“I got one! I got one!” the filly shouts, suddenly breaking the silence that had settled over the lake. She stands to her hooves, rocking the boat back and forth a little too much for your liking, before spinning around and whipping the line from the water. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a clean hit, and the hook comes undone, sending the poor fish on the end of it flying through the air to land in the lake’s opposite end with a splash.
“Whoops…”
Her older sister chuckles, careful not to disturb her own tail still resting over the side of the boat. “Ya gotta ease off a little more, Apple Bloom. There ain’t no need ta put everything ya have inta it unless you’ve hooked a big one.”
“But that felt like a big one for sure!” Apple Bloom protests. “I don’t get it… I mean, how are you supposed to know what kinda fish it is if you can’t even see it?”
Applejack closes her eyes and hums, then answers, “Well, I suppose it’s somethin’ ya just have ta learn from experience. The more fishin’ ya do, the easier it’ll be ta figure out how big a fish you’ve got by the amount of pull on your tail.”
The smaller pony grumbles and looks to you for sympathy. You simply shrug your shoulders, considering tail fishing isn’t exactly your area of expertise. Still, you try to help in the ways you’re able, and you carefully re-bait the end of her line so she can cast it into the lake once more.
It turned out that your kite fishing setup didn’t do much to improve your fishing. The final kite you made flew well enough, but despite all your efforts, the fish in the lake didn’t seem to care all that much. It’s since been retired from its primary duty and entrusted to the care of a fellow amateur kite enthusiast. She visits often, sometimes in the company of her friends, and on particularly windy days she can’t seem to resist taking it for a flight in the field. It truly has been left in good hooves, and you suppose in the end that’s all you can really ask for.
About a month has passed since that surprising first week of spring. Since then, just like you promised, you’ve been spending much more time with Apples, be it at their farm, or by welcoming them into your home. Slowly, and much to her delight, you’ve been teaching Apple Bloom about things you actually know how to do, though getting into the model rockets is still probably a ways off. As talented and as quick a learner as she is, you’re not sure if you’re ready to trust her around explosives just yet. That aside, the days have undeniably been full of joy and laughter, and slowly but surely, your heart has come to recognize that you’ve been drawn into a family that you dearly love.
The short fishing lesson ends not much later, and you row the boat back to the little dock and tie it to the pilings. Apple Bloom leaps out and bids you farewell, with a great big hug for you both, before running into town to find her friends. The pretty farmpony by your side retrieves the picnic basket she stored under her seat earlier in the day, and together the two of you rest under one of the weeping willows that grows near Ponyville Lake, enjoying a quiet lunch in the company of the birds and the warm breeze that weaves through the leaves. When the meal is finished, the supplies are packed away, and she curls up close by your side, eyes closed, attentive ears perked, and wearing that simple smile that never fails to captivate you.
As you pull the red-covered journal from your coat pocket, you catch a glimpse of a kite flying in the distance, and you watch it for just a little while, idly wondering what memories it holds, or if they’re being forged at this very moment, somewhere beyond your sight...
Letting those thoughts drift away, you turn your attention back to the journal in your hands. And after moving the torn piece of ribbon used as a bookmark safely aside, you continue on.