Harmony's Call : Autumn's Story

by AutumnShy_88

Young Wings & Painful Things

Harmony's Call: Chapter Two
~Young Wings and Painful Things~

"A bird can fly only as high as his wings will take him, an angel can only fly as low as the heavens permit, but for a pegasus, we fly high among the stars and low through the very treetops, flying as high and low as our hearts desire. The sky is our true home, and to it we shall eternally return. Born from the clouds themselves and willed into life by the ever-changing winds" ~LP

The sun shone overhead brightly in the warm bliss of afternoon as pegisi both young and old took to the skies. Some flew with grace, like a weightless feather caught in a soft breeze. Others flew with amazing speed, wings tucked in as they flew through the air like daytime comets. For the small group around him however, Autumn's class of new flyers were none too prepared for such, or so the older flyers above would have thought anyways.

Most of the young fillies and colts were able to fly, but their wings were still in need of training, and much like a fawn's first steps, their flight was a rather wobbly and uneasy one, for most of the young ones anyways.

Such was not exactly the case for a young female griffon and a sky blue pegasus, They on the other hand, lived for the thrill of flying and were already quite skilled at such for their age, constantly competing with each other, endlessly aiming to show the other off, every display more darling and awesome than the last.

Gilda and Dash had lived for being number one ever since their bodies could fly, determined to make a statement that they were the top of their class and never one's to back down from a challenge, no matter what it was. Competition was in their blood and they'd lose the former in the chase for flight skill superiority.

"Everyone's attention please!" spoke their instructor as she called for her pupils collective attention as she continued.

"Today we'll be going over the basics of proper take-off and gaining balance and altitude, who want's to try to take off first?" spoke their instructor as Dash and Gilda butted heads on who was going to show off to the class first, a young colt by the name of Hoops was first to step forward.

"My name's Hoops teach, I want to fly first." he spoke with a pompous tone.

Their instructor raised a brow at his "enthusiasm" as she nodded. "Very well Hoops, you may attempt to fly first, and my name is Cassey if you please." speaking with a hint of annoyance as Hoops laughed to himself at her response.

"There's no "try" about it, I just "do" teach"

Opening his wings widely as he lowered to the ground slightly, leaping forward as he thrust his wings down at the same time, both actions propelling him into the air, bringing his wings in as he raised them, flapping them as they unfolded once more, repeating the fluid motion as he raised into the air with ease.

"Very well done Hoops, you've no doubt been training at home already" she spoke, honest surprise masking her realization that this one colt was going to be another one of those whom either excels at classes, or slacks off terribly, only time would tell in the end.

"Alright, who's next to try?" spoke Cassy as she awaited for the next colt or filly to step forward. From within the group, Gilda grinned as she saw Autumn cowering in fear, giving his tail a quick nip as he whinnied in shock and ran forward, right into their awaiting flight instructor. Derpy glared at Gilda as she saw what the griffon had done, Gilda just stuck her tongue out at the filly and admired her claw work.

"Ah, very good, now what's your name little colt?" spoke Cassy as she smiled down at the colt. Autumn looked up at her dumbfounded as he realized why she was asking his name.

"Oh... uhm... My name is... Autumn" he gulped, knowing that he was next to exhibit his flight skills, of which he really had none, as he'd never flown on his own yet. Autumn cowered as Cassy lead him a safe distance away from the group, she couldn't hear his whisper over the others cheers and boos that he'd never actually flown on his own before.

Autumn looked around not sure what to do, afraid to fly on his own, yet scared to look like a baby in front of the whole class. Shivering as he closed his eyes and opened his wings, recalling how he'd watched both his parents take off, seeming to leap into the sky and beat their wings was all it took. Jumping with all his might as he beat his wings as fast as they could, haphazardly lifting into the air as he spun and twirled, inverting as he plummeted toward the ground suddenly, opening his eyes at that very moment as he whinnied in terror as he saw everything in a blur, all could hear was the wind rushing past him and the many yells and screams from above, and then the world went into quiet darkness.

~

Back at their home, Lunara was busy tending to puffing and trimming the bushclouds in front of their home while Alabaster was busy watching the latest news from out of Canterlot, reports of unusual lunar activity had been made, but this had been in the news for years now, Obviously raising the sun and moon both was a laborious task, ever for their omnipresent and ever powerful ruler, Celestia.

Alabaster shook his head as he turned the tv off and went to the kitchen to fetch Lunara a fresh drink of water, no doubt she had to be thirsty working in the clouds on a day as bright as this. It was just one of those days that nothing bad ever seemed to happen, weather that was because others only ventured outside into the heat if they absolutely had to, or because it was just too nice a day for dark clouds to loom overhead, whatever the reason, it was a beautiful day for Alabaster, for he had his beautiful mate with him, their adorable son and air in his lungs, and for Alabaster, that was all he needed to be happy.

Lunara trimmed at the puffy formations with attention to detail as she raised a brow and chuckled, reaching into the bushy puff, retrieving a small plate of what appeared to be leftover broccoli. Shaking her head as she discovered just what Autumn had really done with his broccoli from a few nights ago. Chuckling to herself as she recalled that she was not too fond of the food item at his age either, if any filly of colt ever acted like their broccoli was good, they were likely hiding something from their parents, perhaps even the broccoli itself.

Lunara sighed as she stood, admiring her hoof work, quite pleased of what she'd done as she licked her dry lips, what she wouldn't do for a...

"Drink?" spoke Alabaster from behind her as he teasingly placed the glass of ice cold water against her side as she shrieked for more than one reason.

"Alabaster Armstrong! You scared the yellow rainbow outta me!" she yelled, looking into his eyes sternly before taking the drink out of his hooves gratefully and sighing as she felt the pleasant sensation of the cool water running down her throat and cooling her off, keeping one eye fixed on her trickster husband.

"Thank you for the drink darling, you read my mind as I was about to come inside for a drink, though I would not have given myself a startle like you felt so pleased at giving me Al."

Alabaster just grinned at his easily spooked mate as he responded.

"Eh, can I help it that I just love to see you dear? Even if you happen to be glaring at me like just now, I just want to see that beautiful face of yours look at me, regardless of it's expression."

Lunara rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Yes dear, I hear you, Perhaps you should go find that beautiful face of yours then luv, as there's no one else here but a simple old home-mare and her colt."

Alabaster grinned at her as he lovingly proved to her just who's beautiful face he was speaking of as he took her in his hooves and give her lips a loving kiss as he smiled at her warmly.

"Now now luv, be careful about going around kissing gargoyles Ally, one might just come alive and attack you... or worse, fall in love with you." she spoke teasingly

Alabaster just chuckled to himself as he grinned.

"Oops, too late, One already has."

~

Flying...

Fire that consumed all and reached high into the skies...Smoke that choked all of the air out of one's lungs...and Screams, those horrible, wailing, bloodcurdling screams that sent ice through your very soul...

Looking around in a panic as destruction and terror surrounded him, barely even recognizing where he was till it dawned on him, He was home, or close to home anyway. This literal hell that surrounded him was none other than downtown Cloudsdale.

Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he leapt into the air trying to fly as he would make it home sooner if he did so, but instead of a powerful flight, his wings faltered and he crashed into the pavement with a sickly thud as he went end over end in pain, righting himself against the agonizing pain that shot through his every limb, yet his pride stung even more as he, a pegasus, could not even fly to his own home, of which he could see now in the distance.

Dashing up to the front door as he looked in horror as the well trimmed cloudbushes before his home, were charred into ash. Dashing inside before hearing his name being called from outside, falling to the floor and crashing into a desk that one held a varied arrangement of his mother's favorite flowers in his desperate attempt to turn around and run back outside, righting himself as he ran outside, only to catch a glimpse of both his parents plummeting toward the ground, either unconscious or worse, it did not matter at the time, for he lept off the edge of the clouds without a second thought and dived after them, tucking his wings tightly to his sides as he caught up to them, only because their larger forms fell slower than his own. The ground being only mere moments away now, he knew he only had enough time to say goodbye, and with that, Autumn kissed his mother on the cheek.

"I love you too my son" she softly spoke, just before the uncaring ground claimed their lives.

~

"NOOOOOO!!!"

A nurse pony ran over to Autumn's side as she had to fight to restrain him.

"Please calm down Autumn! You're going to hurt yourself even worse! You've obviously had a nightmare child!" she pleaded as Autumn's eyes dashed around the room as he calmed down slightly.

"Where am I? What's going on? Where's my mom and dad?" Autumn cried as his conscious body screamed in pain as he wailed out in miserable agony.

"You're at the Cloudsdale hospital child, you gave us all a scare, for a moment we thought we might lose you Autumn, Your parents are worried sick about you, they are just outside, If you promise me you'll keep still, I'll go get them dear, Promise? she spoke as she comforted the young colt.

Autumn nodded his head, obeying her as he relaxed and laid back down quietly.

"I Promise"

"There's a good boy, now you keep still until I get back with your parents dear, i'll only be gone for a moment" she spoke softly as Autumn nodded, beginning to cry softly as he realized, he could not feel anything in his wings. He was too afraid to see if he even still had any, he'd heard stories about how Pegisi had bad accidents and woke up in the hospital without their wings.

Autumn was scared, all he could do was cry and wait.

~

Earlier that day, Lunara and Alabaster had been having a peaceful day back home, thinking about how their son must be having his first lessons in the immensely important part of learning how to fly. It was a moment of mixed feelings as they both realized when he returned home, it would be with memories of flight school, the everlasting skill of flight and a major boost of self-confidence. Still... It was somewhat bittersweet for them to realize there would never be another day he'd want or be able to ask for a ride on either of their backs. Parenthood was truly a never ending wonder of happiness and heartbreak for certain. Though nothing could have shattered their world as much as the news a teenage pegisi brought them on this beautiful day.

He flew in from the north with alarming speed, landing without slowing as he made the rest of the short distance to their home in a flat-out gallop as he came to a sharp stop before them and nodded his head as graciously as a pegasus completely out of wind pegasus could as he wasted no time at delivering the message he brought.

"Your son Autumn has been taken to the Cloudsdale hospital from an injury at the flight academy" he spoke between breaths.

Somewhere between "Autumn" and "hospital" a great rush of wind threatened to sweep the younger pegasi right off his hooves as Alabaster had unfolded his wings and took to the skies in a powerful flap of his wings, Lunara not far behind him, always having been the quicker flyer of them as she soon caught up to him. Yet this was no race back from the day of flight school, All they had to hear was their colt's name and the word "hospital" used in the same sentence to know there was nothing more important to them then their son's health and happiness, and both were in limbo as they dashed toward the hospital, praying to Celestia with all their hearts that their little colt was alright.

Suddenly, their fears of never getting to carry their son again just took a wicked turn for the worst, as they may very well be carrying him just one last time.

...

To his final resting place...

Discover Autumn's fate, Meet new friends and discover just what it means to live and cry, Read on in:
Harmony's Call: Chapter Three: Wings Clipped and The Words That Slipped

(Extra: Autumn's favorite band - The Chirpington Chirpers)

Author's Note:

Here's the second chapter of Autumn's Story for you to read and see what you think. The third chapter of this story is where I left off about a year ago to this day. This is where I ask your opinions if I should continue on this story or start fresh with something new. I still have the wish to continue on this (and likely will do so even if I get chased of the site with my monster. xD) I'd just like a public opinion. ^^

Comments

[AutumnShy_88]

4870070

Thank you, I'm glad you like it. ^^ Autumn deals with some difficult times in the next chapter, but nothing life-changing.

You have a beautiful avatar btw.