Lost Soul

Three weeks.
It was almost three weeks from the day when Longwing got to Equestria.
At first he had doubts if he would be accepted by inhabitants of the magical land, but as it turned out Equestria was not only full of magic but friendship as well.

He was living with the Apple family at the Sweet Apple Acres, he was helping them at the farm in exchange for place to sleep and food, Longwing quickly became accustomed to the farm's lifestyle. Most of the time he was assisting Big Macintosh on the fields, first few days were real torture for him as he had to pull heavy cart but his body adapted to the hard work. Once he even asked Big Mac to let him try to do the plowing, but after few attempts the only thing he accomplished was to get himself a headache. Red stallion explained that the connection of the Earth ponies to the soil allowed them to do the hardest of works when growing crops, the trait that unicorns and pegasi lacked.

Sweet Apple Acres became his home, there he lived, worked and trained. Yeah training. After his first flying lesson with Rainbow Dash, she would visit him every second day, although he couldn't fly yet he was making progress. He could prolong his jumps using his wings, hard work at the farm and regular trainings improved his stamina so running and flapping wings for a long time no longer were a problem. Aside from improving his shape, Rainbow Dash lectured him about the flying techniques, he had to admit that flying was more complicated than he though.

Longwing was regularly visiting Ponyville's library where he and Twilight were working to discover the reasons of his appearance in Equestria and describing their worlds to each other..
This day Twilight finally received a letter from the princess concerning Longwing's case.

"Princess Celestia invited us to the ball that will be held in two weeks, she believes that she is able to help you and wants to meet you personally." Lavender Unicorn levitated the scroll she was reading to the one of the shelfs.

"Wow. I have never met royalty before." He scratched his cheek. "Nor been ever on the royal ball. Whats the occasion?"

"It's a first anniversary of the Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding, and their victory over the changelings that invaded Canterloth year ago."

"Battle at the wedding? Sounds like fun..." Unicorn in front of him smiled and shook her head. "I'll be going now Twilight. Pinkie invited me to the bakery to check out her new pie recipes. Are you going to be there?"

"I still have some work to do but I will be there later." She walked him to the door. "It's good to see that you settled in."

"Ponies here are just too friendly to stand aside."

"So maybe... Considering how well you get along with ponies... Have you considered staying here? In Equestria?" She looked at him. He has been here only for couple weeks but managed to become very good friend of hers and the other ponies there. He seemed to beam with happiness all the time, in wich he reminded Pinkie. He once told Twilight that he fells free of any worries here in Ponyville, that in his world he felt overwhelmed and suppressed. She thought that if he was so happy here then maybe he should stay in Ponyville with them.

Longwing suddenly stopped. He frowned and lowered his head slightly. Of course I had. "I... I can't do this Twilight." He wasn't looking at her. "This place is wonderful. And I hate the think that I would abandon friends I made here, but... I can't leave my family like that." He looked in her eyes. "There are people back there that rely on me. I can't Twi."

She nodded. "I understand... I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you sad."

He gave her smile. "It's okay Twilight. It's just... A difficult situation." He left the library. "See ya later Twilight!"

"Bye Longwing!" She closed the door behind him and walked to her desk thinking about what she has learned from the grey pegasus.

.......................................................

The afternoon sun was warming Longwing as he trotted through Ponyville.
He was thinking about his conversation with Twilight. On the one hoof he was happy that ponies wanted him to stay, on the other... Why can't I be more selfish... Arrrgh!
"Okay, concentrate on here and now..."
He looked at the clock on the Ponyville's town hall. Hmmm... Ditzy should be ending her shift any moment now. He turned in the street leading to the post office.

His free time Longwing was spending either walking around the orchard or hanging out with his new friends, at first it were only Twilight and her friends but as the time passed on he befriended other inhabitants the Ponyville. One of his best friends was the local mail mare Ditzy Doo, he met her one day when going back from the Library to orchard and since then they were hanging out very often. He learned that Ditzy has very few friends because of her legendary trouble making capabilities and her weird-looking eyes, but under the mask of clumsiness and childishness he found a caring, kind and intelligent pony.They were both kind of outcasts in the Ponyville's society and understood each other perfectly.

He walked in silence, from time to time answering to the smiles of the ponies he knew. After several minutes he saw the post office.
"About time!" He smiled and speed up a bit.

"Leave m-me alone!" His ears perked up. Ditzy? He heard two more voices. "Owww. You hurt us! Aren't we friends? Derpy! Hahaha!" He heard quiet sobs. When he reached the corner of the next building he saw them.

Ditzy and two stallions, a unicorn and an earth pony. Ditzy was crying, her bag was levitating in front of her surrounded by an orange aura. Two stallions were laughing and teasing her.

"Hey Derpy make that eye trick again ok? Haha!"

Thats it! He sprinted and stopped right behind the bullies. "Leave her alone." His voice was cold as winter night.

When Ditzy saw him she stopped crying and stared at him. Stallions slowly turned back to him. "What's your problem? We're just having some fu-u-u..." The ponies were startled as they saw the large pegasus behind them, earth pony tried to back a bit but stumbled and fell to ground. Longwing stood there, his wings spread, his eyes filled with rage.

Orange unicorn quickly regained his composure. "And who the hay are you?" His horn started to glow menacingly. "And why do you care so much about this ret-" His voice was cut out as two hooves clenched on his neck in the iron grip. Longwing lifted him up and unicorn's horn stopped glowing his eyes showed suprise and terror.

"Dont. You. Dare. To call her like that!" Longwing shouted loud enough to cause the earth pony on the ground to tremble. Unicorn was squirming and flailing his legs in the air while trying to free himself, his cheeks became purple from the air deprivation. Longwing haven't felt like that for a long time, he wanted to crush the bully for what he done to Ditzy, he felt isolated from the world, just he and stallion is his hooves.

Blue earth pony regained his voice. "Let him go you're suffocating him!" He turned to the mail mare. "Der-Ditzy say something, he will break Spark's neck, we're sorry! We will leave you be just stop him! Please!"

Ditzy Doo was shocked by what she saw, she tried to speak but ended sobbing once again. "Lon-Lon..."

Longwing heard her sobbing and turned his eyes to her. She was scared. Then realized what he was doing. WHAT the hay is wrong with me!? He dropped the unicorn, who gasping run away with his blue friend.

Longwing walked to her. He was ashamed for his action. Please don't hate me. "Ditzy I... I'm sorry... I lost control over myself... I was so angry then I saw them harrasing you... I didn't mean to-" He was interrupted by a hug from sobbing pegasus mare. He returned the hug and they stood there like that for a couple of minutes before Ditzy calmed down.

Finally she spoke, her head still pressed against his chest. "T-thank you Longwing. Rarely anypony stand up f-for me." She hugged him even stronger.

So this world isn't so perfect after all. He stroked her mane. "It's okay." She pulled herself off him and looked in his eyes. He smiled. "Just trying to make world a bit brighter place." She giggled. "Come on, lets go to Sugarcube Corner, I bet a pie will fix you up in no time."

She picked up her bag and smiled. "Sure w-why not."

The grim atmosphere dispersed quickly as they walked in the direction of the bakery talking and laughing, nopony brought up the subject of the recent event.
When they reached their destination, they were greeted by the pink whirlwind of energy and laughter. Pinkie Pie stuffed them with her experimental new pies which, aside from the salty turnip pie, were really good. They spent wonderful time at the Pinkie's, wich culminated in an epic cupcake fight.
When they finally managed to escape the party pony's grasp, Longwing walked Ditzy home.

"I thought the Doctor was your husband." They were getting near Ditzy's home each carrying bag full of pies that Pinkie gave them.

"N-no he is my friend. I k-kinda take care of him. He lives at my place b-but we are not together. We're not but I-" She fell silent and blushed.

Longwing grinned. "But you what?"

Ditzy looked in opposite direction. "N-nothing."

When they arrived at her house Ditzy turned to Longwing. "I wanted to thank you ag-gain for your help with those two."

"Well... After today's events I doubt that they will bother you any soon. But if anypony tries... Just call me." He smiled warmly to the mare in front of him.

"Thank you." She hugged him again. "G-goodbye Longwing!"

"Bye Ditzy!"

He walked slowly in the direction of the Sweet Apple Acres, his lesson with Rainbow Dash was in three hours so he had no need to hurry. Just don't get yourself into troubles again.

.....................................................................

Humming to himself, the grey pegasus entered the apple orchard. The sun was high and the sky was clear except for few small clouds floating lazily above Ponyville. As Longwing trotted towards the farmstead he saw Applejack in the garden. She waved to him smiling. "Howdy Longwing! How's your day?"

"It's okay. Talking with Twilight, causing troubles, saving mares in distress... You know, the usual stuff. Oh and Pinkie gave me some of her new experimental pies for you to try." He gestured on the bags.

"That's mighty kind of her. Ah need ta finish waterin' the plants and Ah'm off. By the way could ya bring a bag of flour from the granary to the kitchen? Granny want ta make some pies today."

"Okie dokie Applejack!" Longwing walked off and navigated between the trees straight to the granary. As he entered he closed to the shelves. "Flour, flour, flour... Where the hay is flour?" He heard a silent snap behind him. In the moment he turned around he was hit by a three mud balls straight in the chest and saw three small ponies landing in front of him, they were wearing black suits and masks.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS NINJA WARRIORS! HIIIIIIIIIYAY!!!

Big pegasus stumbled and crashed into the shelves behind him, breaking most of it. The corn from the bags on the top poured out on him covering him whole. When three fillies closed to the corn pile a grey hoof shoot from it.

"Corn for the corn god!" They giggled and helped Longwing to get out.

After a bit digging, a pursuit around the barn and a lot of apologizing, the four ponies got to the Apple's house. Greeted by a table full of food they feasted and talked about the new ways of gaining the cutie marks. After two hours Longwing left the house and headed to the lake.

There he done the routine warm up and stretching, pacing in circles he awaited Rainbow Dash. Soon he saw the familiar mare landing in front of him, as always wearing a confident smile on her face.

"Ready to challenge the skies?" She asked, it became a sort of their ritual between them and he knew his line.

"Even in the middle of the storm Rainbow." He smiled and saluted slowly.

Then it begun as always. Sprints, jumps and a lot of wing flapping. Longwing knew the drill very good, every time he was pushing himself farther and farther, every time closer to his goal. Flight. Rainbow followed him hovering over his head and shouting to him. She was a demanding teacher but she knew that without hard work he will never take off. It's all about finding a rhythm in wich your muscles must work in order to lift you up. When you find it, it's impossible to forget it. Her words resounded in his head every time he flapped his wings.

Some time later they were joined by Applejack and Apple Bloom, both enjoined watching Longwing's training and cheered him as loud as they could.

He was tired. Long training was exhausting his energy and soon he was panting heavily. Okay you lazy git. One last time. Rainbow knew very well his capabilities and when he was too tired to continue. She watched as he speed up in his last attempt for today.

With determination in his eyes he run faster and faster, flapping his wings like mad. He closed his eyes. Then he jumped. He prepared his front legs to suspend the impact that he expected to come in next five seconds. But it didn't came. Huh?

He opened his eyes and saw ground moving beneath him. I'm flying. "I'm flying!" He looked around with disbelieve and steered back in the direction of the three ponies. His dream became true. "I'M FLYING!!!" He screamed and laughed loud. Applejack, Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash cheered from the ground as he soared above the lake. Then exhaustion returned to him. In an instant he lost altitude and fell to the water below him with a loud splash. Moment later his head appeared over the water line and he swum to the bank of the lake. Two mares and a filly approached him as he laid down on his back breathing heavily.

"I- I did it! I did it Rainbow! I flew!" He was to tired to stand up, long training and swimming run out his energy completely.

"Yes ya did sugarcube." Applejack helped him to get out of the water.

"Longwing can fly! Longwing can fly!" Apple bloom was jumping around them and screaming in joy.

Rainbow dash looked at him and gave him a proud smile. "Great job Lon! Take some rest, tomorrow I will show you the skies." He didn't have strength to say anything so he just smiled widely. Rainbow began to walk away but after few seconds she turned her head back to him.

"Oh, and by the way... Welcome to the world of fliers."