Appledashery

by Just Essay

Awesometrics

"Hey... Hey Rainbow!" I chirped louder, leaning up against a wooden crate pressed to the wall of an alley. "Rainbow Dash!"

She perched—more like slumped—on an apartment rooftop, overlooking the west edge of Ponyville.

"Rainbow Dash! Hey!" I grinned wide. "I've been practicing! Look!" Buzzing my wings, I slowly took off and hovered a good three feet from the ground. It took a great deal more effort to keep myself hovering in place than it did to actually lift off. I wasn't quite sure why, but rather than focus on the strain I spread my two forelimbs wide and dramatically sang: "Ta-daaaaa! See?! I can get off the ground!"

She didn't seem to hear me. I saw her ears folded back as she leaned her chin against her forelimbs. It occurred to me that maybe she was asleep.

"I did everything you taught me to! Isn't that awesome?! I mean... it's not exactly flying but it's getting somewhere, right? Huh? Rainbow Dash?" My face twisted, and then I grinned. "I know! I'll just get closer so you can see better! I... uh... I-I think I can do that!"

Then, straining, I flapped my wings harder and harder. The alleyway floor became distant, foggy in the afternoon haze. I was sweating at that point, and my spine ached.

"Unf... gnnngh... I know you... s-said that I shouldn't try to strain to get myself airborne! But... th-this is a lot harder than it l-looks!" I felt my wings going numb, and only then did I realize just how many feet I had ascended. "Uh oh." My inner organs shifted as I plummeted like a rock. "Aaaaaugh—!"

Swoooosh! A blue hoof grabbed my right fetlock. "Watch yourself, kid," Rainbow Dash said, and in a blink I was hoisted up to the rooftop. She flapped her wings, then plopped down beside me. I expected a wry grin across her face, but instead her muzzle was cold and limp. "Not too shabby. But if you're gonna take off, then you should always have a plan for getting back down."

"Oh... oh right..." I was panting heavily—and trying my darnedest to not show it. "You're absolutely... right... wow... Rainbow Dash..." I slicked my mane back, smirking. "That's some really good advice! You're like a friggin' genius at flying!"

"Meh." And she slumped down to the rooftop just as she was when I found her. She continued gazing west, past the edge of town, towards where the rural settlements of Ponyville began.

I blinked at her, curiously followed her gaze, then said: "The very moment I learn to fly, we're building a super secret door into the rooftop of the treehouse!"

"Mmmmf... who's 'we?'"

"Hehe! Apple Bloom and I, of course! Sweetie Belle would help, only Rarity's always telling her that power tools are for mares who like to wear plaid. Whatever that means. But Sweetie Belle hates plaid, so it's up to Apple Bloom and me."

"Rarity's something else," Rainbow muttered. "Still... she's only trying to save Sweetie Belle the trouble, I suppose."

"The trouble of what? Reconstructing a treehouse?"

Rainbow merely sighed, her eyes glued to the western fields. "Forget it. Rarity's just being silly. Sweetie Belle's being silly. Everypony and everything..." Her ears twitched. "Silly... silly ponies."

"Rainbow, are you... feeling alright?" I asked.

"As alright as I'll ever be," she droned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know." Rainbow's tail flicked limply. "Maybe someday I'll write a book about it."

"Oooh! Really?!" I grinned wide. "A book?" I hopped across the rooftop. "Maybe I could help you with it!"

"Meh." She sighed again. "Whatever."

"Uhm... it doesn't have to be a very long book."

"Heh. Good luck with that." Silence. Suddenly, Rainbow felt her body shifting. Curiously, she glanced aside with a confused expression.

It may have had something to do with the fact that I was hugging her.

"The heck are ya doin', Squirt?"

"Hugging you."

"Uhm... I can see that." She raised an eyebrow. "But why?"

"Because..." I looked at her with a sweet smile. "When you hugged me that last time, it seemed to make you feel better."

"Kid... I... uh..." Rainbow gulped. "You... should be careful about who you hug and feeling like you should be obligated into doing it."

"No obligation!" I winked. "I just want you to feel better."

"Hugging doesn't always make ponies feel better."

"Yeah, well, it can't hurt!"

"Kid, I..." She suddenly rolled her eyes and face hoofed with a prolonged exhale.

I suddenly felt a nervous spasm in my chest. "I... I'm sorry." I fought a lump in my throat as I drew away. "I... I made you mad, didn't I?"

"No, kid."

"I'll leave you be—"

A strong wing stretched around me, holding me closer with blue feathers. "I'm not mad," Rainbow said. She sported a smile, and it looked like it took more effort than a sonic rainboom. "I'm just... being me."

"Yeah, but..." I blinked worriedly at her. "You're awesome. This... isn't like you."

She winced slightly, but ultimately said, "Remember how I said you should always have a plan for coming back down from a flight?"

"Right." I nodded.

She nodded back. "Awesomeness is a long way down."

"Heh... I bet it is!"

Silence.

"Say, kiddo..."

"Yeah, Rainbow?"

She continued staring west, only a soft expression came over her. The hint of a smirk rose one degree at a time across her lips. "Did I ever tell you about the one time I took on a cyclops and a basilisk all on my lonesome?!"

"What?!" I instantly perked up. "A cyclops and a basilisk?! No way!"

"Heheh... yes way."

"Say... Rainbow Dash?"

"Hmm?"

"... ... ...just what is a basilisk, anyways?"

"Well, lemme describe it to you," she said. "As well as how I kicked its ugly butt."

"Heehee! Cool!"

Comments

[RoboRed]

"I don't know." Rainbow's tail flicked limply. "Maybe someday I'll write a book about it."
"Oooh! Really?!" I grinned wide. "A book?" I hopped across the rooftop. "Maybe I could help you with it!"
"Meh." She sighed again. "Whatever."
"Uhm... it doesn't have to be a very long book."
"Heh. Good luck with that."

...Welp...not very much to say here. Nosirree...

[Mister Saxon]

"Hugging doesn't always make ponies people feel better."

LIES!!!! HERESY!!!!

[Lightning Bearer]

Scoots is best Eljunbyro.

[314]

First Lanciedashery, now Scootalove! I like where this is headed.

[YoshiFawful64]

So, is this how Scoots got to know how to write the book?

[HopelessRomanetic]

I have this intense need to know what was going know on in Rainbow's head during this chapter.

[MoonMirror]

Who's a silly pony?

[Leftover of Saikano]

I have a sudden and intense need to go and buy myself a Scootaloo plushie.

[zaponator]

Take notes, Scootaloo.

[Hestia]

"Uhm... it doesn't have to be a very long book."

No I think it has to be. How else are we gonna fit in so much awesomeness?

[Fantasy Law]

*sigh*
This arc (if you could call it one) is depressing me.

[DeathFox4]

....

[arancaytar]

"I don't know." Rainbow's tail flicked limply. "Maybe someday I'll write a book about it."