Lemon Pies and Chess: Lemonade

by Lemon Pegasus

first flight

Coming downstairs, Lemon had a good idea of what he might find. A few bags of clothes and his dad ready to go. A week and 2 days had passed since his dad had returned after his last business trip, yet here he had to leave for another one. Still, it's not like Citron WANTED to leave his family so regularly, it was just a responsibility that came with being the owner of Sweetest Lemons, a responsibility that could have great effect on the business's profit -and as a result, the lives of his family too- if ignored. There was actually a certain degree of tragedy to the fact that in order for his family to live a full life, Citron had to leave them at random dates.

Just as expected. Citronella and her pale furred pegasus husband were embracing in the living area, this particular hug being not quite as lethal as the death hug Citron received when he returned just over a week ago.

The two of them abruptly ended their passionate moment of intimacy when they noticed Lemon coming down the stairs, the foal wearing a face of discomfort, likely due to his father's departure.

Now down on the second floor, Lemon noticed a collection of rucksacks and a briefcase neatly organised by the couch, and that Citron was wearing a smart blazer, the collar being neatly made with a white tie sitting proudly behind it.

The embrace was one that was felt often, but still a very meaningful one, nonetheless. As Lemon slowly approached his father, Citron slowly invited his son in with a comforting hoof. The foal was quick to move into the hug once he was invited in, immediately wrapping a hoof around Citron’s back, who held his son in close, remaining silent.

“Alright, so your dad had to leave for business!” Lemon and Sky now sat outside Ponyville schoolhouse, waiting for class to start. “No point in crying over it, he’ll be back.”

“Wow, Sky, you’re such a supportive pony!” Lemon sarcastically said to his unicorn friend.

“So, I’m assuming you and the other pegasi are learning to fly?” Sky played with his ballpoint pen using his magic, taking it apart and putting it back together again.

“Yeah. And you’re learning on improving your magic ability, correct?” Lemon had no magic to play with a ballpoint pen, so instead he just admired a family of birds that nested in a nearby tree.

“Yeah. Whad’ya suppose the earth ponies will be doing?” Sky had now taken the pen apart enough times to assemble it with quick pace and ease, noticing how the various components work.

“...hell if I know, physical activities maybe? Like sports?” He shrugged, not really taking an interest as to what other classes may be doing.

Sky sighed, his breath quickly followed by the rapid rattle of the schoolbell.
“Well, this is where I take my leave, see ya peasant!” Sky always liked to refer to Lemon by all these bizarre terms. Peasant was a better thing to call him than what he called him yesterday, the second word being lord, the first word rhyming with fit.

“See ya.” Lemon lazily got up after waking up not too long ago, plus his dad’s leave left him worn out emotionally.

Ponyville’s young fliers class was a small collection of filly and foal pegasi, all around Lemon’s age, all eager to get flying. Lemon had been waiting for his first flight all life, he really loved the idea of absolute freedom, yet right now he was quite a bit less enthusiastic due to recent events, he hoped flying would help take his mind off things.

"Foals and fillies!" A grey mare with a purple mane was speaking above the small crowd. "My name is Miss Purple Dart, I shall be your coach for flight classes." Lemon just now noticed some kind of badge on this mare, military by the looks of it. "Now for starters, I want you all to form a neat line facing me." Her voice seemed rather small and calm for a coach, supposedly she was more of a teacher than an actual trainer. Upon her word, the class all lined themselves up in a neat line, many students making sure they stood by their friends, all of them poking their enthusiac heads forwards.

"So, for how many of you ponies is this your first flight?" Lemon and one other grey filly with a scruffy yellow mane raised their hooves.

"I see, only a couple of first timers, no problem." Purple Dart started pacing along the line of ponies while speaking. "So before any of you start actually flying anywhere, I'd like to see if you can just hover on the spot." Lemon suddenly became very nervous, his first flight was seconds away. "Upon my count, I'd like you all to channel your pegasus magic into your wings and start a gentle flap." Pegasus magic? Lemon hadn't even heard of such a thing! "It is important that you do not lean while in the air and it is important that you do not flap too hard." Oh Celestia, this could only end bad! "3, 2, hover!"

Lemon focused. He felt the blood flow into his wings. He lowered his wings, he raised them, lower, raise, lower, raise... Lemon knew he would have to use this apparent 'pegasus magic' Purple Dart spoke of, but he didn't know how! Many other ponies were already off the ground. So, he just concentrated.

"Take off, take off, work magic, work!" He thought to himself desperately, his eyes closed to allow for easier concentrating. He was about to stomp his hoof in desperacy... but... there was no ground! Fumbling his tiny legs about, opening his eyes, he realised: he had done it!

His heart raced and he felt a massive adrenaline rush as he looked around and saw that his wings were flapping on his own command, plus he was hovering a good three metres off the ground without any abuse of effort to speak of.

The other ponies seemed to be experiencing little, likely because he and that one other filly were the only first time fliers here. Speaking of whom, the grey filly was just now leaving the ground, looking down excitedly as the earth fell away from her hooves. Lemon was really desperate to start performing some aerial stunts now, his nervousness had vanished, he wanted more! If this was what simple hovering felt like, imagine a full length flight session! His lust was dissipated by the word of his coach.

"All right, good! Now slowly ease your wings and land."

"Urgh, but I don't want to land!" Lemon thought to himself. The other ponies all gently brought themselves back to the ground, Lemon being the last one to come down. Reluctantly, the foal allowed the adrenaline to calm and felt his wings reduce their power to gentle flaps, Lemon's yellow body landing again with minimal effort. Immediately he wanted to get up into the sky again; even when he was just standing his heart still raced with intense speed.

"Next, you're actually going to flying somewhere." Now! He wanted to go now! "After you take off, I want you to lean forward and fly over to the edge of the playground," Lemon's wings were itching and begging to get moving! "By then I want you to lean back and slow down into a land." The lust was building intensely. "3, 2,"

"FINALLY!"

Not even realising that he just carelessly let out an impatient call, he allowed his energy to surge straight into his wings, the flapping motion coming back to him in a high of ecstasy. The drug that was flying took full control as Lemon shot forward like an arrow, his craving for a fix finally being satisfied, soaring straight over the ground watching it all disappear under his hooves. The wind seduced his mane as he left his classmates in the dust, only focusing on his own moment of absolute freedom. Revival. Energy. Adrenaline. ADRENALINE!

His mind had disappeared along with any other moment of doubt, he had waited long enough! He was finally flying! And it was absolute bliss! His eyes quickly caught sight of the end of the playground thanks to the adrenaline, but he did not slow down, he sped up! The pegasus was free! He flew skywards at a vertical angle, into the everlasting expanse of blue silk and clouds. The cold fingers of the wind whistling at his feathers, Lemon let out a mighty cheer of victory! The blood was pumping! His heart was furiously pounding! He allowed a wide grin of celebration cut onto his face! He closed his eyes for a few seconds... and let go.

Drunk with pure, heavenly pleasure, the foal stopped flapping and fell onto his back. His head fell backwards, underneath his tail, before he soared furiously back to the ground! Lemon opened his mouth and allowed his emotions to flood out; his soul had finally discovered a release for all his worries! Drops of water escaped from his eyes and air screamed past his ears as it flew through his mane and tail, only forcing Lemon deeper and deeper into a false reality, a worry free universe of complete purity... like a dream.

The still ground was rushing towards him with incredible speed, without action, he would smash into the rock like a bug on a window. Spreading his wings, he pulled out and now flew above the school heading out to wherever his intoxicated instinct would lead him. Ponies going about their simple, everyday lives whizzed past Lemon in one mighty blur of velocity fueled flight, joined by the rooftops of many Equestrian structures robbed of their power as the foal ignored their significance and size.

Soon enough, the town's buildings had all avoided a collision with Ponyville's newest adrenaline junkie. Lemon now faced a large collection of evergreen trees in his path, they wouldn't stop him, nothing could stop him, he was a juggernaut missile. Directing himself so no trunks would smash into him, he swooped through the forest in one awe inspiring glide. A clear, straight route was selected, a single tree stood at the end, sat there idly, like a target in the scopes of a sniper.

Lemon locked his eyes on the tree. Speed! He was now oh so close. Satisfaction! He powered through the mass of leaves and twigs and straight back into the sky. ...Perfection!

Eventually he would have to breathe, any oxygen that tried to whip into Lemon's lungs only whipped into his mane, not a single breath making it in, not that the foal noticed during his single minute of glee that would easily last a life time.

The foal brought his wings out and suddenly stopped, hovering. Immediately he started gasping for air, taking in the sweet taste of fresh air as he stared after the vast display of pure, green nature followed by the collection of houses and small, humble businesses that made up Ponyville.

Now that he could think -though it was still somewhat of a challenge due to his struggling for breath- it came to Lemon exactly what he had done: abandoned his lesson! Then again, he DID learn how to fly... which was the goal... so...
"Worth it!"