Flying High

Where I come from, names are a big deal. They play a big part in determining the sort of pony you grow up to be, and your place in the world. They possess a magic, and while it’s true that the way you’re treated by others matters more, your name can effect the way they treat you. It’s kind of a chicken and egg scenario… I think? Oh well, we’re getting off topic here, this is my story.

See, around here you don’t get a name until you turn 10. Your parents don’t get to choose it, and you need to go through a naming ceremony in order to “find” your name.
“Ten? Are you kidding me? This story already makes no sense!”
“Now Rabble Rouser, let him finish before you comment.”

That’s the problem. Your name reflects what little semblance of a personality you’ve managed to cobble together during your first fleeting few years on this planet.

Apparently the ceremony can see your future self, so it’s not exactly unfair, but at the same time few ponies really like it. Can you blame them? To us (and you, I guess) names are deeply personal things, so having no power over them is pretty depressing.

My greatest fear was getting a name I didn’t want. The worst ones weren’t the poor ones, the so-bad-it’s-funny ones, they were the boring ones. With a bad name you had instant sympathy from some, and a group of like-minded (and like-named) friends. But a dull name made you an island, a big empty space that everypony avoided. I didn’t want ponies to ignore me, so you can see how stressful this could become.

Did I mention just how secretive the whole ceremony was? You were taken away from your parents for three days, and if you failed you came home empty hooved and had to wait another year. There were some grown ups in the village who had taken the test time after time and failed. They remained nameless, and that was the only shame greater than a dull name. They were the lowest class of all of us, and they were outcasts. Nobody ever invited them to parties, and they got the jobs nopony wanted. What a life! I couldn’t let myself end up like that!

The days before the ceremony came and went all too quickly, and on the dawn of my fifth birthday I was summoned by the town elder. We don’t live in an old fashioned village mind you, and the elder prefers being called the mayor (he’ss kinda old and doesn’t like being reminded of it) but he respects the old ways enough to recite the “Right of Passage”.
Today, Young One,
You shed the name” Young One”
And learn your Name, Young One
And so become Someone.
Yeah, poetry isn’t his strong point.

I kinda resented the idea that I wasn’t a “someone” already, but what can you do? I was blindfolded and led away by two guards. My Mom was teary eyed about the whole thing but my Dad was trying to be strong for the both of us. You know, they were doing generic parent stuff for the situation.

I walked and walked, over grass, then stone, then sand. After about three hours we reached our destination, the kind of beat-up old temple you’d expect. One of the guards pointed towards me, then the temple. I didn’t need telling twice, and so I went in.

The place smelt of damp and fear, a weird combination. I wanted out almost immediately but the doors had slammed behind me, leaving me trapped.

The wall in front of me suddenly came alive, with words dancing in front of my eyes. It said something about three trails;
Three trails you must take to find your namesake,
Of Wisdom, of Courage, and Faith.
The first will test the things you know best
The second a path you must take.
The third will-
Hey, I’m getting better at this rhyming thing! Oh, err...

But before I could finish the reading the wall slided away, leaving me with a way forward but no idea of what the third trial would be about. Great, looks like my name will be “Slow Reader”...
Anyway, I kept moving and after awhile I came across some kites. I don’t like to brag but kites are kinda my thing. My parents moved to the highest point in town when they had me, hoping I’d get smarter somehow. Something all the extra air getting into my brain, I forget.

Anyway, the strong winds made for awesome kite riding! I’ve always wanted to fly, but being a mere earth pony meant riding the wind wasn’t among my considerable list of talents. However, my careful diet meant I was light enough to go flying whenever the wind hit my kite, so my kites helped my dream come true!
Until I get too big for that to work, at least...

Anyway, the kites in the temple were all sorts of colours; there were purple and pink ones, orange and white ones, and even rainbow ones! (Those were the coolest.) But each one had a flaw that would have made them bad for flying. Some had frayed edges (which would tear) or were slightly damp (they’d plummet like a stone).

Even the rainbow one had a flaw, though it was an awesome one; it had string made of gold, which could have conducted lighting and turned a fun day out into a trip to the hospital. I learnt about not using metal string the hard way...
In the end, it was the dullest kite, the one I’d forgotten about completely, that was the sole usable one. It was a boring beige, but it was also well crafted. It wouldn’t win any design awards, but it would last for years where the others wouldn’t fly at all. As soon as I picked it up the door opened. Sweet, the first trial over! I decided to bring the kite with me, a souvenir of my victory.

The path slowly became more and more narrow, and I could swear I could hear a girl yelling for help in the distance. Probably just a trick of the temple, designed to lead me the wrong way.
And yet the further I went the closer the yelling got, the louder it became, until I could take no more and dashed off to find this mystery filly.

Ahead of me laid two paths; one was clearly leading to sunlight and the exit. Had I beaten the trials already? The second lead only into darkness, but I could still hear the girl’s screams coming from it. I had no time to ponder the right way, so instead I headed further into the temple, I had to save her!
The girl was surrounded by spiders- big, nasty ones. Bigger than a breadbox! Of course, I wasn’t scared at all, but the filly was screaming herself silly, so I rushed in, her knight in shining armour.

“My hero!” she said. “My name’s Sundrop. I followed my little brother here to make sure he got his name. He’s always relied on me, so I had to make sure he’d be ok.”
“Maybe we should team up? These trials are pretty tricky, and I’m sure you could use the assistance.” I said.
Hmm, maybe my name would be to do with leadership? I’d like that.
Anyway, the second door parted before us, so I guess I’d done something right.

I didn’t notice at the time, but the temple was slowly getting hotter. I could almost smell the heat when we neared the last room, a big bowl-shaped area with a raised platform in the middle and an open roof. As we approached the center the floor started to fill with molten lava!
“…What? I’ve been through the naming ceremony before and THIS never happened!” Sundrop screamed.
I looked around, but there was only one exit- the open roof. As the heat intensified I had an idea.
“Sundrop, take this kite- hot air rises, and you should be light enough to make it out if it’s just you!”
“But-but you’ll…!”
“ There’s still a chance we’ll both make it out if you get out fast enough! Besides, the hero of this story can’t die! Now GO!”

She tearfully gave me a hug and then grabbed the kite. I watched her float into the deep blue sky and smiled.
There was a blinding flash of light and I found myself outside. A teleportation spell? But how?
Sundrop approached me, smiling. Suddenly she disappeared in another flash of light, changing into the princess of the kingdom, divine ruler of the land, Princess Celestia.
“That was an exceptionally brave performance, Sky Riser.”
“Wait… Sky Riser? That’s my name? I passed?”
“Yes. When you could have chosen a more impressive kite, you had the wisdom to realize that there can be greater value in lesser things. When you had the option to turn tail and flee, you had the courage to chose to help someone without even knowing who they were. And when presented with an impossible trial, you had such faith that things would be alright that you put someone else ahead of yourself; you showed bravery twice. And so, in honour of the kites you love so very much I name you Sky Riser.”

And so I became known as Sky Riser. I guess the moral of this story is that, if you hold true to your beliefs then it doesn’t really matter what people call you; if I had been named differently it wouldn’t have taken away from the traits I had shown in the temple.
Sky Riser walked back to his chair. He could feel the glares of his classmates on him; jealous, probably. His teacher Cherilee was the only one who applauded him.
“Well Sky Riser, that’s a very...interesting story. I’m not sure where you got the idea of a “Naming Ceremony” from, but you earn full marks for creativity.”
Sky Riser beamed.
“Unfortunately, this was supposed to be an essay about how you earned your Cutie Mark, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to write the essay again, from the beginning.”
“Awww nuts!”

The End