Big Horseshoes
"We are not only our brother's keeper; in countless large and small ways, we are our brother's maker."
—Bonaro Overstreet
~
Another sunny spring day crept past the voided horizon of Ponyville. As the sun peeked over the mountains and bathed the town below in warm, welcoming light, one little pegasus colt in the valley fought the approaching dawn.
With a small, dismissive grunt, Rumble turned over on his mattress, facing away from the rising sun beyond his window. He flung the cool, crisp sheets over his face and snuggled into them, sighing heavily. He relished the sensation of gentle cloth against his fur and yearned to forget the calendar.
After all, today wasn't just any ordinary spring day; it was the first day of spring. A fresh beginning to a new season. A new, glorious dawn. Something to usually celebrate, but...
… It was Monday.
Rumble hated Mondays.
He tossed and turned, clutching at a tuft of his ethereal dream. He’d dreamt of soaring high in the clouds, zipping past the Wonderbolts with black lightning trailing behind him before Celestia tugged roughly at his eyelids. Rumble sighed. He loved that dream.
Trying to relax, he pressed his muzzle against the sheets, nuzzling them. Remembering his elation of thermals and freedom, Rumble fluttered his wings excitedly. He needed that dream again. He longed for it...
Rumble pushed the thought of Monday out of his mind, along with stupid school, and stupid homework, and stupid fillies. Especially that one blank-flanked pegasus filly who was always looking at him. Rumble snorted. Now, she was a strange one.
Slipping into the hooves of the Sandmare at last, Rumble donned his flying goggles, kicked off his hindhooves, and—
The sound of strong hooves rudely trotting into his bedroom yanked him from his dreamscape. So close. So tauntingly, irritatingly close.
“Hey! Wake up, sleepyhead!”
Rumble grunted in response, throwing the covers over himself, keeping Monday out. It wasn't Monday yet.
His intruder exhaled heavily, his breath smelling of oats and honey. The intruder trotted closer still. These hoofsteps were louder and more forceful than Rumble's. A pair of wings stronger than his own rustled as their owner stretched and retracted them.
“C’mon, Rumble. It’s Monday.”
Rumble groaned and curled into a ball beneath his sheets.
The intruder sighed. He was giving up already. Triumphant, Rumble stretched out beneath his sea of blue-and-gray blankets and sheets, returning to the Wonderbolts once more.
Without warning, a set of impatient jaws pulled away his covers, leaving Rumble to melt in the sun.
“Thunderlane!” Rolling onto his back, Rumble covered his face with his forehooves and whined, “Just five more minutes!”
Thunderlane tapped one of his hooves on the hardwood floor.
Rumble closed his eyes and rolled back onto his side, fumbling blindly for his sheets and blankets. His hooves found no purchase. His older brother gathered them in his mouth and tossed them away from the bed, inviting Monday into the room at last. The Sandmare would have to wait for another night.
Rumble whined again, snapping his violet eyes open to meet the gold of his brother’s. “Thunderlane! Please! Just five more miiiiiinutes!”
Thunderlane shook his muzzle and said sternly, “Nope. It’s time to get up and get ready for school.”
“But! But—“
“No buts. Get up, little bro," he said, nudging the colt in the side with his snout.
A sleepy Rumble groaned as he rolled onto his stomach and stretched his hooves. Fluttering his wings, he glanced sideways at his brother, noting the wayward strands of two-tone blue mane falling here and there in front of his eyes. Thunderlane was not a vain stallion, but he was not an unkempt one, either. Rumble tilted his head and asked, “What’s with your mane?”
Running a forehoof through his messy mane, Thunderlane chuckled and dismissed his brother's inquiry with a click of his tongue. “Don’t worry ‘bout that, lil’ bro. Let's get moving, Rumble." He stretched out a wing and brushed the tips lightly against his brother's side. “Your breakfast is gonna get cold.”
Rumble huffed. “Alright…” He relented, hopping off the bed and following after Thunderlane.
The pair exited the colt's bedroom and turned into the small corridor of the cottage. The narrow hallway led to the kitchenette and living room. Two more bedrooms—Thunderlane's, and a mostly unused master bedroom—were tucked off to the side of the hall.
Unlike most pegasus ponies, Thunderlane and Rumble dwelt on the welcoming ground near the outskirts of Ponyville. They were almost directly beneath Cloudsdale, if Rumble remembered correctly. He wasn't quite sure why they lived among the earth ponies and unicorns, but he didn't bother to question it.
Thunderlane’s silver horseshoes clicked against the hardwood as he strode, a metronome wrestling Rumble from the last vestiges of his dreams.
While Thunderlane was a member of the Ponyville weather team, his occupation wasn't as mundane as kicking clouds or brewing up thunderstorms. Large and strong for a pegasus—even a pegasus stallion—he mostly wrestled with ice and snow, breaking the permafrosts each winter and tucking away the excess in the mountains. In the off-season, he assisted with equally laborious tasks, such as maintaining factory equipment. Though most ponies went through life bare-hoofed, Thunderlane was bound by necessity to wear horseshoes, protecting his livelihood from the harshness his career entailed.
Rumble listened to his brother's clicking horseshoes as he followed after him. By the time they reached the breakfast table, the colt was fully awake, although his bed wept for his return.
Thunderlane pulled a chair out for his brother from the table and patted the seat. The chair's seat met Thunderlane's belly—about three feet or so farther off the ground than his little brother. "Think you can jump up here, lil' bro?"
"But Thunderlane," Rumble protested, shuffling his hooves, "you always help me up."
Thunderlane smiled. "You're getting to be a big colt now, Rumble. Let's see if you can get all the way up here by yourself."
Glancing nervously at the insurmountable height, Rumble flicked his developing wings and gulped. Remembering what Thunderlane had taught him, he leaned back on his hindhooves, spread his wings, and jumped up.
As he jumped, he began to pump those tiny wings, straining and squeezing his eyes shut. To his surprise, he started to hover! Hovering up, up, up, a few inches high, and then a few more, and then—
Rumble's hooves touched the hardwood again. He sighed. He'd been so close. "Aww! But I—"
In one swift motion, Thunderlane scooped his little brother off the floor, raising him high into the air. "You almost did it, big guy!" he gushed, a broad grin on his muzzle.
Rumble frowned, his wings falling against his sides.
"Aww, turn that frown upside-down, lil' bro!" Thunderlane smirked. "I bet in a few more days, you'll be able to hop right up there, no questions asked!"
"Maybe," Rumble said uneasily. "But—"
Thunderlane lifted him higher, then jumped up into the air himself, flapping his mighty wings. Gripping the colt tightly, he began to spin the pair in the air, dissolving Rumble's worry into a series of giggles. Rumble laughed as his brother spun him around. "Th-Thunderlane! P-put me down!"
"Not until you cheer up!" Thunderlane said, his throaty laugh echoing through the kitchenette. He circled his brother in a tiny tornado, holding him out at hoof's-length as they spun and spun in a swirl of their manes and coats, blue and black and gray and in-between.
Rumble's sides ached from laughter by the time Thunderlane floated back to the floor. The older pegasus laughed as he brought his sibling in for a comforting hug. "Now," he said, taking a deep breath, "don't you worry, Rumble. Someday, you'll be as strong and fast a flier as me."
Setting Rumble down on the chair, Thunderlane pushed a bowl of sweet oats and a glass of orange juice towards his brother. "Let's chow down, Rumble. You don't wanna be late."
With his worry forgotten, Rumble grinned and nodded, soon digging into his bowl.
~
Swift Wind stomped the floor of the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. Holding his clipboard in his forehooves, he looked up and down the assembly lines, searching for a certain pegasus stallion. "Where's Thunderlane?!" he bellowed, making everypony busy at the machines look up.
A white, freckled pegasus with a green-and-pink mane nervously met her superior's eyes. "H-he hasn't come in yet, Mister Wind."
"Of course he hasn't! That's why I'm asking where he is!" he shot back, stomping towards the mare. "Seriously, Blossomforth, what kind of fool do you take me for?!" His wings flared in his rage, steely eyes demanding an answer.
She avoided his gaze and fidgeted with her forehooves. "I-I, w-well—"
"Once he gets here, send his flank my way!" Spinning around, Swift Wind stomped towards the other side of the factory. "Stupid, lazy pegasus..."
~
Thunderlane glanced over his shoulder at Rumble and set the dishes to soak in the sink. "You got everything you need in your saddlebags, lil' bro?"
"Yes, Thunderlane," Rumble said flatly, rolling his eyes a little. Thunderlane was always double-checking his saddlebags.
Thunderlane moved from the sink to the colt, patting his saddlebags. "You've been off for a week, so maybe you forgot—"
"No, I'm fine."
"Your textbooks?"
"Check."
"Pencils?"
"Check."
"An apple for Miss Cheerilee in case you get rowdy again?"
"Thunderlaaaaane..."
He laughed. "Alright, alright." Rustling his mane, Thunderlane said, "Go run off to school now." He looked over at a clock on the wall. "Fifteen minutes enough to get you there on time, or you want me to fly you?"
As much as he enjoyed the prospect of soaring above his classmates once again—as he had a few times before, when Thunderlane wasn't as successful at dragging him out of bed and into coherence—Rumble shook his head. "Nope!" With a confident smile, he started towards the door. "Bye, Thunderlane!"
Thunderlane returned the smile and turned back towards the sink. "Bye, Rumble!" he said, waving a forehoof. "Oh!" He snapped back around, stopping Rumble in his tracks. "One more thing..."
"Yes?"
"I might be working late tonight, so could you hang out at Chowder's house after school until I pick you up?"
Rumble's ears flattened. "But… what about—"
Thunderlane sighed and rubbed his neck. "I'm not sure, lil' bro. But don't you worry." He walked up to his little brother and nuzzled his cheek comfortingly. "I'm sure they'll be home soon. Okay?"
Trusting him, Rumble nuzzled back. "Okay."
~
Cheerilee clapped her forehooves twice, hushing the clamor of her chatting pupils. "Alright, class!" She strode in front of the front row of desks and smiled. "Now, I know you all are probably still thinking about how much fun you had on your spring break—"
"It was awesome, Miss Cheerilee!" Snails's eyes bulged. His forehoof shot excitedly into the air, far too late. "Ooh! Ooh! Can I tell the class what I did? Can I? Can I, huh?!"
His best friend poked him in the ribs and whispered, "Psst! You were grounded, remember? For that... thing?"
Snails whirled around to face Snips. His muzzle paled. "Oh, right. The thing..."
"Ahem!" Cheerilee tapped a hoof on the floor, glaring at the two dimwitted colts. "While I'm sure your story is very interesting, Snails, we won't be discussing our spring breaks just yet."
On cue, the entire classroom belted out with a whiny "Awwwwwwww!"
The teacher's cheerful demeanor hardened into a stern glare. "Now, class," she said, walking back up to the blackboard, "as I was saying, I'm sure you all are still mentally on spring break, but you'd best come back to Equestria." Cheerilee picked up a piece of chalk and began to write on the blackboard. Facing away from the class, she continued her lecture. "I hope at least some of you practiced writing in your journals, as I recommended—"
"But! But!" Chowder shot a forehoof into the air. "Miss Cheerilee, you said we had no homework during the break!"
Unseen by all but only the most nosy and well-angled of students, Cheerilee facehoofed near the blackboard.
She sighed and turned around. "Yessss, I did," she said, clicking her tongue.
Chowder titled his head, puzzled. "So… did we still have to write, then?"
Rumble smacked his friend in the shoulder and hissed, "Quiet! You're gonna send her on a—"
"Chowder, do you know what the difference between a suggestion and an instruction is?" Cheerilee cleared her throat and wrote both words on the blackboard. "Ahem. A suggestion is..."
"... Rant," Rumble finished under his breath, slumping in his seat.
~
Thunderlane rushed out the door, huffing and puffing. After he fumbled for his key in his saddlebag, he locked the front door to the small cottage, then looked around. The morning mist flowed through his mane, tickling his feathers. He sighed. Without even having to glance at the Ponyville clock tower, he knew he was late. Swift Wind would be angry… again.
Tucking the key back in his saddlebag, Thunderlane stretched his wings, then paused for a few seconds to relish the sun against his primaries. Then, without further ado, he kicked off his hindhooves and shot into the air, forehooves outstretched and wings pumping furiously.
As he flew towards Cloudsdale, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the tease of the wind through his mane, Thunderlane let his mind wander. Would they be home tonight? Would he have to go to the market soon if they weren't? The icebox was getting sparse. Would Chowder's family be alright with Rumble staying over yet again, possibly for dinner? He should take something over to the family as a thank-you. But he was a terrible baker and a sub-par cook. Oats, sandwiches, and salads were about where his talent ended. Surely, he'd think of something...
Before he knew it, Thunderlane pierced the cloud cover above Ponyville. He doubled his efforts. Cloudsdale would not be too much farther now.
Although he was already late, Thunderlane flew as fast as he could, out of breath by the time Cloudsdale's weather factory came into full view. Climbing the thermals to a dizzying altitude above the factory, the stallion tucked his wings into his sides. He then shot downwards, slicing through the morning mist.
Hooves outstretched, Thunderlane timed his landing perfectly, silver horseshoes skidding across the runway and entrance to the factory. He stuck his landing, riding out his velocity until all four hooves came to a sharp halt.
One of the factory workers guarding the entrance eyed him curiously.
"Haaah... Swift... gah... where's… Swift Wind?" Thunderlane choked, shaking sweat off his muzzle.
The guard-pony pointed towards the far end of the factory, beyond a door marked "AUTHORIZED PONIES ONLY."
Thunderlane stuttered, "Th… Thanks, bud," and weakly dragged his hooves across the floor. His wings burning, he made as much haste as he could, the sound of his horseshoes clicking against the metal runway boring holes into his eardrums. How he loathed that sound, especially in the morning. Sleep never came easily to Thunderlane, and when it did, it was so welcoming that he could barely pull himself from it.
Thunderlane reached for the door when it suddenly swung open, narrowly missing his face.
In the doorway stood Swift Wind, his wings flared and his eyes aflame. "Thunderlane! You're late AGAIN!" He spat on the floor as he stomped towards the tardy stallion. Clutching his clipboard in his forehooves, Swift approached Thunderlane heavily, rage written across his muzzle. "What the hay is your problem?!"
Backing up, Thunderlane avoided his superior's gaze and stumbled, "I—Swift—last night—this morning, I mean, I—"
"That's the fourth time in two weeks! Are you trying to get yourself fired, Thunderlane?!"
"No, sir! Of course not, sir!"
Swift stopped in his tracks, glaring at his worker. "If it wasn't for your father, I would have fired your flank years ago. You know that, right?"
Thunderlane gulped. "Yes, sir."
"Pity that he has a son like you," Swift spat, his wings extending to full length above him. "Barely factory material, much less a Guard pegasus."
Staying silent, Thunderlane stared at his hooves, scraping a horseshoe at the floor.
Swift Wind shook his muzzle and snorted. "Let me guess. Taking care of Rumble again?"
"Yes, sir," Thunderlane said quietly, still staring at his hooves.
Unseen, Swift Wind's furious expression softened. He sighed and pulled his wings back to his sides. "And your mother is...?"
Thunderlane shuffled from one hoof to the other.
Swift waited.
After a long silence, Thunderlane muttered, "I… we don't know."
"How do you not know?"
Rubbing his nape, Thunderlane said, "Ah, well, she and Dad have been having… problems. She usually flies off for a week or two when that happens."
Swift Wind opened his mouth to reply, but said nothing. He shifted both the conversation and his direction with the pivot of his hindhooves. "C'mon, we have one of the snowflake-sorters under maintenance today. We need somepony to carry the tools back and forth."
Nodding, Thunderlane followed after his employer, grateful that conversation was over.
~
"... And that, class, is the difference between a suggestion and an instruction."
Cheerilee turned around and was greeted by the sight of rows and rows of snoozing, drooling foals.
The teacher struck a yardstick against her desk.
WHAP!
Twenty foals shot straight into the air. Rumble's eyes flew open, his wings fluttering furiously to bring him down into his chair.
Cheerilee cleared her throat and smirked. "Now, I am hoping you all wrote in your journals over your break, as I suggested, because today's assignment shall be an essay!" Her smile was wide enough to split her muzzle.
Silence befell the classroom as all but the most creative of minds went into panic mode.
An essay?! We're gone for a week and she wants us to write an essay on the first day back?! Rumble began to sweat. While he wasn't a terrible writer by any means, it definitely wasn't his strong suit. He'd much rather be outside in the open air than cooped up inside, scribbling out some silly little story for his teacher. He frowned and crossed his forehooves. I hope it's not too bad...
Blissfully ignorant of her students' predicament, Cheerilee grabbed the chalk again and wrote the essay topic on the board.
"MY BIGGEST HERO," it read.
Cheerilee turned around and faced her classroom, clapping her forehooves together excitedly. "Now, class, I want to introduce the essay first by saying that you can write about anypony you want. It doesn't have to be a police officer, or a firefighter, or a member of the Royal Guard, or a Wonderbolt, or—”
"Oooh! Oooh!" An orange forehoof shot into the air.
Rumble groaned internally.
"Yes, Scootaloo?"
"Miss Cheerilee, can it be about a future Wonderbolt?"
Rumble rolled his eyes.
The teacher smiled and nodded. "Why, of course, Scootaloo. In fact, I'm sure that future Wonderbolt would love it if you wrote about her."
Scootaloo chuckled nervously. "Wh-who said it would be a her?"
Beside her, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle groaned and rolled their eyes.
Moving swiftly along, Cheerilee steered the conversation back to the topic at hoof. "Class, this will be a short essay. Since it's quite clear that most of you did not take my suggestion to heart," she said, shooting a glare at Chowder, "I am only requiring one page for this assignment."
Smiles and excited glances began to spread like wildfire through the room.
She held up a forehoof. "One page, front and back."
The class shared a collective groan. Rumble slumped in his seat. That's like… a bajillion words! How the hay am I supposed to come up with that much?! I don't know any Wonderbolts, or even future ones!
"Any questions, class?"
Nopony bothered to raise a hoof, too panicked to think.
Cheerilee grinned and announced, "Alright! In that case, how about a quick recess before a pop math quiz?"
Rumble buried his face in his forehooves. Horseapples! Math!
~
Thunderlane rushed back and forth from one floor of the factory to the other, carrying a heavy toolbox in his forehooves. He was grateful for what was, essentially, another pair of limbs. If he had to climb the ladder between floors instead of flying, he would've had no choice but to strap the heavy box of tools to his back. While strong, Thunderlane was no earth pony. Even so, by the time lunchtime rolled around, he was drenched in sweat and his forehooves were beginning to burn with overexerted protest.
The whistle blew around high noon, signaling the start of the hour-long lunch period. Exhausted, Thunderlane set the box of tools down on the floor and trotted weakly towards the break rooms in the basement. Each step sent him swaying. Breathing hard, he followed a line of worker-pegasi. One mare sidled up to him with a concerned look on her face.
"Thunderlane, you alright?"
"Huh?" He glanced over at her. "Oh, hey, Blossomforth."
"Hey," she said, "you don't look so good." She tilted her head to the side and lifted a wing, brushing the tips against his forehead. "You're burning up!"
"I'm fine," he said, shaking perspiration from his eyes. "Just a little tired, that's all."
Blossomforth leaned closer to him, leading the pair as they descended the stairs towards the basement. "Is everything okay at home?" she whispered.
Unlike most ponies, Blossomforth was privy to some of Thunderlane's private life. She sympathized with him. Her mother was in the Guard as well, and her father was, well, present but absent. However, she was an only foal.
Thunderlane's ears drooped. He bit his lip.
She draped a wing over his back, steering them into an empty break room. "How long now?"
"Been almost two weeks," he said, pulling up a chair for himself at the break table. Blossomforth did the same. He stretched his hindhooves across a nearby stool and groaned. "Urgh, my hooves are killing me."
She glanced at his hooves for a second. "Is it the shoes?"
He shrugged.
"Maybe they're too tight?"
"I don't know. What's it matter, anyway?" he said dejectedly, leaning his back against the chair. Thunderlane stretched his wings to preen, but decided against it.
Blossomforth frowned, then changed the subject. "What did you bring for lunch today?" Using a wing, she reached over and opened one of the many cabinets lining the perimeter of the break room. "I have some peanut butter, crackers, and an apple."
Thunderlane rubbed his snout and sighed, closing his eyes. "Horsefeathers. I forgot to pack a lunch today."
"Oh." Frowning again, Blossomforth brought her meal to the table and looked it over. She hadn't had much time to prepare either. She’d simply grabbed some food that had been lying out on the counter that morning. It was barely enough for herself—nowhere near enough for a large stallion like Thunderlane. Nevertheless, something was better than nothing.
"Here," Blossomforth said, passing the apple across the table to the stallion. "You can have some of mine."
Thunderlane opened one eye and frowned. "You sure?"
She nodded, smiling. "Of course! Just bring something extra tomorrow for me, okay?" She knew he would probably forget, but didn't mind. She wouldn't miss one apple.
Reluctantly, he picked up the apple and brought it to his lips. "Thanks," he said, flushing at his own mistake. He couldn't keep screwing up like this; there was a colt who was depending on him.
Thunderlane and Blossomforth ate in silence for the next few minutes, both devouring their meager lunches. Once he was finished, Thunderlane stretched out across the chair and stool. With a yawn, he said, "I'm gonna take a quick nap. Wake me when lunch is over. Please?" he added, looking at the mare before closing his eyes.
"Sure," she said, reaching into the cabinet to retrieve a book she stashed for lunches like this.
Thunderlane napped for the next forty minutes while Blossomforth read, just like they did most days.
~
After another boring, excruciating day of school—which, on today of all Mondays, included far too much math—Rumble and Chowder lazily made their way to Chowder's house. Neither colt was fairly eager to head home, knowing that once they did, Chowder's strict parents would ensure they wouldn't see the light of day until Cheerilee's essay was finished.
Chowder kicked at a pebble in the street. "So… who are you thinking of writing about?"
Rumble sighed and watched a few pigeons soar by. "No idea. You?"
"I was thinking maybe one of those bakers who came through town a few weeks ago."
"For the Ponyville Baking Competition?"
"Yeah. That Griffon one. Gustave something, I think?"
Rumble scoffed. "Well, he lost."
Chowder laughed a little. "Yeah… nopony can beat the Cakes."
"That's because they have Pinkie Pie."
"Yeah..." Chowder looked absentmindedly towards Sugarcube Corner. "She is a strange one."
"You're telling me," Rumble said. "My brother told me that she once randomly appeared in Cloudsdale, hiding in one of the machines."
Chowder raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I believe that."
"Are you calling my brother a liar?" Rumble challenged.
"No! It's just..." Chowder avoided his friend's gaze. "He seems kinda... out of it sometimes."
Rumble stopped walking.
Chowder's shoulders slumped as he turned around and sighed. "Sorry. That came out wrong."
"My brother is 'out of it' sometimes because he works hard!"
"I'm sure, Rumble. I believe you. I understand."
"NO!" Rumble shouted, stomping a forehoof on the ground.
Several ponies passing by on the street snapped their heads around, watching a little pegasus colt's wings unfurl, his muzzle pressing up against a squat earth pony colt's.
Chowder took a step backwards. "Rumble, I—"
"No! You don't get it, Chowder! You don't get it at all!"
"I'm sorry, I—"
"Do you even know why I'm staying over at your house after school today?!"
Chowder looked away, forcing an awkward chuckle. "Uh… because I got a new toy airplane?"
Rumble threw up his forehooves. "No!"
"Oh." Plopping down on his haunches, Chowder mumbled, "I thought you'd wanna come over and play if I got it..."
Rumble frowned at this, his ears and wings drooping. He exhaled heavily, sitting down beside his friend. "I'm… I'm sorry, Chowder. It's just..." He paused. "Things have just been… weird lately."
Putting a hoof on his pegasus friend's shoulder, Chowder asked, "Do you… do you wanna talk about it when we get to my house?"
Rumble looked about the street. The previously staring ponies had moved on. Everypony appeared lost in their own little worlds, schedules and appointments to keep. None seemed to notice the two colts sitting in the middle of the street. He shook his muzzle. "We can talk about it here."
"Oh. Alright," Chowder said, a little taken aback. "So, um, what's wrong?"
"It's just..." Rumble paused, searching for the right words. "I know Thunderlane is working so hard. He works nearly every day, Chowder! He's usually not home until the sun goes down. And when he is home, there's just so much to do! Cooking, cleaning..." Looking away, he added quietly, ashamed, "Helping me with homework, making sure I get up in the morning, helping me fly..."
"Wow."
Rumble looked back towards his friend. "Huh?"
Chowder smiled. "I wish I had a big brother like that."
"You… you do?"
"Of course!" Chowder sighed. "My mom and dad mean well, but it's just not the same, since they're so much older, you know? I mean… I'm sure you know what I mean."
"Huh?" Rumble blinked, confused.
"I mean… isn't it kinda annoying when your parents do that stuff?" Chowder asked. "Like… they're allllllways trying to make sure you're eating your vegetables, or going to bed on time, or doing your homework. They're always asking about your day, about what you learned at school." The squat colt crossed his hefty forehooves across his chest. "Sometimes, I just wish I had some space… know what I mean?"
Rumble looked at the ground and said nothing, digging a hoof into the street.
"I mean, you have both your parents and your brother looking out for you..."
And that's when it hit him.
My brother...
"Hey… Equestria to Rumble!" Chowder shook him lightly on the shoulder. "You okay, Rumble?"
Rumble looked up into his friend's eyes, nodded, and rose to all four hooves. "Yeah… I'm fine. C'mon, I wanna see that new airplane."
With a huge grin, Chowder stood up. Soon, both colts took off at full gallop towards Chowder's house, one with play on his mind, and one with work.
~
When Celestia yielded to her younger and darker sister, Thunderlane's hooves finally touched the ground again. He landed in the middle of Ponyville town square, close to where Chowder and his family lived. After a brief stretch, Thunderlane trotted towards the colt's house. He knew he'd get there faster by flight, but had quite enough of flying for today.
Thunderlane's hooves and back still ached from transporting spare parts for the snowflake machines from one side of the factory to the other. He jotted down a mental note to take a hot bath later that night, if he had time.
Lost in his thoughts, Thunderlane made his way to the cottage. Neither his father nor his mother had replied to either of his letters. How much longer would his father's latest deployment last? The Griffon Kingdoms weren't all that far away, were they? And besides, Equestria was in a time of peace, and close trade allies with the Griffons. But, he supposed with a sigh, he wouldn't know for sure until his father replied to him...
Thunderlane ducked just in time to miss walking straight into a street lamp. He shook his thoughts away and gritted his teeth. As for his mother, perhaps no news was good news. She had been barely competent enough to raise him, much less Rumble. It was a miracle Thunderlane was somewhat of a productive member of Ponyville society.
Reaching the cottage at last, Thunderlane knocked three times on the door, then waited.
Chowder's short, stocky mother, Souffle, opened the door. She greeted him with a smile that could warm the heart of Nightmare itself. "Well, hello, Thunderlane! Here to pick up Rumble?"
"That's right, Miss Souffle," he said politely, lowering his head in respect.
She dismissed him with a forehoof, blushing a little. "Oh, Thunderlane, how many times have I told you? Call me Souffle!"
"Heh. Well, thanks again for watching him, Souffle." He rose his eyes to meet hers. He peered around her into the cottage. "Has he been any trouble today?"
"Nope! In fact, the colts did their homework and played in Chowder's room afterwards. No trouble at all."
"Oh, that's good."
"Yup. Rumble had some of my famous vegetable stew for dinner. I hope you don't mind," she added.
Thunderlane smiled and shook his head. "I don't mind at all. I, er, didn't have anything made for dinner yet, actually."
"Oh!" Souffle brought a forehoof to her lips, then grinned. "Wellllll... perhaps you would be interested in taking some of my stew home, then?"
"S-sure!" he said, taken aback by her generosity. "Thank you, Souffle."
"Not a problem, Thunderlane. Wait right here. I'll get you some stew, and maybe your little brother, too."
They shared a laugh.
Within less than a minute, Souffle returned to the doorstep, a container of stew balanced on her forehoof and held out to him. At her hooves was Rumble, his saddlebag looped over his shoulder, beaming brightly towards his brother. "Hi, Thunderlane!"
Thunderlane scooped up the colt and set him on his back with a chuckle. He nuzzled him and said, "Glad to see you, lil' buddy! Did you have a good day at school?"
"Yup!"
Thunderlane turned back to Souffle and took the stew from her forehoof. "Honestly, I can't thank you enough—"
"It's no problem at all, Thunderlane. Anytime." She spun around and called into the cottage. "Chowder! Come say goodbye to Rumble and Thunderlane!"
Chowder ran from his room to the front door, struggling to catch his breath. "Buh… buh… Bye, Ru… ahhh… Rumble! Thunderlane!" he said between gasps.
Rumble waved a forehoof at his friend and Souffle. "Bye! Thanks for all the help on the assignment, Miss Chowder's Mom!"
Souffle giggled. "Rumble, you can call me Souffle, remember?"
"Oh, right!"
Thunderlane laughed and turned towards home. "Bye, you two. Thanks again for everything!"
"No problem!" Souffle said, both earth ponies waving goodbye as Thunderlane trotted away.
Chowder turned to his mother once the two pegasi had left. "Mom?"
"Yes, Chowder?"
"Is that why Rumble comes over here a lot… because of what was in his essay?"
A faint smile curled across her muzzle. She patted her son's mane. "That's something that he needs to tell you on his own, sweetie. Families are complicated things."
He shrugged. "I guess."
"You'll understand more when you're older. Now, come help me clean up the kitchen. Your father already went to sleep, so he's no help."
"Ugh, again?!” Chowder groaned and reluctantly followed his mother.
~
Rumble was already yawning profusely when the two brothers reached home. After some initial whining and arguing, Rumble reluctantly took a bath, brushed his teeth and mane, and crawled into bed. Night had arrived in full swing by now, bringing with it a masterpiece of stars. Waiting for Thunderlane to tuck him in, Rumble looked out the window, searching for any constellations.
I remember when the meteor shower passed and Thunderlane woke me up in the middle of the night to watch it. What are they called again? "Shooting stars"? Yeah, that's it.
And you're supposed to wish on them...
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
The colt whipped his head around and smiled softly. "Hi, Thunderlane."
"Hey, lil' bro." Thunderlane strode over, running a forehoof through his frazzled mane. He was due for a bath himself. "Ready for bed?"
"Yup!" Rumble answered with a giggle, stretching out under the covers.
"Good. It's getting close to your bedtime, anyway. And judging from how you got up this morning, and how much you've been yawning, it's best you go to bed early."
He yawned. "Ye… Yeah..."
Pulling the covers up to his chin and fluffing his pillow, Thunderlane sat down beside his sibling and smiled. "Do you want a bedtime story?"
Rumble chuckled and shook his head. "I'm a big colt now, Thunderlane."
He smiled. "I guess you are, Rumble." Thunderlane leaned down to kiss his brother's forehead. Rumble scrunched up his snout when he did so, but didn't wipe the kiss away. Both of them laughed.
"Goodnight, Thunderlane," Rumble said, nuzzling his brother's cheek.
"Goodnight, Rumble," Thunderlane said, nuzzling him back.
Thunderlane clicked off the lamp on the nightstand. Rumble sighed and flopped onto his side, closing his eyes. Within mere seconds, the exhausted colt began to slip into the waiting hooves of the Sandmare, strapping on his Wonderbolt goggles and preparing to unleash black lightning across the crystal skies.
Before he drifted off to sleep, he thought, I already got my wish...
~
As Thunderlane made his way towards the door of Rumble's bedroom, a sheet of paper fell from Rumble's open saddlebag. Thunderlane leaned down and picked it up.
In the dim moonlight of threshold, Thunderlane read the title.
"MY BROTHER, MY HERO."
He glanced at the bed and his sleeping brother. He knew he should just put the piece of paper back in his saddlebag, but the rising warmth in his chest pressed him to read on. Quietly, Thunderlane stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him.
Here, beneath the hallway light, the words were clear, and he began to read.
"My biggest hero is my brother Thunderlane.
My mom and dad aren't around that much. Thunderlane tried to explu explain it to me once but I don't really get it. I guess dad is in the royal gar guard on some mission far away. He's gone for weeks at a time before coming back. Mom and dad fight a lot when mom is here. When she isn't here Thunderlane says she stays with her friends. Sometimes her friends are in Canterlot and sometimes they are in Manehatten. Sometimes they are even in Fillyadol Fillydelphia.
I miss them alot a lot.
When they're gone Thunderlane takes care of me. He makes my meals and wakes me up in the morning and asks how my day at school was. He teaches me how to fly. Well I am trying to. Someday I will he says. He takes care of me when I'm sick and tells me things will be OK. Because of him I don't cry about mom and dad being gone. I used to a lot.
Thunderlane works a lot. He works at the Whet Weather Factory. He has to wear thick horseshoes because of his job. I think they hurt his hooves. But he doesn't say anything about it. Thunderlane looks tired a lot. But he doesn't say anything about that too. He always smiles or tries to make me laugh. He even sleeps in my room when I have nightmers nightmares. I don't have many nightmares any more anymore.
When I grow up I want to be just like him. I want to make him proud. I want to be a big strong weather pony like him and wear those horseshoes like he does. And take care of him like he took care of me.
My biggest hero is my brother Thunderlane."
Tears streaming down his cheeks, Thunderlane opened the door to his brother's room.
Silently, he placed the essay back in his saddlebag, then closed the door again.
Thunderlane took a hot bath that night. And wept.
And wept.
That night, he slept better than he had in weeks.
