Inkyarn; My Secret Heart

She stretched with a luxurious yawn. Her muscles popped and she sighed peacefully. She had never slept so well in a long time and now she was refreshed and ready. She spread her wings, grinning to herself as Nurse Redheart poked her smiling face into the room. “How’s my favorite patient this morning?" She padded into the room, heading to the doctor’s chart at the end of the bed. Inkyarn shook her head, smoothing down her mane.

"Ready to leave," She responded, hopefully trying to peer over the edge of the clipboard.

Nurse Redheart nodded slowly, going from the sheets to the monitor beside the bed. “Well, it looks like everything checks out. You’re free to-"

BANG! A torrent of air sent the nurse spinning. She stumbled back, crashing into the curtain. By the time she got back up, Inkyarn was at the big red doors. She didn’t slow down a beat as she burst through the doors. “I’m so outta here!" She shouted, alighting on the soft earth and skipping happily. She looked around the quaint little town with a smile, but something weighed on her. Gradually she slowed to a stop as the weight found its way to her heart. She paused and gave a sigh, looking up to the brilliant blue sky. She knew what was wrong but she could not say it aloud. The others never stopped by to see her. A lump formed in her throat, making it hard to breathe. She shook her head and continued on, slowly, toward the quiet, serene park.

"C’mon Inkyarn," She muttered to herself, sliding onto a cool stone bench. She stared at her hooves and tossed her bangs back. “Get real. You’ve only known them a day." She leaned back and watched a fluffy white cloud swim through the sky. “What I do need to be worrying about is where I’m gonna go next."

"Oh dear," The voice rang out through the park, catching Inkyarn’s attention. She looked up to see a friendly young mare, turning her attention to a strange little creature perching on her back. “Vladir," The mare giggled, “You have some cupcake on your face. Here, let me get that." She dipped her muzzle into her saddle bag and pulled out a cloth, dabbing at the creature’s pudgy black and white face. It squirmed and shrieked with glee, pulling at the cloth and attempting to get its teeth on it.

Inkyarn couldn’t help herself. She zipped over, peering over the mare’s shoulder to see the cute little baby animal. “Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, startling the mare, “Is that a panda?"

The mare blushed, her ears flattening shyly. “Oh, uhm, yes, it is. His name is Vladir." He squealed at the sound of his name.

Inkyarn cupped her face in her hooves, wings beating to keep her upright. She cooed and smiled at the baby. “That’s so cute!"

The mare smiled. “Thank you! I’m Kitty Bell." She bowed her head, orange curls bounding into her face. The two shook hooves, “Nice to meet you," they spoke simultaneously.

The mare turned her head, tugging on her bag and tightening the straps. She gave Vladir a quick smile and smoothed back her bright orange mane with a dark green hoof. “So, where are you from?" She asked. Her accent was unmistakable.

Inkyarn shrugged, biting her lip. “Oh, you know," She said nervously, “Around."

Kitty Bell laughed, nonplussed, “Well that sounds like a fun place." The two laughed and Kitty Bell turned back to the baby panda. “I have to get this little guy home and then I’m off to a special job." Inkyarn cocked her head to the side, “Why don’t you tag along? I could always use the company."

"Really?"

"Yeah, do you wanna come?"

Inkyarn’s wings shot up excitedly. “Do I!" The two started off down the road. Inkyarn padded along happily. “So where’s this special job of yours?" She asked as they rounded on a small little building. Kitty Bell unlocked the front door and the two stepped inside.

"My friend Sky Fire’s house." The inside of the building was old and worn. The wooden walls were thin and seemingly fragile, but the building seemed to hold. The place looked a little run down, but there was no mistaking the talent residing within the store.

Each wall was coated with vibrant splashed of color and delicate detail work. On the far wall facing the ponies was a glorious painting depicting a mare with a striking resemblance to Kitty Bell. The painted pony sat in front of a canvas with brush in her mouth. Through the paint, Inkyarn could see the indecision and frustration on the artist’s face, the degree of concentration she was pouring into the half completed canvas. Around her were splashed of color that spread from her crown and burst across the rest of the wall, signifying the endless creativity flowing through the mare’s mind. Inkyarn soon found herself perched before the painting, staring up in awe.

Kitty Bell stood beside her, smiling. “That’s my Mom," She said, gesturing to the painted mare. “She and Pa found this abandoned building and opening their art store. I was raised here."

Inkyarn squinted, tilting her head. “She has your cutie mark. Is that a bell?"

Kitty smiled. “Yep. A bell and a paint brush. That was her name, Bell. She was a wonderful pony," She sighed wistfully.

Inkyarn frowned and shook her head, flicking back her mane. “So, uhm, Sky Fire’s, right?"

Kitty shook her head as well, shifting from her sudden mood. “Yeah, yeah. We should get going, I have some paint supplies I have to drop off."

Inkyarn was taken aback. “Paint supplies, what for?"

Kitty giggled, collecting her saddle bag. “Painting, duh. She moved into a new house and she wants to paint it. We have to hurry, c’mon!" With that, she trotted back out the store.

The two paused before the looming building, Inkyarn’s heart skipping a beat. It was the most glorious thing she had ever witnessed: a home made of clouds! Her jaw dropped as she marveled at its brilliance, wondering how it would be possible for such a thing to exist. Shaping a cloud into a home; she had heard of such things but this was the first she had seen it.

Kitty Bell laughed at Inkyarn’s shocked look. “Sky Fire just moved in a month or so ago. She asked me to help her paint so she had to lower her cloud house to the ground. Earth ponies can’t walk on clouds so it had to practically touch the ground.” She walked forward, passing through the cloud. She turned back and grinned.

Inkyarn tentatively set a hoof on the cloud, easing her weight into it. It gave a little but it held her. She was surprised at how sturdy it really was, like walking on soft grass. The little bit it gave was all it did, and she felt no different than when she was standing on the ground. Her tail flicked excitedly and her heart fluttered. Her first step on a cloud! It was exhilarating! She gave a little excited squeak and bounded toward Sky Fire’s front door.

Kitty Bell was less enthusiastic about the cloud, given that she was still on the ground. Merely her head and shoulders poked out from the top of the cloud. “Mind getting the door?” Kitty asked. “I can’t exactly knock.”

Inkyarn tapped a hoof on the front door, starting at the knocking sound it produced. “So, how do you paint a cloud anyway?”

Kitty Bell almost seemed prepared for the question, “It’s rather simple, really. You take regular paint dye and mix it with shafts of sunlight to create different hues of paint that can be applied to clouds.” She shrugged, “It takes a bit of magic though, I had my friend Cyan whip up a batch for me.”

Something within Inkyarn fluttered. She glanced down at the pony with an odd expression. “You know Cyan?” The question was a little too enthusiastic.

Kitty gave a sly grin. “Yeah, I heard you had a bit of a run in with him too…” She winked.

Inkyarn spluttered nervously, “What? I-I-I dunno what you’re talking about. What? Who said anything about Cyan?” She laughed nervously, willing somepony to finally come to the door. “Are-are you sure Sky Fire is home?”

Kitty pursed her lips, turning her attention to the silent and still door. “Sky Fire!” She shouted, “Are you home?” There was no answer. “Well, she said if she’s not home I should just get started, I don’t think she’ll mind if you come in too, so long as you help paint.” Kitty shifted her saddlebags and nodded to the door. “It’s probably not locked.”

Inkyarn shrugged and reached for the knob, easing it open. She was unsure about going into someone’s home but it was too late now. She padded inside and shut the door after Kitty, though she was sure the mare would have been able to pass through the door anyway.

“SURPRISE!”

Inkyarn screamed, her wings snapping open and launching her into the air. Her head hit the ceiling and she crashed back down, landing atop something. Her side burst in pain but she managed to wrap her forelegs around whatever she had landed on. She clung to it in fright, wings out in case she needed to take off at any moment.

She snapped open an eye to find several confused faces. At the start was Sky Fire, and then Pinkie Pie. Behind those two was a rather amused Cyan. The unicorn and pink earth pony appeared extra short compared to the Pegasus.

Inkyarn smiled nervously through her embarrassment and leapt down from the lamp she had been clinging to. “Uh, hey everybody,” She said awkwardly.

Pinkie Pie shot forward, throwing confetti into the air. “Surprise!” She shouted again, nonplussed by Inkyarn’s embarrassment. “Happy day-you-get-out-of-the-hospital day!” She blew through a noise maker, successfully bursting Inkyarn’s eardrum. Pinkie began bouncing around the Pegasus, giggling all the while, “Were you surprised? I bet you were because we were all ‘surprise’ and you were all ‘aahh’ and up on that lamp! That’s exactly the reaction I wanted. I wanted to make sure you were super surprised so I didn’t let anyone go and blow it all because come on, who wouldn’t want to tell of an awesome secret like that? And you were so surprised!” She slammed a little paper  party hat atop Inkyarn’s head. All on its own, it tweeted like a noise maker and spewed colorful bits of confetti. Pinkie laughed and leaned against the Pegasus. “Surprised, huh?”

Inkyarn glanced down at their hooves, head cocked in confusion. She reached out and tapped Pinkie’s hoof. “Pinkie Pie, aren’t you an earth pony?”

“Yeah, why?” Inkyarn attracted her eyes down to her hooves, which were braced against the floor. It took a moment for her to register the confusion. “Oh, right!” She took her hoof off Inkyarn and promptly sank through the floor, returning her hooves to the ground below the cloud. She smiled up at the utterly lost pony.

Sky Fire caught Inkyarn’s attention and shrugged. “I’m glad to see you’re looking better,” A familiar voice said behind her.

Inkyarn whipped around to a  friendly blue face. “Cyan!” She exclaimed. He raised a brow and she instantly regretted opening her mouth. Her ears flattened and her cheeks reddened. “Oh, I mean… Hey Cyan,” She tried to play it cool, “What’s up?” She flicked her bangs back.

Sky Fire laughed, saving Inkyarn from more embarrassment, “I’m here too,” She teased.

Inkyarn thanked her silently and smiled wide. “Sky Fire!” She said with as much enthusiasm. “What’s going on?”

Sky Fire shrugged, “Well, not much really. I have to make a trip to Cloudsdale, family emergency.” This was news to only Inkyarn. “I would have gone earlier but someone dislocated my wing.” She looked teasingly at Inkyarn.

The orchid colored Pegasus laughed. “I distinctly remember it was you who crashed into me.” The two laughed.

“I should probably head out soon,” Sky Fire sighed. “You guys can stay if you promise not to make a mess.”

Pinkie Pie gasped loudly, leaping into the air, “I call the desert bar!” She shouted, racing away through the living room to what Inkyarn supposed was the kitchen.

Inkyarn pursed her lips, “Where’s Cloudsdale?”

Kitty Bell trotted past them. “It’s a mile or so out of Ponyville and about thirty thousand feet in the air.” Inkyarn looks taken aback. “Clouds-dale. Cloud. Get it?”

Inkyarn nodded, the comprehension dawning on her. She cocked her head to the side, excitement flaring in her once more. A whole city made of clouds? She had never even heard of such a place! The very thought of living on a cloud thrilled her. Questions burst through her mind and she had a sudden need for answers. “An entire city made out of clouds?” She sighed wistfully. “Can I come?”

Sky Fire shrugged. “I suppose. Perhaps you might even be able to help. From what I hear, the situation is rather complicated, I’m gonna need what help I can get.” She stretched her wings, preparing herself for the flight. Inkyarn extended hers as well, wondering how long it would take.

Cyan stepped forward. His head only came up to Inkyarn’s knee from where he stood. “I can teleport us there, I think.”

Sky Fire folded her wings, seeming to enjoy the idea of not needing to fly all the way there. “What about when we get there, how’ll you stay on the cloud?”

Cyan brushed off the worry as no hindrance, “A simple, temporary spell will allow me the ability to walk on clouds. I can’t guarantee the length of time I will be allowed to stay on said cloud or what would happen when the spell wears off, but I’ve always wanted to visit the City of Clouds.”

Sky Fire shrugged, “So long as you don’t die.”

Inkyarn frowned. She wasn’t sure she wanted to see Cyan plummet to the earth from thirty thousand feet in the air. “If you feel it wear off, stick close to me. If you fall, I’ll catch you.”

Cyan chuckled, “Can you carry me?” Inkyarn didn’t respond. “Well that’s reassuring. If I feel I’m going to fall, I’ll teleport to the ground.”

Inkyarn nodded and turned away, slightly disappointed. She liked the idea of Cyan sticking close to her. She shook her head and flicked her bangs out of her face. What was she thinking? Cyan didn’t want to spend all that time with her. What pony in his right mind would?

Sky Fire waved goodbye to her friends and headed out, followed by Cyan. Inkyarn turned to everyone and smiled. “Thank you for the surprise party.”

Kitty Bell and Pinkie Pie waved enthusiastically. “It was wonderful meeting you; we’re gonna be the best of friends!” Kitty exclaimed.

Inkyarn closed the door, feeling her heart leap into the Heavens. They hadn’t forgotten about her after all. She found herself smiling wide with glee. She had friends… For the first time in her life she had actual friends!

Her mood wavered slightly. She had had a friend before, but back then…

She forced the thought out of her head. No, everything was going to be fine. She had friends, she was far from her past, and she may even be looking into a house in Cloudsdale, a place to settle down. Things were looking up and she couldn’t waste time glancing down.

“Hey, what's the hold-up?” The call came from her friends ahead of her. She shouted a response and galloped toward them.

Her smile was as bright as Celestia’s sun. She met up with her friends and off they were, toward their next adventure. My secret heart- Cyan said something, eliciting a high laugh from Sky Fire. Inkyarn didn’t catch it, but she laughed as well. –Jumping to conclusions only brings heart ache- They paused and Cyan readied his spell. -These are your friends- His horn began to glow, as did all their silhouettes. A tingly feeling came over Inkyarn, spreading all throughout her body. –Be patient and everything will work out. You’re free, you’re safe. So long as you beat- The three were lifted into the air. The blue aura around Cyan’s horn grew more intense. –Nothing can harm you.

ZAP! Three ponies disappeared.