Fish In The Clouds

by teamidris

Sam in the Clouds

One evening in the autumn the air show team turned into the entrance to Black Brook Farm. The various carts and vans rumbling along the cobbled yard held everything from bunks and bunting, plus the famous balloon with its basket. This was the balloon Glyn said he could store for the winter in exchange for a ride. What he hadn't told Sam that it was actually two rides because it would need a final flight before being packed away. He hoped to persuade Sam to take a spin.

By the time Fish galloped into the farm from some far off exploration Glyn had most of the convoy parked in the Paddock. All sorts of ponies were milling about and some had started to dig a fire pit in the middle. The little filly didn't have long to say hi to everyone before it was bed time.

As long as she was quiet she could pretend to be asleep. Her bed was right by the window so she was able to wrap up in her bed clothes and watch the ponies outside as their faces flickered in the fire light. Soon enough she was fast asleep and dreaming of flying.

The next day she was running around getting into everything and chatting to the flyers. Stratus mostly hung around with a mare called Ozone. With a coat that shone like metal she looked quick standing still. Continuing the speed theme her tail was cut short as was her left ear. Feeling a stare upon her she turned to see Fish's fascinated expression.

"Nobody's perfect," the mare informed her. "You're safe in the sky and safe on the ground. The bit in-between can be tricky" she smiled. Fish gave a nod of understanding. "You flew with Stratus in the summer?"

"Yes," came the reply. And then with a whisper and a cautionary look sideways to make sure mum wasn't around, "We looped the loop, but don't tell anyone."

Ozone laughed! "I'm sure we can do better than that this weekend." Fishes eyes widened accordingly.

All eyes then turned to the arguing coming from the farm house. Glyn was making chicken impressions toward Sam.

"Just because you two are daft doesn't mean I am," said the salmon mare.

The air shows director was trying to intervene. "It's completely safe madam, we have a well trained rescue crew and I myself have been elevated to the heavens many times."

"I'm only concerned with being elevated to the heavens that one final time and that thing looks like a short cut to eternity!
Come on Fish, it's breakfast time."

By the time Fish had waited patiently and inhaled a bowl of porridge the balloon was half inflated. Glyn came into the kitchen and stood next to Sam.

"I promise this will be one of the most amazing things you will ever do," he said softly. "You are about to see the world in a way you can barely imagine in your dreams."

She gave him a loving smile. "If you believe in it that much I guess it can't be that bad?"

The two earth ponies walked out into the yard with Fish running around them in excited circles. Glyn helped his mare into the basket and kissed her muzzle.

"It'll be okay," he said.

As they let go of the mooring ropes Sam was amazed to see the ground fall away beneath her as the balloon slowly rose into the air. There was no sense of movement and even the breeze faded as the balloon began to travel across their farm. Turning to look back at the farm house she could see everypony waving to her. Swallowing hard she returned the wave with shaky hoof.

It was hard to be scared when so little was happening though. They gently drifted over the last hedges of their farm and then over a neighbours. Then onto a small holding of a friend and over the farm she grew up on. She could easily recognise the pond she had swam in so often as a filly. Passing directly over it she could see the reflection of a much older mare, looking down wistfully over the side of a wicker basket.

"Time to head back," said the pilot waving to the pegasi close by. They grabbed a couple of loose ropes in their teeth and began to slowly tow the flying machine back to Black Brooke farm. In no time at all Sam was back in the yard with a cup of tea, reliving all she had seen.

"Well, I'm going inside for a rest after all that excitement," said Sam getting up and heading indoors.

Glyn turned to look at Fish with a daft grin on his face. "I suppose you will be wanting another trip into the skies?" Fish turned to look at the now deflated balloon.

"Arn't I too late for a ride?"

Glyns smile got even bigger as Stratus entered the yard with Ozone who was carrying a spare pair of flying goggles in her mouth. Fish now looked like she was made of rubber as she bounced around them in circles!

Status wore a stunt saddle, which he did up extra tight. Fish climbed onto it and was tied in so that they moved as one. He wiggled and stretched his wings to make sure he still had full freedom of movement. "Perfect," He said. "If you fall from the clouds we can catch you easily, but if you fall off at ground level, it's not so good."

Fish nodded before Ozone put the goggles on her head. "Are they okay," she said gently.

"They're fi...." Fish squeaked as Stratus stood up and took off in one swift motion. She heard Ozone laugh behind them and saw the dust of the yard whipped up as she too made for the open air.

They were traveling at a steady pace, the fields and trees passing gently below. What they wanted was a good strong thermal to help them gain height quickly. They weaved this way and that, feeling the air with their feathers until a likely hill caught there eye. Making good use of its up draft they began to circle upward to the clouds. Fish had her eyes everywhere as she took in the scale of the land surrounding her village life.

"Time to make the ground shake," called Stratus. Ozone grinned and formed up along side him. At this point Fish expected a steep dive, but was quite startled to see them pull their wings tight into their body's . Her stomach felt really weird as gravity became a distant friend and they literally fell from the sky!

They hurtled toward the earth like falling rocks. "Now," screamed Stratus as the ground began to get alarming close. Fish bit down on the saddles loop hard to make sure she stayed in place. Both ponies spread their wings and turned a world that was downward into blazing horizontal speed. Keeping up a rapid wing beat they hurtled along a road only a few feet up. The trees flashed past and Fish could see birds behind her breaking cover on either side.

As their speed started to fall Ozone led them higher and toward home. Laughing and panting hard they formed up again side by side.

"How was that?" She asked Fish.

"I didn't know anything could go that fast," came the reply with a massive smile. "I thought my ears would come off!"

They travelled back to the farm weaving in and out of the trees to Fish's delight and landed softly in the yard.

"Are we happy now?" asked Glyn. But by the look on her face he could tell that she was. Fish just sat there with a daft grin on her face!

All too soon it was time for everypony to make their way to their homes for the winter. Wagons were reloaded with the detritus of living on the road and the turf was thrown back into the fire pit. As Glyn shut the gate behind the last wagon he turned to his little filly.

"Best not write about that in your memories book incase your mum reads it." said Glyn with a wink.

The End

Team Idris

Author's Note:

I started the piece with the intention of a thousand word story, but I thought Fish deserved another fly. Plus, it was a good chance to Learn a bit more about Sam.

Comments

[Fia94]

Hey! I just read them, what a lovely story :D
Really really good!
xx

[teamidris]

Thankyou, and thanks again for the art. It makes it look like a proper story now!

[teamidris]

Neighrator Pony liked the Pony Poets series, so I was very pleased to have 'Fish in the Clouds' in need of a VA (Already having that sweet title art)
It has a lovely deep tone to it and I urge you to go and have a peep, even if audio books arn't quite your 'thing'.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SkIYreKuD0w

[PresentPerfect]

Yeah, good giving them some more characterization. That said, these stories could really stand to be edited more than they are. You might want to enlist someone to help with that.

[teamidris]

Cut Glass puts a fair amount of time into helping me rationalise my gibberish, which I point out because I wouldn't want anypony thinking I was this good :o)
It astounds me how much editing can be done. We put down hours on 'My Little A.I." and I could still see errors! I can see the difference in my skill over the six months of writing though. I have had to up my game even more for 'Love is Love' and it will be interesting to see what folk make of it. (Still editing it at time of writing)
I wonder about running through uploaded work, but then it might not follow the audio version on YouTube?
Thank you for commenting :o)

[Elkia Deerling]

Those two pegasi are awesome! I loved how you described the epic flights. I guess all pegasi but Fluttershy are true daredevils...

[teamidris]

Hi Elkia, This one flowed so well. The three pony poets were really good fun to write by sneaking a poem into fimfiction :) But this was a step change into a new era for me. I love the pegasus charectors, they write themselves when in their natural environment :D And Fish is a delight to write, both in this and the next one. She has a refreshing outlook on Adventure ^-^