Blitz

1

With a mighty yawn and a stretch of his forelegs, Blitz awoke to a brand new day. Beams of Celestia's sun pierced through the window over his bed, casting the mattress in a sublime radiance. The colt finally managed to roll stiffly out of bed, still physically exhausted and sore from the previous day's race. He slid down to his hooves, wondering why the room was uneven before remembering the boot on his foot.

He glanced down, grinning impishly at the discoloration denoting the cyan adhesive holding a simple splint in place. The boot itself was there only to keep his sprained fetlock from too much movement while his actual hoof rested on a pad of foam covering the interior. The contraption still felt alien as he gingerly paced around the room, testing various methods of walking. Not only did his lower leg need to remain locked, but the device gave his right foreleg an extra inch of awkward height.

Satisfied with the decreasing awkwardness of his leg, Blitz managed to make his way down the stairs and into a kitchen filled with the sweet aromas of breakfast. He clambered up onto a seat at the kitchen table, sitting comfortably on his haunches and making sure not to overexert his bad leg.

"Well good morning, sleepy head," Blaze looked up from the newspaper covering his section of the table and gave his son a warm smile. "We heard you had quite the day yesterday." Behind the midnight-blue stallion, the lady of the house was busy preparing their initial meal of the day.

"Miss Rainbow Dash told us all about it when she brought you home last night." Blaze positively beamed at his son. "Told us how you managed to beat her in a race, even after hurting your leg!"

Blitz was stunned, caught completely off guard. Dash had lied? About losing, of all things?

"Well," his father continued, "I can't take all the credit. You get your speed from your mother's side."

The colt snorted at this notion. "From mom? But she's so... so..."

"So floaty? Soft, quiet, sweet? Yeah, have her chase you with a frying pan. You'll see how 'slow' she is. Boy that second date was fun." Blaze's eyes dreamily rolled upwards, lost in his reminisce, a goofy grin adorning his face. Winter chuckled lightly as she spread their breakfast around and sat down herself.

"And I've got good news! I went into the weather factory this morning, and Miss Swirl told me to take the week off. She's training some new guy who's going to help me out, so I won't be working as hard or as late. So, Blitz, you have me free for a week. Anything you want to do, I'm all ears."

"Well, um..." Blitz shuffled what remained of his food around, building up the courage to ask. This opportunity had not presented itself to him before.

"Yes?"

"Well, um, would you..." He took a deep breath, and let the words come as they will. "Would you teach me to fly?"

Silence struck the room. Blaze's eyes became wide as he mulled that one question over. The one he had been anticipating. "Son," he began slowly, his serious demeanor a far cry from his usual chirpy self, "ever since you were conceived have I been waiting for you to ask me just that. Of course I will! We'll be going back down to the ground, though, if you don't mind."

"Of course not! It was fun down there!" His heart beat rapidly. The question had been asked, and received a positive response - he was going to learn to fly!

"Then get ready. We leave after breakfast."

2

They stood on the bank of a grand lake, both reveling in the beauty of an opaque surface reflecting the surrounding scenery. Blaze's entire personality had changed from a fun loving goof into a serious stallion. The lesson of flight was a rite of passage for all pegasi, and even he treated it as such.

"My father," he mused solemnly, "brought me to this very spot when it was my time to fly. So now do I bring you. By the week's end, Blitz, you'll take to the skies. At least, I hope so. It's the only way we'll get back home."

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me. I'm not leaving you down here by yourself, nor will I carry you back up. We'll just camp here as long as it takes. Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, now show me what you can do currently."

With a stuttering acknowledgement, Blitz began fluttering his small wings, carefully hopping into the air, still mindful of his fetlock. Unable to catch any lift underneath his rapidly beating wings, the colt merely landed back on his feet with a soft thump and a small cloud of dust.

"Mm. No. You're using your wings as tools, not as natural parts of your body." Blaze hopped up, hovering in the air. His wings kept a steady up-down rhythm. "You're also thinking about it too much. Let your wings do their own work."

Again Blitz tried, managing to hover in the air for only a few seconds longer than before. The difference in feel was astounding, though. For the first time, he had felt the tiniest hint of flight, before apprehension caused his wings to seize up and send him back down to the ground.

"You were right, dad! I almost had it that time... but then I thought about it, and my wings kinda froze."

"Yes, I saw. Good job, son. You're learning. Now, try again."

3

The sun began to set on a full day of learning; Blitz had done his last hover of the day only moments ago. The father-son pair set their tent up near the lake. The violet colt had taken his first step toward flight today as he hovered longer and longer in the air - even so much as hanging in the sky for a full minute. His wings pulsed with a mild ache, not yet acclimated to the efforts of flight.

With the tent up, they relaxed close together in front of a modest campfire. The warmth radiating off of the flame embraced the two ponies as they sat and talked, bonding as father and son as they had never done before. Stars revealed themselves as the sun finished it's daily routine and Luna's moon rose to cast it's silver glow across the lands; the orange flame cackled as the two ponies conversed in the night.

"You know, this is exactly what my dad did with me." A smile widened Blaze's face as he stared skyward. "I was just about your age when he decided it was time I learned to fly. His father did the same with him, and someday you'll do just this with your own foal. And thus the cycle continues."

"How long did it take you to learn?"

Blaze rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Oh, a few days. He made me take one step at a time, as I do with you now. Master one technique before moving to the next - that was his secret. By tomorrow, you'll be hovering in the air as though you've been doing it your entire life. Then we'll get to the fun part, which is actually flying. And once that's mastered, we'll make our way home."

"But! You make it sound so easy!"

"Because it is. Once you stop thinking about it, it becomes second nature."

"I... I guess."

Blaze wrapped a foreleg around his son's neck, giving him a small hug. "You'll see, I promise. But for now, I think we should go to sleep. Busy day tomorrow." He stood up, kicking out the fire and leading Blitz into the tent for their night of rest.

4

"That's it, Blitz! You've got it!"

Blitz hung aloft in the still air, his small body bobbing up and down in direct opposition to his beating wings. The dull throb of sore joints had completely disappeared as his feathery appendages became more accustomed to their rightful duties. Though he hovered only mere feet off the ground, the very fact that he was in the air at all gave him utter joy, and his father a sense of pride.

"Now, son, your wings are your power and the air underneath them is your thrust. You must change their form to manipulate the air and push you in the direction you want."

"Like this?" The constant flapping of the colt's wings changed as he slightly shifted their position. A pocket of air formed under each wing, affording him a slight resistance with which to push off of. Tendrils of compressed air wove soothingly between each of his feathers as the majority of it was expelled from beneath his wings, giving Blitz a small push forward. The only indication of his movement was the ground slowly creeping along underneath.

"I... I'm doing it! I'm actually flying!"

"Well, not quite." Blaze chuckled, amused at the excitement his son displayed. "But you're getting closer. Just practice for a little bit and, before you know it, we'll be racing home."

The colt complied, fluttering gaily in the sky. Soon enough, he taught himself the trick of three-dimensional maneuvering; floating up, gliding down, turning every-which-way. He giggled joyfully as he floated through the air, reveling in his newly acquired ability.

As an hour passed, Celestia's golden sun moved its way high into the afternoon sky. Blaze raised a hoof, stopping his son for a moment. Blitz stopped just short of the hoof, bobbing in the air with a curious glance toward his father.

Blaze merely smiled. "You've been working hard this morning. What say we go into Ponyville and have some lunch?"

"Okay! Oh, um, can I fly there?"

5

The sweet aroma of the daffodil sandwiches wafted up into each pony's nostrils, enticing their appetites. Blitz had managed to keep himself grounded long enough to consume his meal. The dull throb in his aching wings was offset by their desire to be used more; the new-found attention to his wings caused them to beg for more work. He had spent his foal years on his hooves, and now his wings wanted to make up for lost time.

"Ponyville sure hasn't changed much since dad brought me here to fly." Blaze cast his reminiscing glance across the town. He could spot only a few new buildings; if not for these unfamiliar structures, he could've sworn that they had stepped back in time. "And I'll bet it won't change much when it's your turn to teach."

Their stomachs full, the duo made their way back to camp; Blitz took great joy in using his injured leg as an excuse to fly again. The purple pony hovered just above his father's head, full attention on the elder stallion's tales.

"Your grandpa, admittedly, was a trite stricter than I am." Blaze gave a chuckle as the memories came to the forefront of his mind. "He told me he would just leave me on the ground if I didn't figure it out. Of course, he didn't really mean it... I think. But at the time, it freaked me out. Either way, mom would've smacked him senseless if he dared such a thing. You know, we should pay them a visit soon. I know you love stories, and dad has a ton of them. And he hasn't even seen you since you were just a little guy. He'll be thrilled!"

"Really? Hehe, I can't wait to see him and grandma."

6

As the magnificent sun cut it's eons-old path across the sky, one colt with the newly granted ability of flight dared to reach higher altitudes. Blaze sat near the tent, watching his son play in the dwindling light. Stars began to take shape as the sun dipped below the horizon, making way for Princess Luna's pale moon.

"Alright, son," Blaze called upwards, "That's enough for tonight. Come on down and rest."

The colt complied, landing softly in front of a newborn campfire. The now-familiar warmth embraced him once again as a hoof appeared out of nowhere to ruffle his mane.

"You did good, Blitz." Blaze was beaming down at his son, swelling with pride. A pair of sticks sat in the flame, roasting the marshmallows attached to their ends. Each pony chose a stick and pulled it from the fire, blowing on the treat just enough to eat it. Soon enough, they were both chomping with pleasure and laughing in tandem as the gooey snack stuck to their mouths.

It became harder and harder to chew as they worked on the bag of marshmallows; it now sitting half empty. With a large swallow to clear his mouth, Blaze spoke once again into the flame.

"You know, I was a huge fan of the Wonderbolts when I was a colt."

"Really?" Blitz's ears perked up at this revelation.

"Oh, yes. Though I'm sure all the pegasi foals like the Wonderbolts at one point or another. But I was going to be one, or so I told myself. Starfire had already retired by the time I was old enough to fully appreciate them, but the captain, Comet, was something else in his own right. It's said that while Starfire invented the tricks, Comet perfected them. That pony could dazzle a crowd like no other. Unfortunately, he was also a bit cocky."

Blaze glanced over at his son with a mischievous grin. "Did I ever tell you that I tried out for the Wonderbolts?"

"You did?" The boy's interest was piqued at this news.

"Oh yes. I tried to ignore my cutie mark and go for them. Obviously, it didn't pan out. That tryout was the second scariest thing I've ever done, though. Showing off in front of that crowd, some of the most famous ponies in Equestria judging my every movement. Dad watching me..."

"Wow... wait, second? What was the first scariest thing?"

"What? Oh, um, your mother asked me to give her my honest opinion about the first meal she ever made for me. Now that was truly terrifying."

"The meal or the answer?"

Blaze erupted with laughter, falling to his back and clutching his stomach. Blitz added his own chuckles into the mix.

"Oh my," the elder pony could hardly breathe, gasping for air through the laughs. "Now that's a good one." He rolled to his legs, standing up and letting his fit finish. "Just don't ever let your mother hear that one. Come on, kiddo. I think it's time for bed. The real training begins tomorrow."

As Blitz followed his father into the tent, he noted with some curiosity that the other pony had seemingly avoided answering the question.

7

Thunder snapped sharply throughout the grey sky, jolting the colt out of his peaceful, meadow-filled dreams. Rising to his feet, the first thing he noticed was the empty bedroll. The second thing he noticed was the downpour assaulting the tent. The material of the tiny shelter held its own against the raindrops pounding against it.

Blitz was immediately soaked as he stepped out of the tent - his scruffy mane drooped on every side of his head. The sun was completely eclipsed by a horizontal wall of steel-grey clouds; a gloomy shadow was cast over the lands. Glancing everywhere, Blitz found no sign of his father.

"Hey! Up here!" A small hole appeared in the clouds, followed by a suspiciously dry head and the playful gaze of a mischievous stallion.

The saggy colt shot a glance upwards, frowning. "What the hay, dad!?"

"What?" Blaze brought a hoof to his ear and leaned down in a comical display of hearing trouble as he shouted down. "I can't hear you over this noise! Come up here!"

"What! Are you kidding me!?"

"Sorry, son! Still can't hear you!" And with that, the hole closed.

Blitz snorted, preparing for his test of the day. The last dry areas of his body became drowned as he spread his wings, taking to the air with an ease he could've never imagined just a few days earlier. The rain drenched his violet coat, seeping down to his skin and adding pounds upon pounds of weight to his flight. With every flap of his wings, droplets of water flew outward.

Locking his eyes on the spot where the hole was, Blitz began his ascent. He squinted his eyes against the downpour now assaulting his face. His body shuddered with chill; his wings were almost numb. Slowly he pushed upwards, the imposing wall of cloud growing ever larger.

The gap of distance seemed to stop closing, until the drenched pony realized that it actually had. Gravity was suddenly winning the tug-of-war with his wings, pulling him back down to the earth. Harder he flapped his frozen wings, giving all the strength he could, and began flying upwards again.

Finally the colt breached through the clouds, being welcomed by both a clear sky and a helping hoof. He sat on the cloud, panting heavily - the extra weight caused by the rain was more work than he anticipated.

"My my, aren't we just soaked to the bone?" Blaze gave a goofy lopsided grin while his son simply glared. "Oh don't look at me like that. You can never predict the conditions you'll face. Alright, I'll make it up to you. Let's go to Sugarcube Corner and get a treat."

8

With the hardest workout over, the last few days consisted of father and son flying higher and faster with each other. One would tease the other to catch him. The muscles of Blitz's wings developed as he used them more and more. Higher altitudes and faster speeds were no longer impossible.

Finally the last day came. The tent was packed up; by the night, they'd both be in their regular beds for well -deserved rest.

"Say, Blitz," Blaze cast a glance at the splint on his son's foreleg, "when did Nurse Redheart say that thing could come off?"

9

"Well look who's back!" The pearl-white pony gave Blitz a smile. "And you brought a new pony with you this time"

"This is my dad!" Blitz returned her smile; he liked Miss Redheart.

Blaze extended his hoof in greeting. "Hello, ma'am."

"Oh, my. I see where he gets his manners." She returned her attention to the colt. "So, is that thing finally ready to come off?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Alright, lie still please." She unstrapped the boot, pulling it off, and unwrapped the adhesive from around his foreleg. "That should do it. See how your leg feels."

His leg finally free, Blitz flexed it. Satisfied with the lack of pain, he hopped down from the table and trotted around the room. "My leg feels perfect again!"

"I'm glad!" Nurse Redheart gave her patient a smile. "Just don't hurt it again anytime soon, okay?"

"Yes ma'am. I promise." The colt crossed his chest with his healed leg.

10

The two ponies were almost home now, flying side-by-side; Celestia's sun lay half-hidden below the horizon.

"Thanks a lot, dad," Blitz randomly blurted out, taking the older pony by surprise. "This week meant a lot to me."

"It meant a lot to me too, kiddo." Blaze's ears perked up as a thought ran through his mind. "Say, how's about a race home?"

"Are you sure you can fly that fast?" Blitz gave his father a wink, increasing his speed slightly.

"Oh ho ho, don't be getting cocky on me." Blaze stuck his tongue out at the younger pony, adding his own speed. "I did try out for the Wonderbolts, you know. I'm still in shape. On three?"

"Fine, on three. One..."

"THREE!" Blaze shot off, chuckling madly.

"Hey! No fair!" Blitz gave his own giggles as he pushed harder. Winning or losing didn't matter - father and son only cared about the fun they were having with each other in that moment.