//------------------------------//
// 10 - Taking Flight 
// Story: It's OK to Be a Pony 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Lyra tapped her chin as she consulted her schedule for the tenth time in as many minutes. "Where could she be?" Samantha hadn't arrived for her session, again. She was often late, but she never just failed to arrive before, and it was almost past the time of the entire session. Lyra messed with her hat with magic, flicking through the sensors in their house. No sign of Samantha.

With increasing worry, she hung up a 'Back Soon' sign on her door and trotted quickly towards the house of her subjects, hoping to ask them about it. A soft knocking on the door soon revealed Steven. He had his camera around his neck and a bright flash blinded Lyra as he used it on her without warning.

She squeaked and fell on her haunches. "Steven! Warning, please... Have you seen Samantha?" Lyra's vision returned to her with spots, but she could see Steven as he approached offered her a hoof up that she accepted with a smile.

"Sorry, no. I haven't seen her in a few days come to think." He looked around a little, then retreated inside. "Hey, guys! Anyone see Samantha?"

The consensus came back negative. Nopony had seen Samantha in days and Lyra left with a heavy frown and a knot in her belly. She had been considering Samantha for one of the ones to go with her into the mirror portal. Should she have said something earlier? She kicked a rock, sending it bouncing down the street.

"Where did you go?" Her question had no answer returned, and she sagged against a building. Was she messing this all up? She couldn't be messing it all up, with several of them showing so much promise and their smiles... She thought back to Steven whom she had just left. His grin when he flashed a picture of her was brilliant. Cheerilee said Lucy made an amazing speech about how to approach science that had her stunned. Right out of the mouth of foals. Cheerilee said she had to write it down and send it off to Manehattan.

Lyra took a slow breath. Even the meat eater was doing his part. He still liked meat, sure, but he was expressing his unique nature in a way that brought joy to those around him, and without hurting anypony. How could she complain? The restaurant had only wonderful things to say about Sam and his techniques. She only just then realized she was saying all of this outloud in her panic. She took another breath and started a brisk trot.

Who could help her? The Mayor? Twilight? Lyra found herself at home instead. She didn't remember walking there, or when she opened the door, or when Sweetie Drops grabbed her and she started to cry into her shoulder. Lyra sank against her beloved and they were quiet, save for the gentle encouragement of Bon Bon soothing her. She thanked Celestia for her Bonnie as she faded off into sleep.

The next morning Lyra gobbled down the meal set out for her and burst out the door. She spotted a rainbow tail and waved up at her. Soon Rainbow Dash flew up to her. "'Sup?"

Lyra smiled. "Sorry to bother you, but a pegasus went missing."

"No way." Rainbow frowned. "Which one?"

Lyra held up a hoof. "This tall, goes by Samantha? Sandy fur and blue mane and tail. No cutie mark last I saw her."

Rainbow looked thoughtful a moment before she nodded. "I saw somepony like that a few days ago. They were headed to Cloudsdale."

Lyra's eyes bulged. "Cloudsdale!?"

Rainbow shrugged with confusion. "Yeah? What's so weird about that for a pegasus?"

Lyra darted away. There was no time to go over Samantha's condition with Rainbow. She didn't get far, however. About five paces away, Rainbow came down in front of her. "Hold your horses there. What's going on?"

Lyra clenched her teeth a moment before coming out with it. "Samantha's a troubled pony. She wasn't supposed to leave Ponyville at all! She might get herself hurt, or arrested, or worse!"

Rainbow shook her head. "She looked alright to me. She was flying straight and she even said hi on the way by. If you didn't ask about her, she'd be pretty unremarkable. Maybe she's just visiting her folks up in Cloudsdale?"

Lyra crashed to her haunches. Could it be that good of news? If she suddenly remembered her pony parents and rushed home, would that be bad? No, that'd be fantastic! Lyra smiled cautiously. "I know it would be a huge trouble, but could you find her? Make sure she's alright? If she's with her family, leave her alone, and just tell me."

Rainbow nodded lightly. "I can check tomorrow. Schedule's tight today. She's probably not going anywhere, except maybe back here if you're expecting her. I'll check though, promise. See you then." She darted up into the air and was gone before Lyra could reply. That mare was fast! 

Lyra took a slow breath and tried to recompose herself. She had a few sessions to get through that day, and seeing their caretaker as a disheveled mess wouldn't  help them at all.

With renewed purpose, and a flickering ember of hope that all was well, she trotted towards home to apologize to Sweetie Drops for being such a doofus the prior evening and morning.