Soarin's New Wings

by Foal Star

Chapter 3: To Soar or To Flutter

It’d been a week since Rainbow Dash was given the responsibility of bringing Soarin back to Wonderbolt shape and things were...progressing for lack of a better word. She was in the air with Soarin, practicing simple maneuvers, while enjoying the lazy breeze brushing through their manes. The two were high above the clouds as Rainbow Dash shouted to her new ‘pupil’, “Soarin! Come on! You need to get your head in the game!”

Soarin gave Rainbow Dash a scowl and growled, “I’m trying! But this is impossible trying to do these maneuvers with these!” He pointed angrily towards his butterfly wings.

Rainbow Dash threw up her hoof and rolled her eyes. “Again with the same excuses with this guy! “ She just shouted back. “It doesn't matter what kind of wings you have! If you can fly, you can dive! Now get going, it's time to start flapping.”

Soarin, again glared at Rainbow Dash, but continued flapping his big, butterfly wings with greater vigor, until he finally started to fly above Rainbow Dash. He continued climbing into the air, wheezing as his altitude increased, “Okay, I think I’ve got the hang of it now.””

He continued to flap his wings,moving his body more and started to flutter above the clouds, grunting as Rainbow Dash cheered him on from below. “Go Soarin you can do it!”

He finally got high enough to where he felt comfortable trying out a few loops around some of the nearby,giant clouds. Sadly, it still proved difficult as clumsily twisted and turned clumsily through them.

“I can do it! I can do it!”

His heart still pumping in his chest as he came upon the last big cloud, he pushed forward, quickly adjusting his wings and weaving through the cloud before finally coming to a stop. Once he was in place, he practically bounced up and down in the air with glee, shouting with excitement.

“I did it! Rainbow Dash I actually did it!”

Rainbow Dash clapped and cheered, “I knew you could you big, blue stallion! Now come on back down and we can get you started on the next set of maneuvers!”

Soarin smirked, quietly fluttering downwards, only for a large gust of wind to hit his wings, causing him to quickly lose control of his wings. The stallion found himself quickly tumbling towards the ground at a fast speed, his big butterfly wings useless now, as he screamed like a mare as he fell passed Rainbow Dash.

The mare gasped in horror, quickly flying down to rescue the falling stallion, still tumbling out of control, desperately trying to flap his own wings to break his fall, but to no avail. “I don’t think I'm going to make it!”

But Rainbow Dash dived down towards him gaining speed with a rainbow stream trailing behind her. She reached out and grabbed Soarin in her hooves and hugged him close as she flew back into the air inches from hitting the ground. With Soarin clutched in her hooves Rainbow Dash whisked through the air and landing on a field and put him on the ground as she smoothed out her mane with sweat rolling down her brow. All the while Soarin was trembling as he tried standing up on his hooves and he squeaked. “I...am alive!?”

Rainbow dash just sighed and smoothed back her mane again. “yeah you're alive but we still have a lot to learn. I mean you can’t even do a basic trick without having me save your rump. No offence.”

Soarin groaned as he plopped on his rump and crossed his forelegs across his chest. “So what? at least I can kind of fly again. It's not like im not improving.”

Rainbow Dash shouted back. “Well your not improving fast enough! I have to get you back to Wonderbolt material in three weeks and were still stuck on the basic maneuvers!”

Soarin sighed at the sight of the tired and angry mare . “Sorry, it’s not my fault these things are insanely light. I can’t even believe I got this far with these!”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and continued, “Alright, how about we stop right now and get back to it tomorrow? I'll think of something else we can do.”

Soarin gave a small nod getting up and shrugged, “Alright, well i’m going to get something to eat
.”
Rainbow Dash nodded “Sure just don't overdo, I need you bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow. Not fat and slow.”

Soarin shrugged and walked off grumbling as Rainbow Dash shook her head dumbfounded that Soarin. one of her greatest heroes, was turning out worse than a foal on their first day of flight school. “How could Soarin of all ponies be this bad at flying!?”

---

A hour later Soarin was back at Rarity’s, and was eating a sandwich with some tea. This was the sight Rarity came upon, and she was far from impressed. “Darling, I hate to sound like a nag, but that’s the third sandwich you ate since you got back.”

Soarin stopped eating for a second and blushed at the realization she was right. He quickly gulped down the food in his mouth and whispered politely “Uh yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to raid your fridge.”

Rarity sat down and gave a empathetic sigh. “Please dear, something’s clearly bothering you and I don’t think eating away your problems is going to help.” ”

Soarin turned his head and let out a sad whimper, “Well...I'm not getting any better at flying. I'm not sure I’ll be ready for thethat test in three weeks.”

The white coated mare rolled her eyes. “Well you can't with that attitude. Don’t you remember what Rainbow Dash said?”

Soarin groaned but they both chanted together, “If you don't try, you won't fly!”

However, that did little to bring his spirits up, planting his chin on the table in a miserable stupor. “But, I have been trying so hard though! And nothing's worked!”

He slammed his tea down as he shouted in frustration, giving his wings a burning glare. “I feel like like I’m trapped in a box with no key and no door. No matter how much I try, nothing seems to work and I’ll be stuck in this rut for the rest of my life.” He practically smashed his face into the table, moans of sadness leaking from his mouth. ”

Rarity quietly seated herself next to the somber stallion, lighting running her hoof down his back., “It's just nerves darling.You just need to relax and you’ll do find. Perhaps you need something to help ease your mind off all this… Though I'm not quite sure if you will like it?”

Soarin eye peaked out from the table, “I think at this point I’d be willing to try anything. Not like I can feel much worse.”

She blushed as she fluttered her eyelashes and cooed, “Have you ever tried the spa?”

---

Rainbow Dash was deep thoughts as she flew from the practice. “I need to find Fluttershy. If that Butterfly Migration taught me anything, it’s she’d probably be the expert on Butterflys and how their wings work.” She quickened her speed as she zeroed in on Fluttershy’s cottage, spotting the animal lover in her yard..”

Said pegasus was in the midst of humming a sweet little tune as she admired the many flowers around her cottage.. The spring flowers smell so lovely in the morning. I wonder if there’s any I can pick up for the Spring Fling later this week.”

Her thoughts quickly shifted as a group of butterflies of various sizes and colors, started to cover the field, making the butter, yellow pegasus all but squeal in delight.

“Oh, hello there little friends. Did you come to enjoy the flowers as well?”

She continued to make small talk with the insects, as Rainbow Dash descended from the sky, cringing slightly at the..cutesy display before her.

“Remember, this is for Soarin. Least it Though, definitely seems like I came to the right place.”

With a quick clearing of her throat, Dash got Fluttershy’s attention. Said pegasus turned to meet her gaze and offered her usual shy smile and quiet greeting.“Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. Did you come to help me with picking these flowers?”

The rainbow pegasuspeagsus had to fight back the urge to gag, not wanting to come across as rude to her friend and settled for shaking her head. “No...uh...no I'm here because...well.”

The Cyan coated pegasus gave a loud gasp and blurted. “I need tips on how butterflies fly!?”

Fluttershy blinked in surprise at the request and for a moment, Dash swore it looked like a smile was ready to stretch across her face. “Really? Oh, my that’s wonderful. I’d love to help you out.” Yep, Dash was certain the peagsus, was excited over the prospect, almost fighting down the desire to jump for joy.
."

Rainbow Dash groaned “Yeah, but only for a few minutes and you better not tell anypony about this.”

Fluttershy giggled crossing her heart. “I swear, I won't tell a soul.” She quietly patted the grass patch next to her, beckoning Dash to join her. “You’re actually just in time, there are quiet a few different specimens her in my garden we can watch.”

Rainbow Dash plopped down on her rump and crossed her hooves. “Alright let’s watch these stupid butterflies.”

Fluttershy simply giggled at her friend’s discomfort, “Now there’s no need to be like that. I can just tell this will be a lot of fun.”

Rainbow Dash just grumbled, “Maybe for you.”

The daredevil sat and watched the butterflies flutter about. Some were blown by the wind and managing to catch onto one of the nearby flowers, while others used their winds to buffer the breeze, allowing them to safely land on the grass below. . Rainbow Dash watched in disbelief at how fragile they were. “Dear Celestia! This is all they can do!”

The routine of the winged insects just fluttering about, collecting nectar from the flowers, continued without change for several minutes to the quickly growing boredom of Rainbow Dash. Said pegasus pulled a hoof down her face,groaning in almost in pain at the sights before her., “Fluttershy, they can do tricks, right?”

Fluttershy shook her head “Oh no, they mostly just go where the wind carries them. Sadly they don’t have the same kind of build as a pegasi or a bird. Their bodies and wings are so light even the slightest breeze can send them in any direction. Doing tricks is pretty much impossible for them.”.”

Rainbow Dash got up and threw her head back “No! There has to be a way to make them fast and cool! There has to be!”

Without a single word of follow up, she burst into the air, flying straight for Twilight’s library. “Twilight must know something about these wings. She created them after all, maybe she can use a spell to make them less fragile or better at maneuvering. If not then Soarin’s doomed!”

---

Soarin was shaking all over entering the spa with Rarity, not exactly sure how react to such a foreign concept. Also didn’t help he was currently surrounded by numerous mares, all chatting and gossiping while in the midst of Steam and Mud baths. Sure he spent plenty of time with mares in the Wonderbolts, but not in this kind of context.”

Still he pushed towards the front desk with Rarity, who got the attention of The mare at the front desk. “Ah Ms. Rarity, so nice to see you again, and with company I see, interesting. So are you here for the usual?”

Rarity nodded “I'll have the hooficure with amud mask. Soarin will have the normal relaxing hot tub with bath salts, nothing more."

Aloe nodded and continued, “Alright then, right this way you two.”

She lead the two down a hallway and into a dressing room, where a pair of mares flambored over Rarity, streaking her face with the mud mask whilst applying sliced cucumbers to her eyes. Soarin was just given a simple towel and a robe as he was pushed down the corridor to the t spa room. He made his way to one of the baths, making sure to curl in his wings before entering the warm waters, Rarity relaxed settling into the bath once he was in completely. Soarin sighed in content, laying his head back, feeling the bath salts in the hot tub do their work, clinging to his fur and skin making them soft.

Rarity giggled, “I take it you’re enjoying yourself?”

Soarin gave a nod and smirked. “Yeah, I thought I would never in a million years do this girly stuff.”

Rarity laughed and waved a hoof. “You’d actually be quiet surprised. More than few stallions visit her regularly. It's quiet a good place to relax your aching muscles after a hard day's work.”

Soarin blushed as he gave his wings a gentle flap. “Well thanks Rarity...I think i'm going to like it.” Though he quickly felt uneasy as some of the nearby mares whispered and pointed.

Rarity groaned, throwing up a hoof, “Oh don’t worry about them darling just a bunch of nosey mares. Your wings just look gorgeous. Now stop fussing and relax and enjoy the water.”

Soarin giggled and snuggled into the steaming pool and relaxed his wings along withhis mind and started to drift off to a peaceful sleep. “Thanks Rarity I dont think ive felt this good in a long time.”

---

Back at the Ponyville Library, Rainbow Dash had all but rocketed into the closest window and practically threatened Twilight to figure out what to do about Soarin’s wings.

Said Unicorn,was in the midst of reexamining the spell she’d originally used to create Soarin’s new wings, trying to find as much information about them as she could.. “Here it is, it says the wings are extremely fragile and delicate made of gossamer and morning dew.”

Rainbow Dash merely rolled her eyes at the explanation. “Yaddah, tell me if I can still teach Soarin to perform aerial tricks, that's the part I want to hear. Not all this Egghead talk.”

Twilight looked over the spell with intense scrutiny and shook her head. “I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but nothing in this book even hints that Soarin could even perform the most basic of tricks. The only advice it has is to be very gentle and don't fly too high towards the sun.”

Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air in disbelief. “Just wonderful, how in Equestria am I going to help Soarin become a Wonderbolt again if he can’t even stay in the air!”

Twilight scratched her chin and asked, “How about you try something different? I mean, maybe he can't do the same things as before, but maybe he can do a solo like what Rarity was doing. It may not be cool, but it's better than nothing.”

Rainbow dash groaned and tapped a hoof. “I guess so…Wait a minute.” Almost immediately the Weather mare laughed, clopping her hooves together in excitement. “Of course, that would totally work. Thanks Twilight,I have the perfect idea thanks!”

She then flew out the door in a streak of blue and rainbow. As Twilight stood there blinking unsure of what to say. “I hope she knows what she’s doing.”

---

Rainbow Dash flew back to Rarity’s, only to squeak loudly before crashing into the road in Rarity and Soarin, having just returned from the spa. Rainbow Dash looked up in a horrified look as one thought ran through her mind “Rarity what did you do to Soarin!”

Soarin’s mane was now silky black, waving around his head while his tail was twirled like a corkscrew. His coat was super squeaky clean with the sun glinting off it as were his hooves.

Soarin waved his tush back and forth with his wings opened up glimmering in the sunlight. He smiled and asked “Hey, Rainbow Dash how are you doing?”

Rainbow Dash’s mouth dropped and shook her head “it's alright, even I go to the spa a few times. Just stay focused.”

She then exclaimed, “Soarin, I uh!? Came by to see you because I think we need to change up our training a little.”

He laughed tugging at his mane. “Just after we went to the spa?”

Rarity giggled “Aww that’s adorable Soarin.”

Rainbow Dash actually cringed at the little exchange,rolling her eyes as she fought back the urge to groan. “It's alright,this time we're going a bit slower anyways.”

Soarin shrugged and turned to Rarity who giggled, “Well alright, but do go slow, I’d hat for all the moisture in the air to make your become mane frizzy darling.”

Soarin laughed, “Don’t worry about me Rarity! I feel like a new stallion!” He then fluttered into the air and Rainbow dash grumbled following him. “More like a new mare.”

Comments

[Yosh-E-O]

This chapter certainly has tons of open translation to it. The reason being soarin's frustration with his situation along with Dash's frustration in what the wings limit Soarin to doing.

Whether blind, like me, or brought to having to relearn how to live your life fully after any sort of catastrophic event their is one common thread. This being how annoying and depressing it is for the one experiencing it along with the sadness and frustration from those who know what the individual was capable of doing prior to such a life changing event.

Soarin, in this case, reminds me of myself and Dash reminds me of my friends and family. The goal being to still thrive no matter how annoyingly impossible it may appear.

Certainly very well written. It will be neat to see how Rarity helping Soarin to relax gets him to be more positive along with whatever Dashie has come up with to allow Soarin to be all he can be despite the thin wings he now has.