The little filly had two hobbies if you will. But the first was more of birthright than a controllable pastime. Nobody was in any doubt that her connection with water was deep and so very often smelly. If it could be fallen or dived into, she was the pony for the task. It was lucky that she could swim!
It could be said that her second hobby was adventure and it certainly invaded her life like few others. And I guess with a name like Cloud she was bound to look upward and wonder at the pegasi drifting past. Ordinarily earth ponies understood that what went up must come down, but for little Fish it was just another exciting 'thing' to explore. Maybe it was no coincidence that one afternoon she found herself sitting in front of a billboard, watching a mare with a step ladder stick up a brightly coloured poster which read;
"Air Show!"
Sam looked some what alarmed as Fish excitedly displayed the flyer held in her teeth. Many things came out of that school saddle bag and some of the really bad ones did indeed come on paper. Those usually involved a trip to the school house which was awkward, but not distressing. Glyn looked up from his seed catalogue with a smirk.
"I wonder if there is a balloon big enough to carry me?" the large black earth pony pondered.
Sam now looked even more horrified.
"What!" she said, spinning to look at Glyn so fast her tail nearly took the mixing bowl off the edge of the table. "How are you helping here? I've heard so many tales about how my errant daughter only just managed to escape some watery tomb by flailing legs and branch in mouth, but at least she floats! Now you both want to defy gravity?"
Glyn looked a little taken aback. "Well I can't do magic," he protested "And who wouldn't want to see the land as the birds do?"
Sam could tell by the looks on their faces that logic wasn't going to play a big part in any following argument. It seemed hypocritical anyway. She had pretended to be scornful as a young filly watching Glyn swing on a rope as hard as he could, before soaring a few feet into the village pond. It was these antics that had drawn her to the young colt and to wonder at their future.
Sam remembered how it was at school and that silly play ground song. "Sam and Glyn, Sam and Glyn, she's got wedding bells for him!" She had got really mad at the time, but it was so obvious looking back.
"I guess you can't escape destiny," she said to her now smiling husband as a chicken made best efforts to fly past the kitchen window. The sudden commotion in the yard was undoubtedly Fish playing at pegasi.
The few days passed quickly as Fish tried to stay out of trouble everywhere. She couldn't risk doing something silly for fear of punishment. Being grounded this week would mean literally being grounded. Now though it was really happening! She was standing in line with some of her school friends behind a thick rope as they chattered about how high they would go and how they wouldn't be scared at all!
Eventually it was time for the little filly to take her turn in the sky. She danced on the spot as Sam anxiously handed over some bit's before Fish was directed to a pegasus of suitable size. Fish wasn't tall for her age, but she was no lightweight either. The stallion got down on his knees so she could climb on.
"Legs go there, head there and don't wiggle about," he said. "I presume you will want to go as far as the moon?" he winked.
"Erm," said Fish, but hadn't chance to think about it as they shot into the air gaining height with every powerful wing beat. Fish wanted to hang on and snuggle into the stallions mane for safety, but she couldn't miss the view below. Opening her eyes and looking down she was hit by the rest of the sensation of flying. The wind rushed through her mane as the pony body rose and fell as its feathers caught the air and pulled them upward.
"I'm Stratus," he called back, "Where do you live?" Fish pointed a hoof in the general direction she thought she might live.
Everything looked so different from above, but after a minute it started to look familiar. It wasn't enough to say that their farm below looked like a toy. She could see the animals and the pond and even her favourite scarf on the washing line. It was more that it looked disconnected from her life right now. Different from what she was experiencing high in the sky. She wasn't frightened now and knew she wanted more.
"Loop the loop!" she screamed with delight.
Stratus turned his head to look at her, "No can do little filly, this is just a cruise around the village sort of thing." He could see the disappointment in her face though and decided that it was worth a spin. This job was getting old anyway.
Banking further away from the farm he noticed a tree topped ridge that would hide them nicely. "Didn't you want to go over there and see something you just thought of," he winked.
"Do it!" shouted Fish, her mane and tail sticking out horizontally with the new turn of speed.
Stratus was careful to keep a very sedate flight plan as he banked around the woodland. As soon as he was out of sight he dived sharply to pick up speed while flapping hard to make that extra bit. As he neared the ground he flexed his wings to their full span and flipped himself upward. The ground dived away below them as Fish flattened against his back. She looked down to all green, then all blue and then back to green, the world turning over with her stomach.
"Yes," she shouted, "that was the best thing ever!"
Stratus flew lazily to the same height he had started and came back into view as though he had just extended her trip a little. Just as well because Sam would have been furious if she had seen her only offspring hurtling to the ground and then flying upside down before again hurtling to the ground.
They landed just in front of Sam and Glyn. "What a lovely filly you have," he said pleasantly as Fish climbed down.
"Yes she is sweet isn't she," the salmon coloured mare replied. "Certainly not the sort to encourage folk to high jinx." Fish grinned unaware of just how messed up her mane had become in the aerial antics.
The next highlight was Glyn trying to get into a wicker basket along with a mare sporting a leather flying cap and goggles. He was totally over sized for the balloon and there were some gasps from onlookers as he finally managed to front hoof stand his back legs into it, followed by his bottom.
Sam tutted at the scene. "Your father has managed to do some deal for winter storage for that thing in return for a ride. They all shook hooves on the deal before anypony had really considered how it was even possible? Now they are looking for pegasi to form an aerial rescue team should it turn out to be as bad an idea as it looks."
It took more heat than expected to raise the balloon, which now began to drift slowly upward. Glyn waved a hoof with a huge smile while taking taunts from some of his neighbours.
"I'll be sure to crash into your barn," he shouted down to an old friend.
As it was a fairly still day the balloon only drifted a short way away before being towed back by the pegasi. After twenty minutes it was safely back on the ground and tied up. There were then another few minutes of fun while they tried to retrieve Glyn from the basket. It should have been an easy task, but with everypony howling with laughter as they failed to lift him free it was a wonder they got it done at all!
Once loose he treated his rescuers to an apple juice each from one of the market carts. This was what it was really about. Although the air show folk would leave with some bits in their pockets it was also an excellent time to move some cash around the village. In return the event would be the talk of the area for a good few weeks. It was a welcome break from weeding and all the other tasks a farm needed to keep it working.
Author's Note
A huge Thankyou to Fia94 for the title art. This is the first time I've felt brave enough to go and ask someone to help me out on this sort of thing :o)
One evening in the autumn the air show team turned into the entrance to Black Brook Farm. The various carts and vans rumbling along the cobbled yard held everything from bunks and bunting, plus the famous balloon with its basket. This was the balloon Glyn said he could store for the winter in exchange for a ride. What he hadn't told Sam that it was actually two rides because it would need a final flight before being packed away. He hoped to persuade Sam to take a spin.
By the time Fish galloped into the farm from some far off exploration Glyn had most of the convoy parked in the Paddock. All sorts of ponies were milling about and some had started to dig a fire pit in the middle. The little filly didn't have long to say hi to everyone before it was bed time.
As long as she was quiet she could pretend to be asleep. Her bed was right by the window so she was able to wrap up in her bed clothes and watch the ponies outside as their faces flickered in the fire light. Soon enough she was fast asleep and dreaming of flying.
The next day she was running around getting into everything and chatting to the flyers. Stratus mostly hung around with a mare called Ozone. With a coat that shone like metal she looked quick standing still. Continuing the speed theme her tail was cut short as was her left ear. Feeling a stare upon her she turned to see Fish's fascinated expression.
"Nobody's perfect," the mare informed her. "You're safe in the sky and safe on the ground. The bit in-between can be tricky" she smiled. Fish gave a nod of understanding. "You flew with Stratus in the summer?"
"Yes," came the reply. And then with a whisper and a cautionary look sideways to make sure mum wasn't around, "We looped the loop, but don't tell anyone."
Ozone laughed! "I'm sure we can do better than that this weekend." Fishes eyes widened accordingly.
All eyes then turned to the arguing coming from the farm house. Glyn was making chicken impressions toward Sam.
"Just because you two are daft doesn't mean I am," said the salmon mare.
The air shows director was trying to intervene. "It's completely safe madam, we have a well trained rescue crew and I myself have been elevated to the heavens many times."
"I'm only concerned with being elevated to the heavens that one final time and that thing looks like a short cut to eternity!
Come on Fish, it's breakfast time."
By the time Fish had waited patiently and inhaled a bowl of porridge the balloon was half inflated. Glyn came into the kitchen and stood next to Sam.
"I promise this will be one of the most amazing things you will ever do," he said softly. "You are about to see the world in a way you can barely imagine in your dreams."
She gave him a loving smile. "If you believe in it that much I guess it can't be that bad?"
The two earth ponies walked out into the yard with Fish running around them in excited circles. Glyn helped his mare into the basket and kissed her muzzle.
"It'll be okay," he said.
As they let go of the mooring ropes Sam was amazed to see the ground fall away beneath her as the balloon slowly rose into the air. There was no sense of movement and even the breeze faded as the balloon began to travel across their farm. Turning to look back at the farm house she could see everypony waving to her. Swallowing hard she returned the wave with shaky hoof.
It was hard to be scared when so little was happening though. They gently drifted over the last hedges of their farm and then over a neighbours. Then onto a small holding of a friend and over the farm she grew up on. She could easily recognise the pond she had swam in so often as a filly. Passing directly over it she could see the reflection of a much older mare, looking down wistfully over the side of a wicker basket.
"Time to head back," said the pilot waving to the pegasi close by. They grabbed a couple of loose ropes in their teeth and began to slowly tow the flying machine back to Black Brooke farm. In no time at all Sam was back in the yard with a cup of tea, reliving all she had seen.
"Well, I'm going inside for a rest after all that excitement," said Sam getting up and heading indoors.
Glyn turned to look at Fish with a daft grin on his face. "I suppose you will be wanting another trip into the skies?" Fish turned to look at the now deflated balloon.
"Arn't I too late for a ride?"
Glyns smile got even bigger as Stratus entered the yard with Ozone who was carrying a spare pair of flying goggles in her mouth. Fish now looked like she was made of rubber as she bounced around them in circles!
Status wore a stunt saddle, which he did up extra tight. Fish climbed onto it and was tied in so that they moved as one. He wiggled and stretched his wings to make sure he still had full freedom of movement. "Perfect," He said. "If you fall from the clouds we can catch you easily, but if you fall off at ground level, it's not so good."
Fish nodded before Ozone put the goggles on her head. "Are they okay," she said gently.
"They're fi...." Fish squeaked as Stratus stood up and took off in one swift motion. She heard Ozone laugh behind them and saw the dust of the yard whipped up as she too made for the open air.
They were traveling at a steady pace, the fields and trees passing gently below. What they wanted was a good strong thermal to help them gain height quickly. They weaved this way and that, feeling the air with their feathers until a likely hill caught there eye. Making good use of its up draft they began to circle upward to the clouds. Fish had her eyes everywhere as she took in the scale of the land surrounding her village life.
"Time to make the ground shake," called Stratus. Ozone grinned and formed up along side him. At this point Fish expected a steep dive, but was quite startled to see them pull their wings tight into their body's . Her stomach felt really weird as gravity became a distant friend and they literally fell from the sky!
They hurtled toward the earth like falling rocks. "Now," screamed Stratus as the ground began to get alarming close. Fish bit down on the saddles loop hard to make sure she stayed in place. Both ponies spread their wings and turned a world that was downward into blazing horizontal speed. Keeping up a rapid wing beat they hurtled along a road only a few feet up. The trees flashed past and Fish could see birds behind her breaking cover on either side.
As their speed started to fall Ozone led them higher and toward home. Laughing and panting hard they formed up again side by side.
"How was that?" She asked Fish.
"I didn't know anything could go that fast," came the reply with a massive smile. "I thought my ears would come off!"
They travelled back to the farm weaving in and out of the trees to Fish's delight and landed softly in the yard.
"Are we happy now?" asked Glyn. But by the look on her face he could tell that she was. Fish just sat there with a daft grin on her face!
All too soon it was time for everypony to make their way to their homes for the winter. Wagons were reloaded with the detritus of living on the road and the turf was thrown back into the fire pit. As Glyn shut the gate behind the last wagon he turned to his little filly.
"Best not write about that in your memories book incase your mum reads it." said Glyn with a wink.
The End
Team Idris
Author's Note
I started the piece with the intention of a thousand word story, but I thought Fish deserved another fly. Plus, it was a good chance to Learn a bit more about Sam.
