“Grandma? Grandpa?”
“Yes Kicker dear?”
“Did mom do anything cool when she was my age?”
“Hehe. You bet your flanks she did. Why, I remember back she was just learning to use those beautiful wings of hers.”
“It all started when Flappy first asked your mom to go for a fly.”
Young Sparkler was at her desk in her bedroom, reading a new book she checked out of the School Library. She smiled as she turned another page. “Once I finish this book, I’ll be done with my reading list for the year.” She giggled to herself.
At that moment, she heard a now-familiar squawking coming from behind her. She turned around to see her new Parrot friend Flappy smiling at her from his perch. “Squeak! Wanna go for a fly Sparkler? Squeak!” He asked.
Sparkler bit her lip as she glanced at her wings. “Uhm...” She would've loved to go flying with her new parrot, but there was a problem. “I uh...don’t actually know how to fly Flappy.” She replied.
Flappy raised an eyebrow. Confused at Sparkler’s statement. “Squeak! You don’t? Why? Squeak!” He asked.
“Mom and dad don’t have wings, and we can’t find anypony in the region who can teach me.” She said sadly with a sigh.
Flappy saw his new owner depressed and flapped his wings so he flew over to the desk. He landed and looked up as Sparkler. “Squeak! So, you never learned how to fly? At your age you should already be an ok flyer. Squeak!” He said.
“Maybe I would be if I had a teacher. I TRIED teaching myself but I had to return the flying book to the library before I could make sense of anything in it.” Sparkler sighed.
Flappy glanced at her wings, and then glanced at his own. He smiled as an idea came to him. “Squeak! Sparkler, can you check out that book again tomorrow? Squeak!” He asked.
“Why?” Sparkler asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Squeak! Maybe the reason why you couldn’t make sense of anything in it is because you don’t have somepony to explain it properly. Squeak!” Flappy spread his wings for Sparkler to see. “Squeak! Or, should I say, you DIDN’T have anypony. Squeak!” He said with a smirk.
Flappy’s words ran through Sparkler’s head, and her eyes widened as it clicked with her. “YOU want to teach me Flappy?” She asked in shock.
“Squeak! I may not be a Pegasus or have the horn and wing combo. But when it comes to flying, it’s all the same if we both have wings. So how about we start putting those wings of yours to the work they’re MEANT to be doing? Squeak!” Flappy responded.
Sparkler thought about it for half a second before a huge smile burst on her face and she lunged forward and pulled Flappy into a tight embrace. “Thank you Flappy!” She exclaimed in joy. “I’ve always wanted to fly but mom and dad don’t want me to unless I actually know what I’m doing!”
Flappy giggled as he let Sparkler hug him. “Squeak! We got some work to do since you’re about three years behind but you can do it. Squeak!” He said.
Sparkler nodded as her wings subconsciously fluttered in joy, excited that they were at last going to be used to fly.
“So the next day, your mom paid a visit to the school library, careful not to let any of her schoolmates see her.”
“Why did she want to hide?”
“Because egg yolk on wings doesn’t go well with flying.”
In the school Library, a middle-aged mare was at her desk, going through the records to check what books were checked out and which ones needed to be put back on the shelves. She processed another book, before getting the sense that she wasn’t as alone as she first believed. She looked behind her to at first see nothing, but then her ears picked up whispering.
“Down here.” The voice said.
The mare looked down and saw a sight that she had seen before on quite a few occasions. Hiding under the desk behind her was little Sparkler. Away from the prying eyes of her peers.
The mare took only half a second to smile and approach the filly. “Oh, Sparkler. Your class isn’t supposed to come for their library hour until tomorrow.” She glanced around to see if anypony else in the library looked like they needed her help. She then lowered herself so she was sitting on her haunches to better see Sparkler. “What’re you doing hiding down here today?” She asked.
“Hi Ms. Nook.” Sparkler said nervously. “Uhm...sorry about this. I-I’m just trying to avoid being egged today. More than usual.”
“Any reason why today is special?” Ms. Nook asked.
“You know my new pet parrot I told you about last week? He wants to teach me how to fly.” Sparkler replied.
“Really? That’s great!” Ms. Nook said with a smile. “Wings like yours are meant to let you fly. Not just stay folded against your sides.”
“He said I should check out Flying for Beginners again.” Sparkler explained. “He says I couldn’t make sense of it because I didn’t have anypony to explain it right.”
“That would make sense.” Ms Nook said with a chuckle. “So you’re here to check out Flying for Beginners. As it just so happens I was just about to process it to put back on the shelf.” She stood up, turned back to the desk, located the requested book, turned back to Sparkler, and gently placed the book down in front of Sparkler. “Here you are, little one. Good luck in the sky.”
Sparkler lit her horn, picked up the book, and carefully maneuvered it into her saddlebag. “Thanks Ms. Nook.” She said. “And...again, sorry about hiding like this...”
“It’s ok dear.” Ms. Nook said. She glanced around again and turned back to Sparkler. “Want me to take you back to class? That should deter the eggs.”
“Uhm...that’s ok. You don’t have to—“
“It’s no trouble sweetie.” Ms. Nook said, cutting Sparkler off. “It’s no trouble at all.”
After a second, Sparkler nodded. “O-Ok.” She said as she slowly walked out from under the desk, following Ms. Nook out of the library.
“How long did it take for mom to learn how to fly?”
“Squawk! It took some time. But your mom was, and still is a quick learner. Soon enough, she was ready for a flight from home to school. Squawk!”
Young Sparkler stood in the front door of the house. Wings ready to spread, saddlebags on, and nervous as all heck. This is it.
Her father smiled as he playfully tousled his daughter’s mane. “Nervous Sparky?” He asked.
“Y-yeah.” She gulped as she nodded.
Her mother giggled as she fixed the messed up mane. “Don’t worry dear.” She gave Sparkler‘s horn a tender kiss. “You and Flappy trained hard for this.”
“Squeak! Yeah! Squeak!” Flappy agreed. “Squeak! You handled all the hurdles Flying for Beginners laid out. You do ten laps around the backyard every day to build up those muscles. And you play your guitar with your wings on top of that. The strength is there Sparkler. You just gotta use it. And flying to school is that use. Squeak!”
Sparkler’s confidence boosted at her family’s reassurances. Taking one more deep breath, she nodded. “Right. Ok. I’m ready to do it.” She walked out into the sandy front yard and spread her wings. Ready to fly.
Her mom smiled as she glanced at Flappy. “You’ll make sure she doesn’t hurt herself right Flappy?” She asked.
“Squeak! I’ll make sure she doesn’t crash. Squeak!” Flappy replied with a salute.
“And then she took flight?” Kicker asked.
Aurora nodded. “She did. She fluttered her wings and launched into the air. Oh it was SO adorable!”
“Squawk! Her little wings keeping her in the air. Faust it was cute. Squawk!” Flappy commented.
Sparkler blushed as Kicker chuckled. “What happened next?” He asked.
Sparkler smiled as she answered this one. “And then I flew. I beat my wings as hard as I could and I flew. All the way to school without crashing into anything.” She said.
“Squawk! Until you got to school. Landing was a little rough wasn’t it? Squawk!” Flappy asked.
“You probably gave Ms. Nook the shock of her life when you crashed into her.” Thundercracker chuckled.
“Correction, I hit the ground, and slid right into her.” Sparkler said, unable to keep herself from blushing in embarrassment.
Flappy chuckled. “Squawk! I remember you doing a lot less sliding and more head on collisions. Squawk!”
Sparkler used her wings to cover up her face in embarrassment. “Anyway!” She said. “That’s the story of how I learned to fly.”
Kicker turned to Flappy. “So you taught mom how to fly Flappy?” He asked.
“Squawk! Yep. Taught her everything she knows about flying. And after some practice she wasn’t crashing anymore.” Flappy replied proudly.
Kicker smiled as he hugged his mom. “That’s so awesome!” He exclaimed.
Sparkler smiled as she nuzzled Kicker in the cheek. “Too bad you don’t have wings. I’d love to teach YOU how to fly.”
Kicker smiled and nodded. Then an idea came to him. “Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t take me flying.” He said.
Sparkler glanced at Flappy, silently asking him what he thought of the idea. After some nodding and understanding. She smiled at Kicker. “Well, wanna go flying right now?”
“Yeah!” Kicker grinned and nodded excitedly.
Sparkler smiled as she got up out of her seat. “Then let’s go!” She said.
To be continued...