Of Raising Alicorn Foals

by Guardian Talon

AU: Flying lessons

Version 1

Twilight Sparkle's wings had finished growing and the little alicorn now looked like a pegasus. Princess Celestia was all too happy to provide her first flying lesson. It was because of this that she was guiding the family to an old observation post on the far side of the mountain.

Twilight was hopping around in excitement with her little wings buzzing away. Her back wasn't sore anymore, the growing pains from growing new limbs was over with, she had learned how to preen, and she had read through three whole books on flying. Two of which were in the saddle bags weighing her down.

Shining was eagerly exploring the mostly abandoned path to the disused location. Peering over the edge or poking his muzzle into holes and cracks that they passed.

Their parents were less enthused about the uncomfortably narrow path with no guard rails. The princess's presence, and knowledge that their foals would be fine, being the only things keeping them calm.

A short bridge brought them to a platform with the remnants of small shelter off to the side. Celestia took a moment to enjoy the relative peace and quiet as the two curious foals looked around.

The time came and she turned to Twilight Sparkle. "Are you ready to fly?"

After a moment's struggle, she got her saddlebags off and pulled out one of the books. "Yep. I read all about it. See?" She held up the book to show the princess.

She smiled down at the little alicorn. "That's good to hear. But can you apply that theory to practice?"

She had put the book down and now just sat there with her head tilted to the side, one ear up and the other back.

Reconsidering her words she tried again. "Can you use what you learned from the book to help you fly?"

The filly jumped up and nodded rapidly before crouching down with her wings flared and tongue sticking out like she was about to sprint into the air.

Celestia giggled at the display before scooping Twilight up in her magic and throwing her off the platform.

Shining ran to the edge and watcher her arc through the air. "Go Twily, you can do it!"

Velvet and Night Light cautiously approached the edge when their daughter fell out of sight. Velvet leaned out enough to see a little purple form getting smaller. "I'm sorry for questioning your methods Princess, but is this really the best way to teach her?"

She shrugged in response but didn't take her eyes off the falling filly while mentally keeping track of how long it was taking. "It's how I learned." A long time ago on a mesa that no longer exists. "Maybe it's a bit harsh, but it's effective, and we don't have to worry about anypony getting hurt."

They nodded and backed up when they could no longer see their daughter below.

Shining's excitement had been falling the longer it took and the further down he had to look. Suddenly it gave out. "Aww. She didn't do it."

"It was a good first attempt." Celestia finally looked away from the chunky red splatter on the rocks below. "It took her over ten seconds longer then it would have if she simply fell." She stepped away from the edge and turned to the remaining family members. "Let's give her some time to recover and she can try again. So how are things out in Vanhoover?"

Night Light nodded. "It's quiet, friendly. I think we'll be happy there until the next time we have to move."

...

There was a flash of light and Twilight Sparkle was stumbling about from the sudden change in location. Her left eye was wandering around and a shake of her head only stirred it up more. A few more shakes and it started falling into place. A few blinks and she could start to focus on things again. She looked around to see her family and the princess staring down at her. She laid down with her ears pinned back. "Oops."

Celestia lowered her head close to the filly's. "You did very good for your first time. I saw you trying to do what you read in the book, but you need experience and practice to use it." She watched the filly think about it and slowly nod. "Are you ready to try again?" That got a more vigorous nod.

Watching the princess throw his little sister off the platform again, Shining Armor walked back to the edge. "Come on Twily. I know you can do it!"

---

Version 2

Shining Armor's wings had finished growing and the little alicorn now looked like a pegasus. Princess Celestia was all too happy to provide his first flying lesson. It was because of this that she was guiding the family to an old observation post on the far side of the mountain.

He kept jumping into the air and flapping, trying to take off then and there. Inexperience with his new limbs meant that he kept loosing control and crashing, or going over the edge a couple times and being snatched out of the air by the surprisingly vigilant princess leading them.

Twilight Sparkle was busy investigating the interesting things she found. Like a shiny rock and a poisonous plant that she examined by sniffing and eating it, then spitting out the bad tasting remains. That was when her mother picked her up and put her in a saddlebag.

Their parents were less enthused about the uncomfortably narrow path with no guard rails. The princess's presence, and knowledge that their foals would be fine, being the only things keeping them calm.

A short bridge brought them to a platform with the remnants of small shelter off to the side. Velvet got her daughter out of the saddlebag and Celestia took a moment to enjoy the relative peace and quiet as the two curious foals looked around.

The time came and she turned to Shining. "Are you ready to fly?"

He stood up straight with his little wings flared out like he was posing for a recruiting poster.

Celestia giggled at the display. "I'll take that as a yes." She scooped him up in her magic and threw him off the platform.

A cry of "Shiny!" and a clattering of tiny hooves was the only warning they got before a purple blur shot off the edge and into the air.

"Twilight! No!"

Velvet rushed to the edge but was stopped by Celestia's hoof. "She'll be fine. Just let her have her fun." I remember Luna doing the same thing my first time.

She could only stand there and watch her foals fall as the knowledge that they would be fine fought against her material instinct. A purple speck to her vision, turned into a larger red dot and she looked away, but turned back in time to see the same thing happen to the imperceptibly larger white and blue speck.

"I'd say he did fairly well. She hit the ground almost eight seconds sooner." She pulled Velvet away from the edge and the three of them sat down. "Let's give them some time to recover and he can try again. So how are things with the rest of you? Have you finished moving into the new apartment in Manehattan?"

Night Light nodded. "It's a nice place. Thank you for helping with that. I never expected a life of always moving around, but I understand the necessity."

...

There was a flash of light and two disoriented foals were in the middle of the platform. Sparkle just laid there cross eyed and trying to look around. Shining got up and tried to walk around but tripped over his sister and face planted. After he regained his balance he got up again and looked at the princess with a nervous grin and his ears back. "I guess I wasn't ready."

She stood up straight and smiled down at him. "I wasn't expecting you to start as an expert flyer. You have to work your way up to that. You did very good for your first time. And I even saw you try to catch your sister. That was very impressive for how little time you've spent in the air." She watched him swell with pride and briefly considered trying to find a way to use him in some kind of recruitment poster. "Are you ready to try again?"

He turned and started marching towards the edge. A burst of the princess's magic had him airborne again.

"Shiny!" Again a purple blur shot off the edge.

"Twilight!" Velvet stood up and reached out with a hoof but just sighed and sat down again.

Night light nuzzled her. "Looks like she recovered in time."

Celestia giggled as she watched the two little alicorns fall.

Comments

[Sunny Rose]

Wondering if this chapter is cannon to the first story or not, but it's still giving me all kinds of giggles!

[Guardian Talon]

10467575
No, just thought it would be funny. Anything marked AU won't fit in the main story line. In this one it's because they start as earth ponies and then get their wings second.

[Cross Lament]

♫ It's raining alicorns, hallelujah... ♫

[badninja]

So nice to see how it could have gone if certain things came around at different times.

[Draco Dei]

Her left eye was wondering around and a shake of her head only stirred it up more.

-I think you would want "wandering"?

[Guardian Talon]

10470791
Eeyup. There's always a few things that get through.

[cogwheelbrain]

Going down!