A Reckless Mare

by TangyTango

Arrival

“I fly, you cry!” Reckless is leaning over the side, shouting down at the ground. Her first time in the air is good, only confounded by Anon’s misery.

Anon has already emptied his stomach, and the turbulence isn’t helping. A silent croak leaves his mouth every minute- probably a prayer.

“No god help you, Anon!” Reckless continues to taunt the crippled human. She bounds across the small carriage, rocking it with little regard for the pegasi.

The hour-long flight is coming to a close, and the small city on the horizon is just starting to cast its familiar silhouette as the afternoon sun gives off a great glow. Reckless leans off the front, her body threatening to tip the entire contraption. If it weren’t for her lack of trepidation in the face of such a bizarre sensation, she’d be balled up on the ground with Anon.

“You know, Anon.” Reckless looks down on Anon, her exhilaration subsiding. “You think this feel natural?” Licking her lips, she has a stern look of concentration. “Ever been on boat?”

Anon shakes his head. “Never.”

“I first horse to naval land.” Reckless proudly puts a hoof to her chest. “I not make easy.” She chuckles lightly. “Spit up food like you. Navy Captain not happy. This flying contraption no different, just let happen, any stress you become accustomed to. Gentle rocking, let it feel like…”

“A rollercoaster.” One of the pegasi abetted.

“I hate rollercoasters.” Anon slowly exhales, and cups his face into his hands.

Reckless snorts. “Maybe you hate fun, sad life.” She peers over the side, a frown is on her face.

“Almost at town, fun over.” Reckless places rump in the cushion, and the pegasi begin their final descent. Considering the weight of the craft, and the fairly short landing space, Anon expects a terrifyingly sudden and sharp stop. Instead, the carriage slowly circles around the landing area, much like a marble would on a chute.

Anon grips the side of the carriage, peering over it after hours of staunchly refusing to. Anon murmurs a soft “wow” at the sight. Ponyville is now directly ahead, the vast thatch roofs in stark contrast with the boujee adornments of Canterlot. The pastel residents of Ponyville come into view, who are visibly waving at the craft.

Reckless waves back at the townsfolk. The craft slowly descends, and skims over the thatch rooftops, causing little bits of hay to get caught in its skids. Eventually, the pegasi duo spots a sufficient landing spot, and banks rather suddenly, tossing Anon around the craft while Reckless slides on floor.

“Oh God, Reckless. We’re gonna die, aren’t we? This is how the pegasi get you, they can never land!”

“What you know about flying, Anon?” Reckless wraps her tail around a rail, peering down at the rapidly approaching ground. “Grab rail and prepare for bounce.”

Anon’s eyes go wide, bewildered. “B-Bounce?”

Reckless smirks.

The craft hits the ground with incredible force, knocking Reckless to her flank. Anon, on the other hand, bounces like a ball on the golden tile, his body rag-dolling. The motion after impact sent his body over the rail of the craft, tumbling insipidly on the grassy hill.

The craft quickly decelerates as the skids drag along the ground, with the Pegasi pilots none the wiser to the man overboard.

Reckless wordlessly leaps from the craft, rushing to where Anon tumbled. Her breathing is heavy.

“Anon!?” She shouts, waiting for a reply.

Continuing her search, she peers down the hill, only to be greeted by Anon’s rather comical predicament. Coated in mud from head to toe, he lies in a gulley, sputtering out mud as he tries to speak.

“H–” He hacks out a small piece of grass. “Help!”

Reckless carefully shimmies her way down the hill, careful not to slip like Anon.

—
“So, uh, they just gonna leave us here?” The pegasus leans over her shoulder, glancing back.

“Screw 'em!” Clasping into the carriage’s connectors, the pegasus stretches his wings. “Let’s just go, I got a new edition of Power Ponies waiting.”

His companion perks up at the proposal, a grin on her face.

—

“Alright, Anon? Quite fall, mistake I make not to warn, sorry. ” Reckless sheepishly rubs her knee, leaning over Anon.

“Y–” Coughing up more grass, he slowly leans up. “You could’ve killed me!”

“But aren’t dead, good news.” Reckless grins, extending her hoof to Anon.

Anon pulls himself up, but before he can start ridding himself of the mud, the sound of pegasi taking flight draws their attention. They look towards the sky. The golden carriage glowing a brilliant yellow in the afternoon sun, a carriage with all their luggage, is unmissable.

Anon quickly scrambles to chase the carriage from below, and hollers toward the heavens. “Get back here, you little shits!” He raises his fist into the air, shaking it angrily towards the pegasi.

Reckless shrugs, flicking some mud off of her hoof. “All you carry is garbage anyway.”

Anon stops, the now-dry mud on his face flaking off as he sits in the grass, defeated. “I had the full Spider-Mare plate set, for God’s sake, Reckless, it was a collector’s edition.” He stops to catch his breath, disappointed by Reckless’ lack of care. “Collector’s edition, Reckless! Does that mean nothing to you?”

“Yes.” Reckless deadpans.

Tears welling up in his eyes, fully defeated and covered in mud, Anon slumps his shoulders and marches toward the town. “L-Let's just get to town.”

Author's Note:

Being 'stable' when it comes to putting out content?

Comments

[The Sound of Loneliness]

Insert: "How Applejack won the war."

[Clopian26]

https://youtu.be/o6F6u5TIUbI

[Odd_Sarge]

“I first horse to naval land.” Reckless proudly puts a hoof to her chest. “I not make easy.” She chuckles lightly. “Spit up food like you. Navy Captain not happy. This flying contraption no different, just let happen, any stress you become accustomed to. Gentle rocking, let it feel like…”

God, I love her. Great characterization in this chapter for both Anon and Reckless.