A Blooming Hope

September 20th, 10 years ago.

Twilight was right, I couldn’t just spend my time sulking, I had to do something. I had a talent, and I knew what it was.

I had always been a good flier, ever since I was really young. And there was one simple reason, my wings were slightly larger that most other young Pegasi. So I could get higher with less flaps, and I could glide, something that not many young Pegasi were capable of.

I looked back at my wings and spread them out with a flutter. I began to flap and fluttered into the sky, I was wobbly, so I landed and looked at my wings, taking each under my hoof.

At the tip of my right wing there was a small bend. Something that wouldn’t limit basic and leisure flying, but could effect speed and agility.

“It’s a tiny bend” I retorted, “it can’t do anything!”

I flapped my wings again, I was steadier this time. I flew a little higher and tried to do a direct upward shoot. My wing gave way halfway through and I had to glide for a minute before steadying myself.

“Alright. So we wait on that.”

I went for speed instead this time, flying forward at increasing velocity. But it wasn’t long before I got to a speed at which I couldn’t control myself. I spun out of control and clashed into a cloud. I shook my head and flapped my wings again, once again steadying myself in air. I went for a corkscrew spin. I dove for it and made it halfway when my wing froze up again. I once again glided, but this time I landed on the ground.

“Okay, so it isn’t as small as I thought,” I stated, “but that doesn’t mean it isn’t avoidable.”

I flapped my wings again and reached cloud level, slowly gliding and dodging clouds as I went. I got faster as I went. It wasn’t too long though, before my wing froze up again. This time I couldn’t spread it and I began to fall to the ground. I closed my eyes and nearly cried. Then I felt myself suddenly get stopped. I was gently drifted to the ground and I opened my eyes to find Cella sitting in front of me.

“What are you doing?” She asked, “and how did you fall from the sky?”

“I was trying to fly fast! I was doing cool tricks and stuff!”

“And you fell from the sky?”

“My wing froze up. I got going too fast.”

“Well why were you flying that fast in the first place?” She asked with a concerned look.

“Because flying is my thing Cella.” I said my eyes glowing.

“Yes, but it’s not the only thing. You hurt your wing, sooner or later your gonna have to see that that limits your flying.”

“Not if I work around it.” I retorted.

“Even if you work with it.” Cella sighed. I would know, you can’t just work around, or with, an injury like that. It always limits you in some way. It may not be a significant or important way, but there always is one.”

“Cella I’m going to work around it! It’s the only talent I have! If I can’t fly...” I droned off, “if I can’t fly, I can’t do anything.”

“Willow, you are so much more than whether or not you can fly.”

“How!? I can’t get a cutie mark! So how am I supposed to know if I am!?”

“You don’t need to know! You already are so much more! I know you are! You don’t need a dumb cutie mark to show it!”

“But I do Cella!” I began to cry, “everypony else gets to know what they can do! But I’ll never know!” I slumped to the ground.

Cella’s eyes softened as she walked over to me and set a hoof on my shoulder.

“Listen Willow,” She said, “I know it’s hard, but you’ll make it through this.”

I turn to her, tears in my eyes, “how do you know?” I ask through sniffles.

“I just do. I know you Willow Bloom, and I know you’ll make it through this.” She said sitting down, “listen, if you wanna fly, then fly, I’m not gonna stop you. Just remember that it isn’t the only option.”

“Okay.”

“Good,” she sighed, “now, I have to go, my mom will not like that I’m out so long, she’ll get to nervous,” she said walking away, “I’ll see you at school tomorrow Willow.”

I watched her go wiping the tears from my eyes. Even when I was so upset I yelled at her, Cella always calmed me down. She made me feel better, even on my worst days.

I got up of the ground and flapped my wings again, “I’ll take it slower this time,” I said to myself, as I slowly lifted off the ground.

I slowly gained altitude, reaching higher and higher until I reached the upper cloud barrier. I lifted my wings into fifth position and folded them against my sides as I fell through the cloud layers. When I neared the bottom layer I spread my wings wide and angled them, going into a loop-d-loop. I managed to gain enough momentum to do three in a row before evening out.

I smiled wide. It had worked, I just had to not strain my wings with strenuous flapping. As long as I was slow in my ascent, I could fall as fast as I wanted, and could spread my wings fast to catch myself.

“It’s perfect! And super impressive!” I whinnied excitedly.

I gently glided to the ground, I was starting to get a bit cocky though. I spread my wings and flew up again. Trying to go up a little too fast in all my excitement my wing froze up again, but In a half flap motion, so I couldn’t use it to glide. I tried to hit the ground soft but I came down with a skid. Feeling my fur scrape across the grass. I began to cry in pain.

I sat there for a while, just crying, laying on the grass, until a gentle yellow Pegasus passed by. Upon seeing my situation, the normally shy pony rushed over.

“Are you alright little filly?” She asked, worry glowing in her soft, green-blue eyes.

“Not really...” I sniffled, sitting up a bit.

“Well whatever happened!?”

“I hurt my wing a little while back, I tried to fly with it. But since wing bones are hollow, it didn’t heal quite right. So when I flapped to hard it froze up. And I couldn’t glide to get back down. So I hit the ground pretty hard.”

“Oh you poor thing. I’m sure your caretakers will know how to fix this. Where do you live little filly?” The kind mare asked.

“In the house three houses to the right of where the golden oak library was.” I sniffled.

“Alright, Cmon, stand up, I’ll help you home,” she said, holding out a hoof.

I grabbed it and stood up, following her back to my house where she explained what happened to my parents. They nodded in understanding and took me in. Once the mare was gone my father turned to me.

“Willow Bloom you know the doctor said you have to take it easy on that wing.” He said.

“I know,” I sniffled, “I got excited, I’d done one good round of flying while being careful, and I sorta forgot.”

“Well you need to be more cautious next time” My mother said gently, “now, let’s get you cleaned up.”

I sighed, it was better to have them here, I knew that, but I wished I didn’t have to be at home. If I never had gotten attacked I never would have gotten hurt. So this was just a result of that horrible day.