//------------------------------// // Growing Up // Story: A Different Kind of Pony // by thatwheelchairguy //------------------------------// Over the years Bass grew into himself. After about three months Rolan and Abigail were cleared from the hospital and took their baby home. Over the next few months they discovered the art of foal proofing. Bass was a very curious baby; as soon as he was able to stand on his own hooves he started roaming the house. Rolan and Abi would come home to find him sitting in the living room surrounded by pots and pans, pillows, toys, pretty much anything he could grab. When Bass turned five, like every pony his age, he started to wonder what his special talent was. "When do ponies get their cutie marks?" he asked one night at dinner. His parents knew everything so this shouldn't be too hard of a question. All he got in reply were blank looks. His father merely pushed his plate back while his mother came and sat next to him. "We had a feeling this would come someday" his mother said, running her hoof through Bass's mane. Rolan crossed his hooves and looked at his son, 5 years worth of memories running thru his mind. He choked back the tears, while his wife let them run freely. "Your cutie mark is something you have to discover yourself," he finally said, "It’s that special talent that defines you and shows every pony just exactly the kind of pony you are." Well that was obviously a no brainier for such a pony as Bass. Without even thinking he blurted out, "I want to be as strong as you and smart as momma!" Rolan just laughed and Abigail smiled, tears still flowing. Bass was confused. He had meant what he said. When his father finally caught his breath he walked over to his wife and son and put a hoof around them. "How about this, you come work with me during the week and you help your momma in her store on the weekends, that way you can start seeing what you like and don't like." The look he received was like that as if he had just told Bass that his whole room would be remade out of chocolate. So the next day Rolan and Bass went to the farm. Rolan explained what the situation was to the forepony, who just laughed and agreed, telling him that Bass was under his supervision. Starting that week, Bass would wake up every morning before Celestia rose the sun with his father. Rubbing his eyes with his hoof, Bass started questioning his father, asking about the stars, the different phases of Luna's moon. Rolan patiently explained to the curious colt about the different constellations and moon phases. By the time he was done, they were at the farm. Grabbing his time card, Rolan clocked in, chuckling as Bass was starting to dose off standing. He gave the child a soft tap on his flank to get him moving. Bass was amazed by the amount of other ponies waiting to get started on their assignments. Before he could begin asking more questions, the forepony came out and read of from his charts. To bass it was just a bunch of noise, but he caught the words storm and weather patrol. Needless to say he was excited. He nearly jumped on his father when the loud work whistle went off. Rolan made sure to keep an eye on Bass, working the fields was hard labor. He shrugged his yoke on, picking Bass up and putting him in his cart of tools. He poked his head up and leaned over the edge, hooves dangling. He listened as his father taught him about the different plants in the different sections. Rolan was in charge of five other ponies in this part of the vegetables. There were signs for pumpkins, squash, carrots, potatoes and others Bass couldn't recognize. Rolan also taught him the different tools used, such as the plow and the maintenance of them. That whole week, the father would quiz his son on the things he'd been taught while he organized and cleaned the tools in the cart. Finally Saturday came and Bass was excited. He had been out in the fields all week learning about farming and gardening. His muscles were sore from it. He smiled though thinking that if this is what it took to be as big and strong as his poppa, then so be it. He had even got a few bits from his father for being such a hard worker. The colt ran to his room as fast as he could to put the bits in a pillow he had hidden with a few other things he kept as special memories. "Bass! Time to go!" he heard his mother calling. Today was the first day he got to help in the bookstore, and boy, was he excited. He gasped when he entered. The store seemed so much bigger on the inside. He ran back out and did a lap around the bookstore. It was like magic. Abigail only chuckled, Bass had been foal sat until now. She went in while the child ran around and ran a hoof over the counter, smiling fondly. She went over to the record player and put the needle on the vinyl, static, then softly the sound of Beethoofen coming out of the speaker. Memories flooded as she closed her eyes. The smell of the books, then dirt and sweat as the brown stallion walked in.... "Momma?" a small voice asked. Abi’s eyes popped open as she saw her son in the entrance. She swore the door had closed behind her as she looked at the tiny bell that signaled a customer. She merely shook her head and smiled. "Ready to get started?" Bass smiled his biggest smile, eyes glowing in the dull light. Abigail felt like she could get lost in her baby boy's eyes. "What’s this?" he asked, standing in front of the record player. "A record player, hun, And this," she said pointing at the vinyl disc "is a record." The mare spent the next hour and a half telling the curious colt all about different types of music and the instruments that made it, all while straightening up and preparing to open the shop. She then explained to Bass about books, how some held stories, others instructions from things to cooking to as abstract as magic, and history. They didn't really need the shop, Rolan made plenty from working the farm, but it had been in her family for as long as she remembered and he was a loving husband. It was slow, so Abigail decided it was time for Bass to learn his alphabet, after all, he would be starting school that year. And this was the routine Bass got in; Wake up while Luna was still out and head to the farm, working during the day with his father, then coming home at night to work on learning to read and write with his mother. The weekends he spent at the bookstore, helping his mother clean and organize. When the shop was not busy he'd run to his chair. Rolan had moved a big leather chair to the corner out of the way and a small table for Bass to keep his books on. He loved reading old ponytails, battles between nations and seeing pictures of Pegasi soaring. He remembered the first time he'd come across the big picture book. Pictures of earth ponies and unicorns, armored clad Pegasi at attention, then on the next page he saw it; Two Alicorns with a legion of Pegasi behind them. Making sure he wasn't being watched, and more specifically his mom couldn't see him, Bass leaned forward, slowly stretching his wings out. This was something he had been doing since becoming self aware of the wings. Extending them as far as he dared the young Pegasus slowly started flapping, not enough to take off or even hover; just enough to feel the muscles used and even create a small breeze. Closing his eyes, Bass imagined he was one of the Pegasi in his book, following the Alicorns into the sun set. Before he could stop, however, his wings fully extended, knocking down shelves of books. He was in the air hovering. Abi heard the books fall and immediately knew the area. Bass. She rushed around the counter, pushing the customer she'd been helping aside. "Bass!"She cried. Bass was too excited, He was flying! "Bass!" he heard his momma call. "Momma!" he cried out excitedly. Abigail heard her sons cry and immediately went into emergency mode, imagining the worst possible things. What she wasn't expecting however, was the sight of her foal 4 feet off the ground, and flying! She took in the sight of her son, wings flapping gently, bobbing up and down in mid air. It was more than the poor mare could take. She fainted. Bass saw his mother collapse and landed. His wings snapped shut on their own "Momma?" Bass got no answer. "Momma!" The stallion who was being helped looked over and saw the young colt crying and the unconscious mare.