Simple thoughts

I breathed softly, a gentle breeze in the wind, like a soft melody. I idly moved a pencil between my teeth, making a few strokes with it. Though, with a sigh, I dropped it back into my notebook, my sketch still incomplete. I breathed in the cool air as it brushed past my coat.

Getting up from laying, I stretched, upon the narrow branch I laid upon. Closing the sketch away, I held it tightly abreast. My eyes wandered, to distant lands far away. From this tree of mine, high above all other trees, growing like a rose in a field of daisy flowers.

A smile grew. I like to think this perch was a product of my love, but really it was even simpler. Clutching my sketch tighter, I closed my eyes and stepped forwards, falling and feeling the winds. I simply enjoyed it, there was no need to contemplate or fear. Just let the daily worries break apart in the winds.

Another breath, in the wind it was as cool as a spring day. I slowly opened my eyes, and the bright skies above peered down. I wish I could watch the great unknown skies forever, or watch the twinkling of the beautiful night stars. But alas, I could not. Though, I know forever it was something to look forward to. With the knowledge in my return, I focused.

Down below the great fall lands came, and from the great lake from which roots tasted. I spread my wings as details became ever more clear and I scored through the skies now. My feathers each spread, feeling the winds as I flew. Trees came and went, as did friends and strangers in a market.

I pondered on the simplicities. While some see beauty in the details, I sought peace in simplicity, for what more does another need? Behind me slowly grew distance, a great tree in the skies. I did not feel sadness at my departure, no I felt like it was always with me.

As the skies changed, so did I sore peacefully. The skies were my friend, a constant I knew I could always trust. A friend that never let me down, something always there. It was ever-changing but never different.

With a roll of my eyes, I thought of myself being silly. Soaring down just so I could feel the wind as I pondered, when I likely would have enjoyed staying in my tree a bit longer, placing the last touches on my sketchings.

Oh well, perhaps next time. I flew low and outstretched a hoof to the tree leaves that surrounded me, feeling the gentle parting of life. But it must end, as all doors do. And one must brave a new path as one comes to end.

With a gentle flitter, I slowed past as the trees ended revealing vast lands of greenery. Spotting a peculiar hill, I softly touched down letting my hooves sink into the grass. Perched on a rock was a saddlebag, partially open with some books and paper.

I stored away my belongings and sketches and frowned at the contents.

"Ah pony feathers," I moaned, "I forgot to take my homework."

I sighed, knowing full well I'll have to finish it later tonight, or barring that wake early. Pulling the saddlebag around me, I heard a flapping and turned to a pleasant surprise.

"Hey, Sis!" I heard my sibling call, "Where you been?"

"Oh you know, just out on a flight myself."

As she came down to me she bore a happy grin, "Oh really? Not out with anypony special?"

"Oh please, it's not like you have a special somepony," I teased, nudging her as she softly landed.

"Oh? Wanna bet on it?"

"In your dreams." I stuck my tongue out.

I giggled softly at our antics.

"C'mon, Mom's making dinner," she motioned for me to follow.

"Oh really? What's she cooking, more leftovers?"

"Oh come on, she makes a mean stew. Besides, she's making tacos."

I rolled my eyes, "Not when she makes it every week."

And so we continued to converse, as we flew home. Time flowed, like the flowing waters in a river. An undisrupted flow, always flowing and always calm. But soon too did this river come to an end, and my sister and I landed.

"Mom?" I called coming through the doors.

"Over here!"

My sister and I came to the dinner table, with all the food already laid out and ready. I could smell the deliciousness from the other room.

"Welcome home," Mom commented hugging the both of us.

"Thanks," we both answered.

My sister was first to speak, "Well, I've had a lot to do today, so I'm absolutely exhausted."

"I'm surprised you're not all skin and bones with how often you end up sleeping before dinner," came my off-hoofed response.

"And I'm surprised the door's fat enough to fit you with how often you lazy around."

I pouted as mom laughed softly, "Dig in!"

And so it was just us, Sis, Mom, and I. We ate, spoke, and we laughed together. A simple dinner with family, and to me all I ever needed. My sister went off to bed, she had practice in the morning, but not before I got her promise she'd wake me early, for I still had forgotten my homework.

I had planned to enjoy myself longer, but Mom, upon hearing that I was going to wake early to finish my homework, had corralled me to bed, saying that if I was going to wake early for homework I would sleep early. It was my own fault, and no amount of rebuttals and pouting would change her mind.

"I'm not a filly anymore!" I rebuked.

"And yet you're my filly," she tucked me in.

I still pouted in a vain attempt, but once all said and done, she still tucked me in.

"You know that won't work, right?"

I pouted more.

She kissed my forehead, "Goodnight dear."

196 views

Comments ( 7 )

Viewing 1 - 50 of 7
- Newest First
- Oldest First

FanOfMostEverything

FanOfMostEverything #1 · May 22nd, 2022 · 1 · ·

Ooh, Magic: the Gathering cover art. Let's see now...

Hmm. It's not this is bad, it's just inadequately explored. You begin with this very dreamlike, abstract way of establishing the setting... but then the sister shows up and everything takes a hard turn into much more concrete slice of life. (Also, how do pegasi even eat tacos?)

I think part of the issue is on my end. With the World Tree as cover art, I was expecting something a bit more cosmic. As it is, there's not enough detail anywhere for me to envision it clearly. Fitting a whole story into a thousand words isn't easy. You have the start of a promising first scene here, but that's about it.

Still, thank you for entering and best of luck in the judging.

Pensive

Pensive #2 · May 22nd, 2022 · · ·

11248477
Yeah, compared to the cover art the story is less cosmic. Though, I never really played Magic: The Gathering, call me a heretic, but I just don't see it around often. Cover art is just something I found online after a few minutes, probably gonna change it if it's causing confusion.

In the end, this is just something silly I wrote when I was bored

Bicyclette

Bicyclette #3 · Jul 12th, 2022 · 1 · ·

I breathed softly, a gentle breeze in the wind, like a soft melody. I idly moved a pencil between my teeth, making a few strokes with it. Though, with a sigh, I dropped it back into my notebook, my sketch still incomplete. I breathed in the cool air as it brushed past my coat.

really gets us into the skin of being this horse, with the sensory descriptions and the teeth and coat

I pondered on the simplicities. While some see beauty in the details, I sought peace in simplicity, for what more does another need? Behind me slowly grew distance, a great tree in the skies. I did not feel sadness at my departure, no I felt like it was always with me.

aww, contemplative!

But it must end, as all doors do. And one must brave a new path as one comes to end.

so true

"Ah pony feather," I moaned, "I forgot to take my homework."

haha, funny how this line changes my mental image of the narrator so instantly!

"Oh come on, she makes a mean stew. Besides, she's making tacos."

i am jealous, i would love to have someone make a taco dinner for me! wow, i really didn't know how good i had it as a kid

And so we continued to converse, as we flew home. Time flowed, like the flowing waters in a river. An undisrupted flow, always flowing and always calm. But soon too did this river come to an end, and my sister and I landed.

haha, definitely seeing this character now as a, well not brooding, but very contemplative teenager that sees these poetic metaphors in every little aspect of life. agh, that feels just like a specific kind of person that you see sometimes in real life, you know? like, i think i was this kid when i was a kid, but it's hard to remember how i actually thought and felt then as opposed to the story my current self tells to myself about what i was like back then

"I'm not a filly anymore!" I rebuked.
"And yet you're my filly," she tucked me in.
I still pouted in a vain attempt, but once all said and done, she still tucked me in.
"You know that won't work, right?"
I pouted more.
She kissed my forehead, "Goodnight dear."

augh, what an adorable ending! such a fun contrast with all the poignant contemplation of life and the world that came before it!

the anchoring into a mundane and wholesome slice of life at the end was a great touch, and worked really well for the story. i can just feel that combination of a wonder at the world that tries its best to be mature beyond its years, and the lack of specificity that comes with age and time and tragedy and responsibility, carving scar tissue into the soul. it really captures what it feels like to be an introspective teenager before she's had the chance to go out into the world and realize that she is part of it and its mundane and petty divisions, or at least how i remember what it felt like, and augh.

great stuff!

keybounce

keybounce #4 · Aug 7th, 2022 · 1 · ·

"I'm not a filly anymore!" I rebuked.
"And yet you're my filly," she tucked me in.
I still pouted in a vain attempt, but once all said and done, she still tucked me in.
"You know that won't work, right?"

You know, you summed up every childhood right here :-).

Alright, I admit, I came here from "out-of-context-quotes", expecting something different. Seeing a pegasus talking about plants and feeling the ground, I was expecting a young alicorn's story.

Instead, I got a nice look at an ordinary pegasus family.

Pensive