Larkspur Blossom

by Pone_Heap

Chapter 10: Visiting the Meadows'

While beginning to down the supreme pizza that just arrived, Lark listened to Windy’s story.

Windy had been born in Ponyville but didn’t remember the place. They moved to Trottingham when her dad got a transfer. He was a geologist, and his work took him many places. She remembered Trottingham, but not well, as they packed up to Canterlot when she was 5. Then Baltimare, then Las Pegasus. There wasn’t much to say about a lot of it.

What there was to know was when she was 7, living in Baltimare, her “problem” became apparent. She’d always been a weak flyer, but a 7-year-old having some problems flying wasn’t unheard of. Some Pegasi were older than that and had never flown yet. It showed up in her gait, which he certainly didn’t miss.

At first, the doctors thought it might be a brain tumor, and boy, did that terrify her. It shook the family. Even if it wasn’t cancerous, it was a huge detriment. Thankfully, it turned out not to be one. Still, nopony had any idea what was wrong with her. Many looked at, and examined her, but nopony had seen whatever it was. All they knew was it was probably neurological and/or had something to do with her Pegasus magic.

But, the problem never progressed. Her ability to fly never got any better, but she didn’t lose function. She had to watch her step and carefully coordinate herself, but it never got worse. So, not ignoring the problem, but not fretting over it, they kept an eye on it.

As he had heard, something happened a couple weeks after moving to Vanhoover. She had been in gym class, when she simply locked up while flying, and fell out of the sky. A classmate caught her with his magic, so she was unhurt by the fall. It was alarming to her parents, her doctors keeping an eye on her, and naturally, to Windy herself.

After further baffling doctors in Vanhoover, she was sent with her mom to Canterlot, to see a medical specialist in Pegasi Magic. It was found her ability to fly took a sudden drop. It came and went, but she was able to fly. Her ability only completely quit on her a few times. Even more unsettling, was the fact she began to fall through clouds sporadically. These tests especially scared her. She’d wound up dropping through them, only to be caught by a unicorn or Pegasus therapist.

The real hit occurred when she could no longer fly. This happened at the end of the summer. She'd gotten worse and worse, but a day came she was unable to lift. She tried and tried. Her doctors told her that was it. Her parents told her the same. It was a hard pill to swallow.

She and her mom had stayed for months in Canterlot, while the doctors tried to piece together what was wrong. Just in the last month, from where they were in the pizza shop, they finally figured out what was wrong. It was something they’d never seen, and there had only been a few cases documented, ever, but they knew what it was.

It was magical ataxia. A neurological problem, it affected her locomotion and deteriorated her natural Pegasus magic. It was the reason for her coordination problems and her failing magic. The problem was progressive, but the few cases had been so varied, predicting anything was impossible. She may remain the way she is, or… she tried not to think about it too much.

Lark watched her continue to eat steadily. She was being… awfully cool about this. It’s not like she enjoyed telling him all that, but… she’d basically told him that whatever this ataxia was… might kill her. His stomach knotted up, and he hoofed his plate away.

“Oh, Lark… I didn’t mean to bother you with all that. And I really hope I didn’t kill your appetite. It’s just… I’ve had more time to think about all this than I care to have. I’m sorry if it upset you.”

He pulled his plate back, still bewildered by her coolness, “Oh, it’s okay…”

Seeing his discomfort, “I told you I was making light earlier. I don’t know what else to do with this. I suppose… you can either laugh or cry. And I’ve had enough of being scared. I’ve just… had enough of feeling sorry for myself. I did too much of it when I was young… maybe I’d have made some friends if I tried to lighten up.”

This struck a cord with Lark. Feeling his appetite return, he continued to eat. They sure had enough to get their fill. He realized he felt good. He was glad to be there with her.

“Well, Windy… you have a friend in me.”

She looked at him with her pleasant, but unreadable expression, “I’m glad to hear that.”

Lark smiled at her, continuing lunch. He told her about Mr. Chippy, and the couple weeks of work he’d done under him. The old-timer would probably delight in meeting her. Neither had been at the school for long, but there were certainly things they could tell the other. Enjoying their lunch, they managed to stuff themselves and would have no leftovers.

Both soon had sugar rushes from drinking too much cola. They were leaving, and the clock read 1:30 p.m. They tried deciding what to do next. Lark knew the natural history museum was just a block away.

“You said you’d never been to the Vanhoover Natural History Museum, right? Student admission is free on Saturday. Let’s go.”

Windy grinned, “Oh, that does sound fun.”

And they did go. Lark found it a joy to have a friend that was interested in this stuff. He loved his friends from his own class, but none of them had any real stock in his admittedly eclectic interests. Little did he realize, but she felt the same way.

It was almost 4:00 p.m. by the time they left. Lark had so much fun with her, he actually forgot about his headache for the day. Of course, even the shades couldn’t save him from the glaring, afternoon sun.

“Gah!”

She winced, “Ooh. I remember that feeling. Unless you feel like doing something else, let’s head back. I think you’ve had enough fun today.”

She couldn’t help but laugh as he nodded, and she said, “I’ve had enough walking for today, so yeah! Let’s head back.”

They made it to the bus stop without incident. Along the way, he learned she lived only a block opposite his side of the school, so she had a convenient route, even if she couldn’t fly. He realized what it must be like for a Pegasus who couldn’t fly. Perhaps it was like… losing part of yourself.

They didn’t chat much on the ride back to the school. Neither minded the quiet. It was nice to just sit down for a while. Windy had to nudge Lark, when they arrived. He’d nodded off a little. Departing the bus, Lark trotted down easily. Then he remembered Windy. She made if halfway down, and he wouldn’t have stepped in if he hadn’t seen it coming. Her left back leg, which he’d noticed gave her the most difficulty, buckled.

He caught her. She was very light for her size, a little smaller than his other filly friends. She hardly weighed more than Valley. The bus driver looked concerned, but Lark had her, and motioned him away.

Windy was leaning on him. He wasn’t about to let go.

She whispered, obviously embarrassed, “I’m sorry, Lark…”

Taken aback, “Sorry for what? Don’t be. Are you okay?”

Testing her leg, she put weight on it, “I think so… it just… buckles sometimes. I did more walking today than I’m used to.”

He hadn’t planned on it, but, “Let me walk you home. Just want to make sure you get there okay.”

“Oh… You don’t have to. It just happens, sometimes.”

“Oh, it’s fine. It’s only a block. My eyes feel okay, so let’s go.”

Smiling warmly at him, she felt her eyes mist up, but she blinked it away, “Okay…”

As they walked, Lark looked around. His uncle had told him this part of town, even this close to where they were, was many decades older than their neighborhood. Their neighborhood was some park 15 years before, that was relocated. Lark could see the difference. The houses they were walking past were made of brick, mostly, as opposed to wood and steel. Some of the houses had been there 150 years, his uncle said, but were not nearly as old as the port. Being in the housing business, they’d decided to buy a newer house, simply for the sake of modernized utilities. Some old houses that were refurbished cost a literal fortune.

In a word, Lark would describe the neighborhood as impressive. Each house had its own character, with so many different landscapes.

“Here it is, Lark.”

He looked to the house. It was like, and unlike, any of the other houses he could see. Windy’s parents sure loved flowers. He knew more than he cared to admit about flowers. The front of the house was rife with them, along the porch and front. It was dying back; obviously, somepony was cleaning up to prepare for the cold weather that would be along fairly soon. The other thing that got his attention, was the perfectly manicured lawn. Whether it was her mom or dad that took care of the yard, or even some landscaper company, he wanted an introduction.

But perhaps the most interesting thing in the yard was the single tree. He could see more in the back, but this tree caught his attention. He recognized it immediately, though he’d never seen one in real life. It was a pecan tree.

He got excited, “Windy, has the tree ever flowered, or nutted? I can’t believe it’s even survived the winters up here.”

“It sent out some flowers this year, but no nuts,” a voice unlike Lark’s or his friend’s, drawled. “Fella owned the house before never even saw flowers.”

Lark looked up. A lanky Pegasus stallion was looking down at the two of them. His burnt yellow coat and blaze orange mane stood out against the white painted rail he was leaning on. Round, steel-rimmed glasses sat low on his face, partially obscuring his argyle eyes. Lark thought he looked like a hippie.

He smiled down to them, “How was the lecture, Windy?”

“It was fun, Daddy. After lunch, we went to the natural history museum.”

Her dad… He seemed like an interesting character.

Looking at the colt, “You must be Lark… How are you?”

Lark wanted to be polite, “Yes, I’m Lark. I'm okay. You must be Mr. Meadow… Nice yard.”

Mr. Meadow grinned, “Well, thanks. Wish you could see the flower garden when it’s actually doing something… Call me Sunny if you like. Sunny Meadow, isn’t that something?”

Lark was unsure about this, “Sure… I tell you, it’s so cool you have a pecan tree.”

“Yeah, I don’t know how it’s managed to live this long, either. I was told it was put in about 25 years ago. Guess the weather was right for a bloom. Sure surprised me.”

Lark’s mind entered garden mode, “My aunt and uncle have a nice, big yard, and this looks just about like what I want to do. I’m just a little worried about the soil… newer development and all. I just tilled in the garden last month, for Spring. I added a whole inch of coarse sand to deal with that clay. I want to get some compost started when I can in the yard, but Aunt Fairy…”

Lark was distracted by Windy. She was looking at him intently.

“Lark… you didn’t tell me you were into gardening. I love gardening.”

Mr. Meadow chuckled, “That’s how it is around here… I like turf, Windy likes gardening, and speaking of flowers, here comes the wife.”

A gorgeous Pegasus mare appeared beside Mr. Meadow. Lark could immediately see from where Windy got her pointedly good looks. Her coat was a lighter shade of peach and her mane was a shocking blue. Her green eyes had a sharpness to them. She looked like a model… but he was reminded of his own mother. A sure kindness in her face was unmistakable.

She beamed at Lark, while playfully shoving her husband, “Yes, yes. I’m the wife.”

Mr. Meadow stood back, as if presenting the greatest thing anypony had ever seen, “Ain’t she something, Lark? I’m just some long-hair geologist and I land this?!”

Windy blushed, “Daddy!”

So Windy can blush like a cherry, Lark smirked. He had started to think she was so even-tempered, but what foal doesn’t freak out when embarrassed by their parents?

Mrs. Meadow cuffed him, laughing with a blush, “Oh, stop it Sunny. We have a guest.”

Mr. Meadow, shaking his head, chortling, leaned once again on the railing.

Mrs. Meadow turned to Lark, “Hello, Lark. I’m Fair Meadow.”

Fair Meadow. Wow. “Hi, Mrs. Meadow. I was just admiring your flowers… well, I wish I could. I’m sure it was something to see until last week.”

She smiled softly, “Oh, thank you, Lark. I’ve been waiting to have a flowerbed like this since Sunny and I were in college. All the moving around, though… Windy probably told you, but this is the 6^th city we’ve lived in since she was born. And even more before then.”

Mr. Meadow sighed, “Well, no more of that. I hope to stay right here until I’m old and gray… Come up on the porch.”

Lark hadn’t even considered that, being caught up in the conversation. But he got ready to make the climb. Almost unconsciously, he was watching Windy. He knew what might happen, and he didn’t want to see her fall. But she made it. Seeing she was fine, he relaxed and went to sit in one of the open chairs.

Lark may not have given a second thought to watching out for Windy, but her parents noticed what he was doing. They noticed something was wrong. But, for now, they decided to keep quiet on the matter. It was the first friend their daughter had brought home since moving, and maybe only the second or third she ever had brought home.

Mrs. Meadow grimaced, not at Lark, but when she saw him wince at the sun, “Oh, Lark… We heard you were the foal that got the concussion in buckball last week. How are you feeling?”

He appreciated the consideration, “Not bad, now. Sudden or bright light gets me, but I’ve just about gotten to the point I can sit in a lit room without a problem. Doctor says I’m doing about as fine as he expected. I can probably go back to my normal classroom sometime this next week.”

Smiling, she leaned back on the loveseat with her husband, “That’s good to hear… so… you said you liked gardening?”

“Oh, sure. I like yardwork in general. Maybe it’s the Earth pony in me… But I don’t know about that. My aunt and uncle have pretty much let me take over the work outside… except for cleaning the gutters. They’re both unicorns, my youngest sister’s one, and my other sister is a Pegasus, so I think they can deal with that.”

Mr. Meadow chuckled, “Magic must make taking care of the grass a breeze. But, a little know-how works well enough. I’m a geologist of course. I guess I didn’t say, but I have a new position now. Before, I was just a traveling technician, but now I’m Dr. Meadow, of Earth Sciences, at the university. One small perk is the lab. I can soil test anything I want. S’why the yard looks so nice.”

Lark grinned, “That’s cool, Mr. Meadow. I can’t wait for next Spring. I have a plan, and the yard should look awesome once I can start on it. I did an analysis of my own, but with magic.”

Mrs. Meadow perked up, “Magic? Really?”

“I’m just hoping it’s accurate. My little sister, Copper, has a talent for magical theory. I told her what I wanted, and she figured out a spell to test for the soil makeup. It was pretty cool… But I’m sure Mr. Meadow’s lab is something.”

Windy sat there, happy to see her parents enjoying themselves. Not that she wasn’t. She knew a thing or two about a lot of things, but soil chemistry wasn’t one of them, so she just listened.

Mr. Meadow gave a little head tilt, “Wow… Could you… show me?”

Lark was nonplussed, “Uh, sure.”

Mrs. Meadow chuckled, “Your sister must be something special to come up with that. She’s what… a 2^nd grader?”

“Oh, no… Copper’s a 1^st grader. My sister Valley, the Pegasus, is a 2^nd grader.”

Mrs. Meadow was wowed, “If I had brains like that, I wouldn’t have gone into modelling.”

She and her husband broke down laughing. I thought so, Lark grinned to himself. A model.

Lark began to think of Windy… he hadn’t heard a peep out of her for a while. As if he’d said this out loud, Mr. Meadow spoke up.

“So, how was the natural history museum? All the places in town I’ve been, I haven’t been there…”

Windy took this, “Museum was interesting. They have that touring exhibit from the San Palomino Desert villages. I’m glad Lark suggested we go. I didn’t know anything special was going on.”

Mr. Meadow beamed at Lark, “A history lover, huh? I suppose I have a passion like that of my own: archeology. I had a little taste of it, in all the traveling I’ve done, but it’s time to settle down, and just be a boring geologist.”

Mrs. Meadow cuffed him, “There’s nothing boring about what you do. At least you get to spend some time in the field. I never got to even leave my lab.”

Lark was confused, “You’re a geologist too? I thought you said-”

Mrs. Meadow burst out laughing, “Oh, the modelling thing? That’s a joke between Sunny and I. Though… I did do some modeling. It was easier than waitressing. I did some of that too. But a geologist? No… I’m a chemist.”

So, the whole family is smart. Lark pondered.

Mr. Meadows spoke up again, “Tell us a little about this garden you’re putting in at home.”

The word “home” struck Lark. But he supposed it was his home, now.

“I tilled in last month, like I told you. Nice and big. Tilled down a whole foot with just my hooves and a shovel.”

They all chatted on, happily. The sun moved further west. Lark soon noticed the time.

“Whoa! I have to get going.”

“Couldn’t you stay for dinner, Lark?” asked Mrs. Meadow.

Oh, did that sound good to Lark, but, “My aunt and uncle have a business party tonight. I promised I’d get back and watch the girls. I guess I didn’t mention it, because I didn’t think I’d be staying so long.”

Mr. Meadow smiled, “We certainly enjoyed having you, and we hope we haven’t kept you. Need a ride?”

“Oh, no. It’s only 2 blocks away. I live pretty much the opposite side from the school as you. And I’ve got a little time, yet.”

Windy stood up, “If you have a few minutes, Lark, let me show you the backyard.”

Lark stood up as well, “Sure, Windy.”

He turned to her parents, “Thanks for having me. I had a really fun time today. I’m just glad to be feeling a little better.”

Mrs. Meadow smiled, “Please come back and visit.”

Lark was sure he would, “I’d love to.”

Mrs. Meadows stood up, rousing her husband, “Come on, dear. We have to get dinner ready.”

He stood up, “Good bye, Lark. See you later.”

They went inside, leaving the foals on the porch. They began to walk to the steps.

“Your parents are pretty cool, Windy. You’ll have to meet my aunt and uncle sometime. They’re a little less… laid back, but they’ve sure made a home for my sisters and me.”

Windy gave him a little smile, “I’d like that… I’m… glad you got to meet them, Lark. They’re… very special to me.”

Lark was simply baffled by some of the things he heard Windy say, but took it with a grain of salt. At the top of the steps, Windy halted. She looked… scared.

“Need a hoof down the steps?” Lark asked evenly.

It was apparent Windy was unused to such gallantry, or at least not expecting it from a peer. But she gave another little smile and leaned on him as they made their way down the steps. She was thankful for this. Once they were on level ground, she led him to the back.

They weren’t really spying... but they were. Mr. and Mrs. Meadow saw Lark helping their daughter, and then noticed her happy expression and his laughing face as they disappeared around the back. Husband and wife exchanged a bittersweet glance and went about their work in the kitchen. They knew Windy was in good hooves.

Windy showed Lark the backyard. It was almost as impressive as the front yard. And he saw the garden Windy had planted when they moved there. She never got to even see it grow, being in Canterlot for much of the year. But she had good hopes for the next year. He felt the same way about his own garden. It was nice to make a friend they could each share this with.

But Lark had to go. He wouldn’t be late in getting home, but he couldn’t dawdle. So, he helped Windy into the house, again wishing good night to the Meadows, who were preoccupied in the kitchen.

Windy turned to him, taking one of his hooves. She had on about the most poignant expression he’d ever seen. Her soft eyes glistened happily, an expression of the upmost content on her lips.

“I really had fun today, Lark. See you Monday?”

Would she? “Of course! Maybe we can talk a bit at recess. You know they keep us to our own classes in the cafeteria.”

“Sure.”

And with that, she went inside, shutting the door. Lark stood there, having had one of the best days he could remember. A happy chill went up in him, and he trotted across the porch, down the steps, onto the sidewalk, and then towards home.

He’d made another friend. It was a great feeling. As he trotted home, he was unaware of just what he’d gotten himself into.

Being the young colt he was, he had no way of knowing just how special this friendship would be to him… and to her. He had no idea he had just made the best friend he had ever or would ever have. His friendship with Windy would change him and his world in ways he never imagined… and in ways nopony could ever guess.

Author's Note:

So, Autumn is in "un-bloom" and Winter approaches soon enough. As Lark continues to navigate through the latter years of elementary school, where will his friendship with Windy take him?

Rest assured, this will never be a harem story, but throwing Windy into the mix with his other filly friends will be interesting.

Thanks for reading, and look forward to the next chapter. I'll try to have it out in the next week.