//------------------------------// // Leap of Faith... // Story: Comfort Far Away // by Spic Ultimo //------------------------------// I awoke to the morning light shining bright on my face. My throat felt dry, like sandpaper. I gave my wings a quick stretch before I remembered the bottle of water, and the pony in my luggage as well. Giving my luggage two kicks, it unzipped and out came a hoof holding a bottle of water. As I took said bottle, I looked out the window and noticed we were going uphill. As we reached the top, I couldn't help but get excited. I've never been on a mountain before! When the train reached the peak, I gave a slight gasp. Below the mountain stood a beautiful town that was complimented by all the greenery around it. It looked so... clean, so full of life. Bordering the town on one side was a big, dark green mass that seemed never ending fairly close to the tracks. There was also a huge mass of clouds somewhere above the town. 'Cloudsdale' I thought. The thought seemed funny to me...a pegasus who had never seen Cloudsdale once. Somewhere on another mountain, I saw the city of Canterlot, the city gleamed, even from this distance. My sight drifted back down to the town in the valley. Ponyville seemed like such a great place from here. Part of me prayed it was as nice as it looked, otherwise I would have to move again. "Whoa... that's a lot of green" Echo whispered from beside me. "Yeah." I agreed, before I turned to look at him. "Get back in the bag!" I yelled at him as I realized that he was in plain sight. "What're 'ya worried about, its not like they'll kick me out this far into the trip" He commented in a matter-of-fact tone. "Or perhaps we will." Came an unfamiliar voice from behind us. We both turned to see one of the train staff, a brown unicorn stallion with a baton strapped to his side. We both started panicking when he picked it up his magic. "RUN!" Yelled Echo as he bolted down the train carts. I followed a couple of seconds after, bags in tow and adrenaline pumping. "Halt, or I will have to use force!" The stallion yelled as he charged up his horn. Echo, having seen that, yelled "We're gunna die!" as we kept running. "Shut up Echo!" I yelled back at him. As I looked ahead, I noticed we were on our last cart. Echo and I briefly looked at each other, before w jumped out the back of the train, one of our stupidest ideas yet. The landing was horrible. We tumbled for about ten feet before we slid to a stop. "And stay out!" The stallion yelled when he was just within earshot. I got up and dusted myself off once I was up. As I looked myself over for injuries, I had a constant sore feeling on my snout. I reached up with my hoof, and felt a wet, warm sensation. Drawing my hoof back, I confirmed my suspicion when I saw the crimson liquid mixing with my purple coat. I turned around and gave Echo the stink eye, but stopped when I saw him holding his right forehoof with his left, while trying not to yell. I gave a light sigh as I held my hoof out to pick him up. "Uh, yeah... I don't think that's going to happen." he said through clenched teeth. "Maybe you can lift me with your levitation?" "You know I can't," I replied, "What if someone sees?" As I said that he gave me an "are you serious?" face. "Really, Solus? In the middle of the forest? Get real." He said with slight anger, still holding his hoof. I considered it for a moment. I have never really pushed my abilities to their max, and it seemed reasonable enough. Something still didn't seem right about it. Eh, why not. "Fine," I replied. "But only to the edge of town." I said with a stern voice, which he replied to with a mock salute. I focused and felt the energy course through me, and soon enough, my eyes turned that crimson red. "Dude, I will never get tired of that." Echo said with that goofy grin of his. "Whatever." I said as I picked him up and headed out to the general direction of town. ***** Apparently, walking through the forest for half an hour while levitating a pony really takes a toll on my body. Mostly on my head, and I think It also made my nose bleed more than it was supposed to. In the distance, there was a clearing of light, almost angelic in the dark forest. Once we were at the edge of the foliage, I could see a town on the horizon and what looked like a small house about half a mile away. "Here's your stop." I said as I set Echo down next to me, and supported him with my shoulder before I finally dispersed my magic and my eyes went back to normal. I felt relief from the small ache at the back of my head. Giving a sigh, I set out for that small house slowly so that I wouldn't drop Echo. Soon enough, the house came into view. It was like a picture taken straight from a fairytale. The house itself looked like a tree stump that was still blooming with life. All around the building, there were animals scurrying about in perfect harmony. As I led Echo up a small bridge over a stream that led into the house, the animals all went silent and were watching us very closely. "Dude, this is creeping me out." Echo said as he eyed all the little critters. Ignoring his comment, I crossed the last couple of yards with my companion in tow, and gave three solid knocks. From the other side of the door, there was a quiet voice that I couldn't make out. A couple of moments later, the door opened just a crack, in which I saw a vibrant turquoise eye looking back at me. The door shut a couple of moments after with a squeak. My heart dropped. The first person I meet treats me the way every one did back "home". "Miss, could you help us? We were in the forest back there and we managed to injure ourselv- "Oh my! Are you okay?" Came from the mare after she threw the door open. "Wait right there, okay?" I looked over to Echo and he had that stupid grin on his face again, to which I just rolled my eyes with a smile from his goofiness. Moments later, the yellow mare came back with a first aid kit. "Umm, c-can you lay him here? If you don't mind, that is..." "No problem." I said while laying Echo down on the grass. Right away, the mare moved over to him and started inspecting him. "Right forehoof's sprained. His hoof got, uh, stuck in a root while we were..." "Chasing a chicken! Yea... a chicken." Echo finished for me while I hesitated. "Oh, I hope the poor thing is okay..." she said. believing our lie, apparently. "Okay, you might feel some discomfort." she said while taking Echo's hoof, and setting the bone. I took this time to look her over. She had a canary yellow coat with a soft pink mane and tail. her cutie mark consisted of three butterflies with cyan bodies and pink wings, and the turquoise eyes I mentioned earlier. "There, all set." she said smiling at her work. "Thanks umm... I didn't catch your name." Echo said as he looked over the cast she set, and then over to her. "M-my name is Flutte..." the mare said trailing off into a soft whisper whisper "I'm sorry, didn't quite catch that, could you speak up a little?" "My name is Fluttershy." she said again, loud enough to hear this time. Interesting, it suits her well, but then again, so does mine and Echo's. "I'm Echo!" Echo exploded, causing the Fluttershy to wince. "And I'm Solus," I said, "Echo is a little explosive with his voice, but you get used to it." I told her, getting an eager grin from Echo. I looked back over to the town and back at Fluttershy. "Say, do you have anything for this?" I asked while pointing to my nose. "I, uh, hit my nose on a low branch." "I'm sorry, I don't have anything for your nose, unless you would like some painkillers." She said as she pulled out a bottle of pills. "No thanks, not good with pills..." I said, right before my stomach rumbled. I looked up and saw the sun was directly overhead. "Uh, we gotta go, we missed breakfast, so we'll be on our way then." I moved over and hoisted Echo on my back. "Do you think you could give me a couple of those?" Echo asked as Fluttershy was putting the bottle away. "Umm, okay." she said just above a whisper. Echo took two pills from her and swallowed them dry. "Thanks, bye!" he said as we started walking away. "She seemed kind." He said when we were out of earshot as we made our way to Ponyville.