To Fly

This morning, I woke up in Equestria. Yesterday I was a normal guy, studying for his pilot’s license and dreaming of the skies.

I've always looked upon characters with wings with a twinge of envy and not just ponies. After all, who wouldn't want to soar through the skies unaided?

This fascination with flight unsurprisingly led to hobbies such as skydiving and then to a career as a pilot.

I stood up and walked out from under the apple tree that I had awoke under. I knew I'd been reborn as a Pegasi. I could feel my new wings.

With some concentration, I managed to spread my wings. They felt alien and I wasn't fully sure how to use them but this was a chance to fulfil my dreams so there was no time for hesitation.

A further five minutes of experimenting saw me able to flap my new limbs. It was time to fly.

I bent my knees, tensed and leapt then started to flap hard before crashing into the tree and promptly returning to the ground, face first.

I lay there for some time, in considerable pain before slowly rising to my feet once more. I needed somewhere open. Somewhere without trees or buildings and possibly somewhere with a little danger to let the adrenaline kick in.

I spent the afternoon climbing hills and exploring the countryside in order to find the perfect spot to launch myself from.

As the sun began to set, I finally found it. I was on top of a cliff, looking down at the plains below. The scattered trees looked like models from this height. This was the spot. This was perfect.

Without waiting, I raced forwards and dived off of the cliff, tucking in my limbs as if I was skydiving to gain more speed.

The wind in my ears, the adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart pumping so hard it felt like a drum. This is what I lived for.

As the ground got dangerously close, I spread my wings and arched my back to level out. I was flying, finally.

My heart was beating so hard that I thought it might explode and I let out a cheer. I had never been so happy. I wasn't done yet though, I needed to get higher. I needed to feel the clouds against my skin.

I turned upwards, hurtling towards the sky. The clouds that once seemed out of reach were getting closer by the second and I could barely contain my excitement.

Finally I broke through them, giving my coat a damp sheen in the process. I had done it, my dream was complete. Now all that was left was to enjoy the sky.

I swooped through the clouds, drifting on air currents and occasionally flapping my wings to maintain my altitude, smiling the entire time.

I passed over the cliff that I had launched myself from, the tree laden with delicious looking apples that I had awoke under then over the town of Ponyville.

The dimly lit streets were all but abandoned, with just a few ponies making their way back home, none of whom spared more than a passing glance for the Pegasus overhead.

I flew above landmarks from the show. Rarities Boutique, Twilights castle, the town hall and looped around Rainbows house before leaving Ponyville to fly over Fluttershys cottage.

Next on my aerial tour was the Everfree Forest. I flew low enough that I could feel the leaves brushing up against my underside as the Castle of the Two Sisters loomed in the distance. That would be my next stop.

A few flaps of my wings increased my altitude as I raced towards the ruined castle. Flying had become exceptionally easy in the short time I had been airborne but I still didn’t trust myself to take off without the aid of a cliff so I had to force myself to resist the urge to land and explore.

Instead, I contented myself with flying slowly around the large structure and peeking through windows as they passed. These glimpses didn’t give a great view of the interior but flying was enough for now. I could explore another day.

After a few circuits of the castle, I circled above it to plan my next move but when none came to mind, I simply took off in the direction I’d come from. Something told me I mustn’t stray too far from the apple tree. It felt important.

I shortly arrived at Ponyville again, doing another loop over Rainbows house as I passed by before heading towards the centre of town to contemplate my next move.

I debated visiting Canterlot or Cloudsdale but I felt it would be too far. Too much for one night. I could always visit in the morning now that I had mastered basic flight. Nowhere was out of reach anymore.

For a while, I just soared above Ponyville, looking down on the streets below with a smile before heading back towards Twilights castle. I slowly circled it in the same manner as I had done with the Castle of Two Sisters, peeking through passing windows in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Princess or her assistant but to no avail.

Eventually I got the urge to go higher again so I shot upwards, leaving a hole in the cloud I passed through. I spent hours soaring through the skies, playing under the soft light of the full moon. Dancing among the clouds. I had never felt so alive.

Eventually, it had to end. Exhaustion set in and I began my lazy descent to the ground, landing under the apple tree I had woke under this morning.

An apple had since fallen so I tucked it under my foreleg as a snack for the next day and drifted off to sleep.

The next time I awoke, I was in a bed. My bed. It had all been a dream. Possibly the greatest I've ever had but still, just a dream. My heart sank in disappointment.

I sat up, stretching my arms when a bright red apple fell from under them. An apple identical to the one under my tree.

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TwiwnB

TwiwnB #1 · Sep 14th, 2015 · · ·

This was a weird experience. On one side, it's a very simple and short story without much ambition and I managed to enjoy its simplicity.
I read the story because I have a passion for flying machines and flying altogether, so I came expecting a comparison between flying with a machine, gliding and flying unaided (as only birds and magical creatures can), or an analysis of the mindset and the psychological effects.

So how your story came to be so enjoyable is pretty surprising for me. I think it has to do with the general happy and positive atmosphere that surrounds it. I was just happy for the narrator, like I would for someone telling me he has had a happy experience recently (and now, I realize how little I get to have people tell such stories in real life).

Now the apple theme I still don't understand. The figure of style at the end, to leave a doubt on whether it was a dream or not, is always a good one in my mind, but I can't figure out what metaphor the apple is supposed to fill. I'm probably overthinking the whole thing, but this bugs me.

the tree laden with delicious looking apples that I had awoke under

There is even that reference to not only the apple tree and the apple, but the ediblness of the apple. And it comes back at the end:

An apple had since fallen so I tucked it under my foreleg as a snack for the next day

The only way I can explain it is that you thought of that story while daydreaming under a tree and eating an apple and you wanted to immortalize that moment with words.

Because I can't see what an apple can represent regarding flying. The tree I get, as it had often been used to represent home. But a feather, an object collected during the flying journey or a leaf seem like they would have made more sense (especially the leaf the longer I think about it).

I would like to know what your intention was and, in short: why an apple?

Minion

Minion #2 · Sep 14th, 2015 · · ·

6422925 Thank you so much for the review!

As for the apple, the only reason it's there is for that scene at the end. This story was pretty much a spur of the moment thing so when I got to the ending I decided to use an apple purely because he woke up and later went to sleep under an apple tree.

TwiwnB

TwiwnB #3 · Sep 14th, 2015 · · ·

6422969

so when I got to the ending I decided to use an apple purely because he woke up and later went to sleep under an apple tree.

Okay, that explains it .

I also see that you speak of the narrator by saying "he" and chose to use the "I" perspective for the story (sorry, my english isn't very good...). Can I ask what your reasoning was behind using the first person perspective instead of the third?
It was a good decision in my opinion, as it eliminates the intermediary between the reader and the narrator, but I wonder if it was conscious or not, even if it was a "spur of the moment thing". Or if it just made it easier for you to write it. Or if it's just the way you like to write...

Minion

Minion #4 · Sep 14th, 2015 · · ·

6422981 I mostly prefer to write in first person and thought it would be particularly appropriate in this story because there's only one character and no dialogue involved with the story.

TwiwnB