Featherlight

Okay Mr. Featherlight, are you ready?

As ready as I'll ever be...

So, can you tell me why you are here today.

Well, I need to get some things off my chest, I'm not going crazy if that's what you're thinking!

Not at all. I'm listening, so please... Begin.

Okay, well it started about a year ago. I was still living with my parents, my mother a sweet Pegasus was helping me get ready to go to work with my dad. He worked in construction his whole life, unicorn. That's where the horn comes from...  That day he wanted me to come with him to see what he does. That was the day everything in my life changed....

I got up, did my usual routine: horn exercises, shower, and brush my teeth. In reality I was dreading even crawling out of bed.

“Son!” my father called from downstairs. “I'm leaving in a few, get a move on up there!”

“Ugh... I'll be right there dad!” My father, Winston has been working in construction his whole life. From the day my grandfather found he could levitate a hammer he brought him into work every day. Now he wants that of me, but to tell you the truth I wanna be a wonderbolt. I know it sounds impossible bordering foolish. “Featherlight! Come. On. We're going to be late!”

“Okay, okay dad. I'm coming!” I ran downstairs as fast as I could,  but I wasn't paying attention and I tripped over the last step. I tumbled and landed on my face before my tail tickled my horn.

“Oh dear!” my mother screeched. “Honey, you know you aren't that coordinated. What possessed you to run down those stairs?!”

“Sorry ma, dad told me to hurry...” she looked to him with a furious gaze. My mom was the sweetest pegasus to ever live, but if anything bad happened to me I wouldn't mistake her for a murderer. “Did you hit your horn honey?”

“No ma, I'm fine.”

“Are you sure, I cou-”

“Breeze, he's fine. Now we have to get going or we'll miss the train.”

“You're right Winnie, but wait! He hasn't had breakfast yet!”

“I'll be fine mom.”

“But, it's a long trip from here to Canterlot.”

“Honey, he'll be fine, and you know I'll be okay. You'll have your boys back before you know it.”

“Okay... Come back in one piece, both of you.” I lit my horn, avoiding having to witness my parents kiss, and slowly pushed myself of the ground. With that me and my dad left home and set out to the train station.

I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep, it wasn't the most comfortable ride... All I know is that there was a little filly poking me with a stick that her lollipop had just been on as if I were dead. One good jab and she woke me with a loud grunt. I looked around, not at all familiar with where we were.

“Hey,” my dad nudged my arm. “We're almost there.”

“Really? Where are we?” I yawned.

“Going through unicorn range, conductor said Canterlot should take another two hours.”

“How long was I out?”

“About three hours...”

“Wow, I must have been beat...”

“Yeah, heh. You were snoring like a champ. And by the way, you have something poking out your side there.” I looked down to find an old lollipop stick poking out of my fur.

“Dad, could you get that. I need my magic to charge up some.”

“Sure thing son.”

I looked out of the window at the rolling landscape flying by us. It was strange and new to me, I had never been this far from home, but my dad has been all over Equestria. I've been told it was our family that constructed Canterlot. I turned back to him, he had his snout buried deep in a newspaper.

“Hey dad, what's Canterlot like?”

He stopped, put a hoof to his chin and simply replied, “A place full of stuck up ponies with their heads so far up their rears they can't see the world for what it's worth...”

“Dad!” I laughed loudly.

“What? I'm serious.” he chuckled.

I meant the architecture.” This time he put the newspaper down.

“What is Canterlot you ask? Only the true definition of Equestrian engineering. I'm talking about a city built into the side of the tallest mountain in all the land. The city where the royal sisters live. That's Canterlot my boy. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it.”

The way he described Canterlot made it sound like a city where only the best thrive, and the buildings dominate the sky. “Are we staying in a hotel there?” I asked in awe.

“What? Oh no, we are staying in Ponyville.”

“Wait, Ponyville?”

“Yeah, it's a small town at the foot of Canterlot mountain.”

“Ponyville? Why does that sound so familiar?” thought to myself.

“You know it's the official home is the elements of harmony.”

“Did you know that, or are you reading it right now?” his face turned as red as his night blue fur would allow.

“Well, I was skimming through and I may have found it. Also it's where we're going to be staying while we work on the project in Canterlot. I may as well do some research.”

“Why can't we stay in Canterlot with the other workers?”

“Because there are only a handful of us intercity workers, they already have their hooves full up there.”

“Are any of your buds from Vanhoover signed on?”

“I think Tim and Lumber may have accepted, and hammer to. That's about it really.”

“Oh, well I'm gonna go stretch my legs, I think my horn has warmed up enough.”

I've noticed you mention a lot about you having to use your horn to a great extent. Is there any reason for that?

Yes, but that comes later... I don't like telling everyone about my disability...

Understandable, any more that you would like to tell?

Well yes, how much time do we have left?

Another  half hour...

That should be enough time. Well, we passed Canterlot and approaching Ponyville. That place is where my life, in every aspect was turned upside down...

We stopped in Ponyville, a quaint little town. Kind of like where I lived back home. The ponies looked friendly. You know nothing out of place, until on our way to the cottage we were staying in I was tackled by a blue pegasus.

“Oh my head... Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine. Don't you worry about me. Hi I'm Rainbow Dash,” she stretched out her hoof. In a panic I lit my horn and grabbed hold of her hoof as she pulled up. “What's you're name?”

“I... I'm Featherlight...”

“And I'm Winston.”

“Well, hello. Welcome to Ponyville and whatever,” she was just about to take off when my dad stopped her. “Excuse me Miss Dash, but do you know where the shady grove cottages are?”

“They're towards the edge of town, just head that way and you can't miss 'em. Now, I'm out,” with that she took off into the sky with a sparkling rainbow trail in her wake.

“Hmph, your mom was just like that when we met.”

“Y-yeah...”

“Son?”

“Uh huh, okay dad...”

“Son!” he snapped me out of my frozen state.

“Y-yeah dad, w-whats up?”

“We have to get situated before you start browsing through the local fauna.”

“Oh dad, come on!”

“What? You were starting for an awful long time.”

“Oh, whatever. Let's just go... ” The worst part is, he was right. But I wasn't starting because of her looks. The way she took off and soared through the air captivated me. She was so fast proud and confident. I would have given anything to be able to fly like her, so I decided to ask her for a few pointers. I know, I know, a unicorn asking a pegasus for flight tips is unheard of, but I just needed to know how she did it. So after we unpacked I went on a search.

I couldn't find her at first, mainly because I couldn't tell where she had flown off to, and second. I forgot the mare's name. I fumbled for at least an hour before one of her friends found me talking to myself.

“Hi there!”

“Goodness! Don't sneak up on me like that! You almost gave me a heart attack...”

“Sorry, you weren't paying attention. I thought I heard you mumbling something to yourself.”

“Yeah, I'm looking for somepony.”

“I'll help you out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it'll be like playing detective, or hide and seek, or, or-” I put my hoof to her mouth.

“Please, I just need help finding a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane...” she tapped her chin a few times, pulled a cupcake out of her hair and ate it.

“What? Food helps me think. I've got more if ya want some,” she said with full cheeks.

“Don't worry, I'm fine,” just then my stomach growled fiercely.

“That don't sound fine to me. C'mon, let's go get you something to nibble.” she took me by my hoof and dragged me away. I tried to break free but my magic had gotten weak from walking around for that long. That and my stomach felt like a void, so I let her take me hoping that she wasn't a psychotic earth pony.

“I never caught your name,” she said gleefully.

“I'm Featherlight...”

“Pinkie Pie, but all my friends call me Pinkie!”

“Huh, Pinkie Pie...”

After we properly introduced ourselves she took me all around town to some of her favorite spots to do various odd things. There was one that stood out to me though. There was a hill with the most perfect view of Canterlot. I mean the city glistening in the sunlight, while mountains seemed to bow to its might.

Where did Ms. Pie take you after that?

Oh, right. Sorry, I lost track. Now where was I...? Right, she dragged me all around Ponyville until we ended up at this bakery called Sugarcube Corner.

As soon as we walked through those doors the aroma of sweet fresh baked goods swept me of my hooves. I guess I should say this now, I'm what my mom calls a ‘sugaholic’. I am absolutely addicted to sweets, you wouldn't guess it because of how slim I am. Well this shop was like heaven, and was going to binge until I fell into a food coma, but I realized I left all my bits back at the cottage.

“See anything you like?” Pinkie peeped at me.

“What is there not to like? All these cakes and cookies and muffins... My goodness how do you keep from eating it all?! ”

“A lot of self control, but between you and me I still nibble a little...”

“I want a nibble...” I pouted.

“Well you have to tell me what you want silly.”

“I left all my bits at home...”

“Hmm,” she popped up behind me, then out of my hair, then back behind the counter.

“Wait, how in Celestia's mane did you do that-”

“I'll let you get one thing free of charge.”

“Wha-. R-really?”

“Mhm, you seem nice, and you're kinda cute.”

“Thank you so much Pinkie!” I have her a tight hug then turned my attention back to the assortment of sweets before me. I was going to choose a nice red velvet cake, but I saw some sugar cookies that looked all to delicious.

“Hey Pinkie.”

“Afternoon Dashie!”

“Wait, that voice...”

“Can I get my usual?”

“Sure, be right back.” I peeled my face of the glass and found two baby blue legs in front of me. I looked up and there she was, the one I was looking for.

“You're um, Rainbow Flash right?”

“No, I'm Rainbow Dash, unless you've got me mixed up with some other pegasus... Wait, aren't you that unicorn I ran into in town square?”

“Yes, I've been looking for you all day!”

“Uh, what for?” Just then I realized that I was a little too excited from all the delicious goodies surrounding me.

“Oh, where are my manners? Uh, Miss Dash, right?”

“Uh huh...”

“When I saw you fly off earlier today I thought it was pretty amazing, and well. I was wondering if you could give me some tips or maybe even train me...?” I knew she would laugh, but not too the point to where she would be on the floor gasping for air. To be honest I felt stupid that I didn't see that coming...

“Wai-wai-wai-wait... Let me get this straight. You a, unicorn, wants to learn how to fly?! Sorry for laughing so hard, but I've seen unicorn flight spells. The moment they touch the sun they disintegrate.”

“What if I told you I created my own spell that lasts as long as I want it to?”

“I'd call your bluff.”

“You won't know until you see.”

“Okay I'll bite, since I'm tired right now, I'll wait to tomorrow. If you can fly for more than fifteen minutes I'll train you.”

“Okay, deal.” we shook on it. Well I shook, she nearly cracked my hoof with her grip.

“Here you are Dashie!”

“Thanks Pinkie, see you tomorrow Featherlight.” And just like that she was out the door. I turned back to Pinkie who had an oddly sly look on her face.

“What?”

“Oh nothing. Have you picked what you want yet?”

“Oh, right.” I pressed my face back to the glass.

I'm afraid that's all the time we have Mr. Featherlight.

Really? That went by quick..

Yes indeed...

Well, I'll see you next week. I need to head home to gather my thoughts. Until next time...

Until next time...