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// 4 - On Fishing 
// Story: Homemade Kites and Whatnot 
// by getmeouttahere 
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	It was quickly decided that the first order of business would be to retrieve the package of cookies you bought at the market earlier in the day, along with two glasses and some milk from the fridge to make for a light afternoon snack. Afterwards, and upon Apple Bloom’s repeated insistence that you not do anything special on her account, you returned to the work room to get started on the project you were about to tackle before Pinkie’s sudden, yet annoyingly routine physics-defying intrusion.

Your guest hops up into the seat of the chair you pulled over for her, giving her the boost in height she needs to see the contents of your work table. Her golden eyes, darting from one item to the next, and her somewhat-funny contemplative stare leaves little doubt that she’s trying very hard to guess what it is you have planned. The temptation to tease her is hard to resist, so you choose to hum a little tune from back home while you reach out to organize your supplies instead of spilling the beans just yet.

First come two dowel rods set parallel to one another vertically at the table’s edge. Next to that, four rods are placed, two forming a plus sign, and two more running diagonally between the far points of its upper half. Finally, you place two more rods to the right of the first two groups, this time using different sized ones to make a traditional cross shape. Satisfied that the three basic patterns are good, you reach over to retrieve a spool of the nylon fabric, stretching it over the first set of rods to make an estimation of how much you’ll need to cut…

And then, out of the blue, Apple Bloom rears up in her chair.

“I get it! They’re kites! You’re makin’ a bunch’a kites, aren’t ya, Mr. Anon?”

The sudden shift from relative silence to excited shouting takes you by surprise. You pause for a second to regain your senses, just in time to watch as she slams her forehooves on the table to maintain her balance, knocking every single one of the carefully placed rods askew.

You sigh internally. Pinkie’s visits notwithstanding, your home out here on the edge of town is usually very peaceful and quiet. You certainly haven’t had to deal with loud, hyperactive children, pony or not, for many years now, and the situation brings a variety of mostly unpleasant memories to mind. You open your mouth to tell her to calm down, only to be taken by yet another surprise.

Your eyes meet, and you’re struck by her expectant look as she waits for your answer. Eyes shimmering, a hopeful smile… it’s a picture of innocence that no amount of anger or annoyance could possibly stand against. Your intended admonishment dies before even the first syllable can be spoken, so instead, you smile back at her and answer, “That’s right.”

“I knew it!” she cheers, though her joyful mood is quick to fade to confusion as she returns to her seat. “But wait… Mr. Anon, you’re a grownup, and you aren’t takin’ care of any foals, right?”

You chuckle. “Yeah, I’ve been accused of being a grownup once or twice before. And no, it’s just me here most of the time.”

“Well, why are you makin’ kites, then? Isn’t that kinda… kid’s stuff?” She rubs her chin with a hoof, pondering her own question. “Or maybe it’s your special talent, and you’re gonna sell ‘em? Yeah, that has to be it!”

“My special talent?” you ask with a hearty laugh. “No, I don’t think so; I haven’t done anything like this in years and I’m only working from my really hazy memory here.” You turn back to the table, returning the scattered dowel rods to their previous patterns. “Yes, I’m building some kites, but not for the reason you’re probably thinking. They’re going to be special, because they’re not meant to be flown in a field on a sunny day or anything; they’re tools to help me with my fishing.”

“You’re gonna go fishing… with a kite?” she questions in disbelief.

“Well… yes and no. The kite doesn’t do the fishing directly, but it does help with the process. Here, maybe it’d be easier to explain if I showed you.”

You retrieve your pen and tear a blank page from the journal sitting on the desk by the window. After placing the paper upon the table where Apple Bloom can easily see it, you start to draw a picture.

“You still have a normal fishing rod, complete with a line, bait, sinker and float.”

A crudely drawn boat appears on the page, along with a stick figure in the shape of a human standing at the stern. In his hands is a fishing rod, its line cast into the water, with all the individual pieces labeled.

“But with kite fishing, it gets a little more complex. Now we add a second fishing rod, usually shorter, but instead of all the normal stuff you’d find on it, its line runs to a kite flying in the sky behind the boat.”

A kite appears in the sky overhead, along with some clouds and an oversized sun shining above. A second line is added to the boat’s stern to which the kite is attached. You finish by adding a smiley face and some sunglasses on the sun, causing the filly by your side to giggle.

“But here’s the key part. The two lines – the fishing line and the kite’s line – are joined together by a drop line that runs between them. There’s also some other stuff, like a stopper to make sure the drop line doesn’t slide too far down the kite line, a swivel piece to stop the lines from getting tangled up, and some sort of release to disconnect the fishing line from the kite line once a fish gets hooked so the kite doesn’t get dragged underwater, but that’s the basic gist of it. Neat, huh?”

“Wow, it sure is fancy!” Apple Bloom exclaims, reviewing the finished drawing once the last few pieces are in place. “But I don’t get it, Mr. Anon, why do you need all this extra stuff? Ain’t just a usin’ a normal fishin’ line good enough?”

You move the pen and paper aside, then pull another chair over so you can sit next to her at the table. With a wistful sigh, you place an elbow on the wooden surface, rest your chin in your open palm and stare out the large window toward the sunny field beyond the trees.

“Yeah, you’re right. A normal line would be good enough. In fact, it has been good enough to fish out on the lake here. I’m sure with enough patience I could make do with the gear I have already. But I’ll let you in on the little secret as to why I’m doing this, and it’s even something we have in common…”

You watch with some amusement as Apple Bloom’s eyes widen. There’s little doubt that she’s hanging on to your every word, wondering what in the world she could have in common with a creature so different from herself. You continue to glance out the window, and she places her hooves on the table once more, gently this time, to maneuver herself into a position where she can see you face to face and urge you to continue.

Smiling at her eagerness, you close your eyes and state simply, “I’m bored.”

Poor Apple Bloom nearly falls off her chair in disbelief, but a helping hand upon her back steadies her.

“You’re… you’re doin’ all this because you’re bored?” She shakes her head and laughs. “Wow, Applejack was right, you are a funny fella, aren’t ya?”

“Yeah, I suppose I can be a little silly sometimes. But the truth of the matter is that I’ve had a lot of time on my hands since I was brought here and not a lot of ways to fill it. When I went fishing this morning and came back empty-handed, I started thinking about the few times I went kite fishing back on Earth and figured it might be fun to try it again, if only as a way to pass the time.”

Apple Bloom leans back in her chair, tapping a hoof as she ponders your answer. You take the opportunity to turn your attention back to the gathered supplies, using your ruler to start measuring and marking where you’ll need to cut the wooden rods and fabric. She watches closely as you work, somewhat amused by your dexterity as you carefully cut each piece to size.

“Well… I reckon that does make sense,” she admits, breaking the silence. “But you never really told me how all this stuff even helps ya catch fish. In the end you’re still holdin’ on to a fishing pole like normal, right? How does it make any difference?”

You set the scissors aside and step back to check your work so far, finding it to be satisfactory.

“Oh, you’re right. Yeah, there is a point to this beyond just being a fun diversion. Kite fishing can help you cast a line out further than you normally could, or fish in areas you normally couldn’t reach. But the main benefit, and the one I’m most interested in, is the fact that the motion of the kite as it sails in the wind transfers to the bait on the fishing line, which makes it more attractive to the fish in the lake.”

“Oh, I get it!” Apple Bloom beams. “So, it’s like a real fancy lure or somethin’?”

“Something like that. It really should increase my chances of making a catch. And I was sort of hoping to impress AJ with a little example of human ingenuity too, though don’t tell her I said that.”

You turn and give her a knowing wink with that comment, which draws out another smile from your guest, then focus back on cutting out the fabric patterns. In the meantime, Apple Bloom reaches over and pulls the discarded pen and paper from where it was left at the table’s edge and carefully starts drawing while you work.

About a minute passes before you realize what she’s up to, and you turn your attention back to her just as she pulls away from the page. Though the original drawing you made is mostly the same, a pony with an unmistakable Stetson hat has been added standing next to the stick figure human on the little boat.

“It was missin’ something,” she says.

You smile softly. “Yeah, it was.”

She pauses to place the pen down, then looks to you once more with those curious golden eyes.

“Mr. Anon, why do you spend so much time with my sister?”

She asks the question innocently, in that childlike way that always compels you to attempt an answer even if one doesn’t always come easily. You pause for a moment to consider your reply, only meeting her inquisitive stare when you’re ready to speak.

“I do spend a lot of time with AJ, don’t I?”

She nods. “Yeah, when she’s not out with her friends or busy workin’, it seems like all she does is talk about ya.”

“She was the first real friend I made after I was brought here,” you explain fondly. “It’s tough to describe, but the reason for that is because we found out that we have a lot of things in common.”

“You mean like fishin’?”

You chuckle. “Yeah, I suppose. But to be honest, our time out on the lake really isn’t about the fish.”

Her snout scrunches up and she turns away, seemingly lost in thought for a few moments, before asking, “What d’ya mean? Y’all still catch fish when you’re out there, right?”

“On a good day we’ll definitely snag a few. But the real reason we go fishing together is because it gives us time to talk and listen to one another… or time to say nothing at all, depending on how things go.”

The filly furrows her brow. “Huh? I understand enjoyin’ talking to a friend, but enjoyin’ not talking too? I don’t get it.”

“Yeah. Sometimes people, or ponies, need time to just enjoy the quiet in the company of another.” You scratch your head and offer her an apologetic smile. “I hate to say it, but this might be one of those things that you won’t really understand until you’re a little older.”

To your surprise, Apple Bloom’s mood suddenly sours and she turns away, muttering, “Not until I’m older, huh? I guess you really are alike.”

Her attention becomes drawn to a random spot on the floor, and your own smile falters when you hear the slight hint of bitterness in her whispered tone. Your time in Equestria and around Applejack has taught you that her laid-back ears are a sign that something’s upset her, even to the point that the bow tied in her mane seems to droop with sadness. The sight of her distress bothers you deeply enough that before you realize what’s happening, you’re reaching out with a hand and straighten the bow, offering a comforting scratch behind her ears for good measure.

Apple Bloom giggles at the playful touch, which seems to pull her away from the feeling of gloominess that almost settled over her. Though you try to move your hand away as soon as you recognize what you’re doing, she quickly shifts her head to follow your fingers, silently asking for more scratches, to which you happily oblige.

Several minutes pass, and eventually you’re able to reclaim your fingers from her somewhat rough and tangled red mane. When you both lean back in your respective chairs, you notice that her expression has changed, and now she’s giving you quite the funny stare. It’s a nostalgic one, too. It definitely reminds you of your first meeting, because she’s looking at you like she’s seeing you for the very first time, and after blinking a few times to clear her head, her smile returns.

“…Thanks, Mr. Anon. You really are a nice pon— er, person, just like Applejack said.”

You smile. “You’re welcome. It’s good to hear that I’m living up to my reputation.”

And with that, you return to your work, or at least try to, but the silent room that you usually find so peaceful now holds a certain sense of loneliness which you can’t seem to shake. As odd as it may seem, you find that you’ve come to miss the sound of the little pony’s voice.

“Y’know, you may not believe this, but I’m smarter than I look, and I think I might understand what you’re going through, if you’d ever like to talk about it with someone.”

You speak the words without thinking, and immediately wonder if you’ve overstepped your bounds when your guest looks away with turned back ears once again…

“I… It’s just… I just wish she’d treat me like a big pony instead of actin’ like I’m a helpless little filly all the time.”

…But through some miracle, she actually decides to open up. The relief of not having to sit through more uneasy silence is quickly washed away by an unexpected sense of happiness that she trusts you on some level, and then the nervous hope that your advice will be able to help in some way.

“When we’re young, it seems like all we want to do is grow up faster,” you say after a few moments. “I suppose that’s true for almost everyone. We can’t wait for the day that we can stand on our own and proclaim our independence. But there’s a saying we have back on Earth, ‘Everything in its own time’. Do you know what that means?”

She shakes her head. “No, not really.”

You set your supplies aside and glance out the window, watching the trees sway and the glass panes rattle as a sudden, strong breeze rolls over the field.

“…It means that there are things in life that’ll happen as a matter of course. Spring will follow winter, and day will follow night. And in your case, a little filly will eventually grow up and strike out on her own. There’s no need to rush into it, and there’s no need to try and force it, because it’ll happen in due time whether you want it to or not.”

“So, you’re sayin’ I need to be patient?” she grumbles, looking away again. “That’s nice and all, Mr. Anon, but it doesn’t help. It feels like everypony tells me that, but I still want it to happen now, even if I know they’re probably right.”

You offer her an apologetic smile. “You’ve heard it all before, huh? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised about that. Sorry for sounding like a broken record; I know you and AJ must’ve had this talk a few times already. But maybe I can make it up to you by telling you something you might not have heard from her.”

The filly’s curiosity is instantly piqued, and she turns her attention toward you once again.

“No matter how old you become, and no matter big you get, you’ll always be AJ’s little sister. Even when you find your talent, even when you become successful, even when you set out on your own and find your place in the world, that’ll still be true. You can’t outgrow it. I guess… it’s sort of like a selective blindness that parents and older siblings can get sometimes, especially if there’s a big age difference between them. They’ll still feel that urge to baby you, even after you’ve had kids of your own!”

Apple Bloom’s eyes widen in shock. “R-Really?! So there’s nothin’ I can do?!”

“Well, it’s not the end of the world!” you reassure her with a little laughter. “I know it can get overbearing at times, but she acts that way because she loves and cares about you. And in a way, that’s the very reason why she sometimes can’t help it. When that happens, or when it gets to be too much, you just need to give her a little nudge and let her know to back off a bit. I know she can be kind of stubborn, but she should get the picture eventually.”

“’K-Kinda stubborn’?” The filly slumps in her seat in disbelief. “Mr. Anon, have you ever met my sister?”

And it’s at that point you can’t hold back, and you burst out laughing. Partly because truer words were never spoken, and partly because the look of pure exasperation on her face in that moment was somehow just too adorable for words. Your laughter eventually draws out her own, and the two of you share a moment as newfound comrades-in-arms… veterans of the often-times immovable mountain that is Applejack.

“Seriously, though,” you gasp, your laughter finally dwindling. “I understand how she is, but at least give it a try, and be patient with her. It might not happen on the first, or even the tenth try, but if you keep it up, I’m sure the message’ll get through.”

“I’ll try, Mr. Anon,” she giggles. “And even if it doesn’t end up workin’, thanks for tryin’ to help me all the same.”

You shake your head, fighting to clear the last of the laughter out of your system.

“Anytime. And hey, since I helped you, maybe you can help me with something.” Her ears perk up as you gesture to the table. “If you’re not too busy today, would you like to help me put all these kites together?”

“A-Are you sure?” she asks, her voice a mix of enthusiasm and trepidation. “I mean, I can try, but I dunno if I’ll be any good at it.”

You offer her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I’m any kind of expert, either, and no one expects you to be perfect at something on your first try. C’mon, we can be bad to mediocre at this together!”

She answers with a big grin and a hearty cheer, and the two of you immediately get to work.