“Hiya Scoots!” called the most awesome pony in Ponyville.
“Hi Rainbow Dash,” the filly stood at eager attention having apparently spent no time traversing positions from when she had been laying down under the tree idly looking at the sky.
“Your wings look bigger now.”
Scootaloo looked back at her wings, they didn't look bigger at all. They had always been a little small for her age leaving her impatiently waiting for a growth spurt to correct them. It was a source of insecurity for her.
“Do you want me to teach you how to use them?”
“Really? I mean... do you think I can?” This was amazing, the best flier in Ponyville offering to teach her to fly!
“I think it's okay if we try.” Dash gave her a grin that made her little fan-filly knees quiver.
“Where do we start?”
“Just show me what you can do. See if you can get into a hover.”
“um,” Scootaloo knew this was where it would all fall apart. She didn't want to. She didn't want to be ashamed in front of her idol. Rainbow Dash wouldn't want to train a stunted little creature like her.
“Just try it,” Dash reached out nudged her wing.
The filly's wings popped open.
Grudgingly Scootaloo started her wings. There was a sputtering choking sound as they started and they fluttered intermittently threatening to stall. Once they where going at a good speed she put it into gear.
She came to a sudden stop, two hooves forward from her previous position with a terrible gear grinding sound.
“You have to keep the brake on. Now just slide it into first gear.”
The humming sound that Scootaloo's wings made took on a higher pitch.
“Angle the wing more like this to get your thrust focused down.”
To the filly's amazement the grass at her feet was starting to sway in the breeze.
“Good, good, now slowly ease off on the brake.”
Scootaloo's eyes went wide as her for-hooves left the ground.
“Just a little more gas.”
Scootaloo closed her eyes tight as she put more effort into her wing speed.
“Little more.”
A hind hoof left the ground. Just one more. One more leg and she'd be doing it.
“Just a little bit more! You can do it!”
The flight muscles across Scootaloo's chest were heating up. The hum of her wings was now a whine.
A hoof placed it's self under her's and carefully delicately picked her up. Like she weighed nothing.
“You're so close aren't you!” Rainbow Dash sounded proud.
The filly's eyes were closed and her face was dripping with sweat but she couldn't help grinning as she was held aloft by her beloved Rainbow.
Was this the most perfect moment of her life? Yes, yes it was.
And then her wings stalled. They didn't slowly slide to a stop. They just jammed mid stroke. And then Scootaloo fell. Just like she always did.
And then Rainbow Dash caught her. In her forelegs. Wrapped in blue as blue as the sky embraced to a muscular chest, safe, secure and in a wondrous place she had never imagined being.
“Easy kid, that was a great first lesson.”
She totally just said “first lesson.” As in of several.
Then Scootaloo was hugging Dash back. She didn't care if it was sappy. Or that her wings hurt or that she couldn't flying yet. Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, was going to take the time to teach her to fly. She cared about her. Her idol. Cared about her.
Today was the greatest day of her life.
A gentle hoof touched her face and lifted her up. Scootaloo was hesitant to stop nuzzling Dash's chest. She looked up into those glorious, bold eyes and she wondered what that expression they held was.
And then Dash kissed her.
Full on the lips. Aggressive.
It took a few seconds for Scootaloo to decide she was okay with this. She kissed back. Her wings stroked awkwardly at the air trying to push herself deeper into the kiss.
It was sweet and beautiful and something was out of place.
And then it was over.
Panting for breath the filly staggered to her feet. Did that just really happen? It was incredible. It was unbelievable.
A tail teasingly brushed her face.
“Come along Scoots. We should continue this in private.” That smug grin flashed.
Continue? What did that mean? She said it like it was obvious. She said it like everyone knew that there was stuff you did after a kiss.
There was stuff you did after a kiss? And she was going to get to do that, whatever that was, with Rainbow freaking Dash!?
Scootaloo trotted in place in joy her little fan-filly heart threatening to burst with excitement.
“Kiddo, you coming or what?” Dash sounded a little impatient.
And Scootaloo was at her side. There were speed lines.
“This is so awesome!” Scootaloo squealed.
“I am, aren't I?”
Dash led her a short ways to a rarely visited section of Sweet Apple Acres. The blue mare kept catching her in the face with her tail and making them both laugh.
Scootaloo found her self on her back, looking up at Dash. What did come after a kiss exactly? Another kiss apparently.
Slower this time, more careful. A tongue brushed past her lips and she welcomed it. Tongues moving together with slowly increasing vigor.
And the lips parted, the kiss stopped.
Scootaloo looked up at a breathless Rainbow Dash and knew that there was more, a lot more in store for her.
And then there was a rainbow coloured blur and the sound a sledgehammer makes when it impacts with wood.
Rainbow Dash was hurt! She was sprawled out against broken tree. Surrounded by fresh wood debris.
“What the hay do you think you're doing?!” Bellowed the mare looming over the prone Rainbow Dash.
Scootaloo got to her hooves, intent to defend her hero from... Rainbow Dash?
“Ha! Yeah, you got me.” Admitted the stricken Dash before bolting straight up in a streak of rainbow.
The two rainbows dueled in the sky. Scootaloo knew there could be only one winner. The real Rainbow Dash.
It was kind of exciting to watch.
If Scootaloo didn't already know.
The real Rainbow Dash would never kiss her and certainly never do anything that comes after kissing with her.
The real Rainbow Dash would never ever teach her to fly.
Scootaloo was very young still and as the feelings welled up in her knew she wouldn't be able to make it home. But she took pride in how tough she was, she wasn't soft like most other fillies.
That's why she curled into a ball and hid her face behind her hooves. That is why she clenched her teeth just tight as she could.
In hope that no one would hear or see her wail like a baby.