Learning to Fly, Part Three: Free Falling


                                            >You hop out of the car, not bothering to take the keys. It was of no use to you right now, really. You decide to leave your phone, you'd come back for it.

                                            >You extend your wings.

                                            >The feathers flutter in the light breeze.

                                            >You find that you're able to tell almost exactly what directions it's blowing, the small motions disturbing your feathers and acting like an airflow sensor suite.

                                            >Neat.

                                            >You try a few experimental flaps, first just flapping them straight like you were a plane.

                                            >This doesn't really work, so you go for a more curved, natural approach, and you can already feel the improvement in the flow of the fluid around you.

                                            >You practice this motion for a few minutes, not really flapping hard enough to gain any lift- at least, you don't think so.

                                            >Actually, you're not sure how much lift it'll take.

                                            >What flies?

                                            >Planes fly. How do planes take off?

                                            >...

                                            >You find yourself at one end of the football practice field.

                                            >To start, you try to get comfortable with galloping so you don't trip and fall at full speed.

                                            >You do a few laps around the field, tripping a few times until you finally make it all the way around without any mistakes.

                                            >As you ran, you kept feeling the urge to take flight into the sky, soaring beyond the shackles holding you down.

                                            >At the moment, it looked like that shackle would be gravity.

                                            >You find that you aren't actually that winded. Sure, you felt some fatigue, but it wasn't that bad. You felt ready to do ten more laps.

                                            >You weren't going to, though. You had a feeling flying was going to take a lot of energy, so you wanted to keep as much of it as possible.

                                            "Okay, here goes."

                                            >Getting a running start, you gallop down the field, extending your wings and feeling the air rush over them.

                                            >Instinctually, you begin flapping, propelling yourself forward.

                                            >Eventually, the force produced by the lift from your wings exceeds the force keeping you tethered to the earth beneath your hooves, and they lift from the ground.

                                            >You quickly begin rising, and you let out a raw whoop of joy, throwing out a hoof in celebration. Absentmindedly, your wings jut out at an awkward angle, mimicking the motion.

                                            >Uh oh. You quickly begin falling.

                                            "Nononono-"

                                            >You are unable to recover, and eat shit into the turf at twenty miles an hour, tumbling to a stop in a heap.

                                            "...ow."

                                            >You carefully get up, brushing off the dirt you were covered in.

                                            >You wince as one of your legs complains at having weight put on it, and you favor it, trying to balance on three legs.

                                            >You didn't care about the pain, though.

                                            >You fucking flew! You just flew completely under your own power. You said "goodbye, mother Earth!" and left the ground.

                                            >It really hits you at that moment just how special that was.

                                            >You beam with pride, and prance a little in circles before stopping.

                                            "What am I doing?"

                                            >You shake your head, coming to a stop.

                                            >It's hard to control yourself, though, you're just so giddy.


                                            >At least no one was watching you, that was a pretty embarrassing fall moment, and now you're covered in grass and dirt.

                                            >And you just pranced around like a pretty little pony.

                                            >Which you are.

                                            >You don't care though, you're ready to go again.

                                            >You paw at the ground, breaking into another gallop before realizing you forgot about your bum leg, tumbling over once again.

                                            >You let out a feminine grunt, and decide to just get up and go back to your car to get some rest before you hurt yourself again.

                                            >You hop onto the seat, groaning a little at the filth you're leaving on it.

                                            >You pick up your phone in your mouth, setting it on the seat next to you and press the screen with your nose to turn it on.

                                            >Checking it, you see three messages from Katie as well as two missed calls.

                                            >She's asking where you are and if you're okay.

                                            >Oh, shit.

                                            >You forgot about Katie.

                                            >You told her you'd meet her in Chemistry, but there was no way you were going to go back in there, now.

                                            >You swipe your pattern, cross-eyed staring at the phone, somewhat clumsily (at least you don't have a fingerprint lock), and open your contacts to call her.

                                            >...What do you even tell her?

                                            >Looking at the clock, you see that she's probably in band by now.

                                            >It wouldn't be too much longer until school let out, you'd try sending her a text instead of calling.

                                            >Anything to let her know you didn't die or something.

                                            >Carefully picking out and pressing the little microphone button, you try to send a message.

                                            "Hey Katie. Period. I'm a horse, comma, I can fly. Period. Can you bring my stuff question mark? I am in my car. Period. Come to me please. Period. Help"

                                            >Hopefully you didn't sound too desperate, but you didn't think you'd be able to make it home.

                                            >Katie didn't have a car, herself, but she did at least have her permit.

                                            >Maybe she could take you home, or...

                                            >You carefully tap the send button and wait, looking out the window.

                                            >Still full of adrenaline from your first ever 'flight,' you want to try again.

                                            >Hang on.

                                            >Why do you have to get a runup?

                                            >There should be no reason to, you can flap your wings just fine.

                                            >Getting out of the car, you stand as straight as you can and start moving your wings, pumping air.

                                            >Sure enough, you lift off the ground about a foot, and you let out a little squee.

                                            >That's never going to get old.

                                            >You still have a hard time with control, and you're very unstable and wobbly, a drift starting to form in your hover.

                                            >You try to gently let yourself down, but you land a little hard with an 'oomph.'

                                            >You manage not to fall over this time, though- an achievement.

                                            >Hopping back into your car and checking your phone, you see that Katie has just replied with, "OK"

                                            >What does that even mean?

                                            >Classic Katie.

                                            >It's only two fifteen, so you get out to try practicing your wingstroke some more.


                                            >Forty-five minutes later, and it's three. Flight practice hadn't gone terribly well.

                                            >So far you had managed to crash four more times, but you always felt like getting back up again just to feel the absolute joy that was overcoming the force of gravity.

                                            >You got about as high as the nearby treetops before getting scared because you looked down and realized you were more than thirty feet up in the air.

                                            >Luckily you had gotten pretty good at lowering yourself in a controlled manner by that point...

                                            >That was scary.

                                            >Anyways, you're pretty tired by now, so you walk back to your car to hide in there before students start dismissing.

                                            >Climbing onto the seat once more, you crack the windows a little to let some air circulate.

                                            >Maybe being a horse wouldn't be so bad after all.

                                            >What are you saying? It's going to be terrible!

                                            >You don't even have hands anymore!

                                            >You certainly can't keep going to school.

                                            >How are you even going to prove that you are you?

                                            >Objectively, your life is completely ruined.

                                            >You start shivering a little, even though it's like eighty degrees in your car.

                                            >Your own father won't recognize you.

                                            >Your heart begins racing.

                                            >You have to get out of here!

                                            >Too small, fly, fly, run, outside!

                                            >Throwing yourself at the door, you almost open it and fall outside but you catch yourself, remembering the hundreds of students around you who are currently getting in their cars.

                                            >You recoil, shutting the door and climbing into the back seat to take cover, hoping nobody saw or cared about the door opening and shutting itself.

                                            >That did nothing for your claustrophobia.

                                            >You were suffocating in here!

                                            >You can't lower the windows any more, someone might see you.

                                            >You're right back where you started, shaking and hyperventilating.

                                            >Curling up in a ball, you continue shivering.

                                            >Why were you cold?

                                            >You're cold.

                                            >Clenching your eyes shut, you remain like this until a gentle knock on the window startles you.

                                            >"Anon? Are you in there?"

                                            >You open your eyes. Katie's peering in through the window, trying to make it out through the insides, and you lock eyes at the same time.

                                            >She opens the door to get a better look at you.

                                            >You're both silent for a time, before she finally says something.

                                            >"Oh, wow. Are those wings?"


                                            "...yeah..."

                                            >She giggles upon hearing your voice.

                                            >"Oh my god, you sound- you look adorable. You could do with a grooming, though... have you been rolling around in the grass?"

                                            >You just stare off into the distance.

                                            >She immediately notices something is up.

                                            >"Anon, are you okay?"

                                            >Are you?

                                            "...no."

                                            >She looks around, placing your backpack in the front seat and climbing into the back seat next to you.

                                            >You watch her indifferently.

                                            >"Do you want a hug?"

                                            >You can't say anything, you're not really sure if you're comfortable with getting a hug from her, but you don't want to-

                                            >Suddenly, she wraps her arms around you in a comforting hug, and any concerns you had immediately melt away, much like you currently are.

                                            >You lay your head over her shoulder, turning liquid in her arms.

                                            >She's so soft.

                                            >She snuggles into your long neck, rubbing a hand up and down your back.

                                            >It's over all too soon, as she breaks the hug, sitting back and giving you a smile.

                                            >you really needed that.

                                            >"Better?"

                                            "Yeah... thank you."

                                            >You sigh.

                                            "I'm a horse, Katie."

                                            >"I can see that. I figured that that's where this was going this morning."

                                            >You nod.

                                            >"So how are you feeling?"

                                            >You meet her eyes.

                                            "I'm a horse, Katie." you repeat.

                                            >You flick your tail and ears.

                                            "I have four hooves and a tail. I'm not even a guy any more."

                                            >"Oh... being a girl isn't that bad, Anon. I've managed to survive."

                                            >She gestures at herself.

                                            >"But being a horse is a bummer, yeah."

                                            "Yeah..."

                                            >You look down.

                                            >She gives you a pat on your shoulder.

                                            >"Hey, look on the bright side. At least you're cute and you can fly."

                                            >Smiling, you look back at your wings.

                                            "Yeah, I can. That is pretty cool."

                                            >Again, you remember what you are missing.

                                            "But I can't write, or type, or... or play my instruments..."

                                            >She looks sad for your sake.

                                            >"Yeah, that's not great..."

                                            >She hmms.

                                            >"So, what now?"

                                            >What now, indeed.

                                            "I don't know... I was thinking maybe I just need to get home, and..."

                                            >You shake your head.

                                            "What would I even do? I'm not really prepared to face my dad. How does he even know I'm really his son?"

                                            >Katie turns to the side.

                                            >"You could stay with me for a little- if you, uhm, want to, that is. You could just tell him you're staying at a friend's house."

                                            >Technically true.

                                            "That could work... but you really don't have to do that for me."

                                            >"No, no! I'd be, uh, happy to."

                                            >She smiles at you encouragingly.


                                            >It's at this moment you realize that you've been in close proximity to a girl, exchanged hugs, and been called cute numerous times in the past five minutes.

                                            >And also invited back to her place.

                                            >Suddenly, you go still.

                                            >"What's wrong?"

                                            "I- I, um..."

                                            >She just gives you a strange look, confused.

                                            "It's nothing. Sure. That sounds great."

                                            >She just lights up once more.

                                            >"Great! I, uh, guess I'm taking your car?"

                                            "...Yeah. Keys are in the ignition."

                                            >You climb up into the passenger seat, knocking your bag onto the floor.

                                            >She gets out of the car, taking a moment to open your door and drag a seatbelt across your chest, you sitting on your rear with your hooves tucked between your hind legs.

                                            >Sitting the normal way didn't really feel comfortable, especially with the tail poking into your back.

                                            >It seemed secure enough.

                                            >You huff somewhat indignantly as she climbs into the driver's seat of your car and turns the ignition.

                                            >You haven't been a passenger in several months.

                                            "Hey, don't crash my car, alright?"

                                            >"Yeah, yeah. Wait, which one's the brakes, again?"

                                            >You giggle, despite yourself.

                                            >She backs up, pulling out of the parking lot.

                                            "Hey, what about your parents?"

                                            >"Oh, my mom doesn't get home until later, and they never barge into my room, so you should be safe there."

                                            "Right..."

                                            >Soon enough you've arrived at her house.

                                            "Won't your parents notice the strange car parked in your driveway?"

                                            >She thinks for a moment, before turning the car back on.

                                            >"Yeah, this was stupid. Wait! I know, there's a house for sale like two houses down, I'll park it there. I've watched that house for ages, nobody's even come to look at it."

                                            "Sounds like a plan."

                                            >She pulls around and parks your car in the driveway of some decrepit house, it  looks like nobody's been there in months.

                                            >You both get out, she's wearing her bag and is carrying yours, along with your phone and keys in her pocket.

                                            >The car locked, you both head towards her house.

                                            >When you arrive she takes her keys out and unlocks the door, letting you in.


                                            >Upon entering her house, you encounter unfamiliar smells.

                                            >They had some incense burning, you can't quite place the scent.

                                            >The house also just smells vaguely... feminine.

                                            >You guess that means you should be right at home.

                                            >"Cmon, my room's this way."

                                            >You haven't been in another person's house in forever.

                                            >You clip-clop down the tiled hall and then into her carpeted bedroom, the soft fabric feeling nice against your more sensitive frogs.

                                            >She sits down on her twin-sized bed, pulling out both of your phones.

                                            >"Want me to text your dad for you and tell him you're spending the night at a friend's house?"

                                            "Go ahead, thank you. It's hard to type with these."

                                            >You gesture with your hooves.

                                            >"I can imagine."

                                            >You stand there for a moment, just rubbing your hooves against the carpet and taking in the room.

                                            >It smelled strongly of her in here.

                                            >Dotted around the room are various bits of Elvis paraphernalia, including a few records and a poster or two, and, amusingly, a little bobblehead on her desk, facing the window.

                                            >Ironically, there are also some horse paintings and pictures on the wall.

                                            >Speaking of which, her walls are a tasteful shade of purple, it complements your hair quite nicely.

                                            >There's a bookshelf, filled with mostly fiction and a few of the school textbooks, as well as a number of what you think are psychology books.

                                            >She pats the bed next to her.

                                            >"Make yourself at home. Can I get you anything?

                                            >You stare at her, trying to just be cool about the situation, but she was now asking you to climb into bed with her.

                                            >You do so after a small internal battle, hopping up and sitting down.

                                            >Being a twin size, there wasn't a lot of room.

                                            >"No need to be a stranger, get in here."

                                            >She reaches over and scoots you closer so she has one arm resting across your shoulders.

                                            >You recoil a little, your wings springing out despite your best efforts, the sudden movement surprising you.

                                            >She immediately takes her arm back, sitting awkwardly next to you.

                                            >"...sorry-"

                                            "No, no, I know what you're trying to do. It's fine, I really appreciate it, I just... I need some time, okay?"

                                            >She nods.

                                            "You can, um... put your arm back, if you want."

                                            >She does so, giving your neck a few gentle strokes.

                                            >"So! Are you hungry, thirsty? Can I get you anything?"

                                            >As if on cue, your stomach growls.

                                            "Yeah... what do you have?"

                                            >She thinks for a minute.

                                            >"I think we've got some baby carrots in the fridge... wait here, I'll be right back."

                                            >She leaves, shutting the door behind her.

                                            >You roll over, exposing your belly and stretching out, letting out a cute yawn.

                                            >You were tired!

                                            >And this bed was so soft and warm from being in the sun...

                                            >She wouldn't mind if you just...

                                            >Yeah, it'll be fine.

                                            >...