//------------------------------// // Memories // Story: The Traveler and the Craftspony // by screenaholic //------------------------------// A strong hoof shook Wind Walker out of his sleep. "Wake up boy, we're here." Wind Walker rubbed the sleep from his eyes and gave a grunt. "I'm up, I'm up." Wind Walker looked at Vulcan as he turned around and headed for the exit. He slung his bags onto his back and followed his companion. As he stepped out of the train he looked around at the sights he had known since he was a colt. The town of Barrel Valley. He mumbled to himself. "Home sweet home." "Wind Walker? Wind Walker is that you?" The voice came from a yellow earth mare behind the train station gift stand near by. "That is you isn't it? I haven't seen you in years!" "Sunny? Sunny Smiles! How are you doing?" Wind Walker galloped over to the mare coming out from behind the stand and gave her a hug. "Oh I'm great!" Sunny always was a very up-beat pony, her name suited her well. "What are you doing back? Oh we've got to go down to the pub! You have to tell me all about your travels." "That sounds great Sunny, I'm-" "Busy." Wind Walker turned to look at an impatient Vulcan standing behind him. "...Right, I'm busy. Sorry Sunny, I'll swing by as soon as I can." "Oh, I getchya." Sunny winked. "Don't want to make the old grump angry do you? Try to make it by tonight, I'll spread the word that your back so everypony will come by." "I'll do my best, it'll be good to see everypony again." "Come on boy, let's get moving." "I'm coming, I'm coming. See you later Sunny." The two companions turned and headed towards the other end of town. "Bye Wind Walker, I'll save you a drink. Don't beat him up to much Vulcan," the peppy pony shouted after them as she returned to her stand. Vulcan lived on the western edge of the town. It was the most isolated part of Barrel Valley. The town's biggest industry was the brewery on the north side of town, and the train station was on the east. With the majority of shops and businesses in the town square, that left virtually no foot traffic on the west side. Vulcan preferred not to be disturbed without reason. Vulcan's home itself was a shop on the ground floor with a living area above. The shop consisted of a front room displaying examples of his work, a forge where he worked metals into whatever shapes he desired, and a workshop filled with various tools for finer work. By the time the two ponies arrived at his home it was late afternoon. As Wind Walker approached he was flooded with the memories. Learning to fly was the most prominent, but not nearly the only one. "I haven't been here in a long time," the traveler said to nopony in particular. "You can get a drink from upstairs if you want," Vulcan said as he unlocked the door. "Then meet me in the workshop." He stepped into his home and headed straight for the work shop. Wind Walker followed Vulcan through the front door, but headed for the stairs instead of the workshop. He climbed the steps, each one bringing back a different memory. I'll teach you the value of hard work boy. As he topped the final step, he found himself standing in the craftspony's living room. Stand up for yourself boy. Make them respect you. He walked to the far end of the room and into the kitchen. He found a bottle of wine and poured some into one of Vulcan's tankards. You're a stallion now boy, don't grimace when you drink it. Show it the respect it deserves. He took a deep gulp and stared into the dark liquid."Hurry up boy!" It took Wind Walker a moment to realize that it wasn't a memory. "I'm coming old man, calm yourself!" he shouted back before descending back down the stairs, his drink following above him. He walked into the workshop to find Vulcan carefully inspecting the amethyst on the wings under various magnifying devices. "You're going to explain to me exactly what you did to my wings boy," Vulcan said without looking up. "The amethyst is a magical catalyst." Wind Walker roamed the room looking at various devices and designs while enjoying his drink. "It let's me store energy that I can later use to power the propellers." "And what precisely drove you to alter my craftsponyship?" "It let's me go faster than before, or frees up my focus to concentrate on maneuvering." Wind Walker was by no means a dumb pony, in fact he was quite intelligent, but he couldn't even guess as to the purpose of many of the complex designs hanging on the walls. "Well it looks like you at least left the work to a half way decent craftspony." He scratched his chin in contemplation for a moment before facing Wind Walker. "Who was it?" Wind Walker walked next to Vulcan. "A dress maker named Rarity, she works with a gems a lot." He floated his drink back to his lips. "You entrusted my work to a dress maker?" Vulcan grabbed the wine away from Wind Walker's mouth and took a long drink for himself. "Couldn't you find a proper craftspony?" Wind Walker took back his drink with an annoyed huff. He tilted it back against his mouth, to be rewarded with nothing more than a drop. "She does great work old man, and I know that you can see that." Vulcan turned back to wings. "I guess you're right." He sat in thought for a minute before addressing Wind Walker again. "Go enjoy yourself at the pub boy, ponies are waiting for you. We'll be leaving again tomorrow." "Care to tell me where you're dragging me?" "Canterlot." Vulcan stood and began to walk out of his workshop as Wind Walker followed. "And why are we going there?" "Business." Vulcan began to walk up the stairs and Wind Walker stood at the bottom. "Are you going to tell me anymore tonight?" "No." With that Vulcan reached the top of the stairs and walked out of Wind Walker's vision. Wind Walker stood at the base of the stairs and shook his head. "That old man drives me crazy." Knowing he wouldn't get anymore from the craftspony that night, he left the building and headed to the town pub.