Aria's Story

by Ariathina

Chapter 4: Re-learning the Basics

Chapter 4: Re-learning the Basics

Aria woke up and staggered out into the kitchen where Spike and Twilight were waiting with breakfast.

“Hehe, nice bedhead you got there.” Spike taunted.

Aria glanced up. The entire front end of her mane was cow-licked clean up. She just started laughing.

“Yea, I guess I had a rough bit of sleep. Crazy dream last night, involved Pinkie Pie and cupcakes. Apparently she made them into some giant mech-robot thing.” Aria gave a smirk of embarrassment.

“That does sound like something Pinkie Pie would do.” Twilight laughed.

Aria walked over to the counter and made herself a bowl of Apple and Cinnamon oatmeal. She then sat down at the table to enjoy her breakfast until a certain blue pegasus soared in and blew the bowl clean off the table, subsequently dumping the oatmeal on Spike's head.

“IT BURNS!” Spike screamed as he ran out of the kitchen.

“Rainbow!” Aria yelled in annoyance.

“Hehe. Oops. Sorry about that.” Rainbow held a hoof behind her head in both apology and embarrassment.

Spike reentered the kitchen muttering something about installing locks on all the windows.

“So are you ready for today?” Rainbow asked Aria as she prepared a new bowl of oatmeal.

“What's today?” She had forgotten what was planned for today.

“It's the first day you can use your wings again! How did you forget?” Rainbow giggled.

Aria's eyes opened wide. “Oh man! How did I forget!” Rainbow had shown her the extensive Wonderbolts Magazine collection she had and Aria quickly became as obsessed with them as Rainbow was. She had been up late that night reading over a book on flight and different tricks, hence why she had slept in.

“Well lets get going! I wanna see what you've got!” Rainbow challenged.

They had gone out to a clearing near Applejack's place. It was a big open field where there was plenty of space to practice.

“Alright, here goes!” Aria leaped into the air and tumbled back down to the ground. “Oww. Alright, guess I'm going to have to practice a bit after all. This whole lose my memory thing might be a bit more annoying than I thought.” Aria said jokingly.

“Ha. Yea. Here this might help you out a bit. Rainbow produced a crash helmet from behind her.

“I've seen this before. Wasn't that little filly, ummm,...Scootaloo? Isn't that hers?” Aria questioned.

“Yea. I doubt she'll mind though. The little squirt follows me everywhere so she'll get it back soon anyway.” Rainbow laughed.

The falls and crashes continued for a while. Eventually, Aria was finally able to get one good jump in that got the wind under her wins. That was all she needed. Within minutes Rainbow was watching in awe as a pony who just an hour ago had the flight skill of Fluttershy was speeding around at speeds comparable to her own.

“Well. Looks like you've warmed up enough. How about a test of how fast you are?” Rainbow said with her usual cocksure attitude.

“What did you have in mind?” Aria asked.

“Alright. So we aren't too far from Applejack's now. How about first back to Twilight's wins?” Rainbow suggested.

“Easy.” Aria said with confidence.

They lined themselves up on a short starting line Rainbow carved out on the grass.

“Three, Two, One, ...GO!” And the two dashed off. Rainbow shot off at full blast. She shot clear over the meadow in seconds. She looked back to see how far behind she left Aria. She stumbled a bit when she looked to her left to see Aria keeping right up!

“Alright, your fast, I'll give you that. But lets see how you can keep up with REAL speed!” Rainbow yelled. She fired off with a small sonic-boom as she increased her speed even further to the point she was leaving her trademark rainbow trail from her mane reflecting the water naturally in the air behind her.

Suddenly a purple shimmer caught her eye. Again, Aria had caught up to her speed. There were now two trails running across the sky. Several ponies walking around Ponyville stopped to watch the trails shimmer across the midday sky.

The heat of the competition got the better of the two pegasi. The two had their gaze locked on each other to make sure the other didn't pull ahead. Suddenly the two found themselves not only at Twilight's, but crashed into Twilight's. Aria crashed clean into a bookcase, knocking every book off the shelf and into a pile on top of her. Rainbow knocked over the table and got stuck in the legs of a chair. Twilight came running from the first floor of the library.

“What is going on?!” Twilight yelled, not exactly happy to see the two pegasi amidst a new mess within her home.

Aria and Rainbow exchanged worried gazes as they awaited Twilight's wrath for trashing her house.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Helvansing rubbed his head. “Uggh, Wish he would have warned me about how crazy of a ride that would be.”

He tried to collect where he was. In every direction, all he saw were trees, except for a small path that led through. It seemed to be night but with the dense cover of the trees it was hard to tell.

“Perhaps this path will lead out of the forest. Better than standing here wasting time when I should be looking for Aria.” He reminded himself.

He started down the path. On either side was very dense foliage. The path seemed well traveled in comparison. After walking for about 20 minutes, he noticed a light through the trees. As he approached the light he found himself standing atop a cliff that overlooked a vast new world. He could see a nearby castle on a lower part of the mountain. It seemed to be built clear off the side of the mountain. In the distance he saw a small town with what looked like a farm at its outskirts. There was a train that seemed to connect the two and continued farther into the distance and out of view. Then he looked up and saw a city that seemed to be made of the clouds themselves!

“This is indeed a curious new world.” He said quietly in awe.

He began to descend the mountain along a path. I was a simple dirt path cut through the trees. It led right to the side gate of the castle-like town he saw earlier.

“Hello there! What brings you to Canterlot?” called a guard standing watch at the large ornate gate. He was a white stallion unicorn with gold armor.

“Well, I'm looking for someone. An elf to be exact.” He replied to the guard. Talking ponies didn't startle Helvansing any, he had seen much more obscure things in Azeroth.

The guard laughed. “An elf? Those are just an old pony tale now. Elves left Equestria over 2000 years ago!” The guard stopped giggling when he noticed the large minotaur was no amused. “oh, you're serious. Well I'd talk to the princess. If anypony can help it would be her. I'll open the gates for you. Just follow the signs and you'll be at the castle. Enjoy your stay in Canterlot.”

The gates opened at the guards call as he began using some magic on it. Helvansing stepped through into Canterlot. The streets were brick paved, the houses were ornate white stone. The backdrop to it all was the large ornate gold-trimmed castle. He gazed at the intricate detail of the architecture. The precision and style reminded him much of Dalaran, though her was sure this city was built with much more magic involved.

After asking a few ponies for better directions, he made it to the castle. As with the kingdoms in Azeroth, he was able to enter the throne room and ask the steward for an audience. The Steward found it too farfetched to be false. He returned a few moments later with a large white Alicorn. She stood much taller than the other ponies and had a long flowing mane. The colors of it reminded Helvansing of a flowing river of bubblegum ice cream since it seemed to move on its own.

“Welcome to Canterlot Castle. My name is Princess Celestia. The steward told me of how you have journeyed from the distant world of Azeroth in search of your friend.” The princess stood interested in what Helvansing had to say.

“Thank you for the audience, your highness.” He made a respectful gesture, “And yes, that is true. My friend Aria, who we thought gave her life to save our world, I have recently found out is actually alive somewhere here in your world. I was hoping I could request your help in finding her. I am also wondering if it is possible for you to grant me aid in learning more about your world. Its not possible for me to return to mine, and I would like to learn more about this world. Your people have been strangely... accepting of my appearance. My people were not met like this in my world, not until the arrival of the Orcs from Dreanor.”

“I'm sure I can find a way to help you, Mr. Vansing. But you have had quite the trip. Shall we discuss the details over tea?” Princess Celestia offered.

“It would be an honor, Princess.” Helvansing responded. He followed the Princess out to the Palace Gardens.