//------------------------------// // 5 - The Field // Story: Homemade Kites and Whatnot // by getmeouttahere //------------------------------// The next day finds you watching the brightening morning sky from the comfort of your home instead of the dock by the lake. Though you can tell the breeze is just as strong as yesterday by the swaying of the bare trees outside, not having to actually experience the cold is nice, and the warm cup of coffee sitting on the desk near the window is an added bonus. With a yawn, you lean back in your chair, close your journal and set it aside. You have the rest of your life to fill it with old stories, and right now the sight of the newly-returned robins and cardinals flittering from branch to branch is much more interesting. Even if you can’t exactly watch the sunrise from the west-facing window of your work room, the signs of the beautiful day to come are evident upon everything you can see, be it the birds scavenging for their breakfast, the glimmering dew clinging to the waving grass of the field, the streaks of light that now paint the trunks of the trees or the fast-moving pink and gold clouds overhead… You take another sip of coffee and smile. Fast-moving clouds, huh? It seems like the two of you’ll have quite the day ahead. On the work table in the middle of the room lie three finished kites, each of a different design. On the left, a rather simple and boxy forest-green sled. In the middle, a surprisingly sturdy-looking orange delta. And on the right, the traditional deep blue diamond, complete with tail, that everyone always pictures first when somebody says the word ‘kite’. While each one isn’t what you'd call a shining example of what a kite should be, they’re all reasonably well-made and, in your estimation, should fly with little trouble on a day like today. Your eyes settle on the tail of the diamond draped over the table’s edge, and you shake your head. Not picking up any ribbon from Rarity yesterday was a bit of an oversight, but it still got a tail nonetheless— an unfurled and cut pink bow offered by your partner-in-crime, or perhaps more truthfully your partner in staving off boredom. At first you weren’t comfortable with using it on something that may very well end up tangled in a branch at the top of some tree, but she insisted she had hundreds more like it at home, so onto the frame it went, even if the material isn’t ideal and the color somewhat clashes with the kite itself. Still, it marks this kite in particular as something that you made together, and for that reason it’s your favorite of the bunch. “Who would’ve thought…?” you end up mumbling to yourself, leaning back in your chair to stare at the ceiling. Yeah, yesterday was odd to be sure. When Pinkie popped up out of nowhere and suddenly dumped AJ’s little sister on you, you were somewhat peeved. But the more time you spent with Apple Bloom, the more you realized that your initial impressions of her from your scant few encounters at various Apple family gatherings were a little off base. Sure, she’s impulsive, a little rowdy, and overly energetic like most kids are. But you learned yesterday that she can also be funny, polite, capable, and most surprisingly, a lot smarter than you first thought. Your time spent putting the kites together with her was even downright fun, as the two of you laughed and swapped stories, mostly about AJ, as you worked. The sun had started setting by the time you put the finishing touches on the third kite, and you made sure Apple Bloom stayed true to her promise to return home to the farm before dark. However, in return for allowing you to walk her home, she made you promise that you absolutely, positively would not fly any of these kites today until she could finish up her morning chores and come back to your house for another visit. She even made you spit-shake on it, which was about as disgusting as it sounds, but according to her absolutely necessary for really important promises between friends and family. You reluctantly agreed and the deal was done. You washed your hands and then saw her home, the two of you arriving at the farmhouse just as the setting sun dipped below the horizon. Another glance outside brings confirmation that the winds right now are perfect for a test flight. In fact, they’re ideal because these early-morning breezes that have rolled through recently are a good match for the conditions you’ll encounter out on the lake. But she kept up her end of the bargain, and who are you to go back on such a sacred vow? You wouldn’t dream of it, so it looks like you’ll be having company this afternoon for a second day in a row. And to be perfectly honest, it’s something you’re really looking forward to. A hand reaches out to pull the closed journal away from the table’s edge, lingering for a moment upon the bright red cover before opening it and thumbing through the newly filled pages. There’s no denying that your time spent with the little pony has prompted you to recall some important moments that you feared you might have lost. It’s so surprising that you didn’t see it sooner, but she really is— You smile and shake your head. “…C’mon, Anon. You know it’s way too early in the day to be getting this sentimental, especially when you’re only on your first cup of coffee!” Gently closing the journal and setting it aside once again, you rise from the chair, let out a hearty yawn and head to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. ~~~~~~~~~ The morning hours passed by more quickly than Apple Bloom imagined they would as she went about her daily chores. Despite the fact that she had already taken care of the majority of the list her older siblings left her yesterday, some tasks had to be repeated each day, or in the case of feeding the animals, multiple times per day. While none of them in particular were very difficult for her, they were time consuming, and the sun had nearly risen to its highest point by the time she passes underneath the Acre’s main gate. Hurrying along at a comfortable canter, she abandons the familiar road to Ponyville not long after leaving the farm behind, instead turning down a seldom-used trail which skirts the edge of the Whitetail Woods. Though this shortcut will lead her to the home of Ponyville’s resident human in the shortest amount of time, the trip will still take a while, and she soon finds herself daydreaming as she admires the passing sounds and colors of the newly-blossomed forest. Her mind wanders from random thought to random thought as it’s often prone to do. She thinks about the things she wants to do with her friends once they return from their family vacations. She thinks about her own family and wonders what they’re doing right now out in the frontier. She thinks about the bullies at school, wondering if they’ve figured out any new ways to tease her that she’ll no doubt have to deal with once school starts again… But eventually, all those hopes and worries about the future slip away, and her thoughts settle on Mr. Anon… the strange human that she really only met for the first time yesterday and the very same human she’s now hurrying to see. Sure, she’d already met him before, learned what sort of creature he was, learned just a little about where he came from (most of which she didn’t understand), and had even spoken politely with him once or twice. But she never really knew what he was like until yesterday. And the answer she found, well… it was surprising! He was nice. Of course, Applejack had told her that already a few times before, but she never gave it much thought. Most ponies were nice, and so were a lot of other creatures in Equestria. ‘Nice’ was what she assumed of everyone she met unless she was given reason to believe otherwise, so that meant that aside from his strange appearance, there was really nothing special about Mr. Anon. To her, he was just another adult who was nice, and who her sister would help out from time to time. But her sister helped everyone, or at least tried to, so what was special about that? It was a conversation at the dinner table that first made her think twice about him. Everypony was talking about their day as they ate; her about what happened at school, Granny Smith about something that maybe happened that day or maybe 50 years prior, Big Mac mumbling his typical one-word answers to Applejack’s questions, and Applejack herself about some of the interesting things that happened while she was tending the stall in town. When she mentioned running into Mr. Anon that day, her eyes lit up, and the cheer in her voice grew. The way she acted as she spoke, it was like she had suddenly run into a long lost friend. “Ya really like talkin’ ta that hyooman feller, eh Applejack?” Granny asked after the story, nudging her and wearing a sly smile. “I do,” she replied. “He’s a funny sorta fella, but right smart, too.” “Smart? You mean like Twilight?” Apple Bloom asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. But Applejack just shook her head, chuckling a little at the question. “Nah, not like Twilight. Well, he might be smart in facts and figures like her… but we don’t talk about that kinda stuff so it’s tough ta say. He’s smart in a different way… a way that ponies like Twilight can’t always see, and that’s why I always like talkin’ ta him.” She never really understood what her sister meant by that. The question itself was forgotten in her mind when the conversation switched to other things, and after dinner she didn’t think any more about it. It wasn’t until Pinkie Pie suddenly pulled them both inside his home yesterday afternoon and she saw him again that the spark of curiosity reignited, that old question was recalled, and along with it, the drive to discover an answer. Just how in the world could he be smart in a different way than a smart pony like Twilight…? The answer, or maybe just a glimpse of the answer, came in the moment when her frustration of being treated like a little filly by her brother and sister, the frustration of how little they really trusted her… the frustration that had been simmering all day as she went about those mindless, easy chores all started to well up inside her after something he had said. In that moment, a hand reached out to straighten her bow and offer a comforting touch. And as it moved away, something about his expression caused her to meet his gaze and be unable to turn away again. Even though she wasn’t used to seeing or interacting with a creature as strange looking as a human, and even though he didn’t even have expressive ears or a tail to signal his mood, she could tell that there was a certain unmistakable something about him, a kindness that seemed to say to her, ‘I understand’, even if she couldn’t quite be sure how he possibly could. What she was sure of, though, was that the kindness he showed her then was a part of what her sister saw in him. He was nice, just like Applejack said, but in a special way that set him apart from the other adults she knew. When he offered her advice, it wasn’t like one of those boring lectures that were usually given to children. When he asked her if she’d like to help build the kites, he let her work in the way that she wanted instead of telling her all the things she was doing wrong. When he walked home with her at the end of the day, he trusted her to lead the way, and for some reason it made her really happy! The blossoming spring trees give way to bare branches as she continues down the road. It’s easy to tell she’s almost there now, because a last little pocket of winter still lingers near his home. She quickens her pace when the small house appears in the distance. It’s hard to believe that just yesterday morning, she feared that she’d spend the entire time apart from her loved ones lonely and miserable, because the building excitement of knowing that she’ll get to help fly the kites they made together makes it seem like such a silly thing to worry about. Of course, it’s not so much the idea of flying the kites that spurs her along. Her track record with kites… well, it wasn’t exactly great to say the least! But much like when she would do stuff she wasn’t very good at with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo as part of their crusading, the fact that she’ll get to spend time with a newfound friend, and maybe learn more about him, was what was really exciting. Apple Bloom bounds up the porch steps and knocks on the door, and after several moments it opens and the home’s tall two-legged owner appears. “Hey there! You’re a bit later than I thought. You ready to get started?” “Heya, Mr. Anon! I’m ready if you are!” she cheers. “Alright, give me just a minute and I’ll go get the kites.” He heads back inside the house and returns after a moment wearing a light jacket and with the three kites under one arm. He steps outside, closes the front door and locks it, then leads her out into the front yard a ways before turning down a path toward the back of the house. “Why do you lock your door, Mr. Anon?” she asks him as they walk. He shakes his head and sighs. “It’s just an old habit from back home. I don’t know why I bother anymore, really. I mean, it’s not like it does anything to keep Pinkie out, so what’s the point?” He gives her and exaggerated shrug and she giggles. Together, they move through the back yard’s thin line of trees, and soon find themselves standing in the large open field that she saw through the window while they were working yesterday. “Wow…” Apple Bloom twirls around a few times, taking in the sight. The field stretches for a good 10 acres or so, surrounded almost entirely by the Whitetail Woods. To the east, she can see the house somewhat hidden behind the bare line of trees they just passed through. But unlike those trees, whose budding leaves have yet to come in, to the west, north and south the forest is in full bloom, creating a wall of green all around. The distant trees sway in the breeze, along with the grass of the field, which has already grown tall enough to allow the wind to visibly move it around in large swaths like waves on the sea. In the center is a small hill, with a proud sycamore tree, still bare, at the top. Its branches reach toward the sky where the scattered clouds flow overhead, painting their shadows upon the field. “Not bad, huh?” Anon asks with a hint of pride. “Nice and wide open, just like the lake. This should give us plenty of space to move around as long as we keep clear of the hill.” He stretches, then takes a seat on the grass, holding the kites close to his chest to keep the wind from carrying them away. Apple Bloom turns back and trots over to him as he pulls out a fresh spool of line and struggles to find the free end of it. “Dang it, these things always drive me crazy…” She smiles at the sight of his fumbling around, trots forward, and nudges the spool with her nose. He quickly gets the hint, handing it over to her, and after several moments she returns it, the end of the line clearly separated from the spool. He simply shakes his head, flipping the sled kite over in his lap so he can attach the line to its bridle. “Thanks.” “You’re welcome. Hey, Mr. Anon, I’ve been meanin’ to ask, but… why did we need to build three kites in the first place? You really only need one to fish, right?” He holds the sled up in the wind, watching as it captures the air to check if the knots will hold. “That’s right. But like I said yesterday, I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to this stuff, so I don’t know what kind of kite would work best for something like this. That’s why we made three different types. We’ll fly each of them today and see which works best, and then from there, we’ll build an even sturdier kite just like it to use out on the lake.” “Oh, I get it. So these are all just test runs, huh?” “Yep. Now then…” Still holding the kite in the wind, he hands the spool of line to her. “Let’s start with the sled. Go out a little ways, let out some line, and when you’re ready to get a running start, I’ll let it go. With the wind the way it is today, it should get airborne with no trouble.” Apple Bloom’s eyes widen. “Wait… you want me to fly it by myself?” She takes a hesitant step back. “Mr. Anon, I hate to say it, but… my special talent ain’t flyin’ kites. Rainbow Dash can tell you, I’m downright terrible at it. Last time I tried, the kite I was usin’ crashed and then sorta…” She tilts her head up in thought. “…melted? Would that be the right word?” The human laughs. “Apple Bloom, if you manage to melt these kites today, I’ll just laugh it off. I’m still getting used to all the weird stuff that happens around here, so a spontaneously combusting flying bundle of fabric and sticks would be a sight to see!” He shakes his head, gesturing to the field. “Go on, she’s all yours. Even if you end up crashing it a few times, I promise I won’t be mad. Fishing kites have to be sturdy, so a few crashes are a part of the testing too. Besides, I need to stay back and watch how it flies to see if there are any problems, and someone has to hold on to the extra kites or else they’ll blow away, right?” She nods, still somewhat unsure. “Well… if you say so, I reckon that makes sense. I’ll give it a try, just don’t be mad if I mess it up, okay?” “You’ll be fine,” he reassures her with a soft smile. “I trust you.” With another hesitant nod, she starts uncoiling the line and trots away from him out into the field. Once she’s a good ways away, he stands to his feet again, holding the sled kite with one hand, as high as he can so it can capture the most wind. “Okay, are you ready?” he calls out to her. “I’m ready!” “On three! One, two… three!” Apple Bloom takes off running at the very instant he releases the kite from his grasp. True to his word, it has no difficulty sailing in the wind, following behind her in the air as she runs. She almost lets out a triumphant cheer before realizing that she needs to keep the spool in her mouth to prevent the kite from flying away, so she settles on a simple jump for joy as she continues along, circling back to meet him. “Okay, let out the line little by little,” he tells her after she returns to his side. “Let’s see if we can get it to about 100 feet or so to start.” She does as he says, slowly letting out the line to let the kite sail higher in the air. “That’s good. Now we’ll just watch it for a while to see how it behaves when the wind changes.” The two watch intently as the kite sails through the sky. Even though the sled is the flimsiest of the three kites they put together, it captures the air remarkably well even when the breeze temporarily dies off from time to time. The more they watch, the more confident both become that this design could be what they’re looking for. But then, out of the blue, a freak gale wind stirs up and catches them by surprise. Apple Bloom reacts instinctively, digging her hooves into the ground to try to anchor herself and clutching the spool in her teeth with all her might. She fights to stay in place as hard as she can, but nature eventually wins out. A loud tearing sound echoes over the field, and the sled kite spirals to the grass, nearly ripped in half by the harsh winds. The two rush over to where the kite fell. Anon lifts it to inspect the damage, while Apple Bloom sits on her haunches nearby, a dejected look on her face. “I told you… I ruined it, didn’t I?” she asks, her ears folded back in remorse. The human kneels down beside her, and she braces herself for the scolding that’s sure to come. But instead, he merely reaches and ruffles her mane, a smile on his face. “Hey, it’s okay! Remember, this is what we came out here to do! Now we know that this kind of kite can’t stand up to high winds if it’s left on its own. When you’re kite fishing, you don’t have control over the kite at all times, so it needs to be able to take a little punishment. Now that we know, we can move on to the next one.” She blinks twice, pulling back the tears that were threatening to fall. “Wait… really? You’re not mad?” He shakes his head. “Of course I’m not mad! But if something like that happens again, you don’t have to stand there and fight it, you know. You can always move with it until things settle down. Sometimes, it’s okay to just let the wind carry you.” Apple Bloom freezes and her heart skips a beat. Here it is, that odd feeling from yesterday afternoon, and once again spurred by something he said. Even though she’s experienced it twice, she still can’t completely describe or define what it is, though it does seem a little clearer now. It’s so strange, but sometimes when he speaks to her, it feels like she’s suddenly hearing the melody of a familiar song that she’s certain she knows, even if she can’t remember the words… His hand pulls away, and she fights the urge to follow. She watches as he sits down on the grass again, placing the diamond kite upon his lap, and pulls out a fresh spool of line. “Here, can you get this one started for me? You’re way better at it than I am.” He smiles at her, and after a few moments, she hops over and happily retrieves the spool from his outstretched hand.