The Gift for the Pegasus: A CMC Mission

by G4PONYTales

Chapter 8 - Lessons with Rainbow Dash

“Resumin’ from yesterday’s meetin’, our CMC Mission is ta help Scootaloo fly.”

Scootaloo blushed a little at the mention of her goal around two former rivals who, in the past, she never would have dared tell something so personal. Especially when it had to do with her inability to fly, a topic which had encouraged countless jokes from the two fillies, and some ponies under their influence.

Applebloom mounted the diagram on the wall, and read out the ideas:

CMC Mission: Help Scootaloo Fly

Idea: Add enhancements to Scootaloo's wings to make them bigger

Problem: Might be too dangerous

Idea: Lessons with Rainbow Dash

Idea: Throw Scootaloo from a high place (from the treehouse into a bush) and keep doing it until she flies

Silver Spoon raised her hoof. “Wouldn’t it be a little… dangerous to throw a Scootaloo out the window? I mean, it would be the same as throwing an earth pony out the window, because she can’t fly or use magic. No offence to earth ponies.”

“None taken,” said Applebloom. “However, that is why we decided there’d be a trampoline or bush or somethin’ to soften Scootaloo’s fall.”

Sweetie Belle chimed in: “It would be risky, but… it’s one of the few ideas we could come up with, and we are willing to try every available option we have.”

“Well, can I make a suggestion?”, piped up Diamond Tiara. “How about, rather than throw poor Scootaloo out the window to get her to do something she can’t even do, how about if we first try lessons with Rainbow Dash? I mean, obviously none of us are pegasi, so maybe it makes more sense.”

“I suppose so. Whaddya think, Scoot?” All eyes rested on Scootaloo, whose heart had begun thrumming with the idea of Rainbow Dash teaching her to fly. My role model, Rainbow Dash… but would she really waste her time on a hopeless case like me?

What came out of Scootaloo’s mind was this: “How do you think we can get Rainbow Dash to agree to this?” Scootaloo looked down. “I mean, she has so many other priorities…”

“But you two are so close, Scoot.” Sweetie Belle smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure that when she really knows how much you want to fly, she’d be happy to teach you. I’m confident it’ll work.”

Scootaloo looked at all her friends, who had eagerness in their eyes. She couldn’t get over the surprise of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon being so eager to help her; if anything, they looked slightly more eager than her friends. All Scootaloo could do was go into this, hope it would work, and hope it wouldn’t fall through the cracks.

Rainbow Dash was soaring through the air, in the lead of fellow Wonderbolt members. With her being one of the top members on the team, it was hard to believe that she, at one point, had been trying to win their respect.

It was flying practice. Scootaloo had known, from past times of coming to Cloudsdale to see her mentor, that flying practice would be around this time.

Like the many times of coming to Cloudsdale, Scootaloo felt nervous about approaching a world of pegasi who could fly, who would probably look down upon her like a black sheep who didn’t belong. But this time was even more nervous, for two reasons:

1. She was arriving in a hot air balloon, rather than the awesome way she had established when she first met Rainbow Dash’s parents, Bo Hothoof and Windy Whistles.
2. Scootaloo was risking her meager confidence by requesting flying lessons - she, a lonely pegasus - with so many ponies watching, including the Wonderbolts.

“Come on, Scootaloo”, whispered Diamond Tiara. The whispering of a once intimidating voice sent goosebumps down Scootaloo’s spine, despite knowing she could trust the two fully reformed rivals. “You need to push yourself. Get yourself onto those clouds, call her name. It’s now or never.”

Scootaloo breathed loud. Then she got on her scooter and, with an efficient beating of her wings, drove up the ramp and onto the clouds…

Flying through the air on her scooter was an awesome sensation. Unfortunately, the sensation was short as Scootaloo landed on the clouds, once again unable to fly.

“Rainbow Dash.” Her voice came out quiet. Speak up, Scoot. Get what you want, what you need. Scootaloo looked back at her friends, who smiled encouragingly at her. With renewed confidence, Scootaloo took out a microphone, and called out again.

Rainbow Dash stopped abruptly, in recognition of a familiar young voice. She flew to the side, took off her flight goggles,and squinted down below. “Scootaloo?”

What she saw was a young, tiny-winged pegasus, waving her hooves wildly to get attention. If it had been her parents interrupting her flight practice for the sake of, well, being parents, then that would be a different story. However, with the history of so many moments in between the two of them, Rainbow Dash had developed a soft spot for her interesting little fan. And if she wanted to have a talk, then that was important.

Rainbow Dash turned and called back: “Sorry guys, duty calls! I’ll come back in about ten, okay?” Then, Rainbow Dash flew, with speed and precision, down to her young follower.

“So, let me get this straight: You want flying lessons?”

Scootaloo had told Rainbow Dash everything she had discussed with her friends, including the nightmare; after all, this wasn’t the first time she shared bad dreams with the older pegasus. That said, it was still hard getting her point across in real life.

Scootaloo spoke softly, with some nerve in her voice: “Well, remember when I asked you a few years back if you could… take me under your wing and teach me some things?”

Rainbow Dash thought: “Yeah, I do remember that.” She looked down at Scootaloo. “Did you really mean at that time that you wanted me to help you fly?”

“Not help me, teach me. I know that my wings are too small.” Scootaloo glanced sadly at her wings, which opened and closed uselessly. “And I know there’s a chance that… I may never fly. But I know that you are an amazing flier. So I was thinking…” Eagerness began to edge Scootaloo’s expression. “Maybe you could teach me a few things that I can do. Some tricks that… may work for me?” Scootaloo’s wings instinctively buzzed with excitement. She edged closer to Rainbow Dash. “The truth is, I’ve always wanted to fly, especially if it meant being as awesome as you.”

“Scootaloo”, Rainbow Dash’s tone grew serious, “remember what I said about you being awesome in your own way?”

Scootaloo’s eyes began to fill with plead. “I know that. But even so... now that I’m getting older, and I still can't…” the words pierced Scootaloo’s heart. “I want you to try, Rainbow Dash, please. For me.”

Rainbow Dash was taken aback once again, by the look of Scootaloo’s eyes. Hope, edged with crestfallen sadness.

Finally, she spoke: “Okay, Scoot. Hang around for another while while I finish practice, and I’ll teach you to fly.” She patted Scootaloo on the head, before taking off.

Scootaloo told the rest about her success, and gave them permission to leave or stay, since she was planning to be able to fly back home - or at least get a ride from Rainbow Dash. Since then, she had been bubbling with excitement and anticipation for the rest of the Wonderbolts’ flying practice. She tried to focus on the show-rehearsal, but couldn’t help feeling like the time for flying lessons wouldn’t approach fast enough.

Scootaloo focused on the Wonderbolts themselves; the way their wings moved and glided gracefully through the air, flapping to defy gravity. Despite the difficulty of the task, Scootaloo concentrated on their wings in the hopes that one day, that would be her.

Scootaloo became so entranced that she forgot her fears about being made fun of by other pegasi for having such small, useless wings. Instead, she seemed to have finally refound her ability to focus on the present, and on what was awesome.

“Alright, let’s get to it shall we?” Rainbow Dash blew a whistle around her neck, before holding up a timer. “Let’s try some wing exercises. You are to stay in the air for ten seconds. One, two, three, GO!”

Scootaloo jumped in the air, and her wings retained the rapid buzz that they often gave in an attempt to fly. Naturally, despite her hard work, the attempt was shorter than ten seconds. Scootaloo fell flat on her face, onto the cloud.

“Okay, so that didn’t work. So how about having a boost?”

Scootaloo tried to find the meaning of Rainbow Dash’s words. “What do you mean by that?”

“I’ll show you. Here.” Rainbow Dash flew over to Scootaloo with a few flaps of her wings. “I’ll hold you in between my hooves, like so, and i’ll fly into the air, like so!” Rainbow Dash holding Scootaloo between two hooves, flew four feet into the air. She then whispered into Scootaloo’s ear: “Now, Scoot. You are in the air. You are in midair, and you need to beat your wings to stay off the ground, so that you don’t fall. Got it?”

Scootaloo nodded, not bothering to mention that this trick had happened once before, while she was falling out of a tree after a failed attempt to interview a nest of birds for the Foal Free Press, and that attempt had been unsuccessful. That had been a while back, anyway. Maybe with Rainbow Dash here…

Scootaloo’s wings began to move. They buzzed, and buzzed…

Rainbow Dash’s hooves let go.

And Scootaloo remained four feet in the air. She squinted with concentration, her wings beating rapidly, as she tried not to think of that one time she did the same thing, and fell out of the tree.

The attempt was unsuccessful, and Scootaloo fell face-down, hard, onto the cloud.

The flashback from a few years ago repeating itself in her head, Scootaloo glanced at her beating wings with a look of defeat, and then said to Rainbow Dash: “Could we just… try that again?” But even as the words left her lips, Scootaloo knew that if it didn’t work this time - or any other times in the past - the odds were pretty slim about this tiresome trick working at all.

Rainbow Dash sat down with a huff. “Okay, Scootaloo, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Aren’t you tired by now? Because I know I am.”

“Me? Tired!?! I don’t want to stop trying no matter how I feel!” With that, Scootaloo jumped into the air one more time… “ngh…” and fell down. The attempt was even shorter than the last; her small wings were getting tired, and weak.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, Scoot. I’m very sorry about the way this is turning out, but-

Suddenly, something Sparkled in Scootaloo’s eyes, as a brand new idea came into her head. She jumped up and spoke excitedly:

“Wait! I just realized something! I remember watching the way the Wonderbolts flew earlier - specifically their wings - thinking if my wings could move a different… way?” The hopeful pleading returned to her eyes.

Rainbow Dash tapped her chin in thought. “I never thought about that. Not to brag or anything, but flying as always come to me naturally. That said, maybe you do need to learn.” She grinned, and winked. “Come over here, Scoot. I’ll fly slowly for you. Pay special attention to my wings, okay?”

Rainbow Dash’s wings flapped up and down, changing directions, but always maintaining a steady beat. What Scootaloo noticed especially was that they flapped, not buzzed.

“Do what I do, Scoot. Stay right behind me. Watch, and learn.”

Scootaloo eagerly hopped right next to Rainbow Dash and spread her own wings wide.

“You see, Scoot, first you should get your shoulder muscles involved. Like so.” Rainbow Dash stood up, and rolled her shoulders in miniature circles.

Scootaloo repeated the movement with ease. She grinned.

Next, Rainbow Dash got back onto four legs. “Now I’m gonna move my wings, ve-ery slo-owly, and you’re gonna try repeating my movements. Got it?”

Scootaloo nodded, excitement rising in her chest. “Got it!”

Rainbow Dash stood casually, moving nothing but her wings. What Scootaloo noticed was this:

Rainbow Dash’s large, feathered, lustful wings flapped up and down with glamour. There was flexibility in the way they folded through the air, how the upper muscles seemingly rolled like waves. The outer feathers seemingly scraped the space around them. The lower muscles, however, remained stiff for directing flight and movement. Rainbow Dash continued to move her wings, while glancing at Scootaloo. “Now, give yours a try!”

Scootaloo glanced at her own wings, and tried moving them. They repeated the movements of Rainbow Dash; the miniature muscles moved with the flexibility and agility that wings naturally had. But, due to the size of the wings, the flaps - though skillful - were short and rapid. Scootaloo could see, while looking at her wings, why they couldn’t take her off the ground.

Rainbow Dash didn’t mention whether or not she noticed this. She just said: “Alright, easy does it. You gotta remember adding those shoulders in. Now… why don’t you try flying?

Scootaloo began to scowl at her wings, like she had once before. A flashback hit her about that one night after the flag carrying routine, when she had tried, again and again, to fly off the ground. Shaking her head to get rid of it, Scootaloo glanced at her own wings, and tried.

Scootaloo’s wings were small and weak, like a young filly. They didn’t flap like the long, broad wings of an older pegasus, rather, they buzzed.

But maybe, Scootaloo could teach them to flap like Rainbow Dash’s.

Scootaloo was now in the air, concentrating hard on the movement of her wings. Flap=flap-flap-flap…

Scootaloo had somehow gotten the wings into a motion slower than flapping. Though not as skillful as Rainbow Dash’s, they seemed to do the trick. Maybe this way would work. She gradually got higher and higher...

Suddenly, the wings began to slow down - the got too slow. Scootaloo’s eyes popped open right before she fell from the air. Frustration bubbling in her, she got up and tried again.

Come on, Scootaloo. Come on! Flap-flap-flap-flap-flapflapflapflapflap- “oof!”

Scootaloo could see, now, that her wings had the tendency to instinctively speed up, and buzz rather than flap, presumably due to their incompetent size.

The frustration was immediately replaced by intense determination, which she recognized from her attempts to fly during the flag-carrying routine. Scootaloo got up… and fell. Got up… and fell.

Scootaloo got up and, her face scrunched in concentration, began to take-

A hoof was suddenly on her back. “Scootaloo, you’re getting very frustrated. I… I think you should stop for now. You’re trying very, very hard.... But I’m not sure if this is going to work.”

Scootaloo’s eyes popped open: “You mean… you can’t teach me to fly?” A ball of devastation rolled up in Scootaloo’s chest, and into her eyes.

Rainbow Dash looked sadly at her: “Honestly, Scootaloo… I’ve been watching you. You just… don’t have to ability to fly. Your wings… they aren’t big enough, or they don’t move like they should, or maybe it’s a little of both-”

The determination was back. “No. NO! I have to fly- ngh!” Scootaloo began to rise into the air, rocking unsteadily from side to side until one of her small, hardworking wings gave out, and Scootaloo fell down, flat on her face. Her wings shrivelled with cramps, and fatigue.

Rainbow Dash came down to Scootaloo’s level, and lifted her face up with a hoof. She spoke softly: “Listen, Scootaloo. You really shouldn’t try to do something that you can’t do. I’ve told you before: I am me, and you are you. You’re awesome the way you are. Don’t you remember that? Do you remember me saying that?”

Scootaloo nodded, biting her lip. Rainbow Dash continued:

“So, just remember what I said, alright?” She smiled. “I know it can be very, very hard to accept when you can’t do something. I can imagine how devastated I would be if I couldn’t fly -” Worry replaced her expression. “No offense.”

“None taken,” mumbled Scootaloo. She looked down defeatedly at the cloud she was on, which was beginning to turn orange with the sun set.

The cloud became see through, and Scootaloo looked down on Ponyville. It was such a beautiful view, from the cloud she was on. It was a beautiful view that every other pegasus saw every day, and took for granted. The ability to fly through the clouds, looking down on the land… was something Scootaloo would probably never have.

Rainbow Dash bent down, and hugged Scootaloo. “Look. I’m really, really sorry, okay?”

“Can we try again another time, Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo spoke with uncharacteristically heavy emotion in her voice; a vocal tone she normally wouldn’t have been caught dead speaking in. Blinking against the tears, she looked pleadingly at her mentor.

Rainbow Dash sighed, and then smiled: “If it makes you feel better, then sure.” She stood up, and motioned to her back. “Hop on Scoot, and I’ll take you home.”

Author's Note:

Wow this chapter is long! I hope nopony got bored of reading (assuming I will get readers....

Comments

[Haver]

Awwwww