Is This How You Wings?
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“Are you sure about this?” Seam calls to me.
“Not as sure as I was when I was on the ground.”
“You know Greed, there’s a right method and a wrong method of learning to fly.” The professor hollers up to me. “And I personally believe that this is the most entertaining method!”
“Dad, you really shouldn’t encourage him with something like this, he could die.”
“Well we just spent the last two hours teaching him everything we know about magic and still he can’t even generate a pitiful little poof of smoke. And when he was putting his all into it, it just looked like he was constipated.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” I mumble to myself. “Okay, you ready?”
“Yes,” Seam answers, prepared to catch me with a levitation spell if I-when I- fall. “But Greed, I really think you should listen to me before you-” I don’t hear her last words and jump off the high tree branch, spreading my wings to their full length. I begin gliding on the air current, a difficulty at first but I force myself to stay level. But no sooner am I gliding through the skies does gravity take over. The jerk.
My body stops short of the green grass as I’m suspended in the air, a yellow mist wrapping itself around my body.
“- Jump.” Seam continues on as she let’s me drop. “I was about to say that I’m going to be heading into town soon to drop off some clothes. A friend of mine would be more than willing to teach you how to fly.”
“You guys never told me of any town,” I stand up and dust myself off.
“Yeah, we don’t live very close ‘cause a good number of dad’s science experiments can seem rather…”
“Dangerous?”
“Unethical, actually.”
“Blow one laboratory up and have various and questionable fluids rain down on the entire town and you’re banned from ever doing so again without ‘proper supervision’.” He pouts.
“You blew up a laboratory?” I chuckle.
“Several, actually. The residents got fed up with me after the fifth or so lab.” He smiles like he’s proud of it.
“But because dad was too proud of his work, the only way he could continue was if he did it in seclusion. Far, far away from the town.” Seam rubs the bridge between her eyes in annoyance.
“Well, I’ve been around for nearly twenty-four hours and don’t find that surprising in the least.”
“You catch on quick,” She comments. “Come on, I have pieces to drop off anyway.”
I begin loading a lot of clothes in a wagon, noticing that there are no pants.
‘So they’ll go around naked, wear clothes at times, but don’t include the pants?’
“Guess who get’s to pull the cart.” Seam says rhetorically with a sly grin. I smile back at her horrible attempt at being funny. I find it weird as well that even with a beak I’m capable of making facial expressions, suppose the law of physics is a little more slack here. “Okay dad, I’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t go running off trying to capture something like a bear for an experiment; don’t blow up, burn, vaporize, dismantle, destroy, or do anything at all that would alter our house in the least; if you’re hearing voices and I’m not around, ignore everything they say; and please, please, be here when we get back.”
“Hmph, claim that little voices in your head are telling you to grow fur on a reptile one time and everypony thinks you hear them all the time.” The senile pony pouts again. She gives her father a hug and a kiss before going. We walk in complete silence, minus the rattling noise from wooden wheels I’m pulling behind me.
“So if you don’t mind me asking, has your dad always been looney toons?” I ask her breaking the ice. The aura from her changed to sullen sadness.
“No, no. He was once a dignified professor. Had a stable job working at a university and everything. No psychological problem, no random experiments, completely sane. But things all changed when mom died.”
“My condolences, when’d it happen?”
“Twelve years ago, I was no more than a little filly. Mom caught a virus of some kind, nopony knew what it was because they’ve never seen it before, so curing her was more than a problem. Dad got the best medicine, doctors, and modern day science we could afford. He even put his all into trying to save her life. But in the end, they never found a cure. The only thing I’m grateful is that the virus died with her, never getting a chance to spread or move to another victim. Even the samples gathered from mom died. Kind of like a flower that doesn’t get water, it just shriveled and died. So when she died, dad’s sanity went with her. After that, he lost his job, we moved towns, his experiments got more complex and dangerous. Everything really hit the fan. I’ve had to look after him ever since.”
“Sorry I made you relive that part of your life.”
“Mm, it’s fine I suppose. After long years I’ve come to realize that what’s in the past is the past, nothing I may do can change it. Mom’s dead, and that’s how it is. I have no choice but to accept that.”
‘Move on and accept the problems that plague you’re family? If only I were able to do the same…’
“So what about you big guy, you have any sob stories?” Seam’s mood lightens a bit, nudging me in the side.
“Yeah, a few I suppose. Maybe I’ll tell some to you one day.”
"‘Maybe’? ‘One day’? Oh no buster. I just told you one of mine, you have to tell me one of yours. Call it a part of your payment. ‘Sides, we’ve a long way until we get to town.”
“Okay, okay, here’s one: I had a friend named Jerome. Me, Jerome, and our other friend Jack were as thick as thieves, nearly inseparable. And as much as we loved Jerome, the older we got the more divided he became. We were no strangers to playing hooky once and a while but Jerome practically stopped going to school altogether, started meeting new people, began having sporadic moods, had a new girl with him every week. Short story, he was going on the fast track to Shitsville! One day I heard he never went back home, I just shrugged it off as it’s something he’d done every once and a while. Five days later I see his name pop up on T.V. saying that his body was found in a dumpster after ODing on heroine.”
“Yikes… that’s uh… harsh to hear. Sorry man.” Seam tries sympathizing.
“Honestly he was becoming a serious asshole so it didn’t surprise me in the slightest. But yeah, not a day goes by that I don’t remember the good old days.”
The rest of our stroll was quiet. Neither of us wanting to talk anymore, but hey, it got me to enjoy the scenery. And I must say one thing about this world: the nature here is overwhelming! Everywhere I look, green grass and strong trees, nothing like home. Then again, I was always a city boy that only ever saw a tree in the local park so I’m not sure whether to be amazed or disgusted about all this.
But after what seemed like a forever and a half we finally get to the town. And let me tell you something about it: it was nothing special.
Seriously, each house looked the same with stone or wood walls and what looks like hay for roofs. Yet the shops around are 21st century. Still though, nothing really impressed me about it.
Though I received curious stares from the townsfolk, who were all ponies, no shit. Can’t say I expected anything different, Seam and the Professor did say that I was an anomaly and that this was a country inhabited and ruled by horses. All of which are one of three different kinds, unicorns, pegasi, and normals.
Seam tells me to stop as we come up to a clothing store named The Right Fit and levitates out most of her clothing. “Alright, grab the rest and follow me inside. Once we drop off this load I’ll introduce you to that friend of mine.” I do as instructed by her, starting to feel more like a pack-mule at this point.
“‘Bout time you got here girl, I was beginnin’ to wonder where you wer-” A blue mare with short orange mane stop mid sentence. She had a tattoo, or ‘cutie mark’ as they preferred calling those stickers on their ass’, was a gold sparkly coin. Her amber eyes are locked on me. “Oh for the love of... Seam, did your dad try genetic splicing again?”
“Nah, don’t worry about Greed, dad had nothing to do with him.” She answers her.
“So if yer old man didn’t make him, what is it?”
“I’m a phoenix,” Coin gives me a surprised look. Yeah, I’m definitely going to be getting a lot of those. “And I’d appreciate that you’d stop staring at me like that.”
“He talks too, now that’s just something.” She grabs the clothing that I’m holding and puts them in the back room where Seam put the ones she was carrying. “A giant talking phoenix to boot. Now ain’t that somethin’.”
“Shiny Coin, this is Greed. He’s from out of the country and is staying with us for a while until he’s figured out what he’s gonna be doing with himself. Greed, this is my friend Shiny Coin, she owns this store and gives a cut of the profits she makes from my outfits.” Seam introduces us.
“Speaking of, here’s payment for last month.” She’s handed a bag of coins.
“That’s it?” Seam looks disappointed.
“What can I say? Not a lot of ponies pass through here and even fewer buy stuff.” My eyes comb the shop, all manner of suits, dresses, and clothing are being displayed, none of which are the exact same.
“Hey Seam, did you make all these?”
“Nah, Stitchy just makes the really good stuff I put on display,” The shop owner points out.
“Stitchy?” I smirk looking at the flustered mare.
“I told you not to call me that!” She glares daggers at her friend.
“Come on sweetie, you know I love to tease. So what you have planned for the rest of the day?”
“We’re going over to meet Sky High”
“Isn’t it a little early to be drinking?” Seam’s face turns to a shade of red.
“We’re not going to get a drink! Greed needs to learn how to fly and I thought Sky might be willing to teach him.”
“What, dude, seriously? How have ya gone yer whole life without being able to fly? I mean, you do know that’s what those wings on yer back are for, right?”
“Really? And here I just thought they were there for decoration.” I exclaim sarcastically. Shiny Coin hoots in laughter.
“Yeah, you an’ I are gonna get along just fine.”
“Come on, let’s get going.” Seam practically starts pushing me out the door
“Hang on, lemme get my key.”
“You’re coming with us?” Seam asks. “Shouldn’t somepony mind the store?”
“Eh, my store, my rules. ‘Sides, I wouldn’t mind getting a drink.”
“I thought you said that is was too early.”
“Pfft, I never said I disapproved of it.” She locks up the store behind her and changes the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’. Making the trek to meet this Sky High wasn’t a long one, the bar she works at was a mere three block from The Right Fit. The Water Bucket, as it was called, was in a desperate need of a new coat of paint. And by the looks of things, it has been repainted, several different times with different colored paints peeling off. It just looked atrocious and ugly, plain and simple. The one thing I did like about it was the swinging double doors just like the ones saloons have when you see them in the old western films, too bad that was the only western thing about it.
The place was dead still, no customers except for a drunk passed out on a table with several emptied mugs scattered around. “Well, well, well, it’s unusual to get customers this early in the day, let alone it be you Seam Stitch.” A male pony said behind his counter. He wore a black vest over his white bartenders suit, complete with a black bow tie and a pair of round spectacles sat on the bridge of his nose. A green four-leaf clover brooch with gold trimmings was pinned on his vest. His combed back mane was evidently losing its luster much like his greying green coat.
“And you’re friend is…?”
“Not something the Professor cooked up if that’s what you’re asking.” I reply sharply, starting to get annoyed at how much of a shock my appearance is.
“Fine with me,” He answers with ease. “So, what brings you two here? Come to get the third member of your trio?”
“If it’s not too much to ask of you, we need her help. Greed here needs to learn how to fly.” The bartender looks at me, his jaw slack and one eyebrow up. Then begins bursting out in laughter.
“Oh Celestia, a phoenix who can’t fly!” He hollers in between breaths. He eventually settling down and regains his composure. “You’ll have to forgive me sir, but that’s like saying that a dog can’t bark.”
“Just, please, get us this Sky so she can teach me to fly.” I rub my forehead in frustration.
“Sure thing, Sky! Get out her would ya!” The man calls to the backroom. Out pops a white pegasus with a tray of mugs in her mouth and her cutie mark a single wing over a set of clouds. Her long yellow hair trailed down like a golden waterfall.
“Yesh bosh?” She asks with the tray making it difficult to speak. That when she notices me. Let me just shorten what happens in the next minute. She stares at me, probably thinking I’m one of the professor’s projects. I say a hello, she’s baffled, Seam introduces us and explains the situation, and she starts giggling at the fact that I can’t fly. This shit’s getting old really fast!
“Sorry, sorry, it’s just uncommon to hear such a thing.” She calms down from her giggling. “Sure, I’ll help you out. If it’s okay with you boss?”
“Go on girl, I can handle things on my own here. Just be back when things start getting busy.” The old man says kindly.
“Hey, as much as I’d like to stay and watch I think I should go home. I’m certain dad’s fine, but…” Seam leaves her sentence hanging as we get outside.
“But he’s your dad.” Coin says bluntly.
“Exactly. You’d be able to find your way back to our place can’t you Greed?”
“Just follow the dirt path and take the right coming to the for in the road.”
“Great, and why don’t you have this.” She tosses me the coin purse the Shiny Coin gave to her earlier. “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a drink.”
“Lemme help you get that cart hitched on ya.” Coin offers, leaving Sky High a myself alone.
“So Greed, how much experience have you had at flying?” She asks.
“Does falling from a tree count?”
“Right, so you’re fresh off the bus. This is going to take longer than expected.” She murmurs to herself. “Okay, we’ll need more of an open area, the streets won’t do with all the bystanders around.” She leads me to an area on the outskirts of town where we begin.
“Okay, first thing you should know about flying is that it’s more about feeling the motion, not just flapping your wings up and down desperately. It’s more like a reflex than a body motion, once you get the feeling…” she spreads her wings and takes to the sky in demonstration. I watch closely as she flies around and gently lands on the ground. “Your body will do the rest of the work.”
“So kind of like riding a bike, you get the movement then you get the motion.” I crouch down to lower my center of gravity and spread my wings out like how Sky did. Giving myself an extra boost by pushing myself off the ground with both feet and wings I manage to stay afloat. Sadly to say, I did not feel it and fell to the ground on my butt.
“Well, that was a good first try,” Sky High awkwardly praises me. “But perhaps you might want to try flapping your wings once more after you get off the ground.”
I crack my neck and roll my shoulder blades. “No time like the present.”