The wind was blowing strong, the sun was up on the sky which gleamed in a perfect blue. It was the perfect day for a balloon ride...or it would be if Cherry Berry had a better companion.

"Oh this wind is terrible, can´t we go any lower?" Cranky Doodle complained.

"Any lower and we´ll be hitting the trees!"

Berry sighed, she made a reputation of never rejecting a client but this one was an occasion when she was regretting it. Her balloon had been through a lot of harsh times lately, first Twilight Sparkle and her friends crashed it and a few days later her assistant lost it on the Everfree. When Cranky showed up saying he needed it to deliver a package Cherry was worried, why didn´t he asked the post service. Then she remembered who usually runs the post in town, so instead she decided to go with him. A decision that will haunt her forever.

"Would you stop complaining back there? The wind is not that strong!"

Of course at that precise moment a loose current hit then.

"My wig!" Cranky yelled and jumped right after it, not falling over thanks to Berry catching him in the act.

"Are you crazy? It´s just a wig! Who does something as crazy as jumping af-MY GOOGLES!"

****

Right after they landed, or better yet "crashed", into the woods, Cranky gathered all their stuff, making sure his package was safe.

"I can´t believe this! My balloon! Great now how I´m going to get back to Ponyville?"

"Relax kiddo. We´ll figure out a way to fly back,"

"Unless you suddenly grow wings I don´t see how..." she frowned.

"Do you need to be cranky all the time?"

"What? I´m not the one who´s cranky! I´m funny, I tell jokes all the time! Listen to this one, a donkey and a mule are in a desert island...." Berry shut her mouth the second she remembered the punchline to that one.

Cranky was of course, unamused. "Listen kiddo, I was just like you. Never once cracking a smile, always seeing the bad side on things. It took a really good friend to make me change and I thank her everyday for not giving up on me."

Cherry rolled her eyes. "Lets get this over with..."

And they took on the road to Vanhoover.

A road filled with danger, daring escapades, thrilling chases, tall mountains, furious rivers, wild beasts; and all leading up to...

"A train station? There was a train station all along? You made fly you halfway and then risk my neck in the wildness and it was a train station all along?!"

"Stop complaining. We made it okay so its fine. Also, train seats really hurt my back..."

Cherry printed her hoof on her face. That was it, no more balloon rides, she promised.

Finally they reached their destination, an old building in the city. A retirement home for senior citizens. Once he put a hoof in the property Cranky was surrounded by dozens of old ponies, including in the crowd a few donkeys and mules. Cherry was surprised to see the old donkey had this many friends and that around them he was able to smile.

"Did you bring it, Cranky?"

"There you go, old friend." and he handled the package to a bald mule.

"An harmonica? You took all these risks just to deliver an harmonica?" Cherry asked but Cranky ignored her and moved to another room.

This was the type of room that would have Pinkie bounce in happiness. Why? Because it was decorated for a part, a birthday party no less. And the lucky boy, a young earth pony colt, finally got his present. An old but trusty harmonica.

"I don´t get it..." Cherry admitted.

"That harmonica belonged to an old friend of mine. He had a band here in the city and for a while I carried their stuff around on their tours. Half of the crowd here was in the band too. When I left town, he gave this harmonica as a present and I had keep it for over twenty years."

"Then why are you giving it away if its so important?"

"That little fella over there, its his grandson. And thats the only memory he has of his grandpa. I rather have it on his hooves, playing new tunes than rusting on one of my boxes."

The kid obviously needed lessons but none of the crowd cared and they all applauded. It was as if the band was back together.

"Come on kiddo. let's go home."

With finally an honest smile on her face, Cherry followed Cranky "Hey Doodle, you said you´ve been in this town before, have you ever hit the Comedy club?"

"Don´t call me Doodle and yes, I worked in there too for a while."

"Uh tell me tell me!"

Cranky sighed, it was going to be a long way back home.

(Note: I´m not sure if I ever wrote Cranky before, maybe as a side character once but I´m pretty sure I never did Cherry. And its a shame cause she looks so cute on those aviator goggles.)