering stallion with determination. “I messed up!”

Fluttershy was about to respond, but the teacher beat her to it. “You should be happy that you have a friend who want to take responsibility for your foolishness. You could learn a thing or two from her.” With firm steps, he passed both fillies and said, “Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, follow me please.”

As the crowd lost interest and spread out, both fillies followed the teacher at a steady pace. Fluttershy looked at her friend, but her mouth refused to open.

Dash looked back at Fluttershy with angered glare and said, “Why are you putting your nose into my pranks?”

“I just… I didn’t want you to get in trouble.”

“And now we’re both in the same boat. I didn’t ask you to help me.”

Fluttershy’s ears and wings drooped. “But it’s what friends do… I couldn’t leave you…”

“Like I care,” Dash responded before looking to the other side. “I prank the teachers and get punished. You should stick to the books.”

The sun had nearly descended behind the horizon when Fluttershy went outside, some hours after the others. Leftovers of chalk from cleaning several blackboards were still visible on her fur. She shook the chalk from herself for the third time in the past hour, and focused her attention on finding the waiting servant. Note to myself: Make an apology gift for Mister Cold Drink for wasting his time. Maybe a hoof-made necklace… or a cape with red illuminating marks in the shape of bats… I’ll need to think about it.

Despite spending most of the day doing various tasks set up by the teachers alongside her friend, she didn’t feel tired or sad as she felt nothing but pride for her actions today. I hope that she will forgive me someday, but I couldn’t let her seek attention like that, she thought while walking towards the servant. Even if she refuses to talk with me for weeks or months, I have to help her avoid mistakes that may haunt her future.

“Flutters, wait!”

Fluttershy stopped in her tracks and looked towards the source of the voice, quickly noticing her friend flying towards her. She turned back to the servant sent by her parents, who had spread his wings as if ready to attack. She calmed the vampony with a gesture of her hoof before turning towards the filly.

“I’m sorry!”

Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion. “S-sorry?”

“For not talking with you!” Dash responded, the strength of her voice forcing Fluttershy to take a step back. After taking a few quick breaths, Dash landed on the cloudy surface and added, “You tried to stick up for me to the teacher and take half of the punishment, and I responded by yelling and just being... a jerk." She slammed her hoof against the puffy surface and said in depressed tone, “But you… you just… I’m sorry.”

Fluttershy took few steps forward and placed forehoof on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m glad that you’re not angry.”

“Angry? I was angry… but now I see that I shouldn’t. You got my back and I didn’t know what to say.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “I just didn’t want you to get punished because of me. I wanted attention, and ended up getting my friend into my mess. Can you forgive me?”

Fluttershy retreated her hoof and smiled warmly. “There’s nothing to forgive. Just don’t get into trouble too often. It really worries me when you make teachers and your parents angry. Would you not do it anymore… please?”

Dash took a step back and looked to the side as the silence lasted for several seconds.

“I make no promises…” Rainbow Dash started before rubbing back of her neck. “But I can at least try.”

Fluttershy nodded as she sat next to Dash and placed her wing on her back. “That’s more than enough for me.” She giggled. “Before I go, would like me to do the wing-ups as I promised?”

“Nah,” Dash said as she waved her hoof dismissively. “You did more than enough already.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Fluttershy responded before looking once again at her servant, who was gesturing for her to come. “My parents must be really worried about me. I better not keep them waiting any longer.”

“Mine too,” Dash responded as she spread her wings and started to hover in mid air. “I know it may come out of the blue, but can I sometime, maybe... visit your home? You never told me where you live.”

Fluttershy raised forehoof to her mouth as realization struck her. With awkward smile, she looked up at her friend and responded, “I… I’m unsure they will agree. They don’t like visitors.”

“Are you embarrassed of me?” Dash asked with crossed forelegs.

“N-no, of course not.”

“Whatever, how about you visit my parents instead. I’m sure they’ll like to meet you.”

Fluttershy nodded hesitantly. “I would like to meet them, but I need to ask my mom and dad first.”

“Fair enough, and once again, sorry,” Dash responded before flying away.

Fluttershy sighed as she saw her friend fade away into the distance. She has a lot of growing up to do. But I’m glad we’re still friends.

With that thought, Fluttershy felt a warm feeling in her chest as she made her way home.