//------------------------------//
// Chapter five: Of landings and moving. 
// Story: From the Outside In 
// by DarkParable 
//------------------------------//

	The sounds of skidding hooves and and fluttering wings rung out through the night as Red tried and, partially, succeed in his attempted landing. It only cost him a few hot hooves. "Ow ow ow ow" he said, dancing from hoof to hoof as he tried to cool them off. "That kinda hurt... Not the worst I've felt, but ow." He chuckled, giving his hooves one last shake before turning his attention to his mentor. Dark Wing  gave him an amused sort of look and shook his head, motioning for Red to try again. "Oh alright..." muttered the boy turned pony, earning a disapproving glare from his mentor. "For that my little red flyer... Do it another twenty times." Red could only groan. I really gotta stop opening my mouth... Just gets me in trouble he thought to himself as he took off once again.

Twenty landings later Red found he could at least not go skidding for a good twenty feet... He'd shaved it down to five. "Alright kid... Rest of the day's your's... Hate to admit it, but you're a pretty quick study for a blankflank your age." Dark Wing said to him, earning a bit of a huff from his student. Still, Red had to admit that a chance, his first really, to go and explore Canterlot was too good to pass up. It was with a wide smile, and still slightly stinging hooves, that he trotted off to poke his muzzle into things he'd always wondered about.

His first stop happened to be the market square, and he was rather saddened that he didn't have any bits. The sights and sounds brought to mind the outings with his family to flea markets, simply to get out of the house and enjoy the day. He spent a good long while just poking about, watching a few street performers, and wondering why it was he hadn't slipped away to explore before now. He was turning to head off when he found himself nose to nose with a rather regal looking unicorn whose coat was so white it kind of hurt his eyes. Red blinked in instant recognition and a small hint of distaste. "Ugh... Do move you vagabond you, I say you've gone and stained my coat with the dirt clinging to you." grated the rather annoying voice of Prince Blue-blood. Red Wyne sighed softly, doing his best not to respond with anything acidic in tone. "Excuse me Blue-blood sir..." he managed to say after a moment and stepped to the side. The prat, red couldn't think of anything else that fit the distastefully vain unicorn, harrumphed and continued on. "Dandysprat..." muttered Red, wishing he had fingers for a moment just so he could shoot a rather obscene gesture at the slowly departing prince.

With the good mood he'd had ruined Red decided now would be a good time to try something he'd always wanted to. With a rather large gust of wind due to his wing span he shot himself skyward and alighted atop the first cloud he found. He more or less just let himself drop onto it and was surprised to find that he stayed atop it. He knew pegasi could walk about and control clouds to some degree, but he'd always figured it to be something that they learned to do, not an innate ability. His thoughts were interrupted by another thought that immediately grabbed his attention and beat him about the face with the facts before him. Clouds. Are. Freaking. SOFT! Not to mention quite possibly the most comfortable thing he'd ever put his weight down on. Sighing softly he sprawled out atop the cloud, a blissed out grin on his face. "Beats the hell out of any bed ever..." He chuckled softly to himself, settling down for a bit of a nap.

He awoke a few hours later feeling almost as good as he had the morning he'd first awoken in Equestria. "Going to have to sleep on clouds more often..." he muttered softly, chuckling as he realized what he was saying would have been a pipe dream not so long ago. Sighing he stretched out, gave his wings a flap, and found himself falling suddenly. "Oh... HORSE FEATHERS!" he yelled as he righted himself and glided back down to earth. "Going to have to learn NOT to do that..." he muttered softly, glancing back at the wisps that were slowly drifting apart. All that remained of his short lived napping spot. Shrugging slightly he turned his attention back to the slowly approaching ground and tucked his wings. He fell like a stone, but his lessons hadn't been ignored. After a few moments he snapped his wings open once more and flapped, powerful mussels arresting his fall and allowing him to land with only a light thump. "The one time I land without skidding and Dark Wing's nowhere to see..." he said with a chuckle as he trotted off for his room in the castle. He was met at his door by a small buzz of activity, the few possessions he had, namely a few books on flight and such, were being packed away in neat little piles. "Uhh... What's going on?" he asked, and the immediate answer came from his mentor, coupled with a pair of goggles. "Help pack up your things kid... Moving day tomorrow, I get to dump you on someone else." the dark pegasus said with a chuckle. "And you're moving to Ponyville, one of the weather team there moved to Prace, you're taking his place. Give  RD my regards would ya?" Red blinked, wondering what he'd have to do with Rainbow Das-OH!... Weather team... Right. He could only hope he didn't balls this up on the first day. That would be just his luck.