This was written for the ‘What is it like to fly?’ prompt given before the current one. I submitted it on the day after the deadline. A writer is never late, nor is he early. He submits precisely when he means to.
Rainbow Dash's Diary
July 16
Not sure why Twilight gave me this dorky thing. She said it would be a good idea to keep it, but we're already doing a group one. I'm probably going to just use this as a doorstop after a while.
July 17
Injured my wing while flying. Stupid tree... I can still fly, just not as well as before. It doesn't look too bad though, so I'll probably be fine in a day or so.
July 22
Ugghhh, still can't fly right. Twilight says I should go to the hospital and check it out. It's feeling better today, but if I don't see it improve tomorrow, I'll go.
July 23
Doctors said I sprained it. Shouldn't be too bad, but I need to go into therapy. Glorified stretching if you ask me. Saw a small pegasus filly at the hospital. She couldn't take her eyes off me. Guess she knows awesome when she sees it.
August 2
Still in therapy, but it's getting better. Fluttershy's been helping me where she can, even though I don't really need it. Probably just doesn't want me to feel like everything is ruined. I saw that same filly again in the therapist's office. Looked like her mother was there too. Not sure why, but she looked sort of happy and sad at the same time.
August 9
I can fly normally again, though the doctors say I should take it easy for a few days, just in case. After being grounded like that for a few weeks, I'm not exactly in a rush to injure it again. That filly's mom approached me as I left. She said 'Thank you'. No idea why.
August 23
Went out for a flight, just needed a good movement of my body. I saw that filly as I passed by an open field. She was running, wings out, and eyes closed. Figured I should probably find out what's going on, considering we've kept bumping into each other. I asked her what she was doing. She said she was flying, and I nearly burst out in laughter. I managed to catch myself and keep the conversation going. Turns out her name is Gentle Breeze and she's a fan of mine. Part of that fanclub that popped up a while ago. She invited me over to her house, but I had a tortoise and a book waiting for me at home. I said I'd come see her again sometime though.
August 24
I met up with Gentle Breeze, figuring I'd take her offer of going to her house. Her mother, Gale Force, was awesome, especially when making cookies. Gale pulled me aside, asking me not to make Gentle Breeze try anything too reckless. She wouldn't say why, just that I shouldn't do it.
September 12
Been meeting with Gentle Breeze a lot, just hanging around with her. She's still young, so we haven't done anything aerial yet. Still, just about everypony I know was flying to at least some degree by her age. Fluttershy doesn't count. I've shown Gentle Breeze a few air tricks, though she hasn't shown me any. Maybe she doesn't want to be compared to me.
September 14
Can't find Gentle Breeze anywhere. Ah well, she'll turn up.
September 17
Fluttershy woke me up at the crack of Way-To-Early-o'clock. As in 'sun wasn't even up' early. She said somepony was looking for me, then described Gale Force. I flew over to Gale and Gentle's house. Gale was waiting, looked like she'd been crying. First thing she did was plant her hoof in my cheek with enough force to understand where her name came from. She dragged me inside and placed me on a chair. After a tense few seconds, she explained that Gentle Breeze was in the hospital, both wings injured. Before I could respond, she explained that Gentle had been born with really weak wing muscles and that over exerting them would tear them apart. Gentle had tried to fly, and now doctors were worried that her wings might need to be amputated to prevent them from being dead weight. I asked if there was anything I could do. Gale said I'd done enough.
September 18
I went to visit Gentle in the hospital. Gale was there, and wanted me to leave. Once Gentle saw me though, she practically tore the room apart trying to get to me. We got to talking again. She asked me why I always flew everywhere, instead of walking. I said it was just better. She asked why. I went blank for a good few minutes. How am I supposed to describe why it was better to somepony who had never done it before? I eventually said that it was faster to fly, but I don't think anypony in the room was satisfied with that answer. I left a little later, mostly to escape before Gentle brought up the question again.
September 29
Why do I keep thinking about it? I haven't been able to get her question out of my head. Why do I fly? Is it just because I can? Is it because I want to show off what I can do? Why is it so hard to answer this?
November 2
I've been avoiding Gentle and Gale. I heard she was released from the hospital, but her wings are wrapped up in bandages to prevent her from moving them. I still don't have an answer for her question though. I asked Twilight why she flew, hoping to get some insight. Somehow, I don't think “Because I'm a princess” really applies to me.
November 7
I saw Gentle today. I didn't say anything, and I tried not to be seen by her. She's still in bandages, and her mom was following her around. They seemed alright, then Gentle paused to watch some birds for a good half hour before I left.
November 15
After a long (and boring) talk from Twilight, I was able to face Gentle again. Her mother was there, giving me a stare that rivaled Fluttershy's. I started by telling Gentle that I flew because it was like nothing else in Equestria. I apparently said that wrong, because she started getting teary-eyed. Between her tears and her mother's death-stare, I lifted Gentle onto my back, telling Gale we'd be back shortly. I kept quiet for a bit, then told Gentle to hold on, and I took flight. This wasn't a flight I'd normally do, but right now, I think both Gentle and I needed it. I went high, higher than the clouds. High enough that they became hills rolling away beneath us. The air was cool, and for lack of a better term, pure. No dust, no smells, just air. I took a deep breath, nudging Gentle to do the same as she hung tightly around my neck. We hovered for a few more seconds, then I went into free fall. The rush of the air going past us, gravity taking total control of us. Gentle actually started floating above me slightly. As we neared the first cloud, I snapped my wings out, pulling out of the dive and turning into a forward glide. I took Gentle around Ponyville, showing her all the places I loved to weave through. She giggled. We were going at breakneck speed and she giggled.
I asked her if she wanted to feel something really amazing. Before she had fully said yes, I was already bringing us up for more altitude. Surrounded in an ocean of clouds, I landed on one, planning to springboard off of it. I let Gentle catch her breath, then dove again, using my wings to speed us up. I could see the cone forming around us, wrapping us in air as we neared the sound barrier. Then we Rainboomed. The sudden change of direction and speed sending a jolt through both of us, bouncing between us. I headed for my house, knowing it would let Gentle see the Rainboom like I did: from above, watching the shockwave spread out over the landscape. I wasn't sure if she was being quiet because of fear or awe. She didn't need to say anything. Her grip on me loosened slightly, so I gave a buck to remind her we were a few hundred feet in the air.
We glided (or is it glid?) back to Ponyville, to her house. She got off me slowly, still shaking with panic and excitement. Gale met us at the door, and Gentle met her with a hug. They held their embrace for a little bit, then Gale turned to me. She told me a great pegasus had once said that once you had tasted flight, you walked with your head turned skyward. Because there you have been, and there you will long to return. I didn't get what she meant, but I had a gut feeling that it was the only thing to be said there. As I turned to leave, just barely within earshot, I heard Gale say two more words to me: Thank you.