Flying Colors is one of the fastest pegasi. Unfortunately, she is prone to airsickness. When she pukes, it may come out with the colors of the rainbow. For this reason, she’s sometimes called “Rainbowbarf” (or “Barfie”).

Flying Colors can be a little rebellious and mischievous. However, she is exceptionally loyal and understanding. “Fly” enjoys making jokes, pulling pranks, playing sports, and doing risky activities. Over time, she’s been learning not to pull pranks without others’ consent. Fly enjoys much of the same things that most boys do. She can fit right in with a group of stallions — and still be proud to look like a girl. In a group of boys, Fly will likely be the kindest and most understanding of the group. And she won’t be charged with acting “girly”.

“Fly” lives in the town of Friendsville. It’s a small town where everyone knows one another to some extent. Fly learns that a new stallion is moving in, and she can hardly wait to meet him. His name is David Starlyre. Rumor has that he’s a rich boy — but for some reason, he’s going to live in a small, plain house.

Secretly, Starlyre is a special student of Princess Skysparkle’s (the ruler of the Starpony Kingdom). He’s been sent to Friendsville to learn more about friendship. In addition, he is to be a mentor for another of Skysparkle’s special students: Nightlight Sparkleheart.

When Fly meets Starlyre, he is really shy. Starlyre has Asperger’s Syndrome, and moving to a new town is really stressful for him. Friendsville is a nice place to visit. But to make it his home — he doesn’t know where to begin.

Living in a plain house is not a big deal to Starlyre; it’s like camping to him. Nor does he need servants at his beck and call; he has a strong work ethic. The problem is … he’s overwhelmed with the new decisions he must make. Once it really hits him that Friendsville is his new home … all these strange people he doesn’t know … he suddenly feels helpless to his environment. It’s an autistic phobia related to sensory overload.

When Fly lays eyes on Starlyre, she immediately feels attracted to him. Secretly, Starlyre feels the same about her. But he doesn’t know how to break the ice. The new environment — and this beautiful girl he wants to befriend — it all makes him scared and anxious.

Fortunately, Starlyre did not go to Friendsville alone. He came with a little dragon boy named Phoenix. Phoenix is Nightlight’s baby dragon, whom her family has practically adopted. Unlike Starlyre, Phoenix feels right at home meeting new people. He has a natural charm that quickly gains him popularity. Acting like a big little brother, Phoenix helps Starlyre introduce himself. Before Starlyre knows it, he feels natural at making himself popular in this town.

Back in the Royal Village, Starlyre already has a healthy web of friends. Back there, he is a popular stallion — especially with girls. Most girls seem more understanding and appreciative of people’s feelings. Ironically, Starlyre’s best friend is White Night — another stallion whose best friends are mostly mares. In an unfamiliar environment, Starlyre has had to regain his confidence — seemingly having to relearn what he knows how to do in his hometown.

As Starlyre gets to know Flying Colors, he quickly finds her becoming his best female friend. “Fly” has been raised by strongly religious parents. Her parents believe friendship — with the Creator and his creation — is the central goal. In leading by example, Fly’s father (Cloudpuncher) tries to be her best friend. As a good friend, he tries not to make unnecessary demands. In turn, he does not let his daughter harm others or cause serious harm to herself. In Starlyre, Fly sees a stallion who is kind and heroic like her father.

Fly’s mother (Stormsbreak) is more fundamentalist. She ran off from a fundamentalist cult, but she still carries some of its baggage. With children, she’s accustomed to leading with force. Conversely, Stormsbreak believes the father is the head of the household. Cloudpuncher himself believes his wife is nearly equal in authority. Even so, he takes the opportunity to suppress most of his wife’s domineering tendencies with children. Overall, Stormsbreak is not accustomed to ruling through friendship.

As you might imagine, “Fly” is sometimes afraid to fly. She carries barf bags in her fursuit. (Technically, the ponies are not naked. They wear fursuits over their actual fur.) On her best days, she may just puke and throw out the bag like it’s no big deal. On her worst days, Fly really wants to stay on the ground. When she barfs, she sometimes feels humiliated. She has so much talent for flight — yet she is handicapped by her stomach.

For a long time, Fly’s parents have suspected she has food sensitivities. They want to limit the foods she may eat. However, Cloudpuncher doesn’t want to put her under great stress. For the most part, he feels she has to learn on her own. Otherwise, he fears, she might throw out the rules once she feels free to do so. Foods they don’t otherwise allow for her, Fly has to buy with her own money.

In addition to airsickness, Flying Colors can barely read. She has a hard time reading basic children’s books. She knows the words — but has a hard time decoding them from paper. Fly likes to say that reading is for eggheads, geeks, or nerds. In reality, it’s a lie she tells herself to save herself from humiliation. Now and then, Fly is reminded of how handicapped she really feels.

Fly’s parents don’t quite realize she is dyslexic. Mainly, they think she just hates school. She kind of does; she doesn’t feel high school teaches much that she really needs to know. However, the main problem is having to read textbooks and take written tests. When she studies, she tries to have others do the reading. She often fails tests even when she knows the material.

Fly can read things if she really labors to do so. Because she knows the words, reading high-school material is not always harder than reading little children’s books. In Friendsville, children normally go to the next grade regardless of performance. Therefore, she has never been held back a grade. To graduate, however, students must pass an exit exam.

“Fly” has longed to be part of the Rainbowbolts, an elite team of pegasus racers. Later, she will get her chance to join them. When the Rainbowbolts examine her, they confirm that she has various food sensitivities. These include some of her favorite foods and drinks. “Fly” isn’t sure if she can give up those things. But then she thinks of how cool she will be as one of the greatest racers in the world. When she thinks about this, giving up some favorite foods feels like a small sacrifice.

When Fly joins the Rainbowbolts, she is shocked by how academic these “cool” ponies are. They study cutting-edge science — learning to fine-tune their bodies, aerodynamics, and flying techniques. Some of the coolest jobs, it turns out, are some of the most intellectual. However, the intellectual is made to feel practical — rather than abstract thought divorced from practical applications.

Starlyre himself is highly athletic and academic. From his appearance, you would never guess how intellectual he is. However, Fly always thought of him as a peculiar person. It turns out many more are like him than she thought!

By the way, Fly’s full name is “Flying Colors Rainbow Angelfire Waterson”. “Waterson” is her surname. Her parents couldn’t agree on a name, so they strung the two names together.

Why does Flying Colors have a tail that looks different from her hair? Her hair comes from her father; her tail comes from her mother. Just as she has two names strung together, she looks like a patchwork of her father and mother!

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Starponys: Friends with Unicorn Syndrome / Crowns of Friendship © and ™ of M. Wayne Howell ([email protected]), along with all characters therein.

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