Ponyville The Best Medicine

[Dio]

“Oh gods I’m late!”

Diomedes scrambled madly around his apartment, half fluttering, half galloping, all bumbling, trying to find all of the things he was supposed to bring, if only he could REMEMBER where he put them! Late, late, late, late, late! Dio’s mind was flying at a million miles an hour. How could he have put this off? Why wasn’t any of his gear where he thought it was? Oh how was he going to explain this to Star Chaser?

“Aha! Here we go!” He said as he grabbed two bags of trail mix and tossed them both at his open saddlebags. As he turned around to grab his canteens out of the cupboard, he heard a resounding crash as his office chair tipped over, dropping his saddlebags to the ground and spilling all of his collected gear on the floor. Dio facehoofed.

“I hate… everything…”

******

As he touched down at the address he was given, Dio suppressed a nervous shiver. Perhaps he’d gone a little overboard. It was supposed to be a quick flight to the foothills near Solstice Heights followed by a hike through Whitetail Wood, but he’d already gone through the trouble of getting his mane trimmed and his flight feathers preened. His saddlebags were packed with trail mix, water, and some fresh fruit for a picnic in addition to his usual survival gear. He’d even called off work to ensure that he had time to spend with Star Chaser.

Their correspondence since the gala had been sparse. Star had mentioned in her letters that the bindings had since been removed and that she was in physical therapy. In fact, when Dio had mentioned “hanging out” again, Star wrote back that her doctor encouraged it. The letters also stated that the lady Pegasus would be good to fly by the date Dio had set.

Dio took a deep breath as he stepped up to the door, gently rapping on it with a hoof. “Here goes nothing…”

[RCTwilightSparkle]

The house was quiet, except for a few birds chirping and singing up on Star Chaser's roof. Star was getting ready for her flight with Diomedes like she would any other flight, with a sense of zen calmness about her. As she double checked the contents of her saddle bags she hummed along with the birds outside. The quick double check went the same as they usually did, she wasn’t missing anything. Doctor's orders were that she shouldn’t carry much extra weight, and when she told this to Dio, he insisted on carrying everything, which was sweet of him. Unfortunately Star's stubborn nature just couldn't let that happen and so she packed a few little treats and snacks along with the typical flight gear she always carried, it couldn't have all weighed more than a few pounds. Trying to stay relaxed while getting ready wasn't nearly as easy as the old days, usually back then she wasn't preparing for a date AND a flight all at the same time.

As Star Chaser continued to get ready she was walking around her house, humming and getting lost in her own thoughts. Scenes of the gala replayed in her head and for a moment she felt like she was back on that grassy field tucked under Dio’s wing. All she could hear were the crickets distantly chirping from that night, so Star couldn’t help but jump a little at the sound of a knock on her door.

Instinctively, Star pulled her right wing close to her, as she always did when she knew she wasn’t alone. As soon as she did that and didn’t feel the distinctive feeling of her bindings against her feathers, she remembered. A little smirk spread across her face and as she walked to the door she stretched out her wings and then tucked both of them neatly by her sides. The ex-Wonderbolt took a deep breath, shook out her mane a little bit and opened the door.

She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Dio, even though it had only been a few weeks she really missed him. ”Hey you!” she said playfully ”Ready to go?.

[Dio]

An uneasy stamp of a hoof, a flick of a tail, a ruffling of feathered wings on muscled flank… Dio nervously glanced around as his knocks on the door seemed to reverberate into void. She did say ten o’clock, right? Maybe he was early? Or maybe he was too late! Dio shook his head to clear the static. He was overthinking this, WAY overthinking it. Dio recoiled at the door opening, though he was quick to right himself.

“Hey you!” Star Chaser said playfully. “Ready to go?”

Dio couldn’t help but gawk. The lady Pegasus stepped onto the stoop, her powder blue mane falling neatly to the side and her trademark winning smile illuminating the doorway. Her ebony feathers fluttered gently back to her sides, finally free from their prior restraints. Star Chaser looked just as good without the Wonderbolt regalia, even better sans splints. This was the jet black lady flier at her best.

“Uh…” Dio trailed off, wanting to say something clever, but instead realizing that his jaw was already open and hanging loosely from its hinges. He snapped it shut with a hoof and managed a sheepish grin, a vain attempt to offset his awkwardness. “I’m… ready when you are!”

"... I mean to Solstice Heights it is!" He said, forcing confidence back into his voice. "I found a great little spot just below Canterlot proper. You'll love it, I promise!"

With that, he unfurled his massive wings and launched skyward, maintaining a hover at rooftop level, pausing for a moment to ensure Star Chaser had time to catch up before he got up to full speed.

[RCTwilightSparkle]

As Star Chaser stood in the doorway she couldn't help but giggle at Dio, who was now standing in front of her with his jaw on the floor. After the look on his face, Star's eyes were drawn straight to Dio's wings. She still couldn't remember the last time she'd seen a stallion with wings as large as his. They seemed to fit just right on his over sized athletic frame, and although she doubted that they were great for complicated tricks, he looked like the type of pegasus who could fly for hours without even slowing down.

Only a few moments from now Star would be able to find out if she was right about Dio's flying style. With that idea in her head, Star's mind drifted just one thought too far. The thought of Dio seeing her fly was making the ex-Wonderbolt a little nervous now, even though she hadn't really thought about it before. The last time he, or just about any pony saw her fly she was a Wonderbolt. Now, Star was flying about as well as she did back in her Junior Speedsters days. Not nearly as quick or agile as she was only a few short months ago, but not nearly as mediocre as she felt at that moment. To Star, recovery felt like having to learn to fly all over again like a little filly.

She could only manage a half sincere smile as Dio spoke, a little distracted by the thoughts racing around in her head. It all did sound like it would be a nice date... just as long as her wings didn't let her down.

Before Star had any more time to worry, Dio unfolded his wings and took off, hovering around roof level and looking down at her. A deep breath cleared the ex-Wonderbolt's mind. 'I'm probably still faster than he is anyway...' she mused to herself, trying to get a little confidence back. With a smirk on her face, Star took off and flew right past Dio. As she passed him she yelled a playful "I'll race ya!". After a few seconds she glanced back to see if Dio was chasing after her. She wasn't flying as fast as she could and had no intentions of actually trying to race him. The lady pegasus just wanted to see what he could do.

[Dio]

"Hey are you coming or-- WHOA!" Dio scarcely had time to look over his shoulder as a a black and blue bolt went screaming past him, spinning him about on one wing. As he righted himself, Dio blinked incredulously. In spite of her previous injury, Star Chaser still retained both her need for speed and her competitive spirit!

"I'll race ya!" She called as she blew past.

Dio flapped harder, starting slowly, but steadily picking up speed as he went. Years of practice made saddlebags and crosswinds seem like nothing to his heavy frame and muscled build. There was no outmaneuvering Star Chaser, but if she wanted a straightline race, he could certainly give her a run for her bits!

But they were still supposed to picnic in the foothills that afternoon. They'd be late... and wasn't he supposed to be in the lead? Dio shook out his mane, clearing his head from doubt. Star's enthusiasm could only be answered by one thing... competition. Dio grinned as he powered onward. He wasn't about to let his date put him down!

"You're on!"