Author: Seraph of Enigma
Challenger: SolarStarPhoenix


Learning to Fly

Her full intentions had been to garden but now that Seraph was amid all her plants she just didn't feel like it. She looked forlornly on the garden trowel, at the moment it gave her a lump in her throat. The garden claw wasn't much differently. So instead of tending the soil or planting something new Seraph turned to watering and feeding her garden.
The blonde woman flipped her long braid back over her shoulder as she moved out from between her ruby red hibiscus plants. The watering can would need another fill up soon but she had enough for the mimosa nearby. Seraph gently brushed a trailing branch out of the way so she could move in to the tree's trunk. The sweet smell of the wispy blossoms perfumed the air and mingled with the other flowers. The Portal Master and the Life Skylanders had set up the garden so it was always filled with color. Different plants flowered at different times so they were intermingled to leave no gaps in blossoms. Seraph loved tending it alongside Camo. The dragon could withhold his pranks long enough to ensure the garden remained vibrant and colorful. It was one of tasks he could focus wholly on without distractions.

Camo wasn't around at the moment, none of the Skylanders or Portal Masters were. Seraph had the garden to herself. She had wanted solace and everyone granted her the moment.
It wasn't easy holding down a life on Earth and in Skylands simultaneously but Seraph managed. On Earth she had just lost a dear friend of hers after fourteen years. Her friend was a cat and she found the Skylanders understood her loss better than some on Earth. People on Earth told her, "He was just a cat, you can get another. They're all over the streets after all. I can go get you one right now." But in Skylands they had a better understanding of things; maybe it was because Skylands was so varied in its intelligent races.
Regardless Seraph had turned to her garden for comfort. Hot Head and Crusher had gotten together and forged a little plaque set in stone for Seraph she had proudly rested at the base of her newest plant, the night-blooming cereus. A cactus that only flowered at night; she thought it was a fitting memorial for a cat named Midnight.

Seraph had just emptied the watering can and turned around when movement behind her rose bushes caught her eye. She wasn't alone in the garden. The Portal Master moved along the cobbled path to the other side of the rose bushes and found no one there. She looked out further in the garden in an effort to spot movement again but found nothing. It was probably someone come to make sure she wasn't wallowing in self-pity. Seraph both appreciated the thought and was annoyed by it.
Satisfied for the moment she moved through her garden and back towards the bubbling pond with its natural stone borders the Earth and Water elementals had helped build. Shadows danced over the Portal Master's lightly tanned skin and made her hair glitter like gold when the light hit it right. Seraph held her watering can under a cascade of water at the fountain and let it fill the container. She heard a tapping noise on the stone walkway and chose to ignore it for the moment. Whoever it was would either introduce themselves or wait for her to turn back around.

"How are you holding up?"
Seraph pulled the can from under the water and set it on the stone before she half turned to find Pop Thorn standing behind her. The pufferthorn was 'popped' and looked more like a spiked lizard with the heavy lower jaw of a frog at the moment. "Better," Seraph nodded slowly. She kept her reply short not because she was irritated with the Skylander's concern but more for the fact she didn't want to feel like she was just going to blubber on and on about the same things she did to everyone that had asked her how she was feeling.
Pop Thorn sat down with his shoulders hunched and his head down. "Would you like some help?"
The Portal Master thought on it for a moment. He hadn't asked her if she wanted to talk. He hadn't come up and started spouting off words of comfort like, 'He's in a better place now' or, 'It was for the best. He was suffering.' Such words had begun to grate on her nerves and sound hollow as well as meaningless. Pop Thorn just wanted to be there and help with what she was doing. "I would love some help," Seraph said at last. "You don't mind getting dirty? I need to turn the soil in a few of my flowerbeds before I can water and fertilize."
The pufferthorn glanced down at his pointed feet. "I don't mind. I've never done it before so you'll have to guide me. But I wanna learn."
Seraph set the watering can on the ground next to the fountain pool and rose to her feet. "Come along, then. I'll show you how to get it done."

An hour and a half later Pop Thorn was holding the watering can on his back as he waddled up towards the area of soil he had been digging in with Seraph. The little Skylander beamed with pride as he inflated himself and his spines stood up to grip the watering can at an angle, his wings helped keep it in place as he hopped along the flowerbed to shower it evenly. "It is kinda fun," Pop Thorn said as his large yellow and indigo eyes rolled up to look at the taller woman.
"Well I wouldn't call it fun," she smiled slightly. "But busy work that passes time and provides a level of calm, yes."
"What's next?" the pufferthorn asked as he deflated, tilted the can up and waddled to the next patch.
"That's it for the day. I already pruned everythin'. Waterin' is normally the last thing I do."
Pop Thorn inflated again and set to watering the last flowerbed. "Do you have plans for the day?"
Seraph ran her hand over the top of her head to brush back strands of gold that had come loose from her braid. "No. Haven't felt like doin' much. Everyone's still actin' like they're walkin' on glass around me."
"Ah, yeah," Pop Thorn said as he sat down and averted his eyes. "Hey, I know a place where you can practice with those light wings of yours. If you're interested I mean. It's kinda far away though. If you want and all."
Seraph picked the watering can up when the pufferthorn had emptied it. "A change of scenery wouldn't be a bad thing. I accept, Thorn."

It only took as long as Seraph needed to put her tools away and change back into what she had worn before she tended her garden and then the duo set out. Pop Thorn gave Seraph all she needed to open a portal to one of his favorite spots in Skylands. The pufferthorn had explained to Seraph that he liked coming there because it allowed him to fly. He might have possessed wings but he couldn't fly with them. They were simple rudders that aided in his movement when he was puffed up and bobbed around as if gravity suddenly affected him less than everyone else. It didn't take the woman long to understand why he loved the area so much.
The golden blonde Portal Master stood overlooking a bluff in a yellow shirt with a purple and dark pink tribal butterfly on the front and a pair of frayed cutoffs coupled with her running shoes rather than her standard sandals. The island was one of the huge continent sized landmasses scattered about in Skylands. Everywhere she looked Seraph saw only mountains covered with trees or bare rock topped with snowy peaks. There was a fair amount of wind present particularly in the area Pop Thorn had led her to.

"The view certainly doesn't hurt, huh?" the pufferthorn asked proudly next to her. He was popped but his spines rattled and stood on end in his excitement. "Don't let the fact the ground is a long way down fool you. You're not gonna fall."
Seraph leaned out over the edge and inhaled deeply. She wasn't afraid of heights, just of falling because of carelessness. "I've never tried to use my wings, PT, you sure about this?" She gave him a skeptical look and the little Skylander beamed up proudly at her.
"If I can fly with my flyswatters then you'll have no trouble at all with those huge feather dusters of yours!"
The Portal Master rubbed the back of her head, mindful of the fact she might pull her hair out of the braid if she was too forceful. "Well I've learned to make 'em solid and I've practiced hittin' things with 'em to keep 'em solid but this is different. I'm really nervous, PT."
Pop Thorn cocked his head to the side and blinked up at Seraph, "Then just open a portal to put you back to a safe place."

Seraph moved away from the bluff and looked out ahead of them. The next face of rock was a long way off, Thorn had said they would drift towards it naturally so she didn't even need to steer but Seraph was still unsure about it. She hesitated a moment longer before she willed the wings of light she prided into being. They burst from her back as if they had been hidden away the whole time and unfurled to a span three times her height. As they were wings of magic they didn't harm her shirt in the least, it was still whole and they moved about like it was completely normal to sit as they were. She furled them back at her side and absently reached behind her with one hand. They were non-corporeal at the moment and her hand passed through the translucent, glowing feathers easily. She felt the warmth they gave off but that was the only sensation of touch available. Seraph pulled her hand back around to the front and exhaled slowly as she concentrated on making her wings solid.
Visually they were no different; they were still translucent and made of light. But when she reached behind her again Seraph felt the soft touch of feathers and the harder core of each one when she groped around more thoroughly.

"Beautiful," Pop Thorn said with wide eyes. His face was splashed with golden light and his eyes shimmered in it. The pufferthorn giggled when she arched a wing around to tickle his nose with the trailing feathers. "I'm gonna, gonna," he said as his eyes watered and he began to take quick breaths in. Ah-choo! The little Skylander sneezed and looked up at Seraph with bleary eyes. "Sneeze," he finished his sentence and sniffled.
"Bless you," Seraph snickered behind a hand that tried in vain to hide her smile.
Pop Thorn shook himself out and inflated with a great gasp to fill his air bladder. "You ready? You wanna watch me go first?"
Seraph bit her lower lip and looked out again to the far ledge. "Jump with me?"
Bouncing much like a ball with the steering effect of his tiny wings, Pop Thorn made his way to the edge of the cliff and waited for Seraph to timidly step up next to him. "Wings out, Seraph," he said softly when she tucked them tighter against her sides.
With great effort Seraph spread them loosely, not their full span but enough to cup the air and give her lift if the currents acted like the Skylander said they did. "I'm not gonna lie. I'm terrified right now. Seriously scared half to death."

Pop Thorn bounced up next to Seraph's leg and nuzzled it carefully so his thorns didn't graze her. "I'm right here. And you're a Portal Master! If you can face down trolls, drow and hordes of chompies this is a cake walk!"
"Mmm, cake," the woman allowed herself to get distracted by the thought of something far less terrifying.
"I'll get you a triple layer chocolate cake if you go through with this."
Seraph's face went blank as she tilted her head down to look at the smaller figure. "Oh that's cold, man. Danglin' the cake in front of me like a carrot."
Pop Thorn flashed her the widest grin he could manage while inflated to nearly three times his normal size. "A reward."
With a great sigh Seraph squared off her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "Let's do this."
"Just walk to the edge and step off with your wings out. Trust me. Just let the current carry you like you see it do for vultures."
"Hopefully I don't look like one," Seraph muttered as she edged closer to the bluff.

Seraph's heart pounded in her ears and her mouth went dry enough to glue her tongue to the roof of it. She had clenched her hands into fists and had to relax them when her palms began to ache from the bite of her nails into them. Just walk off the edge with wings spread, she repeated to herself over and over. She glanced to Pop Thorn and the Skylander seemed to be bubbling with excitement as he waited for her to take the plunge.
Sound faded all at once; there was no longer the whisper of the wind in her ears or the steady crunching of the dry patch of grass under Pop Thorn's small feet as he bounced in place. Seraph swore her heart had stopped as well and that was when she leaned forward and allowed herself to fall.

The Portal Master wanted to scream but found her voice died before it could even form. The short shock of a sudden fall was replaced by a jolt as she was shunted upwards and off to the side. With wide eyes she watched Pop Thorn leap out into the air and plummet for only a few feet before he too was bounced up and began to trail after her with a gleeful laugh.
"Don't fight it! Lean into it and guide yourself with your wings!" the Skylander called to her.
Seraph almost didn't hear his guidance, the wind was stronger out in the open air. At first Seraph was awkward as she tried to tilt her wings in various ways the way she had seen birds when she watched them. All at once the woman got it and laughed jubilantly as she sailed effortlessly through the air. She practiced beating her wings and propelled herself forward faster. The speed frightened her so she brought it back down to the current's natural flow and focused on tilting her wings in various ways to see what it would do to her. She learned to ascend and descend as well as slightly alter her angle as she rode the air current.

"Relax," Pop Thorn said suddenly from her right. "The current will take you in circles and change altitude on its own. But we'll end up over on the other side, I promise. And we can ride it again to get back over here if you want."
"I'm flying," Seraph said breathlessly. Well technically she was gliding but it didn't matter, same principle. Her eyes were wide with wonder and she wore the same expression of awe a child might. "I'm flying!" she laughed and held her arms out to embrace the wind. Her braid whipped her back but she didn't mind, she was completely free and the world was stretched out below her like a rolling carpet of green and brown with a ribbon and pool of blue. The woman closed her eyes and let her body feel out the path as her wings adjusted slightly to compensate. It felt so easy, so natural. She was going to put more effort into flying now for sure. She was going to have to thank the little Skylander for his gift.

"Don't panic if we go through a cloud."
Seraph had been daydreaming and Thorn's voice brought her back to the present. She eyed the fluffy nimbus he had meant and was thrilled at the possibility of flying through it. Clouds drifted by under her like rolling platforms in a video game. She caught her shadow flit over one out the corner of her eye and beamed proudly. "This is so cool," she murmured to herself and flashed Thorn a wide grin.
"It might be a bit cold!" the Skylander warned as the first vapor trails of the cloud glided past them.
A moment later and Seraph was enveloped in the white cloud. Thorn had told the truth, Seraph felt a chill and as in awe as she was over being in the middle of a cloud she wanted to get out before the water vapor beaded up too much on her skin. She beat her wings and thrilled at the sight of the cloud rolling back from the disturbance. She burst back into the warm sunlight a moment later and laughed loudly. She leaned enough to the right to force herself into a roll. The Portal Master had a brief moment of stark terror as she started to fall from her glide and she forced herself back around as she pumped her wings hard. She rose up above the clouds and saw Pop Thorn searching for her below. Before she could call to him he caught sight of her shadow and fluttered his stubby wings to ascend.
"I knew you'd love it!" the Skylander beamed.
Seraph's only reply was to race off with a grin and wave.

Seraph wanted to keep going but her Skylander friend was growing tired, his wings were physical while hers were magical and she could go longer than him as a result. They had drifted back and forth between the two landing areas multiple times. Seraph was terrible at landing and had a skinned knee to prove it but she kept trying anyway. The Portal Master stood proudly on the bluff she had started at and no longer feared falling. "I had so much fun, PT. Thanks a million."
The little pufferthorn had popped and was lying prone on his belly in the dust and dry grass. Swirls of dirt spiraled up with each deep exhale of breath. "On Earth you believe Heaven to be in the stars. I couldn't take you that high but this was pretty close. I got you as close to Midnight as I could." The Portal Master dropped down to her knees instantly and scooped Pop Thorn up to hug fiercely. He nuzzled up against her when he felt the first hot tears splatter on his shoulder.
"Thank you, PT. Thank you so much. I really did feel like I was close to my beloved cat." It was the most meaningful thing anyone had ever done for her in wake of a death that many others thought was non-consequential.
Pop Thorn swelled up with pride, she might have been crying but her tears weren't of mourning for once. "You're welcome."


Note from Seraph: Er, that was exactly what it sounded like. August 28, 2014 my cat of fourteen years lost his battle with lymphoma. So that was behind this bittersweet story. I'll miss ya, Midi. Things just aren't the same anymore.