Flying Lessons

      Since Brandi had no desire to be any other color than orange, she was grateful that a wingless pet could wear wings. She was absolutely ecstatic that, after five and a half months, she finally had her very own pair of Dark Faerie Wings. Now, she waited impatiently in her front yard for her Aunt Sweet to arrive and teach her how to fly. Wearing her new wings, she fluttered them, feeling her entire body shift as she did so. She had told her parents that she would not even try to fly until Aunt Sweet arrived but it was so tempting!

      Even so, Brandi's parents could trust her. Though, every few moments or so, someone would look out a window at her, just to make sure nothing happened. This was Brandi, after all. Things always happened around the nine year old Aisha. Thankfully, a jelly Shoyru zoomed up just then before anything could happen.

      Sweet floated, flapping her wings in front of her niece. The Shoyru smiled at the Aisha.

      "OK, Brandi. You can start flapping now," Sweet said.

      Brandi did not need to be told twice. She began to flap eagerly, rising into the air. Unfortunately, she could not get her balance. She wobbled so much that her aunt had to support her in the air. It didn't help that it was a very windy day.

      "Alright, Brandi, that is enough," Sweet said, helping her niece to land.

      Brandi had been surprised by how difficult it was. Her brief struggle had exhausted her. She looked up at her aunt with disappointment clear on her face.

      "I do not understand! Why did it not work? Uncle Lofty said that he learned easily enough. If he can do it, why can I not? All of the books I have read never mentioned that it would be this hard," Brandi whined.

      "Everyone learns differently. Do not be discouraged, Brandi. Your equilibrium needs to reset when you are in the air. As you noticed, it is a completely different feeling from when your feet are firmly planted on the ground," Sweet explained.

      "Equilibrium means balance, right?"

      "Right. You are off balance because of your ears. Try pinning them back to streamline your body. That should make it easier."

      Brandi did as her aunt directed. She entered the air once more. This time, the air pushed at her but she was finally able to find her balance. She smiled at her Aunt Sweet, who beamed back.

      "Let's take a short flight around your Neohome, Brandi," Sweet said.

      Brandi was eager enough. She tried moving quickly, as her Aunt Sweet always did but she learned that she could not keep her balance. She kept to a sedate pace, flapping hard in the strong wind to stay airborne. Having gotten halfway around her Neohome, she suddenly shot upwards, nearly being pummeled out of the sky but persevering none the less. She wanted to sit on the roof but the sun was beating down, turning the roof into a veritable oven.

     So, Brandi opted for flapping violently above the roof, feeling the waves of heat billowing below her. Strangely, they seemed to make flying a little bit easier for her and she pondered this peculiarity. She took in the view and was absolutely awed at what she saw.

      "Aunt Sweet, this is what you were talking about before, was it not? I mean, this is incredible," Brandi exclaimed.

      The young orange Aisha flapped herself into a circle, trying not to make herself dizzy in the process. She could see all of Neopia Central spread out around her in a seemingly haphazard way. Flying was the greatest thing she had ever experienced before in her young life. She positively itched to explore every inch of N.C. with her aunt along until she got the hang of flying alone. Then, Brandi thought on traveling farther afield than Neopia Central.

      What was it like flying in different places? Terror Mountain, Tyrannia, Altador! Neopia was such a large place and the Aisha knew she was fortunate to have family all over who were knowledgeable on each and every one of them. A thrill ran through her at all of the possibilities that suddenly stretched out before her. She was so happy that she could only laugh in delight.

      "Brandi, you remind me of your Uncle Lofty. He is always willing to try something," Sweet said.

      Brandi beamed, taking this as a compliment, "I think flying is great! Aunt Sweet, will you take me on trips?"

      "Of course! Finally, having a flying companion is going to be great!"

      An indignant squeak interrupted their conversation. G.G. Bear, Sweet's jelly Ona looked down at them from the top of the chimney.

      "You are right, G.G. My apologies. Having Brandi along will be fun, now won't it," Sweet asked her Petpet.

      G.G.'s wings fluttered and the Shoyru and Aisha knew this was his pleased agreement. Being only nine years old and full of energy, the view from her roof did not keep Brandi's attention for long. She shot up, hoping to take off flying but the strong wind soon changed her mind. She settled for finishing her circuit of the house. She had just rounded the last corner when she saw a familiar baby Yurble standing at the front door.

      Brandi let out a delighted cry. "Uncle Lofty!"

      The orange Aisha flew towards her uncle, wishing to show off for him but not quite ready for anything of the sort. She settled for flapping her new purple hued wings in front of him as he smiled broadly at her.

      "You finally got your wings, Brandi. Congratulations," Lofty said.

      "Thank you! I cannot wait to really become a proficient flier!"

      "With your Aunt Sweet teaching you, you will be proficient in on time at all. Speaking of your Aunt Sweet..."

      The jelly Shoyru had joined her brother and their niece at the front door. "It helps that Brandi is a quick learner. If it was not for these strong winds, she would probably be a better flier than me by now."

      Brandi beamed at this praise. "So, how long will it take before I can really fly places?"

      "A week, especially if these winds stop."

      "So, we will be staying in Neopia Central for a week, then," Lofty said.

      "Yes! I will go tell my parents," Brandi crowed in delight opening the door and leaving it open in her haste.

      Lofty and Sweet could only smile at each other. They had not stayed longer than a day or two in Neopia Central since Sweet had turned eighteen years of age. They could refresh their memory of the place they had grown up in and give Brandi plenty of flying practice in the process. This 'phase' of Brandi's was going to last for a while, it seemed but she would not be the only one having fun.

The End