I Can Fly

by EvePony

Chapter One - Realization

Scootaloo was at it again.

Though she had been told many times she couldn't, she was determined to fly. She had always been determined to fly, because she knew it's what pegasi are supposed to do.

More specifically, she wanted to incorporate flight into her new scooter routine. She was going to show it off to her friends, especially her honorary big sis, Rainbow Dash. She would be so proud if she could show off even just a little of her flying to Rainbow.

Scootaloo over time had learned to practice in a secluded area so she didn't embarrass herself. There was an opening in a forest quite close to the club house, though not on the farm property. She had been there for over an hour and a half, dripping with sweat from the heat of the sun and all the practicing.

Taking a breather, she sat down to think. While sipping on some cold water she had brought along, she glanced around the opening. It was not too big, yet not too small. The grass was flat and sparse. The ground was firm and solid, not too dry yet not too damp. To Scootaloo, it almost felt peaceful there.

Ruffling her wings, she sighed. Maybe she was too tired to continue practicing. Even if she did continue, what was the point? She was practicing a skill she didn't even posses. Every time she tried to fly, she couldn't get more than two feet off the ground. Last time she tried jumping from a tree branch, she realized with a loud thud that it wasn't going to work.

Why couldn't she fly? She had thought about it many times before, and all of her conclusions seemed too silly. Disabled? No, her wings were practically the same size as every other filly. Hers were a bit smaller, but nothing too severe… Or, so she hoped.

Maybe it was bad luck? Scootaloo sure had her fair share of bad luck, but she was certain by now that she would have at least kept a steady height while flying. Nevertheless, she came crashing down every time she tried.

Scootaloo was often confused by her lack of flight. She could power her scooter purely with wing power, so why couldn't she get off the ground? She was a pegasus, and pegasi are supposed to fly. They are supposed to feel the wind beneath their wings and soar into the sunset. Scoots really believed she would never do that, and it saddened her.

Maybe she was supposed to be born an earth pony. It would make sense, since she can't fly. Why have wings if you can't use them, she often thought. Yes, it was true that her mother was an earth pony, but that didn't affect Scootaloo, right? She loved her parents, and they always tried supported her though her trials of trying to fly. But, could it be that because of her mom's earth pony roots, she couldn't fly? Scootaloo shook her head; that certainly couldn't be it.

But as she pondered the thought, she thought vaguely back on one of Twilight's lectures.

__________

It was Twilight Time again, and Twilight thought it was time to get down to the best bit of all: learning about magic!

"Alright girls" Twilight started, levitating a piece of white chalk, "do you know what kind of magic there is inside everypony?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle raised their hooves.

"Okay, you two can answer together" Twilight giggled.

"Well,” Apple Bloom started, “I know that earth ponies like mahself have earth pony magic, which can grow plants and manipulate the ground!"

"And I know that unicorns like me have unicorn magic, which they can use with their horn!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly. “Raw magic, right?"

Twilight nodded reassuringly before kneeling down to face a bored pegasus. "Scootaloo, do you know if pegasi possess any magic?"

"I think they do,” she answered indifferently. “It's what helps them stand on clouds."

"Yes, that's right!" Standing up, Twilight turned to face her drawing board. "Pegasi magic is what allows them to fly and do all the things pegasi need to do, though magic levels vary between some. Some pegasi can fly, but have trouble maneuvering clouds and weather." She beamed as she stepped aside, revealing an intricate diagram on the board of how pegasi magic can be transferred through their wings.

Twilight continued explaining the different types of magic for the rest of their time together, before assigning them a ton of books to read on the subject.

__________

It then hit Scootaloo. What if, because she carried earth pony magic, her pegasus magic had decreased? What if, because she had earth pony magic, it conflicted with her own pegasus magic?

That had to be it! Her mother was very attached to her earth pony roots, which her pegasus father loved about her. Standing up to brush her tail off, she set off to Twilight's castle. "Twilight will certainly be able to tell me if I'm right or not!"

And with that, the orange filly took off on her scooter at full speed.

__________

Arriving at the castle, Scootaloo rested her scooter and helmet against the base of the crystal tree. Trotting up the golden staircase, which she often slipped on, she wondered if Twilight was even home. She knocked on the doors twice, then sat down to wait. With no response after a short twenty seconds, she put an ear up to the door.

Hurried hoofsteps resounded against the back of the door

Scootaloo reeled her head back just as Twilight opened the large doors with her magic. Looking down at the nervous filly, she said, "Hi there, Scootaloo!” She knelt down to her height as she asked, “Is everything alright?"

"Twilight, I wanted to talk to you about something I discovered," Scootaloo said, her voice full of conviction.

The alicorn looked quizzically at the tiny pegasus. "Sure, come right in."

They trotted up the stairs to her bountiful library, something Scootaloo was very familiar with. Many Twilight Times were spent in this library, although she never voluntarily took out a book.

“Here, have a seat,” Twilight said as they entered in through the tall doors leading inside. They sat down on soft chairs, facing each other. Looking the pegasus over curiously, Twilight said, "So Scootaloo, what have you discovered?"

"Well, you know how my mom is an earth pony, right?"

Twilight nodded, "Yes, I believe I have seen her before with you."

"I think the reason I can't fly is because I have some of her earth pony magic, like you said they have. I'm thinking, maybe I got some of it and it's stopping my magic from doing what it's supposed to."

Twilight sat in silence for a moment, pondering the filly's hypothesis. After a bit, she said, "I think you may be right. It might be the same thing as with Fluttershy, except more intense. She isn't a strong flyer, perhaps due to her lack of strong pegasus magic." She smiled. "If this is true, we have to think of way to gain your pegasus magic!"

Scootaloo fidgeted a little in her seat. ”But… I won't be pushing away my mom's earth pony-ness, will I?"

"Not at all,” Twilight shook her head. “You're discovering what pegasi should be able to do for yourself!"

There was a short pause between the two ponies before Scootaloo piped up again. "Rainbow Dash has the most pegasus magic I've ever seen. I mean, she can do the Sonic Rainboom!"

“Hmm…” As Twilight pondered her statement, a sudden idea occurred to her. Smiling over at the filly, she said, "Hey Scootaloo, let's go outside for a moment."

As Twilight stood up, Scootaloo gave her a confused look, but followed her anyway. Once outside, Twilight said, "Do you know if you can stand on a cloud?"

Scootaloo looked up for a moment at a puffy white cloud above her. "I've never tried, so I wouldn't know," she said, looking back down to her small hooves.

Suddenly, Twilight's hooves wrapped around the filly as she hoisted the two into the air. The wind from Twilight's wings disheveled Scootaloo's mane as she stared on in both shock and confusion.

Hovering just above the fluffy cloud, Twilight looked down at the pegasus. "I'm going to let go, but I'll be here to catch you if you fall," Twilight said calmly. “Are you ready?”

With just the slightest bit of hesitation, Scootaloo nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to let go in three... two... one!" Twilight's hooves slipped out from underneath Scootaloo.

For a moment, Scootaloo shut her eyes and immediately began flailing her limbs. She soon stopped when she felt no wind beneath her. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked underneath her.

Smiling from ear to ear, she looked up at Twilight. "I can stand on a cloud,” she cheered excitedly. “I have pegasus magic!"

Twilight giggled at the sight. "Well, I think I know how to get some of your pegasus magic back, then."

Scootaloo nodded rapidly, ready for whatever answer she was about to give.

"I think you need to take a visit to Cloudsdale," she said with a triumphant grin.

"Cloudsdale?” Scootaloo tilted her head curiously. “Why do I need to go there?"

"Well, it's the home of pegasi! I believe by spending some time around them, it will help you gain some of their magic," she said with a smile.

"And she won't be going alone," a familiar voice sounded from behind the two.

They both turned around to see Rainbow Dash flying toward them. She slowed to a hover as she approached Scootaloo, who gladly walked up to the edge of the cloud.

Rainbow once again disheveled Scootaloo's mane with a hoof. "Look at you up here," she said with a proud grin, knowing the filly loved it when she was proud of her. Turning to Twilight, she asked, "So what's this about bringing Scoots to Cloudsdale?"

"I believe Scootaloo and I have discovered that her lack of ability to fly may be due to her mother's strong earth pony magic being passed down to her. It might be possible for her to gain pegasus magic in the place where other pegasi thrive," she concluded.

"Well, she isn't going alone! I know Cloudsdale like the back of my hoof!” She looked over at the filly as she coolly added, “I can show you around in ten seconds flat."

"That sounds like a great idea,” Twilight said from aside, “but I also think that Scootaloo may need to discover some things on her own." She looked affectionately between the two eager pegasi.

"Hey, that's alright,” Rainbow said with a grin. “I'm sure it'll be great!"

Scootaloo looked up between the two mares with excitement, eliciting a laugh between them all. Hopping onto Rainbow's back, the three flew to the ground once more.

It appeared that Scootaloo had some packing to do.

Comments

[2qup2]

[Crystal Blue]

An intersting premise, and a promising story. Needs a bit of editing, but beyond that I'm looking forward to how this goes.

[insolentboi]

This is really cute, and I'll be following it :)

[EvePony]

6067145 Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it!

[EvePony]

6067363 Thank you so much!

[insolentboi]

6071050 You're welcome