Sigh No More

I sighed, stretching my stiff limbs, feeling the gentle breeze pass through the window that I had left open for a previous....“activity” that I had planned. I felt my hooves touch the floor. I scurried to the door, telekinetically grasping the handle and pushed it open with a firm psychic shove. A yelp penetrated my eardrums, pulling me from groggy trance.

“Aero!” My mother cried, stroking her hip with her fore hoof.

My mother and I looked exactly the same. We both have a shining gold coat, a harp-string silver mane (kept exact same style), the same body type, and we both had crimson red eyes that sparkle like rubies. I swear to Celestia it looks like she produced me asexually. If we were the same height, we could not be told apart!

“I’m so sorry mom!” I slipped my hoof under her body, swiftly pulling her back onto her hooves.

“Aero you better get to school, remember Ms. Cheerilee said one more tardy and you’ll have detention.” My mom and Cheerilee were like the best of friends, I couldn’t get away with not turning in own homework assignment.

“Yeah I know mom, that is why I asked (more like begged) Twilight to teach me a teleportation spell. I’ve been getting better, the last few tries I managed not to kill myself.” I firmly planted my hooves on the wood floor. Stilled my breathing, focusing arcane energies into my horn, until it began glowing a bright teal. Then it, burst forth surrounding my form, engulfing me in a wormhole of light, transporting me through space and time.

I enjoyed the feeling of being weightless. It was as if I was in the ethereal plane, which is where I spend most of my free time playing Dungeons and Unicorns with Star and Sweetie Bell. Glanced around at the spiraling colors that depicted my own aura, teal, orange, and a deep crimson red.

“Ro! Aero!” My head shot up in surprise, frantically turning from side to side searching for the body to whom the voice belonged to amongst the swirling colors. Suddenly I found myself in a free fall, my crimson eyes teared in the intense gyrations of the wind.

“Aero!” my headed jolted to the side, much to my surprise I found Rainbow Dash diving beside me.

“Hey kid! You need any help?” She asked.

“No thanks!” I called out focusing my magic again, this time into a more potent and accurate energy, bursting forth from my horn in a series on teleportation spells. The arcane energies surged, leaving trails of teal flashes leading from the clouds towards the ground. I remained calm, stirring more magical energy in my horn, then projecting it towards the ground, building a magical cushion.

Upon impact the cushion deflated into nothingness, ultimately saving me from a horrible demise. I let out a sigh of relief. “Dude that was bucking awesome!” Star shouted startling me.

“You need to use that tonight because we are finally going to kill the Lich King!” Star was pumped more than usual, it was like the time he and his dad finally found his uncle Melody after a week of him disappearing in a drunken heap.

“Oh yeah? How are we going to do that?” I asked as I turned, heading for the school building.

xxxxxx

My ethereal form dimmed it’s glow, as my spirit returned to my body. It spasmed, creepily jerking around on my bed, as though I my body was possessed by something other than my own consciousness.

The breeze entered, cooling my sweaty skin, my flesh was permeated with an intense, bitter mixture of sweat and body odor. I teleported myself to the kitchen. I landed on the floor with a thump, my mother jumped dropping a glass cup onto the ground. Transparent pieces scattered amongst the floor, waiting for someone to cut, and to make them bleed.

My mom sighed, her horn glowed red as a broom and dustpan floated from the cupboard, cascaded in her aura. “I got it mom.” I said with a sincere smile on my face, grasping the sanitary tools in my mystical grasp. She smiled at me and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

Then a strange expression had over taken her, “Do you smell that?” she asked, smelling the air like a shark searching for blood.

I watched her pick me up as if I was nothing more than a toddler that hadn’t bathed in while. “Good Celestia! Aero when is the last time you took a shower?” she asked with a stern tone, that EVERY mother uses.

“Last night. I was in the ethereal plane for about an hour. That’s why I smell like this” I commented, telepathically sweeping up the broken glass onto the dust pan.

“Okay, aren’t you getting back on later to play Dungeons and Unicorns with Star and Sweetie Bell?” I nodded, raising the dust pan over the trash, then emptying it’s contents.

“Yeah. Speaking of the ethereal plane, how is that new game realm coming? Another question, can you ask your boss to allow me and some friends to beta test?” I propped my head up on my hoof and comically cocked my eyebrow as if I didn’t already know the answer.

“Yeah I’ll talk to him, but you own me a week of doing the dishes and cleaning the bathroom.” My mother sighed, then gave a warm smile.

“Deal.” I stated, pulling the fridge door open. Scoping out the drinkable contents that were sweet and savory. My eyes rested on a bottle Soul Dew, a drink that tasted of cocoanuts, with a modest tang and bubbly carbonation.

“Tell Herald I said hi!” I gave my mommy a quick peck on the cheek and teleported back to my room. I sighed, thinking about all of my friends. Most of my friends are adults, I never really fit in with ponies my own age, apart from Star and Sweetie. That kind of makes it hard to get a marefriend. My mother and Celestia call ponies like me Indigo Foals, because our souls and minds are older than our current body and age.

“Indigo foals my ass... I'm just weird,” I mumbled bringing the bottle to my lips, taking a big longs swigs.

“Ah!” I smacked my lips, licking the rest of the sweet nectar from my lips. Shutting my eyes, I began to meditate, picturing my body, then my spirit lifting from my body and ascending beyond what was comprehendible. My soul was now in the ethereal plane.

I floated amongst the shining shard of light that surrounded me, glowing, lighting my path towards the Dungeons and Ponies realm. I phased through outer membrane. My spine grew longer, my hooves turned into “hands” and “fingers” (what Lyra and Colgate had dubbed them) outwards from the all too familiar limbs.

“Hey!” Sweetie Bell cried frantically jumping and waving her hands around.

I smiled, a midnight black cloak swaddled me in it’s silky, smooth warmth. While a black staff with a red crystal that glowed like a star in the night sky, vibrant and radiant with passionate color.

“Ready to do this?” I asked.

Star puffed out his chest, “Hell yes!” he boasted.

xxxxxx

I watched in disgust as a bony man...thing emerged from the shadows of the arena, wrapped in a tattered cloak, with a laugh that shook the very core of your being, telling you that evil exists.

“You fools you can’t possibly defeat me! No one has every defeated the Lich King and no one ever will!” It cackled, green fire enveloped his hand, he thrusted forward. The oddly colored flame bursted forth, whistling at high speeds as it traveled, sounding like a bomb dropping from the heavens.

Star stepped forward, enabling his enchanted item, cascading him in a cloak of transparent arcane energyf that shielded him from the dark magic cast upon him and his companions.

“My turn.” Star unsheathed his blade, and dashed at the evil monster, furiously hacking and slashing at the evasive wizard.

“eeht nommus I, melog hself.” It hissed. Suddenly a purple and black whirlwind opened from the floor, spitting out a horrifying figure, a crudely sewn together demon constructed only of flesh emerged. It let out an ear shattering cry, and charged at the warrior, violently swinging about it limbs. Star became bewildered, I watched as the golem slammed his body into the wall, killing him instantly.

In a fit of rage, Sweetie Bell charged and was immediately struck down by the death spell.

“Well, looks like I’m on my own.” I sighed. I pulled my staff from its hold, effectively twirling it around and looking like a bad ass. I sent out a burst of psychic energy, making the Lich stumble backwards, knocking down his lackey. I point my staff towards the duo, readying it to fire.

“I like my freak shows broiled,” the primed fireball rocketed from the crystal at the tip of my staff and exploding on impact, incinerating the flesh golem and moderately harming the Lich King.

It snarled, summoning a demonic blade to is skeletal hand. A burst of extreme speed gave the Lich intense momentum and inertia. I gasped and rushingly raised my staff. The demonic blade slammed into my staff, which ultimately would have killed me, if I had not erected a ward. My body was thrown back with immense force that shattered my staff and sent me tumbling into the surrounding wall.

Blood spurted from my mouth, I could taste the copper-ish liquid on my tongue and feel it running down my throat. “Ugh...” I groaned, feeling the aches and pains take over.

The Lich roared as it charged, preparing to pierce my body with the demonic blade. I summoned a blade of my own, I stood up and to stand my ground, and began to charge. The blades clashed furiously, metallic clangs echoed, sparks emerged from the two colliding bodies, illuminating the darkness with a rush of violent light.

Malice energy surged from the Lich’s body, bombarding me psychic waves, instilling will and psychological damage. I violently clapped my hands together, then spread them apart, fire erupted forth from the gap, the Lich was consumed in the blaze, high pitched cries billowed from the firestorm. I exhaled, then plummeted the cold, stone floor. A plume of dust arose, concealing everything from me.

“Congratulations!” a disembodied voice boomed, tantalizing my ear drums with its tartness.

“I...defeated the Lich...”

I smiled with childlike joy, knowing that I was the only one able to defeat the Lich king elated me, rising my spirits to unimaginable heights! I smiled to myself, lounging on one the cliff sides with a field of flowers. I took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. “Ah...flowers...” I sighed, sifting my fingers across the petals smooth surface.

“You like flowers too?” a voice called out from the trees.

A young mare emerged from behind the trees, with a cream fur and a multi-blue colored mane.

“Yeah...my dad isn’t thrilled about that aspect of me.” I said with a slight chuckle, my eyes thoroughly scanned her body.

“I think it’s cute...” she muttered under her breath.

“Thanks, I’m Aero Harper, and you are?”

“Roseluck. I’ve seen you and your mother around Ponyville.”

“I thought you had raspberry red colored mane, with light raspberry streaks that looks so beautiful with your cream fur,” Roseluck blushed at my unconscious rant.

‘Crap did I just say that out loud!?’ I asked myself turning back toward the endless sky.

“Yeah but...until now you were the only pony to tell me that.”

“It’s not far from the truth, I’m quite surprised that no one has swiped you up yet.” I remarked, setting his ruby eyes on the horizon. Roseluck quietly made her way towards the young stallion, her heart beating faster and faster as she approached him.

“What makes you think I’m beautiful?” She asked.

“Everything, your mane, cream fur, your extremely bubbly personality, I’ve been with mares but not one like you.”

“How many mares have you been with?”

“Five, I’m not very social.” I gave a weak smile. Awkward silence wedged it’s way into the conversation. Until Roseluck finally spoke up.

“I better sign off for the night, I have to run the flower shop tomorrow my sisters are own their vacation,” she said with a reluctant sigh.

“Tomorrow is Saturday, I could come and help you out. And maybe after that we could....hangout...” she paused slightly, letting what she had just said sink into my mind.

“You mean kind of like a date?” I inquired, cocking my eyebrow.

“Yeah...if you want to be...”

“I don't know maybe, I have to work tomorrow. I'm not that great at with ponies.” I replied.

“Oh well, okay then.” she said sullenly.

Her warm smile penetrated my heart, breaking down the protective barriers finely it locking away said appendage. “Oh, and for the record,” she began, “I think you are good enough as it is.”

xxxxxx

I grunted carrying the heavy bushel of apples. I was use to this kind of manual labor.  I'd sure as hell hope so, I've being doing this for almost two years now. I place it on the ground next to the wagon, and sat next to it for a moments rest. I exhaled loudly, as my thoughts began to buzz and swarm. My mind is a giddy thing. It circulates thoughts faster than my arteries circulate blood. Sooner or later it would clear, and I would resume the strenuous feats I had been tasked with. Perhaps, I'll just take this moment to relax and clear my head.

The clouds past over slowly as the wind blew leaves, creating a symphony of nature. “Hey lover, hey lover, hey lover, hey lover. Blue and white, racin' stripe, pickup truck-”

“Slackin' an singin' again, huh, Aero?” Applejack asked with a stern tone, and two bushels full of apples on her withers. In response, I chuckled loudly and offered her my gaze.

“I had just sat down not to long ago, so. I don't suppose that you could call it slacking it.”

“Then what would ya call it?”

“Let's not get technical.”

“So you admit that you were slacking.”

“I admit to nothing, other than, I was, indeed, singing.”

“Colt, ya sure are killin' me.”

“Well you have no idea what your entire family's corn-fed, southern turn of phrase does to me.”

“What's that suppose ta mean?”

“It means that you are literally butchering the equestrian language.”

Applejack sighed. “Ya are, indeed, kill me.”

“Hey,” I replied, “I'm your little sisters friend, you knew exactly what you signed on for when you hired me. So your early death is on you.”

“Speakin' of little sisters, my cousins are comin' to visit and she has a sister that's your age if yer interested.” Applejack was never one to get involved in my love life... Then again she never seemed to care about what I did in my spare time. Other than hangout with her sister.

“You're setting me up on a blind date?” I asked with a shocked expression.

“Blind date?” She shouted. “What in tarnation do ya take meh for? You know my cousin Candy Apples!”

“I do?” I asked, again, this time more incredulous.

“...Kid, yah really are killin' me.” She placed hear hoof against her forehead and sighed in exhaustion, similar to how I would do so. “You met her when you came to our last family reunion-”

“Came is a strong word,” I interrupted. “Applebloom dragged me there. She sounded like my mom, saying “ya need ta get out more!”

“Whatever, the point is that Candy Apples took a mighty fierce shining to ya.” I raised my eyebrow questioningly. I had the phrase, “Seriously?” written across my forehead. “Anyway, Ah feel that you are the only one I deem worthy of, should ya feel up to it, courtin' her and such, as ya would put it-”

“I pray to the sun that I would never say such things. Well, it atleast phrase it that way.”

“Shut up! If yer feelin' up to it. The er' on a date on somethin', Ah'll even give ya the money to show her a good time.”

“I don't know A.J. I'm not that great at socializing and dating and such. It's not as if I, of all ponies, have tons of experience.” I was tried to think of an analogy that was comprehendible for a simple-minded pony as one such as Applejack could wrap her head around. “Its like trying to multiply a 2x2 matrix and a 3x3, it just doesn't happen.”

Applejack scratched her head in confusion. “Ya and yer fancy mathematics Ah swear...”

“It's basic arithmetic.”

“AGH! They hurt mah head!”

“Then I don't see how you are able date Rarity.”

“Are yah goin' tah go on a date with Candy Apples or what?”

“Yes!” Now we were both sick of each other. This tends to happen when your oil and the other is water.

“Good, Ah'll go get yer pay, and then some. Candy Apples and her sister should be here tomorrow around noon. After I pay ya, go ahead and leave. My head hurts, and Ah don't want it to worsen.” She said coldly.

“Fine. Now I have to go and seek the counsel of others. I hope he'll be candid with me that sly bastard...”