Flying Further and Far Better

A MLP:FiM Friend-Shipping fanfic Written by Apottzy
Proofread by Mazzyrazzy, JohnPerry, and PaulAsaran
Cover Art by Sayluh

Chapter One

“G-girls...” Scootaloo stuttered nervously, “are you sure this is such a great idea?” Though confident at first, as she sat atop a tall rock with a large makeshift kite tied around her that confidence quickly drained.

The day was nice enough, in fact nopony could have asked for a finer one. The rising sun of the new day cast both warmth and light over the field where the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been running their different “attempts” all morning. Near the ground the temperature was balmy but not unpleasant thanks to the occasional breeze that rolled by. The wind pushed through the trees, creating the natural sounds everypony had come to expect from the many outlying oak forests of Ponyville. In the minds of the three fillies present--or at least two of them--it was the perfect day for some kite flying.

“Sure eh’m sure!” answered Apple Bloom. She bounced off the rock and back onto the ground to pick up the end of the string.

Sweetie Bell took a step back to get a better view of the action. “Okay, so when Apple Bloom starts running with the string, Scootaloo, you jump off the rock and into the air!” The gears in the head of the small white filly were turning, and she smiled at her own genius.

That rock had never looked so big before; the CMC had used it when they tried to get their cutiemarks in mountain climbing. Scootaloo had been at the peak tons of times, and she had never been so anxious. She was never nervous when it came to discovering what her special talent was, why should learning to fly be any different?

“Maybe we should test it with something first,” Scootaloo offered. “You know...to make sure it’s safe.”

“Test it how?” Sweetie Bell asked while giving her a sidewards look.

“I don’t know...with a sack of potatoes or something.” Scootaloo shifted her eyes and let out a half-hearted laugh.

“We’d have’ta go all the way back into town to find a sack of potatoes, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom rebuked. “Say, you ain’t scared, are you?”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not afraid of anything!” Scootaloo answered back. She closed her eyes. “Just do it already!”

Apple Bloom started galloping in the opposite direction with the string firmly gripped in her teeth. Years of helping out Applejack at the family farm had trained her legs to be quick and strong, and the string quickly became tight.

Scootaloo felt the rope tug her and jumped off, embracing the very real possibility of the ground coming up to meet her any second. She waited, keeping her eyes shut.

“It’s working!” shouted Sweetie Bell. “Scootaloo, open your eyes! You’re flying, you’re flying, you’re flying!” She hopped with joy.

Scootaloo dared to open her eyes for a quick peek. She was airborne! the kite held her full weight as it glided on the steady northern wind. Felicity washed over her face as she looked down at the land below. This is what Rainbow Dash must feel all the time, she thought to herself.

She stretched her hooves out in front of her as the current rushed by. The air resistance was a new feeling altogether for the grounded pegasus pony, the opposing wind pressed against her every motion.

Scootaloo did her best to ‘fly’ as straight as possible, but she was just along for the ride.

WHOOSH. The wind changed, a sudden gust knocked the kite off its stable course. Scootaloo groaned from the effort it took to keep the kite balanced. “Bring me down, bring me down, bring me down!” Scootaloo yelled at the top of her lungs to be heard over the wind.

But it was too late. Before Apple Bloom or Sweetie Bell could react, the wind changed again, this time snapping the string in half. Scootaloo realized, to her horror, that she was now sailing on a ship with no anchor. The hastily-made kite was losing integrity fast, the paper being blown out by the rough wind.

The harness--the fancy word Sweetie Bell used to describe the extra bits of string they had to tie around Scootaloo--was coming undone. Soon, the kite was in several large, scattered pieces, and she was plummeting to the unforgiving ground below. With only mere seconds left she closed her eyes and fluttered her wings with all her might...

“I got’cha kid!” an older voice rang out.

Scootaloo looked below as the ground began to grow small in her perspective. Confusion was evidently plastered all over her face as the treetops raced away from her. She looked at her stomach and saw two light blue hoofs holding her tight.

“Rainbow Dash! You saved me!” Again, she thought with a self-conscious blush.

From the ground Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell watched as the pair of pegasi flew away. “Well what are we suppose to do now?” Sweetie Bell asked

No words came from Rainbow Dash yet. They flew into the clouds where she dropped Scootaloo off. The tiny pegasus fell to it with a poof.  She looked down at the cloud, time seemed to slow as her hoof sunk into the soft wisps of white and grey. She looked up. Above her, a marvelous blue colored the sky, the sun adding traces of orange and red tendrils that mixed together in the beauty that was the playground of the pegasi. She looked around with her mouth slightly open.

“What were you thinking? You could have been hurt or worse!” Rainbow Dash said as she landed squarely on the cloud, her eyes half-cocked and set on Scootaloo.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash,” replied Scootaloo.

“You’re sorry...you could’ve been killed and all you can say is you’re sorry?! What if I wasn’t there, what would have happened?!” Rainbow took a breath and the angry tone melted away into a worried one. “Just...just give me one good  reason why you were doing what you were doing.”

Scootaloo looked down at the cloud and didn’t answer Dash’s question.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look...kid.” She put her hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder and their eyes met. “I’m sorry for being angry, but you have to tell me what you and your friends were doing.”

“We were...” Scootaloo stopped. “I was...” She stopped again, and with a final sigh, “I was...trying to fly.”

Dash’s eyes widened a bit. Scootaloo expected her reaction. She never voiced any concerns about her life on the ground, so Rainbow would have never thought something was wrong.

When Rainbow didn’t respond she continued with her story. “My friends have been helping me all morning. We’ve tried every way we could think of and I still can’t fly!”

She truly meant it. After coming to her friends for help they spent the entire morning experimenting with different ideas. The worst part was the kite idea wasn’t even the most dangerous they had attempted: one involved a catapult. She got good air, but the landing left much to be desired.

“I’m sorry Rainbow Dash. I’ll stop trying. I promise.” Scootaloo

Rainbow remained quiet. Scootaloo could only guess what her hero was thinking. She was accustomed to the sky--she considered it to be her home. When Scootaloo saw herself she saw the opposite. Her legs wobbled as she constantly tried to correct her stance on the soft billow, and her eyes never left the cloud.

“Of course you are going to stop trying, Scoots!” Rainbow Dash said.

The purple mane of the small filly covered her eyes as she tilted her head down. She knew she had messed up big this time, and hoped that in time Rainbow Dash would think she was cool again.

“Because you are going to start doing!” Dash puffed out her chest. “I’m gonna teach you how to fly!”

Scootaloo paused. No...you didn’t just hear that, her inner voice told her. She dared to look up through her mane, her eyes sparkling. “A-are you saying-”

“Who better to teach you about flying than the greatest flyer in all of Equestria?” Rainbow Dash boasted.

Scootaloo swore she couldn’t feel her heart beating anymore. She put a hoof to her chest just to make sure. She was alive! But...was she dreaming? She bit her hoof. Ow! Nope not dreaming. “I can’t believe this,” she shouted happily, “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Scootaloo regained her composure. “Oh, uhm... Yeah, I think that’d be pretty cool,” Scootaloo said. “So when do we start?” She held her balance while she spoke.

Rainbow Dash laughed. It wasn’t a friendly, loving, or cheerful laugh. It was a laugh that said, You have no idea what I have in store for you.
_______________________________________

Scootaloo was back on the ground--nice solid ground. She was sitting in the shade of an apple tree as she watched Rainbow Dash fly through the orchard. The Rainbow-maned mare was busy moving hay bales around, stacking a few up and lining them in a row.

“Alright Scoots,” Rainbow Dash called over, finally finished with her work. “I want to see how fast you can weave through those hay bales.” She pointed to the stacked hay behind her.

Scootaloo was by her side before she finished her sentence. She gazed over the mini obstacle course Dash had set up, her wings briefly flickering on her back. “So...do you want me to run it? Or maybe I could grab my scooter and-”

“This isn’t run training kid, and definitely not scooter training. This is flight training.” Rainbow Dash scooted Scootaloo in front of her.

Rainbow jumped off the ground and tucked into a backflip and used the momentum coming out of it to race into the hay bales, flawlessly ducking in between the pillars she had set up. It was over as quickly as it started, a rainbow trailing her as she skidded to a halt right next to the shocked filly.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “That was...totally awesome!” Scootaloo cheered.

“By day’s end you’ll be doing that with ease, kid,” Rainbow stated. She brushed her hoof on her chest and beamed a flashy smile. She had been so bold that Scootaloo was starting to not only believe her, but believe in herself: she could do this!

Scootaloo ran up to an invisible starting line and lowered into a competitive stance. This was it: the chance to show her hero what she was made of.

When her internal countdown reached zero, she bolted. In seconds, it became apparent that the older pony’s time would be impossible to match or even near. She strained her wings hard, but at best slightly hovered for a second or two before returning to the ground. At the final stack she turned too hard and knocked into it, bringing it to the ground and burying her.

Rainbow Dash flew over as Scootaloo popped her head out of the pile of hay. She spat out some hay that had gotten in her mouth, and looked up at Dash with an embarrassed look.

“You’re gonna have to try harder then that kid,” Rainbow Dash called down. “Try again.”

For the rest of the day she kept trying to pass Rainbow Dash’s test. Her second attempt wasn’t any better than her first,  The third, fourth, fifth, twenty-third, and further were much of the same. By the end when Rainbow yelled, “stop!”, she had already fallen to the ground panting, sweat rolling off her head. She was tired, and still couldn’t fly.

Scootaloo thought Rainbow Dash was frustrated with her, so she remained positive. “So...that last attempt, I think I was able to hover for a bit longer than the one before it! I think I’m making some real progress!”

Rainbow flew over to Scootaloo’s side and rustled her mane. “We’ll do better tomorrow, Scoots.”

Hearing that perked her up.  “So...you’ll hang out with me again tomorrow?”

“What do you take me for, a liar? I said I’d teach you to fly and I meant it. You should head home, we’re done for the day and I’m sure your folks are getting worried.” The sun was on the horizon and going down.

Scootaloo held up for a second and looked at Rainbow and opened her mouth slightly, but then closed it a moment later. She said goodnight, grabbed her scooter, and was off towards home.

In the days that followed, a routine emerged. Scootaloo would have class with Ms. Cheerilee, and when she got out she’d head over to the southern fields of Sweet Apple Acres where she met up with Rainbow Dash.  Rainbow Dash would breeze through her daily work with the weather team to be sure to catch Scootaloo in time.

Every day they would work together until supper time. To show Scootaloo and Rainbow some support, Applejack was kind enough to call them in for food and each night. She would always ask how Scootaloo’s lessons were coming that particular day.

“Fine,” would always be the simple answer that came from Rainbow Dash before she took a bite of whatever they were eating that night.

A week passed by going much of the same way. Scootaloo felt she was no closer to flying, and had begun to feel discouraged. She would be in class and hear the revolting snickers of the two ponies that constantly made fun of her blank flank: Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They were two of the key reasons why Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell agreed to help Scootaloo with her flying problem in the first place. “Even Rumble can fly.” they’d say, causing Rumble’s grey cheeks to go red. Rumble was younger then Scootaloo, which made it all the more mortifying.

It was the morning of the seventh day since Rainbow Dash promised to teach Scootaloo how to fly. Scootaloo had just gotten out of school, and after telling her friends goodbye, she sped off towards Sweet Apple Acres as she normally did.

She sped through the narrow street as she thought about what the coming day would bring. She snaked between surprised ponies and stall owners, never slowing her scooter down. This is what she was used to. Why can’t flying come this easily, she asked herself.

Realization hit too late, and too hard, when she struck a mailbox on the side of the street. She flipped over the mailbox, off her scooter, and onto the cold cobblestone of the street.

A yellow-maned grey mailmare closed the same mailbox Scootaloo just hit. “Hey Scootaloo, you okay?” she asked with a smile.

“Oh...uh yeah Derpy, I’m cool,” Scootaloo shakily replied. Her eyes were still reeling from the konk to the head. Trying to save face, she leaned her elbow up against a fence post and beamed a smile. “Cool as a cucumber, you know me!”

Derpy stood for a moment as if processing her answer, and once satisfied with it, turned and wished Scootaloo a good morning and continued back on her route.

Scootaloo shook it off and was back on her scooter following Derpy. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

Derpy opened up her mailbag and placed a couple letters in the next mailbox on her route. Her hoof got stuck in it. Trying to wiggle it free as Scootaloo watched was pressure enough. The clanging of the metal grew more intense.

“Don’t fool with me mailbox, I’ll mess you up,” Derpy whispered.

Apparently it heard her, because she was able to release her hoof. Smiling as if nothing happened, Derpy closed her mailbag and continued to the next house. “You wanted to ask me something?”

They weren’t alone, as there were other ponies passing by on their way to the marketplace. Scootaloo quickly made sure that Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon weren’t around before asking her question. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Well, it’s nothing huge. I mean, you’re a pegasus, and I’m a pegasus. From one pegasus to another...do you remember how you learned to fly?”

Derpy stood still for awhile, and Scootaloo had every right to think that she was lost in deep thought. As if recalling her childhood and remembering the day she first flew. Scootaloo hoped that by asking Derpy how she learned to fly, some super secret  mystical advice might spring from it. Perhaps something that could help her in her lessons with Rainbow Dash.

A minute passed and Derpy hadn’t moved. Scootaloo shot her a worried look. Oh no! She doesn’t remember.

Another minute ticked and Derpy hadn’t as much as blinked. Did I...no...no...don’t be stupid Scootaloo...you didn’t break Derpy.

A gut-wrenching third minute. I broke Derpy! her inner voice cried.

Scootaloo nudged Derpy’s hoof a tad.

Derpy shook her head and focused her crossed eyes on Scootaloo, “I’m sorry sweetie, I was miles away. Did you say something?”

“Uhh! Nevermind!” Scootaloo said. Derpy always had problems keeping her attention on one thing, especially when something interesting catch her eye, such as a butterfly that happened to have been flying by.

She turned around and ran her scooter straight towards Rainbow Dash, a long day of hard training with little results surely ahead.
_______________________________________

The night sky looked down upon the world. The soft wind blew around, as if not exactly sure which direction it wanted to go. Luna’s solemn moon hung low, but was slowly rising in the late dusk. Rainbow Dash soared through the sky with purpose: teaching Scootaloo to fly had turned out to be a bigger challenge than she expected.

It was for this reason she was going to visit her friend, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight might be an egghead sometimes, but Rainbow knew that if anypony would have good advice to give, she’d be the one to give it.

Twilight welcomed the blue pegasus into her house. Spike was there as well, and began making tea. As Spike left the room, they began to discuss the progress of her student.

“It sounds like she’s trying hard and doing what she can,” Twilight commented after hearing all about Scootaloo’s training.

“Ugh.” Rainbow Dash groaned. She flew back and forth, reliving her failed lessons.

Twilight looked up at her hovering friend, “Rainbow, it has only been one week. If you are going to be Scootaloo’s mentor, you have to be, above all else, patient with her.”

“You don’t understand, Twilight!” grumbled Rainbow Dash, pushing out into the air with her hooves.

“What? What don’t I understand?” Twilight countered.

“It’s just not clicking with her!”  she blurted out. “When I was taught how to fly I was half her age! She should be able to fly circles around me by now!” She turned away. “It’s just...I am...she is...” Rainbow Dash let out a sigh. “I’m sorry Twilight, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m just so mad with myself!” She flew down towards her friend and sat next to her on the cushioned couch, then placed her head in her hooves.

“I just want her to be...” Rainbow Dash mumbled through her hooves, then stopped and searched for a good word to use. She looked up at Twilight. “...great.”

Twilight placed a comforting hoof on Dash’s back. “It’s a completely normal reaction to want your student to be successful,” Twilight offered in solace.

The room was filled with silence as neither pony knew what more to say. In the interlude, Spike returned to the room with a silver tray holding a tea kettle and several cups. He began to pour some of the tea for Twilight. “Why don’t you try and connect with her, Rainbow?” Spike asked in order to break the silence.

They both just glared at him.

“Well, it’s not like you two were being exactly quiet,” he huffed defensively.

Rainbow saw Twilight’s eyes light up. “Spike! You’re a genius!”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Spike scoffed, and chuckled at himself.

“Rainbow Dash, you have to bridge the gap between you and Scootaloo. Find something you two have in common and use that to help her!” Twilight ended with a warm smile.

Rainbow squirmed in her seat, thinking for a few seconds. “Like what Twilight?”

The alicorn tapped a hoof on her chin in thought. “Ah! Rainbow Dash, how did you learn how to fly?”

“Well that’s an easy one, Twi,” Rainbow started.“When I was a little filly my old man taught me everything he knew! He taught me to be fearless and daring, and to never give up!” She realized where Twilight might be going with this.

Twilight and Spike shared a glance. “Yes, well maybe we can think of another-”

“I got it!” Rainbow Dash flew up in excitement before Twilight could finish. “We can go visit her parents and ask them!” The gears were turning in her brain as she put a hoof to her head. “Come to think of it, I’ve never really seen her parents. Do they live around here? Or do they live in Cloudsdale?”  

She turned back around and was faced with the other two looking at her in stunned silence.

“What? Is there something in my wings?” She flew in a circle to check herself out.

Spike was the first to talk. “Rainbow Dash, you don’t-” Twilight raised her hoof to silence the dragon, then calmly walked over to the door and opened it with her magic.

“Where are we going, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked,.

“There is just something you need to see for yourself,” Twilight answered. She walked out the door without another word.

Rainbow followed her out, feeling slightly unsettled by her reaction.

There weren’t any other ponies on the streets of Ponyville, most were asleep in their beds. Twilight magically lit a lantern that had been resting and picked it up to light their way.  

Rainbow Dash let out a restless sigh. “Are we there-” was all Dash got out before bumping into her friend Twilight, who had abruptly stopped in the middle of the street.

“What gives Twilight?” Rainbow growled, rubbing her head.

“Just look,” was all Twilight responded with, her eyes on an old building.

Rainbow met her gaze and looked up slowly, if she hadn’t known better she would have thought Twilight had brought her to an old hotel. In fact, the building looked very out of place for Ponyville.

“Twilight...why are we here?” Rainbow Dash’s tone changed, and there was a hint of angst in her voice.

Her eyes downcast, Twilight turned her face to look back at her friend. “Rainbow I don’t know how else to say it...this is where Scootaloo lives.”

“What are you talking about, Twilight? Why would she live in an old house like-” Rainbow stopped. She wordlessly lip-read the small simple writing above the oak door. The letters were discolored by time,  but their meaning was perfectly clear: Ponyville Orphanage.