"Come on Wind Walker, jump already!" a young colt shouted.
"Don't encourage him Clapper! Wind Walker get down from there, you're going to hurt yourself again," Sunny Smiles shouted up to her friend.
"Don't worry Sunny, he'll be coming down for sure," another colt teased, causing the other colt to snicker.
Wind Walker was standing in the tallest tree in town, on the highest branch sturdy enough to support him. He had a pair of home made wings, crafted out of cardboard, strapped to his back. "Don't worry Sunny, this time it's gonna work! I can feel it!"
"You've tried a hundred times Wind Walker, and each time you just fall to the ground!" Sunny responded.
"But I've been working on my wind magic! I can do it!" Wind Walker crouched and readied himself to make another attempt at flight. "I can do it," he repeated to himself. He ran as fast as he could, lighting his horn in a magical aura just before he reached the end of the branch, causing a strong gust to push him forward. Not a second later, he leaped with all the might his little legs could muster. His friends below looked up as Wind Walker sped away from the tree...and towards the ground.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Wind Walker's shouts were cut off by a loud clash as he hit the ground. "...Ow..."
Sunny Smiles ran to Wind Walker as the other colts fell to the ground laughing. "Oh my gosh, Wind Walker! Are you alright?" She helped him untangle his limbs and get back to his hooves.
"I'm alright, that wasn't as bad as last week's crash." He rubbed his sore shoulder. "But definitely worse than the week before that..."
"I told you foals to stay out of my yard!" a voice shouted from nearby.
"Oh no, it's Vulcan!" one of the colts yelled as he began to run away.
"Run for it!" the other responded, and followed his friend.
"He's gonna eat us!" Sunny cried in fear, and promptly followed suite.
"Wait, Sunny! Don't leave me!" Wind Walker shouted, not feeling well enough to run.
"Sorry Wind Walker, I'll see you at school if you don't get eaten," the filly cried back, not daring to slow down.
"Guys, wait! No!" Wind Walker extended his hoof helplessly, but once he noticed the elder stallion standing over him, he jumped back in fear, hiding his face behind his hooves. "DON'T EAT ME!"
"Why didn't you run off with your friends boy?"
"Uh...um..." Wind Walker lowered his hooves slightly, peeking at Vulcan. "I'm to sore from my crash..."
"And your friends just left you behind?"
"Um...yes?"
The elder stallion grunted in disapproval, then glanced down at the crumpled pieces of cardboard, that had once been wings, strapped to Wind Walker's back. "I've told you before to stop jumping out of my tree, boy. You're messing up my yard when you fall, and those arts and crafts won't stop that from happening."
"But they have to!" Wind Walker forgot his fear, and looked at his makeshift wings in desperation. "Maybe if I strap them to my legs, that way I can flap them and-"
"Don't you ever listen boy? I said it won't work. It doesn't matter what you do, cardboard isn't going to let you fly."
"But...but...I can't give up. I have to fly."
Vulcan sighed in frustration. "What makes you insist on hurting yourself boy? Is it tenacity or stubbornness?"
"Uh...what's tenacity?" Wind Walker looked up at Vulcan in curiosity, but the stallion didn't bother to answer, he simply rubbed his temple in frustration.
"Just get off my lawn boy, before I eat you."
"EEP! Yes sir!" With that, Wind Walker limped away as fast as his bruised little body would take him, as the craftspony watched him go. He stood in thought for a while, before returning to his home.
"I have to do something if I ever want that boy to stop causing me trouble..."
"Wow Wind Walker, you're not eaten!" Sunny Smiles stood by her friend's desk at school, but he didn't seem to notice her. His snout was buried in a copy of Donkey Oatay. "Uh, Wind Walker?" The colt's eyes darted across the pages. "WIND WALKER!"
"GAH!" The colt jumped back in his seat. "Sunny, you scared me!"
"Well you weren't paying attention., I was asking how you didn't get eaten by Vulcan."
The colt closed his book. "Well after you left me there..."
"Hehe. sorry about that," Sunny said with a smile that didn't exact convey regret.
"...Vulcan just told me to stop trying to fly, then he let me go."
"That's it? He didn't try to eat you?"
"Nope."
"Well did he say anything else?"
Wind Walker scratched his head and thought back. "Yeah, he asked me why I kept trying, stubbornness or tin-a-city."
"Tin-a-city? What's that?"
Wind Walker shrugged. "Don't know."
"All right my little ponies, settle down." The teacher stood from her desk. "Class is about to begin."
The final bell rung as all the school foals ran out of the school. Some ran to their awaiting parents, while others ran off in all directions.
"So you wanna help me build my new wings Sunny? I think I know how to make them work this time," Wind Walker said as he walked with the filly.
"Sure! I just got some new glitter we can put on them."
"How is glitter going to help?"
Sunny grabbed Wind Walker and smiled at him. "It'll help them look beautiful!"
Wind Walker chuckled, and began to walk again while still looking at his friend. "Sunny, I don't think-OOMPH!" In his distraction, the colt had walked directly into a stallion. "Sorry mister..." he said rubbing his face."
"You need to watch where you're going boy," a familiar voice responded.
Wind Walker looked up to see who it was. "Vulcan!"
"EEP!" Sunny screeched as she ran off.
"Sunny, wait no! Don't leave me again!" Wind Walker tried to run, but a firm hoof grabbed his shoulder and held him in place.
"Not so fast boy, you're coming with me."
"What! But I-EEP!" Vulcan gave Wind Walker a scowl that sent shivers down his spine. "Y-y-yes sir..."
Wind Walker had been inside Vulcan's shop a few times, but always with his parents. He liked to look at the different creations Vulcan had made while his parents shopped. However, as he walked through the door, alone with the craftsman, each of the creations looked sinister. They had walked across town in silence, Wind Walker staying right behind the stallion, to nervous to speak. "So, um...mister Vulcan? Why did you bring me here?"
"Come with me," Vulcan said as he lead the colt into a back room. Wind Walker swallowed his fear and followed the intimidating stallion. When he breached the doorway to the next room, he looked around. The largest object in the room looked like a giant fancy fireplace, and scattered around the room were anvils, hammers, and various other tools. "Do you know what this place is boy?"
Wind Walker looked around, I know I've read about something like this before... "It's where you heat up metal and turn it into stuff, right?"
"That's right, it's called a forge. And from now on, it's where you work."
"What?!"
"I don't know if you noticed boy, but your jumping out of my tree has been damaging the branches, and your falling has been killing the grass. My back yard is a mess because of you, boy, and since I can't seem to get you to stop, you're going to work off the damages."
"But...my parents won't-"
"I've already talked to your parents, boy. They thought it was more than fair. So until you stop jumping out of my tree, you will be coming straight here after school every day, and working as my assistant."
"But...I..."
Vulcan looked down at the colt. "Unless you don't want to use my tree to try to fly anymore, boy."
"NO!" Wind Walker was determined now. He had to keep trying to fly, and if this was what it took... "I'll work for you."
Wind Walker wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a proud smirk go across Vulcan's face. "Good, now throw some of that wood into the forge."
"Yes sir." The little colt began carrying the heavy logs as best he could.
"I'm going to teach you the value of hard work boy."
As the next couple weeks went by, Wind Walker kept good on his word. Everyday after school he worked in Vulcan's forge, and in return, Vulcan let Wind Walker jump from his tree every weekend, to no avail. He would chop wood, feed the flames, polish metal, and a multitude of other menial tasks. Vulcan worked him hard, and always kept up a gruff, uncaring exterior, but occasionally Wind Walker thought he saw Vulcan smile at him.
At the end of the second week, Wind Walker was busy feeding the fire at the forge, the heat from the flames licking his sweat covered face as his muscles ached from carrying the heavy logs. As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he glanced over at Vulcan hammering another piece of metal. "Hey Vulcan?"
"What is it boy?" Vulcan didn't look away from his work.
"What are we making anyway?" Wind Walker had seen Vulcan craft a plethora of odd looking pieces of metal, but Vulcan never told him what they were for.
"I'm making it boy, you're just doing grunt work."
Wind Walker scowled at the elder stallion. "I'm helping!" After all the time Wind Walker's spent with Vulcan, any foalish fear he had of the craftsman had vanished. "And stop calling me boy! My name's Wind Walker."
"I know your name boy, and you'll learn what I'm making when I'm done." Vulcan used the tongs to pick up his work and examine it.
The colt grunted in frustration. "Fine then, don't tell me...old man." Wind Walker felt a rush of air fly by his head and heard a clang on the wall behind him, as Vulcan threw a hammer towards him. "EEP!"
"What did you call me boy?" Vulcan stood glaring over Wind Walker.
Wind Walker took a moment to collect himself, before giving a determined look up at the stallion. "I called you old man!"
Vulcan stared down at the colt, and after a long minute briefly gave a proud smile before turning around and returning to his work. "Put that hammer back where it belongs, after that you can go home."
Wind Walker's expression changed to confusion as he glanced up at the clock. "But I usually don't leave for another hour and a half."
"Do you want to question me, or do you want to go home?"
Wind Walker grinned in happiness. "Thanks Vulcan!" He ran out of the forge, hanging the hammer on the wall as he did. "I'll be back tomorrow to try and fly!"
Vulcan didn't give a response, instead he picked up the winged shape piece of metal he had been working on and examined them closely.
"Alright today's the day, I just know it!" Wind Walker trotted happily down the streets of Barrel Valley, his newest set of wings stuffed in his saddlebag.
"You say that every time Wind Walker," Sunny said, walking along with her friend.
"Yeah, but feel that breeze! It's so strong, it's sure to keep me off the ground!"
The wind was indeed blowing strongly that day, Sunny had to fix her mane more than once after the wind blew it in her face. "I guess so Wind Walker, I sure hope you're right."
"Don't worry, I-OOMPH!" Wind Walker was to busy talking to his friend to keep from walking directly into another pony ahead of him. "Oh man, why do I keep doing that?" He said as he rubbed his face.
"Well well well, what do we got here?" A half-witted voice said, looming over Wind Walker. The colt looked up at the pony blocking his path with a sense of dread. Wind Walker had walked into a brown colt with an orange mane who was a few years older than him. Next to the older colt was a white colt with a green mane, of the same age. "If it ain't Wittle Wind Walker."
"What do you want Rocky?" Wind Walker said. Everypony knew Rocky and his friend Stumps were the school bullies, Wind Walker just hoped they would leave him alone.
"Why ya' gotta sound so frustrated Wind Walker?" Rocky said as he put his front leg around Wind Walker, giving the younger colt a head lock not-so-subtly disguised as a friendly gesture. "We just want ta' talk to ya'."
"Ack!" Wind Walker gasped in a mixture of surprise and frustration as he tried to pry himself from the bully's grasp.
Sunny tried to grab the older colt's leg and help free her friend. "Let him go Rocky!" The young filly's efforts were all for vain however, as Stumps pulled her off. He pushed her to the ground, and held her their with a hoof.
"Why ya' freaking out so much? I'm just trying to spend some time with my buddy Wind Walker." Rocky tightened his hold, and Wind Walker started to gasp for breath.
"You're choking him Rocky! Let him go!" As the filly was unable to help her friend, Wind Walker began to frantically pull on the leg holding him and try to shake out of his grip. As the bullies laughed, amused at the young foals' suffering, Wind Walker's vigorous wiggling caused his saddle bags to fall off, spilling his wings onto the ground. When Rocky saw the wings, he stopped his laughing.
"Oh? What's this, a little arts and craft project?" The bully used his free fore-hoof to slide the wings closer to him. When Wind Walker saw that the wings he worked so hard on in the hooves of a bully, he began to flail for his freedom. "What are you freaking out about Wittle Wind Walker? I'm not gonna mess it up," and with a smirk, Rocky proceeded to stomp on the wings. "Oops."
Wind Walker lost all perception of the outside world, the only thought in his head was saving the wings that he believe would finally grant him his dream. His struggles grew desperate, until one of his flailing limbs struck Rocky in the face. As the blow sent the bullying staggering a few steps back, Wind Walker was able to once again fill his lungs with a much-welcomed breath of air. As soon as he realized he was free, he dove on top of his wings protectively. It was only after this that he looked up at the bully, and saw the look of rage on his face as a drop of blood trickled from his nostril.
"You're going to regret that."
Wind Walker laid on his bed crying, his body covered in with the markings of Rocky's handiwork. He had received far more cuts and bruises from more than one of his falls from the tree, but somehow these hurt much more. As soon as the bullies left he bolted straight home, barely noticing the concerned calls coming from Sunny Smiles. He had ran into his room and slammed his door behind him, wanting only to block out the outside world.
The outside world refused to leave him alone though, as a knocking came from his bedroom door. "Are you in there boy?"
"Go away old man!" Wind Walker shouted from under his blanket, he had heard the voice enough at this point to recognize it immediately.
"Why didn't you come today boy?" Vulcan ignored the command. "Give up on flying already?"
"I sa-said, g-g-go away!" The colt shouted at the door through tear soaked sobs.
There was a pause from the other side of the door, and for a moment Wind Walker thought the stallion had left, before another knock came. "Open up boy, let me in."
"NO!"
"Suit yourself," was the stallions only response before Wind Walker heard a ping come from the door way, followed by a second a moment later. Wind Walker watched with a start as his door fell to the ground to reveal Vulcan standing with tools in his hands, and the pins from his door hinges on the ground next to him.
As Vulcan put his tools back into his bags, Wind Walker covered himself in his blanket and held it tight. "Go away Vulcan!" Wind Walker heard footsteps come from his door way to his bed, and he could feel the elder pony standing over him.
"Move the blanket boy."
"Just leave me alone..." Wind Walker's weakened spirit was on the verge of breaking, he couldn't bring himself to yell anymore.
"Move them or I will."
"...Fine..." With a sigh, Wind Walker slid the covers off himself, and looked up at Vulcan.
Vulcan stared down at the colt. Wind Walker could almost feel the stallion's gaze on his injuries and his tear filled eyes. "What happened?"
"Nothing..." Wind Walker said averting his gaze.
"What happened?"
"It was just some bullies picking on me..."
A moment of silence went by before the stallion spoke. "And?"
Wind Walker looked up in confusion. "A-and what?"
"And what did you do about the bullies?
The colt wasn't sure he understood what Vulcan was asking. "N...nothing?"
Vulcan gave a dissatisfied grunt. "Tell me something boy, have these bullies picked on you before?" Wind Walker nodded in silence. "And did you do anything about it then?" The colt shook his head. "Well if doing nothing didn't work before, why do you think it will work this time?"
"Well...what else am I supposed to do?"
"Stand up for yourself boy. Make them respect you."
Wind Walker stared in shock. "You mean fight them?"
Vulcan ignored the question. "Stand up boy." Wind Walker did as he was told. "Tell me about these bullies, what do they do when they aren't picking on you?"
"Uh...I think they mostly just watch TV at Rocky's house."
"And what have you been doing with your free time for the past several weeks?"
"Working for you."
"That's right, hard, physical work. And during the weekends?"
"Trying to fly."
Vulcan gave the colt a solid whack on the head. "I didn't ask what you try to do on the weekends boy, what DO you do?"
"I..." Wind Walker tried to think of the answer Vulcan wanted. "I fall out of your tree."
"And those falls hurt, don't they?" Wind Walker nodded. "You're tough boy, I've seen you work through more pain than some adults could." Vulcan looked again at the colt's injuries. "Those bullies didn't hurt you that badly, did they boy?"
Wind Walker thought for a moment. He focused on the cuts and bruises spread across his body, and examined how much they hurt. "No, they didn't. They just..." Wind Walker averted his gaze. "They just scared me..."
The stallion grabbed Wind Walker's chin and made the colt face him. "There's no shame in fear boy, there is only shame in not facing it."
"So...you're saying I should try to beat them up?"
"I'm saying you should defend yourself. Don't go around picking fights, but if someone attacks you you need to stand up for yourself."
Wind Walker didn't know what to say, and after a moment Vulcan began to leave. "Clean yourself up boy, and try to rest tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Wind Walker looked at the calender on his bedside table. "I don't usually go to your house tomorrow."
"Well come anyway," the stallion said as he walked through the doorway, "I have a surprise for you."
Wind Walker placed his flank where he stood, and thought about the exchange that just took place. A surprise? What could that be? It wasn't until Wind Walker finally collected his thoughts that he realized the stallion left his door off the hinges. Wind Walker saw the pins next to him on the ground, and with a sigh he got up to find his dad's tools.
Wind Walker walked through the door to Vulcan's shop. "Hello? Vulcan?"
"In here boy," the stallion shouted from his workshop. The colt made his way through the show room and into the workshop. When Wind Walker entered the workshop, he saw the stallion sitting at his work bench and polishing what appeared to be two sets of metal wings connected by a thing bar. "Do you know what this is boy?"
Wind Walker walked closer and looked at the contraption closely. He realized that he recognized all of the pieces, he just hadn't seen them assembled before. "It's what we've been making."
"That's right boy, and do you know what I made them for?"
The colt shook his head. "No clue."
"I made them to let you fly.
Wind Walker couldn't believe what he just heard. Surely the stallion misspoke, or maybe he just heard him wrong. "W-what?"
"I said, with these wings, you'll be able to fly, boy."
Wind Walker's eyes teared up with joy. He threw his fore-hooves around the craftspony in a hug. "Thank you Vulcan! Thank you so much!" The elder pony's discomfort was obvious, but he endured the hug until the the colt suddenly pulled back and grabbed the wings out of his hooves. "How do they work?"
"Use your magic to make the propeller on the front spin, I don't know much about unicorn magic, but my understanding is making things move is fairly basic." Wind Walker nodded excitedly. "The propeller will pull the wings forward, causing air to move over the wings." Vulcan motioned towards each part of the wings as he explained them. "The wings are in a special shape called airfoils, I'll spare you the physics lesson for now, but the shape will cause the wings to be lifted off the ground. The faster you go, the more lift you'll get, and your wind magic should give you further control of your lift." Vulcan pointed back towards the propellers. "These holes in the front of the propeller will let air pass through, aiding in the spin of the propellers. They won't do all of the work, but once you get going they'll certainly help."
"Vulcan this is amazing! I'm gonna go use them right now!" The young colt bolted for the door, but was stopped by a heavy hoof on his shoulder.
"These aren't a toy, boy. These wings will take you into the sky. If you fall, you'll be lucky if you live. You'll be moving fast too, if you crash into a building you'll miss the days when you were only falling out of my tree. These should only be used with the utmost of care, understand boy?" Vulcan's stern look scared Wind Walker a little, but he quickly nodded that he understood.
Vulcan reached back to his work table and grabbed some leather straps. "I read about a unicorn spell that will let you stick onto the wings, but you'll have to learn that on your own. For now, this harness should keep you from falling off."
Wind Walker grabbed the straps with his mouth, and once again bolted for the door, mumbling "Phanks Phulcan!" through his full mouth. Vulcan sighed and shook his head before following the colt.
When Vulcan caught up to Wind Walker, the colt was in the backyard, trying to figure out how the straps work. "Here boy, let me show you." A few minutes later, the harness was secured to Wind Walker and the wings, with the help of the elder stallion. There was a couple feet of slack, which would be necessary for Wind Walker to get the running start necessary to use the wings. "Alright boy, go for it."
Wind Walker didn't say a word. There were no words capable of expressing his excitement, and no words were necessary to do so. All Vulcan had to do was look into the colt's eyes. Wind Walker levitated the wings a hoof above the ground, and began to run as fast as he could, making the wings follow beside him. He used his magic to make the propellers spin, and he could feel them begin to pull ahead. With his heart in his throat, Wind Walker gave a mighty leap for his wings...and immediately slipped off them. The wings and the colt tumbled over each other, both getting tangled in the leather straps.
Vulcan gave a slight chuckle, but before he could move to help Wind Walker up, the colt was on his feet again. The craftspony was not the least bit surprised that the colt was trying again within seconds of his failure. Again the colt failed, and again he tried again immediately. The young pony tried again and again, determined that he would not stop until he flew.
Vulcan said nothing while he watched Wind Walker, instead he only observed the young colt. If Wind Walker had bothered once to so much as glance at the stallion, he might have seen a smile on his face, but Wind Walker saw nothing but his dreams before him. Wind Walker could feel himself getting closer to achieving flight, occasionally even managing to get a few hooves in the air before loosing his footing, or making the wrong movement with his magic. After nearly an hour, Wind Walker had as many cuts and bruisers as he would get from falling out of the tree, but still he continued on.
"It's getting late boy, you can try again tomorrow," Vulcan said as he watched the colt fail once again, but Wind Walker didn't respond. "Did you hear me boy? I said it's time to give up for the-"
"NO!" The colt's outburst caught Vulcan off guard. "I can do this!" Wind Walker tried again, and once more failed.
"You can do it tomorrow boy, it's time to go home."
"No!" Wind Walker stood up, with a determined look in his eye. "I can do this..." Wind Walker broke off in another run.
"Boy-"
"I CAN DO THIS!" And with those words, Wind Walker leapt onto the wings, and into the sky.
"The first time he showed it to me and explained how it worked I was so excited. As soon as he finished telling me how to use it, and gave me a stern warning on being careful, I took it to his back yard and tried to use it. After a few failed attempts, I finally got it down. I flew for as long as I could, and when I was to tired to keep it up any longer I landed on a mountain outside of town. I sat there, and looked out onto the world. I could see for miles. I saw a beautiful lake, rolling hills, forests, and more. I thought about all of the stories I had heard. The books I had read, the plays I had seen, the games I had played. They were all about great hero's going on epic quests. Saving the world, battling evil beasts, and every other type of adventure imaginable. I envied them all. I craved an adventure of my own. And so I decided I would travel the world. I would walk until I saw everything under the sky, and I would use those wings to see everything in it. I would find the adventure I hungered for. I would become like the heroes I had heard about my whole life. An embodiment of courage and freedom. That's how I got my cutie mark."
It was many hours before Vulcan saw Wind Walker again. The sun was long gone, and Vulcan sat in his back yard smoking his pipe. He spotted Wind Walker heading his way in the distance, and could tell by the colt's weaving flight that he was to exhausted to concentrate well. When the colt landed he folded the wings end over end, as he had discovered to do during his rest on the mountain, and walked to Vulcan.
"Vulcan..." Wind Walker was to tired to figure out what he should say next.
The craftspony took a long drag from his pipe, and looked down at the colt, and his new cutie mark. "So boy, is flying everything you thought it would be?"
"It was..." The colt searched for the right word. "...a rush..."
The stallion smirked. "I suppose you won't be working to pay off the damages to my yard anymore."
In all his excitement, Wind Walker hadn't considered that fact. He had grown so use to working for the stallion, it wasn't until an end was in sight that he realized he enjoyed it. "Yeah, uh. I guess-"
"Which means I'll have to start paying you."
That caught the colt off guard. "Wh-what?"
"I'm offering you a paying job, boy. Surely a colt your age would enjoy having some pocket change, and there's still a lot more I can teach you. What do you say?"
Wind Walker gave a smile and a confident nod. "Sounds good, old man."
Vulcan gave the boy a knock on the head. "Go home and get some rest boy, I'll see you here tomorrow for work, and your first lesson."
"What lesson?" Wind Walker asked with an inquisitive tilt of his head.
"I'm gonna teach you exactly how to stand up to those bullies of yours, boy."
