The Great and Powerful Crash Course [Trixie]

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Flash was waiting at the start of the Pegasus Training grounds on the mountain side of Mount Canterlot. He still couldn't beleive that not only was his teasing correct about Princess Luna making Trixie a Princess, but she would ask him of all ponies to teach her how to fly. He made sure to bring plenty of iced tea and capsaicin loaded snacks. Flying was still his weakest attribute. Gliding wasn't so much of an issue but getting his body off the ground or accelerating in the air hurt. This wasn't really formal lessons. There was the starting wall. The over-under beams, and the dive rings. Pretty much the basics. Part of him was hoping that he didn't end up making himself look like to much of a fool to the New Princess. He was an Officer of the Royal Guard. He had to maintain a bit of decorum and look professional. Perhaps that was why she came to him instead of the Pegasus Flight Trainer for lessons. But then there was the whole Aspect of Alicorn flight. With just three examples to go on, Alicorn Wings seemed much larger in flight, they could probably flap less and cover the same ground and flight speed. Thinking of this Flash just scratched his head with is front hoof vigorously. Bah, why was he asked to do this?!

[Trixie Lulamoon]

Alright, first day with the wings and stuff. It was going to be pretty interesting experience. To help her with it all, she got in contact with the only pegasus she could say she knew in the area. And by knew, she meant “had a brief conversation with about lunch”. Still, Flash Sentry had agreed to it, so that worked. Seemed pretty chill about her having wings and stuff too. Although going to a training ground seemed a bit much. But hey, he was the actual pegasus so she was gonna take his word on what she needed to do. Especially since she was still in the position of having trouble getting her wings to close when she didn’t want them open. Which made the train ride rather…fun.

But now she was here, spotting Flash just kind of hanging about rubbing his head. Weirdo.

”Hey there Flash,” Trixie said, waving with her hoof as her wings finally relaxed enough to go down to her side. They seemed to work better when she wasn’t focusing on them. What was that called, the centipede’s dilemma?

”So then, ready to help me learn how to get these babies airborne?” she said, pointing at a wing with her hoof as she opened it again. Boy, she loved doing that little display thing. Made everything she did feel way more dramatic.

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Even now, Flash had a hard time beleiving all of this was happening. But at least she could open her wings. He smiled as she showed them off and made a bit of a quick conversation. Flash just nodded and poofed his wings open in ready for the demonstration. His wings were lighter in the feather department for most pegasi, much less a set of Alicorn Wings. Moving his wings into a flight position, perfectly flat, he motioned his head to them. "Ok then, we will start with some easy gliding. Really simple. Just keep your wings out flat and straight and leap off a cliff." Because they had a lot to go through, he just took a hop to turn around, ran at full speed and ran right off the side of the 500 foot cliff. He dropped for a few seconds and then the updraft of the moutain side lifted him back into view of the course entrance and he went through a few circles, entering a staying circle over Trixie. "We will just go straight for now. Don't worry about making turns yet."

[Trixie Lulamoon]

Wait, what is it he wanted me to do?!

Trixie stood back and watched as he ran straight off a cliffside. Her breath was taken away for the split second he was gone, but it happily returned when he came back into view. He was able to fly after all, so that shouldn’t have been that shocking. But if he thought that she was going to take his lead and follow right off the cliff, he was crazy! Sure, she had jumped out a window onto a cloud while trying to learn cloudwalking. But that time was different! There was a Wonderbolt to catch her if she fell….plus she was a little more impatient back then.

”Uhhhhh, considering I’m still just trying to get control over my wings beyond open/closing, I don’t think I’m quite ready to go jumping off cliffs.”

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Turning back towards the cliff side, Flash moved into the hovering pattern and looked to her. He could have landed but it would not have helped either of them. Well maybe him, he wouldn't have to flap and feel his joints rubbing together at his shoulders. "While that might seem logical, you won't learn anything just standing. Gliding is a simple matter of the fact you have open wings and hit the winds. You will learn how to control your wings while in the air. If you tilt to far, you feel it. Not enough you won't." He flew a bit around her giving the twist of his wings to show a bit. then he flew over the cliff edge and hovered, pointing down. "We aren't really supposed ot tell cadets, but there is a safety net about 2000 feet below the cliff edge. A barrier of clouds you'll just land softly on if you go to far." He stayed hovering there for a little bit, waiting to see if she would take the leap of faith.

[Trixie Lulamoon]

"I'm not sure falling onto a cloud is gonna help at 2000 feet up in the air," Trixie replied, raising an eyebrow. Still, she spread out her wings the best she could as she hesitantly got to the edge, swallowing her fears a bit as she looked down.

Then, taking a deep breath, she backed up a bit before getting a running start, wings out, and jumping. Her eyes of course were closed pretty tightly, but when she didn't feel the instant pull of gravity sending her plummeting, she gently open one.

"I'm still alive, right?" she said, gliding forward.