Flight. There's always been some sort of peace in it, at least to most of us Pegasi. I suppose I'm no different, either, considering that's how I spend most of my weekends; wind in my blue fur, and nothing more than the sound of wings and birds. There's nothing like it, and I feel sorry for the other ponies that can't experience it. In fact, my parents named me Feather Breeze, and everypony who sees me fly says I live up to the name. Even more than my parents expected.
Though now that I think about it, I suppose I help others live that dream as well. I'm normally working on some carts, or the occasional clock tower, but I can't help but take special pride in helping ponies fix the flying contraptions they've created...and commonly broken, if I'm honest. It's a hard thing to master, especially when it's not native to your kind.
I suppose it's only fair, we winged ponies have had tens of thousands of years to perfect it, and others have only just started trying to explore the science behind it. I have absolutely no problem helping them along, so much so that I actually hold courses for a few and try to educate them.
Tangent aside, I have no problem helping others fix their machines. Anything from a flagpole to a train, I've done nearly all of it. I've been told I'm rather good at it as well, which would explain my wrench of a cutie mark. In fact when it first appeared, my friend Thunder Wing said "well, that puts a wrench into things!" Of course, I slugged him in the side right after it as he fell over laughing like crazy. He's always been great at bad puns, and has had his share of bruises from me to prove it.
"Hey, Feather, up here!" Ah, speaking of the nutty black pegasus. Always has a way of rousing me out of my thoughts while I'm flying. That usually ends up bad anyway.
But, when your friend calls, you meet him up at the cloud he's on. And, as is my normal method, I landed with a bit of a flair and a very gentle contact with the fluff. Having been on the weather team myself, I know how much work goes into a cloud like this. He takes pride in his work as well. He also takes pride in his breaks.
"Hey, bud. What's up?" Having settled in beside him, becoming a mixture of black and blue atop a white cloud, we both sat down and just observed the area. Right above the forest is a great spot for that.
"Chillin', finally got most of my quota for the day done. How about you?" Good grief, he sounds more like he belongs on a farm every single day. Or a high school.
"Just out for a cruise. Finally got everything set up for tomorrows storm."
"Got enough tarps?"
"Come on, that was just one time!"
Or two...but I can't tell him about that, I'll never live it down!
"Twice. I was watching last Tuesday, you goof."
Well, so much for that.
"Ok, fine, twice. But I'm good for the third time. Plenty of tarps, roof is fixed, garage doors are sealed...took a lot of bits, but I managed."
I hope they're sealed well enough.
"Good. Apparently they're going for heavy wind tonight, last minute decision. No clue why, something about excess leaves or something."
"Of course they are, what a surprise." I got a hoof to the side for that comment. I've never been good at hiding frustration, but he's always been good at bringing me back to sanity.
"Yeah, not my idea either. They didn't even even vote like usual!"
"Again?" A gentle nod confirmed that. Becoming a common theme with them, part of why I got out of the job while I had a chance. While I was fixing my blue mane (and thinking of the oddness of having 3 shades of blue in it), Thunder let out a snicker. That prompted me to look up and see a pair of pegasi having a cloudball fight, and boy, did they take it seriously. As soon as I looked up, they both took one to the face and fell down in a cackling heap on their own clouds.
"So much for getting the job done, huh? Thunder, aren't you a supervisor here?" I figured he enjoyed the sight and didn't mind, but I wasn't sure how seriously he took that sort of thing.
"Nah, they're good. Do it all the time, they're just having fun. No harm there. That's Star Comet there on the left." As he pointed to the orange pegasus with the grey mane, I couldn't help but notice something about him.
"And that is Ivory Fire." As soon as I saw the all-purple female, I figured it out.
"They flirt like that all the time, don't they?"
"Constantly."
Called it.
"And let me guess, they haven't said anything to each other."
"Nope. Been pairing them up a lot more, hoping for it. Got bets on the timing, too."
I've never been able to resist a good bet, at least when I can afford it. He knew this, too, and I heard his signature snort as he just waited for me to join. Of course, it was a good bet.
"Five bits on a month and a half, two on them being awkward the next week."
I grinned a bit as I heard a quill on paper. Never left home without it, that one.
"You're a brave colt, going that close. Nopony else has anything closer than 3 months."
"Call it a hunch."
We just sat there for 3 hours and watched the world go by. Some ponies talk about their head being in the clouds, but sometimes that's the best place to feel grounded. Maybe that's just me.
Around sundown, I found my way off the cloud and on the ground, wandering back toward my house. I was granted with great flight skills and some weird blue hair, night vision wasn't always my strong suit. Sometimes it's there, but definitely not tonight. Still, great weekends have to end sometime.
Dragging my tired self through the door and kicking it shut, the lights kicked on all on their own. Nopony said a working colts house had to be boring, and I'm always looking for ways to improve stuff.
"Took you long enough, Feather." Oh, forgot to mention Thunder is my roommate. It was the only way I could afford to get the garage needed for my work. Also the reason I need to hide the off switch for the lights again.
"We need a different couch, you blend in way too well there." The furniture was his idea, but I still can't help heckling him for it.
"Not my fault I look like the night sky. More fun that way anyway."
"Fine, I'll just tell everypony you dye your mane." He doesn't, but it's still a fun threat.
"I'll tell them you don't!" Ah, the fun banter of friends. Never gets old, yet always gets old.
"Fine then. What's for dinner?"
"Oatburgers. Fresh off the grill. Thanks for fixing that, by the way." He's always been a better cook than me, and if equipment is in top shape, the food's even better. A bit selfish, but it works out for us both.
Wandering into the kitchen, I see he's set out a plate for me as well. Having been roommates since college, we've learned to manage living together like this. It helps knowing what your roomie likes to eat, as well. In this case, just some simple burgers and fries.
Though as soon as I sat down to eat, there was a hoof knocking at the door.
"Later, you."
"Did you just ta-"
"Yes, I talked to the burger. Shut it, couch cushion!" A snicker let me know that he was still awake enough to get the joke as I walked past him to the door and opened it.
Boy, was I surprised to see a frazzled and exhausted Big Mac standing there with a raggedy cart behind him. And a drag rut in the ground all the way from his farm.
"Again?! I just fixed that, did you overload it again?" I let out a bit of a sigh as he got a sheepish look to himself. Poor guy doesn't know his own strength sometimes, or his equipments limits.
"Eeyup." He started to turn away, looking rather dejected. I always hate when ponies get that feeling around me. It's not normally intentional that I do that, either, it just happens.
"Hey...no worries, I've got an idea. Might finally hold up to your payloads." That got a faint smile out of him. So quiet, but so emotional.
As he wandered away and started to perk up, I shut the door and walked over to my calendar to write the job in, just like I always do. The Apples equipment is always a rush job, but they seemed to luck out about the empty schedule for this week.
"Hey, what about Cherry's hay cruncher?"
"Waiting on parts...again. Ordered extra this time." Walking back toward the kitchen, I grumbled a bit at the frustration of ordering the belts for that again. The manufacturer doesn't seem to like talking to non-dealers.
"The Cake family blender?" Oh yeah, forgot about that one. Still, there's a common problem this week.
"Bearings are shot, got more of them on the way as well." At least those parts were easier to get. I took a rather big bite of my burger, getting lost in my thoughts and the days newspaper as I ate my dinner in peace. I don't get enough of that these days, it seems.
The rest of the night went by without a peep from the door or the two of us. Thunder fell asleep on the couch like he always does, and I pondered yet again how he likes it more than the bed he picked out when we moved here.
As I climbed into bed for the night, I remember my last thought of the weekend.
I love my job and nearly everything involved with it, but I still need to have weekends to myself. And a calm weekend is never a waste if you're with friends, or just plain enjoying your break.
I just wish I knew what this week truly held. Maybe I could have been better prepared for it.
Author's Note
I know, I already have one story I should be working on...10 years ago. I just had an idea and a new OC as I slowly got back into the fandom, and wanted to get on it. Enjoy, there's more to come...hopefully more than I have immediately planned.
"Yo, Big Mac! Where are you?"
Walking up to the Apple Family farm seems to be a regular occurrence these days. Between bringing back repaired stuff, like that cart he brought me the other day, and just plain hanging out with my friends, you could almost say it's similar to a second home for me. Not long after I moved into my current house a few years ago, they stopped and said hi, as well as presented me with the most insane housewarming gift I'd ever seen: a cart full of food! Not just a small one, either. There were dozens of apple pies, fritters and other snacks, as well as about 6 baskets full of raw apples.
Needless to say, my grocery bill was taken care of for about 3 weeks after that. Thunder Wing apparently ended up accepting delivery of a ton of cherries and cupcakes, which took care of lunch for 2 months after the apples ran out. We're both still in awe to this day of a whole community coming together like that to welcome new neighbors.
A groan and window opening pulled me out of my thoughts as I trekked onto the property, though, and revealed a very sick looking Apple Bloom. I nearly stopped in my tracks as I saw her, but the sheer weight of the cart I brought made me skid my hooves a few feet.
Dear Luna, what the hell is that?!
"Feather, stop yelling...I'm trying to sleep," she struggled to get out with a very hoarse voice. She looked terrible. Green in the face, coughing as she spoke and her nose was so irritated that she seemed to have rub all the fur off of it, leaving a very red spot of skin. Almost looked like it was glowing.
"Sorry, kid." She huffed at that. Always has, but she smiles a bit at the nickname as well. Except today. "What happened?"
"Flu, or somethin'. Dunno." I could see her swaying in the window, almost like she was struggling to stay upright before she got a grip on the windowsill to steady herself.
"Go see a doctor?" A slight nod in response.
"Waiting on tests...I'm goin' back to bed. G'night, Feather." With that, she slowly loosened her grip on the windowsill and wandered away, leaving the window still open.
"Where's your brother?" As I spoke, I unhitched myself from the cart and dropped it, waiting as the coughing spell subsided.
"Out. Sis is in the field." I heard a few more coughs and figured I should let her rest. With a gentle leap and a quiet wing flap, I took to a very low flight and just cruised around til I saw Applejack in one of the southern orchards.
As she watched me land and gave a little wave, I couldn't help but watch her work. In school, we learned about earth pony magic and their capabilities, as well as when they relate to ones cutie mark, but I still couldn't get over how easily she could buck apple trees and shed them of their fruit. I had been known to just sit there for hours and watch her and her brother work, nearly in a trancelike state as my brain failed to process it. Today, though, she managed to snap me out of it.
"Hey, Feather, what's up?" Applejack adjusted her hat and sat down, apparently deciding on a bit of a break on my account.
"Mac brought me a cart last night, I just brought it back. What happened to Apple Bloom?" I couldn't help but reach out and grab a stray apple off the ground, starting to nibble on it. She chuckled a bit and tossed a couple more toward me, apparently trying to fatten me up. Everypony around here says I'm too slim.
"Started last night, dunno what the hay happened." She grabbed an apple herself and started snacking, speaking around it. "She's been hackin' up a lung and a half all morning. Took her to the doc, they're running tests."
"Eugh...did she get the rest of the crusaders sick?" She shook her head a bit, which made me feel better. I did always like those three fillies. Every now and then, they bring one of their clients in to see if they have mechanical abilities, or they'll just pop in to visit and see what I'm working on.
"Nah, and Big Mac's off seeing Sugar Belle again. I swear, he spends more time there than here." I couldn't help but chuckle at that comment.
"They've been dating for how long now, and he's not brought her over?"
"2 years, I think." I let out a low whistle, and she laughed at me a bit. "I never thought he'd meet somepony, either."
"We gotta get them out here one day, AJ. Maybe not soon, but one day." She nodded a little, but then stood up and wandered over to another tree.
"Hate to, Feather, but I gotta get back to work. See you around, and thanks for the cart!" With that, she gave the tree a swift kick, and I couldn't help but watch the fruit fall down with a sense of bewilderment.
"Huh? Oh, yeah...see ya. Just pay me whenever, 200 bits. Should be able to hold up to him now." Another little jump and wing flap, and I was high in the air, over the trees and headed back home at a nice, slow pace.
There was something still bothering me, though, about all that. I had just met up with Apple Bloom two days ago for some building supplies, and she didn't seem sick in any way.
That thought aside, my flight back home was nice and calm, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. May as well, the next few days had some storms planned anyway.
One of the things we're taught when we join the Equestrian Armed Marshals is that we have to take care of our gear. There's nopony we surrender our firearms to, and we're expected to keep it with us. When you live with a fellow Marshal, you tend to get a routine set up so you don't ever forget to just make sure everything is ok. Me and Thunder Wing are no different, Wednesday is our day.
After a bit of coffee, I managed to get myself up and walk over to a closet under the stairs. The house wasn't huge, but being two story, it was rather roomy anyway with a lot of storage space and closets spattered everywhere. This particular closet, however, had a blue stone inset into the door instead of a handle. After a quick glance around, verifying nopony else was in the house to see, I pushed my hoof against the stone and it flickered with a green light before the door slid open.
Perhaps I should mention that they expect us to secure our own gear, as well. There's a department back in Canterlot that helps, called Asset Security, but for the most part the burden of control is on the ponies themselves. Needless to say, they have high standards.
My ear swiveled as I heard hooves come behind me just as the door swiveled. A quick glance over told me it was just Thunder, and I gently drug his saddlebag and rifle case over to his reach while I grabbed my own. The bags looked fairly simple, just a big tan cloth pair with a basic buckle on each side. On the other side of the closet, however, we kept an empty set for each of us that had an oddball camo print which matched the vest and helmet that sat beside them.
"Leave it, cloudbrain, we'll deal with that later." Thunder snickered and wandered off toward the livingroom, unceremoniously tossing his bag on the floor and digging through it. Having successfully scattered its contents in an arrangement that I still fail to understand after 6 years, he moved to the case and popped the snaps open while I brought my own equipment in and started sorting it out.
Once I got all my stuff sorted out, I moved to the beige case with my name printed on it and flicked it open, revealing a rather small long rifle splattered randomly with beige and a very dark green. About 2 foot long from barrel to stock and a folded harness on the end, it was surprisingly light for its design. The military firearm actually weighed barely a pound when it was unloaded, and balanced itself well in my hooves; which was really good, especially considering I sometimes had to hold it while walking with my other three hooves.
Giving it a once-over, I went to pull the charging handle back, making sure it was unloaded. Me and Thunder both knew it was, but it was still a good habit that the instructors drilled into both of our skulls. Letting the bolt slam shut once more, I gave the trigger a bump to the side and heard the click I was waiting for before I set it back down on the floor and turned to get tools out of the case as well. Just as I turned, however, I heard a knock at the door. Thunder looked up at the door when I did, then we locked eyes for a moment and looked a bit concerned.
"Who is it?" I reached over to start hiding things, just in case.
"It's Mac, can I come in?" I turned to Thunder and he gave a shrug, just continuing with his routine by checking his binoculars and starting to clean them.
"Should be unlocked, bud." I turned back to my tool set and started to unpack it as I heard the door open.
"Hey, I got your bits for the car-" Listening as I unpacked the tools, the sudden pause got my attention. As I looked up, I suddenly saw Applejack beside him, both of their eyes having opened wide, turning to pinpricks.
Before either of us could react, the next few seconds turned into absolute chaos.
Big Mac came running at me at a speed that would have likely impressed Rainbow Dash, and with one swift kick, flung my rifle across the living room. I barely caught a glimpse of it sticking into the opposite wall before Mac's face filled my vision and I felt myself pinned against another wall. My lungs were forcefully emptied and I saw stars while I struggled to breathe again and wiggled under the big farm stallions grip.
When I happened to look over, it seemed Thunder had met a similar fate with Applejack, but he had a rather concerning grin on his face. Before I succumbed to the lack of oxygen, not helped one bit by Big Macs entire body holding me against an excessively sturdy wall, I had at least one thought I could recall.
Thunders ego is gonna get us killed.
Apparently my brain was being more morbid than it needed to be, as evidenced by a slow groan as I came to, even though something in me said to just go back to sleep. There was another part of me fighting against it, something about imminent danger.
Oh, how right it was.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw four ponies in front of me. Blinking a bit made them merge into two, and I realized I was looking at Applejack and her big brother again...as well as our own rifles pointed right at us. What concerned me the most, however, was the fact that both Thunder and I were lassoed rather snugly to the same chairs we just got beaten out of. Instead of freaking out like I imagine was expected, I just sat and took stock of the situation.
Ok...probably concussed, can't move...this won't go well. Hope that-
"Feather, we gotta talk." Applejacks voice cut into my thoughts, bringing me back to reality.
"Yeah, no...no shit. Ow. Can you get me some painkiller?" I blinked a little and just looked at her, hoping she'd at least do that for me.
All I got in reply was a growl from Big Mac. This won't end well, and I have a hunch of what it's about.
"Y'all mind explaining to me why ya got those rifles?" Yep, just as expected. But before I could get my dazed self in gear, my friend decided to open his big stupid mouth.
"Griffon Mafia. We're here for drug deals," Thunder decided to blurt out with his smug face that he refused to wipe. I just let out a groan and decided I'll pummel him later if we had the chance. Unless somepony beat me to it, which is insanely likely.
Quicker than a lightning bolt, Big Mac was in his face with a snarl that could only be rivaled by one of the Princesses, as well as the volume of his voice.
"CARE TO RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN?" I had to intervene at this point, or he's going to dig us all in a pit.
"HOLD ON...he's joking, stupid as it may be." I let out a sigh, blinking away the double vision starting to set in again. "Thunder's an idiot, I know, but don't pummel him for it. I've got more reason than you."
AJ decided to get in my face after that, but at least she wasn't trying to blow my eardrums.
"Get to talkin', then, Feather. I got half a mind to beat you to a pulp right here!"
"I know, I know. Ugh...seriously, can I get something for my head?" Big Mac and AJ turned to me with another snarl, and both spoke in sync.
"NO!" AJ turned to me with a growl. "Now get talking!"
I turned to glare at Thunder before he decided to make another smartass comment.
"Just...listen, we're in the guard." I groaned a bit as the headache got worse, definitely need to visit the hospital after this. "Badges are in the bags, alright? We were just checking our gear, we do it every week."
"Riiight...and I'm a princess bent on serving meat in Equestria." A growl slipped out of me for that one before I could stop it.
"AJ, don't joke like that, there was a griffon group a couple years ago that tried that." I shuddered a bit at that memory. Story for later, and I could see she might not enjoy that mental image either.
"You kiddin' me? Somepony tried to do that?" Big Mac looked a little green as well.
"Whole group. Not a kind story." I saw AJ starting to hunt through my bag, having finally put the rifle down. I was about to say something else, but then I felt the IQ in the room drop as somepony else beat me to it.
"Haha, did you see that, Feather? She wasn't gonna shoot us anyway, doesn't even know how to hold a gun."
"Thunder, cut it out, she-"
"Didn't even have the safety off anyway." I glared at Thunder, but a click and the sound of metal shifting caught both our attention, and we locked up. Big Macintosh had the rifle shouldered up perfectly, point blank at Thunder...with the safety off. Perfect form, like it was practiced.
"Umm, Thunder...I don't think he has the safety on."
"Oh shit."
"I just want to say...whatever happens, you deserve it." AJ looked up and sighed, wandering toward her brother.
"Mac, put it down, they're legit." He hesitated, but put the safety back on as he listened to his sister, laying the rifle down beside him. I could still see the anger in his eyes, and I couldn't say I didn't share any of it. AJ came and undid the ropes, and I just let out a groan as I rubbed my head. Thunder was still feeling snarky, but I figured it was for the best that I just let the Apple siblings deal with him.
"Applejack, may I go to the hospital now? I'm pretty sure I got a concussion from the wall." She looked over at me and let out a sigh, giving me a slight nod as I walked out the door with a bit of a wobble. Before I shut the door, though, I yelled back at Thunder, "You'd better not do anything stupid, or I'll tell them you wanted to chop down their trees!" The Apples let out a gasp and glared at my friend, and I couldn't help but chuckle as I wandered out, deciding that it was a fair punishment for him.
In the meantime, I needed checked out, and decided to wobble my way to the ER. Not for the first time here, either.
Don't be mad at me this time, Redheart.
