//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seven: Compromise 
// Story: Sky Dancer, the First Flying Unicorn 
// by Scroll 
//------------------------------//

    {But I didn't return home in the way you would expect at this point of the story, or . . . indeed . . . the way I would have expected back then. What happened next you could almost claim I was acting on a whim but, in a different context, you could also claim it to be destiny.

    {You see, I flew my way back home but, at the time, I hadn't mastered my new gift yet.

    {Let that be your lesson as well. You will never be weaker in your cutie mark talent than you are at the beginning. After that, you improve over time as you gradually figure things out. We all have to start somewhere.

    {Recall, at this point, all I could do was lighten my body weight until I was light as a feather. I could then be blown into the wind but I'd be at its absolute mercy. I couldn't control the direction I flew at all, and I certainly had no ability to stop and hover in mid-air because, if the wind stopped blowing, I would fall. True, I would fall slowly, but if gravity became the only factor then that would be the one to rule which direction I would go.

    {For certain you can claim, and rightly so, my fear of heights completely and permanently vanished after that day. That's not to say I never crashed again. I would make other mistakes later in life but, since I always had the ability to lighten my body weight to that of a feather, I would always fall slowly enough to be safe regardless of the height I started at.

    {The other interesting thing about this talent is the fact it does not directly draw upon my magic, or at least not in the way like my horn. It didn't glow when I used this power. It simply happened. I could also maintain it nearly indefinitely if I wanted to. It did not exhaust me in the slightest to try.

    {I did have to be conscious, however. If some pony ever knocked me out or I fell asleep in the sky then I would crash down with my normal body weight.

    {Like my uncle said, every obstacle is just a door. I found the key and doorknob to this one and I never shut that door ever since.

    {Drawing upon this power was quite different from any other spell I had ever cast before. It seemed to rely upon concentration of an inner feeling of being weightless and free. As long as I maintained that feeling, at least in the back of my mind, then I became as light as a feather. At the time that was how the science worked as I figured it.

    {While I had no direct control over the wind yet, I did have an instinct where it would blow and I also had a feeling that it cooperated with my intentions somehow. It was sort of like a partner at this point in my story instead of something directly under my control. I could call out to the winds and say, “Okay, um . . . I'd like you to take me home.” Then the winds reply, “Okay. Hop on and I'll take you there.”

    {It's funny how I simply knew that automatically. I took off into the winds and totally trusted it to take me where I needed to go. I was kind of thinking of home because of the promise I made to my uncle. If I broke that promise then where would I go instead? Uncle Ramadon already said he intended to take me home so staying with him was already established as not an option.

    {Besides, I no longer cared about my father's opinion to a point. I achieved my dream so I was riding Cloud Nine. I was too happy to care about his criticism anymore. Whatever else may come, I knew that I was the first flying unicorn. That was an achievement that settled almost any other dispute in my heart. If I didn't like something I knew, from then on, I could just take off into the sky and fly away from the problem. That was so liberating to simply know that. Because of that, I felt like I could hoofle any burden from then on.

    {Of course I knew, to some extent, I had room to improve on this talent but that was simply something to look forward to. Some reason to get up out of bed excitedly and happily greet the day, and say, “Good morning to you, sunshine! I can't wait to see what I will learn today!”

    {It wasn't exactly the most steady trip I ever had. In fact, compared to most of the rest of my days, this earlier attempt was downright lousy. I mean, you have seen what I can do today, right? Amazing, isn't it? Well, have you actually seen a real feather blown in the wind? The path line is wild and chaotic. It zigs and zags all over the place.

    {In this case, I was blown generally in a single course but, along the way, I was spinning, flipping, twirling, and all of it entirely out of my control.

    {Of course, at the time, I barely cared. I seemed to be immune to airsickness as well, which was definitely a good thing at that moment.

    {Still, it would have been nice to have a more refined and elegant flight. It made it harder to enjoy the scenery, for example, when it kept spinning all around me.

    {To a point, I found that fun and, as I said earlier, I was so elated that you probably could have put my hooves on fire and I'd just relax with a pleasant sigh. I mean, nothing could bother me at that moment. Nothing.

    {Until I ended up stuck in the sky. That part . . . I must admit . . . did kind of bother me.

    {You see, at that point, the winds died down and were no longer blowing towards Canterlot. I made it a lot closer but I still had no idea where I was. The terrain was spinning around me so often that I lost track of my course.

    {Even when I stopped being blown towards Canterlot, I continued spinning helplessly. Sometimes I floated downward only to catch a brief updraft that sailed me back up.

    {I was too far above the ground to make it safe to release my special talent. If I did, I would suddenly fall, and I didn't trust my timing yet to resume the power before hitting the ground. I was thousands of feet in the air. A fall from this height, at full speed, was definitely fatal.

    {In a way, I felt a bit betrayed too. I put my trust in the wind and leapt into it. It carried me this far but then it stopped. Part of my mind was screaming, “What the hay am I supposed to do now?” Another part of me was laughing too hard at the ridiculousness of my present situation but it was also serious enough that it required some thought.

    {So, while I did not panic, I did acknowledge that I had a problem.

    {Which ended up solving itself in an unexpected way.}

    “Holy smokes!” exclaimed a male pegasus that flew up to Feather Wind. “Now this is an unexpected sight. My little pony, what in the blazes are you doing up here all by yourself, and how in the world are you doing that?”

    “Whoever you are, I'm glad to see you . . . sort of,” Feather Wind said in lame gratitude.

    {There was a reason this encounter was unexpected. Because I kept flipping and shifting all over the place, my vision was blurry and dizzy a long time ago. That was why I never saw this pegasus coming.}

    “If you don't mind, I'm sort of in a pickle here,” young Feather Wind brought up in the past. “Would you mind using your wings to blow me in the direction of Canterlot? I would be ever so appreciative.”

    “Ah . . . sure, I guess,” the bewildered flying stallion said, then made an attempt. Flapping his wings directly at Feather Wind, Feather Wind proceeded to be blown in the opposite direction, much to this pegasus's surprise. “Holy smokes! That actually worked! My little pony, you have got to be the lightest weight pony I have ever encountered, and here I thought pegasi had the lightest bone structure of the three breeds, but this takes the cake by far!”

    “It's kind of a long story, and I'd happily explain it to you when I am returned home to Canterlot,” Feather Wind bargained. “I hope that's not inconvenient for you.”

    “If it was, I'm sure it would be considerably more inconvenient for you if I just left you up here, and darn my soul if I actually did that. I'd never be able to sleep again if that happened! Sheesh!

    “As it so happens, I actually am heading to Canterlot and we're not even that far if I were to be honest . . . which I usually am.

    “I'm Dunken Doo, by the way. Pleased to meet ya!

    “I'd normally shake your hoof at this point but something tells me that's going to be a little challenging right now.

    “I was on my way to Canterlot to deliver a hoofful of letters when I glanced up and noticed something that . . . well, to be honest, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. The closer I flew to you, the more my eyes confirmed a highly unusual sight. You're actually flying without any wings! My little pony, you just made my day for sure!”

    “I'm glad I could please you,” Feather Wind said simply. “Would you mind returning the favor?”

    “You got it, little buddy!” Dunken cheered cooperatively. “Anything for a fellow pony in need!

    “It seems that, today, I'm delivering an extra special package. By Celestia, this is going to make one heck of a tale back home for the missus.”

    


xoxo



    Feather Wind needed a few minutes to recover himself after he landed. Dunken Doo never left his side during that time. Dunken told Feather Wind that some pony spotted the two of them as they landed in front of the manor.

    The manor was a white, three story rectangular building with elegantly curved ceiling and eighteen windows facing this side alone, except the first floor which only had twelve windows on the base floor, but some of them were larger. This manor sat beyond a circular courtyard with a tall, black, spiked gate surrounding the outer perimeter of the property. There was a circular driveway directly in front of the manor which led out the front gate which was made of gray cobblestone.

    Whomever it was that spotted them, it was somepony within the manor. Feather Wind assumed it was one of the many servants in the manor. Because of that discovery, Feather Wind figured it wouldn't take long for somepony to arrive and open the front door. Feather Wind could open it himself with a spell if he could concentrate better but, for the time being, that was not possible because he was so dizzy.

    As Feather Wind recovered, he was able to observe his rescuer more clearly.

    Dunken Doo was a bright yellow pony with bright orange mane tied up in a bun. He had a few freckles above each of his cheeks that seemed oddly symmetrical. Dunken had no beard, but he did have a very distinctive square bottom jaw. He also had dark green eyes. He wore a brown outfit over the front and back which showed his legs, head, and tail but concealed everything else, including his cutie mark. In its place was a symbol of a box with wings attached to it and wind lines blowing in one direction as if to indicate the box was flying in the other direction. To top it all off, he also wore a brown cap on his head that was undoubtedly part of his work uniform.

    {From the point he discovered and rescued me, it's true we arrived in Canterlot not much later. It was still long enough for Dunken to talk about himself a little bit.

    {For instance, one of the things he had shared with me was the fact that he really loved his job. In particular, he loved to travel and get paid for it as a bonus. He liked to meet new ponies, especially if those ponies later became his friends. He claimed he literally had a list of friends somewhere, and it wasn't short either. I could believe it considering how friendly he was to me. Likely he was like that with any pony.

    {This was a really lucky encounter for us. It made me wonder if the wind did this on purpose.

    {But then the front, brown double doors of the manor opened and my father stepped out. Considering the circumstance of our last encounter together, I suddenly decided to pay careful attention to this meeting, and I also hoped that my new friend here would not get caught in the middle of something nasty. I really liked Dunken, you see, so I hoped to maintain a good impression with him. After I encountered my father again, however, I had my concerns.

    {My father stared hard at me for several very long and very uncomfortable seconds. I think Dunken must have sensed the tension too so he did what he could to break the ice.}

    “Well hi there! My name is Dunken Doo, and I have a special delivery for Mr. Author Scroll. I believe you'll find the package in very good shape, all things considered, and I did my best to keep him that way. Pleased to meet ya!”

    Dunken presented a hoof to Author and held it there for several seconds. That did shift the magister's attention from his son to the newcomer. When that happened, his gaze softened quite a bit, but he was not exactly the hoof shaking kind of guy either. He looked at Dunken's hoof then looked back up at the mail carrier without grasping the extended hoof.

    “Indeed. I appreciate this delivery most abundantly, and I humbly request you present to me your price,” Author requested.

    “Price?” Dunken queried as he slowly lowered his extended hoof.

    “Indeed. Your price. You delivered my son back to me, and you are a mail delivery pony. I assume it is customary to pay for such services, and I always settle my debts. How much?”

    “Oh pshaw!” Dunken waved Author off with a wide, happy grin. “You don't have to pay me. I wasn't scheduled to deliver him, you see. If you did not already pay for this service before then there is no reason to start now.”

    “Actually, I have,” Author returned evenly. “I have set a bounty out for my son for ten thousand bits. Since you are the first to safely deliver him back to me, the bits are yours, if you wish.”

    Dunken's gaze exploded widely. “TEN THOUSAND!!! Golly! I could buy a whole business with that kind of money!”

    “Then it is yours,” Author declared as he was about to turn around.

    “Hold it, hold it, hold it. No.” Dunken relaxed quite a bit as he said that. “It is tempting, but no. This delivery wasn't scheduled so you are not obligated to pay for it. Have this one on me, Sir, free of charge!”

    {I regarded Dunken in pretty strong surprise. I knew he was friendly but didn't figure he would ignore a ten thousand bit reward just on principle.}

    “Are you serious?” Author asked Dunken in surprise as well as he turned his head to look back at the mail delivery pony who was almost behind him. “It's really no bother. I have plenty of other bits where that came from.”

    “Yes, I'm sure you do, but I swear to you I don't need it,” Dunken assured. “I just did what any friendly pony would have done. Having your gratitude, Sir, is thanks enough for me.”

    “Gratitude?” Author echoed as he fully faced Dunken again. “My good Sir, you have returned my son to me unharmed. You have the gratitude of a previously greatly distraught father. I'm not sure if gratitude even begins to come close to describing it.

    “If you will not accept the money then I shall repay your kindness in another way. You have eight moons to return to me and decide what other favor you wish to claim in exchange for this heroic service. If you do not decide by the end of that time then I shall decide your reward for you and I shall insist upon it.

    “As I previously stated, I always repay my debts.”

    “Wow!” Dunken regarded Author with wide, stunned eyes as he appeared to be in a strange mixed state between flattered and intimidated.

    Feather Wind certainly knew that feeling well. His father's steely spirit could often press on others pretty uncomfortably hard, even if that action was in an attempt to do something normally considered fortunate.

    “Just . . . wow,” Dunken went on. “Um, okay. Let's think about this.”

    Dunken looked around with searching eyes.

    “What do I want? What do I really want in exchange for . . . Ooo! I Know!” Dunken viewed Author again brightly. “How about your friendship? I'd gladly accept that in exchange for . . . well, to repay this debt thing and get that nasty thing out of the way. Wadda ya say?”

    “Friendship?!” Author looked taken aback by this pony yet again. “Really? That is what you want?”

    “Yessiry bob! That's actually the principle reason I became a mail carrier!” Dunken pointed at his chest proudly. “I love to travel, and I love to meet new and interesting ponies! If any of them decided to also become my friend, well then . . . they really made my day!

    “I actually keep a long list of them, Sir, and I'd be glad to add you and your son among them. Wadda ya say?”

    Feather Wind regarded his father, curious how he would respond to that one.

    What Feather Wind saw was his father close his eyes and gave an annoyed sigh. It didn't take Feather Wind long to figure out why. Dunken was a commoner and a non-unicorn. He didn't exactly fit either one of his father's high standards when it comes to personal relationships. He actually looked like he was tempted to reject Dunken's offer based on his own personal principle.

    Seeing that, Feather Wind grew kind of depressed.

    {But then I saw a shift in my father's attitude and I later figured out why. Dunken might not be a unicorn or an aristocrat, but he was one very important thing to my father . . . Dunken was the pony who returned his son to him unharmed. For that reason alone, my father would be very positively inclined towards this particular pony.

    {I think he was also amazed at this situation, almost to the point of being flabbergasted. Trust me, that's a rare thing to see in my father considering his normally very firmly composed nature. I think I even saw him chuckle a bit to himself, likely at how bemusing the situation was in unexpected ways.

    {Whatever the case, he actually seemed to be warming up to Dunken's idea, and then he said . . .}

    “Roagan,” he said over his left shoulder. In response one of his butlers stepped forward in acknowledgment of the call.

    “Yes, Master?” the butler responded in a snooty voice (which Feather Wind personally knew was just a professional mask).

    “Take a note, and inform the others in this manor that this pony,” Author regarded Dunken again, “one Dunken Doo, shall henceforth always be welcome in this estate whenever he so chooses. He shall be treated as a guest in the highest regard whenever he visits and shall be afforded all the rights and privileges that come with that status. Have I made myself clear?”

    “Indeed, Master,” Roagan confirmed as he nodded then stepped back into the shadows of the manor.

    “Satisfied?” Author checked with Dunken, then added, “And I shall converse with you personally, should you choose to do so, as long as I'm not too beset with some other task. I warn you now that is pretty common but, if it's not too inconvenient, my door shall always be open to you.”

    Author stepped forward then offered his own hoof. “You have saved my son and brought him home safe to me. I promise you this, Sir, I shall not forget your kindness on this day. You have a father's eternal gratitude. I need you to understand this.”

    “Aw, shucks! It was nothing!” Dunken said cheerfully as he grabbed and shook Author's hoof very enthusiastically while wearing an expression so bright that he had his eyes closed for a few seconds. “Just doing what comes naturally for me, but I'm glad you are pleased with my services and I'm privileged to add you to my growing list of friends. You have really made my day, Sir, and I thought that was difficult to top before. I mean, first I encounter a flying unicorn and now this! Golly! I sure am lucky today!”

    “Ah . . . what?” Author asked, stunned. He also withdrew his hoof. “Go back on that one. Flying unicorn? Did you say flying?”

    “Yessiry bob!” Dunken confirmed as he opened his eyes again, gazing back brightly at the magister. “Your son was flying today!

    “Well,” he glanced corner-wise left and up for a second, “sort of.” He looked back at Author. “More like drifting aimlessly. He was as light as a feather, that one! Best be careful not to sneeze in his presence or you'll launch him away into outer space, literally!”

    “No,” Feather Wind corrected. “I can control that power with the ability to turn it off and on.” He hopped up and down to demonstrate how heavy he was at that point. “See? When you caught me in the sky it was dangerous for me to turn it off then but, now that I'm on the ground, it's safer to turn it off.”

    “Golly! That's one fancy trick you got there, little buddy, and you did not even glow before or anything. Got to teach me that one someday.”

    “Oh, ah . . . I'll see what I can do,” Feather Wind promised lamely because he wasn't certain if this was a talent he could teach.

    Author studied his son for a long uncomfortable moment with a calculating look, then returned a softened gaze back to Dunken. “Will you be requiring our hospitality at this time? As I said, you are welcome in the manor whenever you so choose.”

    “Ah,” Dunken backed off a step. “Tempting, but no. This was an unexpected stop but I have others that I actually am scheduled for. I just got here in Canterlot and I have a bunch of letters to deliver.

    “I can't wait to see the smiling faces of the recipients! It really brightens up my day.

    “I'll admit this encounter won't easily be topped but you never know what will happen around the next corner. I know that now better than I ever have before!”

    Dunken tipped his brown cap at at the magister as he said, “Nice to meet you, Sir, and your family. I'm really glad I could make your day as well. We part now as friends. If you ever stop by my house sometime then know that I gladly extend my hoof in hospitality to you, your family, and friends as well. Any friend of mine is always welcome to stay with the Doo's.

    “Until then, peace out and take care!”

    With that, he flew off. Both Author and his son followed that pony with their gaze.

    When Dunken was almost out of sight, Author said to his son, “Go to your room. We need to talk,” Author commanded his son sternly without looking at him.

    Feather Wind sighed and meekly said, “Yes, Sir.” He proceeded to do so.



xoxo



    Author Scroll studied his son's new cutie mark for a long while. He studied it very carefully, taking in all the subtle nuances that the image might represent. After examining it for several long and silent moments, he trotted away a few paces and further contemplated it to more fully absorb the information. During that time, he closed his eyes and remained silent.

    Feather Wind respected that silence for the time being. He didn't want to rush this before his father was ready.

    “Quill,” Author began but Feather Wind interrupted that one with a correction.

    “It's Feather Wind now, Father,” Feather Wind corrected.

    “It is Quill!” Author insisted with a bit of a roar as he whipped about to look back at his son. “That is the name your mother and I gave you when you were born. I'll thank you for keeping it with respect.”

    “But that is not who I am anymore,” Feather Wind insisted. “Ever since I got this mark, I know who I am. Please understand this.”

    “But you are Quill. Your cutie mark does not change this,” Author returned. “That feather blowing in the wind of your cutie mark . . . could it not be construed as a quill? Can it not be used as such?”

    Feather Wind's eyes widened slightly. He had not thought of that. He looked back at his own flank as if to confirm that. A white feather blowing in the wind . . . Yeah. That could be interpreted as a quill being blown in the wind.

    Which made him think about the matter further. Feather Wind started to realize his father may have already seen deeper implications of the image that even the wearer of the cutie mark had not foreseen yet. He was a feather in the wind in his mind and heart, but a feather could still be a quill. Perhaps his original name landed closer to home than he thought, so he decided to compromise.

    “Alright, Father. I'll give you that one. I would still prefer you call me by my new name but, if you still choose to call me by my original name, then I promise to acknowledge you without being offended.”

    “Good. Now that we got that settled, let's discuss together the implications of your cutie mark. I have other agendas for you as well, but they actually seem secondary next to this issue so let's explore this.

    “So . . . it is my understanding, based on what you told me, that you can hear the voice and will of the wind as well as lighten your body weight to the point of being as light as a feather. Am I correct in my assessment so far?”

    “I have a feeling that I have only scratched the surface of this potential, but so far yes. That is my understanding as well,” Feather Wind confirmed.

    “And you feel a calling to the sky? A calling to fly?” Author probed further.

    “Yes, Father. I have felt that way all my life,” Feather Wind replied sincerely.

    “But that can wait,” Author declared.

    “Huh? But, Father . . . this is my destiny! This is who I am! Not even you should fail to acknowledge that at this point.”

    “I am noticing! I am also noticing the other half of your potential. The trouble here is you aren't. This isn't going to work with only one of us taking your future seriously here. We have got to get on the same page about this point.”

    Feather Wind looked down as he growled, “Mother would understand.”

    “What?! HOW DARE YOU USE HER MEMORY AGAINST ME!” Author roared at his son with a single, bold step towards his son.

    “But I'm right, aren't I?” Feather Wind asked back with his voice breaking a bit due to the intensity of his emotion. “You and I both know what she would have said. The question is, do you love her enough to respect her wishes?”

    This question made Author pause. He closed his eyes and sighed, then opened his eyes again as he turned his head to gaze upon a painting of her which hung up on the dark cyan colored walls. That painting flared with a red fiery aura then levitated off the hook in the wall carefully.

    The image of Silver Shine in the painting was that of a mostly gray unicorn mare with small hints of blue. By far the most distinctive physical trait of her was her reflective shiny mane. It was as if she had a mirror for mane cut into tiny hair strands, a feature that most likely earned her her name when she was born.

    One could almost wonder why the image of her painter was not reflected in her mane.

    Her gray-rimmed eyes were very wide with delight, looking towards the direction of the viewer of the painting. She also stood with her forelegs outstretched towards the painter or gazer of the painting as if inviting whomever happened to be looking at the image into a warm hug.

    “Silver Shine,” he said under his breath as he gazed upon the image while stroking the edge of the painting very fondly with a hoof. After that, he closed his eyes and the painting hovered even closer to him, close enough for the image to touch the area between his eyes and his red glowing horn. “She was the angel of joy incarnate. When her sunshine set upon this world . . . it left it a darker and colder place for those accustomed to her warmth. Her gift to the world was the joy she felt and others felt in her mere presence.

    “Now . . . her lingering gift to me . . . is you.

    “I know she would have wanted me to acknowledge that, and be happy.”

    Observing his father carefully, Feather Wind noticed his father crying a bit. He knew his father's emotions were a very tough nut to crack, but this loss was of a deeply personal nature. It would absolutely require a true heart of stone to dismiss her loss so casually. He may not often show it, but Author Scroll did care very deeply for his family. Feather Wind noticed another sign of that earlier with his intense gratitude towards Dunken.

    “Silver Shine and I did not always see eye to eye,” Author went on after a long moment of silence. As he said that, he had the painting fly back to its hook in the wall but he continued staring at it fondly. “We had arguments, just like any married couple, but we decided to resolve them through a compromise every time. That is what we promised each other.”

    Author looked at his son. “I do love her, and I do respect her wishes. She doesn't even have to be among us for me to know what she would have wanted. Even if I don't always agree with her opinions, I still know her well enough to predict it.

    “You are my son too. I have just as much right to speak for your future as she does, but you're also correct. I have to respect her wishes too, so let us present to you a compromise.”

    Author proceeded to trot around his son in a continuous circle as he said, “I acknowledge that you have found your cutie mark and your destiny. Something that significant cannot be ignored, much as I would like to. Not even I should have the power to stand in the way of your destiny, or at least not completely, but you are only seeing half of your true potential.

    “Let me ask you this.” Author paused his trot around his son as he asked, “What do you think of magic? I mean, what do you really think of magic? How do you feel about it?”

    Since Feather Wind could tell that his father was making a serious effort to consider his feelings, Feather Wind decided to return the favor.

    He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts on that, then said, “What I've learned about magic recently is that it's intrinsic in all things, and that includes my passion. If I love the sky and I love flying then inevitably I must conclude that I love magic as well. In my case, that's the primary means for me to get there.”

    “Exactly.” Author resumed trotting around his son. “Magic is your means to get there. Magic is your wings. You are not a pegasus, my son, you are a unicorn. A unicorn is deeply connected to magic, and magic is capable of almost any feat we set our minds to.

    “So now we have established that you used it to fly. I must admit . . . that is very remarkable, but you must also realize it can accomplish far more than just that. You can create a bridge where none exists. You can reverse time itself over a broken object in order to repair it. You can light your horn in the darkness so you can see. You can use it to heal wounds and save some pony's life.

    “There are no limits, son. Not really. The limits of magic are as boundless as our imagination and very likely beyond that. I'm sure my brother told you the same.”

    “He did,” Feather Wind concurred.

    “Hmm.” Author frowned in annoyance. “I'm glad he and I agree on that much at least.

    “Anyway, you want time to practice flying and I want you to continue your educational studies. The studies I give you not only help you to practice magic better, but it also helps you to understand and respect the power. To know better how the world works and its various histories is to know how best to use that magic more efficiently. Through our knowledge and a better understanding of the world, we can realize where our skills are needed the most and thereafter apply ourselves to that task more effectively.

    “There is a reason for this. There is a reason why all of this requires this much discipline and training. What we are capable of can cause great wonders or horrors, and it's important that we understand and respect that power well enough to know not to abuse it.

    “This is why we have secured the trust of the other two breeds as much as we have. When they see us studying very hard for our work, they know we're taking our art very seriously. Suddenly they don't feel so bad about the work they spend doing their own thing.

    “Equestria depends on a delicate balance between all of its ponies, and we must all play our part. If all you do is spend your talents acting like a pegasus then all you have accomplished is what any common pegasus could already do, though it is likely you'd have to spend far more effort to achieve the same thing, but imagine this . . . a great flier . . . and a great wizard! What wonders could you achieve if you master both? Now that would be a sight to behold.

    “So here is my proposal.”

    Author went to his son's desk and sifted through a pile of scrolls. He located one he was looking for and picked it up by hoof. While still holding onto that scroll, he then looked at his son and said, “I will permit you to practice flying to your heart's content on weekends but only under the strict guidelines which I will now specify.

    “Number one; you shall not fly higher than thirty feet at first until you demonstrate enough skill to safely soar higher.

    “Number two; you shall only practice flying under the close supervision of another adult pegasus, one who is capable of spotting you and correcting your mistakes and, if necessary, save you from imminent disaster.

    “Number three; you will only practice flying under safe environmental conditions. Snow, hay, water, a net . . . anything that can catch you and prevent a nasty fall. Are these conditions understood?”

    “Yes, Father,” Feather Wind acknowledged.

    “In exchange,” Author went on, “you will commit to your studies with zeal and gusto. Think of them as part of your flying training. Since my permission to let you fly hinges on your ability to commit to your studies well, then apply that same passion you feel for the sky to your studies. If you do then you may find a surprising amount of talent pick up in your primary interest as well. Since magic is the method you are using to get up there anyway, you will find that, by continuing your magic training, you are also furthering your flying training. Is this understood?”

    “Um . . . yes except for one thing. Why is the majority of my week devoted to my studies?” Feather Wind asked.

    “For balance,” Author answered immediately. He pointed at his son using the scroll in his hoof. “A cutie mark talent virtually guarantees rapid progress in whatever gift it's meant to represent. In this case, it's probably flight, and possibly more. Because of this, you will find that you won't need nearly as much time to master that then you would your magical studies, but one art affects the other.

    “Just because you get a cutie mark in something doesn't mean it has to be your only special talent. With enough practice, you can master any art.

    “I'm proposing this system so you have a chance to exercise both talents to an equal degree. That way, in the end, you will have two great talents instead of just one.

    “Besides, your cutie mark does not really point against this talent. Notice the sparkles within the wind strings of your mark.”

    Feather Wind looked back at his cutie mark to confirm this, then thought on that further. He looked back at his father with a nod of understanding and slightly larger eyes alight with realization.

    “Magic is the means by which you are flying,” Author went on. “Yet magic can accomplish other things as well. It is the noble heritage of our race and we of the Scroll family have a sacred duty to Equestria to see that potential flower to its fullest in order to better do the things other ponies can't do.”

    Author's expression softened. “There is another stipulation I'd like to add to your study time, though this last condition is somewhat optional.

    “For two hours each day, I will permit you to take a break from your studies in order to practice free writing instead. During this time you may write about whatever you wish, free of any further judgment, or at least free of any hostile judgment unless you want me to give you a professional critique. I certainly have a lot of experience with the latter to offer.

    “I . . . apologize . . . for my rude behavior in regards to your last work. I realized, after you left, that I should have encouraged this behavior. You were expressing yourself freely and that exercised your potential. You were learning how to become a better writer and I need to support this.

    “After you left, I repaired your original scroll with my magic and read it a dozen times.” The scroll he held then floated out to his son while surrounded by a red aura. “After much deliberation and reflection, I have concluded that it does show some merit.”

    Feather Wind beheld the scroll in shock, then used his own horn to unfurl the scroll in mid-air. Sure enough, it was the same poem.

    “What?!” Star Breeze exclaimed in confusion. “Wait-wait-wait-wait a second! I thought you told me the scroll was destroyed! Last night you said that you made a copy for mom and you said that you were grateful that you did because the original got destroyed. When grandfather destroyed it, I assumed that was what you were talking about.”

    Feather Wind flashed his daughter a coy grin. “Yeah, but I didn't say it remained destroyed. Besides, I hadn't made the copy for your mom yet at that point in the story.”

    Star Breeze's mouth hung open in shock for a moment then she narrowed her eyes at her father with a playful smile and tossed another cloud ball at her father which splashed with the same results.

    “You troll!” she complained playfully, then asked, “In that case, if the original is still intact, then where is it now?”

    “I don't have it.” Feather Wind looked beyond the cloud. “If you wish to see that, you'll have to search your grandfather's office. There you will find it hung there and framed, proudly displayed for all to see.”

    “Aw! That's sweet of him,” Star Breeze said in a gushy way.

    Feather Wind's right eye shifted to his daughter as he said, “Just wait. It gets better.”

    “You restored it!” Feather Wind said in immense relief and gratitude back in the past.

    “Yes,” Author confirmed. “Not only did I restore it but, after that, I enchanted it . . . twice.

    “That scroll is now fireproof. As well, it will endure the test of time. That's the second enchantment. It shall not degrade, wither or fade. Basically, you can say it has become time-proof.”

    Feather Wind regarded his father with a few happy tears in his eyes.

    “We are the Scroll family,” Author announced, “and what you have here is a sacred art. Knowledge like this should be preserved throughout all time.

    “That is its power. Written words can affect total strangers all across Equestria, for all time. Knowledge in a scroll can outlast the original author. It immortalizes a single idea, and I want this idea preserved.

    “This is the work of my son, and it must be remembered. It shall be remembered.

    “My son . . . the first flying unicorn . . . who had the power to turn his dreams into reality and wake us all up from our delusions of limitations.

    “Now that you have gotten this far, show us all how much further you can go.

    “I'll be here for as long as I can . . . to cheer you on.”

    After hearing that, Feather Wind had enough. He raced to his father and embraced him in a hug.

    “Thank you, Father, for believing in me,” Feather Wind said to his father warmly.

    “You are my son,” Author returned evenly. “I always believed in you.”