Hurricane Fluttershy, part 3

[no_vampires_plz]

There are exactly two non-pegasi at the racetrack this morning. One is a unicorn. One is a dragon. Both are testing out a propeller-like device they've just staked to the turf next to the track proper.

A pair of younger mares, Cloudchaser and her sister Flitterheart, trot over to watch Twilight and Spike work. "What exactly does this machine do?" asks Cloudchaser.

"This," says Twilight, "is an anemometer. It measures your accelerative velocity and translates it into wingpower, thus gauging your cumulative H₂O antigravitational potential." She beams. "Any other questions?"

The two pegasi exchange a puzzled look.

"...yeah." Flitterheart turns to Spike. "What exactly does this machine do?"

Spike rolls his eyes. "It tells you how fast you're flying and how strong your wings are," he explains patiently.

A murmur of understanding ripples through the crowd. Twilight pouts. That's what she just said, don't these ponies know anything?

She hears a loud cough from the far end of the field. "Is that you again, Thunderlane?" calls Twilight, levitating a bottle of antiseptic spray over to the pegasus stallion's vicinity. "Please, we need to have a germ-free environment!"

"It wasn't me!" Thunderlane protests. "It was Blossomforth!"

Comments

[nponyc]

In an instant Rainbow is hovering in the air between Twilight and the horde.

"Don't worry, Twilight. Thunderlane's just cookin' up an excuse to spend Tornado Day in bed." To Thunderlane she adds tauntingly, "Why don't you get over here and be our first test-flyer, Thunderlane?"

[no_vampires_plz]

Blossomforth snickers. Thunderlane glares back at her, but flies over to the starting line anyway.

He stretches his back legs, flexes his wings, and takes off at top speed, a black streak against the brown track. The anemometer's blades whirl and the gauge creeps up to...

"We have 9.3 wingpower!" announces Twilight, much to the delight of the assembled pegasi.

[nponyc]

As everyone celebrated, Rainbow Dash eyes the gauge with gleeful thoughtfulness.

"Not bad, not bad..."

With that, she zipped to the starting line. Taking a moment to crack all the necessary joints and stretch all the necessary muscles, she crouched--set her wings in motion--

And took off.

[no_vampires_plz]

The anemometer isn't the only thing set in motion in Rainbow Dash's wake. Every pony in attendance has to brace themselves against the wind. Spike nearly goes flying; Fluttershy actually does go flying, despite her best efforts to keep her footing.

Twilight just barely keeps her wits about her enough to check the gauge.

"16.5 wingpower!"

[nponyc]

As the assembled ponies cheer, Rainbow slows to a stop to hover over the group.

"Now, listen up! If each of you can get each of your numbers up to at least 10.0 wingpower by the end of the week, we'll no doubt set a new tornado speed record! We'll be number one!"

She hangs in place for a moment. Watching other ponies jump in the air with enthusiasm give her enormous satisfaction.

[needs_fern]

Rainbow Dash's enthusiasm is infectious. Fluttershy doesn't take off into the air with the others, but she does smile and flap her wings a bit. But seeing the speed and power of the other ponies' wings, and then her own slow, soft wingbeats, quickly dampens her enthusiasm.

She did tell Rainbow Dash she'd do it, but she doesn't see how she can actually contribute.

[no_vampires_plz]

* - * - * - * - * - *

Twilight spends the next hour craning her neck to check the anemometer's gauge as one pegasus after another zips past. 8.7, 9.2, 9.9, 7.3...

Finally, there are just two pegasi left to test. Spike scribbles down Skysurfer's windpower total and holds it up so Rainbow Dash can see it.

[nponyc]

"Impressive!" Rainbow Dash is very pleased. Just one more to go. "Fluttershy, your turn!"

She claps and blows her whistle.

[needs_fern]

Oh, no...

Fluttershy steps up to the starting line, trembling. Everypony else is lined up along the track, watching her. (They're also giving supportive smiles, but those don't register so much.)

She takes a deep breath and lifts herself into the air, then forward. After a few moments, she begins to relax. This isn't hard, and nopony's laughing at her.

Or maybe they are. As she passes Cloudchaser and Flitterheart, they begin to giggle. It's completely innocent, but Fluttershy is immediately cast back to flight camp and the other fillies' teasing. She doesn't fall out of the air, but she does slow down substantially - just as she reaches Twilight and the anemometer.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight and Rainbow Dash both have rictus grins on their faces as Fluttershy passes by. They look at the gauge, then at each other, then put their heads together to frantically whisper back and forth:

"Tell her."
"No, you tell her!"
"No, you!"

[nponyc]

"Uh... Great job, Fluttershy! You measured, uh, uh..." No amount of forced enthusiasm can improve that smile--or the number.

"...point five!"

Rainbow Dash isn't the type to hide behind her friends--but the way she almost clings to Twilight implies she wants to.

[no_vampires_plz]

"Point five?" echoes Spike. "Isn't that, like, less than one?"

Then, "Ow!" as Twilight cuffs him in the back of the head.

[needs_fern]

Rainbow Dash's tone had let Fluttershy ignore the number (and, to be honest, mathematics was never her strongest point), but then Spike had to point it out.

Fluttershy's face falls. Less than one, she thinks. I did terrible. I... I can hardly fly. And as if it just happened, all the taunts the other fillies had sent at her at flight camp, all the weight of their gazes, come rushing back.

She feels as though she can hardly breathe. She starts to run away, sobbing.

[nponyc]

The worst has happened--Spike undermined what little confidence Fluttershy had built up. Rainbow takes a moment to register this.

"Fluttershy, wait!"

Hurrying after her, Rainbow Dash wracks her mind for a way to help. "So some punks poked a little fun at you when you got stage fright. Big deal! You're not going to quit just because of that, are you?"

[needs_fern]

Fluttershy stops and turns to face Rainbow Dash. "Ye-e-es!" she wails, tears streaming down her face.

[nponyc]

Rainbow Dash is visibly taken aback--and just as visibly earnest in her plea.

"But I need you!"

[needs_fern]

And Fluttershy is just as earnest in her refusal.

She manages to compose herself enough to actually speak. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. I just... don't have the courage right now." And having said that, she resumes her gallop.

[nponyc]

In pure reflex Rainbow Dash starts to follow before settling back onto the ground, stunned. Seeing Fluttershy run like that always hurts--from something she'd hoped to do together, even more so.

Forlornly reaching out again, the pegasus finally gives up. It was time to head back to the track--alone. Rainbow Dash attempts, for a moment, to be huffy about it, to kick off the gloom.

It doesn't work.