The Risks of Braving a Storm

by Wintergreen Diaries

Rating: teen
Tags: Wonderbolts, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Original Character, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo
Length: 81658

Storm Blitz, a massive pegasus, comes to Ponyville after his grandfather dies.

Storm Blitz is displaced from his home in Cloudspire after his special talent causes several pegasi to become severely crippled. His adoptive father, the renowned politician Proud Skies, sends him to live with his grandfather in a gated off community for retired Wonderbolts. When his grandfather suddenly passes away, he goes to the only remaining relative he has, his earth pony birth father in Ponyville.

A collaboration effort between myself and OminousBrony.

Picture by askheroichamburger of DeviantArt

Published 2012-03-06 23:14:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-03-27 16:58:04 UTC

Displaced

Chapter 1: Displaced

"We don't want you here!"

"Yeah, get out of town!"

"My son will never fly again because of you!"  The threats and protest poured down like rain upon the single pegasus stallion in the center of the throng, his head bowed low and limbs shaking.  He was much larger than all the pegasi around him due to his birth father being an earth pony, with a charcoal black coat and a slate gray mane with several streaks of electric yellow traced through it.  He glanced at his flank with loathing, a tornado surrounded by lightning having appeared just yesterday as his cutie mark.  His yellow eyes spied his parents standing on the balcony of their mansion, his adoptive father staring down at the scene in disdain.

"See what your fooling around has brought us.  I told you he'd be nothing but trouble," Proud Skies muttered, glancing across at his wife Flying Grace, who said nothing.  "Storm Blitz, come here now!" he shouted, his voice rising over the crowd.  Storm quickly spread his wings and flew to the balcony, hoping against hope to find comfort but receiving only scorn.  "Get inside," his father growled, barely resisting the urge to beat him then and there.  Storm knew all too well that there was no way to undo the mess, and the consequences were going to be severe.  His father took one last look at the crowd before returning inside, his wife following him into a large furnished room on the third story.  Storm was already waiting, sitting on the couch and not making eye contact with either of them.

"Do you have any idea what kind of situation you've put us in?  Especially with elections coming so soon?"  His mother's voice was wasn’t as harsh as his father's had been, her worry for her son only growing as Proud Skies walked towards Storm.  Storm said nothing, continuing to stare at the floor.  A sudden blow to his face caused his vision to blur as his father's hoof made solid connection with his jaw, something he had become accustomed to in recent years.

"You will speak when spoken to, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Storm replied, despondency creeping into his voice.  His father’s fury was nothing compared to the guilt he felt for his actions, as four of his friends would likely never fly again.  And while they didn't blame him, the rest of the town did; especially their families.  His father began pacing, muttering under his breath and casting the occasional glare at Storm.  Nothing was said for a good ten minutes, and with a scowl his father finally declared the verdict.

"Grab your saddlebag and anything else you'd like.  You're leaving Cloudspire."  Storm nodded and eagerly left the room, returning to the first floor and shutting the door to his room softly, not wanting to wake his sister who was hopefully still asleep in the next room over.  “I can’t believe you ever convinced me to let let that bastard into my home,” Proud muttered before sweeping out of the room, leaving Grace to cope with her petty emotions alone.

Storm didn't have much to take; a ribbon he had won for exceptional cloud clearing, a picture of his grandfather, and a single letter he had received from his birth father.  He heard his door crack open and he cringed, expecting Proud to tear into him again but hearing instead a soft and timid voice.

"Big brother?  What are you doing?  Why are mommy and daddy mad at you?"  Storm slowly turned to face his three year old sister, her face full of concern.

"I'm leaving.  I'm sorry, but it looks like somepony else will have to teach you to fly."  His heart broke as she began to cry, her final words to him cutting him to the core and carving the words in deep.

"You liar!  You promised me you would!  I hate you!"

Storm woke with a start, blinking away the unwanted moisture in his eyes as the dream faded.  Even now, five years later, the memories of his life in Cloudspire continued to haunt him.  It was just before daybreak at Golden Feathers Retirement Home for Wonderbolts, where he had lived with his grandfather since that fateful night.  The home was built atop a tall plateau, the high altitude and steep sides barring all but pegasi from entering.  Residence was given only to retired Wonderbolts and Storm’s presence there was somewhat of an anomaly, due only to Proud Skies’ tremendous sway within the pegasi elite and his grandfather Lightning Wing’s fame.

As an ex-Wonderbolt, his grandfather garnered plenty of attention wherever he went, and longing to live out his years in peace had opted for the quiet of the home.  He was still quite fit, and Storm had adjusted to a life of solitude, completing his school work from home and flying as little as possible.  Even the attendants around the home gave him wide berth, his situation being well known to all; he had been formally disowned by the prestigious Proud Skies.  Judging by the lighting outside, he figured he still had two or three hours left until he had to visit his grandfather.  He pushed the memories down, and after a time fell asleep once more.

The frantic knocking on his door a seemingly short time later immediately alerted Storm that something was wrong.  For anypony to make that level of noise was unheard of this early in the morning, and Storm quickly threw back the covers and opened the door, a rather dejected attendant refusing to meet his gaze.

"Storm Blitz, your grandfather has suffered a heart attack.  He didn't make it, we're sorry."

"What?  But how can that...  I spoke to him yesterday, he can't just be dead!"  The caretaker cringed as Storm's shouts woke many of the other ponies, an hour yet remaining before sunrise.

"I'm afraid I must also remind you that your lease here was only due to his influence and your father’s insistence.  I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave.  This is your twenty four hour notice."  Having said his piece, the attendant scampered off, grateful to no longer be standing near that lumbering giant of a pegasus.  Storm's mind couldn't process the information, his grandfather being the one pony who treated him normally.  He slowly turned and entered the room that was no longer his own, staring at the scene.  He knew he would never be back, that he couldn't possibly hope to stay, and that he had nowhere to go.

In a fit of rage he slammed a hoof against a bookshelf, causing several books and a tattered envelope to fall from their place of rest.  He ignored it and continued to vent his anger, pounding his pillow until the stuffing started to come out.  To his chagrin he found a small stream coming from his eyes, and he quickly calmed himself, wiping it away and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I never used to be like this..." he whispered to himself, realizing his anger would do nothing to help resolve the situation.  He sat for a few minutes to collect himself, then grabbed his saddlebag and began to fill it with only the essentials.  He had just finished when he again heard somepony at the door.  He opened it slowly to find the caretaker from earlier standing beside a large box of his grandfather's things and uncomfortably shifting from hoof to hoof.

"Lightning Wing never wrote out a will, so these belong to you now.  Anything you do not take with you will be donated towards maintaining the establishment."  Storm looked down at the box, filled mostly with trophies his grandfather had won from races and stunt contests.  He personally had no desire for any of it, but he wanted something to at least remember him by.  He pulled it inside and began to sift through the contents, his eyes stopping two items in particular.

Storm blew dust from the cover of a rather loosely bound stack of papers bearing no title, cracking it open and glossing over the pages.  It detailed every stunt that his grandfather had ever pulled off, complete with notes on how to perform them.  Perhaps the most valuable section was a detailed glossier on how to train oneself to peak condition so as to not permanently cripple oneself attempting the stunts.  Storm smiled as he recalled Lightning’s animated recounting of his exploits, often holding it like some hallowed tome as if to give a speech.  Most of them required blinding speed and precision, something that he was renowned for worldwide and very few pegasi could ever hope to have match.  Many pegasi had attempted to replicate the tricks, normally with disastrous results.

The other item was a medal Lightning never removed, displaying it proudly to anypony that happened to see.  It nearly caused several riots the few times he had worn it outside the home, and thus he normally only received comments from the other retired Wonderbolts that were there.  The ribbon attached was rainbow colored, and read "Wonderbolt of the Year: Lightning Wing."  Lightning was often repeating tale of how he won first in every event that day, hence the rainbow ribbon, showing that he had prevailed in every event of the competition.  He shoved both items into his saddlebag and was about to return to the bed when he saw the envelope that had fallen.  He gingerly picked it up, the weathered paper being terribly frayed.  He had read the letter many times, and a spark of hope came to him as he perused it, his eyes falling on one line in particular.

"You will always have a home in Ponyville."

After a bit of mad scrambling through his desk he whipped out a map of Equestria.  He was at least a good two days of flight away, though it would likely take longer since he hadn't flown in months.  Still, he had little money and thus going by train wasn't an option.  He stuffed the map and the letter in his bag, strapped it to his back, and stepped outside.  The sun's first rays were creeping over the horizon as he gave his wings a few experimental flaps and then took off, not knowing what to expect but having nothing left in the world to tie him to the now alien building behind him.

Five days later Storm Blitz reached Ponyville, on the brink of starvation and thoroughly dehydrated, and that's to say nothing of the body wide aches from alternating between running and flying.  He hadn't stopped at any towns, eating only what he could find and drinking from whatever water sources were available.  No water had graced his throat for at least a day, and black spots obscured his vision as he trudged on, aimlessly wandering towards town.

"Whoa, you're huge!"  Storm stopped and looked around, seeing nopony.  He shook his head, aggravating his headache and concluding that he was hearing things.  A rumble from his stomach confirmed this assessment, and he again continued his march.  "Hey, are you ok?  You don't look so good."  There was that voice again.  He scanned his surroundings and again found no source for the voice, unless in the five days he had traveled rocks had mysteriously learned Equestrian.  "Up here, above you!"  Had he not been so completely thrashed from the journey, looking straight up would have been a simple task.  However, as he raised his eyes and was immediately blinded by the noon sun, the full force of the fatigue came upon him and he tottered a moment before falling over.  The black spots grew larger until they dominated his vision, his mind failing to comprehend the sound coming into his ears as he faded from consciousness.

Rainbow Dash quickly flew down and approached the pegasus.  She was no doctor, but those cracked lips and swollen tongue were definitely not the signs of a healthy pony.  The swelling around his ankles was also another indicator that this pony needed more help than she could give.  She tried to lift him but failed, his weight feeling roughly like that of a cartload of bricks coated with lead and slathered in cement.  She thought for a moment before racing off to the library, where she found a thoroughly disgruntled Cerulean firmly attached to the ceiling.

“What the hay?  Cerulean, what are you doing up there?”  Cerulean looked down from the book he had grabbed via magic and attempted to set it up, forgetting his inverted position and watching as it fell to the floor.  Rainbow Dash watched it fall, staring at it a moment before stifling a laugh and turning back to Cerulean, who looked anything but amused.  “Seriously, are you practicing new magic or something?”

“No, no I am not.  I am being punished by a certain hormonal mare.”  A groan from the second story backed his story, a very miserable looking Twilight descending the steps.  Her sides were quite swollen, being five months into her pregnancy and not handling it well in the slightest.  Her mood swings landed Cerulean in many strange and sometimes painful situations, her mind conjuring the most bizarre magical punishments imaginable.  And then there were the cravings.  Chocolate syrup and mustard toast?  It couldn’t be healthy.

“Rainbow Dash, what do you need?” Twilight said weakly, forcing a smile despite her weakened condition.

"Some enormous black pegasus collapsed just outside of town.  He needs to get to a doctor, but I can't lift him on my own.  I was gonna ask if you could carry him with your magic, but somehow I doubt you can."  Twilight shook her head, and Rainbow peered up at Cerulean.  “Could I borrow him, then?”

“If he apologizes, sure.”  Twilight looked up at him expectantly, tapping a hoof as she awaited his response.

“I didn’t do anything wrong!” he countered, heaving a sigh and staring back at Twilight who was in obvious disagreement.

“Dang Cerulean, what did you do?” Rainbow asked.

“I attempted to explain why it wasn’t logical to stick blueberry ice cream, lemon juice, wheat grass, onions, cayenne pepper and three sticks of butter into a blender and then proceed to chug it.”  Rainbow let slip a small gag before turning to Twilight who was nodding miserably, her eyes reaching for sympathy.

“Twilight, that’s just gross.  I’m sorry, but I gotta side with Cerulean on this one.”  Twilight’s eyes filled with tears as she returned upstairs as quickly as her condition would allow, flopping into bed and continuing to wail.

“Fine, just take him and go!”  Cerulean suddenly found himself flat on his back, his airless lungs boycotting their duties until he had learned his lesson.  He took a moment or two to collect himself before following Rainbow Dash outside, thankful for a momentary reprieve from the insanity of the literary prison.  As Storm came into view Cerulean broke into a run, eager to see him up close.

“Whoa, now that is a huge pegasus!  Only two ponies I know that size are Quakehoof and Big Macintosh, and they’re both earth ponies.  I wonder what this colt's excuse is?” Cerulean pondered as he tried to figure out a way to move him.  “Hmmm, it would take a lot of magic to fly him, I wonder...”  Cerulean closed his eyes and Rainbow Dash watched as he formed a pull cart entirely of ice, placing the usual enchantment on it so it could support Storm's weight.  Together the managed to lift him into the back of the cart, though Cerulean had to summon and extend his wings greatly to even get Storm off the ground.

Rainbow Dash helped Cerulean pull the cart to Ponyville Clinic, where Nurse Redheart, along with four other attendants, moved him to a bed.  Cerulean departed, knowing that any prolonged outing was bound to cause problems with a certain lavender antagonist.  Rainbow Dash was allowed to enter after a time, being informed that he was just exhausted and in need of food and water as she entered.  His legs were much more muscular than most pegasi, whereas his wings showed nothing but signs of neglect.  She examined her own wings, which she kept well cared for and groomed, and wondered what could cause a pegasus to show such utter lack of respect for the gift of flight.

It was then that she noticed his saddlebag, laying at the edge of the bed.  Rainbow Dash knew she had no right to go through his things, but an overwhelming sense of curiosity overcame her as she stared at the sack.  A letter was poking out as if to taunt her, and she scowled at it fiercely a moment before giving in and gently pulling it out, scanning the area to make sure nopony was looking.

"To My Son Storm Blitz,

I wish I could see you, but Proud Skies has forbidden it.  I had to beg for years just to have him agree to let you see this letter.  I know you are probably going to enjoy the lavish lifestyle of a celebrity, what with your mother being married to one of Cloudspire’s most prominent politicians and herself being the daughter of Lightning Wing.  But should anything ever occur and you need a place to stay, know that you will always have a home in Ponyville.

Your Father,

Quakehoof"

"His mother is the daughter of Lightning Wing?” she exclaimed, the sleeping stallion next to her fortunately taking no notice.  “And Quakehoof has a son?  With Lightning Wing’s daughter?"  The revelation blew her mind, and she quickly made straight for his house, "borrowing" the letter and coming to a stop in front of a small one story apartment near the town centre.  Rainbow Dash swallowed hard as the massive earth pony answered the door, his frame even larger than Big Macintosh and voice just as deep.  His dark gray coat reminded her of rain clouds, and his wavy mane was a deep brown nearly black, falling just to the end of his neck.  His earth colored irises met hers as he regarded the visitor with surprise.

"Can I help you, Miss Dash?"  His well mannered response helped ease the tension slightly, though he was still a good neck and a half taller than her, and probably four times her weight at least.

"Uh... I know this is gonna sound kinda crazy, but I think your son is in town."  The building shook as he stomped a hoof, staring Rainbow down with steely eyes.

"This had better not be one of your pranks, Rainbow Dash."

"No, I promise it's not!" she replied, shouting unintentionally as his boring gaze dug into her.  "Here, look, this was in his bag."  Quakehoof accepted the letter, handling it with care as he looked upon the words he had written so many years ago.  Seeing a pony of that size cry would be disconcerting for anypony, and Rainbow Dash suddenly had the urge to take off as fast as her wings could carry her.  This option was soon no longer available, as Quakehoof wrapped her in a massive bear hug, cutting off the flow of oxygen and causing her face to turn purple.

"Tell me, where is he?"  He shot Rainbow an apologetic glance as she took a moment to let her lungs recover before she responded.

"He's at the Ponyville Clinic.  Nurse Redheart said he was fine, just dehydrated and under fed."  Quakehoof didn't wait to hear the rest of the explanation, taking off towards the clinic as fast as he could.  Rainbow Dash took to the air and followed, thankful she wasn't running alongside him; each step he took left a crater and ponies were jumping out of the way even before he came near, the tremors alerting them of the incoming juggernaut.  He slowed to a canter and they made their way into the clinic where Redheart quickly led them to Storm's room.

Quakehoof hesitated at the doorway, never having seen his son.  It struck Rainbow as odd that someone as large as him would be scared of anything, though she quickly recalled her own fears at far sillier things, being interested in reading being the most recent.  The vibrations in the floor as he drew near roused Storm from his slumber, and he looked around in confusion.  The earth pony before him was massive, and the cyan pegasus mare beside him was much too young to be his wife.  Daughter maybe?

"...Storm Blitz, is it really you?"  Storm stared at the earth pony, his statement magnifying his already rapidly accelerating confusion.

"How do you know my name?"  A low rumble began to build, turning into a room shaking laugh that frightened most everypony in the clinic.  Storm found himself in a similar position as Rainbow Dash had been moments before as Quakehoof wrapped him in his arms, holding him tightly.

"Storm, it's me.  Your father."

Unwanted Changes

Chapter 3: Unwanted Changes

The music continued its cheery tempo as everypony in the barn stopped and stared.  The sound of Scootaloo’s teeth grinding together was audible to the ponies closest to her, and they slowly backed away.  She was known to be a bit of a hothead at times, but this was way beyond simple agitation.  Storm recognized it too, the loathing she emanated almost palpable.

“I thought I’d never see you ag...”

“Don’t talk to me!  I hated you then, I hate you now, and I never want you to speak to me again!” she raged, tears dripping down her muzzle.  Storm took a step forward and she bolted out the door, grabbing the makeshift scooter and racing off into the night.  He immediately gave chase, but with his wings as sore as they were and as fast as Scootaloo was riding, he was hard pressed to catch up.  She had already made it half way home when he landed in front of her, grabbing her off the scooter, which continued into a tree and shattered.

“Scootaloo, just give me a chance to explain!”  He didn’t mean to sound so frantic, but she was the one pony in all of Cloudspire that he had missed the most.  And seeing her again after five years, he wasn’t about to just let her run.

“No!  I don’t want to hear it!” she shouted, struggling to get out of his grasp, to no avail.  “You left, and my life ended.  Daddy got angrier, and mom was always sad...  And it’s all your fault!”

“Sis, please...” he whispered, his normally stalwart control of his tears quickly breaking down.

“Don’t call me that...” she growled, ceasing her struggle and trembling.  This quiet, contained fury was far more devastating than her yelling had been.  “Don’t call me that ever again. You’re not my brother anymore.”  Storm slowly set her down without a word, too blown away to speak.  She immediately took off towards home, leaving him alone in the night.

“...Storm?”  Great, somepony had seen the whole thing.  He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that it was Rainbow Dash who approached and not anypony else.  “Look, I know we just met but I’ve never seen Scootaloo act like that.  What happened between you two?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he replied firmly, turning away.  Rainbow Dash knew that it was none of her business, but she couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.

“Listen, Scootaloo really looks up to me.  If I know what’s going on, maybe I could talk to her on your behalf?”

“I said no!” Storm bellowed as he whipped around, stomping a hoof and driving it into the earth.  Rainbow Dash flinched, but refused to back down.

“Fine, I was only trying to help.  I’ll just ask her myself,” she gritted out, frustrated with his stubborn refusal.  “Scootaloo is still my friend, and I’m gonna find a way to cheer her up, with or without your help.”  Rainbow spread her wings and took off into the night sky, leaving Storm alone in the middle of the empty town.  He withdrew his hoof and looked at the deep imprint he had left in the earth.

“It happened again...” he muttered, a growing feeling of self hatred rising from the pit of his stomach.  He knew she had only been trying to help, and what did he do?  “Rainbow Dash, I’m sorry.  Please, help me fix this,” he said, lifting his eyes to the night sky, knowing she couldn’t hear but hoping the words would find her somehow.  Whether or not she had heard them would have made little difference, as it’s exactly what she had intended on doing from the start.  She easily caught up to Scootaloo who had slowed to a trot, her tiny body shaking as she was overcome by emotions she couldn’t begin to comprehend, and as Rainbow landed beside her she instantly threw herself at her, wetting her coat with the stream of tears flowing down.

“Hey Scootaloo, chill out...  It’s gonna be ok,” Dash said softly, wrapping the filly with a hoof and holding her close.  Scootaloo said nothing for a time, seeking to calm herself and be strong for her hero.  “I know it’s none of my business, but why do you hate Storm so much?  Is he really your brother?”

“Not anymore, he’s not.  Daddy disowned him five years ago,” she explained, sniffing.

“What did he do?”

“He pulled some crazy stunt, and then a couple of his friends tried it and were crippled, most of them losing their ability to fly completely.  Their families were outraged, and he ran away.”  While that was an unfortunate turn of events, it still didn’t explain her hatred for him personally.

“Scootaloo, that’s no excuse to...”

“Rainbow Dash, he promised me!” she suddenly shouted, pulling away and glaring for a moment before she looked into Dash’s concerned eyes, and instantly fought to control herself.  “He promised that he’d teach me to fly...  And then he left, and the other kids started bullying me...  Storm’s friends tried to make sure it never turned violent, but they couldn’t be there all the time.”  Rainbow Dash shook her head, trying not to be furious at Storm.  Being taught to fly was something special for every pegasus, and to have your own brother up and leave without ever fulfilling that...  No wonder Scootaloo was so upset.  “Do you think... could you teach me, Rainbow Dash?”

“Scootaloo, I...  I really think you need to get things worked out with Storm.  I will try to talk to him tomorrow, but until then just try to calm down, k?”  Scootaloo nodded miserably before beginning to walk slowly towards home.  She gave a small cry of surprise as she suddenly found herself airborne, held quite solidly in Rainbow’s arms as she gained altitude.  Scootaloo’s worries were soon forgotten as she beheld the stars rushing passed as the cool spring night caressed her face.  After a time Rainbow Dash set her down outside her house, making sure she entered before flying back towards Sweet Apple Acres.  Storm was sitting in the same spot he had been when she left, staring at the imprint of his hoof.  Quakehoof was talking to him in hushed tones, and she flew passed and back to the barn.  The party had resumed but there was a notable lack of mirth in the faces of the ponies that were still present, about a third of the ponies having retired after the confrontation.

“Rainbow, what the hay was that all about?” Applejack said as she approached, the rest of her friends gathering around.

“Well, it’s kinda personal for Scootaloo and Storm, so I don’t think I should talk about it.  Let’s just say there are some problems with their relationship that are probably going to take some time to fix.”

“Oh, I do hope they manage to get things patched up quickly.  It’s hard to see siblings fight that way,” Rarity said, looking down at Sweetie Belle.  Sweetie Belle nodded, remembering how she had spurned Rarity’s attempts to fix things after their fight the day before the Sister Hooves Social.

“I don’t have any siblings, so I don’t really know how it works.  Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, could you try to help her figure things out?”

“You can count on us!” Applebloom agreed readily, with Sweetie Belle right behind her.

“And if there’s anythin’ you need help with, don’t hesitate t’ ask, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack chimed in, standing beside her sister.  “I don’t know what’s gone on in Storm’s past, but he doesn’t seem like a bad colt t’ me.”

“Ooo, Applejack has a crush on somepony!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed popping up next to her.

“Pinkie Pie, how much cake have you had?” Rainbow Dash laughed as Applejack glared at her.

“Oh, only three.”

“Slices?”

“Cakes, silly!”

“Figures,” Rainbow muttered as Pinkie made a swift exit to go harass some other pony.  Thoughts of Storm faded as she had some much needed fun with her friends, though she missed seeing Twilight there.  Cerulean had slipped away to the party for a time, hoping to formally greet the newcomer but not making it in time.  He left after about an hour, not wanting to leave Twilight alone for any long period of time.  The party ended earlier than normal, and Rainbow Dash returned to her home in Cloudsdale, mulling over the event of the day.  Things hadn’t been this crazy since Cerulean came to town, and while it was kind of exciting, it worried her too.  She shook her head and lay back in her bed, drifting off to sleep as she imagined what it would be like to be a Wonderbolt.

“She still doesn’t know you’re her father?” Storm asked, making sure he had heard Quakehoof correctly as they made their way back to the apartment.

“Proud Skies decided that since she takes more after her mother, if she could be turned into the perfect daughter he would let her stay.  When her bullying became a headline, he basically confined her indoors until Flying Grace’s last visit.  She was told I was a ‘family friend’ at Skies orders.”

“That bastard...”  Quakehoof wasn’t one for coarse language but he couldn’t help but smile at his son’s choice of words.

“Indeed.”  They entered quietly, noting the Scootaloo was already asleep in her room.  “It’s not much, but you can take my room.  I’ll use the couch.”  Storm stared at the massive bed and then at the small, single pony couch.

“There’s no way you’re going to be able to sleep on that thing.  Don’t worry dad, I can take the couch.”  Dad...  Quakehoof treasured the words, nodding silently and retreating to his room.  Storm sank gratefully into the deep couch, and sleep soon came to take him, negating his worries of worrying.  His final thought was that, hopefully, Scootaloo would listen to him when he woke in the morning.

“What is he doing here?”  Scootaloo’s voice jolted Storm awake, who sat up quickly.  He placed a hoof to his head as his vision blurred, the sudden influx of blood to his brain causing his vision to temporarily darken.

“Scootaloo, this is his home now too.  You two are going to have to find a way to get along,” Quakehoof explained calmly.  Scootaloo said nothing and left, slamming the door as she went and heading straight to school.

“Looks like I have my work cut out for me,” Storm said with a sigh, standing and stretching his wings which brushed the ceiling in the small room.  Quakehoof frowned and beckoned Storm over, who promptly sat down at the table and awaited instruction.

“Speaking of work, I need to talk to you about finances.  I know you just got here and are still recovering, but I don’t make nearly enough bits to support a third in this house.  Sooner rather than later, I’m going to need you to find a job.  I know that’s going to be difficult with your “restrictions,” but those are the facts.”  Storm nodded, digesting the information.

“I don’t want to freeload anyways.  I’m twenty years old; it would be wrong not to try and support myself.  I’ll start looking this morning in the market place.”  He ate some cereal and then left to begin his search.  After four hours and finding no leads he resigned himself to take a break.  Most of the ponies that had been at the party the other night regarded him with suspicion now, Scootaloo’s outburst alienating him from what seemed like half the town.  He saw a rainbow streak tear across the sky, and remembered their last conversation as he gave chase.  Storm had no idea how he’d be received but he had to at least try to apologize.

“Wow Scootaloo, that sure is rough,” Applebloom said as Scootaloo finished her recounting of her removal from Cloudspire to her friends.  “Why would everypony pick on you?  You didn’t do nothin’!”

“It didn’t matter to them.  Storm was my brother, and since they couldn’t get him, they came after me.”

“But you said his friends that had been hurt tried to help you; doesn’t that mean he still cares about you?” Sweetie Belle offered.  Scootaloo fidgeted with a rock, flicking it a short distance as she broke eye contact.

“You don’t understand.  It wasn’t the bullying that bugged me, it was that he broke his promise.  I can still remember how happy I was when he had promised to teach me how to fly.  And then, just like that, three days later he takes it back and disappears.”

“Don’t you think mebbe he had a good reason t’ leave?  He wouldn’t just break a promise like that, would he?”

“He was just scared of the crowds.  That coward fled, and daddy disowned him for it.  I won’t forgive him, not ever.”  Applebloom and Sweetie Belle cast worried glances at each other, unsure of what else to say.  What could they say?  She was set in her mind, and nothing they could do would change that.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Storm called out, causing the cyan mare to stop, turning as she hovered.  Her expression was one of curiosity, which was far and above what Storm was expecting to receive for his unnecessarily harsh replies.  “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for last night.  You didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“No biggie,” she said with a shrug, looking at him expectantly as if she expected further questioning.

“What do you mean ‘no biggie?’  Aren’t you mad?”

“Why, do you want me to be?  Everypony gets mad, Storm.  It happens.”  She recalled her conversation with Scootaloo and jumped right in.  “Scootaloo said you did something stupid that got some ponies hurt, and then you skipped town.”

“Is that really what she thinks?” he asked, his eyes glinting dangerously as Rainbow confirmed it.  “Proud must have fed her that lie too.  Rainbow Dash, Proud Skies forced me to leave.  No time to say goodbye, only enough time to pack.”

“What did you do?” Dash said softly, her worried eyes only compounding his anger.  Storm said nothing, turning away from her and staring out at the town.  “What could you possibly have...”

“Don’t.”  Rainbow Dash let slip a small growl, his unwillingness to speak of himself giving her nothing to work with.  “I will answer most of your questions, but that...  I’m sorry, but I don’t want to think about it.”

“Ok then, here’s a question; do you still remember your promise to Scootaloo?”

“I would never forget that,” he replied without hesitation, whirling to face Rainbow Dash once more.  “She’s the most important pony in the world to me, always has been!  You have no idea what it was like for me to have to tell her I couldn’t keep my promise!..”  His hooves trembled as he was again overcome with malice, cursing Proud Skies with all his might.

“So why don’t you go tell her that then?”

“Because she wouldn’t listen...  That should be painfully obvious after yesterday.”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  She grabbed his face and mashed her own against it, forcing an uncomfortable eye contact that probably looked to anypony watching like they were having a moment of aerial passion.

“Let me get this straight...  She’s the most important pony in your life and you can’t find the strength to talk to her ‘cause you’re afraid she won’t listen?  Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?”  Storm tried to look away but she held his face a great deal more firmly than he had imagined.  The truth was it took most all her strength to prevent the motion, but she was determined to get through that thick skull of his.  “Now go find your sister and tell her the truth.  And make good on your promise!” she declared, releasing his face and pushing him towards the ground.  He flew a short distance before turning to face her, a warming smile pasted on his face.

“Thanks Rainbow, I’ll make it up to you.”  She waved him off, watching as he made for home in the hopes of catching his sister as she returned from school.  Despite his every effort to blockade her attempts to get a grasp on the situation, his concern for his sister could never be called into question.  She entertained the thought that it would be nice to have a sister, someone to fly with, teach her stunts to...  Stunts, right!

“I’m thinking too much, I gotta keep at it if I’m going to make it into the Wonderbolt’s Tryout Competition in a few months.  Come on, Dash, get your head outta the clouds!” she reminded herself before resuming her aerial acrobatics, thoughts of Storm, Scootaloo, and the looming competition dancing in the back of her mind though not so much as to be a distraction.

Storm was slightly disheartened to find Scootaloo had not returned home yet, and neither was his father.  His wings were still quite sore, and catching up to Rainbow Dash hadn’t helped.  He went into his dads room and lay back on the bed, closing his eyes with the intent of catching a quick nap.  The house was soon filled with his cacophonous snores, which drowned out the loud knocking that came about two hours later.  Giving up, the pony at the door entered quietly and drew up beside Storm, tears filling her eyes as she saw him again for the first time in five years.  Storm gave a start as he felt his body wrapped in a warm, delicate embrace, the mare’s slender arms holding him close.

“Storm, my dear child, I didn’t think it was possible but you’ve grown even bigger.  You really do take after your father.”  He felt a tear fall on his cheek, and he looked up to see his mother’s affectionate gaze wash over him.  He felt like such a foal as he buried his face in her chest, his body shaking as his heart rejected his brain’s motions to be strong, allowing just a moment of much needed weakness.

Into the Storm

Chapter 4: Into the Storm

As overjoyed as Storm was to see Flying Grace again, he also knew that it could only be for a short time.  As per Proud Skies’ rules, the number of days Grace spent with Quakehoof translated into the number of years before she could visit again.  He pushed the thought from his mind as he enjoyed the comfort for what it was, a momentary reprieve from the harsh reality in which he lived.

“Mom, it’s good to see you again.  I’ve missed you,” he said softly, gaining some semblance of control over his emotions.

“Five years is much too long...”  Storm nodded, pulling away so he could look at her.  She was the perfect trophy wife; beautiful, lithe, smart, delicate...  The list was long.  She had a soft violet coat with a flowing orange mane offset by small streaks of pale yellow. Two wings forming a heart adorned her flank, testifying of her gentle nature and graceful features.  All of the above was lost on Proud, as it had been an arranged marriage by the families and he only consulted her when he found a way to use her to his advantage.  When in public he would dote on her, showering her with a facade of love and affection that immediately dissipated the moment they arrived home.

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to take Scootaloo to her grandfather’s funeral.  The ceremony is this evening in Canterlot, and the next train leaves in about an hour.  We will stay the night in Canterlot and return tomorrow afternoon.”  Grace’s features darkened considerably as she prepared herself to face his wrath.  “Storm, I’m sorry...  Proud Skies has forbidden both you and Quakehoof from attending.”

“He what?!?” Storm shouted, jumping upright.  Grace had expected this, and let him rant to the fullest.  She said nothing as he raged, using language that she had certainly never taught him, though she couldn’t help but smile just a little as every insult was well deserved.  As he began to quiet down she spoke once more.

“You’re frustration is well placed, but that is the way it must be.  Things have finally started to calm down after the incident, especially since Scootaloo left Cloudspire.  Poor dear, how is she?”

“Hard to say, she won’t even talk to me.”

“Well, since Proud Skies told her that you ran away out of guilt, that makes sense.  As usual, I wasn’t allowed to correct her assumption, nor move her here sooner.  He made me wait the full three years from my last visit before bringing her here.”

“Why did you want to move her here sooner?  Did something happen to her?”

“Storm, she was bullied nearly constantly.  Even at three years old, full grown pegasi would march up and yell at her because of what you... I mean, what your friends did.”

“I told them to take care of her!  Didn’t they listen?” Storm muttered, wondering if they really had forgiven him at all.

“They tried their best, but there’s only so much they could do.  Storm, you must know that Proud Skies did everything in his ability to spin the situation against you, further embittering the ponies of Cloudspire.  Scootaloo was just another tool in his plans, his fabrications deepening her resentment of you.”

“I’m not going to lose to his lies,” he replied, determined not to let that snobby politician win.  “There’s a pegasus here named Rainbow Dash that’s trying to help me work things out with Scootaloo, and I was planning on talking to her when she returned from school.  Scootaloo really looks up to her, so between the three of us I think we’ll work it out.  I know you will probably be leaving almost immediately when she gets here, but I’d like to talk to her first.”

“Of course, you two need to stick together.  You always did have a soft spot for your sister, it’s good to see that hasn’t changed.”  It sounded strange to his ears, but Storm knew it was true.  “And you’ve already met a nice mare?  Good to see you’re managing a normal life,” she said with a coy smile, to which Storm stared blankly, not understanding the inference at first.  When it did finally dawn on him he vigorously shook his head.

“Mom, it’s not like that.  Seriously, I’ve only been here for two days.  That’d be moving a bit fast, don’t you think?”

“Mmm, perhaps.”  The door swung open and they both stopped talking, looking to see who had entered.  Seeing Quakehoof tear up was truly disconcerting, though if he had been away from his lover for years at a time he’d likely have the same reaction.  Storm quietly excused himself from the room to let them have some time alone.  Quakehoof shot him and appreciative look before he left, Storm acknowledging him with a nod before stepping out into the street.  Scootaloo was had just appeared on the horizon, talking with her friends and laughing before she saw him.  The mirth drained from her features as she slowed to a halt, noting that he stood solidly between herself and the door.

“I’ll see you guys later, wish me luck,” she muttered as she broke away from them, trotting up to Storm and stopping just short.  She didn’t even make it to his knees, yet she glared at him defiantly like he was nothing more than a nuisance.  “You’re in my way.”

“Scootaloo, I just want to talk.  Is that really so much to ask?”

“Coming from a promise breaker, yes, it is.”  Storm cringed, the words reminding him of his greatest regret.

“I left because Proud Skies made me, Scootaloo!  You think I wanted to run?” he asked, sincerely hoping that she wouldn’t say yes.

“That’s a lie!  You left because you were a coward, daddy said so!  You abandoned me to save your own skin!” she screamed, her eyes piercing into his heart.  That was it.  He had been instructed countless times not to tell her the truth, but he wasn’t about to hide it any longer.  Storm was beyond caring what happened to Proud Skies’ career, one that should have ended years ago.

“Proud Skies isn’t even your real father, Scootaloo!  Quakehoof is, just like he is mine.  So regardless of what that heartless, good-for-nothing pegasus says, you’re always going to be my sister and that’s not going to change!” he bellowed, immediately regretting his tone of voice as Scootaloo sank to the ground.

“I don’t believe you...  Daddy was always kind to me, he never...  You’re lying to me again!” she cried, suddenly standing and bolting into the house, where Flying Grace caught her as she tried to race passed them into her room.  Grace’s eyes silently pleaded with him to drop the subject, as she wasn’t able to back him with the truth.

“It’s not fair,” he growled, Scootaloo’s misguided anguish baring down on him full force.  Unable to cope, he threw open his wings and took the skies, eagerly searching for something to vent his anger on.  There were only a few clouds left, and dispersing them did nothing to improve his mood.  He scanned the horizon and noticed a dark mass over the forest in the distance, immediately heading for it.  He narrowed his eyes with grim satisfaction as he drew near; it was a late spring thunderstorm in full swing over the Everfree Forest.

Rainbow Dash had watched the little display from the ground, wondering why he felt the need to rob the sky of the few cushy pillows she had left in case she wanted a nap later.  She was about continue on her way when she saw him take off, following his path and quickly coming to the realization that he was heading straight for the storm.  She immediately gave chase, though he was already poised over the roiling clouds when she arrived.  A clap of thunder rumbled close by as she drew near.  She opened her mouth to speak but it was too late; he dropped into a dive and flew right into the center of the storm.

Lightning flashed around him as he punched holes through the clouds, each layer sending out a shower of sparks as he burst through before rising above the cloud bank once again.  The static collected on his wings and he gave them a mighty flap, sending out a pulse of electricity that further agitated the already unstable clouds.  Recalling his earlier days he spun the black thunder caps into a gyroscopic maelstrom of charged cloud.

Rainbow Dash watched awestruck as he punched straight through, lightning cracking and branching out in all directions as he did so.  Most pegasi could stand being hit by one bolt of lightning, with two grounding them and three being nearly fatal but Storm...  He was covered mane to hoof in lightning seemingly with no effect.  She watched as he then plunged straight through to the forest floor and then looped through the clouds, creating a path of sorts.  Rainbow Dash couldn’t resist the prospect of pulling off the most daring stunt of her life; following his path while dodging the lightning at super fast speeds!  It was gonna be awesome.  She narrowed her eyes, checked her wings, and then dove in.

The holes were more than large enough to accommodate her size, and she easily flew through the first few with no problems.  As she descended and the storm grew more intense, she became increasingly hard pressed to dodge the lightning that arced in every direction with no rhythm or pattern.  It was the single most fun stunt she had pulled since the last Sonic Rainboom, and she couldn’t help but let her laughter tear forth, defying the danger all around as she reveled in her speed and skill.

As she neared the forest floor she swept up again through the loop that Storm had made, when suddenly her vision flashed white and a bolt shot across the sky in front of her.  She tried to slow but it grazed her wings, the current causing a slight spasm in her wings.  She shook it off and prepared to keep flying when the path through disappeared, the whole mass beginning to swirl around her.

“That crazy pegasus, is he really spinning the whole storm?” she cried, looking around her frantically for a way out.  To fly through clouds that dense would be suicide, and as she dodged a second bolt her enthusiasm quickly turned to fear.  “Storm, stop making the storm worse!  You’re gonna get us killed!”  Her shouts were muffled, but just hearing the voice was enough to make Storm freeze.  The storm maintained its momentum, quickly building to a devastating tornado, the fury beginning to rip the limbs from the trees below.

“Rainbow Dash?..  What is she... hold on!” he shouted before plunging into the clouds.  He ignored the pain as he was struck once, twice, thrice by brilliant blue arcs, drawing close to Rainbow Dash’s frantic cries.  Breaking through he grabbed her and wrapped his massive wings around her as they fell, shielding her from the torrent of lightning that raged around them.  Pulling up as they neared the tree line he flew towards the edge of the forest and landed on the ground, setting Rainbow down and standing over her, his facial expression every bit as terrifying as the storm she had just faced.  His mane was singed from his reckless descent, and the smell of burnt feathers pervaded the air.

“Don’t you ever... follow me into a storm like that again...” he whispered.

“But I was just...”

“Never again!” he roared, his face inches from her own and volume partially deafening her.  “What kind of brain dead pegasus would willingly throw herself into a storm like that?  You must be some special kind of stupid to even consider that; you could have easily died!”  Rainbow said nothing, torn between lashing back and bursting into tears.  “If you ever follow me like that again I’ll... I’ll!..”  Rainbow had had enough, and she scrambled to her feet and took off towards her home in Cloudsdale, all desire and motivation to complete the rest of her daily training seeping out with the tears that sprang unbidden to her eyes.

Storm brought his wings around and stared at the damage.  It was completely superficial, something that would heal in a day or two whereas any other pegasi would have been burned beyond recognition.  But if he hadn’t made it to Rainbow Dash in time...  The image of his friends falling from the sky flashed into his vision and he shook his head.  He just didn’t want to see her get hurt, but sure had blown his explanation, and now she’d probably hate him for good.  Her encouragement to be strong for his sister came to mind, and he applied it to himself as he took off towards Ponyville, rejecting his anger and fears in exchange for determination.

Applejack was at her usual place in the market, selling apple preserves and other such treats when a horrible smell wafted by.  She wrinkled her nose and double checked her treats, making sure it wasn’t coming from her stand.  Satisfied, she looked up to see Storm’s slightly charred features towering over her.

“Whoa nelly, what happened t’ you?” she asked, trying not to stare at his singed mane and feathers.

“I did something stupid, freaked out at Rainbow Dash, and generally acted like a total moron.  Now I wanna fix it, but I don’t know where she lives.  Can you help me?”  Applejack had to laugh a little as his blunt explanation, appreciating his honesty and nodding with a good natured smile.

“Being an earth pony, I’ve never been t’ her place before.  Ah know she lives in Cloudsdale someplace, but not much else.  Why don’t you try talkin’ to Cerulean?  He lives in the library with Twilight, and he’s been t’ her place a time or two.”  Storm ran off without hesitation, making for the building with all haste.  He knocked on the door and a very tired Twilight called for “whatever pony is making that racket to stop and open the stupid door.”  He quietly obeyed, noting rather odd flora adorning the inside; who had ever heard of a blue cactus?

“Oh, you must be that new pegasus in town.  Is there something I can help you with?  We have a great selection of books...”  Somehow, Storm doubted that she actually would have felt inclined to help him find a book in her condition even if he had come for one.

“I need to talk to Rainbow Dash, but I don’t know where she lives.  Applejack I suggested I ask Cerulean for help, is he home?” he asked, glancing around the room.  Twilight sighed and walked over to the blue cactus, and after a short burst of magic it again resumed pony form.  Unfortunately for Cerulean, she had failed to remove the needles, and as overjoyed as he was to again have his limbs back, his skin immediately burned like he was being bitten by ants head to hoof.  Twilight, not having meant to punish him that severely, immediately set about removing the needles with her magic as Cerulean did the same, glancing over at Storm.

“Hey Storm, what can we do for you?”  Right, cacti don’t have ears or eyes.  He repeated his explanation and Cerulean nodded, thanking Spike quietly who had come to assist in the de-quilling process.  Spike had wisely decided to comply with any and every request Twilight made, not having the strength of will or pain tolerance to stand up to her often bizarre requests.  Cerulean used a bit of magic to cool his body temperature in an attempt to soothe body wide inflammation before motioning towards the door.  “All right Storm, let’s go.”  Storm obeyed, wondering how a unicorn was going to help him get to Cloudsdale though he didn’t have long to wonder as the moment they made it outside Cerulean summoned his frosty wings, turning to face Storm, a slight grin on his face.

“So then, Storm Blitz...  Think you can keep up?”  With that he launched into the sky, and Storm gave chase, shaking the snow from his muzzle as he pushed himself to keep up.  How that little unicorn could fly so well was a mystery, but as he matched his graceful motions he felt a spark within his chest as the memories of his love for the air drifted back, a time before his cutie mark had ruined everything.  His joy was short lived, as Cerulean set a fast pace and Cloudsdale soon loomed into view.

Rainbow’s cloud home was on the outskirts of town, a fact that Storm was thankful for should the conversation become heated.  “Storm Blitz, I don’t know what happened between you two and it’s none of my business, but Rainbow Dash is a good friend to me too.  Whatever you broke, fix it.  She’s not as strong as she seems.”  With that, he galloped a short ways before diving towards the ground below.  Storm walked over and stopped with his hoof at the door.  What was he going to say?

“Rainbow Dash?..” he called out, waiting and hearing no response.  “Rainbow Dash, if you’re in there I’d like to apologize.  May I come in?”  Still nothing.  “Dash, I’m not leaving until you come out.  I’ll stay out here all night if I have to.”

“Just go away.”  The voice sounded like it was coming from just on the other side of the door.  He had never heard her sound so dejected, and it only steeled his will to overcome the barrier he had raised between them.

“Even if you won’t come talk to me, I’d like you to at least listen to my story.”  He waited, hearing nothing before continuing with a sigh.  Rainbow Dash was leaning against the door, ear pressed against it so she didn’t miss anything.  “I used to love flying, you know.  Probably wouldn’t guess it by looking at me now, but I couldn’t get enough of it.  I loved watching the Wonderbolts and even got a few lessons from Lightning Wing the one time he came to visit.  Yet no matter what I tried - racing, weather control, obstacles...  I couldn’t get my cutie mark.  One day I was messing around near some storm clouds and my tricks agitated a large tuft, causing it to spin and shoot out electricity.  I knew it was dangerous but it was just one cloud, so I figured even if I got struck, I’d survive.  I braced myself and plowed through, gazing in wonder as the lights danced around my body.  I can still remember the sensation as I emerged, coated in sparks and completely enthralled.”

He laughed at the memory, recalling how he immediately replicated the stunt multiple times, burning some hair but escaping largely unscathed.  “But then...  Some of my closest friends tried it.  The burns they received were equivocal to being struck by lightning several times.  All but one lost their ability to fly, and the other can only stay airborne amidst great pain.  I was devastated...” he choked back the tears and continued his explanation, this being the first time had spoken about the ordeal since the night it happened.  “They didn’t blame me, but the whole town turned against me, especially their families.  I was forced from Cloudspire the next day, and never spoke of it again.”

The door cracked open and Rainbow Dash slowly trotted over to sit beside him, still not making eye contact but at least showing herself.  “Rainbow Dash, anypony can see how much you love flying.  When I saw you in the middle of the storm I couldn’t...  I couldn’t stand to see you share the same fate as the others that had tried to mimic my stunts.  But that’s no excuse, I was a jerk to yell at you like that, and I’m sorry.  Can you forgive me?”

“...On one condition,” she replied, a slow grin spreading across her muzzle as she jumped in front of him.  “Teach me your grandfather’s secrets.”

The Painful Truth

Chapter 5: The Painful Truth

Rainbow Dash’s enthusiasm was hard pressed to maintain itself as Storm cast his eyes to the ground.  There was no anger present, but she knew she had asked for something she shouldn’t have, the thought of learning from the grandson of Lightning Wing temporarily blinding her to the fact that he was recently deceased, and had been Storm’s only real family for the last five years.

“His funeral was this afternoon.  Proud Skies forbade me from attending...”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t have facehooved hard enough to adequately display how dumb she felt as she heard those words.  Seriously, how insensitive had she sounded just then, after he had just finished telling her about one of his worst experiences?

“Oh my gosh, Storm, I’m sorry.  I wasn’t trying to be... I mean...” she stammered, trying to figure out some way to apologize.  To her relief Storm chuckled a bit, smiling once more.

“It’s ok, Dash.  It’s easy to get carried away when you think about the things you enjoy.  I will consider what you’ve said, but it’s a little too soon for me to just give away his secrets.  He only ever personally taught me, and as much as I’ve hated flying for the last five years, those memories are important to me.”

“I understand.  Oh well, I guess I can forgive you anyways.  But you’re gonna have to make it up to me somehow,” she warned, adopting a serious face that Storm couldn’t help but laugh at.  When he wasn’t busy making an idiot of himself, this mare could actually be a lot of fun.  He made a mental note to curb the flow of dumbness and work towards bettering their friendship.

“Don’t worry, I plan on it.  I guess I’ll be heading home, I see ya around,” he said, waving and taking off towards Ponyville.  Rainbow watched him go, glad to see he was in high spirits again.  He’d been through a lot, and while she could still remember the excitement of racing the lightning, she knew that she wouldn’t try it again - not until she proved she could handle it, anyways.  Storm’s mind began to wander, mulling over the recent events and eventually falling onto Scootaloo.  He hoped that wherever she was, she was enjoying herself.

The scenery rushed passed as the train to Canterlot sped down the tracks.  Scootaloo bounced on her seat excitedly.  Funeral or not, she would get to see her father again, and that would make the boring procession for somepony she barely knew worth it.  Grace said nothing as she beheld her daughter’s excitement in stark contrast to her son’s growing frustration with the web of lies Proud Skies had forced her to weave.  She gave a sigh and resigned herself to the fact that it was never going to change, and as always she choked down her emotions and put on a smile as Canterlot came into view.

“Daddy!” Scootaloo squealed as they departed the train, instantly dashing towards his waiting arms.  He swept her into the air and spun for a moment before holding her close.

“How’s daddy’s little angel?”

“Better now that I get to see you again!” she said, her thoughts of the recent emergence of her brother wiped from her mind in an instant.  He set her on his back and motioned his wife to follow as they made their way to the gated off area, the security high as long time fans begged for entrance as the royal guard made sure that nopony but those invited passed through the gate.

There were easily two hundred ponies in attendance, as well as many from Golden Feathers who were stricken by his sudden death.  Proud Skies adopted an appropriate facial expression for the procession and held it, as Grace seethed inwardly.  He couldn’t care less for her father, his mind being the same place it always was.  She knew it would only further his image but she couldn’t help herself as the tears spilled from her eyes.  He had died quite young considering his health, and nopony could have anticipated the tragic turn of events.

Proud Skies left shortly after the main ceremony ended, not staying for the reception and instead heading into town to meet some of his contacts.  Flying Grace watched after Scootaloo while she spoke with the retired Wonderbolts, many of them long time friends of hers.  Scootaloo quickly became bored, wishing she was able to bring her friends from Ponyville.  Even though she missed her father, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had become an integral part of her heart, and she couldn’t imagine leaving them.  If given the opportunity to return to Cloudspire, she’s wasn’t sure what she’d choose, the risk of further bullying and leaving her friends weighing against getting to be with her father.

As the sun was beginning to set Flying Grace led Scootaloo to their castle suite, Proud refusing to sleep anywhere else as it would be below a pony of his distinction.  She looked around in wonder at the magnificent structure, it’s spires reaching towards the sky as if to lift the sun and moon.  Their suite was almost a house in and of itself, complete with an office study for Proud.  She was disappointed to see that Proud wasn’t at the dinner buffet, and she couldn’t stop thinking about catching up with him as she toured the castle.  Her eyes had grown heavy by the time they made it back to their rooms and Grace led her to bed, kissing her softly on the forehead before turning out the light.

Scootaloo awoke a few hours later, her parched throat urging her to drag herself out of bed and head towards the sink.  As she passed she saw the light on in the study, her desire to speak with Proud Skies flared again, and she quietly approached, pressing an ear to the door.  She could just make out her father’s voice.  It sounded like he was talking to himself, as she heard no responses.

“What a draining day, acting like I cared about that ex-Wonderbolt.  Like he ever mattered.  And Storm is nowhere to be seen.  He’ll probably join his grandfather soon, cut off from the skies with nowhere to go.”  Scootaloo couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and she was lucky Proud didn’t hear her soft growl.  She was about to barge in when her perception of reality was shattered, falling through her mind like fragments of stained glass.  “And thank Celestia I didn’t have to spend any time with that little mongrel that still thinks she’s my daughter.  Of all the acts I have to use, acting like she means the world to me has to be the worst.  I’ll be glad when she goes back to Ponyville for good.”  Scootaloo slowly backed away from the door, Storm’s final words to her flooding through her mind and clashing with all she knew to be true.  It was too much for the little filly, and she threw herself into bed and cried herself to sleep, fighting with all her might to push every thought of love from her heart.

Grace instantly recognized the change in her daughter’s behavior, her usual spunk nowhere to be seen.  She didn’t speak a word for the entire duration of the breakfast in the castle dining quarters, hardly touching her food and ignoring Proud’s doting words of adoration.  As they neared the station Proud pulled Grace aside, dropping his voice so only she could hear.

“Three days, no more.  And don’t even think about another child.”  Grace said nothing and boarded with Scootaloo, sweeping her onto her back and heading to their seats, where she slowly slid from her perch and stared ashen faced at the table.  After the train had made it a fair distance from Canterlot she attempted to breach the wall.

“Scootaloo dear, what happened?  This isn’t like you...”  Scootaloo sat motionless, not making a sound or looking up.  “Scootaloo, please.  You can talk to me about anything.  Did something happen in Canterlot?”  No response again.  How could she respond?  Her mother and father, everything they had ever told her was a lie.  The only ponies that hadn’t lied to her were her friends in Ponyville and Storm, who she had treated with nothing but hatred since his arrival.

“Could he ever forgive me?” she wondered to herself, her mother’s voice droning in the background.  After half an hour of prodding, Flying Grace resigned herself to leave Scootaloo alone, knowing that the truth would come out soon enough.  She had her suspicions, but jumping to conclusions would be anything but beneficial, and she looked out the window, wishing Ponyville would approach faster.

After another morning of fruitlessly searching for employment, Storm Blitz decided to try and find Rainbow Dash.  It was rather hard to missed her, the rainbow streaks lingering on his eyes as he watched her routine near the outskirts of town.  He had to wonder if she had ever received professional training, her tricks instilling the same awe in him that Lightning had when he was young.  Her form was superb, her speed first rate, and he couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t made it into the Wonderbolts already.  Too young perhaps?  The minimum age was twenty, and he had to admit she didn’t seem quite that old yet.  But more than anything else, there was passion in her movements, infusing every graceful glide, every corkscrew, every dive.  He was going to leave so as to not become a distraction but she noticed him and immediately swooped down, landing lightly and trotting a short distance.

“Hiya Storm!  Given it any thought yet?” she prodded, winking cheerily and hoping he knew she was only teasing.

“Actually, I have.  Rainbow Dash, I can’t think of a better candidate to pass his secrets on to.  You’d...”  He was forced to clap his hooves over his ears as they were assailed by the jubilant mare’s cries of joy.  She shot into the air, pulling mind-bendingly tight loops and spins that would have left any tornado dizzy.  He was completely unprepared as she spiraled into him, knocking him to the ground and landing on his chest.

“Ohmygosh yes yes yes!  Thank you Storm, seriously!  I mean, being taught the secrets of Lightning Wing?  It’s just too awesome!” she squealed, thrusting her face close to his.  Storm felt heat rise to his cheeks as he felt his wings begin to stiffen of their own accord.  He had to get out of this situation quickly before anypony saw.

“As great as it is to see you excited, this position is a little awkward.  Could you kindly get off?”  The implications were lost on Rainbow Dash but she complied, hopping off and prancing around, her mood not the slightest bit affected by his request.  Storm quickly stood, forcing his wings closed and hoping to Celestia that nopony had noticed the incident.  A quick scan of the area confirmed the absence of prying eyes, and he breathed a small sigh of relief before continuing.  “As I was saying, I don’t think anypony else I know would be able to come close to being able to pull off any of his stunts, but you Dash?  You may just have a shot.  However, I do have one request.”

“Sure, anything you want!”  Storm shook his head as a rather intrusive thought came to mind, ignoring it.

“I’ve been having trouble finding a job.  Finances are tight for my father, and I don’t want to just sit around while he scrambles to make ends meet.”  Rainbow Dash paused her prancing long enough to shoot him a quizzical grin.

“I’m sure you could get a job with the weather division in Cloudsdale.  The young ones are constantly slacking off, and...”

“I’m sorry, but it can’t be anything flight related.”

“What, why not?”

“It’s complicated,” he replied, hoping that she wouldn’t pry further, which is exactly what she did.

“Why do you always do that?  It’s like you don’t trust me,” she muttered, making a sour face.

“Rainbow Dash, it has nothing to do with you.  I’m more trying to protect you than anything else, please trust me on that.”  Trust?  When he veils everything and only speaks after nearly killing himself?  She sighed, not sure she believed him but at the same time not wanting to pick a fight.

“I’ll ask around town and see if I can find anything.  Promise to teach me though.”

“Gladly; I, Storm Blitz, do formally swear to teach Rainbow Dash the secrets of Lightning Wing,” he said with a grin, glad to see a smile return to her face.

“Nope, sorry, that’s not good enough.  Pinkie promise me.”  He stared at her blankly in which she took great glee.  “Oh right, you’re new here.  Oh well, better have the master teach you.  Come on!” she called over her shoulder as she took off towards Sugarcube Corner with Storm in hot pursuit.  Rainbow had to slow down a bit so he could keep up, but it really didn’t bother her; it was nice to have somepony to fly with.  Pinkie Pie was working the register when they walked in, though there were few ponies inside during the afternoon lull.  She immediately perked up upon seeing Rainbow Dash and Storm, bouncing eagerly to meet them.

“Hey Dash!  Hey Storm!  You looking for something to eat?  ‘Cause I just made cupcakes!” she exclaimed, pulling out a plain white box to reveal twelve pristine pink cupcakes.  Storm was reaching for one when Rainbow appeared in front of him, hooves outstretched.

“Don’t!  Don’t eat the cupcakes, Storm!” she yelled, frantically waving her arms.  Ever since that fateful night six months ago, she hadn’t touched a single cupcake.  She had vowed never to mess with Luna again, as the moon had precious few audience members for her acrobatics.

“Relax, silly.  These ones are fine, nothing special.  Well, aside from being cupcakes of course!” she giggled, popping one into her mouth and munching happily.  Storm’s stomach let loose a low rumble and his eyes silently pleaded with Rainbow, who shot Pinkie Pie a glare before backing away.  He devoured the whole box, never having tasted the legendary baking of Pinkamena Diane Pie and licking the frosting from his hooves.

“Those were amazing, do you have more?”  She promptly whipped out a second box, and Storm allowed himself a brief moment of gluttony, making short work of the twelve unlucky treats.

“Pinkie, I came here so you could teach Storm the Pinkie Promise, not pump him full of sugar.”  Pinkie immediately ceased her merrymaking and gave Storm a eerily serious look.  Even though she was a good head and a half shorter than him, he still took a step back from her insane blue eyes, narrowed into a scowl.

“Do as I do.  Cross my heart,” she said slowly, drawing a stroke across her chest.

“Cross my heart,” Storm replied.

“You’re doing it wrong!  You have to cross it, now do it again!” she instructed, prodding him in the chest.  He quickly said the words again, following through with the motion.

“Hope to fly,” Pinkie continued, completing the ‘X’ with an alternate stroke.

“Wait, hope to what?”  He was a pegasus.  There was no hoping necessary on that front.

“Say it!” she shouted, getting uncomfortably close to his face as she jumped to make level eye contact.

“H-hope to fly...” he hesitated, crossing again and swallowing hard.

“Stick a cupcake in my eye,” she finished, mashing an imaginary pastry to her face.  Storm sat silent, completely dumbfounded as to how a pony could speak of flight and cupcakes in such a way with a straight face.  “Stick... a... cupcake...” she started, her voice a low growl.

“Stick a cupcake in my eye!” Storm shouted, accidentally mashing his hoof painfully into his left eye.

“See, nothing to it!” Pinkie replied enthusiastically bouncing a circle around him.  Rainbow Dash, who had been doing her very best to not show her amusement at his situation, finally lost it as he turned to face her, and she promptly fell to the floor, her uproarious laughter filling the room.  Storm tried to be frustrated but found it to be impossible, and he was soon joining her mirth with his own chuckles.

After a time they bid Pinkie goodbye, chatting amiably as they strolled through the town.  Judging by the position of the sun, it was likely around four in the afternoon, and it boggled his mind that he had managed to blow that much time so fast.  His thoughts had just turned to home when he saw Flying Grace walking towards home with Scootaloo perched on her back.  He immediately ran to greet them but quickly noticed that something was off.  Grace shot him a weak smile and Scootaloo didn’t even bother to glare at him.  In fact, she seemed entirely unresponsive, which was a far more worrisome condition than her previous expected loathing.

“Scootaloo?  Scootaloo, what’s wrong?” he pressed.  She made no motion to move, staring into the distance.  Her vacant eyes spoke volumes.  “Mom, what happened in Canterlot?  If Proud did something to her, I’ll...” he whispered the end, bringing his hoof down hard.

“Storm, I don’t know.  She hasn’t spoken a word to anypony since last night.  I tried to coax something, anything out of her, but she won’t speak.”  Storm approached and pulled her down, cradling her in his arms.  Scootaloo made no attempts to resist, actually drawing near and burying her face in his chest.  Rainbow Dash stood uncomfortably at the sidelines, wanting to try and help but telling herself that it was a family affair.

“Rainbow Dash, could you try talking to her?”  Rainbow Dash eagerly complied with Storm’s request, walking around so she could see Scootaloo clearly.  There were deep bags under her eyes, and she didn’t budge as Rainbow appealed to her.

“Hey Scootaloo, it’s me, Rainbow Dash.  Everything ok?” she asked softly.  Scootaloo shook her head slowly.  It was a small sign, but it was something at least.  Storm didn’t care at this point who got through to her, he just wanted to see her well.  “Did something happen at Canterlot.”  A pause, and then a nod.  “Can you tell us what it was?”  She slowly turned to face Rainbow Dash, her voice barely audible, though everypony heard.

“He lied.  Everypony lied...”

Restoring the Bonds

Chapter 6: Restoring the Bonds

The door to the apartment swung open and Quakehoof was greeted by the dejected faces of his lover and child.  Storm said nothing and carried Scootaloo to her bed, lying down beside her for a time.  She said nothing, and he attempted to rise but her tiny hoof reached out to stop him, her eye cracking open just enough to see him.  He lay back down and gathered her in his arms, holding her for an hour before she finally fell asleep, her mind letting go and allowing her body to rest.  The room slowly darkened as the sun began to set, and while Storm couldn’t know for sure what her words had meant, he was thankful.  Whatever had happened had given him a second chance, a chance to make things right with Scootaloo.

With care he pulled away, and she fortunately didn’t awaken as he made his way to the kitchen.  His mother and father were talking in hushed tones at the table, and the drew silent as Storm approached.

“Mom, what...  What happened in Canterlot, do you have any idea?”

“No, I don’t...  I just woke up and found her like that, though if I had to guess...  She probably heard Proud say something that wasn’t meant for her ears.”  That would make sense.  She said that everypony had lied, which meant she probably found out one of the many truths that were constantly hidden from her.  There were too many to narrow it down, so Storm soon gave up speculation.  “Still, she seems to trust you.  Please Storm, do whatever you can for her.”

“As if you even have to ask?” he said with a rueful grin, sitting down at the table.  “I know she’s hurting right now, but if it means I get a chance to have my sister again, then maybe it’s for the best.”  Grace nodded and lay her head against Quakehoof’s shoulder, and he instantly wrapped his arm around her and held her.  “I’m going to stay the night in her room.  I don’t want her to be alone if she wakes up in the night.  Mom, you should get some rest.  You look pretty beat.”  With that, he grabbed Lightning Wing’s training guide, a small lamp, and a glass of water before heading back to Scootaloo’s room.

The pale light was fortunately not enough to wake Scootaloo, and he set about making a training regime for Rainbow Dash.  She was already pretty fast, but simple speed wasn’t enough for most of the tricks.  He skipped passed the tricks section and moved to the training.  Stretching, wing care...  Weights and a harness?  Further reading revealed that Lightning had custom designed weights made for his legs, their design meant to maximize muscle tone while minimizing the stress on other parts of the body.  To counteract the usual strain on the wings he also had a special harness made.  He suggested wearing the first set for a full month before advancing to the next set of heavier weights, up to a third and final set.  While wearing weights while flying wasn’t unheard of, it was commonly held that it did more harm than good, straining the back and overtaxing the wings while making little difference to overall ability, though it seems Lightning disagreed.  Storm made a mental note to have them designed when he made some money and moved on to agility training.

Lightning Wing was a professional and as such cut no corners, and Storm couldn’t help but stare in disbelief as he read the numbers on the page.  Two hundred barrel rolls, one hundred miles of flight, and at least three hours of obstacle training a day?  While Rainbow Dash had said she practiced six hours a day, he seriously doubted that she came anywhere close to a hundred miles of flight total distance.  The few times he had seen her practice it looked like it had mostly been loops and corkscrews combined with impressive speed and precision.  But as he continued down the list, it became apparent that those things were simply foal’s play comparatively speaking.  She really had her work cut out for her if she was going to approach Lightning Wing’s level.  He read a bit more before blowing out the light and crawling in beside Scootaloo, careful not to disturb her as he did so.  She unconsciously drew close to him, and he lightly draped an arm around her shoulders before drifting off to sleep.

Scootaloo opened her eyes to see nothing but her brother’s black coat dominating her vision.  Just a few days ago she would have given him a sound beating for being anywhere near her bedroom, but now he was the greatest sense of security she had, as he was the only pony to ever tell her the truth.  She still wasn’t ready to talk to anypony yet, but she resolved to apologize to him by the end of the day.  Until then, she would remain silent.  Storm felt her stir and slowly came awake.

“Hey Scootaloo, are you feeling any better?”  She shook her head once, watching Storm as he sat up.  “Do you wanna talk about it?”  Storm sighed as she shook her head no again, and gave her a tight squeeze.  “When you’re ready to talk, I’m here, ok sis?”  He took slight comfort as she nodded, and at length he released her and made his way to the kitchen where his mother was making breakfast for Quakehoof.

“How’s she doing, son?” Quakehoof asked, looking up as Storm entered.

“I think she’s getting better, but she still won’t speak.  I think you should probably let her stay home from school today.”

“Indeed.” Quakehoof agreed as Flying Grace joined them, and they began the meal in silence.  Storm filled a second plate and filled a glass with apple juice, running them back to Scootaloo’s room before returning to his meal.

“Mom, how long are you going to be here?”

“Well, today will be my last full day, unfortunately.  Proud Skies is counting the day of my arrival and trip to and from Canterlot, so that’s two days already,” she replied, her voice tinged with regret.  “I will be leaving tomorrow morning, but let’s try to have some fun together today as a family, shall we?”  Storm was excited by the prospect but at the same time didn’t want to leave Scootaloo by herself.  “Do not worry, Scootaloo shall come too.  Even if she doesn’t want to be around me, I still want to spend as much time with my children as I can.”  They finished breakfast and cleaned up the dishes while Storm went to grab Scootaloo, who had thankfully finished her meal, and together they walked out into the fresh morning air.

“Oh my goodness, whatever happened to your mane?”  They hadn’t walked far when a white unicorn mare rushed over and began thoroughly examining Storm’s mane and wings.  He recognized her from the brief amount of time at the party, but he couldn’t quite recall her name.

“Excuse me, but who are you again?”

“Horrified!  Just look at these charred ends, they look simply dreadful.  And these wings!  Did you light yourself ablaze?  I will not stand for this!  Come, you are getting groomed.  No friend of Rainbow Dash is going to walk the streets of Ponyville in such an undignified state!”  She ceased her rant as she noticed the elegant Flying Grace, her physique reminding her very much of Fleur de Lis though with a stunning set of wings.  “Oh aren’t you just the most fabulous thing!  I simply must design a dress for you!  You too, Scootaloo, it’s about time I made you into a lady.  Quakehoof?  Hmmm, it will be a challenge but I shall design something dashing for you as well.  Come, everypony, to the spa!”  She began to trot away to notice that none of them had budged.  “I said... everypony to the spa.”

“Come, Storm.  The spa awaits,” Grace said with a giggle, relishing the idea of a relaxing bath.

“Wait, mom, you can’t be serious!” Storm responded in disbelief.

“Oh I assure you son, she’s serious.  Come on, don’t keep the ladies waiting,” Quakehoof chuckled, nudging him forward.  With a groan he resigned himself to his fate and trudged after them.  His heart grew light as he heard the tiniest giggle escape from Scootaloo who had watched the scene in silence, and was immediately thankful for the mare’s intrusion.  He still couldn’t remember her name though.

“Excuse me, Miss Horrified?”  Rarity whirled, eyes glinting dangerously.

“I... beg... your... pardon..?”  Storm recoiled as she marched up to him, staring him down.  “My name is Rarity, and I would thank you never to call me that again, are we clear?  I don’t care whose friend you are, I am a lady, and will be addressed as such.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Rarity!” he quickly replied, hoping it would be enough.

“Much better.”  To his relief she immediately broke into a smile an cantered off ahead, the group again resuming their journey.  First Pinkie and now Rarity?  Was everypony in this town subject to sudden mood swings?  He looked over in time to see Twilight go from seemingly calm to literally ablaze in the space of about three seconds, thus cementing the answer as a very clear “yes.”  He laughed a little as she was soon buried under a sudden pile of snow, Cerulean standing by and awaiting his punishment expectantly.  Storm looked away and tried not to think about what he was likely about to experience, promising himself to never have children.

Twilight could not believe the prices the owner of that stall had been trying to charge her for those cherries just because she said they would make the perfect topping for her Limburger caramel omelet.  And to add insult to injury, Cerulean had the nerve to bury her in public?  Oh, he was in it deep when they made it home, he’d see.  A sudden voice disturbed her devious intentions as she turned to see Zecora walking over.

"Here’s the plant you requested when last we spoke, a basket full of poison joke.  There's been strange weather in Everfree, the likes of which I've never seen."  Twilight’s planned punishment was overwritten as she dumped half of the basket of blue flowers on Cerulean’s head, for which he cast a confused eye at her.

“Thanks Zecora, perfect timing.  The remainder should be plenty for my research.”  She began humming to herself as she continued towards the library, Cerulean following after and still having no idea how being coated in flowers could possibly count as a punishment.  He shrugged and followed after her, happy that he had been let off so easy.

“An antidote I must brew, for he is surely soon to spew,” she muttered as they departed.  She finished her shopping and returned to her hut, thankful that she had all the ingredients on hand for the curing bath.  Twilight immediately began fixing herself a most delectable Limburger caramel omelet topped with wasabi and cherries, when she suddenly found it ripped from her grasp, Cerulean demolishing the meal in record time and heaving a satisfied sigh as he savored the lingering flavor.

“What the hay?  Cerulean, that was mine!  And you don’t even like Limburger, you told me it smelled vile!” Twilight exclaimed, not sure whether to be angry or have a good cry.

“I dunno what I was thinking, ‘cause that was delicious!  Maybe you’ve been right all along.  Let’s try that smoothie you were gonna make!”  Twilight stared wordlessly as he crammed every vegetable, condiment and seasoning he could find into the blender, salivating profusely and bouncing on his hind hooves in eager anticipation.  The concoction soon turned a horrendous blue-brown, and even in her pregnancy she could tell that there was no way that mess was fit for consumption.  Cerulean chugged it down, not stopping to breath and slamming the container down with a massive gasp.  “That... was... divine!”

There was quite a bit that had missed his mouth and dribbled onto his face and chest, and as he eagerly began licking it off Twilight noticed the telltale blue bumps coating his tongue.  It was then that Twilight knew she had crossed the line between hormonal and downright cruel, his tongue being protected but his stomach still very much the same.   She immediately made for town, hoping against hope that Zecora hadn’t left yet.  She stopped a short way from her house as a familiar voice called to her from the sky.

“Twilight!  Hey Twilight, you got a second?” Rainbow Dash asked as she landed in front of her.

“Rainbow Dash?  Oh perfect timing, I need you to find Zecora and ask her to make some of her remedy for poison joke.”

“Poison joke?  How the hay did you get into that?”  Twilight scuffed the dirt with a hoof, her guilty expression telling Rainbow it wasn’t Twilight that had been on the receiving end.

“I may have slightly lost my temper and gotten a teensy bit of it on Cerulean...”

“Cerulean, on poison joke?  Oh, I’ve got to see this!” she laughed as rushed to the library, her hoof just landing on the door when she heard somepony on the other side violently expelling the contents of their stomach.  Rainbow Dash regarded Twilight with shock and confusion, her expectations of the result clashing with the disturbing groans coming from within.

“What exactly did it do to him?”

“He seems to be under the misconception that anything and everything that exists as food tastes good in a smoothie.  His stomach, however, didn’t undergo the same transformation as his sense of taste,” she explained, miserably staring at the ground.  “I hadn’t expected this kind of reaction, and I thought it was funny for a moment, seeing him have cravings like mine.  But I can’t imagine ever eating what he did just now...  That’s why I need you to get the cure from Zecora.”  Rainbow Dash shuddered as a loud moan sounded forth, followed shortly after by what little remained of his meal.

“Twilight, you’re really cruel to him, you know that?”

“I don’t mean to be, I just...”  Ah geez, here come the tears.

“All right, take it easy.  I’ll get the cure, but do me a favor while I’m grabbing it,” she said quickly, placing a comforting hoof around her shoulders.  “Have Spike write Princess Celestia a letter asking her to come speak with Storm Blitz.  He said he couldn’t work any pegasus jobs but wouldn’t explain why.  But there’s no way he’d refuse the princess if she asks, and I can’t find anypony who needs help around town.  It’d be a big help if Celestia could intervene.”  Twilight nodded and Rainbow Dash took off towards Everfree.  Spike emerged right after Rainbow Dash had left, his face pale and looking quite queazy.

“Twilight, you probably don’t wanna go in there right now.”

As reluctant as Storm was to admit it, the spa had been a great experience.  He managed to avoid the mud bath, but the sauna and spa worked wonders on the tension in his wings and shoulders.  The two stylists had restored his mane and wings to pristine condition, thereby keeping the fashion sensitive Rarity from freaking out any further.  The trip to Carousel Boutique, on the other hoof, was anything but fun.  Storm hated being dressed up for any occasion, and the fancy suit that Rarity had crafted for him just screamed “elitist” in his mind.  The flowing dress she made for his mother was perfect, Quakehoof managed to look like a true gentlecolt and Scootaloo was downright adorable, her dress matching her magenta hair but yet not being so feminine as to be out of character.  But the best part was seeing Scootaloo smile through it all, and Storm tossed her onto his back as they began their trip home.

“I must say, Storm, you look quite fetching.  Perhaps you’ll even catch the eye of that mare you talk about so much?”  Storm met his mother’s knowing smile with the darkest scowl he could muster, for which Scootaloo bopped him on the head.

“For the last time, mother, she and I aren’t like that.  Besides, she’s a rainbow pegasus.  Chances are she’s got more than enough stallions to choose from.”

“My dear child, that sounded like disappointment to me,” Grace said with a giggle, her amusement only growing as she watched the color rise in his cheeks as he trudged on.

“Indeed.”  Unable to tolerate anymore jibes and hoping that they weren’t actually true, Storm broke into a run, Scootaloo clinging to his neck so as to not be bucked off.  As she felt the wind rush passed she slowly spread her wings, the sensation of the wind blowing through her wings feeling completely different than the short, quick strokes she used to propel herself when using the scooter.  By the time Storm stopped running, his parents were no longer in sight.

“...Storm?”  Scootaloo’s voice commanded his full attention as he gently let her down and stooped to make eye contact.

“What is it, sis?”  She hesitated, frustrated with herself for not being strong enough to stem the tears.

“You were right about Proud Skies.  I heard him talking and he... he called me a...”  Storm immediately scooped her up, holding her close as her tiny body quaked with each unsuccessfully restrained sob.  If he ever found a way to ruin Proud, he vowed that moment he would.  No, not if, but when.  He didn’t know how, but if there was a way to bring down Proud’s world around him as he had done countless times to him and now to Scootaloo, then there would be no greater victory.  But now was not the time for such thoughts, and Scootaloo opened her eyes to find herself airborne, the world below growing distant with each mighty flap of her brother’s wings.

“Scootaloo, I’m sorry for leaving without explaining anything to you.  I know it must have hurt,” Storm said as he leveled out and slowed to an easy glide.  “I want you to know that leaving you in Cloudspire hurt more than all the anger from everypony there, more than all the guilt and shame.”  Scootaloo stared at her brother has his words melted away the last of her inhibitions and unfounded assumptions.  “I think you’ve waited long enough...  It’s time to make good on my promise.  Get ready for your first flying lesson!”

Storm flipped around so Scootaloo was on top, and he removed his arms and grabbed her hooves to steady her as the wind threatened to sweep her away.

“Storm, I don’t know if I can...” she started, looking down at the ground below.  As often as she had dreamed of flight, she couldn’t shake the fear of falling.

“Scootaloo, don’t be afraid to fall.  I will catch you every time, I promise.  Now, close your eyes, and spread your wings.”  She nodded and obeyed, feeling the wind catch them and sending a pulse of fear down her spine.  “All right, now slowly start to flap them.  Don’t be afraid, I’ve got you sis.”  She immediately began beating them furiously as she did when riding her scooter.  “Easy, Scootaloo, slow it down.  Deeper, slower strokes.  Not too much slower, let the wind fill your wings.”  Scootaloo obeyed, slowly her rapid wingstrokes to a steady rhythm.  “Scootaloo, open your eyes.  You’re flying, sis!”  Her eyes snapped open to see that at some point Storm had released her hooves and she was carrying herself.  She was flying.

Rainbow Dash was glad to have left the library.  The whole structure smelled and Cerulean was in no better shape than when she had left and even after Cerulean was cured of the effects of the poison joke the churning in his stomach yet remained, the “smoothie” having wreaked havoc on his system.  She looked up as a shadow passed overhead just in time to see Scootaloo fly her first few feet before dropping down, Storm catching her deftly and encouraging her to keep trying.  A warmth flooded her being as she beheld the joy in Storm’s features, his heartfelt laughter resonating deeply within herself.  She continued to watch as the pair weaved around the sky until Storm noticed her gazing up at them.  He let Scootaloo make a few more attempts before grabbing her and landing a short distance away.

“Rainbow Dash, did you see me?  I was flying!” she yelled, throwing herself around Rainbow Dash’s neck and giggling uncontrollably.

“Oh great, like I needed more competition for the Wonderbolt’s tryouts.  Thank Celestia you’re too young or I’d be in real trouble,” she teased, hugging her lightly.  Scootaloo dropped down and backed away a little as Storm approached and threw his arms around Rainbow Dash, holding her tightly.

“Rainbow Dash, thank you.  I don’t think I would have be able to patch things up without your encouragement, and it means a lot to me...  More than you know.”  Rainbow Dash slowly brought her hooves up and returned the embrace, blushing softly as the first spark of desire was kindled within.  She closed her eyes and savored every second she was held, his body heat giving her a strange sense of comfort.  Her revelry soon turned to embarrassment as Scootaloo’s confused voice ended the moment.

“Rainbow Dash, why are your wings like that?”

Desires

Chapter 7: Desires

Flying Grace sincerely hoped that she hadn’t actually upset her son, as she watched him dash off and out of sight.  Quakehoof’s low, rumbling chuckle helped ease her concerns as they leisurely made their way back to the apartment, their mirth turning to confusion as they saw their son take off into the sky, Scootaloo firmly held in his arms.  They immediately sped to a gallop towards their position, Quakehoof’s approach quickly clearing a path through the ponies lining the streets.

“Quakehoof, look!” Flying Grace exclaimed, pointing a hoof towards the sky as Storm released his sister and she flew for the first time.  Even Quakehoof was unable to keep the tears from his eyes as he beheld the tender scene, nodding his approval as Storm caught her each time she dropped, immediately grabbing her and encouraging further effort.  He drew Grace close and together they watched the short exercise.  They resumed their rapid approach towards where he dropped and rounded the corner just in time to see him embrace Rainbow Dash, whose wings involuntarily extended full stretch.

Storm would have seen them if his eyes were open, and they drew up behind Rainbow Dash just in time to hear Scootaloo’s inquiry.  Storm’s eyes snapped open to find his parents giving him the “we knew all along” look, and pointing to his back, his wings in very much the same condition as Rainbow Dash’s.  He was suddenly envious of unicorns and earth ponies, as their signs of arousal were much less noticeable.

“My, it seems Rainbow Dash is quite taken by that lovely suit you’re wearing.  I told you that you wore it well.”  His mother’s smooth voice felt more like hooves down a chalkboard to his ears, and even with his dark coat he was sure that his blushing was clearly evident to anypony around.  And there were many.

“Mom, it’s not what it!..”  Ugh, why bother?  His ears shot up as Rainbow Dash’s nervous laughter sounded behind him, causing him to turn.  She was still blushing but rather than show any kind of embarrassment like a regular pegasus, she chose simply to burst into a fit of giggles, rolling on the ground and making little effort to suppress them.  “Rainbow Dash, you too?”

“You must... think I’m really pretty... if a hug is all it takes!” she managed between gasps of air, tears of mirth streaming from her eyes.  Had he not been completely beside himself he would have quickly pointed out that she had been in much the same position.

“Yeah I do, so what?” he shouted, his aggravation growing as a still very lost Scootaloo watched the conversation unfold.  Unfortunately for the bewildered Rainbow Dash, a combination of emotions produced an effective blockade around the speech portion of her brain, leaving her disheveled and without any means of articulation.  Her laughter trailed off as she stared at him.  Everypony in Cloudsdale had only ever treated her like one of the guys, and to suddenly be confirmed in the mind of Storm as being pretty was a little much for her mind to handle.

“Son, it may do you well to not shout when paying a lady a compliment,” his mother chimed in from the background.

“Indeed.  Try it again.”  Quakehoof’s cheery grin only compounded the growing desire to flee the scene with all haste.

“Now Quakehoof, I think they’ve both had enough for now,” Grace said softly, noting that Rainbow Dash was now looking just as awkward.  “Storm, can we speak to you privately for a moment?”  Glad to have a chance to calm down he readily complied, trotting a short distance away and casting a glance back to Rainbow Dash who was having a hard time explaining the situation to Scootaloo without actually telling her what was really going on.  “Storm, I know this is our last night here, but I’d really like to spend some time with Quakehoof alone, if that’s all right...”

“Lemme get this straight, you come home and do nothing but tease me constantly and then ask for my permission to get busy?  Do you even hear what you’re saying right now?”  His voice was a good deal louder than he meant for it be, and several ponies nearby turned and stared at the trio, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo being among them.  Flying Grace and Quakehoof turned and looked at each other before turning back to Storm, who was visibly shaking as he attempted to push the thought from his mind.  “Ok, you know what?  Rainbow Dash, is there any way I could come spend some time at your house?” he said, turning back to her with a look of disgust on his face.  “My parents have some ‘business’ to take care of for which I do not care to be present.”  He made sure his voice maintained it’s volume, noting the flush rising to his parents’ faces with glee.

“Uh, sure?”  Storm heaved a sigh of relief and turned back to his now thoroughly embarrassed parents.

“Just let me grab some stuff from the house first, all right?”  They quickly nodded and he took off, returning a few minutes later with the list he had made the other night and no longer wearing the suit.

“Storm, what’s that paper for?” Rainbow asked, regarding him with curiosity.

“It’s a surprise, you’ll see when we get there.  Come on, Scootaloo, let’s go.”  With his sister tucked firmly in his arms Rainbow Dash and Storm took off into the sky, heading towards Cloudsdale.  His parents wordlessly turned and made towards Quakehoof’s apartment, conversing in hushed tones and doing their best to ignore the looks the other ponies were giving them.

Princess Celestia landed a short distance from the entrance to the library and wrinkled her nose as her nostril were immediately invaded by the foulest of smells.  She clamped a hoof over her nose and knocked on the door, and her ears heard a set of hooves descend the steps and approach.  Twilight looked utterly miserable, and Celestia could tell wasn’t from whatever that horrendous scent was.  Before beginning to speak she used her magic to purify the air, both herself and Twilight heaving a sigh of relief, though Twilight’s countenance showed no change.

“Twilight, what was that disturbing smell?”

“...Vomit, your majesty.”  Celestia stared at her, wondering just how bad her morning sickness had been to cause that kind of reaction.

“I thought you said you were able to keep things down again in your last letter?”

“It wasn’t me, Celestia.  I got angry and gave Cerulean some poison joke, and he mixed any food he could find together and ate it.”  Celestia’s grimace only weighed Twilight down more.  She entered wordlessly and made her way upstairs where Cerulean was shivering feverishly in bed, sweating profusely and fortunately not conscious.  She shook her head sadly and returned to Twilight, who was staring at the ground, avoiding eye contact.

“Twilight, I must say I’m disappointed in you.  I know that you’re struggling with your pregnancy but your fiance is not an outlet for your anger.  I will check on you again in a week, and I hope to find Cerulean in better condition,” she chided her gently, knowing that Twilight already felt terrible and was under the effects of the strongest of hormones.  Celestia held her a while as Twilight had a good cry before telling her to make him some ginger tea to aid his digestion and soothe his stomach.  “Now, do you know where Storm Blitz or Rainbow Dash are?  I need to speak with them while I am here as well.”

“Do you know Quakehoof?”  Celestia nodded, wondering how anypony could forget somepony of that size.  “That’s Storm’s birth father, you can try there first.  It’s towards the center of town, small little gray apartment, number ninety nine I think.  If he’s not there, then he’s probably with Rainbow Dash somewhere.”  Twilight retreated inside to put some water on for tea as Celestia made for the location, casting polite nods to the ponies that bowed as she passed.  Ninety three, ninety five, sixty nine?  She stared at the door for a moment before the realization that she was indeed at the right house and the numbers had somehow been knocked askew.  She rapped a hoof on the door and heard nothing.  Hoping to save time she entered the seemingly empty house and looked around, shutting the door behind her.  A noise to her right roused her curiosity, and she slowly approached.  Ponies with white coats have the most visible blush, and her face was soon deep crimson as she beheld Storm’s parents sharing a moment of passion, unaware of her presence.

“And I thought such activities were reserved for Luna’s night.”  The pair froze, Quakehoof’s head slowly turning and staring with disbelief and total humiliation at having be seen by the venerable Princess of the Sun while in the throes of passion.  Celestia slowly backed out of the room and shut the door, where she resumed her inquiries.  “I apologize for disturbing you, but where might I find your son?  I have a few questions for him.”

“...He’s with Rainbow Dash.” Quakehoof said quietly, his face straining to match the hue of Celestia’s rosy cheeks.

“Very well, carry on!” she called out cheerily as she left the building, leaving the two ponies laughing nervously as they vowed never to let their son know of the incident, as they would never be able to live it down if he did.

Scootaloo had a hard time sitting still as Rainbow Dash’s house came into view, anticipating the walls lined with trophies and epic photos of her tricks hanging around the house.  After all, she was Rainbow Dash!  As they entered she was met with a different scene entirely.  Not only was the house clean, but it was also quite plain, the most colorful object being the newly acquired bookshelf that was packed full of fiction novels.  Tank slowly poked his head out of his shell and a grin creeped across his face as he began the long trek towards the edge of the fence a whopping ten hoof lengths away.  Rainbow Dash dropped inside the small enclosure and picked him up, twirling him around.

“Heya Tank!  Miss me?”  A predictably slow confirmation caused Rainbow to laugh as she waited a few seconds for the motion to end.  She turned to see Storm and Scootaloo both staring at her with confusion.

“Uh, Rainbow Dash?  What’s with the turtle?” Storm asked slowly, careful not to sound condescending.  He found it quite amusing that somepony as obsessed with speed as she was had chosen the slowest possible creature for a pet.

“He’s a tortoise, actually.   And he’s like the coolest pet ever!”

“Rainbow, I always imagined you’d want one that could fly,” Scootaloo offered, Storm nodding in agreement.

“Check this out!” she said excitedly, pulling out the flying contraption Twilight had designed and strapping it to Tank’s back.  He soon began to buzz lazy circles around the room as Rainbow beheld him with pride, causing Storm to realize that there really was more to this mare than met the eye.  Maybe when their training started, he’d have the chance to dig just a little bit deeper.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, do you have anything to drink?  I’m kinda thirsty,” Scootaloo asked, and Rainbow Dash immediately grabbed three glasses from the kitchen and filled them with juice, doling them out as she returned.  The clock read ten minutes to six, and she decided to flex her limited culinary skills.

“Hmmm, I don’t cook very often but seeing as I have guests, I suppose I can whip something up.  You guys hang her for a bit while I do some cooking.”  Storm bantered back and forth with Scootaloo for a bit before the question nagging at the back of her mind caused him to clam up.

“Brother, what was with your wings when you were hugging Rainbow Dash?”  Oh dear Celestia, how in Equestria was he supposed to explain that one?  She’s only eight for crying out loud, she doesn’t need to be told about such things.

“I was just, um... stretching.”

“At the same time as Rainbow Dash?”  He could tell Scootaloo wasn’t buying it, and he scrambled to try and find a logical explanation without actually lying.  Scootaloo had just started to trust him again, and he couldn’t risk damaging that now.  Distraction, he needed a distraction and fast.  Storm leapt to his feet as a knock sounded at the door.

“I’ll get it!” he blurted out, trotting to the door and throwing it open to reveal Celestia herself, her face still slightly flushed.  To her surprise the massive black pegasus proceeded to slam the door in her face, leaving the princess utterly confused.  “Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah Storm, what is it?” she said as she poked her head out of the kitchen.

“Did you put something in my juice?”

“Not this time, why?” she asked with a sly smile.

“Then how do you explain this?” he replied, throwing the door open and again being shocked that Celestia was still patiently standing at the doorway.

“Hey Princess Celestia, what’s up?” Rainbow Dash inquired, cantering over and regarding the sudden presence of royalty with excitement.  Storm had realized very quickly that the princess was not a figment of his imagination, and immediately dropped to a bow.  “I know I don’t cook that often but I didn’t think it would draw you all the way from Canterlot.”  Upon hearing Rainbow Dash speak to her in such a casual manner he lifted his head, awestruck at her audacity.  “Princess, are you... blushing?”

“Perhaps.  I had to ask Storm’s parents where I might find him, and they were kind enough to spare a moment to point me here.  May I come in?”  Storm shot upright, the hilarity of his parents being caught in such a position by the princess too much for him to ignore.  Oh, he couldn’t wait to see them again.

“Sure, by all means!  Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, if you’d like to stay,” she called out as she again returned to the kitchen, not wanting to burn anything as her cheeks were already there.  It didn’t take much to fill in the blanks.  As Celestia entered he remembered his manners and again bowed.

“Storm Blitz, you may rise.  Any friend of Rainbow Dash is a friend of mine as well.”  He slowly rose, and even though Celestia was taller than most everypony he stood just above her eye level, which she found intriguing.  “The reason I am here is because Rainbow informed me that you are having trouble finding a job around Ponyville, is that correct?”

“That’s right, your majesty.  Most of the businesses around here seemed to be one pony stalls.  And I unfortunately can’t work any flight related jobs either.”

“Rainbow Dash mentioned that in the letter.  Tell me, why is that?”  Rainbow Dash heard the question and listened in from the kitchen as Storm obediently explained his situation.

“After I was banished from Cloudspire, Proud Skies filed an edict and sent it to every pegasus colony, stating that I was forever banned from holding any kind of pegasus related job.  It wasn’t enough to just kick me out, he had to remove my future as well...”  Celestia shook her head sadly, knowing just how powerful Proud Skies had become in recent years.  He had more than once used his leverage to force her hoof in matters that shouldn’t have been disturbed.  To openly nullify the edict would cause a political firestorm that she just couldn’t justify risking.  A thought sprung to mind, giving her hope as she posed a new question.

“You were banned from holding any pegasus related jobs within the pegasus colonies, correct?”  A knowing smile spread across Celestia’s face, giving Storm a flicker of hope that soon roared to life.  “The weather team in Ponyville is based out of Cloudsdale but commissioned by the mayor of Ponyville.  Thus, if you were to join, you would officially be on Ponyville’s payroll, not Cloudsdale.  You can legally join with no inhibitions, Storm Blitz.  I will have a word with the mayor tonight, and get you started as soon as possible.”  Storm couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  To be given a chance to work the weather like he had before, and mingle with other pegasi...  He drew close and lay his head down before Celestia, hoping that his voice could adequately convey the gratitude he felt at that moment.

“Celestia, I can’t thank you enough...”  Celestia motioned him to rise and pointed towards the kitchen.

“The pony you should be thanking is just over there, why don’t you tell her yourself?”  Celestia couldn’t help but laugh a little as he made his way to the kitchen, Scootaloo following shortly after peeping around the corner.  Having seen enough intimacy for the evening she quietly excused herself and took off for Town Hall in Ponyville.

“Rainbow Dash?”  She turned to find her rather small kitchen suddenly dominated by Storm’s presence.  She had heard the conversation in its entirety but she really didn’t feel like she had done much, but one look at his face told her that it meant much more to Storm.  “Thank you for ignoring my warning.”

“Heh, no sweat Storm,” she said, nervously shuffling and turning back to the stove.  The food was suddenly forgotten as his muscular arm drew her close, giving her a tight squeeze.  A sensation she wasn’t acquainted with filled her stomach and the burning in her chest that she had experienced when she had watched him flying with Scootaloo returned, and she decided that the food could handle a few moments by itself as she yielded, resting her head lightly against his chest.  Scootaloo retreated silently back to the living room and sat on the couch, her thoughts drifted back to her first flight and everything that had happened that day.  All things considered, she could handle being a mongrel if it meant she got to spend her days with Storm.

The smell of something burning urged Rainbow Dash back to the present, shrugging off Storm’s embrace with a sheepish smile and attending to the simple vegetable stir fry, fortunately in time to salvage most of it.  They had just set the table when Celestia entered once more, and they quickly set a place for her as she joined them.

“Storm, I have some good news for you.  Mayor Mare has agreed to let you onto the weather team, starting tomorrow.  Rainbow Dash will be in charge of training you.”  Storm’s jaw dropped, and Scootaloo laughed and pointed a hoof at him.

“Storm, that’s gross, close your mouth!”  He immediately complied, chewing slowly as the words sunk in.  Not only had he be given a job, but to work side by side with Rainbow Dash?  He closed his eyes to stave off the tears as he determined right then that somehow, someway, he would repay their kindness.  He didn’t know what he could possibly do for Celestia, but for Rainbow Dash, he may just have a way.  They finished their meal and saw the princess off, Storm helping clear the dishes while Scootaloo played with Tank.  It was still an hour or two until it would be time to sleep, and Storm grabbed the parchment he had brought, motioning Rainbow Dash to sit beside him on the couch.

“Rainbow Dash, how’d you like a glimpse at the secrets of Lightning Wing?”  Her eyes grew wide as he handed her the notes he had made, complete with designs for the weights, harness, and the first slew of exercises.  “Starting tomorrow, I’ll be training you as my grand father’s successor.  I’ll make a Wonderbolt of you yet.”  Storm winced as her jubilant cries filled the cloud home, penetrating the walls and sounding for miles.  At length she calmed herself, and Storm began explaining the technical points of the notes.  It would be challenging, but that just made Rainbow Dash even more excited to start.  As the night drew to a close and Scootaloo’s eyelids grew heavy, they decided it was time to sleep.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash?  Can I ask you a favor?” he said quietly, out of Scootaloo’s hearing range.  “Could my sister maybe sleep with you tonight?  She may be happy now but she’s been through a lot the last few days.”

“Here I was thinking you’d be asking something difficult,” her good natured sarcasm prompting Storm to return her roguish grin.  “Not a problem, I can take care of her for a night.  I don’t have a second bed to offer you, unfortunately.  Will you be all right sleeping on the couch?”

“Better than your doorstep,” he replied, half serious.  He didn’t know how Rainbow Dash would react to the idea of him sleeping in her house, seeing as how they had only met a few days ago.  He was thankful that she was cool with it, and made himself comfortable on the spacious sofa.  Rainbow Dash had agreed to sleep with Scootaloo as much for Storm as it was for herself, as she was in fact quite giddy about the idea of having him stay the night.  Having Scootaloo with her helped keep her mind off of the fact that just a few meters was the stallion that had turned her life upside down.  As she shut off the light and Scootaloo climbed into bed beside her, she forced herself to confront the desires that were slowly beginning to build within her heart.  She was undeniably, irrefutably smitten.  So...  Awesome!

Trust

Chapter 8: Trust

As the sun’s first rays lit Rainbow Dash’s cloud home, Storm woke with a deep yawn.  He stretched his limbs and lay still for a moment before rising, making his way quietly over to her room.  He stopped at the door and watched her for a moment, amazed at how someone so energetic could sleep so peacefully.  Storm slowly shook her awake, and he immediately discovered that she was definitely not a morning pony as she groaned and pushed him away, attempting to roll over but coming partially awake as Scootaloo gave a surprised squeak, having been slightly crushed.  Storm quickly reached in and grabbed Scootaloo, hoisting her onto his shoulders as Rainbow Dash pulled the covers over her head.

“Thanks for letting us stay the night, Rainbow Dash.  I’ll see you at nine for weather duty?”  The answer to his question came in the form of a single grunt and he made for home, Scootaloo quickly coming alive as Storm flew.  Their parents were just exiting the house as they arrived, and even though it was still early Storm couldn’t help but lay into them.

“You two must have put on quite a show yesterday.”

“Uh, son?  What are you talking about?”

“Princess Celestia was blushing when she came from your place, Dad.  You sure know how to entertain.”  He hadn’t intended the statement to sound so lewd, but as soon as it escaped his mouth he burst out laughing, the facial expressions of his parents too priceless.  Even if he had gotten a beating for it, that moment would have been worth it.

“Nothing happened between us and the Princess, Storm Blitz!” Quakehoof shouted, stomping a hoof and causing Storm to fall over, his legs already weakened by the snickers that wracked his body.

“Well, I wouldn’t say ‘nothing,’ dear,” Flying Grace said with a smile, placing a hoof on his arm.

“Grace!” Quakehoof exclaimed, wondering why she saw fit to fuel their son’s assumptions. Scootaloo was too lost by the flow of conversation, but she couldn’t help but join the laughter, her brother’s loud cries of mirth waking most nearby ponies.  Quakehoof was hard pressed to keep a straight face and soon gave a good natured chuckle; it had been quite a sight seeing the Princess of the Sun suddenly appear in his bedroom, even if he had been otherwise engaged.

As they all calmed down they made for the station, the mood quickly turning somber as they realized they wouldn’t see Flying Grace again for years.  Scootaloo didn’t quite know how to deal with the situation.  On one hoof, Grace had lied to her about things just like Proud Skies had.  And yet, she could see that Grace really did care for her, and that much was no lie.  As Grace stopped to say her final farewells, Scootaloo ran to her and clung to her leg.

“Mom, do you really have to go?”  Scootaloo couldn’t have imagined how badly those words hurt for Grace, who wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of her days in Ponyville.  Proud Skies would never allow it, and the notion threatened to break through the facade of strength and poise that she kept up at all times.

“Yes, sweetie, but I’ll be able to see you again in three years.  Be a good girl until then, ok?”  Grace wrapped a hoof around Scootaloo, and she was soon enveloped in her son’s arms, and all three of them were dwarfed by Quakehoof’s massive gray hooves.  That moment branded to Grace’s memory, forever locked away as source of strength for the dark times that undoubtedly lay ahead.  The last boarding call was made, and they waved as the train started it’s journey, building speed and disappearing into the horizon.

Storm was glad that he had weather duty to look forward, or else he likely would have spent the entire rest of the morning brooding.  He took the opportunity to fly Scootaloo to school, where she introduced him to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.  The two had seen him at a distance at the party, but they couldn’t help but gawk at his massive size.

“Scootaloo, yer brother’s like if Big Mac sprouted wings an’ fell into a bath full o’ paint!” Applebloom exclaimed, walking a circle around him.

“Hmmm, I suppose so.  You related to Applejack?”

“Yup, she’s mah big sister!  How could ya tell?”

“Call it a hunch.  And you are?” he said, turning to the little unicorn that was prancing under his legs as if he was a bridge.

“I’m Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s little sister.  I’m really glad you and Scootaloo got things patched up.  Me and Rarity have had our share of squabbles, but it always hurts to see other siblings fight.”

“Indeed it does,” he said as he stopped momentarily to remind himself not to say that again.  He was spending too much time around Quakehoof.  “Thanks for looking out for Scootaloo, you two.  Have fun today, I gotta get to work!”  Scootaloo beamed with pride as her friends watched him take off before going inside, the clamor of the last bell beckoning them to hurry.  Storm made it just in time to find Rainbow Dash reclining on a cloud, leisurely awaiting his arrival.

“You sure are slow.  You sure you’re the grandson of Lightning Wing, ‘cause I find that kinda hard to believe,” she quipped, cracking open an eye and staring at him as he stood over her.  He disappeared from sight and she was about to call after him when the cloud suddenly gave way, causing her to quickly spread her wings to keep from falling.  Rainbow Dash grinned and smacked him in the shoulder, careful not to show that had actually hurt a little.  Storm was unfazed, and together they made their way to the weather factory.  Today's forecast was to be overcast, no patches allowed.  Perhaps one of the most strenuous weather details, as the clouds had to be stretched thin enough yet not too thin so as to dissipate throughout the day.

It had been five years since Storm had worked the weather, and Storm had some difficulty adjusting.  He found it slightly insulting how Rainbow Dash would quote the instructions for the cloud formation word for word like a textbook every time he made a mistake, as if he didn’t know already.  Well, that’s not entirely fair; he had forgotten some of the things, but he was loathe to admit it.  His lack of flight time had also caused his muscles to atrophy, and by the time they finished around noon he was in desperate need of a break.  Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, was annoyingly eager to get started on her training.

“Ok, so what’s first on the magical list to make me a Wonderbolt?  Awesome stunts, super secrets to boost my speed... more awesome stunts?”

“Weights.”  Rainbow Dash’s countenance fell, the lackluster response being anything but cool.

“That’s kinda lame, Storm Blitz.  Every pegasus knows those don’t really work.”

“I guess you just don’t want to learn the secrets then,” he said, feigning annoyance.

“No, I do!  It’s just... is that really your grandfather’s secret?” she asked, incredulous.

“Just one of many.  Who do you know that could design something like that?” Storm replied.  Rainbow Dash thought for a moment before perking up.

“Since it’s something that’s worn, Rarity can make it.  Let’s try Carousel Boutique first.”  Rarity was fortunately not actively making a dress, and they found herself in one of the spare room throwing spools every which way in an attempt to spark a new idea.  She was thankful for the intrusion, and greeted them happily.

“Why hello, Rainbow Dash, Storm Blitz.  What brings you here today?”

“I was hoping you could make something for Rainbow Dash,” he said, handing her the specs for the weights and harness.

“Is this meant to be an insult?” she asked, completely serious.  Neither Storm nor Rainbow Dash had any idea what she meant, and Storm carefully gauged his response.

“I’m sorry Miss Rarity, but what do you mean?  I assure you no insult was intended.”  The colt had spoken well, she’d give him that.

“The design was atrocious!  An absolute crime against all things fashion.  I can hardly believe that anypony would ever where such a contraption.  I’m sorry, but I cannot stomach the idea of making something so garish.  You’ll have to find somepony else for this.”  Rainbow Dash stepped in, realizing that Storm had no idea how Rarity’s mind worked.

“Rarity, this isn’t the finished product.  This is more like the bones, or something.  It’s for training so it needs to be heavy, but if anypony can make this fashionable, I knew you were the one to turn to!” Rainbow declared, and Storm watched as Rarity’s mood instantly swung around.

“Well, why didn’t you say so?  It will be so much fun taking on this challenge.  Do not worry, Rainbow Dash.  You will look stunning in these, er, weights.  I’ll make sure of it!”  With that, she immediately set about her work, sketching and making a list of supplies she’d need for her newest project.  “Come back in a few hours, all right?”  Their thanks fell upon deaf ears as Rarity fell into her groove, her mind thoroughly ensnared by her work.

“Next order of business.  I need to know your strengths and limitations so I can put together the best set of exercises.”  Rainbow Dash flew a short distance ahead and struck a pose.

“Strengths?  Everything!  Limitations?  None!” she declared, holding her regal position until Storm’s snickers poked a few holes in her ego.  Storm looked up to see Dash looking peeved and a tad hurt, and he instantly collected himself.

“I know you’re good, Dash, but this is serious.  Many ponies have gotten hurt, crippled even, trying to pull off some of Lightning Wing’s most famous stunts.”

“Like racing lightning bolts?”  Storm nodded before continuing.  He recalled watching Lightning Wing pull off the feat once, and it was the single most impressive thing he had ever seen.  Dodging lightning in and of itself required great skill and speed, but racing a bolt and winning?  He wasn’t famous for nothing.

“I’m not going to risk teaching you something that I’m not confident you can handle.  So again, strengths and weaknesses.”

“Well,” she started, hesitating, “my main weakness would be sudden stops and pre-show jitters.  I won the most recent Junior Fliers Competition, but I nearly ducked out, and messed up every stunt except one.”  She awkwardly pawed at the ground, the nausea coming back slightly at merely mentioning the event.  “I also find it hard to shake off dizziness.  I pull a lot of loops and I ended up dislocating a wing a while back from a pretty nasty crash.”  Having to actually verbalize her known faults was hard, and it made her facade of confidence difficult to maintain.  Storm sat silently digesting the information, which made her even more uncomfortable.  “But I’m super fast and great at everything else.  Obstacles, 180 degree turns, speed - you name it, I can do it.”

“What’s the best trick you’ve ever pulled off?”  Rainbow Dash beamed ear to ear as she made her declaration.

“The legendary Sonic Rainboom!”  Storm stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.  “What?”

“Rainbow Dash, I need you to be honest.”

“I am being honest!  I’ve done it twice!” she countered, now genuinely frustrated that he was doubting her abilities.  Even in his prime, Lightning Wing had only broken the sound barrier three times, and that was with all his training.  For this mare to make that kind of claim was simply unbelievable.

“Ok then, prove it to me.”

“...I can’t.”  Storm could tell that the look on her face was genuine, but he still couldn’t quite bring himself to believe it.  “Like I said, I’ve only be able to do it twice.  If you don’t want to believe me, fine.  Suit yourself.”

“Did anypony see this happen that could back up your story?”

“What, so my word isn’t good enough?” she shouted, marching up to him.  “You’ve done nothing but give me veiled responses since we’ve met, and you can’t bring yourself to trust me the moment I say something unlikely?  Fine, I’ll prove it to you.  Every single one of my friends has seen my Sonic Rainboom!  Well, except Cerulean, but he will too!  Come on!” she demanded as she took the to skies, and Storm struggled to keep up with her fast pace.  “Doubt me, will he?  Well, let’s see what the Element of Honesty has to say about that,” she muttered under her breath.

They arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack in the fields as usual, but Storm had to wonder why she was placing buckets around the stretch of withered trees.  Rainbow Dash immediately recognized the signs, turning to Storm with a sly grin as the wind suddenly picked up, howling all around them.  “Ok, step one to prove you can trust me.  In about ten seconds the sky over these trees is going to be shrouded with dark clouds that will rain lightning down on every tree in this field.”  Was this mare crazy?

“Rainbow Dash, there’s no way that could possibly...”  A thunderclap sounded overhead and he looked up, the overcast gray turning dark and violent at a moment’s notice.  And just as Rainbow Dash predicted, lightning coated each and every tree, causing dark red leaves to pop out.  It was unlike anything Storm Blitz had ever seen or heard about, and he stood completely transfixed by the magnificent display.

“The first sign o’ the zap apple harvest.  Bet you’ve never made clouds like that before, have you Storm?” Applejack asked with a chuckle.  He shook his head slowly, still gazing at the once again normal skies.  “Now, I’m pretty busy preparing the trees but you two obviously came here fer a reason.  What can I do for ya?”

“Rainbow Dash claims to have done a Sonic Rainboom.  Have you ever seen her complete one?” Storm replied, shaking his head and trying not to think about how or why the clouds had behaved that way.

“That’s what this is about?”  Storm nodded, and Applejack fixed him with a stern look.  “Before I answer, has Rainbow Dash ever given you cause t’ doubt her?”

“No, but I...”

“No ‘buts’ about it, partner.  Rainbow Dash may enjoy the occasional prank or two, but she don’t lie, and you’d do well to remember that.  An’ yes, I’ve seen her Rainboom twice.  Once when I was a little filly, and at the last Junior Fliers Competition.  Now, if that’s all you needed, I have work t’ do.”  Storm turned to apologize but Rainbow Dash’s face told him it would be pointless.

“...I’m outta here.  We’ll train another day.”  She had thought that proving him wrong would help ease her anger, but it had only made it worse.

“Rainbow Dash please...” he started, watching her take off and quickly recede into the distance.  “...wait.”  He felt the anger rise and he bucked a zap apple tree in frustration and was quite literally shocked as the current recoiled and sent him flying a short distance.  He lay there for a time, wondering about what he could do.  He knew why she was upset, but had no idea how to approach the situation as he had never really had any experience with mares, though he was quickly learning that it was no easy matter.  Storm took off towards the library, thinking that maybe Cerulean would have some advice for him.

Twilight had fallen asleep to Cerulean gently stroking her mane as she rested her head in his lap, who was feeling much better after the previous day’s prank.  He was thankful that Celestia had talked to her, because she seemed to have calmed down a lot.  Honestly, he didn’t know if he’d make it the full eleven months if she hadn’t eased up.  Something rushed passed the window and he heard a dull thump outside the door.  Not wanting Twilight to awaken, he cracked open the door downstairs with his magic and soon heard the hesitant hoofsteps of a rather large pony.  He tossed a hoof full of snow over the edge of the railing, which Storm saw and quietly ascended the steps.

The gentle snores of the lavender mare were undisturbed as Storm approached.  He beheld the pair with wonder, noting the adoration in Cerulean’s face even as he had been so abused on her tyrannical whims.  Cerulean hadn’t ceased to caress her mane, and with a spare hoof he motioned Storm over to the bed.

“Hello, Storm Blitz.  What can I do for you?” he said softly, glancing up from Twilight to make eye contact.

“I was hoping that you could give me some advice.  I really ticked Rainbow Dash off, and I want to find a way to fix it... again,” he replied, careful to match Cerulean’s tone.  Cerulean listened intently as he explained what had transpired, thinking for a time after Storm had finished.

“If I understand correctly, you doubted her reliability about something that you found to be true?”  He nodded miserably.  “Storm, I told you before that she isn’t what she seems.  Her willingly sharing her weaknesses with you only to have you turn and doubt the first strange thing she tells you had to hurt her pretty deeply.”  Cerulean carefully watched his reaction, nodding his approval as he found no traces of anger.  He made no attempt to justify his actions, and waited patiently for him to continue.  “She shared something personal with you, something she wouldn’t just tell anypony.  Perhaps you could put a little faith in her and do the same.”  Of course, it was so simple.  Why hadn’t he thought of that?

“Cerulean, thanks for talking with me.  I think I know what I need to do.”  He stood to leave and turned at the stairs, looking back at the couple.  “You really love her, don’t you?”  Cerulean chuckled softly before responding.

“Aye.  And contrary to what you may have witnessed, I know she loves me just the same.”

“It’s the truth,” Twilight giggled, having heard most of the conversation but remaining still.  She nuzzled closer to Cerulean before cracking open an eye and looking at Storm.  “Storm, be careful with Rainbow Dash.  She’s a dear friend to everypony here.”

“I will.  Thank you Twilight, Cerulean.”  And with that he galloped out of the house and off to find Rainbow Dash.  It didn’t take long, as she was laying on a low flying tuft of cloud on the outskirts of Ponyville, away from the hustle and bustle of the town.  She didn’t even bother to open her eyes as he landed next to her, the cloud barely large enough to support them both.

“Rainbow Dash?”  She said nothing, her fore hooves behind her head and one leg crossed over the other.  Storm took a breath and made his revelation.  “I’ve never had a fillyfriend.”  Rainbow cracked open an eye, which Storm at first took to be a good sign, though he quickly realized it wasn’t as she spoke.

“What’s your point?”  Ok, definitely the wrong subject.  But since he had already gone there, he may as well finish it.

“I was plenty popular growing up.  Lot’s of fillies wanted a chance with me, but none of them really interested me.  And even if I had found myself interested in one of them, I was forbidden to date under any circumstance.  I wasn’t allowed to be seen with them alone, either.”  Rainbow continued to act indifferent, though he had caught her attention with the revelation.  “Most of my friends ended up being colts, so when it comes to dealing with mares, I’m kind of a dunce.”

“So I’ve noticed,” she prodded, looking at him briefly before again closing her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash, I know it was wrong of me not to trust you, especially after you’ve been so open with me.  It’s just... it’s hard to live your life having to lie to everypony and then suddenly be free of it.  It’s difficult to trust other’s when you’ve been beaten into submission...”

“Wait, what?  Proud Skies beat you?  Or were you being figurative?”  Rainbow Dash immediately knew the answer as the look in his eyes confirmed her suspicions.  “But, you’re huge!  How could he...”

“Physical size does not determine one’s strength of heart, Rainbow Dash.”  His normally cheery voice was reduced to a pained whisper, and her previous anger was forgotten as she imagined what it must have been like for him.  “Rainbow Dash, I’m not trying to unload on you, I just thought it would be fair for you to know, since you’ve trusted me with so much.  So have one of my secrets in return.”  Rainbow slowly wrapped her arms around his middle, barely able to touch her hooves together as she held him, and lay her head against his chest.  She smiled as she felt his arms drape around her, blushing slightly as they brushed her wings.

“Don’t sweat it, you dunce.”  Storm laughed quietly as he realized the irony of such a statement bringing such heartfelt comfort, closing his eyes and enjoying the sweet sensation of forgiveness.

Fragile

Chapter 9: Fragile

The timid knock on the door of the shop signaled Fluttershy’s arrival to Carousel Boutique.  It was time for their weekly trip to the spa, and the lack of a response could only mean that Rarity was thoroughly ensnared in her latest project.  Knowing it would be useless to continue knocking, Fluttershy gently eased open the door and walked inside to find Rarity putting the finishing touches on the harness.  Using some of the leftover fabric from making Rainbow Dash’s gala dress, she had managed to transform the dull, leaden weights into what looked like bold fashion accessories, perfectly suited for a pegasus in any occasion.

“Oh wow, Rarity.  Those are, um, interesting.  What gave you the idea?” Fluttershy inquired, attempting to pick one up and dropping it to the floor, not expecting them to be heavy.

“Oh, well the idea came from Storm, you see.  Just look at this dreadful design!  I would be remiss if I hadn’t altered it to something less of an eyesore.”  Fluttershy glanced over the designs and grew quite peeved.  Even a pegasus that flew as little as she did knew that weights were bad, bad things.  What was Storm trying to do, break her back?  “Fluttershy, whatever is wrong?” Rarity asked, instantly worried by the fact that something was causing the demure Fluttershy to scowl.  It was then that Storm and Rainbow Dash returned, and Storm was suddenly confronted by the cream colored mare whose voice remained quiet while still managing to be utterly terrifying.

“Just what are you trying to do to Rainbow Dash, mister?  Any and every pegasus knows that weights like these cause back pain, neck pain, leg pain, brain pain, and every other kind of badness a pegasus can have.  And here you are trying to make Rainbow Dash wear them?!  You should be ashamed of yourself for even thinking such a thing!”  Storm was unable to comprehend how a mare that couldn’t even say “hello” to him at the party could have such a sudden change of personality.  He opened his mouth to speak when she turned and laid into Rainbow Dash.

“And you, Rainbow Dash!  How can you let him just bully you into something like this?  After everypony telling me to stand up for myself, you turn around and let him make these things?”

“Fluttershy, I’m sure they have a perfectly good explan...” Rarity started, but Fluttershy would have none of it.

“Rarity, you’re just as much to blame for making those horrible things!  Get rid of them.”  Nopony made any motion to move, and Fluttershy decided to take matters into her own hooves.  However, due to her stature, she was barely able to lift them, let alone do them any harm, and had soon worn herself out.

“Fluttershy?  Take it easy, it’s not as bad as it seems,” Rainbow Dash ventured cautiously, relieved when Fluttershy turned to face her, small beads of sweat dripping from her brow.  “These aren’t like normal weights, they’re special ones.  And the harness will also help reduce the strain.  A great Wonderbolt designed them, so you don’t have to worry about me getting hurt.”

“And, for the record, I didn’t bully her into it,” Storm added, not wishing to have anypony embittered against him.  “She all but begged me, really.”  Dash shot him an annoyed glance before turning back to Fluttershy, who was notably more calm.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry for yelling at everypony.”  Storm found it hard to consider it yelling given that her voice was never raised above a normal speaking level.

“Come, Fluttershy, the spa awaits.  It will be a perfect chance to unwind after getting your feathers ruffled.”

“Oh, Rarity, before you go I just wanted to say I don’t get paid for another week or so, since I just started.  I will pay you when I can,” Storm assured her.

“Payment?  Oh, don’t worry about that, anything for Rainbow Dash.  Have a good afternoon~” she sang as she exited, excited about the coming treatment.  Storm walked over an examined the weights and harness, testing them with a hoof.  As requested, the weights came in three different sets, and he got started fixing the lowest weighted set to Rainbow Dash’s legs.  She stood patiently, feeling her body grow about twenty pounds heavier by the time he was done, and was perfectly fine until it came to attaching the harness.  It wasn’t something that could be done alone, and it attached to each wing in three different spots.

“Could you possible spread your...” and with a poomf they were fully outstretched and shaking slightly.  An uncomfortable silence descended as Storm tried to attach the harness as gently as possible, though Rainbow Dash flinched each time his hoof stroked her wing.  Storm was feeling just as embarrassed, and he had great difficulty keeping his mind focused on the task at hoof.  The process only took a few minutes, but it required an equal amount of time for them to both calm down and let the color in their faces return to normal.

“So... training?” Rainbow Dash ventured, and Storm nodded quickly as they both left the shop.  Storm took off and Rainbow Dash followed, the added weight not being enough to bother her but still noticeable.  “So what’s first on the list?” she asked as they rose above the cloud coverage, landing lightly atop it so as to not agitate the cloud.

“Hmmm, let’s start with something you’re familiar with.  One hundred loops, go.”  Rainbow Dash stared at him.  Did he even realize what kind of number he was requesting?  That was, like, three days worth!  “Hello, Rainbow Dash?  Hop to it.”  With a sigh she took off and began the routine, the first twenty or thirty coming easy but the rest becoming increasingly difficult as a culmination of dizziness and fatigue from the added weight set in.  She still had some energy left when she finished, but she was far more tired than she was planning on being.  “Well done, Rainbow Dash.  Now, one hundred corkscrews.”

“You can’t be serious!” she exclaimed, horrified at the prospect.

“Hmmm, we’ll cut it down to seventy since this is your first day.  Now get a move on!” he laughed, shoving her forward.  With a groan she again took flight, wondering if she really had what it took to become a Wonderbolt.

“What do you mean, ‘Storm’s the best big brother ever?’” Applebloom replied, slightly annoyed with the proclamation.  Big Macintosh had been around forever, and he was strong and kind and... strong...  “Scootaloo, you thought yer brother was the biggest hooligan this side of Equestria until two days ago.  Ahm sorry, but I think Big Mac is better.”

“Oh yeah?  Well, does your brother have wings?”

“Does yer brother make zap apple jam?”

“Is your brother related to a famous Wonderbolt?”

“Is yer brother the second best hoofwrassler in Ponyville?”  The trade off continued for nearly thirty minutes before Sweetie Belle could take no more, having plugged her ears early on in an unsuccessful attempt to block out the noise.

“Enough!”  Both friends dropped silent and stared at her.  “This is ridiculous!  They’re both great brothers and they’d be ashamed of you two for going on like this!  Applebloom, Big Mac does not have magical powers over dust motes.  Scootaloo, Storm doesn’t sneeze tornadoes!  At least you ponies even have an older brother!”  Suddenly their argument seemed extremely petty as they both stopped to consider what their lives would be like without their siblings, super powers or not.

“Wow Sweetie Belle, you’re right.  I guess I kinda got carried away,” Scootaloo apologized, giving her an apologetic grin.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.”

“It’s ok.  So, what should the Cutie Mark Crusaders try today?”

“Whoa, Rainbow Dash, hang on!” Storm called out as she spiraled out of control, catching her before she fell through the clouds.  It was obvious she had worn herself out but she kept pushing herself anyways, determined to complete the training.  “Ok, that’s enough for today.  You need to rest.”

“No, I gotta finish!” she argued, struggling feebly to escape his grasp.

“If you overwork yourself now, there’s no way you’ll be able to practice tomorrow.  Come on, I’ll fly you home.”  She said nothing as he carried her back to her cloud home, where she wearily flopped into bed.  It was late afternoon, but she was too drained to even consider cooking a meal or bother removing the weights.  Storm followed her in and began detaching the gear, setting them down beside the bed and searching her face.  Was that sadness?  Anger?  He couldn’t tell, but whatever it was, it wasn’t happy.  “Rainbow Dash, you did great.  Take it easy and rest, and we’ll start again tomorrow.”  Rainbow Dash said nothing as she lay staring at the ceiling, not bothering to watch him go.  His words felt hollow to her.  She hadn’t even been able to complete the first set of training on the lowest difficulty...  How would she ever be able to get to the top?  When it came down to it, she just felt like a failure.

Storm couldn’t get Rainbow Dash’s expression out of his head.  It dominated his thoughts until he came to the perfect solution.  If she was discouraged, he’d just have to cheer her up!  But how?  What do mares like?  Rarity seemed like the epitome of a lady, so he decided to see if she was still at the Boutique.  Instead he found her and Fluttershy just exiting the spa, chatting excitedly and looking extremely pleased.  They stopped talking as Storm landed in front of them, noting that Rainbow Dash wasn’t present.

“Hey Rarity, Fluttershy, I have a question for you two.  Hypothetically, if a mare you know is feeling down and you want to cheer her up, what’s a good thing to try?”

“Hypothetically, hmmm?” Rarity said with a sly smile, letting him know that whether or not Fluttershy had caught on, she knew exactly who he was talking about.  “Well, hypothetically, if the mare was a pegasus, and if she had been perhaps worked to the bone then just maybe she’d like a nice massage from a big, strong stallion to help unwind?  Hypothetically, of course.”  Storm was thankful for having a black coat, as it made it easier to hide when the blood rushed to his cheeks.  However, he couldn’t deny that the idea was a good one.  But, how would Rainbow Dash react to the kind of physical interaction?  “It would be quite well received, I shouldn’t wonder.”  Was this unicorn clairvoyant or something?  Fluttershy was rather lost by the situation, but too relaxed to let it bother her.

“Thank you for the advice, Rarity.”  As he turned around he heard Rarity voice once more, before taking off as quickly as he was able.

“Do be gentle, won’t you?”  Storm made a hasty escape, thankful for the cool wind as it brushed past and help lower his body temperature back to normal.  While he had originally intended to go to the library to ask if they had any books on the subject, it occurred to him that maybe his grandfather’s manual might have some after-training tips.  He was spot on, with a rather large and in depth guide to proper massage techniques to help ease the stress of ones limbs and wings after a heavy day of training.  He copied down a few pages of the information before rolling the papers into a scroll and stuffing the book back in his saddlebag.

“Where you off to, son?” Quakehoof asked, raising an eyebrow as his son grabbed the door knob.  The sun had already set and the last rays of light would soon be lost to make way for the moon.

“I’m gonna go hang with Rainbow Dash for a bit.  Oh, and the new job is working out great, so I’ll be able to help with rent and food.”

“That’s great news, I’m glad you’re getting settled in nicely.  Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he said with a chuckle.

“Well, that leaves me a lot of options now doesn’t it?” Storm responded with a grin before quickly leaving, his father having stood with a start and clearly not amused by the joke.  Rainbow Dash was asleep on her side when he arrived, and he let himself in quietly without bothering to knock.  The impressions from the weights could still be seen around her legs, and the muscles were stretched taught from the strain.  Storm gently placed a hoof on her shoulder and closed his eyes.  This mare had more passion and determination than anypony he’d ever met, and it was at that moment, staring at her exhausted form that he realized that admiration wasn’t the only thing he felt for her.

The firm though gentle hoof strokes along her spine eased Rainbow Dash into consciousness, and she moaned softly as relief flooded through her over taxed muscles.  It took her a full minute to realize that said motion had to be coming from somepony, and the hooves drew back as she rolled over.

“...Storm?  What are you..?”

“It’s part of the training,” he said quickly, afraid he had crossed a boundary and hoping that the explanation would be satisfactory.  The training...  Rainbow Dash hadn’t been thinking about it until he mentioned it, and the feelings of defeat and inadequacy came flooding back.

“I’m such a failure,” she whispered to herself.  Storm returned his hooves to her back, realizing exactly why the look on her face had bothered him so much even without hearing her statement.

“I guess I may have lied a little just then.  The truth is I wanted to do something to cheer you up.  You looked so dejected when I called off the training for the day, like I had just said that you couldn’t join the Wonderbolts or had blown the tryouts.”  If this was his attempt at comforting, he really needed to learn not to introduce additional topics to worry about.  “Rainbow Dash, I didn’t call off the training because I thought you couldn’t handle the rest.  I just... I don’t want to see you get hurt, and I knew it was a lot to throw you right into Lightning Wing’s training.  Honestly, I was thoroughly impressed as I watched you.  Your speed, precision, grace... it was all first rate, Dash.”

It was becoming quite difficult to massage from the side, kneeling on the ground with his hooves outstretched, and Rainbow Dash felt her slowly rolled onto her stomach.  The bed gave no noise or vibration he climbed up, kneeling beside her and continuing his soothing treatment of her muscles.  As the relaxation combined with his gentle touch and kind words, she offered no fight as her tired wings spread out to give him full access to her back.  “Your passion was awe inspiring, Rainbow Dash.  I don’t know what you think of yourself, but you’re anything but a failure.  If anyone could break the speed of sound, it’s you.  I believe in you, Rainbow Dash.  We’ll win those tryouts together, you’ll see.”  He pulled back his hooves as she rolled over to face him, tears brimming her eyes but refusing to fall.

“It’s not fair.”  Storm wanted to say something but nothing came.  “How come I let you in so easily?  You don’t even realize it I’ll bet.”

“Rainbow Dash, what do you...”

“Every word, every action, every stupid thing you do hits me a million times harder than anypony else I’ve ever met!  I’ve never felt so weak and vulnerable in my life!”  Her voice was frantic, frightened even.  “I’ve never, ever told anypony the weaker points of my flying!  And yet all you had to do was ask.  I used to hang out with stallions all the time, and I never felt embarrassed, but I’ve blushed more in the last three days than the last three years combined...  I had a stable, normal life and then you... you just waltz in and turn everything upside down!”

Storm sat staring at her, desperately wanting to hold her, but too afraid to move.  He had no idea what to make of the sudden burst of emotions, but he knew that he had to do something.  “And then... then there’s this feeling I get when I’m around you, like somepony lit a fire in my stomach.  When you praise me, it makes me feel like I can do anything, and when you’re angry I just want to disappear.  And the worst part is I don’t even know if you like me the same way!  It’s like I’m caught in the middle of a... a storm.  I’m terrified...  I don’t know what to do...”  She paused, slowly turning her head to make eye contact with Storm.  “But even still, I won’t run away.  I’m glad to have met you, and they don’t call me the Element of Loyalty for nothing.  I’ll stick by you, even if you won’t do the same for me.  Even if it hurts...”

That was enough.  Storm couldn’t sit idly by while the mare that had helped him so much fell apart at the seams looking for something thought provoking or encouraging to say, so he did the only thing he could think of.  Rainbow Dash felt his arms encircle her and draw her close, holding her as she tried to stop her shoulders from shaking, but it only made the tremors worse.

“You know... if I had to try and describe how I felt, I’d basically just have to repeat most everything you’ve said.  You’re kind, supportive, encouraging, and you make me feel like I can overcome my past.  But I have no idea what I’m doing, or how to go about relationships, or even how to not be a total jerk sometimes.”  A small laugh gave Storm the courage to continue.  “Rainbow Dash, I really like you too, but I’m terrified of messing everything up.  So please, be patient with me?”  He felt her nod, and he continued to hold her in silence.  She calmed down fairly soon afterwards, and he let go as she shifted, looking over at him.

“It’s really not fair.  Just like that, I feel better.”  Storm grinned a little, and it was thankfully returned.  Still, something she had said had bothered him.

“What’s the Element of Loyalty?”  Oh, right.  There was no way he would know that.  Starting from the night Twilight arrived in Ponyville and on to battle with Nightmare Moon, she explained about the Elements of Harmony and the role they played in maintaining balance in Equestria.  He didn’t say anything, but he was quite impressed that she chose her friends over being given the deepest desire of her heart, and a startling revelation occurred to him.  That kind of loyalty was the same kind that he saw in his mother and father, often apart for years at a time, yet wholly devoted to one another.  To have that offered to him was hard to conceptualize, and he quickly came to an obvious conclusion; he had way too much thinking to do.

Hesitation

Chapter 10: Hesitation

Rarity’s bi-monthly tea party was an occasion that all of her friends looked forward to as a time to just sit back, relax, and have some good clean fun.  Due to her rather ill temperament, Twilight had opted out of the last, but Rarity decided to host it at the library this time at Cerulean’s urging.  He was not expecting to be evicted upon their arrival, figuring that an afternoon around the six would keep her fairly calm, but he was swiftly escorted from the library upon their arrival.  Finding nothing to do himself and spotting Storm drifting by on a cloud, he proposed that they gather the other stallions and have a spot of guy time, to which Storm eagerly agreed.  The last week of training had gone by uneventfully, and Storm couldn’t really say if it was good or bad.  He had managed to avoid sticking his hoof in his mouth for the most part, but it seemed like there was a growing tension under the surface, or maybe it was just him.  Either way, it’d be great to have somepony to unload on.

Twilight greeted her friends cheerily enough as they entered, who nodded apologetically to the downcast Cerulean who was just trotting out the door.  Twilight really didn’t mean it to be mean, she just figured there would be less chance of her being set off if he wasn’t around.  Besides, it had been a while since she had some time with just her friends with no blue stallion to tug at her heart strings.  Rainbow Dash, on her part, was excited to have some time to ask a few questions about how to proceed with Storm.  She’d been shooting that dolt all kinds of signs, and even after admitting his feelings for her he still hadn’t asked her out!  Seriously, did she have to make a sign and beat him with it?

“Thank you for having us over, Twilight.  It simply wasn’t the same without you last time,” Rarity said as she trotted in.  The library had been thoroughly cleaned due to Cerulean and Spike’s assistance, which was pleasing to Rarity who secretly found the idea of holding something as sophisticated as a tea party inside of a dusty library to be quite uncouth.  Applejack hadn’t liked the idea much when Rarity started it but she’d grown to enjoy it, even training herself to drink the tea properly, though not without putting up a fight.  The tea and snacks were brought out and soon they were all chatting the day away.  Rainbow Dash was glad for a day to rest her wings.  While the training had gotten easier with practice she was still exhausted by the end of each day, and a perpetual dull ache had made its home deep within her limbs.  Storm was a tough trainer, and he rarely gave her any time off from the weights, even having her perform her weather duties with them.  The conversation bounced from topic to topic, until the rest of the friends noticed that Rainbow Dash had fallen silent.

“Rainbow Dash, what’s wrong?  You’re not yer usual spunky self today,” Applejack inquired, causing the rest of the mane six to focus their attention on her.

“Did something happen between you and your giant pegasus friend?  I told him to be gentle, did he not listen?” Rarity asked, causing Rainbow Dash to blush as she recalled the massage and subsequent outburst.

“Gentle?  Doing what?”  Fluttershy turned towards Rarity who flashed her a smile before resuming her stare at Rainbow Dash.  Twilight had a much different interpretation of the statement and quickly became indignant.

“Rarity, you suggested that already?  They’ve barely known each other for two weeks!  And here I thought you were a lady.”

“I beg your pardon, Twilight!  I do not know what you are assuming I mean, but I was simply talking about a relaxing massage and nothing more.  I’m hurt that you would even suggest such a thing of me,” she snapped, pointing her nose in the air.  “After all, you’re the last pony present to be lecturing anypony on that kind of thing.  How long was it, a month and a half?”  Rarity soon regretted those words and took a step back as Twilight’s horn began to glow.  She breathed a sigh of relief as Rainbow Dash inserted herself between them and hastily tried to ease the tensions.

“All right you two, take it easy.  Twilight, he didn’t do anything to me.  Rarity, the massage was great.  Now would everypony stop freaking out so I can talk?” she yelled, holding the two apart with outstretched hooves.  The two ponies alternated between shooting dirty looks at each other and apologizing to Rainbow Dash, returning to their seats to sulk.  As the spotlight returned to her, Dash found it hard to speak.  “I was actually... kinda hoping to get some advice on colts.”

Finding nothing with which to occupy his mind, Cerulean took to the skies to continue practicing his flying skills.  He’d never be on par with a trained pegasus, but just the feeling of defying gravity for a while was something he found fascinating, and the spell became less draining the more he used it.  Cerulean was surprised to find Storm relaxing on a low cloud, staring up at the patchy sky, and decided to see if he wanted to hang out.

“Hey, Storm Blitz!  How’s it going?” Cerulean said out, attempting to land beside him but forgetting to cast the cloud walking spell and quickly falling through.  Storm blinked at the empty space for a moment before Cerulean came in for a second appearance, chuckling at his own mistake.

“Hmmm, it’s going pretty good, I guess.”  Cerulean cocked his head at the rather nondescript answer.

“You guess?  Something going on?”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“You’re really good at being vague, though if I had to take a guess I’d say it’s about Rainbow Dash, am I right?”  Storm nodded.

“She’s been acting strange this last week.  I think she’s trying to impress me but she doesn’t need to.  Just being around her is enough.”

“Do you want things to go further?”  His nervous shuffling told Cerulean all he needed to know, but he wanted to hear it verbalized anyways.

“I really like her.  I really do, but I don’t have any idea what to do in a relationship like that.  I’ve never had a fillyfriend and I don’t want to mess everything up!”  Cerulean digested the words for a moment before commanding his attention with his now serious expression.

“There’s no room for both fear and love.  You’re going to have to choose which one will win.”  Storm sat shocked by his statement, his thoughts never having drifted to the idea of love.  Wasn’t that kind of a big jump?  At the same time, if he hesitated forever, he may lose the opportunity.  And one thing he did know for sure is that regardless of what she had said, he was scared of losing her.  “In the meantime,” Cerulean started again with a smile, “let’s find Big Macintosh and Quakehoof and have some bro time.  What do you say?”

“I think that sounds great, anything to take my mind off all this.”

“Race you to Sweet Apple Acres?”

“You’re on, Cerulean!”

Colts.  A hot topic for any young mare, and now the time had finally come for Rainbow Dash.  Her friends all exchanged smiles which quickly turned to concern as a now brightly blushing Rainbow Dash attempted to disappear into the couch.

“Rainbow Dash, you don’t need to be afraid to speak with us about anything.  What do you want to know?” Twilight said in a comforting tone.

“It’s the truth, sugarcube.  We’re all here for ya, though I don’t know much about colts myself, so I wager this will be good fer me too,” Applejack added, sitting beside her.

“I just can’t tell if Storm’s into me like he said, mainly,” she started, wringing her hooves in her lap.  “I’ve been trying to catch his attention, adding extra flourishes to my stunts, being cheery all the time, brushing against him... but it just seems like he doesn’t notice any of it!  Am I doing something wrong?”

“Of course not, dear; sometimes males are just simply too thick to notice such a subtle approach,” Rarity replied calmly.  Subtle?  In Rainbow’s mind, she had been anything but subtle.

“Maybe I’m just not pretty enough.”  There was a collective gasp of indignation all around, her friends horrified that she could even think such a thing.  She may be rough and tumble but she was still very attractive, anypony could see that.  For her to be doubting herself that much, well, she had to be terribly smitten.

“Now hold on a sec here, Rainbow Dash, you know that’s not true,” Applejack said, throwing a hoof around her shoulders.

“Um, Rainbow Dash?  I’ve always thought you were really pretty,” Fluttershy offered, eliciting a small grin from Dash.

“It’s the most ridiculous notion I’ve heard in quite some time, not since Twilight’s recipe for those putrid brownies.”

“What?  I thought they were pretty tasty!” Pinkie countered, defending Twilight’s daikon leek brownies.

“It is simply not proper to callously shove vegetables into a decidedly sweet confection where they do not belong.  I cannot agree to such a foul perversion of such a delectable treat,” Rarity said firmly, taking a bite of one of the cookies that Pinkie had brought, only to let out a yell as she realized that Twilight had coated the bottom with hot sauce while she was making her rebuttal.  While the princess had told her to stop doling out a world of magical hurt, she was still quite fiercely defensive of her cooking, especially since she had started cataloguing the best recipes into a cook book she hoped to publish.  Twilight pretended not to notice Rarity’s searing gaze as she stirred in some honey dijon mustard into her chamomile tea, taking a grateful sip and sighing.

“Uh, I think we’ve gotten a little off topic here.  What should I do?” Rainbow Dash said, waving her hooves to grab their attention.

“Well, if you’re worried about appearances then how about we put some work into that department.  It couldn’t hurt to work your mane a little, and I bet a nice grooming at the spa will be just the thing to fix all of this.  Come, Rainbow Dash, before we are poisoned by a certain mare’s vile hormonal concoctions.”  Rarity took one last sip of tea and sputtered, Twilight having switched it with her own while her back was turned.  Eventually Rarity would learn not to insult her tastes, and until then she would have to pay for her actions.  Perfectly within Celestia’s guidelines.  Besides, she had only said that Cerulean had to be doing better when she checked in.  Rarity coughed and groaned as the thickened tea attacked her taste buds, causing her to spray it all over Pinkie and storm out of the house, with Rainbow Dash in hot pursuit.

Cerulean felt quite small in the presence of Ponyville’s three largest ponies, all of them towering over him by at least a head and a half.  Storm was quite happy to get to spend some time away from the whirling maelstrom of confusion that had recently taken residence within his mind, unfortunately showing no signs of weakening.  Most of the activities the massive ponies chose to engage in left Cerulean with little hopes of winning, and after hoofwrassling all three he was pretty sure he was going to need an amputation.  Still, it was worth it to see Storm and the rest having a good time, so he grit his teeth and tried not to think about it.

“Hey Cerulean, let’s wrestle!” Storm shouted before tackling him to the ground.  He grew quite surprised as he was suddenly no longer pinning Cerulean who had eluded his grasp and was now feebly clinging to his back trying to get a lock around his front hooves.  Storm quickly shrugged him off and again attempted to pin him.  The process repeated itself until they were both panting, Cerulean having no hopes of out-muscling Storm and Storm repeatedly foiled in his attempts to pin him.

“You sure are flexible, half pint,” Storm called out with a chuckle, Cerulean joining with his own.

“Eh, it’s my only hope a against a behemoth such as yourself.  Tag, you’re in!” Cerulean suddenly shouted, darting over and smacking Quakehoof who immediately charged in and went to work on his son.  Storm held his own quite well, but Quakehoof’s unmatched strength eventually brought him down.  Quakehoof was then hit from behind by a red sledgehammer, and he was soon pinned himself, Big Mac grinning ear to ear as he held his lock for the proper time.

“See, I told ya Big Mac was better!  He beat Quakehoof who beat Storm, so that proves it!”  Sweetie Belle sighed as Scootaloo and Applebloom went at it again.  This had become almost a daily occurrence, and she was getting sick of it.  Still, somepony had to be the moderator, otherwise those two would never stop.

“You’re both wrong, Cerulean’s the best because he never got pinned by nopony!  Now will you two be quiet?” she shouted, causing the other two to stop.  “Now come on, we need to figure out what we’re gonna try today to get our cutie marks!  We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders, not Knights of the My Brother is Better than Yours Table.”

“You’re right, Sweetie Belle.  Sorry Applebloom, still friends?”

“O’ course!  Let’s get to the club house!”  They left their spot at the fence and raced to their fort, discussing plans and having a good time.

“Scootaloo, how is your flight training coming?  Any progress?” Sweetie Belle asked as she noticed Scootaloo giving her wings an experimental flap.

“Great!  Storm was pretty out of shape when he got here, and he’s been training Rainbow Dash a lot, but he’s been good about making time for that most every night.  I still can’t take off on my own, though.”

“Don’t worry, Scootaloo.  You’ll be racin’ Rainbow Dash before you know it!”  Scootaloo immediately cheered at the thought, her eyes growing wide with anticipation.  She made up her mind to give it extra effort from that day forward.

Rarity had quickly forgotten her previous frustration as the spa attendants sent her through the usual routine.  Rainbow Dash hadn’t had a spa treatment in a long time, and the soothing heat did wonders for her stress.  She would have allowed the massage to continue but she soon found herself blushing as she imagined the hooves belonging a certain other somepony.  Afterwards Rarity led them back to the boutique where set about styling Rainbow Dash’s mane and tail, not permitting her to look until she had finished which annoyed her to no end.  It took at least an hour by her guess, but she soon became breathless as Rarity held up a mirror.

“Is that even me?..” she asked slowly, mouth slightly agape.  Her mane had been split evenly at the neck, coming forward and styled into loose curls.  Her tail was done much the same, with each color individually curled.  Admittedly, it was the most ladylike she had ever looked, even more so than the Grand Galloping Gala.  She looked like a completely new pony, and it filled her with confidence as she imagined how Storm would react.  “Wow Rarity, this is way cooler than my old look.  Thanks!”

“Oh, but of course, Rainbow Dash.  If this doesn’t spark a reaction, then it will be officially declared that Storm is interested in colts, as no normal stallion would be able to resist you now.  Now go win yourself a stallion, Rainbow Dash.”  She left with her head held high, staring confidently into the distance before coming to a sudden realization; she had no idea where Storm was.  Carefully taking flight, she slowly made her way through the skies, the wind tossing her hair playfully though fortunately not messing it up in any way.  She spotted the four stallions over Sweet Apple Acres and landed a good distance away, slowly approaching and growing increasingly nervous.

“Uh, son?  I think there’s somepony here to see you,” Quakehoof said with a grin as he saw Rainbow Dash approaching.

“Eeeyup.” Big Mac added before Storm turned to behold Rainbow Dash slowly walking towards them.  The powers of speech fled before the overwhelming beauty of the mare approaching, a light blush gracing her cheeks and hair tossed by a light breeze.  A million words of praise flooded through his mind as she stopped short and looked up at him with expectant eyes, but they refused to make it from his mouth.  When he did manage to speak, what came out wasn’t near what he wanted it to be, and there was an audible thud as Quakehoof smacked a hoof to his face.

“...What’s with the hair?”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it.  After everything she’d done he still took no notice of how hard she’d been trying?  It was too much.

“I don’t...  I don’t know why I even bothered... trying to impress you.  I’m clearly just not good enough.”  She turned and began to walk away, and Storm was forced to make a decision.  His mind failed, but fear wasn’t going to win this fight, so he decided to act with his heart instead.  Without a word he shot into the sky, grabbing a large cloud and flying it over an unsuspecting Rainbow Dash before jumping on it, causing a localized downpour.  Rainbow Dash gave a sharp gasp as the cold water soaked her coat, the hour spent of her hair undone in the space of a few seconds time.  She stopped in her tracks, a growing anger building as she fought to stem the tides that raged against her eyes.  Storm landed and walked over, noting the disapproving look on his father’s face.  Cerulean jumped in front of Quakehoof, shaking his head as he prepared to give his son a good thrashing for treating a lady in such a manner.  Rainbow Dash was mid turn when Storm forcibly shoved her into the mud that had formed on the moistened earth, splashing it all over her coat and mane.  Storm gently pulled her out and stood her on her feet, placing an arm around her and pointing at her reflection in the water that had pooled around them.

“Take a good look, Rainbow Dash.”  Her hair was a disastrous mess, the curls had tangled and mud was smeared all over most of her body.  “Memorize what you see, because that... that’s the face of the mare I want for my fillyfriend.”  The tears began to roll as his words wrapped around her heart, bringing a warmth to match the infringing cold.  “You’ve already impressed me enough, and you’re beautiful no matter what your condition, even now.  So please, just... just let me be with you, and that’s enough.”  He pulled away and gently lifted her eyes to meet his own before driving out all that remained of doubt.  “Rainbow Dash, will you be my fillyfriend?”  The desire to cry, scream for joy and beat the snot out of him meshed together and, tearing a page from his book, what came out of her mouth was not what she expected.

“What kind...” she started, commanding his full attention.  He grimaced as she tackled him into the mud, standing on top of his chest and bellowing into his face.  “What kind of moron of a stallion waits for his mare to get all fancy and then pushes her into the mud to make a point?  How can you be so dense as to take that long to figure me out, huh?!?”  She paused, then continued in a much softer tone.  “And what kind of stupid mare must I be, to think it was the sweetest, coolest thing ever...”  Storm allowed a premature smile to light his face before Rainbow Dash wiped it away with her ultimatum.  “All right, Storm, I’m in.  I’ll be your fillyfriend, but you better be ready for it.  You may be training me to become a Wonderbolt, but now you’re gonna train just as hard to be a proper coltfriend.  No more being so dumb, got it?”

“Got it,” he said with a smile, thankful that his sudden act of heart hadn’t resulted in total disaster.  Rainbow Dash gave him the stare for a bit longer before shooting excitedly into the air, her voice resounding throughout the orchard.

“Woohoo, I have a very special somepony!”

Progress

Chapter 11: Progress

A mansion, even with a family, can feel empty and lonely.  When somepony is left by themselves with no support or interaction, the silence only thickens.  It had been one week since Grace returned, and she lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling.  Proud Skies had been in a foul mood when she had returned, and thus counted the time getting back from Ponyville as days spent with Quakehoof.  It would be at least seven years before she could return.  Additionally, she hadn’t been feeling well as of late, and she couldn’t find the strength to rise from bed unless absolutely necessary.  So when Proud Skies barged into her room in a towering rage, she couldn’t help but ignore the annoyance.

“Any particular reason you didn’t see fit to tell me that Storm is living with Scootaloo in Ponyville?” he growled, pointing an accusing hoof at her which she disdainfully ignored.

“Hmmm, I suppose it’s because you didn’t ask,” she replied, her nonchalant demeanor only aggravating him more.  He approached and raised his hoof to strike her, pausing momentarily as she asked, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?  A broken trophy won’t get you any good press.”  It was fortunate that he didn’t have any real kind of strength, because otherwise he likely would have broken her jaw with the blow.

“That’s what make up is for,” he whispered before sweeping out of the room, leaving her and heading back to his study.  Her maidservant, Powder Puff, immediately entered and began tending to the bruise, offering what soothing words she could.  It brought her little comfort as she realized Proud Skies wouldn’t ever leave her son alone, not while he could be making his life worse.

“Puff, I need you to get me into contact with somepony.  Something tells me that an even bigger problem is just beyond the horizon...”

“You sure it’s ok for me to take a day off?  You said that it had to be every day,” Rainbow Dash said as they met at her house, preparing for weather duty.

“Well, the truth of the matter is that the book said that adequate rest is required to not over-strain the muscles.  And besides, I’d like to do something fun with my fillyfriend, if that’s all right?”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel giddy at the statement.

“So, does that mean...”

“Yes, our first date.”  Storm had promised to be a good coltfriend by not let his fear of making mistakes take command, and he was determined to make good on it.  “I’m going to let you out of the last hour of weather duty, to take whatever time you need to prepare.  We can meet back at the entrance to the weather factory when I finish, is that fair?”

“Sure, that sounds great!  Oh man, this is gonna be awesome!”  She noticed Storm watching her and immediately tried to restore some semblance of dignity.  “What did you mean by book?”  Dang it, he had let it slip.  If she got her hooves on it, her enthusiasm could easily lead to her trying some of the most dangerous stunts known to pegasi, and he couldn’t allow that to happen.  At the same time, he couldn’t justify lying to her, so with a sigh he explained.

“One of the things my grandfather left behind when he died was a manual filled with his best stunts, training methods, and other information.  Some of the tricks are extremely dangerous, and...”

“You have got to let me see that book!” she exclaimed, hovering in front of him and pleading with her hooves.

“And that right there is exactly why I hadn’t said anything.  Until I am confident that you can handle what lies within, it will stay with me.  Besides, it is Lightning Wing's legacy in paper form, I can’t just give that away.”  He was saddened to see her countenance fall as she landed in front of him, staring at the floor for a moment before shrugging it off and smiling.

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.  I’ll just have to get better so I can read it.  You will let me read it someday, right?”

“Yes, now come on,” he replied, motioning to the door, “we don’t want to be any more late than we already are.”  A quick glance at the clock showed that their conversation had set them back quite a bit, and the manager of the weather factory was anything but amused.

“Of all the pegasi I’d expect to be late, you are the one I expected the least, Ms. Dash.  You too, Storm.  You’re still new and that’s not the way to show your gratitude for having a job.”  He ignored their mutual apology and continued.  “Now, this is nothing personal but I had planned on giving this assignment to the last group to arrive, and that would be you two.  In addition to the regular weather duties, you two will be on spare cloud collection for the late spring storm scheduled for tomorrow.”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but groan, the assignment adding no fewer than two more hours to their workload, as speed did little good for keeping clouds intact.  With no further instructions they exited and went about their work, gathering clouds and clearing the lower levels of the dense morning fog that had drifted in from the Everfree Forest.

The sun directly overhead signaled the coming of noon, which was normally the latest the duo ever finished but they were still mid way through making the quota for their cloud collection duties when Storm had a sudden inspiration and immediately acted on it.  He really had liked the way Rainbow Dash’s hair had looked the other day, but he had never really gotten the chance to adequately express himself, due to sticking his hoof in his mouth rather badly immediately after.  It seemed a little forward to ask for it though, but maybe if she had time...

“Hey, Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah, what is it?” she replied, not bothering to look up from dragging the rather large cloud she had found towards the cart.

“Why don’t you go ahead and start getting ready for this afternoon while I finish up here?”

“Wow, really?  Thanks, Storm.  See you at the weather factory in two hours!” and with that, she was gone, quickly disappearing towards her cloud home.  Well, even if she didn’t get his hint, it was still worth it.  Storm returned to the drudgery of the clouds with a smile, the anticipation of the coming afternoon keeping a firm lock on his boredom and giving him time to think about what they could do, as not only was it to be his first date, but he didn’t know either Cloudsdale or Ponyville all that well.  Oh well, he’d figure something out... he hoped.

After a relaxing shower and a snack, Rainbow Dash played with Tank a bit before glancing at the clock to find that it was still about an hour and a half before she needed to be at the weather factory.  He had mentioned getting ready, but there wasn’t really much she needed to do.  Shortly after completing the thought, the next one came and gripped her mind like a vice.

“What if he expects me to get ready somehow?  What am I supposed to do?  I’ve never been on a date before, is there something special I’m supposed to be doing?  Gotta think, gotta think!”  She wracked her brain for a long five minutes before coming to the realization that she had no idea what to do.  Careful not to be seen by Storm who was still tending the clouds, she made for Carousel Boutique to ask Rarity for advice.  Rarity stared at her blankly as she posed her inquiry before laughing quite a bit louder than she normally would have, the idea of rolling on the floor with mirth not being anywhere close to sophisticated behavior.  When she calmed a little and saw how distraught Rainbow Dash actually was she immediately quieted herself and approached the problem.

“Rainbow Dash, normally when one goes on a romantic excursion, both parties try to present themselves in the best possible physical condition.  For a lady such as yourself, that would mean paying special attention to your mane and attire, though for a first date I hardly think anything flashy would be necessary.  Hmmm, what did he think of your hair the way I had it last time?”

“Um... hard to say, it didn’t last long.”  Rarity cocked her head to the side, confused by the statement.

“Whatever do you mean, Rainbow Dash?  Those curls should have held for at least a couple of hours.”

“Well, when he saw me, he um, well...”  Rarity couldn’t stand the anticipation, and the corners of her mouth curled into a knowing smile.  If her mane had gotten messed up when he saw her, then it must have been very well received indeed!  “He pulled down a cloud, soaked me, and then pushed me into the mud.”  A few moments of silence passed as Rarity’s mind frantically tried to absorb the information, the atrocity too great for her to fathom.

“He... he... he did WHAT?!?”  Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to cover her ears as Rarity flew into a rage.  “Why, of all the ungrateful, barbaric, uncouth, bone headed stallions I’ve met, none come close to even approaching that level of... well, maybe Prince Blueblood, but that just makes it even worse!  Where is he, he’s in for a world of hurt.”  Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak but was immediately shushed by Rarity who stormed out of the building and into the streets, frantically searching the skies.  Storm was busy rolling some fog into a proper cloud when he found himself unceremoniously yanked to the ground, Rarity’s magical fury being stronger than his wings for a time.  Storm scrambled to his hooves and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the disorientation when he suddenly found a bigger problem to worry about.

“What kind of pathetic justification could you possibly have for pushing a mare who spent several hours getting groomed and styled for you into something as foul as mud?  I’ve heard of some ridiculous things in my lifetime, but never had I heard of a stallion treating a lady with such utter disrespect!”  Storm opened his mouth to make his defense when a withering glare from Rarity bid him to hold his peace.  Her voice dropped to a low growl as she made it clear she meant every word.  “I don’t know what kind of silver tongued charlatanry you used to win her heart back, but mark my words, Storm Blitz.  If I ever, and I mean ever, hear of you treating her like this again, not even Princess Celestia will be able to save you.  Do I make myself clear?”  Storm gave a panicked nod, which was far from satisfactory.  “I said, do I make myself clear!” Rarity shouted, her face just a hair away from his own.

“Yes, Miss Rarity!  It won’t happen again!”  She continued to glare at him for a couple of seconds before turning away with her muzzle pointed in the air.

“Come, Rainbow Dash.  Let us prepare you for your date, though I hardly think rabble such as him deserves such a fine mare.”  Rainbow Dash shot an apologetic look at Storm and mouthed the words “sorry” before catching up to Rarity.  Storm watched them go, trying to calm his shaking limbs to a point where he could safely take off when a voice behind him caused him to start.

“She may be right, Storm Blitz.  Rarity can be quite frightening when she’s upset.”  He turned to find Princess Celestia herself approaching, making little effort to hide her amusement.  “Raising the sun is a simple matter when set alongside quieting an angry mare.  Cerulean can testify to this, I’m sure.”  Storm gave a nervous chuckle, hoping to never have to deal with that much insanity.  “The reason I came to speak with you is I’d like to know more about why you were removed from Cloudspire.  I may not be able to directly overstep Proud Skies, but if there are ways to get around his rules then I’ll need more information on your situation.  Flying Grace belongs here with her real family, not under that little weasel’s hoof.”

“Your majesty, with all due respect, I’ve never heard of you talking about anypony like that.”  It was then that Storm saw Celestia scowl for the first time, and it was frightening to behold.

“Of the many ponies in my domain, there are few I dislike more than Proud.  Luna has tempted me more than once with banishing him somewhere dark and cold.  Would you mind having a word with me?”  The idea of the ruler of Equestria reaching down to thwart Proud Skies was too delicious to pass up, and Storm eagerly answered any and all her questions.  The idea of Scootaloo being able to have her mother back was almost too much to hope for, but hope he did.  Celestia nodded her thanks as he finished and returned towards Canterlot, and Storm returned to his work, pushing himself to make up for lost time and determined not to be late for his first date.

Back at the Carousel Boutique, Rarity immediately set about doing Rainbow Dash’s hair like she had the other day, muttering under her breath for a full half hour before falling into silence.  Rainbow Dash waited a few extra minutes before attempting to explain the situation in its entirety, not haven’t had the chance earlier.  Rarity listened quietly and said nothing for a time, mulling over her words and reluctantly coming to the conclusion that overall the gesture had been sweet, even if mud had been involved.

“Well, I suppose I can bring myself to apologize.  He really is quite dense, though,” Rarity murmured, more to herself than anypony else.

“Yeah, he really is,” Rainbow Dash agreed with a chuckle, “but it’s kinda endearing.  Makes me feel like a genius.”

“Rainbow Dash, don’t sell yourself so short, you’re plenty smart.”  With that, Rarity finished what she was doing and held up a mirror, which Rainbow took some time staring at.

“Rarity, is there any way I could learn to do this on my own?  I don’t want to have to bother you every time I feel like doing something special,” she said after a time, to which Rarity readily agreed, delighted to see her friend take an interest in fashion.

“It’s no bother at all, dear.  But I suppose I can teach you the basics.”  Half an hour went by as Rarity gave an extremely in depth guide to curling one’s mane, most of which was completely lost on Rainbow Dash.  Still, she remembered a few of the major points and decided to use some spare bits later to purchase one of the irons.  Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile as a couple of the ponies in town stopped and stared as she cantered down the street, before taking off at a leisurely pace, heading towards the weather factory.

“Hey, black pegasus giant!  Word on the street is you’re dating that rainbow tomcolt!”  Storm hadn’t bothered to try meeting any of the other pegasi in Cloudsdale, so he was surprised to find three other colts approaching, appearing to be just a little younger than himself.  He finished depositing the clouds he’d collected and nodded to the director before flying out to meet the three.

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met.  Are you three friends of hers?”  He was immediately annoyed as the three began to snicker and shake their heads.

“I’m Dumb-bell, he’s Hoops, and he’s Score.  Bet you didn’t know that Rainbow Dash used to be one of the worst fliers around.”  Storm kept his frustration in check as he took a few steps forward.

“I fail to see what that has to do with anything, as she clearly surpassed you three ages ago.”

“Oh, so confident in your little Rainbow Crash?  I’ve never seen anypony face plant more times than her, and she’s was more like a colt than anypony else at flight camp!” Hoops sneered, the other two laughing in turn.  Storm had put up with enough, and it was time to show these punks a lesson.  Without a word he punched through the cloud, disappearing from their view and leaving the three jocks rolling with laughter, thinking he had run away.  Had they been paying more attention they would have noticed the clouds underneath them becoming extremely agitated, quickly growing to a near-black gray.  They all recieved a minor shock as Storm burst out from below the cloudbank in a shower of sparks, the electricity crackling around him and showering the three with sparks as he flapped his wings.  The huddled together as he towered over them, and he dropped his voice to a dangerously soft tone, nearly a whisper.

“If I ever hear you three refer to her as a tomcolt or Rainbow Crash again, you best be ready for severe bodily pain.  Do we have an understanding?”  They would have responded immediately if it weren’t for the fact that they were entranced by the cyan mare who had approached silently behind Storm, her voice causing him to turn and become similarly bewitched.  Rainbow Dash had seen the whole thing, and Storm’s immediate defense filled her with pride and confidence, which she decided to make known.

“If I was the most coltly pony at Flight Camp, then I suppose you three must be quite prissy,” she said haughtily, mimicking Rarity’s mode of speech to further the effect.  Storm was hard pressed not to laugh as her words and tone of voice matched they fashion queen’s to a tee.  “What, was I not lady like enough for you?  Such a shame, you shall have to do without my presence then.  Come, Storm, let us not waste another moment with these ruffians.”  They flew a ways and as soon as the three jocks were out of sight they both landed as they were both overcome with fits of laughter, many of the other pegasi in the town shooting them quizzical glances before returning to their work.  “Seriously, Storm, that was awesome how you shut them up.  And thanks for sticking up for me, you may be the first colt to do so.”

“How did you alienate yourself from the other colts so badly anyway?  Were you really that much of a tomcolt?”

“Well, kinda.  I mean, I was super competitive and most of the guys didn’t like getting beaten all the time, so they mostly made fun of me to compensate.”  Storm had seen the same type of thing going on when he was a young colt, and it always rubbed him the wrong way.

“You know, I’m grateful that you’re not angry at me with losing my temper back there.”

“Are you kidding?” she replied, her mirth turning to adoration.  “I think your talent is way awesome!  I get really excited every time I see it, and the look on their faces?  Priceless!  How can you tolerate electricity like that, anyways?”

“Well, I actually spoke with Celestia after Rarity was done chewing me out.  I happened to ask her about it, and she said it was likely due to my earth pony heritage.  The earth ponies have always been heartier than other races, and their bodies are naturally more resistant to the elements.  She thinks that I’m a prime example of why the intermingling of the three pony races is a great development, though she did also warn me not to push it too far.  I may be able to tolerate lightning but I can’t live in it.  Still, I think I prefer pegasi.”

“Hmmm, more than one, is it?  Who is the traitorous wench?  I’ve a few choice words for that mare!” she exclaimed in mock outrage, again dropping into Rarity’s tone.

“You have nothing to fear, for there is no mare more fair in all the land.”  He watched her blush slightly before continuing, noting that pink was quite becoming for her.  “Well then, milady.  Shall we?” Storm replied, bowing and sweeping a hoof out towards the city that was theirs to enjoy.  Rainbow Dash galloped ahead, and Storm gave chase while letting her keep the lead, reveling in the excitement of young love and a great view.

The Final Straw

Chapter 12: The Final Straw

The telltale signs of pregnancy had set in, and though it had been many years since she had felt them, Flying Grace knew that it was no common cold causing the churning nausea in the pit of her stomach.  As delicate a frame as she had, it would quickly become impossible for her to hide the signs.  Proud Skies was gone most every day, and not sharing a bed helped but, sooner rather than later, it was going to be discovered.  Grace refused to think about what would happen when he did.  She jumped nervously as the door opened and a green pegasus mare a year older than her son quietly entered.

“Thank you for coming, Cloudburn.”  Cloudburn was the one pegasus that had retained her ability to fly after trying to replicate Storm’s stunt, though using her wings came only with great pain.

“No problem at all, Miss Grace.  What can I do for you?”

“I need your help, you and all the rest of the few friends that Storm has left.”  Cloudburn immediately lit up at the mention of his name.

“You’ve seen him?  How is he?” she asked excitedly, sitting beside the bed and waiting with eager eyes.

“He’s doing quite well, but I don’t think he will be for much longer. Also,  Proud Skies warned me not to get pregnant again, but I am.  I have this terrible feeling that Proud will forcibly remove the child if I do not leave before I am discovered.  I know this will put you in a terrible position, but I have a plan to escape in three days time, but I will need your help.  Will you listen?”  Grace couldn’t help but smile as the mare’s eyes lit up with determination.  Even after all this time, the bonds of friendship ran deep.

“You can count on me, and the others too.  Just say the word.”

It was an indisputable fact that snow cones made inside the weather factory tasted the best, as the flakes were the freshest.  However, pegasi are strongly discouraged from such conduct, as it is a place of business and not an ice cream parlor.  It was for this reason that Rainbow and Storm had to make a swift exit from the premises, snickering as the enraged attendant hurled threats as they left.  They would probably receive some extra weather duties for the next week or so, but they both agreed that it was worth it and happily munched on their frozen treats as they bantered back and forth.

“Wow Rainbow Dash, I haven’t pulled something like that in ages!  You’re a lot of fun, you know that?”

“Gee, thanks Storm.  You really know how to make a mare feel special,” she teased, bumping into him playfully and throwing herself off balance instead.  Storm steadied her, fortunately saving her icy treat as well, and they continued talk back and forth as the sun started to set.  Storm flew a short ways into the air and spied a small cloudbank on the outside of town, and beckoning her to follow they made their way there to watch the final rays of the day.

“So how is the training going?  I’m not being too hard on you am I?”

“Nah, it’s getting easier.  I bet I’ll be ready for the next step in a month or so.  If all goes well, I should be into the final stages by the time the competition rolls around.  Still get dizzy though.”

“Well, that’s never going to go away completely,” Storm said, chuckling softly.  “Even Lightning Wing got disoriented from time to time, though a certain amount of recovering is instinct.  Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of that.  I have to say it’s really inspiring watching you, Rainbow Dash.  Reminds me of when I wanted to be a Wonderbolt.”  He had had the same dream?  This stallion just got twenty percent cooler.  But he said had...

“Why did you give it up?  Was it because of what happened in Cloudspire?”  Storm nodded slowly, and Rainbow Dash silently breathed a sigh of relief that he kept is smile as he answered.

“That was half of it.  I despised flying afterwards and it really upset Lightning Wing.  I’m pretty sure he pulled the stunts he did to try and motivate me to take some pride in my talent, but I was pretty set in stewing in my misery,” he explained ruefully.  “A week before he died, he mentioned that he and some of the other ex-Wonderbolts were going to start training me in the confines of the home, and I begrudgingly agreed.  I can still remember how happy he was that I said yes...  And just like that, a week later...”  Rainbow Dash gently placed her hoof on his, and he turned to meet her eyes.

“Storm, I know it must have hurt losing him like that, but you’re the only pony he felt was worthy of his secrets.  I won’t tell you what to do, but I don’t think that your passions have died.  I think it would honor his memory if you tried to make it into the Wonderbolts and continue the family legacy.”

“I hadn’t thought about it that way.  Do you really think I could?  I could never hope to match your speed.”

“Uh, duh?  There are more things to consider than just speed, ya know.  Each of the Wonderbolts normally specialize in something.  Sure, they fly in formation but that’s only a small part of their performance, and I’m sure you could keep up with that kind of speed.  Now, do you have any other pathetic objections for me to punch holes in?”  She was right, and he couldn’t help but smile at her well meaning criticism.

“None at all.  All right, I’ll start training too.  Maybe you should be teaching me, and not vice versa.”

“Nah, you make a great teacher,” she beamed, the sunlight catching her eyes and causing them to shine.  They held each other’s gaze, and as both heart rates accelerated they found themselves leaning closer to one another, Storm’s snow cone falling forgotten from his grasp as thoughts of Rainbow Dash flooded his head and lit his chest ablaze.  It felt like a dream, the setting too perfect and the mare too beautiful for him to believe.

Pinkie Pie was happily minding her own business when her tail began to twitch, causing her to freeze and turn her eyes to the sky.  The remnants of the snow cone landed atop her head, the sweet treat running down and gracing her lips with it’s sugary goodness.  The thought of a cloud being able to rain snow cone was too exciting for Pinkie, who immediately grabbed her flying contraption from Celestia only knows where and pedaling with all haste towards the cloud in question.  Her eyes glinted with anticipation as a second glob of blue snow cone dropped through the tuft which she caught deftly in her mouth, and her greed for more urged her legs to greater efforts.

It felt like ages though it was only seconds as the pair closed the distance between themselves, and Storm saw Rainbow Dash close her eyes as she neared.  He could feel her breath on his face, and he hesitated for a moment before recalling Cerulean’s words.  This was no time for fear, and he closed his eyes and prepared to take the plunge when Pinkie’s expectant cry shattered the moment for all eternity.

“Snow cone cloud, show me your wonders!” she wailed, bursting through the cloud and knocking Storm and Rainbow Dash over.  Expecting the inside to be filled with frozen syrup but finding only two pegasi was a giant let down for the now dejected pink mare, whose disappointment quickly turned to suspicion; those greedy ponies had eaten it all!  Noting that Storm was the larger of the two and as such must certainly be the more gluttonous one, she pointed the majority of her accusations at him.

“Storm, how could you do that to me?  Eating the center of a snow cone cloud and not leaving any for me?  You could stand to learn a lesson or two from Rarity about generosity!  I mean, I didn’t even know they existed until just now, and it’s already gone!”  Rarity?  The only thing she’d been generous was posh clothing and horrifying lectures.

“I didn’t eat the center of any clouds!  What are you even doing up here?”

“Duh, I just told you!  I was going to eat the snow cone cloud you’re sitting on, but somepony already got to it!”  Her indignant replies coupled with the ridiculousness of the subject were a bit much for Storm to try to respond to logically, so he ignored his desire to express himself verbally and simply held out the empty snow cone container, making a dumping motion as he did so.

“Oh, I get it, you just dropped it!  Oopsie, my bad!  I’ll leave you two alone then, bye!”  Storm shook his head as she left, turning to Rainbow Dash who was anything but happy.

“Uh, Dash?  You ok?”

“No, how could I be?  I was seconds away from my first kiss and that crazy friend of mine had to come and ruin it!” she wailed, throwing herself onto her back and looking up at the darkening skies.

“Well, we could... try again, if you’d like.”  To be fair, he wasn’t sure he had the courage at that moment to do so, and Rainbow Dash’s sullen reply was actually cause for small celebration on his part.

“No, I want my first kiss to be special.”  She watched Storm lay down next to her and turn his eyes to the skies above, the first stars becoming visible as the last of the daylight faded.

“It may not have ended like I expected, but I really enjoyed spending this time together, Rainbow Dash.  I don’t know how it ranks in your book, but this... this was a great first date for me.”  Storm blushed a little as she wrapped herself around his hoof, her breath warming his neck.  He could feel the tension start to rise in his wings and he considered fighting it before he noticed that Rainbow Dash had her eyes closed and wings slightly unfurled, and they both shared the moment together in doting silence.

“Hey Storm?  What’s that bunch of papers for?” Scootaloo asked the day after the storm as she trotted to keep up with her brother’s slow canter.  He was deeply absorbed in his grandfather’s notebook, trying to put together a mental plan for an acceptable pace to begin his training.  He would have to visit Rarity and get weights made, of course, and he had promised Scootaloo to get in some more flight practice that afternoon, having not had time the last couple of days.

“These are grandfather Lightning Wing’s notes.  They’re very special, and I gotta do my best to keep them safe.”  He had just finished speaking when the paper’s were ensnared in a purple shroud and yanked from his grasp.  They stopped in front of Twilight who held them with fascination and horror at the same time..

“Oh, and unbound manuscript!  It must be one of a kind, what’s it about?”

“They’re Lightning Wing’s notes on flight, now may I have it back?” Storm replied, making sure he didn’t sound confrontational.  Cerulean didn’t seem to be with her, which meant he was fair game if she should suddenly become unstable.

“What, before I’ve read it?  Not a chance!  And besides, I can’t just leave it like this!  It needs a proper binding, no book should be without one!  I’m sorry, but this is now my priority one.  Don’t worry, I’ll bring it back soon,” she called over her shoulder as she immediately left, heading back to the library and thrilled with the idea of having a special book to read, naked though it was.

“Uh, Storm?  You should probably just let her go; you don’t want to mess with Twilight right now.”  Scootaloo had read his mind, and he gave a frustrated groan before continuing to Carousel Boutique.  As Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo met up and chatted amiably, Storm was greeted only by silence from Rarity as he approached.

“Um, Miss Rarity?  About what happened with Rainbow Dash, I can explain.”

“There’s no need, Storm.  She already informed me, and though I am loathe to admit it, I was in the wrong, so allow me to say I’m sorry.”  Not the response Storm was expecting, though he was delighted to not have to try and appease her further.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.  Friends look out for each other, so it’s only natural you’d be upset with my, well, unconventional methods.  I actually would like to place an order for a second set of weights and a harness.  Oh, and since it’s for me, the weights will have to be doubled.”  Rarity gave a groan as she remembered the designs, their simplicity and lackluster appearance disturbing her sense of fashion like splinters.

“Tell me, how is it that you have caught Rainbow Dash’s eye with your grotesque sense of fashion and deplorable manners?  It simply doesn’t make any sense at all.  Sure, Rainbow Dash can be a little rambunctious at times, but that’s nothing compared to you.”

“I haven’t the faintest idea.”  Rarity gave an annoyed snort before turning away.

“I shall make your order, though I will not require any payment as I would never sell something like this for any amount of bits.”  Was she being serious, or was this her way of trying to be nice to me for Rainbow’s sake?  Oh well, either way Storm was glad she had agreed.  He nodded his thanks and made for the door.

“Come on, Scoots.  Time to fly!”

“Ok, bro, coming!  Bye, Sweetie Belle!”  Eager to begin, Storm flew them a short distance from town and started by having her work on trying to take off, something she still hadn’t be able to do herself yet.  It wasn’t surprising really, as her wings were still quite small, but using them was the best way to get them to grow, and Scootaloo enjoyed the exercise even if she did end up with a face full of dirt more often than not.  After seeing her tumble for the umpteenth time, Storm proposed a new idea, in which she ran towards him and jumped, at which point Storm threw her into the air to increase her speed.  This worked wonders, and while she never seemed to gain any altitude she couldn’t help but cheer as she glided easily down to the ground.  The progress was slow, but it didn’t really bother them, as the true treasure was in the time spent, not the outcome.

“Hey Storm?  What did Rarity mean by ‘caught Rainbow Dash’s eye?’”  Scootaloo asked as she took a breather, having been at it for an hour straight without taking a break.  Storm hadn’t really been home much, so it stood to reason that it hadn’t come up.

“Oh, right, well me and Rainbow Dash are officially a couple.  Dad didn’t say anything?”  Scootaloo’s mind immediately latched onto the concept and ran with it, and Storm couldn’t recall the last time somepony had that big of a grin.

“Storm’s in love, Storm’s in love~” she sang, trotting circles around him.  Storm tapped her lightly, causing her to lose her balance and fall, where she lay singing with increasing volume just to annoy him.  He couldn’t withhold a smile at her merry display, at least until she shifted somewhere he hadn’t even considered.  “So Storm, tell me, when’s the wedding?  Can I be the flowerfilly?”

“What are... how did... Scootaloo, it’s way too early to even be thinking about that!” he shouted, more out of embarrassment than anything else.

“Be thinking about what, huh Storm?”  Really, of all the times Rainbow Dash could show up, it had to be now?

“Nothing, nothing at all.  My sister was just being quiet now,” he mumbled as he shot a pointed glare at his snickering sister.

“Well maybe Rainbow Dash knows.  When are you two getting married?”  Storm put a hoof over his face as they both blushed deeply, hoping that Rainbow Dash wouldn’t think that it was his idea.

“Storm, what kind of ideas have you been feeding your sister?”

“Really?  Can’t anypony give me the benefit of the doubt, ever?  This had nothing to do with me, Rainbow Dash, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.  It appears that my sister would like to have one of her own.”  If a mind exploding could make a sound, then a deafening roar would have been heard at that moment as Scootaloo made the connection.  As a colossal shout tore from her lungs, it became apparent that it did, in fact, make a sound.  A very loud, piercing noise like a little filly that could not control herself.  “Great job, Rainbow Dash.  I think she has officially lost it.”

“All right, Grace.  The time has come, we need to move,” Cloudburn urged, helping her off the bed.  Flying Grace nodded her thanks to Cloudburn and Silent Gale who had arrived right on schedule.  A siren sounded in the distance as chaos reigned in the weather factory, the other two ponies that remained loyal to Storm having started their rampage.  Due to the sympathy factor, they would likely receive much lesser punishments than if anypony else were causing the damages.  The trio quickly made for Proud Skies study, where Gale deftly picked the lock and let them in, standing guard at the door just in case anything unexpected happened.

Flying Grace had never been allowed to enter the study, and she didn’t know where to begin looking.  The walls were lined with file cabinets, and as she began opening them it quickly became apparent that they were all filled to the brim.  Still, there had to be some way to narrow down where sensitive documents would be kept.  If Grace couldn’t find some form of black mail, then her escape would be useless, and she’d be dragged back to Cloudspire without hesitation.

“Grace, over here.  This section of the desk is locked.  Gale, come take over while I stand guard.”  He nodded and worked his wonders, having the desk open in less than ten seconds, and Grace began sorting through the files, until her eyes came to rest on an unsealed, unmarked envelope.  She had to stifle a cry of anger as she read the first of four documents contained therein.

“Proud Skies,

I poisoned Lightning Wing’s tea, as instructed.  I have also received the proper payment as per our agreement, so this concludes my involvement.  I appreciate your guaranteed immunity, the sum of bits should be enough for me to live quite comfortably.  It’s sad to see such a great Wonderbolt pass, but your legacy will be much greater, and I am honored to have taken part in sculpting it.

Loyally,

      Nightshade “

“Grace, what is it?  What did you find?” Cloudburn asked, placing her hoof on Grace’s shaking frame.

“Cloudburn, he had my father poisoned.  No wonder he died so young...”  Just behind it was the letter that Proud had sent to this Nightshade pony.  Proud must have had the originals sent back so he could personally see to their destruction, being one to need control at all times.  She shook her head, as there would be time to grieve later, and hopefully wrapped in Quakehoof’s arms.  She pulled out the other document, and Cloudburn was forced to take a step back as Grace’s usually pleasant face contorted in pure malice.

“Proud Skies,

My messenger will inform you of a proper meeting place in three days time.  However, for something as risky for my profession as a unwillingly forced, premature labor, I will require ample payment in proportion to the danger posed to my name.  However, given your position, I’m sure you will be more than accommodating.  I will personally guarantee you will not have a third child on your hooves.

Doctor Bloodstitch”

“This will be enough,” Grace growled, shoving the two notes back into the envelope and stowing it in her bag.  “Silent Gale, I would ask that you stay here and deliver a message to Proud Skies upon his return.  Tell him ‘I have files in my possession that would ruin you forever.  I know about the poisoning and your plans for my child, so if you ever do anything that affects me or the lives of my family, I will release them to the public.  If, however, you leave us alone, you can continue your pathetic struggle for a meaningful existence.’”  Gale donned a smug smile and nodded, now quite eager for his eventual return.

"Aye. It will be my pleasure, Miss Grace."  He watched them go then locked the door and turned out the light, waiting for Proud to return.  Grace and Cloudburn made their way to the surface, where Cloudburn opted to gallop to match Grace’s low flight, as even the trip down had been immensely painful for her damaged wings.  As they made it to a nearby town and Grace boarded the train, she turned with surprise to find Cloudburn purchasing a ticket as well.

“You’re coming too?”

“I really want to see Storm again...” she said quietly with a distant look in her eyes.

“I know you’ve liked him for a long time, Cloudburn.  But if it’s a romantic desire that’s driving you, then you should likely stay.  I’m pretty sure he already has his heart on another.”

“Even still, I’d like to see him, just once,” she replied, and Grace made no objections, as having additional company would considerably ease the stress.  She looked out the window and silently thanked everypony that had helped her that night, and hoping that the repercussions for everypony involved wouldn’t be too severe.

Proud Skies was utterly annoyed with the weather factory incident, knowing that the ponies involved were related to Storm and thus all the reporters would show up at his doorstep first thing in the morning.  As badly as he wanted to punish them to the fullest extent of the law, he knew that they had the sympathy of the public, and thus would likely do little more than give them a warning.  He unlocked his study and sat at his desk with a sigh, gently massaging his eyes and stewing in a pool of dark thoughts.

“Well, well, the big shot returns to his lair.”  Proud yelped and fell backwards out of his chair, not having noticed Silent Gale standing in the shadows due to his deep blue coat.  “I have something that may tickle yer ears a bit, Proud Skies.”

“This is an outrage!  How dare you break into my home, I’ll see you rot in jail for this impudence!” he bellowed, standing but keeping his distance.

“Who, me?  On my honor, I didn’t break nothin.’  I walked in the front door like a gentlepony.  Now listen good, Proud, ‘cause I’m only gonna say this once...”

He's Mine!

Chapter 14: He’s Mine!

Ponies with an ounce of social awareness generally realize quickly that ducking out of a kiss to hug another mare, especially one that was previously unknown to the intended recipient of the kiss, looks and feels like betrayal.  This, however, was lost upon Storm who was simply enjoying the company of an old friend, and it wasn’t until Rainbow Dash took off towards her cloud home that he came to the conclusion that he had just screwed up big time.

Common sense was something he did possess, and as such decided to wait a while before attempting to resolve her confusion, thinking that some time alone might do her good.  Unfortunately for him, Rainbow Dash couldn’t have cared less for common sense and instead wanted Storm to chase her down, and her anger only deepened when she stopped and waited a good distance away, they pair still visible in the distance.

“...Was that your fillyfriend, Storm?” Cloudburn asked as she pulled away, sniffling a bit as she calmed herself.  Seeing Storm again after so many years was a little more emotional for her than she would have liked to show, but he took it in stride and nodded, looking sheepish.

“Yeah, her name is Rainbow Dash and she is absolutely amazing.  Too good for me, I’d say.  It doesn’t help that I’m a complete disaster when it comes to dealing with mares.”  A slight pang in her chest resonated with the pain of hearing him talk about somepony else the way she had longed for him to speak of her, and she decided that there was no use keeping it a secret any longer.

“I can tell.  You never even noticed that I liked you all those years ago.”  His gaping maw confirmed the statement, his inability to respond speaking more than a thousand words.  “You really are an idiot, you know that?”

“I’m coming to the same conclusion myself, yes,” he replied, scratching the back of his head.

“Did you... ever feel anything for me, Storm?”

“Nope.”  That’s it?  Five years apart, a confession of love, and that’s his response?  As her frustration boiled over, she charged into him.  He braced himself and she slammed into his chest only to remain there, his position unchanged and a small grin playing at the corners of his mouth.  “How many times have you tried that and failed?  I lost count around a hundred, so I guess I’ll just start a new tally.  That’s one,” he jeered, remembering her repeated failures in Cloudspire.  The tips of her wings began to glow red as her anger ascended the confines of any supposed limits she had placed, spreading her wings and preparing to charge.

From her vantage point, the scene played out much differently in Rainbow Dash’s eyes.  She had been growing increasingly frustrated with the mare but when the wings went up she lost any desire to control herself and dive bombed towards the two unsuspecting ponies, barreling into Cloudburn and tumbling over her in a heap.

“Listen up, whoever you are; Storm is my coltfriend, got it?  So you can tuck those wings away and keep your hooves off of him!”  Rainbow Dash yelped as Storm forcefully heaved her off, nearly tossing her aside in his haste to attend to Cloudburn who was whimpering as lancing pain shot through her mangled wings, which Dash had failed to notice in her peeved state.  “And you, Storm, don’t you know when a mare flies off you’re supposed to chase her?  Don’t you even,” she continued before Storm’s angered growl cut her off, culling her into silence.

“Take a good look, Rainbow Dash.  Can’t you see she’s in pain?”  He hadn’t meant for it to come out as a shout, but even if he hadn’t the underlying tone of his voice would have been just the same.  Rainbow Dash brought a hoof to her mouth as she saw the stunted feather growth and small bits of bone poking through the skin where none had bothered to regrow, and her jealousy was soon forgotten by the overwhelming sight.

“I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...”  Storm slowly brought his head around and looked at her, sapping what little strength she had left with a glance.

“Come on, Storm... that’s no way to talk to a lady.  Say you’re sorry,” Cloudburn said softly, coughing a bit as she slowly folded her wings.  Storm heaved a sigh, mostly at himself as he had again lost his temper.  Every time he did it just made him remember he was imitating the pony he despised the most, and he looked at Rainbow Dash, this time with regret.  He beckoned her over and motioned her to sit beside him, and she silently obeyed, unable to tear her eyes from the mare’s marred wings.

“Rainbow Dash, this is Cloudburn, one of my closest friends from Cloudspire.  She’s the only pony that retained her ability to fly after my friends tried my stunt.  But it came with a heavy price,” he explained, pointing to her wings, which were much more horrifying to behold up close.

“Hey, it’s rude to stare, Rainbow Dash,” Cloudburn said as cheerfully as she could, given her situation.  “Congratulations on succeeding where I failed. Storm’s a wonderful catch.  A tad dense, but he’s sweet.”

“A tad?  I think it’s a little worse than that.”

“You’re right.  I couldn’t believe he didn’t take off after you!  If I wasn’t so happy to see him I would have smacked him myself.”  As the two mares discussed his various boneheaded blunders, Storm quickly came to the conclusion that he had to keep the two away from each other at all costs, if only for the sake of his pride which was eagerly being ripped to pieces.

“Cloudburn, do you have a place to stay around here?”

“No, I didn’t really plan that far ahead,” she replied, ceasing her snide comments and shaking her head.  Storm quickly ran through a list of the ponies he knew, trying to decide which one was most likely to have a spare room.

“Hey, I know!  Maybe you could stay with Applejack, I know she has a couple of empty beds at her house,” Rainbow Dash offered, saving Storm the trouble.  “I’d offer to let you stay at my place, but something tells me you don’t feel up to flying to and from my house.”

“Yeah, I’d rather not.  I was hoping to stay with Storm, but something tells me that would ruffle some feathers,” she said, shooting a sidelong glance at Rainbow Dash.

“Ya think?  You may be his friend, but I am his fillyfriend.”

“Hmmm, that’s true.  I probably won’t become the ‘other mare’ anyhow,” she said as she rubbed up against Storm, eliciting a warning growl from Rainbow Dash.

“Just what do you mean by ‘probably,’ Cloudburn?”  Storm stepped in between them as Cloudburn adopted an embarrassed expression after giving her a quick wink, tittering provocatively and popping her head over his shoulder.

“Cloudburn, stop it.  You’ve gotten me in enough trouble as it is.”

“Awww, you’re no fun,” she pouted, but thankfully relented, and the three made their way towards Sweet Apple Acres.  Rainbow Dash trudged in silence, her emotions to jumbled for her to even begin to express verbally.  Storm noticed but said nothing, determining it would be best to explain himself after Cloudburn was out of ear shot.  Darkness had fallen by the time they knocked on the door, and a short time later they were greeted by Applebloom.

“Hey there Rainbow Dash!  Hi Storm, what’re you two doin’ here so late?”

“Applebloom, do you have a spare bed that my friend could use?  She doesn’t have any place to stay,” Storm explained, stepping aside so Cloudburn could be seen.  Applebloom tried unsuccessfully not to stare at her wings, which caused her to shift uncomfortably.

“It’ll probably be all right, let me ask my sister.  Applejack!” she hollered as she took off up the stairs and towards her sister’s room.  Applejack returned a short while later, beckoning the three inside and closing the door.

“So, Storm, this mare a friend o’ yours?”

“Yeah, she kind of came here on a whim and doesn’t have any place to stay.  Would you be able to spare a bed?”

“Sure thing, Storm.  Long as she’s polite and doesn’t give nopony any trouble, she’s welcome t’ stay,” she replied, introducing herself and shaking Cloudburn’s hoof.

“I’ll behave, I promise.  Thank you very much for letting me stay, Applejack.  I’m sorry to be a burden.”

“You’re no burden, sugarcube.  We got plenty of beds lyin’ around; be a shame not to use ‘em to help somepony.  C’mon, let’s get you settled in.”

“All right.  Good night Storm, Rainbow Dash.  See you tomorrow?”

“Sure thing. Sleep well Cloudburn.”  Storm and Rainbow Dash flew back to where they had cast aside their weights, and Storm took it upon himself to carry them as they both made for home in Cloudsdale.  If tension was a material substance than his fillyfriend would have been coated mane to hoof, and as they entered her house she said nothing and immediately trotted to the kitchen.  Storm stowed the gear and stood at the doorway, watching as she rifled through the fridge and selected an apple before brushing passed him and sitting down on the couch.

“What’s that mare mean to you, Storm?”  Even though he knew the question was coming, it still took him a couple of seconds to collect himself and form a response.

“She’s a great friend that means a lot to me, but nothing more,” he said firmly, adding extra emphasis on the last few words to make sure he was clear.

“Is that so?  It sure seems like there was something more there,” she muttered, turning her focus back to her apple.

“I’m not going to try to make you believe me, but know this Rainbow Dash; regardless of how much she may want me, I belong only to you.  I will not betray your trust, Rainbow Dash.  You’re too precious for me to risk losing...”  The couch gave as he sat beside her, cautiously moving his arm around her and drawing her close.  She gave in willingly, letting her anxieties drift away with his reassuring words.

“You know, it’s really not fair the way you can be so dense and yet find exactly the right words to say to make me feel better,” she whispered, smiling a bit as she allowed herself a fleeting moment of weakness in his arms.

It was nearly midnight when Storm arrived home, and he made for his spot on the couch for some much needed shut eye.  Everything ached below his neck, the weights having been a rough adjustment even for his large frame.  His heavy lidded eyes shut once and stayed, a mere matter of seconds passing before sleep claimed his conscious mind, while his dreams were filled with the shimmering rainbows of a cyan mare.

Scootaloo woke early, the cold night parching her throat and commanding her full attention.  She made quietly for the kitchen, downing a glass of water and starting her second with she heard Storm mumble something.  He had somehow rolled off of the couch and was lying on the floor with his legs pointing towards the ceiling.  Snickering cruelly, Scootaloo stood over him and poured a few drops of water onto his chest, bracing for his shouts but hearing nothing.

“Nnnn bw Dash, shwer?” he muttered, as his wings began to stretch out, knocking Scootaloo aside and pushing him away from the couch.

“Hey, wake up!  You’re acting creepy,” Scootaloo commanded, hopping atop his chest.  She suddenly found herself mashed against his face as his dream suddenly turned from an innocent romp through a flowery forest to a moment of passion underneath a waterfall, causing him to wrap Scootaloo with his hooves and plant a sickenly wet smooth on her mouth.

“Aaaah, mom, Storm kissed me!” she wailed, breaking free and dashing into her parent’s room.  Her shrill screams yanked Storm from the blissful downpour of desires, and as he sat up blinking he noticed his wings and immediately ran into Scootaloo’s room to hide himself.

“Wait a second, what?  Scootaloo, mom’s not!..” he started, returning to find his mother standing in Quakehoof’s doorway, a disapproving look on her face as Scootaloo shuddered behind her.

“Storm, save that kind of behavior for Rainbow Dash.  Your sister doesn’t appreciate that level of affection from you.”

“What do you mean?” he replied, honestly confused.  Not only was his mother back, but she was insinuating he did something dirty to Scootaloo?

“You idiot, you kissed me!” Scootaloo shouted, spitting and making a face.  After smacking himself soundly in the jaw and not waking from the nightmare, he sighed and made his defense.

“Yeah right, there’s no way I would ever do that!” he countered, disturbed that she’d even accuse him of such a thing.

“Storm, what were you dreaming about?” Grace said coolly, watching as he blushed and turned away.  “My goodness, Storm.  You really have it bad if you can’t even stay away from her in your dreams.”

“...At least I don’t do it in front of the princess.”  Since her coat was a much lighter hue, Scootaloo immediately noticed her mother’s cheeks flush deeply as she scrambled to recover.

“Storm, your sister is present!  Watch what you say,” she barked.

“Mom, what’s he talking about?”  If it weren’t for the fact that his mother’s glare spoke with much more force than any words she could have said, Storm might have considering answering Scootaloo’s inquiry.  However, he wished to remain within the realm of the living, and thus said nothing, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a drink while Flying Grace tried to steer the conversation in a different direction.  He unwittingly aided her as the reality of his mother being back against Proud Skies’ rules dawned on him.

“Mom, what are you doing back?  Isn’t this dangerous?”  Storm was glad he wasn’t Proud Skies at that moment, the malicious look clouding his mother’s features seeming to radiate a hatred tinged with justice.

“Let’s just say I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.  I’m here for good, Storm.  I’m never going back.”  Grace had trouble not falling to the ground as Storm half hugged, half tackled her in his excitement at the news.  “Careful, Storm Blitz.  There’s another member of the family who isn’t quite as strong as you yet,” she whispered, motioning to her stomach as he pulled away.

“Huh, I guess Twilight isn’t the only one now.  Congratulations, mom.  You got some,” he said with a wink, his mother pulling a face at his increasingly crass sense of humor.  Typical stallion.

“I’m not the only one,” she giggled, playing him at his own game as Quakehoof sauntered over, kissing her passionately and causing both their kids to run away, faking dry heaves and begging for it to stop.  Satisfied that they had learned their lesson, Grace entered the kitchen and began making breakfast for the family.  Storm’s job had really helped, and while finances were tight, housing and food weren’t in question anymore.

“Hey mom?  Do you know Twilight Sparkle?”

“No, I can’t say I’ve met her.  Is she a friend of yours?”  Storm nodded, knowing that he was about to intrude on things that weren’t his business but wanting to help anyways.

“Yeah, she’s the pregnant mare I mentioned earlier.  She’s been having some trouble coping with her pregnancy and was thinking that it may be good for her to talk to you, since you’ll know what she’s going through.”

“I certainly don’t mind, if she’s all right with it.”  Storm finished his meal, making a mental note to visit the library to see if things had improved after yesterday’s events as he left for Rainbow Dash’s home to prepare for work.

After a quick knock on the door, Storm entered Rainbow Dash’s cloud home, not waiting for a response.  She was seated on the couch, waiting on her overdue coltfriend finally make his appearance, and now that he had she couldn’t help but tease a little.

“You’re late, don’t you know it’s rude to keep a lady waiting?” Rainbow Dash said with a smirk, her usual spirits fully recovered.

“Sorry, I was having an amazing dream.”

“Oh really?  Was it about me?”  Silence.  “...It was, wasn’t it.”

“I don’t have to answer that.”

“Oh, I think you do!”

“Nah, I’ll wait till I can show you someday.”  Rainbow Dash’s mind conjured a couple of not too far off explanations for his words, blushing lightly and smiling.  “The other reason I’m late is because my mother came home to stay, yesterday.  I don’t know how, but she’s free from Proud Skies.”  Rainbow Dash shared his joy as he beamed, and after a quick embrace they made for the weather factory, opting to leave the weights off that day.  Even with the additional work, being free of the weights they completed their detail just before eleven in the morning.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash?  I’m going to see Twilight and see if she’d like to talk to my mother, since she’s pregnant and knows what it’s like.  Why don’t you come?  You know her better than I do.”

“Sure, that’s a great idea.  Besides, I feel pretty bad for Cerulean.  He musta had it rough yesterday.”

“Actually, he left.”

“He what?!?”

“I don’t think he’s gone for good, he had just run off when I arrived yesterday.  I talked to him, but something Twilight did or said really cut him deep.  That’s the other reason I want to go check on them; I want to make sure they are back together.”

“Well what are we waiting for, c’mon!” she exclaimed, making straight to the library with Storm struggling to keep up.  After knocking several times, Spike came to answer the door, his grim expression telling them that things hadn’t improved.

“Spike, what’s going on?” Rainbow asked.

“...Cerulean didn’t come home last night.  And Twilight hasn’t moved all morning...”  Rainbow Dash drew him close as he struggled to be brave in spite of having no idea how to help.

“Storm, I’m going to find Cerulean.  You get your mother and have her talk to Twilight.  We’ll meet back here, ok?”  He didn’t bother to respond as he took flight, making straight for home as the urgency of the situation came upon him fully.  His parents looked up with surprise as he barged in the door, tripping in his haste and landing just short of the table.

“Storm, what is it?”

“Mom, you need to come with me.  Things are really bad with Twilight right now, and she really needs some help.”

“Of course, Storm.  Lead the way,” she nodded, her son making no attempt to hide the desperation in his face.  They both made for the library and Storm led his mother upstairs to Twilight’s bed.  “Storm, please leave us be for now.”  He silently obeyed, returning outside and searching the skies, hoping to see a trail of seven hued hope triumphantly returning.  His spirits lifted momentarily as he caught sight of Rainbow Dash, who lighted a short distance away and cantered over, but her downcast eyes told him that it hadn’t gone well.

“Did you find him?”

“Yeah, I did.  But it’s worse than we thought, Storm.  Only Twilight can reach him now.”

Family Night

Chapter 15: Family Night

It was a very long time before Grace left the library, though Rainbow Dash and Storm didn't notice, having continued speaking in hushed whispers as she attempted to explain Cerulean’s long and complicated past.  Given everything that had happened, it was amazing that he had retained any love at all.  They stood as Flying Grace exited the building, her somber expression not revealing any information on how it went.

“I know you’re probably wondering what’s going to happen now, but do not worry.  I think there is hope for them yet.  However, you two aren’t going to help by sitting outside her door worrying.”

“That may be true, but we can’t just do nothing,” Rainbow Dash replied, unwilling to accept her words.

“On the contrary, I’ll not see my son and his lovely fillyfriend sulk.  Let’s take a day off from all the training and have some fun together, shall we?  Oh, and invite Cloudburn too, I’m sure she’d like to come.  Meet me back at the house while I try to think of some activities that everyone can participate in, ok?”  Grateful for something to do, they both nodded and began to trot towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“It’ll be nice to spend some time with your family, since I haven’t really gotten to see them much.  They seem pretty cool,” Rainbow Dash mentioned, breaking the silence.

“Oh just you wait, I’m sure you’ll have had more than enough of them by the time this evening rolls around.”

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”  Storm snorted and said nothing, shaking his head.  “At least you have parents.”  Storm stopped in his tracks and stared at her as she tried not to make eye contact.

“What do you mean, Dash?  Did they...”

“Dunno, never met ‘em.”  Her reply was casual, but the words were tinged with something Storm couldn’t put his hoof on, and he knew that regardless of what she said it bothered her.  As if by instinct he drew up beside her and draped a wing over her shoulders.

“Well, they’re a massive pain in the flank, but I’m sure Flying Grace and Quakehoof wouldn’t mind another daughter.”  Rainbow Dash tried not to be overly sentimental, but she gratefully accepted his kind words before shooting him a sly grin.

“You do realize that means I’d be your sister, right?  Would you really want to be kissing your sister?”  Storm yanked away and sputtered violently, the sudden memory of the horrifying event prompting him to paw at his tongue in an attempt to clean away the taste.  Rainbow Dash watched with great amusement, making a quick mental note that she’d have to bring that up again sometime when she wanted to urge a reaction.  Storm, on his part, simply hoped that her comment didn’t ruin future romantic endeavours between them.

“You do realize there’s another way,” he said, suddenly grinning as Rainbow Dash was struck speechless at the thought.  “And now we’re even; let’s go,” he said, resuming their trip as Rainbow Dash’s mind was filled with thoughts of white veils and merriment.

“Howdy, Storm, Rainbow Dash.  You lookin’ fer Cloudburn?” Applejack inquired as she met them at the door.  “She’s probably staring at Big Macintosh.  That girl is givin’ me weird vibes, Storm.  She better not try anythin’ strange with mah brother.”  Just as Applejack predicted, Cloudburn was sitting on a hay bale watching Big Macintosh from a distance, too entranced to notice them approaching.

“It’s a wonder I’m so easily replaced, Cloud,” Storm teased, breaking her from her fantasy and causing her to fall from the bale in shock.  “I’d be careful, if I were you.  I don’t think Applejack much likes the idea of you going after her brother.”  To say that Cloudburn was vexed with their notice of her open infatuation would have been an understatement, and though she couldn’t do anything to Storm, she decided to turn it over to Rainbow Dash.

“Don’t worry, Storm, I still think you’re better,” she giggled, throwing herself around his neck and nuzzling him.  He could almost hear the gears grinding in Dash’s head as she fought to control herself, and he quickly extricated himself and shot them both pleading glances.

“Knock it off, Cloudburn.  We actually came to invite you to hang out with me and my family for the day, but you and Rainbow Dash are going to have to at least try to get along, ok?”  Storm took a step back as her mouth creased into a devious grin.

“But of course, Storm.  I can act like a lady for a day.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Oh, would you like to?  I didn’t know you went both ways, Rainbow Dash.”

“Wha?..  No, that’s not what I meant!  I was being sarcastic!”

“Oh, were you?  Could have fooled me, though I must say, you are quite fetching,” Cloudburn murmured as she brushed against her, causing Rainbow Dash to blush and stand petrified.

“Enough!” Storm shouted, unable to take it any longer.  “Just show up at my house in two hours.  Now go back to staring or whatever.  And in the name of Celestia, don’t do anything stupid, ok?”  And with that, he and Rainbow Dash made a hasty exit, a steady stream of muttering quite audible from the cyan mare next to him.  Cloudburn knew she was getting under Rainbow Dash’s skin, but it was just too much fun not to take advantage of all the easy opportunities they seemed to lob her way every time they spoke.  They really were good for each other, and unless something terrible happened she had already resolved not to try and pursue Storm.  Applejack passed by and sighed as Cloud once again resumed staring dreamily at her brother.

“You sure know how to pick aggravating friends, Storm.”

“Heh, you got that right.  Just be glad it wasn’t Silent Gale. Gale could loot your entire house without you noticing until he returned the items to you.”

“Somehow, I think I’d prefer that,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she entered her house, making for the bathroom to begin working on her hair.  She hadn’t gotten a chance to try out her new curling iron, and she figured this would a perfect opportunity to test it.  After having his offer to help denied, he sat on the couch and waited for a good ten minutes before growing impatient.

“How much longer are you going to be, Dash?”

“Oh, another hour at least, why?”  Storm was suddenly glad he had said two hours and not one, not having planned on feminine habits taking such a ridiculous amount of time.  It did, however, give him a greater appreciation for the fact that she bothered at all, and he silently thanked Celestia that she hadn’t flayed him alive when he had made it rain on her.  Storm contented himself to playing with Tank for a bit before an increasing number of frustrated groans began to sound from the bathroom.  “Rainbow Dash, everything all right?” he asked, rapping a hoof on the door.

“Ahhh, I’m fine!  Everything is fine, don’t come in!” she yelled frantically as she attempted to fix what was quickly turning into a fashion disaster.  Fearing that she was indeed in trouble and smelling something burning, he entered anyways to find Rainbow Dash curled in the corner, desperately trying to be invisible.  Her mane was sticking out in every direction as if she had been struck by lightning, and there were visibly charred streaks mixed in with the other hues.

“What happened to your mane?” Storm asked slowly, careful not to let his contained mirth boil over.

“I don’t know!  I just tried to curl it like Rarity did, and this happened!” she wailed, pointing to her Pinkie Pie-like hair.

“Did you follow the instructions?”

“...Instructions?”  Storm looked at the packaging and pulled out a folded piece of paper, handing the diagram to her and watching as she quickly skimmed the contents.  “This is horrible!  I can’t be seen like this!” she said, staring miserably at the floor and throwing the paper to the ground.  Storm slipped his hooves under hers and lifted her to a standing position and gently lifted her chin.

“Rainbow Dash, I still think you’re beautiful, regardless,” he whispered before leaning in and kissing her softly.  “Still, why don’t you leave the fashion to Rarity?  You look great either way, and you don’t have to worry about impressing a pony you amaze on a daily basis.”

“You?  I just wanted to stick it to Cloudburn.”

Of course, he should have guessed.  Knowing it would be useless to try and explain why said rivalry was pointless, he motioned her to follow. They quickly made their way to Carousel Boutique, where Rarity immediately set about fixing the tragedy that had befallen Dash’s mane.

Flying Grace had just returned to the house after speaking with Cheerilee about why Scootaloo was to be absent that day, when Cloudburn showed up an hour early.  Storm’s parents eagerly ushered her inside, and they chatted the remaining time away quickly.  Storm and Rainbow Dash arrived just after noon, and were immediately assailed by the other occupants in the crowded apartment.

“My, you sure took your time arriving.  Your mother sure has some interesting stories about you, Storm.”

“Mom, you didn’t...” Storm started, not bothering to finish as Grace joined Cloudburn in a fit a giggles.  Suddenly, having all three females together seemed like the worst idea imaginable, and he mentally braced himself for the terrors that were certainly about to descend.  Having run out of chairs, Storm and Rainbow Dash sat on the ground, and she was immediately assailed by Scootaloo, ecstatic as always to see her hero.

“Hey there, Scootaloo!  How’s the flying coming along?”

“Pretty good,” she quipped before shooting a mock glare at Storm.  “I dunno if I want to learn from him anymore, though.”

“Scootaloo, don’t you even think about it,” he warned, knowing where her mind was going.

“Think about what?” Rainbow Dash asked, shooting Storm a quizzical glance.

“What he did this morning.  Sicko!”

“Scootaloo, you’re asking for it.  I said drop it!”

“What, are you gonna kiss me again?”  Crap.  She had said it.  Rainbow Dash and Cloudburn each shot him equally horrified looks as Scootaloo grinned evilly, their reaction exactly what she had been hoping for.

“You kissed your sister, Storm?” Dash exclaimed, sheltering Scootaloo from him as he leapt upright, his eyes blazing.

“Oh, now that is a bit much,” Cloudburn agreed, shooting him a coy smile.

“Indeed.  I’m quite disappointed in you, son,” Quakehoof said with a laugh.

“I was asleep!  I didn’t know what I was doing, ok?!?” Storm bellowed as everypony turned on him.

“Asleep?  What the hay were you dreaming about, Storm?” Rainbow countered, and then slowly matched his blush as his cheeks flushed at the memory.  Their embarrassment only worsened as his wings ignored his dire warnings and slowly stretched out, and with a howl he ran into Scootaloo’s room and hid himself as the remaining ponies burst into laughter.  Well, all except for Rainbow Dash, who was trying desperately not to land herself in the same position, imagining what must have gone on in his subconscious mind.

“And you know the worst part?  His tongue was nasty!  He really needs to brush his teeth.”  From inside the Storm’s heart froze as the door was wrenched open and he was confronted by a very peeved Rainbow Dash, who slapped the door shut and cornered him against the wall.

“Let me get this straight... we started dating nearly a week ago, and your little sister gets more action than I do?”  He was grateful for the fact that her anger had reduced her volume to a low growl, but it was extremely disconcerting none the less.  She sat inches away from his face awaiting a response, and he spouted the first thing that sprang to his mind.

“I can fix that now, if you’d like.”  He wouldn’t have guessed she could look any more angry, but she managed to exceed his supposed limits as he quickly came to the correct assumption that he had blown it.  “...Is there anything I can do to fix this?”

“Not a chance.  Tell me about your dream.”  Had either of them been paying attention they would have noticed the sound of hooves drawing close to the door as Storm painted a shockingly vivid portrayal of their passionate moments under the waterfall.  Their ears shot upright as Scootaloo could be heard retching on the other side, and they whipped open the door to reveal that the entire conversation had been heard by everypony present.

“Oh, buck me...” Storm muttered, not even bothering to hide his wings as he slowly covered his face with a hoof.

“My, my, Storm, isn’t that moving a bit fast?  I can’t say I approve of that kind of behavior,” his mother chided, adopting a serious expression with much difficulty.

“I dunno, it sounded kinda nice to me,” Rainbow Dash murmured to herself, her mind too absorbed with the revelation to worry about who heard.  It also didn’t occur to her that her statement might be applied to his most recent utterance and not his dream, as she had intended it to be.  Muscling his way through the crowd, Storm threw open the front door and tore down the street.

“Somepony, make it stop!” he shouted, his voice quickly trailing into the distance.  His family and friends all turned and looked at each other for a moment before falling to the floor, every pair of lungs being suddenly deprived of oxygen.  Rainbow Dash was the first to recover, and she left the house to search out Storm, knowing that he was likely more upset than he was amused.  She found him sitting on a cloud not far from the apartment, his wings brought around to shield his face.

“Uh, Storm?  You gonna be ok?”  He lifted a wing just enough to give her the evil eye before covering himself again.  “I’m sorry freaked out at you back there, I was caught a little off guard.  And I know you wouldn’t kiss your sister on purpose.”

“Thanks for your vote of confidence.”  She couldn’t stand to see him so sullen, so as discreetly as she could she ducked under his wings and sat herself in his lap, to which he immediately removed his wings for fear any other pegasi might happen to see and get the wrong idea.  “Any chance I ever had of looking cool to you just got eradicated at a moment’s notice.  So much for pride...”  Being somewhat headstrong herself, Rainbow Dash could understand perfectly how what just transpired could look to another pony, and to make it worse she had been present, the one he wanted to impress the most.

“You impress me all the time anyways, Storm.”

“Yeah, right, how is that even possible?  How could somepony like me impress someone with your kind of speed, skill and raw talent?”

“Well for one, I’ve never met a stallion with less tact when it comes to mares,” she said with a giggle, squeezing closer as he gave an exasperated snort.  “Storm, you don’t expect me to be anything; you just like me for who I am.  Around you, I don’t feel like I have to be strong, because I know that you’ll carry me if I start to fall.”  His hooves, which had up to this point hung limp at his sides, slowly wrapped around her and squished her with a hearty embrace, and while her lungs didn’t much approve, the rest of her did, so she said nothing and returned the motion.  He seemed to sense her minor discomfort and eased up slightly while still holding her tightly, savoring the respite from the insanity of his home.

“Quakehoof, dear, I think we may have gone a little overboard on Storm back there,” Grace said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, desperately trying to restore some semblance of regularity to her breathing.

“Indeed, I’m quite sure we will pay for this later,” he agreed, nodding as his deep chuckles began to subside.  Even if Storm unloaded on them when he returned, the memories that they made with him were worth it. This kind of family interaction was something that hadn’t even been possible until recently.  Cloudburn couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous at the way Storm’s parents interacted with each other and Scootaloo, her own barely acknowledging her unless it was required.

“Quakehoof, Flying Grace?  Thank you for having me over, it’s nice to feel loved.”

“You’re quite welcome, Cloudburn.  Though I would suggest you not meddle in Storm’s relationship; I don’t want to see him torn between the two of you.”  Cloudburn nodded sagely, turning her head towards the door.

“I’m going to go try and find him so we can start the games.  Be back in a bit!” she called over her shoulder as she left.  If he was on a cloud it would be hard to find him unless there was movement, and scanning the sky she found everything to be calm.  The shape of a cloud not far from where she stood suddenly altered slightly, and she immediately trotted over to investigate.  Over the noises of the other ponies she could just make out Storm’s voice, and she braced herself for the ensuing pain as she took flight.

“Rainbow Dash?”

“Hmmm?” she replied lazily, having become quite comfortable in his arms.

“I know it’s hard for you to get along with Cloudburn, especially since she’s such an insufferable tease...”  Rainbow Dash nodded, and a glance revealed that she was still smiling as she waited for him to continue.  “It’s really shaken things up around here, which is why I’ve decided that as soon as I can figure something special out, I want to go on a date, just the two of us.  Away from my parents and all the drama that seems to be around every corner here in Ponyville.”

“Yeah, you do have a knack for landing in the worst possible situations.  So does Cerulean. I wonder if it’s a stallion thing?”

“Probably,” he chuckled softly and laying back, Dash adjusting herself so her head was resting on his shoulder.

“...Will this place you take me have a waterfall?”

“I wouldn’t settle for anything less,” he whispered, gently stroking her mane with a spare hoof.  Rainbow Dash found her eyelids resisting her commands to remain open and she soon slipped into a doze.

“What I wouldn’t give to be that mare right now...”  Storm snapped his eyes open and looked over at Cloudburn, who had heard the discourse as she approached and landed panting nearby.  “Storm, I admit defeat.  I’m going to let you go, just like I said.  As much as I’d like you for myself, I know it would cause you both too much pain for me to give in to my selfishness.  But please, promise me this,” she pleaded, trotting over and sitting beside the couple.  “Promise me you won’t forget about me.”

“Don’t worry, Cloudburn.  I wouldn’t let him, that’s not how loyalty to friends works,” Rainbow replied, having been awakened by her voice.  “I may see you as a rival, but you’re not my enemy,” she continued, wearily standing upright.  “As long as you keep your hooves to yourself, I guess I can make you cooler by being your friend.  Deal?”  Cloudburn grinned and shook her hoof in agreement, thankful that Rainbow Dash was giving her a chance.  She was all too aware that not everypony would be so patient with her wiles, and precious few would actually call her friend.  She didn’t want to press her luck, but she couldn’t help herself as she spread her wings and brushed them over Storm’s face, while he and Rainbow Dash stared at her for perpetrating such a provocative deed.

“What?  You never said anything about my wings.”

A Day in Canterlot

Chapter 16: A Night in Canterlot

Confidence.  Confidence in oneself is a wonderful feeling, and after two weeks of planning, Storm had concocted the perfect plan for a second date, his only inhibition that it would be difficult to top afterwards.  After deliberation with his parents, Cerulean, Twilight, and even Cloudburn to a certain extent, he was sure that today was going to be the best day ever.  Perhaps a bit too sure, as he found himself awake a good two hours before sunrise and too giddy to sleep.

He rose quietly and allowed himself a long shower, taking particular care to make sure his mane was free dirt or grease, and gave it a thorough combing, amazing himself as he realized that he had used up an hour working on his appearance.  Being an early riser, his mother had awoken while he was showering, and as he stepped out he braced himself for the teasing, but instead found her eyes shining with pride as she approached.

“You’ve really turned into a fine stallion, Storm.”  The words were simple, but heartfelt, and Storm wrapped a hoof around Grace for a few moments before stepping back.

“Thanks, mom.  Well, I’m off, so wish me luck.”

“All right, be safe, especially at the hotel,” she warned, shooting him a wink before returning to the kitchen.  Storm laughed it off and soon felt the cool morning breeze whipping passed as he made for Rainbow Dash’s cloud home, his wings fueled by the growing excitement of spending a day alone with his fillyfriend.

Sleep.  Sleep is a wonderful thing, and one Rainbow Dash was not given to losing for no reason.  As such, having little to no idea what Storm had planned, she had minimal desire to hoist herself out of bed as early as he had urged.  She lay staring at the ceiling for thirty minutes as wakefulness unsuccessfully attempted to infiltrate her mind, and with a groan she rolled out of bed and onto the floor in a heap before dragging herself to the shower.  The lethargy fled at the presence of the cleansing downpour, and she was soon humming happily as she awaited what the day might bring.

Rainbow Dash didn’t have any idea how long she had spent in the shower, but with great reluctance she shut off the flow and paused to view herself in the mirror.  She could only imagine what Storm would do if he saw her exiting the shower, and for kicks she began talking to the reflective surface as if it were Storm.

“Hey there, Storm, how do I look?  Oh, I’m so cold and wet, won’t you warm me up?  Mmm, yes, that’s much better?  Oh my, what’s that I feel?  Your wings, you say?  Well, I don’t mind if you don’t.”  Had her face not already been flushed from the heat of the shower it would quickly have matched the current hue, but with nopony around she felt no need for embarrassment as her mind and her mouth ran freely.  She began backing her imaginary coltfriend towards her bedroom and stepped out in a billowing cloud of steam.

Embarrassment.  Embarrassment is what happens when you are midway through the phrase “wing rape” and suddenly realize that you are not alone.  Not only are you in the presence of another, but that certain somepony happens to be your very shocked significant other, mouth agape as you stand before them, sopping wet and naked.  Such was Rainbow Dash before her extremely alarmed coltfriend.  “...Storm?”

“Uh huh?” came his weak reply, his powers of speech mocking him from the deep recesses of his brain as they held his articulation captive.  Rainbow Dash gave a panicked yelp and ran into her room, slamming the door and leaning against it as her heart tried to break free of it’s confines and run away.  She cringed as Storm’s voice came through from the other side.  “Come on, Dash, it’s not that bad.”

“Are you kidding me?!?  I’d rather fail a Rainboom in front of a crowd than be seen like... while I was...”

“...Ok, that was pretty embarrassing, not gonna lie.  But we do need to get going, so try to hurry, please?”  Storm would have attempted to comfort her but it would likely not be well received in her current condition.  After a short time he heard movement, and gave her a respectful distance, opting to sit on the couch rather than wait right outside her door.  He looked up as she cracked open the door, peering at him around the corner with a deep blush still on her cheeks, and he motioned for her to come.

“Storm, how much... how much did you hear?”

“Um, everything I think.  I’m quite flattered that you think of my flanks like that, really.”  His cheerful response had the opposite effect that he desired, and she pulled her head back and disappeared from view.  He was about to pursue the matter but she stepped out and cantered over, avoiding eye contact and stopping in front of him.

“You could have at least knocked first,” she muttered, scraping at the cloudy floor.

“I did.  Many times.  Now quit sulking, today is supposed to be fun day, remember?” he commanded, rising and planting a quick kiss on her muzzle.  Stupid warm fuzzy feeling, making everything feel better...  Storm led her out and they made straight for the train station, arriving just in time to board the first train to Canterlot.  They talked quietly as the train departed, but due to neither of them being morning ponies they soon drifted off, the noise of the rails drifting into the background as Rainbow Dash’s head drooped down, slowly sliding from his chest before coming to a rest on his lap.  Storm heaved a yawn and quit resisting the urge to nap, draping an arm over her shoulders and closing his eyes.

“Now arriving in Canterlot.  Please exit safely.”  The voice eased the two pegasi into consciousness, and any lingering feelings from the morning’s rather odd start were soon replaced with anticipation.

“So, Storm, what’s first on the list?”  To her surprise he pulled an physical checklist from his bag, scanning it thoughtfully without letting her see it.  “You actually made a list?”

“Twilight’s little contribution,” he said with a laugh.  “First, how about some lunch since neither of us have eaten?  Cerulean got us reservations at his friend’s restaurant, a real classy place.”

“Oh yes, ‘cause I just love the idea of dining with snobs,” she replied with a grin.

“Nah, don’t worry about that.  I’ve heard this Lemon guy hates them just as much, so we should be in good hooves.”  Canterlot was endlessly entertaining for the pair, the ridiculous ways of the upper crust ponies causing no shortage of laughs as they made their way to the address indicated on the list.  The host that greeted them at the entrance was the very definition of posh, and he stared down at them disdainfully as they entered.

“I’m sorry, but perhaps you rabble have us confused with some kind of low end establishment.  We do not serve ponies that can’t even bother to clothe themselves.”

“For an earth pony, you sure have your snout stuck pretty high in the clouds, sir,” Storm replied coolly, eliciting a gratifying gasp of indignation from the host.  “Now, if you’re done with the hoity toity act, reservations for two, under the name Storm Blitz.”  With a huff he scanned the list, and Rainbow Dash snickered as his eyes grew wide, finding that they were indeed special guests.  Without a word he went to the back, returning with a yellow unicorn who was just shorter than Storm but incredibly thin.

“Heya, you must be Storm and Rainbow Dash.  I’m Lemon Chiffon, head chef.  Come on, this way, away from the poshness,” he smirked, noting the glare on the host’s face as he led them away.  “I’m glad you came earlier rather than later. The less ponies here the better.  I can prepare your food personally this way,” he explained, handing them each a menu.  “How is Cerulean doing by the way?  I haven’t heard from him for a while.”

“He’s had it pretty rough, but I think things are looking up.  Things seem to have stabilized between him and Twilight.”

“That’s good to hear.  I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your orders, ok?”  They both nodded as he left, sweeping back into the kitchen to resume his duties.  True to his word, Lemon returned a few minutes later and they placed their orders.  Lemon nodded his approval at their choices and immediately set about his work. Unbeknownst to him, they eagerly set about pranking the other customers.  Lemon casually mentioned that there were a lot of complaints about the food that morning, and the couple went to great lengths to keep their hoots of derision sealed until Lemon was out of earshot.

As they finished their spectacular meal, Rainbow Dash decided to have a bit more fun with the other ponies before leaving, and as another enraged customer demanded to speak with Lemon, he walked out in time to see the couple pouring a liberal amount of hot sauce into one of the goblets on a tray, waiting to be served.  He put two and two together and knew that he had to act, if only for the sake of his job.

“What do you think you’re doing, scoundrels?” he bellowed across the room, causing both ponies to panic, knowing they had been caught.  They shot each other knowing looks before bolting out the door, laughing as they took flight.  Lemon stood at the door and waved cheerily at them, stoked that somepony had livened up the atmosphere around the place.  They returned the wave, thankful that they hadn’t caused any serious problems for the unicorn.

“Ok, that was too much fun, what’s next?” Rainbow Dash giggled, landing on a cloud and trotting excitedly in circles.  Storm rummaged through his saddle bag before handing her a ticket, and her jaw just seemingly came unhinged as she read the inscription.

“Wonderbolts Derby: Admit 1

Location: Canterlot Raceway

Time: 2 p.m.

Seat: 23b                                “

“I know it’s not the best seats ever, but,” he began to explain before her cries of elation simultaneously silenced and deafened him.  As the ringing in his ears faded he found himself experiencing an acute shortage of breath as she wrapped herself around his neck.  “I guess I did something right,” he murmured, grabbing her tightly and taking off towards the stadium.  He set Rainbow Dash down in front of the entrance as she immediately bolted to the ticket booth, presenting her ticket and bouncing from hoof to hoof like a little filly who just had received her first love note.  Storm caught up and they entered together, the crowd having already begun to build.

“Storm?  Rainbow Dash?  Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise!”  They turned to see Princess Celestia walking over, followed closely by four of the royal guard.

“Ohmygosh, can you believe it, Princess?  We get to see the Wonderbolts!  This is gonna be the coolest thing since my last Sonic Rainboom!” she squealed excitedly, getting a little too close to the princess for the guards’ comfort, though a single glance from their leader let them know their unease was unnecessary.

“I’m glad somepony here isn’t above displaying their excitement.  Storm, was this your idea?”  He nodded proudly, and an idea suddenly began to form inside the devious princess’ mind.  “I’ll tell you what, I’ll let you two watch the race with me if you also attend dinner at the castle with me tonight.  It will be a rather stiff crowd, and I could use some ponies such as yourselves to lighten the mood.”  How was that any kind of trade?  Awesome seats plus a royal free pass to raise chaos?

“Princess, we are so there!” Rainbow Dash shouted, causing many of the ponies to immediately start whispering about her unrefined conduct.

“Splendid!  Let us go then, the show will start soon.”  The whispers intensified as the nobility watched with amazement and disgust as the princess proceeded to her seat with the two uncouth ponies sitting to her right, but not daring to say anything loud enough to catch her attention.  The announcer came on and began to announce the names as the Wonderbolts filed out onto the track, taking their positions and tossing playful banter back and forth.  They didn’t really care who won, just as long as they put on a good show.  For Storm, the real prize sat next to him, and he soon lost interest in watching the race and instead watched the mare that had come to mean the world to him.  He looked back as the race finished, Fleetfoot having again smoked the competition, and as she spun through some victory stunts Storm pointed his hoof at her, his muzzle right next to Rainbow Dash’s ear.

“Take a look Rainbow Dash, because that’s going to be you someday,” he whispered, meeting her gaze as she looked up at him.

“Storm, thank you...”  Ignoring the public view they embraced and shared a deep kiss, and it wasn’t until they started hearing audible comments from the crowd that they pulled away.  “I wish I could speak with them. I’ve always wanted to spend some time with them; I didn’t really get the chance after the fiasco at the Gala last year.”

“I think I might be able to help with that,” Celestia replied casually, as if it were no small matter.  “I always make a point of thanking them personally when they perform for me, you see.  Come, Rainbow Dash, Storm, let’s get you acquainted.”  She led them down the stairs and passed security into a large furnished room where the Wonderbolts were lounging.  They all bowed as Celestia entered, and Rainbow Dash soon found her words to be in short supply as none other than Spitfire approached.

“Hey, I remember you!  You won the Young Fliers competition a year or two back and saved my life.  You’re Rainbow Dash, right?”

“Yes!” she immediately fired, unintentionally shouting.

“Easy there, Dash.  They need their ears to hear the fans cheer, ya know,” Storm said gently, placing a hoof on her back.

“And you, lumbering giant, who are you?” Spitfire said with a laugh, turning her attention to Storm who towered over her.

“Storm Blitz, grandson of Lightning Wing.”

“Lightning Wing?  I looked up to him for a long time.  It was hard for me to see him go, so suddenly... “  She shook her head, determined not to get sentimental.  “So, are you taking up his mantle and continuing his legacy?”

“I wish I could, but that’s not an option...  However, this mare,” he paused, motioning to Rainbow Dash who was looking sheepish, regretting her outburst, “has more talent than anypony I’ve ever met.  I will personally guarantee that she will take first at the tryouts in a month.”

“You think you got what it takes, filly?”

“Are you kidding?  I’ve trained my whole life for this, and with Storm by my side there’s no way I’ll lose!”

“Heh, hey Soarin!  Who does this mare remind you of?”  The stallion in question broke into a huge grin, himself having been the biggest Wonderbolt groupie of all time before finally making the cut.

“Don’t ever give up on your dreams, Rainbow Dash.  With effort and determination, I’m sure you’ll make it in,” he encouraged, recalling the countless number of times he was harassed and laughed at for his notions of joining.

“At least it’s a month away, that’ll give you enough time to prepare to be dazzled,” she asserted confidently, striking a pose.

“I like this one, she’s got spunk,” Spitfire said, grinning at the mare brimming with enthusiasm and energy standing before her.  Even if she didn’t win the competition outright, there was something in Dash that made her want her for the team, something she couldn’t quite place.  They continued to chat as time flew by, and before they realized it was four thirty in the afternoon, and Princess Celestia pried Rainbow Dash away and bid the Wonderbolts farewell.

“So Celestia, how exactly is us coming to dinner paying you back for letting me get to meet the Wonderbolts?” Rainbow Dash asked as they entered the castle grounds.

“Oh, you will see soon enough.  I will place no restrictions save that nopony get hurt.  Other than that, do feel free to liven things up a bit.  Now wait here a moment while I find Luna and have a word with her.”

“I suddenly feel quite nervous for our approaching dinner.”  Rainbow Dash suddenly gasped as she remembered her last prank on Luna.  Was this to be their retribution?  Luna had said she had forgiven her, but Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but worry.

“Storm, if Princess Luna destroys us in there, I apologize now.”  He cocked his head and she gave a short recap of the cupcake incident some six months ago.  Tears of laughter were streaming from his eyes as Dash came alive, detailing the chaos she had raised before finishing with Luna’s dire warning.

“Thanks for waiting, everypony.  Now then, shall we?” Celestia said cheerfully, nodding to them and bidding them follow.

“Uh, Celestia?  Luna isn’t still mad at me, is she?  I don’t wanna live on the moon!” she asked, mostly serious and quite worried.

“Oh, that little matter?  Do not worry about it, she’s completely recovered I assure you.”  Rainbow Dash was legitimately relieved by the response, Celestia laughing quietly with a hoof over mouth for a time before continuing their trip.  “I will say thank you again in advance.  Do entertain me, though not quite like your father, Storm.”  He made a face and they stepped into the banquet hall, each with their own expectations and worries that were soon put to flight as Storm froze in his tracks.  There, to the right of Celestia’s seat, was Proud Skies.

Not So Proud

Chapter 17: Not So Proud

“What in Equestria are you doing here?!?” Proud cried as Storm approached, leaping upright and painfully banging his legs on the table.  Storm met his glare with his own, and the two ponies stood staring in silence for a time while the rest of the dinner guests watched.  Proud Skies always put his career and his image first, so who was this stallion that could throw him off balance by simply being in the same room?

“I see you have taken the place of honor at the head of the table as usual, Proud Skies.  However, I have two additional guests tonight, so I’m going to have to ask you to yield your seat to Storm Blitz.”  The whispers of the other dinner guests only fueled Proud’s fury, and Storm suddenly understood why the princess wanted him here as “entertainment.”  Adopting a regal countenance Storm swaggered over to where Proud was standing, not having moved an inch and towered over him, dangerously narrowing his eyes.

“Correct me if I am wrong, but when the Princess requests you move, you move.”  Proud stomped over to the other side of the table and sat across from the pair, another pony making room for the couple as they sat down together.

“Hey, Storm, is that who I think it is?” Rainbow Dash whispered, motioning towards the glowering pony.

“Aye, that’s my nemesis, Proud Skies,” Storm murmured as they were served, the princess’ arrival signalling the start of dinner.

“So I can beat the stuffing out of him now, right?”  Storm shot her an adoring smile as he brought his glass to his mouth, taking a long draught before shaking his head slowly.

“As much as I’d love to see that,” he started with a low chuckle, “the Princess did say we were not to hurt anypony.  Not physically, anyways.  And if there’s one thing that he values most, it’s his pride.  Hitting that will almost assuredly last much longer than any physical trauma we could ever inflict.  Got any ideas?”

“Oh, I’ll think of something, rest assured,” she replied as a devious grin spread across her face, eyes glinting as she turned off her self control and let her mischievousness have free reign.  She did have to be careful, as any action too irate and any statement too crass would simply backfire back onto them.  She began threading through various subjects in her mind as she chewed thoughtfully on the gourmet cuisine.  “Hmmm, I still prefer a nice stir fry,” she muttered under her breath before again turning her mind back to the pony furiously making his way through his meal across from them.

Proud allowed himself a quick, scathing glare in Celestia’s direction, his mind reeling as he attempted to find a way to redeem the situation.  He had hoped to use this time as a chance to win new supporters for his campaign, as most everypony present were among the undecided.  They simply followed the flock, and if he could distinguish himself before Celestia, then it would make his victory in the upcoming elections of Cloudspire all but guaranteed.  Steeling his nerves he set down his glass and turned towards the Princess.

“So, Princess Celestia, I assume you looked over my proposal for Cloudspire’s reform?”

“I did, all seven copies you sent me,” she replied, her dull tone carrying her utter disinterest to everypony in the room.

“You’ll forgive me for being efficient, your majesty.  I seem to recall you losing my documents countless times,” he countered, his inference all too clear and causing a murmur as the other ponies acknowledged his boldness.  He allowed himself a slight smile as Celestia seemingly stalled, lifting her glass to her mouth slowly and taking a sip.

“I cannot help that my desk is consistently piled high with a myriad of other proposals every bit as valid as yours.  And as for your most recent plan, well, I for one do not approve.  The tax suggested would hit the ponies with the least bits the hardest, while offering no real return to the lower class.  Additionally, it would effectively lock everypony into whatever strata they currently reside in, with no hope for advancement and only the ability to fall.  Is that what you wish?”

Proud Skies scrambled for a response.  While that is exactly what was ultimately intended, the way the Princess has spun it cast him in a poor light, even if nopony present would be personally affected.

“On the contrary, Celestia.  If my bill were approved, then everypony would have their proper place, with nopony being greater than another.  Equality, if you will.”  It was a lie, of course, but it sounded good, and to anypony who didn’t know better they would be forced to reconsider Celestia’s words.

“Hey, Storm, do you have any idea what he’s talking about?” Rainbow Dash asked in a low voice.

“No idea, but the Princess doesn’t look too happy about it.  Let’s throw him off a bit, shall we?  When I take a drink, brush my side with your wing.”  Rainbow Dash nodded, and as Storm filled his mouth the sudden tickling sensation caused him to gleefully spray the contents all over Proud’s face.  The politician immediately jumped upright, livid as Storm sputtered, having actually inhaled some as he laughed.

“My apologies, Proud Skies.  Henceforth, I shall take proper care while drinking.”

“Here, have a napkin to get yourself presentable,” Celestia said calmly, her ability to cram her laughter deep inside perfected over a millennium of dealing with the bureaucracy.  Proud snatched it out of the air and cleaned his face, sitting slowly and locking eyes with Storm.

“You’d best watch yourself.  I have little patience with colts who don’t know their place.”  To his intense chagrin Storm snickered freely at the statement.  “Is something funny, Storm Blitz?”

“Oh, I just found the irony of being asked if I knew my place quite humorous, seeing as I am seated beside the Princess as a guest of honor.  Do not worry, I am well aware of my position,” he replied calmly, lifting his glass and draining it, signaling one of the servants for a refill.

“Can I have a turn?” Rainbow Dash pleaded, eyes shining with anticipation.  If it was appropriate, he would have kissed her right then and there, her eagerness to jump into the fray something he found quite appealing.  She was, in fact, terrified of Proud, but she wasn’t about to let him walk away with even a shred of pride after what he had done to Storm and his family.

“My, Proud Skies, when was the last time you groomed your wings?  They look simply dreadful,” Rainbow declared, adopting a tone befitting an upper class mare and sounding very much like the only posh pony Storm knew that was even slightly tolerable.  “The ones towards the outer edges are frayed and look like they haven’t been washed in ages.  I, for one, find it quite horrifying that you would present yourself to her Highness, Princess Celestia, in such a manner.”

“You would dare speak to me that way?  You little mongrel, you are but a foal!” he shouted, and then quailed as Celestia immediately stood upright.

“It would do you well not to shout at my guests, Proud Skies.  I find it most rude,” she growled, her scowl instilling fear in everypony present, even Rainbow Dash and Storm to a certain extent.

“Wings are for flying and nothing more, mare,” he muttered, applying himself to his meal.  Rainbow Dash fought to retain her regal poise as she launched her next arrow.

“Well, you do the Princess’ entertainment a grave disservice.  Why, just this afternoon she enjoyed a simply marvelous race presented by the Wonderbolts, who I assure you have found better uses for their wings than simple flight.  I also perceive by the dreadful condition of your feathers that you certainly must live alone as well.”

“What exactly are you inferring, miss whoever you are?”

“Oh dear, where are my manners.  I am Rainbow Dash, a name you would do well to remember.  Why, just last year I saved the lives of three of the Wonderbolts at the Junior Fliers Competition in Cloudsdale.  They even personally invited me to be their guests at the Grand Galloping Gala.”  Storm couldn’t help but be impressed with how she was playing the audience.  This mare was not just sticking it to Proud but glorifying herself without coming across as arrogant, endearing herself in the eyes of everypony there.

“You deserve this, Proud Skies,” Storm mouthed across the table as Rainbow Dash continued.

“Now, as I was saying, any pegasus with a single drop of passion would know that wings are also good for this,” she declared before turning to Storm and planting a tremendous and unexpected smooch on his face.  He immediately gave in and reciprocated, their wings shooting out full stretch.  As cries of shock sounded from the dinner guests arose, Proud whirled on Celestia.

“You would dare let such behavior go by in your presence, Your Highness?”  It was then that Luna entered, taking the situation at a glance and smiling sweetly.

“Tis a wonderful display of affection, is it not?  You could stand to learn some tenderness yourself, Proud Skies,” she replied cheerfully, sitting next to her sister who gave her an approving nod.  “Sister, I thought myself cunning until I entered and beheld what thou hast wrought, tonight.  Truly, thou art devious,” she mumbled out of the corner of her mouth, to which Celestia quickly raised her chalice and took a long drink to stem the laughter which threatened to boil over, having been building with every word Rainbow Dash spoke.  Storm couldn’t help but beam as Rainbow Dash continued, showing no mercy or signs of stopping.

“I realize that ponies do gossip, but I heard that your lovely wife was recently seen cavorting with a rather dashing stallion in Ponyville, is this true?”  A fresh wave of chatter sounded from the other guests as they cast disapproving glances at Proud, his face quickly turning red as the fury rose to dangerous limits.  “Perhaps such a travesty could have been avoided if you learned more uses for your wings,” Dash said with a coy smile, eliciting low chuckles all around.

“That mare could sleep with a hundred stallions for all I care,” he grit out, his eyes blazing with hatred.

“Oh my, you would dare insinuate that your wife is loose?  That’s not befitting a gentlecolt such as yourself, though perhaps if you had taken lessons from her stallion she may have found your presence more satisfactory.”

“Wow, if you can’t manage your own household, don’t you think it’s a little forward to run for mayor of Cloudspire?” Storm added in, adopting a thoughtful expression.  With a howl of anguish for his shattered pride, Proud leapt over the table and slammed his hoof into Storm’s face, who fell to the ground, chuckling softly.

“Guards, restrain him!” Celestia shouted, and Proud found himself immediately pinned against the wall as both princesses approached, their withering glares quelling his anger into silence.

“Heh, just like old times, eh Proud?”  He began to struggle against the guards until Celestia slammed a hoof into the stone floor, the sound resounding through the chamber and again causing no small amount of fear on Proud’s part.

“I let you into my castle, feed you, give you lodging and put up with your prattle, and you have the audacity to strike one of my guests?”  Rainbow Dash shuddered as Celestia spoke, her voice dangerously soft.

“But they,” he started weakly before screwing his eyes shut.

“SILENCE, KNAVE!” Luna bellowed, everypony but the guards and Celestia cringing.  “...my sister speaks,” she concluded, nodding to her sister.

“Thank you, Luna,” she said with a smile before turning back to Proud Skies.  “I have put up with you enough for a day.  Guards, please escort Mr. Skies out of the castle.”

“Don’t think this is over, Storm Blitz!  I’ll get you for this, you and that blasted mare!” he shouted as he was hauled unceremoniously out of the banquet hall and tossed out of the castle grounds.

“I’m terribly sorry about his behaviour, Storm.  Are you all right?” Celestia asked, hiding a smile.

“I would have taken a hundred more to see him like that.  Thank you for inviting us to dinner, Princess,” Storm replied, bowing low.  The dinner guests nodded their approval as the four walked back to their places and resumed their meal.  As the evening sky darkened the princess beckoned them close as the last of the dinner guests filed out, paying their respects and retiring to wherever they were staying in Canterlot.

“Thank you for indulging my request.  As an additional reward for an outstanding performance, I would like to offer you the best guest room at the castle.”  Storm had already made reservations at a prestigious hotel, but nothing could beat  a stay at the castle.

“We would be most honored, your Highness.”  Rainbow Dash nodded eagerly and the two princesses led them up to Twilight’s old room, the lavish interior being far and above anything that the hotel could have provided.  The massive bed was a brilliant blue, almost matching his fillyfriend’s coat, and an ornate canopy stretched over the hoof carved frame.

“I have some matters to attend to, so I must bid you both good night.  Do join me for breakfast in the morning, would you?” Celestia said as she turned to go.

“Uh, your Highness?  There’s only one bed,” Storm pointed out.

“Oh, I’m sure that you will figure out an acceptable solution,” Luna said with a grin, and the two sisters left.  It wasn’t very late, and Storm passed the time chatting with Rainbow Dash, both of them ignoring the coming evening of awkwardness.  The conversation suddenly jumped to the issues of family and childhood, and he noticed an immediate change in Rainbow Dash’s eyes, the laughter and joy slowly draining from her features.

“Dash, did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s just... I don’t have any good memories of growing up.”  Storm immediately sat beside her on the bed, and she took a deep breath before continuing.  “Like I said before, I never knew my parents...  I grew up in a foster home in Cloudsdale, and Mayor Mare pulled some strings to get me my house when I turned thirteen.  I didn’t get along with my adoptive parents, who constantly told me that I’d never have a chance at being in the Wonderbolts...  That I needed to be realistic...”

Storm couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “I tried giving up, Storm.  I tried becoming the daughter they wanted, but it just made me hurt worse.  I couldn’t betray myself or my dreams, so I took the only other option; I forced myself to be strong, even though I didn’t feel like I had anything at all.  To prove to everypony that I could do it...”

“Rainbow Dash?  Are you...” he started before she buried her face into his chest, her facade crumbling as tears rolled down her muzzle.

“Do you know... what it’s like to never feel the freedom to let your guard down?  I was on my own, I couldn’t ease up, even for a moment!  So I forced myself to be strong, to toughen up and stand against anypony who would challenge me.  But I wasn’t always like that, and there’s still a piece of me that wants to... be a fragile child, just for a moment.  To feel a parent’s acceptance for who I am...”  Even as she knew she couldn’t hope to quell the tides raging against her eyes, she fought it regardless, the word she let escape seeming too trite to be of any meaning.

“...Let it all out, Dash,” Storm whispered, pulling her close and enfolding her in his wings.  Her body quaked as years of unspoken fears and frustration poured forth upon his coat.  “Even if nopony else ever does, know that I accept you as you are, all of you.  Not just the strong, energetic side, but the weak and frightened side too.  Please, don’t ever feel you have to hide it from me...”  She wanted to speak, to thank him, something to show just how much those words meant, but she couldn’t coax any movement out of her limbs.

Her body wide tremors continued even after the last of the tears had fallen, and Storm decided that she could use a dream coming true.  He scooped her seemingly weightless frame into his arms and entered the bathroom, setting her in a sitting position under the shower nozzle.

“Storm, what are you...” she started before letting out a small gasp as she was drenched by a gentle spray of cold water.  Storm climbed in and sat underneath the water beside her for a moment before drawing her close and stopping with his mouth just a hair away from hers.

“Here’s your waterfall, as promised,” he whispered, gently stroking her tear stained face before wrapping her in his arms and kissing her passionately under the soothingly cold downpour.  They held their position for a while before retreating to the bed, where they continued.  The sensations were new to both of them, and Storm hesitated for a moment before Rainbow Dash gently eased her wings onto his, brushing them softly.  She pulled away and moaned softly as his massive black wings wrapped around her, the blue of her coat making the pink blush that much more evident.  He was about to pull them away, afraid that he had gone too far when she spread her wings out against his own, pressing firmly and stroking gently.  She rolled him over onto his side and lay next to him, caressing his muscular flanks with a hoof as he did the same.  Storm’s eyes filled with tears as she pulled away and gently lay a hoof on his face, her smile filling him with a joy he never believed possible.

“Storm, you’re the only colt for me, now and forever.  I will never leave you, so please... stay with me.”

“Always shall I be by your side, Rainbow Dash.”

Interrogation

Chapter 18: Interrogation

Coherency is a luxury in the morning, and many ponies find it to be in short supply in the hours just after sunrise.  While Storm didn’t usually have a problem with this, waking to find the mare of his dreams completely enshrouded by his wings was a tad too stimulating a sensation to wake so suddenly to, and he began to shake as he desperately attempted to make sense of the situation.  After some searching the memories of the previous night came flooding back, along with the blood flow to his cheeks, and he froze.  If he removed his wings from the mare snoring softly against his chest, he would most certainly wake her.  However, would it be better for her to wake with a start due to movement, or arousal?

“If I choose wrong, please, forgive me, Dash,” he whispered before easing his arms around her and holding her close.  She made a soft noise and pressed herself closer, still sleeping fitfully.  As the desire from the evening prior came flooding back he gently reached up with a trembling hoof and began stroking her downy wings, delicate and soft, yet backed by the strength of years of training.  Dash slowly came awake at the sensation and Storm froze as her deep, magenta eyes met his.

“You sure know how to ease the pain of waking up, Storm,” she whispered, blushing a bit as he continued hesitantly.  Rainbow Dash, however, quickly came alive and rolled on top of him, and their body temperatures ascended towards the morning sun as they quickly picked up where they had left off, Celestia slipping in unnoticed and watching for a moment.

“Oh, so you prefer such activities under the light of my sun as well?”  They both frantically separated, turning their backs to one another and staring intently at the floor.  “Like father, like son, I suppose.”

“Your majesty, I beg your mercy, please stop talking about that.”

“I find no issue with it, though if you insist I shall change the subject.  Oh, and you must have kept a copy of your apology to Luna for yourself; I think I recognized a couple of moves, Rainbow Dash.”  Storm turned to face Rainbow Dash who mouthed “Don’t ask” before shaking her head, thankful that nopony got seriously hurt from her last prank.

“So, um, what can we do for you, Celestia?”

“Nothing, you’ve already done quite enough, I just wanted to thank you again for last night and invite you to breakfast with me.  Could you spare the time?”

“Sure, after suffering through that painfully dull dinner, you owe us anyways,” Storm replied with a smirk.

“Very good, I’m glad to see we are on the same page.  Follow me, if you would.”  The two nodded, fortunately having calmed enough to be presentable in public, and followed her again into the dining hall, fortunately this time with no sign of Proud Skies.  Luna was already seated at her usual spot, and with Celestia’s arrival they were served.  Storm and Rainbow Dash both stared at the food for a moment before chuckling softly.

“What is prompting such mirth, Rainbow Dash?” Luna inquired, tilting her head slightly.

“It just strikes me as funny to see the rulers of Equestria dine on something like pancakes, especially after that fancy dinner last night.”

“Pray tell, have you something against flapjacks?” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes at the perceived disrespect for one of her favorite treats.

“Nope, nothing at all, your majesty.  Thanks for letting us eat with you.”  Rainbow Dash acted cheerful enough but being near Luna made her a little edgy regardless.  The food, however, was simple and delicious, the morning meal passing uneventfully as they chatted with the royalty.  They bid the sisters farewell and made for the station, discussing the afternoon’s training and laughing as Storm re-enacted Proud’s shaming before the guests.  As the train set off towards Ponyville, Rainbow Dash cuddled up to Storm and made herself comfortable, speaking softly and taking a few hours of peace just to talk.  She would have savored it more had she been expected to immediately be assailed by the rest of the Elements upon her arrival.

“Ahhh, she’s back, she’s back!  Rainbow Dash, did you have fun?  Did you eat candy?” Pinkie Pie shouted the moment she stepped off, hopping excitedly around the friends.

“Oh, I had my fill of sweetness, to be sure,” she mumbled, blushing slightly.

“Come, we simply must hear all about it!” Rarity cheerfully demanded, pushing Dash towards the library.

“But I was going to train today!”

“There will plenty of time for that later, there are more important things to attend to.  And I want to hear everything that happened, you’re not to leave out a single detail!”  Had she known what she was saying, she would have never asked.  Rainbow Dash called out an apology to Storm as she was dragged off, and he acknowledged it with a grin.  He was eager to get home anyways, eager to tell his parents about his unexpected little run in at the castle.  Being free of the weights he made it to the apartment quickly, and was excited to find Scootaloo home as well.

“Welcome back, son.  I can see by the look on your face that it must have gone well,” Quakehoof asserted from his place on the couch.  His mother was sitting on the floor with Scootaloo, and he braced himself for the incoming barrage of questions that was inevitably bound to come.

“So, big brother, did you kiss her?”

“Yes, Scootaloo, I did.  A lot.”  Scootaloo sputtered with disgust as Storm licked his lips, punishing her for asking such a ridiculous question.

“So, what did your master plan to win her heart entail?  Was it well received, or was she forced to put up with your less than conventional means of affection?  Come to think of it, wasn’t there rain in Canterlot?” Grace offered, adopting a thoughtful tone before shooting a grin his way.

“No, mom, I did it right this time.  Actually, I don’t think it could have been any more perfect.  First, we enjoyed a nice meal and raised some ruckus at one of those real fancy restaurants, then I took her to see the Wonderbolts Derby, and who else but Princess Celestia invited us to watch with her!”  His mother couldn’t help but beam as her son continued, and while she heard the words she was just enjoying seeing him so unashamedly joyous, something that was never really possible in Cloudspire.

“Wait, you got to meet the Wonderbolts?” Scootaloo interjected, flabbergasted.  “That must have been really exciting!  What were they like?”

“Surprisingly normal, actually.  Well, more awesome than most, but they were nothing like the snobby nobility that plagued the stands.”

“Hmmm, I wonder where his hatred from the upper class could stem from,” Quakehoof laughed lightly.

“Oh just wait, dad, it gets better.”

Twilight let them into the library and, with Cerulean and Spike’s assistance, set the living room in some semblance of order.

“Twilight, would you like me to leave?” he whispered into her ear.

“Well, I don’t mind you being here but a certain fashion queen wants this to be a mare exclusive event.  Could you take Spike and give us a few hours?” she replied softly, planting a quick kiss on his muzzle and smiling.  He nodded his understanding and left with Spike in tow, and the five friends gathered in a semicircle around Rainbow Dash as they sat down.

“Ok, Rainbow Dash, let’s git to it.  How’d it go?  Start at the beginning,” Applejack said, curious to see how this stallion stacked up on her scale.

“Well, it was a pretty packed day.  First thing he did was treat me to lunch at a real fancy place.  The food was pretty good, but the best part was dumping hot sauce in the rich ponies’ drinks!” she exclaimed, snickering.  Rarity, being a refined pony, gave a small gasp at such rude behaviour while the rest of the friends shared in Rainbow Dash’s amusement.

“And Storm just let this slide, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked as calmly as possible.

“Slide?  He was right beside me the whole time!  He sure knows how to have fun,” Rainbow replied, ignoring Rarity’s disapproval and continuing.  “Anyways, after that he absolutely made my day by pulling out two tickets to watch the Wonderbolts Derby that afternoon!  It was beyond awesome.  Fleetfoot won, of course, but Spitfire didn’t let her win easy, oh no, especialy around lap seven when she pulled ahead with a sudden burst of speed!  Oh, and we got to watch it with the Princess!”  Twilight perked up at this, not having seen her mentor a couple of weeks.

“Wow, that’s great, Rainbow Dash!”

“Oh, that’s not the half of it.  Celestia even introduced me to the Wonderbolts personally!  I got to spend most of the afternoon hanging out with the fastest fliers in Equestria.”

“That Storm sure hit the bull’s eye there,” Applejack said with a grin.  This Storm feller must be all right.  “That’s two stallions that’ve passed me up now,” she muttered with a sigh.

“Oh, don’t worry Applejack, I’m sure you’ll find a special somepony soon,” Fluttershy said, placing a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

“Go on, what happened next?” Rarity pressed, her mind too focused on the story to pay much heed to Applejack’s dismay.

“Well, the Princess said that in exchange for meeting the Wonderbolts, we had to entertain her during dinner at the castle.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely!  What did you do?” Rarity squealed excitedly, though her enthusiasm drained as her friend’s mouth curled into a fiendish grin.

“Proud Skies was at the Princess’ banquet?” Quakehoof exclaimed, causing everypony to wince.

“Dear, your volume, please.”  He immediately lowered his voice and sat down, fearing what was coming next.  “Now, Storm, please continue.  Something tells me that it wasn’t as horrifying as I would think.”

“Horrifying?  Try glorious.  Mom, the whole reason Celestia invited us in the first place was to make a fool of him.  The ruler of Equestria, reaching out her hoof to make Proud Skies miserable...  I don’t think it could have been a better night.  The real star of the show was Rainbow Dash, though.  She maintained the dignity of the elite while ripping apart everything he said.”

“Son, I approve of this mare.  Know that you have your parents’ blessing,” Flying Grace proclaimed.

“Indeed!” Quakehoof readily agreed.  “Give us some examples, what did she say?”  Storm had just finished retelling the line about him needing some lessons on passion from Quakehoof when his father’s booming laughter shook the walls of every house within half a mile, and echoing throughout the whole of Ponyville.

The mane six looked up at the sound, and Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but join in.

“Uh, was that Quakehoof?” Applejack ventured, looking towards the window

“Yep, I think it was, Storm must be telling his parents about dinner right about now,” she managed before doubling over with a severe case of the giggles.

“What’s so funny about dinner, Rainbow Dash?  Did they steal my chimicherry idea?” Pinkie asked, just as confused as the rest.

“That blowhard Proud Skies was there, and we played him so bad.  We ended up having him kicked out of the castle.  It was almost as much fun as watching the Wonderbolts!”

“That ruffian that tore apart Storm’s family?  Well, Rainbow Dash, I must applaud you.  I’d say he rightly deserved it, based on everything I’ve heard from Sweetie Belle on the subject.  Honestly, calling Scootaloo a mongrel, it’s simply unforgivable.”

“I can agree with ya there, Rarity.  Still, it’s hard to believe the princess just sat and watched all this.”

“Oh, she didn’t just watch, she encouraged it!  Even Luna joined in on the fun, it was the whole reason she brought us to dinner!”  Twilight digested the news with fascination, her perception of Celestia coming into question in light of Rainbow Dash’s revelation.  She made a mental note to speak with her teacher further about the matter at a later occasion.

“So after you took care of the meanie, what happened next?” Pinkie Pie chimed in, and Rainbow Dash’s transformation was immediate, her wings spreading out and the coloration of her face taking a hint from Fluttershy’s hair.  Applejack shot her a horrified look as everypony in the room leaned a little closer.

“Rainbow Dash, you didn’t...”

“So the princess let you stay in a castle suite?”

“...Yeah.”  His parents shot each other knowing glances before Grace turned to Scootaloo.

“Scootaloo, sweetie, why don’t you go play with your friends for a bit?” she offered, but her daughter refused to budge.

“I wanna hear the rest of the story!” she shot back, stubbornly stomping her hooves.  First he had seen the Wonderbolts, and then made a fool of Proud Skies.  There was no way she was about to miss the final chapter.

“Scoots, I’m really, really sure you don’t,” Storm warned.  “It’s not something you’d want to hear about, or that you should, for that matter.”

“What, it’s not appropriate for a filly’s ears?  That tells me plenty, son,” Quakehoof said with a frown, shaking his head slowly.  Scootaloo looked from face to face before shouting in her confusion.

“What are you talking about, dad?  Start making sense, somepony!”

“There was lots of, um, this,” Storm replied, acting like he was slobbering all over an imaginary Rainbow Dash’s face.  Scootaloo’s scream trailed off into the distance as she bolted out the door and down the road, not heading anywhere in particular as long as it was away from her nasty brother.  Storm chuckled until his father’s deep voice came from directly behind him.

“All right, Storm, out with it.  What did you do?”

Silence reigned in the library once more as Applejack’s words hung in the air.  Rainbow Dash had too many memories swirling through her mind to put together a coherent response, which Applejack took as a confirmation of her suspicions.

“First Twilight, and now you too, Dash?  If you get pregnant, there’s no way you’re gonna be able t’ compete!  An’ just look at what it’s doin’ to Twi, did ya even stop to think?  I swear, you lot are the loosest bunch of ponies I’ve ever met!”

“I beg your pardon, Applejack!  I, for one, have never been with a stallion, nor have these fine lips every been transgressed by those of another.  Such crass behavior is not fitting for one such as myself, and I’ll thank you not lump me together in your wild and unfounded accusation.”

“Um, I’ve never been kissed either, Applejack,” Fluttershy added, blushing slightly at the mere thought of it.

“Well, I can fix that, Fluttershy!” Pinkie volunteered, and Fluttershy squeaked in surprise as the wild mare jumped towards her but stopped just short as she was covered with Twilight’s magic.

“Easy there, sugar mare, I don’t think that was an invitation.  You can’t just kiss anypony, it has to be something both ponies want to do.”

“Really?  That explains all those weird looks I get...” she said thoughtfully as she was floated gently back to her seat.

“For the record, we didn’t actually, you know...” Rainbow Dash piped up, finally finding the ability to speak.

“Are you lyin’ to me, Dash?  ‘Cause if I find out you are, there’s gonna be trouble.”

“I’m telling the truth, Applejack!  There’s no way I’m gonna get pregnant, especially with the competition in less than a month!”  Applejack heaved a sigh as she relented.

“All right then, what did happen.”

“...Pretty much everything else.”

His father’s heavy hoof lifted Storm bodily and he soon found himself in the single pony sofa with Quakehoof towering over him.  Flying Grace shut the door and walked over beside him, and it became painfully obvious that there was no running away.

“So, my dear child, have you started thinking of names yet?” Grace asked before Quakehoof could start his interrogation.

“Wait, what?  No, mom!  We didn’t... do... that.”

“Oh, well that’s no fun.  It would have been interesting having three pregnant mares in Ponyville.”

“Interesting?  Try monumentally disastrous.  And you’re wrong, it was plenty of fun,” Storm replied with a laugh, his cheeks beginning to burn as he recalled the desires that had flooded through them both.

“...Is that so?”  Storm shuddered as he again noticed that his father was standing in front of him, the shock from his mother’s question temporarily overriding his fear of reprisal.  However, with that last statement, he had sealed his fate.  The only way out now was through.

“She has... really soft wings.”  He noted the shocked expressions on his parents faces then delved into Rainbow Dash’s insight into her past.  “I couldn’t... I couldn’t just do nothing.  Be angry if you want, but I don’t regret anything from that night, because I...  I think I...”  He paused, giving the words one last alteration before they left.  “No, I know... I love her.”  Storm winced as his father’s heavy hoof landed lightly on his head, ruffling his mane and causing him to peer up in confusion.  To his amazement, both of this parent were smiling proudly, his mother tearing up slightly.

“Atta’ colt, son.  Treat her right, or I really will give you something to fear.”

Rainbow Dash hadn’t meant to go as in depth in her explanation as she did, and even though she had known everypony present for years, she didn’t quite know what to make of their varied expressions.  Fluttershy was, predictably, shell shocked by the graphic nature of her words, while Rarity devoured them like Pinkie Pie did pastries.  Twilight had adopted a thoughtful expression, and Applejack was strangely calm.

“Look, I know I’m moving fast, ok?  Please, don’t be mad at me.”  Her request was met only with silence.  “Ok, somepony, please say something.  You’re making it worse.”

“Rainbow Dash, how come you never told us how ya really felt?” Applejack said softly, walking over and placing a hoof on the mare’s shoulders.  “You should know by now that we’ll stick by ya no matter what happens, just like you’d never leave us.  So you don’t need to hide anything, ok?  An’ if you ever need somepony to talk to, we’re here for ya.”  That’s what they were hung up on?

“And here I was expecting a lecture on proper dating,” Rainbow Dash said, sniffing back the tears of thanks that were budding at the corners of her eyes.  Everypony moved in and wrapped her in a group hug, and they held it until Applejack’s voice whispered into her ears.

“Don’t worry, sugarcube.  That’s comin’ too.”

The Quest for Poomf

Chapter 19: The Quest for Poomf

Three little fillies made their way through town square, looking for something to spark their interest and perhaps earn their much desired cutie marks.  However, the town was anything but active on account of the dreary, overcast skies and warnings of a storm come early evening.  With a mutual sigh they trudged onwards, silently wishing for a sunnier day.  Scootaloo looked up as Rainbow Dash punched a hole in the cloud bank, a single beam of light shining down upon the trio and lifting their spirits.

Storm followed through shortly after, both of them clad in their training gear, and motioned to the ground to take a much needed breather.  Rainbow Dash flew over and landed in his arms as they slowly made their descent.  They had been strangely open with their affection after their date at the castle a week before.  This didn’t bother Scootaloo as much as it did make her curious; why in Equestria did their wings keep doing that thing?

“Rainbow Dash, Storm, can you two break it up for a moment and talk to me?” she asked impatiently, slightly averting her gaze from the couple who were sharing a deep kiss.  Shooting Storm a quick smile, Rainbow Dash turned to answer her favorite little pegasus.

“Sure, Scootaloo, what do you wanna know?”  Before Scootaloo could answer she swept the filly into her arms and took her for a quick flight.

“Hey, you two.  How’s your day going?” Storm asked, stooping down and looking at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

“Well, ahm not one t’ complain but... we’re really bored, Storm!  We can’t find anythin’ to try to get our cutie marks!” Applebloom explained, looking up with pleading eyes.

“I hear ya, Applebloom.  I didn’t get mine until I was fifteen, and that’s a long time to wait.  Don’t get too discouraged, you’ll find it soon, I bet.”

“I sure hope so.  As much fun as it is being a Cutie Mark Crusader, it’d be even better to use our talents to help Ponyville,” Sweetie Belle replied, glancing sadly at her blank flank.  Rainbow Dash landed and let Scootaloo down, who trotted happily over to her friends before a sudden sound behind her caused her to turn.  Storm and Dash were quite contentedly liplocked and their wings shot open once more, a common sight with the two unashamed ponies.

“Ugh, stop it, Storm!” Scootaloo demanded, choking back her disgust.  Her brother fortunately relented, realizing that while he didn’t care if anypony saw, it might be a bad idea to do so in front of the three little fillies standing just a few feet from them.  “And seriously,” his sister continued, “what’s with your wings?  Why do they keep doing that?  Come to think of it, you never did answer my question.”

“Hmmm, what say we get back to training, shall we, Rainbow Dash?  I have a new trick I’d like to try.”  Rainbow Dash shot him a lewd grin, and he immediately understood that she had misinterpreted the statement intentionally.

“Oh, now that does sound fun,” she chortled.  “I can hardly wait to experience this new sensation.”

“Easy, Dash, little ears.  C’mon, fillyfriend, time’s wasting, we only have two weeks before the tryouts!”  He turned back to his sister, who was impatiently waiting for a solid answer.  “Scootaloo, if you really want to know, go ask mom.”  With that, the pair took to the skies, quickly dropping out of view as they permeated the cloud barrier.

“That brother of mine!”  She turned back to her friends who were just as confused about the bizarre ritual as she was.  “Well, I doubt we’ll get our cutie marks out of it, but I am going to get to the bottom of this and find out what makes a pegasus go poomf!  You with me?”

“Are you kiddin’?  Ahm all curious now too. Sure I’ll help!”

“Me too!” Sweetie Belle agreed, although being the more mature of the three she already had a pretty good idea of what it was.  Still, a good adventure was always fun, even if she knew the destination.  With their afternoon decided, the trio galloped as fast as they could towards Scootaloo’s house.

Rainbow Dash watched with curiosity as Storm gathered two large tufts of cloud, flattening them into discs and spacing them apart.  He then agitated them, causing them to become charged and unstable, before punching a large hole through each of them.  He continued to expand the rings until they were about ten feet wide, at which point he removed himself and watched with satisfaction as every ten seconds or so lightning would crack from one side to the other.

“Rainbow Dash, I have an idea for a stunt that would be so mind blowing, it would guarantee your victory at the tryouts.  Well, a Sonic Rainboom will probably be enough, but what if I told you we could do even better, together?”

“I’d say quit talking and tell me what to do!”  Storm acknowledged her infectious enthusiasm with a nod before pointing to the rings.

“This is an exercise I read about in the book.  You’re going to sit in the center of the ring and try to dodge the lightning as it strikes.  You will have to have complete focus not to be hit, as speed alone will not be enough.”

“Uh, no offense Storm, but that’s not much of a stunt.”

“Don’t worry,” he said with a laugh, “this is just to make sure you don’t get hurt trying the stunt.  If you get struck, I’ll pull you out; I can’t risk you getting hurt before the tryouts.  Now, wait till the next bolt then get to the center.”  Rainbow Dash flew to the center and waited, her heart beating faster with each passing second.  She braced herself and closed her eyes, clearing her mind of all distractions.  Storm waited underneath, hoping that he hadn’t sprung this on her too soon.  He doubted that a single strike would do her much harm, but anything more could have serious repercussions.

Her eyes radiated pure focus as she slowly opened them, challenging the cloud to make its move.  A flash started near her left and she deftly dodged out of the way, the bolt narrowly missing her wing but still not making contact.  Storm breathed a sigh of relief, and his worry was soon replaced with adoration as she continued, dodging more than twenty bolts before he called her out.  “That was truly impressive, Rainbow Dash, but there is one more step to the exercise.”  With that he drove the clouds into a frenzy, the surges increasing in frequency until there was a bolt nearly every second.  “Next step, you are going to loop a circle through each ring, dodging the lightning as you pass through.  If you can do this, then you’ll be ready.”

“Storm, I don’t know if I can do this.  I mean, a few times maybe, but repeatedly?”  Storm’s comforting arms descended from behind and held her close.

“Well, I believe in you, even if you don’t.  You’re the best there is, Dash.  Now, put on a little show for your stallion,” he finished with a laugh, slapping her flank playfully and pushing her forward.

“All right, Storm, feast your eyes on this!”

Flying Grace was just closing her eyes for a nap, having finished cleaning and feeling quite exhausted from carrying the extra weight, when the door swung open with a bang.  Her instincts as a mother instantly raised her guard, and a few seconds later it became quite clear as to why.

“Mom, what makes a pegasus’ wings do,” she stopped, then spread her wings out as fast as she could, “this?”  Had it just been Scootaloo present, she may have deigned to explain it to her daughter, given that between Storm and Rainbow Dash she would likely see it quite a bit.  However, she had no way of knowing what the other two fillies’ parents would think, and thus she decided to only partially explain the answer.

“Well, Scootaloo, that’s simply what happens when a pegasus kisses their very special somepony.”

“But, that happened to Rainbow Dash before she was Storm’s special somepony.  That doesn’t make any sense,” Sweetie Belle countered, the other two nodding vigorously.

“The full answer is, well, complicated, and I don’t know that you would understand.  When you get a bit older, ask me then, ok Scootaloo?

“But mom!” Scootaloo started before she received the all too familiar look, her mother’s usually gentle features degenerating to a half lidded glare.  This conversation was over.  “Fine then, we’ll find somepony else to explain!  Come on, Crusaders!”  Flying Grace sighed as the fillies scampered off, wondering if she should have just told them what they needed to know.  After all, who knows what kind of response they’d get from anypony else?

“Keep it together, Dash, you’re doing great!” Storm called out as she circled, dodging swiftly through the rings, even with her harness and tier two weights.  She had just completed the seventeenth ring when she miscalculated and a bolt blasted into her harness, sending her spinning out of control.  Storm instantly spread his wing and caught her as she fell, her wings twitching as the powerful surge fought her limbs for control.  When he made contact the lightning seemed to flee from his touch, and she looked at Storm for a moment before casting her eyes to the ground below.

“I messed up.”

“Yes, getting struck by lightning wasn’t the goal, but you did great anyways.  Actually, that was something that Lightning Wing never attempted while wearing a harness,” he said softly, knowing she was likely kicking herself over her supposed mistake.  She looked up at Storm with hope, daring to assume the best for once.

“So, does that mean?”

“Indeed.  You passed, Rainbow Dash.”  She broke free and did a few corkscrews in celebration before floating in front of him, smiling widely.

“Ok, Storm.  What’s this stunt?”  He stopped and thought for a moment before chuckling quietly.

“Actually, there is one more thing that needs to be done before I reveal it.  And it’s likely the most difficult.”  Something harder, more dangerous than dodging successive bolts of lightning?  Rainbow Dash swallowed and waited for him to continue.  “You’ve already proven that you can break the speed of sound, but for this stunt to work, you need to break the barrier at exactly the precise moment intended.  So, you need to find a way to consistently be able to create a Sonic Rainboom at a desired location.”

“Do you have any idea what you’re asking?  Up until you came, I couldn’t even pull off a Rainboom unless somepony was in danger, and now you’re telling me that two months later you expect me be able to land one in a specific spot?”

“I told you, if we can get this down, then there will be no way you won’t win.  I know it sounds crazy, but you can do this.  I know it’s a long shot, but I’d like you to at least try.”  Rainbow Dash sat silent for a moment before landing on a grassy hill just outside of Ponyville, sitting down and saying nothing.  “Rainbow Dash...”

“Well, what are you waiting for?  Get this thing off of me,” she said with a smirk, beginning to remove the weights herself.  “I’ve got a Sonic Rainboom to make.”

The Crusaders weren’t having much luck with the other pegasi in town, most of them claiming to have something to do elsewhere as soon as the question was asked.  They were becoming quite discouraged before Sweetie Belle had the brilliant idea to ask Fluttershy, who would likely be quite easy to badger into spilling the beans.  Their minds made up, they made for the cottage with all haste, slowing to a stop as they approached, feeling the deep bass in the ground before the accompanying music was audible.

Angel saw them approaching and immediately turned off the music, pointing a warning paw towards the door.  The three fillies had just raised a hoof to knock when there was a heavy clatter from inside, some noisy scraping, and timid hoofsteps approaching the door.  Their mouths gaped open as they beheld a panting Fluttershy, her mane and coat drenched in sweat and a blast of heat escaping through the entryway.

“Uh, Fluttershy?  Is everythin’ all right?” Applebloom ventured, finding her voice first.

“Hmmm?  Oh, yes, I was just, um, exercising.  Come on in,” she replied, shifting nervously as they entered.  “What can I help you girls with today?”  The cream colored pegasus gave a gasp of surprise as Scootaloo shot her wings out full spread, staring at Fluttershy expectently.

“What’s that mean, what I just did?”

“Oh my, I don’t, um, you’re a little young to be learning that, I’m afraid.”  Scootaloo let out a massive growl of frustration, stomping all four of her hooves in unison.

“I’m so sick of everypony telling me that!  Come on, Angel, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, help me tie her up!”

“Uh, ah don’t think that’s such a good...” Applebloom started before Scootaloo whirled, eyes blazing.

“I’m going to know, now move!”  The two friends looked at each, hesitating.  Angel had already grabbed a rope when Fluttershy cowed everypony into submission.

“Now wait just a minute here!  Angel, you put that rope away right now!  I said no, and that answer is final!  Scootaloo, you should be ashamed of yourself, trying to bully your friends into something they don’t want to do.  What have you got to say for yourself, miss?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Fluttershy,” Scootaloo squeaked, and Fluttershy’s expression immediately softened.  The spell was broken, and Scootaloo immediately turned to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, grabbing them and forcing them into a huddle, which Angel infiltrated right as they started their meeting.

“Ok, we can’t bully her, so why don’t we tickle her instead?  Would you two be ok with that?”

“Sure, that sounds way better than tying her up!  Great idea, Scootaloo!”

“Yeah, we’ve put way too much effort into this t’ give up now!” Applebloom confirmed, and the four turned to face Fluttershy who was slowly approaching.

“Um, girls, is everything all right?  I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“Get her!” Scootaloo cried, and Fluttershy soon found herself pinned to the floor.  She would have protested the action but she suddenly found herself deprived of air as Scootaloo dug her hooves into her ribs with gusto.

“Ok, are you going to tell us?” Scootaloo asked, pausing long enough to let her catch her breath.

“I... I don’t… think it’s...” she gasped out between giggles, and Scootaloo shrugged and raised her hooves.  “Ok, ok!  It means a pegasus wants to...”

Rainbow Dash set her sights on the black speck in the distance, regulating her breathing and hovering in place.  It wasn’t about whether or not she could pull off the Sonic Rainboom, but if she could do as Storm required and cause it right as she passed him.  “I believe in you, Rainbow Dash.”  She let those words flood her mind and heart, fixing her sights on her inspiration as he waited in the distance and spit in the face of her inhibitions.  She was going to succeed.

Storm strained to see her against the blue sky, her rainbow mane in the distance the only thing that made her visible.  Her movement was almost imperceptible as she started towards him, and he clenched a hoof to his chest, eager for her to succeed.  Her acceleration was incredible, even at the distance he was, but would it be enough?  Storm could only hope.

The resistance was building as she approached critical velocity.  “There’s not gonna be enough time,” she thought as she drew ever closer to the ending mark.  She tried to pump more energy into her wings but the training had already sapped much of her reserves.  It was then that she came close enough to see Storm’s eyes, and time froze as they became her entire focus.  New life surged through her as the fire was stoked within, and with one final push she breached the barrier, sweeping Storm into her arms as she passed and barreled through the sky as the many hued shock wave bathed the land below in its light, blasting away the cloud covering and letting the sunlight in.  Passionately kissing while exceeding the speed of sound and surrounded by shimmering lights of every color was an experience that Storm had never dreamed he would have, but as Rainbow Dash looked at him with triumphant eyes, it was an opportunity he wasn’t about to pass up.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders proceeded straight home without a word, not even bothering to bid each other farewell as they all went their separate ways.  Scootaloo quietly closed the door behind her as she entered the house, her mother looking up with curiosity as she wordlessly sat down across from her.  Flying Grace rose and served her some dinner then resumed her meal, glancing at Quakehoof a moment before returning her gaze to Scootaloo.

“Sweetie, is something wrong?”

“...I know where babies come from.”  Grace suddenly rediscovered for the millionth time why salad does not belong in one’s lungs, and after a combination of violent coughing and some well meaning pats on the back from Quakehoof, she dislodged the intruding leaf and cleared her throat.

“I did try to warn you, Scootaloo.  Some things are better left unsaid.  Perhaps you’ll trust me a little more in the future?” she offered, smiling slightly.  Scootaloo nodded and slowly began to eat, before her poor mind began to put two and two together.  Grace snapped her head up as Scootaloo suddenly began to scream, throwing her head back with her forelegs hanging limply at her sides.  “Scootaloo, what is it?  What’s wrong?”

“You’re pregnant!  That means!.. you... and dad... ahhh!!!” she continued screaming, racing from the table and into her room.  The room brought little comfort, as her mind continue its horrifying revelations one after another.  Her parents could hear every word from their seats at the dinner table, and they both closed their eyes as the poor filly’s mind fell apart.  “Wait, that means Twilight and Cerulean... ugh, it’s so gross!  I’ll never be able to look anypony in the eyes again!  Oh Celestia, I came...  I came from...”  Silence suddenly descended, and Grace cautiously eased open the door to find Scootaloo wide eyed, staring vacantly into the distance.  “Storm... and Rainbow Dash... at Canterlot...” she whispered, before tearing passed Grace and out the door, screaming into the skies with all her might.

“Storm Blitz, you pervert, you are so dead!”

All For One

Chapter 20: All for One

A series of soft knocks on the door roused Storm from his place of rest on the couch.  He took a moment to stretch, yawning deeply and wondering who could possibly be at the door at one in the morning.  The Wonderbolt Tryouts were tomorrow in Cloudsdale, and he needed all the sleep he could get.  To his surprise, he cracked open the door to find Rainbow Dash, looking terribly tired and looking up at him with pleading eyes.

“What’s wrong, Rainbow Dash?”

“I... I can’t sleep, I’m too nervous.  I can’t get tomorrow out of my head, and,” she started before Storm’s hoof gently sealed her mouth, moving over to caress her cheek.

“Come on, let’s get you home.  No arguments!  As your trainer, I say you need sleep.”  His words were commanding but his tone gentle, and they flew back to her house in silence.  They made their way back to her room, where he drew back the covers and motioned her to lie down.  She obeyed and rolled onto her side, facing away from him.  She knew she wouldn’t be able to perform with so little sleep, and she had just closed her eyes when Storm eased her over onto her stomach, kneeling over her and beginning to massage her still slightly sore back.  As the circular motions continued she felt her eyes grow heavy, his body heat flooding through her and easing her gently into the land of dreams.  Storm continued the treatment even after he began to hear her snores, and after about thirty minutes he lay down next to her, gently eased his hooves and wings around her, and drifted off to sleep.

“...ash?  Rainbow Dash, you need to wake up.”  She slowly opened her eyes and found herself curled against Storm.  The fear that she had previously forgotten rose from the pit of her stomach, and Storm squeezed her tightly as she buried her face into his chest.

“Do I have to go?”  It was a curious question.  She had spent her whole life dreaming about an opportunity like this, and now that she was face to face with making her hopes and expectations a reality, was she really going to walk away?

“Rainbow Dash, before I answer I want you to know that no matter what you choose today, I will stand by you, supporting you one hundred percent.  But I also know that you will always look back on today with regret if you opt out now, wondering about what could have been.  So, I really think you should follow through.  Win this for me, win this for you, and do my grandfather proud, because nopony is more deserving of a shot at the Wonderbolts than you.”  She said nothing for a minute or two, then nodded slowly.

“Ok, Storm, I’ll do it for you.  But, please, just hold me a little while longer,” she said softly, and she felt his wings envelop her fully, the light of day all but cut off until all she could see was Storm.  His eyes shone dimly against the darkness, her guiding light and only source of comfort as her confidence desperately tried to escape.  He allowed her ten minutes of peace before withdrawing his wings and helping her out of bed.  She put some food out for Tank, gave one last look at her house, and took wing towards the arena, where faint shouting could already be heard from her doorstep.

The coliseum that had been used for the Junior Fliers Competition was tiny compared to the one that loomed in the distance as they approached, able to house as many as two thousand pegasi.  Much to Rainbow Dash’s dismay, even an hour before the show was to start it was already filled a half of the way full.  Pegasi from all over Equestria were pouring into the main entrance, and off to the side was a smaller entrance for contestants and their trainers.  There were many more contestants than she had imagined there would be.

“Name?” came a voice carrying not the slightest interest.

“R-Rainbow Dash,” she replied, stuttering a little.

“Here’s your number, proceed.”  She was immediately waved through by security, and stared down at her number in disbelief.  Seventy four?  She glanced back and ponies were still arriving, and the dread threatened to send her into dry heaves as stage fright took a solid hold of her heart.  Storm led her around to the properly numbered room, amazed that they had managed to provide individual rooms for every contestant, small though they were.  Forty five minutes remained before they had to proceed backstage to get prepped.

The room was fairly bare, containing a mirror, two chairs, and a table with some fresh fruit.  Storm gave a small sigh as Rainbow Dash started trotting circles around the table, staring at the floor.  If she didn’t perk up soon, there was no way she was going to be able to get through the preliminaries, much less win the competition.  The contestants would compete five at a time for the first set, with only one pony advancing from each.  From there, a more rigorous set of trials would be completed four at a time, again with only the top pony moving forward.  After that, only the top ten ponies would remain, and each was to have a prepared demonstration of their abilities ready for a panel of judges.  Storm had to admit that the stakes were high, but Rainbow Dash had the talent, if he could just find a way to calm her down enough to utilize it.

“Wha?  Storm, what are you doing?” she asked as her table was suddenly pushed against the wall, making an unpleasant screeching noise.  He then trotted over and locked the door, furthering her confusion.

“Rainbow Dash, I know you’re scared.  I know you probably feel like you’re just going to blow it, that you’re going to walk away from here in shame.”

“Gee, thanks for pointing that out, Storm.  I feel better already.”  Her sullen reply left Storm unfazed as he walked up behind her and began stroking her wings, which quickly spread open and reached towards the walls on either side.  “Storm?  W-what are you doing?”

“I didn’t bring you this far to see you fail, Rainbow Dash.  Re-focus your mind, clear it of everything except that which you hold dearest to you, and let that fuel your desire.”  She closed her eyes and her mind drifted through all the countless times she had helped her friends, and the times they had helped her.  The laughter, the tears, everything she had experienced poured down on her as Storm moved in front of her and folded her wings into his own.  She placed her hooves on his chest and pushed him against the wall, staring up at him with pleading eyes.

“Please... give me strength, Storm Blitz.”  His warming smile brought her to life as he kissed her deeply, one hoof stroking her mane and the other gently caressing her flank.  Her worries were soon replaced with a singular desire to make the stallion in her arms happy, to let every heartbeat be for him and him only, and when the five minute call came she felt no fear, no trepidation, only resolve.  She was going to become a Wonderbolt.

“What the hay?  What are you all doing here?” she replied with shock as Twilight, Cerulean and the rest greeted the couple as they stepped out.  She immediately attempted to stow her wings but they were quite content to stay unfurled, and she soon gave up trying to force it.

“Stress relief, Storm?” Cerulean asked.

“Indeed,” he replied with a low chuckle.

“You didn’t expect to do this alone, did you?  I was there at your previous competition, and I shall cheer you on here as well,” Rarity declared, the rest nodding their agreement.

“If anypony can win this, it’s you Dash.  Show ‘em how t’ do it, Ponyville style!” Applejack whooped, stomping a hoof.

“Everypony, thank you.  Seriously, you just made my day.”

“Attention all contestants: please proceed to your designated places.  Repeat...” the voice blared over the speakers.

“All right, everypony, prepare to be amazed.  C’mon, Storm Blitz, we have a contest to win!”  Their friends cheers sent them away and Rainbow Dash donned her number and stretched her limbs.  She wished she had a lower number so she could get to the showing off, but she discussed her routine with Storm until it was her time.  The first stage of the competition was a test of speed and agility.  It combined a ten lap race with an intense obstacle course, with time penalties for every cloud a pony came into contact with.  Getting to the finish line first wouldn’t matter if she plowed through every cloud in her path, and there were many.  Still, with her freedom from the weights, she took her place on the line and hunched down, ready to show the world who was the greatest flier in Ponyville.

“Look, Spitfire, it’s your favorite little fan,” Soarin chuckled as Rainbow Dash took her position, awaiting the starting call.  “I know that pulling off a Sonic Rainboom is impressive to any pegasus, but it will take more than pure speed to make it to the top.  Do you really think she has what it takes?”  His leader nodded, smiling.

“Just watch, Soarin.  She’s not much different from you, she’s put her whole life towards this day.  And with the grandson of Lightning Wing as her trainer, we’re sure to see something impressive today.”  She fell silent as the starting gun fired, and Rainbow Dash immediately pulled ahead of the competition, nimbly weaving through the clouds without touching a single one.  Soarin’s jaw dropped as she finished her tenth lap as the others were just coming around their seventh, but seeing them ahead she assumed she had fallen behind and pushed harder, completing a total of fourteen perfect laps before the flag pony stopped her, explaining that she had finished laps ago.  “That, right there, is what the Wonderbolts need.  I’m pretty sure she just set some kind of record, and look, she’s not even showing off.  She’s perfect.”

“Hmmm, so ten perfect laps and passing the rest of the competition isn’t enough, you have to do four more just for kicks?  Way to stick it to ‘em, Dash,” Storm said with a grin as she trotted back, brimming with confidence.

“Well, the Wonderbolts are show ponies, and it’s no good if the audience doesn’t have something exciting to feed on, right?”  He held her close as they watched the rest of the contestants compete, her head resting lightly on his chest.  “Still, about the final act of our routine, do you think they will allow you to help?”

“You make a good point, as it’s supposed to be a solo act.  Try to get Spitfire or Soarin’s attention so I can speak with them.”  She walked to the edge of the stage she was on with the rest of the winners and waved in Spitfire’s direction, who fortunately looked straight at her.  Rainbow Dash motioned her over as the other contestants snickered.  As if the leader of the Wonderbolts would acknowledge a simple show off like her!  They soon dropped silent as she left her seat near the judges and flew high so as to not disturb the proceedings then drop like a rock, landing lightly in front of Rainbow Dash.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

“I’m not meaning to be presumptuous, but the rules clearly state that I must perform alone.  However, the stunt I want to close my act with is really dangerous, and I would need Storm’s help getting it set up.  Is there any way an exception could be made to allow him onto the field?”

“It would be difficult even for me to swing such a thing, can you give me more details?”

“I assume you’re familiar with Lightning Wing’s stunts?”

“Wouldn’t be able to call myself a Wonderbolt without studying him, he was one of the best.  Wait, don’t tell me...” she said, glancing at Storm Blitz.

“Ever heard of lightning racing?”

“Rainbow Dash, do you have any idea how dangerous that is?  One mistake and your career could be over for good.”

“Oh, don’t worry, that’s only half of the stunt.  So, can you get permission?”

“I’ll do my best, though even if they agree, know that you will be put under that much more pressure and scrutiny.  Are you ok with that?”

“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be awesome, you’ll see.  Besides,” she said, looking up at Storm, “I have all the confidence I could need.”  Spitfire gave them a nod and took off, landing beside Soarin with an excited grin pasted on her face.

“So, what did she want?”

“She wants to do what hasn’t been done in years.  She’s going to race lightning.”

“What, are you serious?” he exclaimed, knowing exactly how dangerous that was.

“That’s not the half of it, she’s going to combine it with another stunt she didn’t mention.  If she can pull this off, it will be the single greatest stunt I’ve ever heard of.  But if she fails, she likely won’t be alive to suffer from the shame.”

The second tier of the competition was a twenty lap race within a startling dangerous track, half of the obstacles being agitated storm clouds that, should they be broken, would be equivocal to taking a bolt of lightning full force.  In addition, a time limit was put on each lap to prevent careful calculations, with hitting the white clouds detracting from the lap time, meaning easy disqualification for anypony too rushed.  They wanted only the best, and it wasn’t even guaranteed that there would be a winner each set.  Pegasi were stationed underneath in case one of the contestants took one storm cloud too many and fell, which would likely be more than Rainbow Dash cared to admit.

She was due to compete in the fifth set, and the first two didn’t even yield a winner, the contestants either disqualified or falling unconscious towards the ground far below.  The third and fourth were barely finished, but the finalists cried out their victory to the skies upon completion all the same.  Storm placed a firm hoof on her shoulder and nodded, sending her away and praying that, if nothing else, she would escape unharmed, even if this was foal’s play compared to the stunt they had planned.  Rainbow Dash cast one more glance at Storm and steeled herself as the judge gave the final countdown.

“Three... two... one...  Go!”

Spitfire and Soarin watched with complete fascination as she completed the first ten laps ahead of schedule, though they noticed a slight decrease in her speeds as she proceeded into the last half.  Rainbow Dash was well ahead of the competition, but her speed had started to agitate the usually harmless white clouds to a point that they started to drift, forming large blocks that threatened to obscure the path completely, but she pressed on, completing laps eighteen and nineteen with great effort before starting the final circuit.

“Soarin, look!” Spitfire said, pointing towards the finish line where a massive cloud had all but obscured the finish.

“Don’t do it,” Soarin said through clenched teeth.  “A cloud that size could easily cripple her, this competition isn’t worth losing your wings.”

“On the contrary, that mare lives and breaths for a chance for at being a Wonderbolt.  If she fails now, she’ll never forgive herself.  Still, I’m not sure even she can,” she said before stopping to see how Rainbow Dash reacted to the obstruction.  Spitfire gave a small gasp of shock as the cyan mare threw herself into a series of speedy corkscrews, punching straight through amidst a shower of sparks.  She faltered as she passed the finish line amidst cries of adoration from the crowd, placing a hoof to her head as Storm flew out to attend to her, leading her to the victor’s stand where the other two pegasi that had won regarded her with fascination.

“Dash, are you all right?  That was really dangerous, you know.”

“This from the pegasus that shrugs off lightning like rain,” she said, wincing.  She still had full motor control but the tips of her limbs were still attempting to shake off the numbness, and a migraine was trying to take a hold regardless of her dire mental warnings.  “I don’t have the luxury of hesitation.  Don’t worry, I’m fine, though if you hadn’t trained me and I wasn’t expecting it, I think that would have been the end for my competition.”  An enraged shout from near the security station caused her to laugh, Rarity’s voice rising above the clamor of the crowds.

“I don’t care if it’s a restricted area or not, that pegasus is my friend and I will make sure she is all right, do you hear me?  Get your hooves off of me, scoundrel!”  Rainbow Dash trotted over and gave the guard a good glare as she was about to have Rarity swiftly escorted from the stadium.

“Easy there, she’s cool.  They’re close friends of mine,” she quickly explained, motioning to the rest of her friends that had gathered behind Rarity.

“Rainbow Dash, are you all right?  That looked painful,” Twilight said, giving her body a good examination.

“There’s some numbness in my hooves, and my head is killing me, but I’ll live.”

“Well that’s no way to compete.  Come here,” Twilight demanded.  She dutifully obeyed, and soon she was bathed in a soft violet glow, the tingling sensation in her extremities draining away and the pounding in the back of her head slowly receding.  “There, all better?”

“Wow, yeah, thanks Twilight!”

“Good luck with the last part, Rainbow Dash.  I hope you win,” Fluttershy said, offering a dainty cheer.

“Thanks, everypony.  I won’t disappoint you all, I promise.”

“You couldn’t disappoint us if ya tried, sugarcube.  We’re beside you, win or lose, fair weather or foul.”  Rainbow Dash nodded confidently, returning to the victor’s box with tears in her eyes.

A total of six ponies made it to the finals, and anxiety ran high as they were assigned their performance order.  Rainbow Dash had been hoping to go first, if only to get it out of the way, but she found herself in the last slot.  An hour break was called for the finalists to make any last minute preparations, and right as Storm and Dash turned to leave Soarin landed nearby and trotted over.

“Storm has been cleared to assist you for the final stage of your performance.  Please be careful, Rainbow Dash.  It will be hard to please a crowd with no wings, or worse.”  She nodded and he took off, having said his piece.

“That really, really didn’t help my nerves,” she muttered as they made their way back to room number seventy four.

“Hmmm, well as much as I’d like to fix that, I think a bite to eat may do you better in the long run.  You haven’t eaten all morning.  Do you think you could stomach anything?”

“Most likely, but not a lot, just a little something to keep me going.”

“How about some cupcakes?” Pinkie Pie inquired, popping up beside them.

“How did you even get back here, Pinkie?  And are they normal cupcakes?  Nothing special added to them, the frosting, the wrapping, or anything else that may or may not have come into contact with them?”

“Nope, just regular cupcakes!” she beamed, holding out the box.  Rainbow Dash picked out two and handed one to Storm, thanking Pinkie Pie who waved cheerfully before bolting from security.  They entered their room and Storm sat on the floor with his back against the wall, motioning Dash to take a seat next to him.  She instead sat upon his lap, laying against him and closing her eyes, her face flushing slightly as Storm’s muscular wings draped around her.  They passed the remaining time in silence, though every second was sweet, a moment Rainbow Dash promised herself to treasure.  It didn’t seem like long before the competition resumed, and she again stepped out into the daylight.

Storm refused to let her watch the performances, knowing that if she did she would only have starting comparing herself to the others, which would in turn give rise to doubt.  She had struggled for a bit before falling into silence, though the explosive cheers from the act before hers told her that she would be hard pressed to top it.  Storm himself was shocked, though he said nothing.  He knew that if they could work together, then nopony could top them.

“And now, would the final contestant, Miss Rainbow Dash, please make her way to the center of the coliseum.”

“This is it, Dash.  Let’s show them what a true Wonberbolt is made of.”

“You got it, Storm.  The Wonderbolts are about to get twenty percent cooler.”  They stopped short as the announcer began to speak.

“Due to the danger of your proposed stunt, you have been selected to go last.  Any materials required will be provided for you, and no liability is assumed by this establishment, agreed?”

“Understood.  We request a large amount of cloud be added to the skies above the coliseum,” Storm replied without hesitation.  The judges gave the weather pegasi a nod, and soon a single, massive cloud was formed a good twenty feet above the stands.  Their task finished, the pegasi left the field and all eyes turned towards Rainbow Dash and Storm.

“You may begin.”  Storm and Rainbow Dash took off in unison, plowing a massive hole through the cloud.  Rainbow Dash streaked into the distance while Storm flew circles around the center, and the spectators began to speak in hushed whispers as the clouds darkened, the crackle of electricity clearly audible.  Having hollowed the center sufficiently, he began stretching the ends into a long shaft, breaking it apart every couple of feet so the crowds could see through the sides.  A bolt of lighting cracked through the center, striking Storm and causing a gasp from the crowds, who stared amazed as he shrugged off the blow, continuing his preparations as Rainbow Dash continued towards her assigned spot, the perfect distance from the center of the charged mass that had become a speck in the distance.  Having elongated the clouds to their desired positions, he exited the mass and began flying tight circles around the structure with increasing speeds, the once immobile mass quickly becoming a dangerous maelstrom, nearly constant bolts of lightning shooting forth in all directions.  His task done he took his place in the center, causing cries of surprise and worry from everypony watching below.

“Spitfire, is that colt trying to get himself killed?  He’s been struck at least five times but he’s still flying; that’s unheard of!”

“I can’t explain it either, Soarin.  No pegasus can withstand that kind of trauma, but he doesn’t appear fazed at all.  The same can’t be said for Rainbow Dash, though.  I really hope she lives through this.  I don’t know what I’d do if I saw that much passion die so young.”

Something was wrong.  Storm had given her the go ahead, but she remained poised above the whirling mass of destructive lightning.  If she didn’t act soon, the judges would disqualify her.  She was too far away for his voice to reach her, but he had to do something.  A single though ran through his mind, and he knew it was the answer.  Flying towards the top, he scraped his wings along the side, the electricity coating his body and crackling dangerously as the tips of his wings caught fire.  As indestructible as he may appear, even his body had a limit, and as he neared the top he let one last bolt strike him before he closed his eyes and folded his wings, allowing himself to fall.

“Oh no, Storm!  Hang on!” Rainbow Dash cried as she saw him begin his descent.  Desperation replaced her gut wrenching fear of failure as the faint red glow of his wings came into view.  Her eyes darted back and forth, watching the lightning shooting across each ring, the hours spent training and every moment spent with Storm flashing through her mind at once.  Even if she lost, even if she had to sacrifice herself, she wasn’t going to lose what was dearest to her heart.  She ignored the growing cries of horror sounding from the crowd still far below and pushed herself to the limit, slicing through the resistance of the air that attempted to stand between her and Storm.  The lightning raced past her as she wheeled past every bolt, and with one last push broke through the barrier.

Nopony present had ever witnessed the sight that transfixed everpony in the stands, the judges leaping from their seats as their jaws hit the floor.  At precisely the center of the terrifying storm a massive explosion sounded as rainbow light dispelled the clouds, sending out multi-hued bolts of lightning scattering in all direction, forking and branching out over at least a mile radius.  The resulting shock wave drenched the land in a myriad of colors and flooded the coliseum with magic, a thin layer of static suffusing the area and causing the very air to shimmer.  Absolute silence followed in the wake, followed by ear splitting cheers as every pony around shouted their praise at the sight.  All of this was background noise to Rainbow Dash as she clung to the one thing that truly mattered, and as she hoisted him back to the stands she landed in a heap over him.

“Storm?  Storm, please, wake up!”

“Easy, Dash, my head.  Oooh, that’s the last time I take twenty bolts of lightning without a break,” he moaned, smiling up at Rainbow Dash.

“You idiot!  Look at yourself, you could have died!”  Storm took a moment to check the damage, and was amazed that he could still fly.  A large portion of his mane had been charred black, and the scent of burning feathers permeated the air, having lost a good fifteen to twenty percent of them from the blaze that wrapped his wings.  It would take weeks, maybe months for the damages to heal, but it was worth it, and his chuckles only confused Rainbow Dash even more.

“You hear that, Dash?”  She suddenly noticed the deafening roar in the background, turning with wonder to see everypony in the stadium singing her praises to the heavens.  Storm grabbed her by the hoof and flew her out to the center, where she turned a slow circle, unable to come to terms with the fact that her dreams were becoming reality right before her very eyes.

“The judges will now deliberate, and decide on a winner for the competition.  Would the finalists please join Miss Dash at the center of the coliseum.”  Rainbow Dash partially hid behind Storm as the other’s approached, expecting to be despised for her stunt but instead they lauded her abilities, congratulating her on her victory and encouraging her to always strive to reach new limits.  Storm held her proudly as tears streamed down her face, the full weight of her joy spilling forth.  “The winner for this years Wonderbolt Tryout has been decided.  Please welcome the newest addition to Equestria’s finest fliers, Miss Rai...” and suddenly a hoof was slapped over the microphone.  Even from their position, shouts of rage could be heard from the judges as a well dressed pegasus held up a paper and yelling back.  Soarin flew over and ripped it to pieces, and the shouts continued before slowly coming to an end.  The announcer made no attempt to hide the anger in his voice as he spoke.

“By the decree of Proud Skies, Rainbow Dash has been disqualified.”

At the End of Hope

Chapter 21: At the End of Hope

The announcer’s voice and every other noise faded from the world until Rainbow Dash could hear only silence.  For a moment, the glory, the adulation of the crowds, that little snippet of her name had fulfilled her life long dream.  And then, in but an instant, it was taken away without cause.  A sharp, lancing pain in her chest confirmed that right there, in the view of two thousand ponies, her heart shattered.  There was no joy, no hope, only the crushing weight of despair.

Storm had been in the middle of giving the messenger from Proud Skies a well deserved throttling when he saw a rainbow streak overhead.  He delivered one last blow before giving chase, but she was flying much too fast for him to catch up right away.  He urged his wings to greater limits, beginning to close the distance, but still trailing far behind, Rainbow Dash just a mere speck in the distance.  He breathed a sigh of relief as she landed at her cloud home, slowly opening the door and walking inside.  He caught up a few minutes later, and found her curled up on her bed.  He immediately gathered her into his arms, sheltering her with his wings.

“Rainbow Dash, this isn’t going to stand.  He may have sway, but he just personally ticked off the Wonderbolts and two thousand of their fans.  There’s no way this is going to...”

“It’s over, Storm.  Just leave me alone.”  The black stallion slowly rose and left without a word, closing the door gently behind him.  Not only had Proud Skies hurt the mare he treasured over everything else, but now he had embittered her against him.  It was painful to admit, but it was his past that had caused her to be disqualified.  He couldn’t really object. He had no counter argument, only a smoldering, bestial rage towards the one who had hurt his family, and now his ex-fillyfriend, more than any other pony ever could hope to.  But it would not stand.

“Even if I die, even if I lose my wings or spend the rest of my life rotting in prison, I will not let you win, Proud,” he muttered, ignoring the tears of rage that were starting to fall.  He gave one more look at Rainbow Dash’s house before making straight for home, leaving Rainbow Dash behind as he let vengeance control his mind.

“Spitfire, this is ridiculous!  I don’t care who he is, nopony is allowed to mess with us like that!  We can’t just let this slide!” Soarin raved, stomping around the room.  The cries of outrage could still be heard from outside as the crowd chanted Rainbow Dash’s name in open defiance of the decree.

“Of course not, you idiot!  That mare is going to be a Wonderbolt, regardless of what anypony says.  Did you recognize the name, Proud Skies?”

“Sounds familiar, but I certainly won’t forget it now, why?” he replied with an agitated snort.

“He’s the one who commissioned our next show, the one in Cloudspire.  But after this little stunt of his, he’s in for a big surprise when we get there.”  A malicious smile slowly spread across Soarin’s face, and Spitfire matched it.

“Do you have a plan?”

“Oh yeah, we’re not going to leave a single pony there that still likes him after we’re through.”

“Good.  I just hope Rainbow Dash can survive that long.  Did you see the look in her eyes when the messenger made the announcement?”  Spitfire nodded sadly.

“I can only hope that Storm Blitz can reignite the fires within, or else even if we clear her, she’ll never be able to perform again.”

“Brother?  What’s wrong, you look really scary,”  Scootaloo asked as he barged in, his mother and father looking up in shock as their son was shaking with unrestrained rage.  His marred wings and torched mane only added to his terrifying countenance as he roared, slamming a hoof into the ground and cracking the floor.

“Mom, do you have anything that can ruin Proud Skies?  I won’t stop until I see him burn!”  Scootaloo ran to Flying Grace, cowering behind her. Undiluted hatred seemed to radiate from Storm’s entire being.

“Son, you need to calm down, you’re scaring your sister,” his mother pleaded softly, cringing as he brought his voice to a shout.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, that bastard had gone too far!”

“You will not shout at your mother like that!” Quakehoof bellowed, stomping a hoof and shaking the whole structure.  Storm glared defiantly for a moment before the anger slowly drained away, leaving him feeling helpless.  His father’s expression softened as he watched his son sink to the ground, tears pouring from his eyes.

“Dad, mom, please, we have to do something.  Rainbow Dash won, we both won together but then... at the end, a messenger announced that she had been disqualified on the order of Proud Skies...”  His mother’s face soon mirrored the anger with which he had entered the house.  “It broke her heart, mom.  I could see it but I couldn’t do anything.  How could I?  It’s my fault her dreams got taken away.  It’s all... all my...” and then he couldn’t restrain it any longer as he wept.

“I warned him not to mess with my family, and now he’s going to pay,” Grace growled, and Storm lifted his head to watch his mother hastily scrawl a note, then attach it to an unmarked envelope that she had hidden in Quakehoof’s room.  “Get this to Princess Celestia as fast as you can, then go be with Rainbow Dash.  If you come home tonight, you’ll be in trouble.”

“Mom, she... she and I aren’t together anymore, she told me it’s over.”

“What exactly did she say, word for word?”

“She said ‘It’s over, Storm.  Just leave me alone.’”  To his surprise his mother heaved an exasperated sigh and attempted to hoist him to his feet.

“You really haven’t learned anything about mares, have you?  She wasn’t breaking up with you, she was talking about her career and dreams.  And when a mare says ‘leave me alone,’ it means ‘please, don’t leave me.’  You get back to her house right now and next time I see you, it better be with her.  Send off that letter, and then get back where you belong, by her side.”  Storm slowly stood up, the words sparking a small glimmer of hope where he thought none remained.  He ran to his room, grabbed his saddlebag, stowed the letter inside then was about to sprint to the post office before he saw Cerulean flying to meet him.

“Storm, I went to check on Rainbow Dash but she wouldn’t answer.  Please, go try to help her.”

“Cerulean, this is really important.  Can you mail this letter to Princess Celestia for me while I go see what I can do for her?”

“Like you even have to ask?  Give me that, dragon magic is faster anyways.  She’ll receive this in no more than ten minutes.”

“Thanks, Cerulean, I owe you.”

“Not at all, now go.  Heal her heart.”

There was no response when Storm Blitz knocked on the door of Rainbow Dash's home, and he cautiously opened the door. The door to her room was closed, and Tank was poking his head over the wall around his enclosure, his worry clear in the frown he wore.

“Don't worry, Tank. I'm going to do my best to cheer her up, ok?” The tortoise nodded slowly and continued staring towards her room as Storm Blitz entered. She hadn't moved from her spot on the bed, though the sheets were soaked with tears. He slowly made his way over to her side and set down the saddle bag, watching her closely. She was definitely awake, but she was refusing to acknowledge his presence, and he began to fear his mother was wrong in her assessment. “Rainbow Dash? Can you hear me?” She remained silent, the only movement was her painfully shallow breaths. Storm couldn't help himself as the tears welled within his eyes, the sight of seeing her so defeated tearing at his heart like the claws of a manticore.

“I know that no matter what I say, you'll probably hate me just the same. It was my past that shattered your dreams and crushed your spirits, and if you never forgive me, I understand...” Still nothing, not a single sign that she knew he was pouring out his heart. But it didn't matter, really. It was clear that his mother was wrong. She'd never want to see him again. His words were true though, and they needed to be spoken. “I want you to know that what you did today was the most impressive, awe inspiring feat I have ever seen or heard of, even greater than all the tricks I saw my grandfather perform.” Rainbow Dash shuddered a moment before curling even tighter, and the will to fight the tears gave out as Storm began to cry. “Rainbow Dash, you've given me more than I could ever dream of having, and I want you to know that... that I would give my wings for you, and only you.”

Rainbow Dash had heard every word, but until she had heard that she didn't feel the strength to respond. However, giving one's wings was equivocal to giving up one’s life, or even more actually, as the pegasus would have to continue life without them. It was an expression that was almost never used, because nopony in their right minds would ever yield so great a treasure. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes and stared at the hulking black pegasus weeping unashamedly before her, her own eyes filling with tears as his eyes met hers. “Rainbow Dash, I'll leave you alone just like you said you wanted, but I... I love you.”

As the words traveled through her mind and into her heart, the strength to continue slowly suffused her limbs. Her own tears began to flow again as he pulled out his grandfather's medal and draped it around her neck. “That's my last memento of Lightning Wing, his most prized possession. You've earned it. I'm sorry... I'm sorry I...” He couldn't continue, as the weight of losing Rainbow Dash overshadowed everything else, even his hatred for Proud Skies. He stood quickly and prepared to run when a hoof shot out and grabbed his fore leg, followed by a pained whisper.

“Don't go...” He turned slowly and looked to see Rainbow Dash looking up at him with pleading eyes. “Please, don't leave me alone. I don't want to lose any more than I have today...  You, and my friends, you’re all I have left!  You said... that you’d always be by my side...”

“But I thought you said...”

“Even if it hurts...”  The conversation came back to Storm’s mind, and his fears melted away as he realized that regardless of what she had said or he thought, his place was by her side.  Always, just like he had said.  He felt a gentle tug and he climbed onto the bed, laying beside her as he sheltered her within his wings, safe from the world.  “Storm... I... I love you too.”  With that she pressed against him, kissing him deeply and spreading her wings against his, the arousal causing them both to moan quietly as their wings stiffened at the sensation.  Rainbow Dash eased him onto his back and stood over him a moment, admiring his form.  Her breathing became rapid as she fought for air, her body seeming to catch fire as she began to lower herself towards her most precious treasure, the medal around her neck touching down on his chest.

They both gave a start as a knock sounded from the door, and Rainbow Dash quickly jumped off the bed and sat shivering in the corner as she tried to stem the desire that was flooding her body and soul.  Storm lay semi-paralyzed by the experience, and his mind was taking its sweet time attempting to reboot.  The knocking continued and after a few minutes they hesitantly made their way to the door, their wings still refusing to furl and both still quite visibly flushed.  Storm swung open the door and they were greeted by Soarin and Spitfire.  The pair immediately noticed the couples condition, and Soarin couldn’t help but laugh.

“And here we were all worried that you had given up on life,” Soarin said as he descended into chuckles.

“What, with a stallion like that?  Not a chance,” she fired back, smiling as the two ponies shifted uncomfortably.  “Really, how are you Rainbow Dash?  Are you going to be ok?  I was pretty worried you’d do something stupid and get yourself hurt.  I’ve let my anger get the best of me a time or two myself, and it wasn’t pretty.”

“Really?”

“Are you kidding?  She’s done all sorts of moronic...” Soarin started before Spitfire jabbed him solidly in the ribs, winding him and making it quite clear that such information was classified.

“Listen, Rainbow Dash, you impressed us all back there.  We want you on the team, regardless of whatever that puffed up politician has to say about it.  We promise you, Dash, we’re gonna fight this to the bitter end.  You’re going to be a Wonderbolt, you’ve earned it.”  She stopped with a gasp as she saw the medal hanging from Rainbow Dash’s neck.  “Is that...”

“The Wonderbolt of the Year award, won by my grandfather Lightning Wing?  Yes, it is.  I thought she should get used to wearing one now,” Storm replied, placing a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder as her eyes lit up.

“Heh, beware of overconfidence, though I’m not sure there is such a thing for you, Dash,” Spitfire warned.  “Always strive to improve, or you will inevitably atrophy.”  She paused, turning to Storm and fixing him with a sly smile.  “Keep training her well, Storm.  Oh, and if you want a spot in the Wonderbolts, it’s yours.”

“Are you serious?” he whispered before again finding his voice.  “I’m way behind Rainbow Dash, there’s no way I could keep up.”

“Perhaps not as you are now, but if you train alongside Rainbow Dash I’m sure she can help you get up to speed.  The blood of the Wonderbolts flows in your veins, Storm Blitz.  It’d be a shame not to use it.  Oh, and get yourself groomed,” she said with a laugh, motioning towards his wings and mane.  “You’re a disaster, and that’s no way to present yourself before a crowd, much less your fillyfriend.”  A small gurgle sounded and all eyes turned to Soarin.

“Sorry. Haven’t eaten anything since before the tryouts started.  Where can a pony get a decent pie around here?”

“Try Sugarcube Corner, Mr. and Mrs. Cake should have plenty,” Rainbow Dash giggled, the sudden interjection and words of praise and encouragement meshing with Storm’s presence to return her to her usual self.

“You heard her, Spitfire!  Delectable goodness awaits!” Soarin cried as he took wing, diving towards the gingerbread house barely visible in the distance.

“Hang in there, Rainbow Dash.  Expect to hear from us soon.”

Celestia was always delighted to receive mail from Twilight, even if the last few letters had been rather dire.  However, she was surprised to see not a scroll but an envelop appear before her with a note attached to the outside.

“Princess Celestia,

Proud Skies has gone too far.  Inside are original documents that I found within his study.  I had not planned to use them unless he hurt me or my family, but he has had Rainbow Dash unlawfully disqualified after winning the Wonderbolts Tryouts today in Cloudsdale.  Please, your Highness, do all you can to make him suffer.

Flying Grace”

Like a filly at her birthday party, Celestia immediately tore open the envelop and read the contents.  Slowly, a deep, rumbling laugh built from the pit of her stomach, echoing throughout the castle as she mentally made a note to personally recompense Flying Grace for her service to Equestria.  He had a meeting scheduled with her right after the Wonderbolts show in Cloudspire in just under a week.  She could hardly stand the anticipation as she trotted in circles, behaving all the world like an excited foal.

“Dear sister, art thou all right?  You sounded just like Discord a moment ago!” Luna exclaimed as she rushed into the room.  Celestia fell into a fit of giggles as she levitated the letters over to Luna, whose eyes grew wide as she read the contents and a fiendish grin spread across her muzzle.  “Verily, we indeed owe Flying Grace a great debt of gratitude for this gift.  Have you determined a punishment befitting such crimes, dear sister?”

“Do not worry yourself, Luna, he will come to see the folly of his actions soon enough.  In the mean time, would you do me a favor?”  Celestia whispered into Luna’s ear, and she snickered as they formed their plan.

“...What happened to you?” Proud asked as his messenger returned, covered in deep bruises and multiple bandages.

“Your ultimatum was not well received,” he said with a growl, glaring at Proud, who made it clear he couldn’t care less what his lackey thought.

“I don’t particularly care what you or any other pony thinks on the matter,” he replied haughtily.  “Storm Blitz needed a clear reminder of where he belongs, especially after having me thrown out of the castle like common rabble.  And that blasted mare, too.”

“This isn’t going to help your campaign for mayor, sir.”  The hapless pony cringed as Proud whirled on him.

“I don’t care!  Nopony makes a fool out of me like that, do you hear me?  Nopony!  Storm Blitz will suffer to the end of his days, and I will make sure of it.  So what if I upset a couple paupers in the process?  They’re the dregs of society, weighing this glorious city down. They’d be doing us all a favor if they’d just lay down and die.”

“Well, speaking as one of the dregs, I hope you fail miserably.  I’m done with you, Proud.”  With that, he left the room, ignoring the enraged shouts behind him.

“We will see who is on top when the Wonderbolts perform for me personally.  Oh yes, I doubt you’ll be so cocky then, whelp.”

A sudden burst of green flames from Spike’s mouth signaled the reply from the Princess nearly two hours later.  It had taken longer than Cerulean would have expected, but he gave Twilight an apologetic look for ending her massage early and gave a grateful sigh as she smiled, waving him off.  He shut the door behind him and took off towards Storm’s house, the letter hovering beside him as he flew.  Flying Grace answered the door, confusion written on her face.

“Cerulean, what is it?  Is Twilight all right?”

“Huh?  Oh, yeah, she’s doing great.  Thank you again for talking to her...”

“My pleasure, Cerulean.  Now, what brings you here tonight?”  He held out the letter and waited patiently while she read it, amazed that she had received such a prompt response.

“Mom, what’s it say?” Scootaloo asked, trotting over.  Her mother read the contents aloud, a delighted grin growing as she did so.

“Flying Grace,

I would like to thank you in person for your package.  Rest assured, appropriate action will be taken.  Please bring your family to Canterlot exactly one week from today.  I look forward to seeing you again.

Verily, he shall suffer for his despicable acts!  We wish you come bare witness.

Princess Celestia

Princess Luna      ”

“I wouldn’t like to be Proud Skies in a week; Luna can be quite frightening,” Cerulean mentioned with a nervous laugh.

“Indeed!  Thank you, Cerulean.  You have brought our family great news tonight.”

“I’m glad to be of assistance, really.  From everything I’ve seen and heard, your son is a stallion to be proud of.”

“Well, duh!  He taught me to fly, so of course he’s awesome!” Scootaloo beamed, the seriousness of the moment broken by her innocence.  Everypony had a good laugh, and Cerulean was about to bid them goodnight before Flying Grace stopped him.

“Cerulean, if I may, I’d like to ask one more thing of you before you go.  Could you deliver this to Storm?  He should be at Rainbow Dash’s house in Cloudsdale.”  Cerulean offered his hoof and she dropped a single pill onto it.  He stared at in confusion a moment before blushing deeply.

“Is this what I think it is?”  Flying Grace smiled and nodded.

“Proud ordered me to take them when I returned here to visit, but I had no intention of using them.  I think Storm will find a better use for them than I.”

“Did you take these every day back at Cloudspire?”

“That would only have been necessary for a stallion that could actually perform.  Now run along, Cerulean, before it’s too late.”  Cerulean obeyed and took wing as Quakehoof’s booming laughter shook the ground below.

Tank couldn’t understand why it was that the two ponies on the couch were so fascinated with each other that they needed to connect their muzzles, changing angles every so often and petting each other.  As a tortoise, simply being held occasionally or getting a pat on the head was enough, but Rainbow Dash was receiving much more petting than he’d require in his lifetime, and not just on her head.  He turned slowly as another knock sounded on the door, causing both ponies to stop and stare.

“Your door is particularly popular tonight, Rainbow Dash.  See what the fame is doing already?”

“Go on, answer it, Storm.  I’ll be here, eagerly awaiting your return,” she said with a giggle, kissing the tip of his nose and shoving him off of the couch.  He shot her a mock glare before answering to find Cerulean sitting outside, his blue cheeks turning crimson as he beheld Storm’s wings and flushed face.

“Your mother sent me bearing a gift,” he stated with a teasing grin, dropping the pill into Storm’s hoof.  Storm looked at it for a moment before snapping his head up and staring at Cerulean, his mouth slightly agape.

“Is this...”

“She’s got you read like a book,” Cerulean chuckled, nodding.  “Storm, thanks for being there for Rainbow Dash.  I’m glad to see she’s found the perfect stallion for her.  Now, I believe you have a mare to attend to,” he replied with a smile.  He and Storm pounded hooves before Cerulean took off, heading back to his own mare as Storm trotted over to Rainbow Dash who regarded his sudden nervousness with amusement.  Without a word he offered the “gift” to Rainbow Dash, who read the package and blushed violently.

“Please understand, I’m not trying to force anything, and I understand if...” he started before Rainbow Dash ran to the kitchen, ripped open the package, and downed the pill with a glass of water.  She then walked slowly over to her room, leaving the door ajar and laying down on the bed.  Storm gave chase and entered expecting to be tackled but instead found her shaking lightly, looking timid and fragile.  “Are... are you all right?”

“I want... I’m a little nervous.  Please be... be gentle, ok?”  Storm slowly climbed onto the bed, but rather than jumping into anything he lay beside her and began to stroke her mane while bringing his wings around and touching them gently to hers.  Her trepidation was soon put to flight as the burning sensation from earlier rose once more, and she pressed her wings deeper into his, stroking them as she reached out a hoof and brought her lips to his.  Her breathing became rushed as she felt him slowly shift, rolling her gently onto her back while holding her tightly in his wings.  He pulled his head back and met her adoring gaze with his own.  Rainbow Dash beamed as tears formed at the corners of her eyes, her desire solely for the stallion that had helped her achieve her dreams, even if only for a moment.  But now, he was her dream, her reason, and she blinked back the moisture and nodded her head slowly.  He gently lowered himself, pulling her body to his with his wings as he whispered into her ear.

“Always... always shall I be by your side.”

The Next Day

Chapter 22: The Next Day

Storm hadn’t slept so well in ages it seemed, his body and mind refreshed and ready for anything the day could bring.  It was likely for this reason when he did open his eyes and find Rainbow Dash curled against his chest and the memories of the previous day came flooding back, he didn’t spook but rather drew her closer and again closed his eyes, whispering softly to her as she slept.  She slowly came to but didn’t let on, listening to his voice with a slight smile on her lips.

“I really am a lucky stallion, to have somepony like you for a fillyfriend...  You’ve given me so much, and I will continue to give just as much right back.  I can hardly wait...  The future looks so bright, with you by my side, like it’s drenched in... rainbow.”  A snicker alerted him that his heartfelt though overly sentimental ramblings had assuredly been heard.  He blushed slightly as Rainbow Dash surprised him with a passionate kiss before pulling away and grinning widely.

“Storm, that was really...”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.  Deal with it.”

“I was going to say ‘sweet’ or ‘cool.’ But fine, if that’s the way you’re going to be about it...” Storm immediately changed his tune and attempted to compensate with a peck, but she playfully shoved his muzzle away. “Heh, you're gonna have to catch me first!” she murmured before jumping off the bed. She gave a startled yelp as Storm responded much faster than she was expecting, spreading his wings and launching into her, tackling her to the ground and pinning her forehooves. “Hey, I thought I said to be gentle...” she whispered, looking away.

“I'm sorry, Dash, I didn't mean...” he started, immediately releasing her before she laughed and took off running towards the other side of the house. “Oh, come on, that's cheating.” Rainbow Dash cantered over towards the shower without a word and Storm stood awkwardly debating what to do. The water went on and he moved towards the couch with a sigh before a hesitant voice gently called his name.

“Storm...” He drew cautiously towards the door and found Rainbow Dash staring out at him as the water flowed through her mane, trickling down her coat and dripping to the floor. Storm wrapped her in his hooves and they both savored several minutes of bliss before forcing themselves to attend to their weather duties.

“Listen, Cloudburn, we need t' talk.” The pegasus turned to face Applejack with confusion on her face. “I'm not blind, an' even if I was, anypony can see the way you've been lookin' at mah brother. I don't like it, and I'm just going to say now if you do anythin' to him, there's gonna be trouble.” To her surprise, the usually teasing and feisty pegasus cast her gaze to the ground, scoring the earth with a hoof.

“Don't worry, Applejack, I won't.” Applejack's expression immediately softened as she noted the tinge of pain and regret in the mare's voice. “I know it's probably just a temporary attraction, after having lost my chance with Storm. I'm a guest here, and I wouldn't just act on something like this on a whim. It's just... it's hard, desiring something you can't have.” To her surprise Applejack's hoof wrapped around her shoulder's as she chuckled ruefully.

“I know exactly what ya mean.”

“Wait, you have somepony you like? I've never heard you talk about it before,” she said, mildly alarmed.  The only thing she’d seen from Applejack was hard work and the occasional glare, so suddenly finding that she had feelings too was a rather interesting revelation for Cloudburn.

“What would be the point in talkin' about it?” she replied, dropping her hoof and turning away.  “It can't be helped, he's taken, an' I'm not about to try and stick my hoof in between two o' my best friends. Doesn't stop me from wantin' him, though...”  She sighed, looking up at the morning sun.  “I’m sorry for comin’ to ya in a huff, I ‘aven’t been myself, lately.  Too much on my mind.”

“I know we barely know each other, but if you ever want to talk, I’m here.  I really do appreciate you letting me stay, so if there’s anyway for me to repay your kindness, I’d like to try.  Besides,” she followed with a giggle, “maybe Big Macintosh will notice me too.”

The sweet scent of muffins filled the apartment as Storm returned home just before noon, and he was thankful that it was just him and his mother.  She had a way of taking him at a glance and knowing exactly what was going on in his mind, and the less ponies around the less embarrassing an experience returning home would be.

“Welcome home, Storm.  Did you sleep well?” his mother asked, giving him a sly glance as she slipped another tray of muffins in and shut the oven door, turning to face him.

“I see what you did there,” he replied evenly, eliciting an infuriatingly big grin from his mother.

“Whatever do you mean?  It was a simple question, proper sleep is important for ponies at your age.”

“I know what you’re hinting at,” he half growled, drifting into a sigh.

“Oh dear, that sounds like a guilty conscience to me.”

“Guilty?  Yeah right, I’d do it again in a heart beat!” he shouted, not particularly angry but tired of the round about methods she was using.

“Do what?”  Oh, buck me.  Walked right into that one.  Grace couldn’t help but laugh at her son’s consternation, though she knew she would push him over the edge if she kept going.  “Did Cerulean deliver my little gift?”

“Yeah, it was perfect timing too!  He...”  Storm clamped his mouth shut to stem the excitement that had flooded his voice.  “Mom, you’re evil.”

“You’re very much like your father, Storm.  Very eager.  In fact...”

“Ugh, mom, don’t tell me that!  Stop talking, you’re gonna ruin everything!” Storm immediately interjected, cringing as he tried to rid himself of the thoughts that were invading his mind.  To his relief she listened, leaning back against the counter and placing a hoof on her slightly swollen stomach.

“I don’t think Rainbow Dash is ready for a child, so be careful, ok Storm?”

“About that... uh...” he started, thoroughly embarrassed but he forced it down and asked, knowing that if anypony else was within hearing range it would be disastrous.  “Do you have any more of those pills?”

“You’re right, Grace.  He is a lot like me when I was young.”  Storm froze as his father’s massive hoof descended upon his shoulders.  What was he doing home already, didn’t he have work?

“Dad, what’s he talking about?”  Really?  Scootaloo heard too?

“What the buck are you two doing here?” Storm cried, jumping forward and backing slowly away from his father, who slowly paced forward with a scowl.  Storm found himself backed into the couch, thinking in the back of his mind that it needed to give more so he could hide within.

“Did you treat her right?”

“Yes, sir,” Storm replied, faltering slightly.  Quakehoof remained silent for a moment, letting his son quail under his gaze before bursting into a hearty laugh.  Storm dared to relax a little, grateful that his answer had been acceptable.  “So, just for the record, you’re not angry, right?”

“Indeed.  Pound it,” Quakehoof said, bringing his hoof to a firm connection with his son’s and laughing even more.  “As long as you treat her like a lady, then I have no qualms.  Let your love free, Storm.  And be thankful that you have the ability to do so at such a young age.”  Flying Grace drew beside Quakehoof and gave him a deep kiss, and while Scootaloo writhed in disgust, Storm watched the display with a newfound appreciation.  It was still gross though, and after a few seconds he averted his gaze and covered Scootaloo’s eyes.

Applejack and Cloudburn chatted amiably as they strolled through the town.  Applejack was grateful to take a small break from the farm work, and seeing Rainbow Dash flying up above, she called out, waving a hoof to catch her attention.  The cyan mare fortunately noticed, and pulled an increasingly tight downward spiral until landing easily right in front of the pair.

“Ever the show pony, eh Dash?” Applejack mentioned, smiling.

“Well, yeah!”

“You sure you’re gonna be alright?  We’re all pretty worried about you, after yesterday...”  Rainbow Dash grinned widely.

“With good friends, you can make it through anything.  I know that I can count on you ponies for anything, and Storm was very... supportive, yesterday.”

“That reminds me, sugarcube.  I never did give you that lecture on boundaries, did I?”

“Right, good idea, Applejack.  We can’t have her getting too much of Storm too fast, can we?” Coudburn said with a wry smile.  “Just curious, how much of Storm have you, well, ‘explored?’  What all am I missing that you’re not?”  There was an immediate silence as Rainbow Dash’s mind answered not with words but with action, her wing shooting out and mind conjuring their previous night together in vivid detail, painting her cheeks a soft pink.  “I’ll take that to mean ‘pretty far.’”

“Please tell me you didn’t...” Applejack started, before Rainbow Dash got a mischievous smile and nodded proudly.

“Let’s just say there are more uses for wings than just flying.”  Applejack said nothing, sitting down hard as her mind failed to process the information.  Cloudburn looked at her a moment before matching her grin.  “Sorry, Applejack, I don’t think that lecture will do me much good now.  Thanks for the thought, though!”  Rainbow Dash said, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder as she stared off into space.

“It’s not fair!  First Twilight, and now you, Rainbow Dash?  Where ‘n tarnation is my stallion!” she shouted, causing everypony to turn and look at the famous rodeo queen of Ponyville throwing a miniature tantrum in the middle of the street.  It was then that she noticed Storm overhead, giving Scootaloo another flying lesson, and she used the distraction as an excuse to leave, shooting Applejack an apologetic look before turning her attention back to the black pegasus soaring above her.  He grabbed Scootaloo and waited as Rainbow Dash drew near.

“Even from here I can tell that Applejack isn’t very happy.  Wait, did you tell her?” Storm asked in disbelief.  His fillyfriend grinned and he slapped a hoof over his eyes.

“What?  She asked.  Besides, she’s the Element of Honesty, I can’t lie to her.”  He shook his head, feeling sorry for the well meaning mare.

“Did you break it to her easily at least?”

“What, and miss an easy opportunity?” Dash replied with a teasing grin.

“You’re evil,” he muttered, before realizing he had said the same thing to his mother that very morning and cringing.

“Hey, don’t talk to a lady like that, Storm!” Scootaloo warned.  “I don’t want you scaring away my future sister just ‘cause you like to stick your hoof in your mouth.”

“Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about that, Scootaloo.  I assure you, you’ll get your sister.”  In yet another example of a heart speaking before the brain, he turned to find Rainbow Dash staring at him, mouth slightly agape.  He let his head tilt to the side before suddenly realizing what he had just inferred.

“Storm’s in love, Storm’s in love!  He’s gettin’ married, he’s gettin’ married!” Scootaloo sang as her excitement fueled her wings, flying a slow circle around them before seeing the ground below and immediately dropping back into Storm’s arms, which hadn’t changed position since his previous comment.  Applejack’s booming voice sounded from below, frightening Storm and even making Rainbow Dash jump a little.

“Storm, you better not be askin’ her to marry ya already!  You get down here right now, mister, I’ve got words fer you!”

“I suggest we make ourselves scarce, my place sound ok?” Storm said quickly, and Rainbow Dash agreed readily, leaving Applejack screaming at empty space as they made a swift exit. Flying Grace greeted the trio as they entered, Storm slamming the door and sliding back against it in mock exhaustion.

“Having fun, you three?”

“Storm’s gettin’ married, Storm’s get...” she sang until Storm tackled her and began tickling her furiously.  Scootaloo was helpless against the onslaught, at least until Rainbow Dash snuck up on him and gave him the same treatment, and the three devolved into a giggling mess on the floor.  Storm was the first to recover, and he motioned his mother over to Quakehoof in the kitchen and waved the other two away, speaking in a soft tone.

“Well, son, I know you’re in love but isn’t a bit soon to be thinking about marriage?”

“Ignore that, that’s just the ramblings of an annoying sister,” he said, glancing over at Scootaloo who had turned her powers of invasive questioning towards a bewildered Rainbow Dash.  “I can’t give all the details but Rainbow Dash needs a family.  She’s never really had one, so I was wondering if maybe...”  Flying Grace and Quakehoof looked at each other for a moment before walking over to Rainbow Dash and wrapping her in their arms, one on either side.

“Um, what are you doing?” she asked quietly, completely unsure of what to think of the sudden motion.

“We just wanted you to know that married or not, we’re always happy to have another daughter.  Welcome to the family, Rainbow Dash.”  Storm watched as his fillyfriend yielded to the hug, laying her head against Grace’s chest and closing her eyes.  Storm had just started to walk over when the door flew open and Rarity marched up to Storm, eyeing him with disgust.

“How can you even stand to be seen in public like that, much less by your beautiful fillyfriend?  Just look at that abhorrent mess you likely refer to as a mane, and your wings!  I simply will not tolerate this.  Rainbow Dash, you are going to teach this stallion a thing or two about presentability or so help me I’ll...  Never mind, come!  We must be off!” she demanded, ending her rant and using her magic to drag him bodily out the door.  He made no struggle, but rather stared at the white unicorn as she fumed.  When they had ventured far enough away from the house, he decided to try and ease her concerns.

“Miss Rarity, I know we haven’t exactly hit it off.”  A snort confirmed the statement before he continued.  “I know I look dreadful, but when it comes down to it, I’d rather spend my time making sure Rainbow Dash is happy, rather than pleasing the eyes of ponies I don’t even know.  That’s not to say I don’t think my appearance is important, but the reason I look like this now is because I wanted her to succeed.  I’m sorry if that’s unacceptable to you.”  He suddenly found himself released from her grip, and she turned to look at him, no trace of anger left in her features.

“I assure you, your priorities are in their proper place.  I’m sorry for doubting you, and I will not force you to change.”  She began to canter away before Storm called out after her.

“I never said I wasn’t going to let myself be groomed.  You think I want to stay looking like this?  If anypony can get me presentable, it’s you.  So please, Rarity, could you turn me into a stallion worthy of Rainbow Dash?”

“Oh, but you already are.”  He smiled for a moment before she surprised him with a gleeful squeal.  “But that doesn’t mean I can’t help you look the part!  Come, to the Carousel Boutique!”

It’s strange how a small alteration to one’s appearance can change so many things, and when Storm returned a few hours later, Rainbow Dash had a very hard time keeping her eyes off of him.  None of the charred mane were left, and his hair had been given a trim, leaving his hair long though an inch or two shorter than before.  It was entirely unnoticeable that any damage had been done, and his smug expression told her that he had noticed her interest.

Rainbow Dash stayed over late, having eagerly agreed to stay for dinner with her new family.  The conversation flow had a way of constantly finding a way to embarrass them both, but it was filled with too much fun for them to care.  The results of the tryout drifted to the back of her mind as it was pushed back to make room for happier thoughts, and before she knew it Scootaloo was heading to bed.  Storm rose to accompany her home, ignoring the hushed whispers of his parents and opening the door for her, for which Dash rolled her eyes as thanks.  It was mid summer in Ponyville, and Storm quickly adjusted as Rainbow Dash changed direction, landing on a cloud and motioning for Storm to lay beside her.  He obeyed and soon found himself staring up at the star strewn skies, bathing in the light of a full moon.

“Storm?  I know this is going to sound kind of sudden, but...  Would you maybe... consider moving in with me?”

“Are you serious?”  He hadn’t meant for his reply to sound so negative, but he quickly realized that his excitement had been interpreted as something else.

“I’m sorry, I knew it was stupid to ask so soon.  Just forget I said anything...  Good night, Storm.  See you tomorrow!” she replied, faking a cheerful grin and darting off towards her house.  He would have given chase right away but the request had been such a shock that he simply stared at her as she disappeared into the night.  A myriad of thoughts and worries played through his head, but he knew exactly what he’d say when he saw her again.

“Wait, why shouldn’t I just go talk to her now?” he muttered to himself.  Duh, he should.  Shaking his head he gave chase, though not being nearly as fast he guessed, she had been home for at least ten minutes by the time he arrived.  The house was dark, and the door made nary a sound as he snuck in, latching the door behind him and stopping at the foot of her bed.  She didn’t seem to be asleep, but she was facing the other direction so she didn’t notice his presence until she felt him sidle up behind her, draping a wing along the length of her body.  “I may be no expert in reading mares, but you’re just as bad when it comes to stallions, it seems.”  She glanced over her shoulder a moment before turning to face him.  “Rainbow Dash, I don’t want you to spend another night alone.  If you’ll have me, then starting tonight, this is now my house to.  And this,” he said softly, pressing a hoof to her chest, “is my home.”

Falling Skies

Chapter 23: Falling Skies

Cloudspire was roughly three times the size of Cloudsdale, with five times as many residents.  Nearly half of the inhabitants had shown up to watch the Wonderbolts perform, regardless of which side of the political spectrum they fell under.  It was ten minutes before the show was to start, and Proud Skies sat in the best booth, waiting for the Wonderbolts to give their opening speech in his honor, a sure fire way to soothe the petty dissent for his actions at the tryouts.  Really, how much could this mindless herd care about some pony half way across Equestria when he was having the best brought in so they can see for themselves?

“Spitfire, if I didn’t know any better, I’d guess you were excited about starting a riot,” Soarin said with a smirk, pausing a moment before chowing into his pre-show pie.  Her response was only partially heard over his loud munching, but he knew Spitfire well enough to fill in the blanks.

“Huh, I certainly hope I start a riot.  He may have sway over a lot of ponies, but the Wonderbolts belong to nopony, and he will soon find that he’s stuck his hoof into forbidden territory.  If I could wring that pompous windbag’s neck without landing myself in jail, he’d have long since expired.”  Soarin made no attempts to quell her anger, as he found it quite amusing, since it wasn’t currently directed at him.  Having licked the pie tin clean, he cleaned his face and sat next to her.

“You know, if you let Rainbow Dash onto the team she’s gonna steal your spotlight.  Are you ok with that?”  Spitfire’s expression shifted from angry to competitive at a moment’s notice, a large grin spreading across her face.

“Don’t think I’ll let that rookie just up and win.  I’d never tell her so, but she’s likely at least at my level, if not better, but it won’t be much of a show if she wins every time.  I’ll just have to make sure to give her a run for her money.  Besides, she reminds me a little of somepony else,” she said with a chuckle, glancing at a mirror.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, we welcome you...” the announcer’s faint voice came in from the background amidst thousands of voices cheering.

“So,” Soarin said, shooting Spitfire a roguish grin, “you ready to ruffle some feathers?”

“Heh, are you kidding?  Let me at him.”  They marched out onto the stage, acknowledging their fans with waves, their appreciation mingled with regret that so many ponies were to be disappointed, but it was necessary, and neither of them had any regrets.  Spitfire tapped on the microphone a few times and the crowds quieted down.  Spitfire locked eyes with Proud Skies, who sat staring down at her with triumphant eyes.  She matched his smile, before it turned to an enraged scowl.

“Citizens of Cloudspire, thank you for coming.  Know that this show was sponsored by none other than your very own Proud Skies.”  She paused as half of the stadium cheered, while most of the rest muttered to themselves.  “And it is on his account that there will be no performance.”  She took a step back as the news sunk in, enraged cries slowly building as everypony in the stadium turned to face Proud Skies, his face conveying a mixture of anger and confusion at the sudden turn.  He yelled something at one of his supporters and a microphone was quickly brought to him.

“What is the meaning of this insult?”

“Insult?  Oh, but we’ve only just begun,” she muttered away from the mic.  “Citizens of Cloudspire, I’m sure you’ve all heard about the most recent tryouts we held to determine the next Wonderbolt we’d let into the team.  The pegasus that won was the best I’ve seen since Lightning Wing, whom I’m sure you all remember.”  She paused as the crowds roared their love for their fallen hero.  “This mare, by the name of Rainbow Dash, was trained by Lightning Wing’s methods.  She has trained her whole life for a chance to become one of us, and that day, her dreams would have come true.”  She paused for effect to let the words sink in.  “Proud Skies had her wrongfully disqualified without cause.”  The crowds turned towards Proud Skies, who was, even at their distance, turning red with rage.  “Hear me, Proud Skies!  We will not perform until she is allowed on the team!”

“You cannot command me, I payed my dues and for today, you are mine!  Proceed with the show or I shall have you arrested for disturbing the peace!”  A few of the more violent pegasi were taken down by his security as they attempted to do him bodily harm, flying over the barrier and being tackled just in time before they collided with him.

“You can burn with your bits, Proud Skies!” Soarin cried, wrenching the microphone away from Spitfire.  “We do not perform for money, but for passion!  Cloudspire, if you ever wish to see us return, then you better let somepony else take the reigns.”  With that, Spitfire and Soarin swept off stage as the riot began.  The doors closed behind them and they made their way back to their quarters, where they found two officers waiting for them.

“Are you going to come quietly?” one of them said hesitantly, wing shackles held in a hoof that was noticably shaky.

“No, I’d rather go loudly, can’t you tell?” Spitfire sneered, motioning to the growing tumult outside.  “I will not resist you, but if something happens, it’s on your own head.  All right, Soarin, are you willing to go to jail for this mare?”

“As many times as it takes, Spitfire.  Lead on, gentlecolts.”

Proud Skies slammed the door to his home with his chest heaving, having narrowly escaped mutilation at the hooves of the enraged masses.  Grabbing a brief case and filling it with his proposal notes and terms for Celestia, he made a swift exit from a side door and flew straight to the train station in a neighboring town a few miles away.  He paid the fare and boarded, his destination Canterlot, and his mind furiously working for a way to redeem the situation.  It was a long two day trip with no rest, and no solution to grant him peace.  Their meeting was to discuss the proposal that he had mentioned at that blasted dinner, though his pride was so fragmented that he had trouble even remembering what he had written.  He closed the briefcase and lay back with a sigh, hoping that sleep would come to take him from his troubles soon.  It didn’t.

“Storm, what’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked as he sat on the bed but didn’t join her under the covers.  “Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“A little.  I really don’t know what to expect, and I don’t think it’s going to be anything bad, it’s just...  I don’t know.”  He let a small smile slip as Rainbow Dash draped her hooves around his neck, having to stand to take the action, given his size.

“The letter said only your family could attend, right?”  He nodded once before coming alive as her words filled him with hope.  “Well, then you can expect me to be right by your side, Storm.  Your mother herself said that I am part of the family, remember?”  Storm turned and wrapped her in his hooves, falling sideways and bringing her down with him, drawing her into a tender kiss.

“You’re a devious little mare, you know that?”

“Heh, don’t I?  You can be pretty cunning too, Storm.  At least, when you’re not busy being a helpless dunce of a stallion.”

“Oh, but Miss Dash, you flatter me,” he said, straight faced, before rolling over and standing over her.

“Hmmm, I somehow don’t think your mind is on tomorrow anymore,” she said with a giggle.

“Is that a problem?”  He had been serious, as he never wanted her to feel forced into anything, and he dropped his gaze slightly and prepared to move away when her words put his worries to rest, washing over his anxious soul like a cleansing flood.

“Take a guess,” she whispered, staring up at him with her deep, magenta eyes, and bringing her wings around and stroking his chest.  Sleep was soon forgotten as the burning in their chests became one unifying, undying flame, a comforting blaze in the cool of the night.

“Ugh, Storm you’re doing that lovey dovey, staring thing again!  Cut it out!  Rainbow Dash, you too!” Scootaloo demanded as they held hooves, seated across from the rest of his family on the train.  “I”m never gonna have a coltfriend ever, not if it makes me go all crazy like you two.”

“Aw, come on, Scootaloo.  Having a coltfriend is super cool, at least if you pick the right one,” Rainbow Dash assured her, to which she gave her a skeptical look but saying nothing.  “Thank you again for letting me come, Gra... er, mom.”  Flying Grace smiled and nodded, cuddling closer to Quakehoof and closing her eyes.  Being pregnant was exhausting, and while the idea of having a child was something Rainbow Dash was excited by, she also knew she was so not ready.  She wanted to have at least a few years of fun with the Wonderbolts and her coltfriend before having to worry about maternity leave.  She lay her head onto Storm’s lap and closed her eyes, hoping to catch some sleep before arriving in Canterlot.  For some reason, exercise at night seemed much more strenuous than her training during the day.

Quakehoof hadn’t been to Canterlot in a very long time, having only been once in his life, and regarded the city with awe.  The other ponies, regardless of class, gave him wide berth and blatantly stared at the massive stallion as he and his family made their way towards the castle.  Since the meeting time wasn’t until three in the afternoon, they took some time to enjoy the sights and get some tasty, though overpriced, ice cream to offset the summer heat.  Scootaloo was becoming less and less enthused about the idea of Rainbow Dash dating her brother, mostly due to their lack of self restraint in the” feed each other and clean up with kisses” habit that seemed to spring from nowhere.

The castle guard greeted them cheerfully, having been alerted of their coming beforehoof, and immediately led them back to a room that had been specified by Celestia.  They were instructed to wait there until the princess came to check on them.  Grace reassured them that whatever was happening, Celestia had made it quite clear that this trip was to be a joyous occasion for them.  They’re anticipation began to build as Grace remained silent on what it was she had sent the princess to spark such a thing.

“I will just say this.  Proud Skies won’t be all that proud before the princesses.”

“Proud Skies?  Celestia will see you now,” the guard said with a scowl, having seen more than enough of the troublesome pegasus over the last few years.  Proud collected himself and carried the briefcase under his wing as he marched in, summoning what was left of pride and putting on his mask.

“So happy you could find the time to see me, Princess Celestia,” he said sarcastically, sitting in one of the lavish chairs arranged around the large room.  Luna opened her mouth to teach him a thing or two about respect but drew silent as Celestia shook her head.  “Now, before I ask you what you’ve decided, let me give you some information I think you’ll find quite interesting.  A certain mare that I believe you know personally, Miss Rainbow Dash, has been disqualified after winning the Wonderbolt’s Tryouts, but I may be willing to rescind my order if you should smile favorably upon my edict.”  Luna’s terrifying glare was steadily eating away at his confidence, and he slammed a hoof down on the edge of the chair, feigning confidence and locking eyes.  “You can glare away, Luna, but I have the upper hoof.  The time has come for you to decide, Celestia!”  A terrible churning in the pit of his stomach began as Celestia began to chuckle, placing a hoof on Luna’s shoulders and calming her.

“So, is that what you think?”  He sat silent, unsure of what she was hinting at.  “Luna, bring them in.”  Luna left the room and returned shortly after, Storm and his family in tow.  They bowed courteously to the princess before taking their seats on the other side, with Scootaloo sitting upon Storm’s lap and not once ceasing to glare at Proud Skies.  “Flying Grace, Luna and I thought it be fitting that you see what is about to unfold.  I hope I find your approval.”  With this she turned back to Proud Skies, levitating a small stack of papers and setting them in front of him.  “So, tell me Proud, who has the upper hoof now?”

“Mom, what are those?” Storm asked as the color drained from Proud Skies’ face.

“Those, Storm, are confessions of the vilest sort.  This repulsive creature has, according to these documents, assisted in the murder of Lightning Wing and was planning a second, that of your future sibling,” Luna replied as calmly as possible, which amounted to a seething hiss.  Storm felt his fury building before his mother’s response changed his view on the situation.

“Oh my, but it seems my husband has bitten off more than he can chew,” Grace said with a giggle, shooting him a coy look.  “However will I survive?  Is there any colt who would want me now?” she wailed dramatically before locking lips with a mischievously grinning Quakehoof.

“Hey, Dash, did you hear that?  It looks like mom scored a real stallion,” Storm proclaimed, staring straight at Proud who had sunk into the chair.

“Y-you c-can’t prove any of t-this!” Proud cried, slamming the papers down on the ground, trampling them.

“Luna, if you would be so kind?”  She nodded and left, returning with Bloodstitch and Nightshade, shackled and flanked by two guards each.  “Now, I believe I offered you both a reduction of your sentences for your testimony?  I do believe our audience would love to hear what you have to say.”

“I don’t know these ponies!  Whatever they say is lies!” Proud shouted, standing upright.

“You’re the one who lied, you said you would protect me!” Nightshade roared, struggling against his bonds and was shoved to the ground by the guards.

“He is just as guilty as I am, your Highness.  I will accept my punishment; there is blood on these hooves.”  Celestia gave a curt nod and the two witnesses were marched away.  Storm set Scootaloo aside and hoisted Proud to his feet, though his legs immediately gave out and he sank again to the floor.

“Come on, Proud, take it like a stallion for once in your life.”

“Yeah, seriously, this is getting embarrassing.  Oh, don’t worry, there are probably plenty of rocks who will listen on the moon,” Rainbow Dash quipped, cantering over and standing beside Storm.

“Dear sister, the mare maketh a good suggestion.  What say you?”

“Nay, Luna, it would disgrace your fair moon.  There is no place in Equestria for this filth.”  Proud looked up as the Princess of the Sun towered over him, his mind consumed by terror as he beheld nothing but scorn in her eyes.  “Proud Skies, for your crimes against this family and for murder, you shall be banished from Equestria.  Should you be seen within my domain again, I shall not be so lenient.  You will have three days and no more to make it to the border.  Also, all your assets shall be handed over to Flying Grace, and your marriage is hereby annulled.  Additionally, as you, a pegasus, have shown such disrespect for your own kind, you shall live the rest of your days without your wings.  Luna?”  The Lunar Princess all but skipped over before cloaking Proud in a deep blue haze, and everypony gave a soft gasp as his feathers fell to the ground before the wings slowly faded from sight.  He grasped madly at his back to find nothing there.  Proud then gathered some feathers into his hooves and madly tried to jam them into his back, breaching the skin in his frenzied attempts to undo what Luna’s magic had wrought.  As a few trails of blood trickled down his spine, he bowed his face to the floor and wept.  Rainbow Dash trotted over and lifted his chin, dealing the final blow with her royal accent.

“Do not worry, for alas, wings are only for flying, am I not correct?”  The last fragments of his sanity snapped and he shoved Rainbow Dash onto her back, raising his hoof to strike her.  Before Storm could react, Proud was forcefully bucked full in the face, crumpling to a heap unconscious on the floor due to Dash’s back hooves connecting solidly with his jaw.  “Why, the very nerve!  Touching a lady like that, and one that is taken no less!  Princess Celestia, I am ashamed that you keep company such as this!” she railed, causing the room to burst into laughter.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you, Dash?” Storm said as he swept her into his arms as an overwhelming admiration for the mare filled his chest.

“I do seem to recall something to that effect last night.”  He shook his head, chiding himself for not seeing that one coming.  “Celestia, remind me never to cross you or your sister.  Like, ever.”

“Do not fear, Rainbow Dash, thou art forgiven, remember?  You have no need to fear us.”

“She is right, Rainbow Dash.  You are a dear friend of ours,” Celestia said with a chuckle, wrapping both her and Storm in a fond embrace.  As she pulled away she turned to Quakehoof and Grace, who were both shedding tears of joy at finally having the one last barrier between them removed.  “I believe Proud Skies had more than enough wealth to support you and Quakehoof for quite some time.  In the meantime, I expect that both my sister and I will be invited to the wedding?”

“Indeed,” Quakehoof replied, smiling widely.  “Thank you for letting us watch, Celestia, Luna.  That was something I’d only ever dreamed of being able to witness.”  Celestia and Luna looked at each other before matching his smile.

“Oh, believe me, the pleasure was all ours.”

A Night of Mischief

Chapter 24: A Night of Mischief

Of all the nights that would have been amazing to experience alone together, that evening in the castle ranked pretty high on the list.  However, this wasn’t possible, as a second bed in their room had been provided for Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash and Storm both stared at it dejectedly for a moment before heaving a sigh in unison.  Scootaloo ignored it and trotted over to the bed on the left, hopping up and bouncing on it like a trampoline.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Rainbow Dash said with a playful grin.  Storm listened to the squeaking of the springs and shot her a sly smile.

“I have a fair idea.  Come on!” he replied, and together they all began bouncing on the beds, hopping from one the next and acting like total foals, enjoying every second of it.  A knock on the door sounded, but it was ignored until Quakehoof walked in, took the scene at a glance, and walked away with a chuckle.  After a time they ceased their exercise in immaturity and bade Scootaloo head to bed, as the moon was nearly centered over the castle.

“Storm, I’m not sleepy.  I don’t want to go to bed yet!” she said stubbornly.  He thought for a moment, weighing the risk of a lecture from his parents and a growing idea in the back of his mind.  Scootaloo watched as a devious grin spread across his face, and she suddenly found herself extremely excited.

“Ok, Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, let’s have some fun with the castle ponies.  But if you breathe a word about this to mom or dad, you’re gonna get it.  Deal?”

“Deal!” she squealed, and Storm immediately shushed her, drawing a hoof to his lips and motioning the two to follow him.

“Storm, what are you up to?”

“Mischief, what else?  Besides, I hear a certain mare I know happens to like a good prank or two.”

“I knew there was a reason I loved you.  So what’s the plan?”

“I don’t know that I have much of one yet, but I think we should try to get Luna in on it.”

“Uh, I don’t know that that is such a good idea.  She doesn’t share our humor, Storm.”

“That’s because she’s likely never tried it!  Come on, I want to at least try.  You with me?”

“Score one stupid point for a useless question!  Come on, their rooms are this way.”  She led them up a few flights of stairs and down a long corridor, taking a left towards a door emblazoned with a crescent moon.  Storm and Rainbow Dash gave each other the nod, and after a few knocks Luna greeted them amiably.

“Oh, hello you three.  How fare thee?”

“Quite well, your Highness.  Do you have some free time?”

“Oh do I!  Catching up on one thousand years of history is exhausting, and any distraction is quite welcome.  Besides, I doubt I shall catch a lecture from my sister if I am passing time in your company,” she said, shooting a mock scowl at the door across the way.  “What wouldst thou have me do, Storm?  Are we to play a game?”

“Of sorts,” he replied, grinning.

“Luna, I know you’ve recovered from my cupcake prank, but I really didn’t mean any harm.  I was just wondering, have you ever pulled a joke on anypony before?” Rainbow Dash inquired.  Luna adopted a thoughtful expression before shaking her head.

“I know not, there are many memories to sift through, but I do not think such behavior is befitting of royalty.”

“Oh come on, Luna!  Please?” Scootaloo begged, wrapping herself around the princess’ hoof and staring up at her with wide eyes.

“All right, but only for a little while.  I do not want to cause too much trouble, lest we wake Discord.”  Scootaloo immediately released her and jumped onto Dash’s back.

“I bet he would know a good prank or two,” Rainbow Dash chuckled, half serious.  Luna’s serious expression made it clear she didn’t share the sentiment.

“Rainbow Dash, do not even think about it.  Now come, mischief awaits.”

“Captain, your drink, sir,” the guard said, levitating the glass to his superior.

“Thank you, private.  You are dismissed.”  He swirled the contents for a moment before downing the glass in one go, before suddenly realizing that his requested cider had been laced with a copious quantity of wasabi.  As his throat and sinus’ caught fire, he heard laughter explode from down the hall, and the normally calm and controlled leader galloped over to immediately apprehend the culprits.

“Who would dare to...” he started shouting before coming face to face with Luna, who immediately adopted a serious expression.

“Captain, it is not proper for you to raise your voice at me unless it is requested.  Please, return to your post, if you would.”  He immediately bowed and did as instructed, thankful that he hadn’t accidentally offended her, and the four mischief makers trotted out of earshot before falling apart all over again.

“See, Luna?  It’s fun!” Rainbow Dash managed as she struggled for air.

“Dash, you gotta teach me too!” Scootaloo exclaimed, struggling to her feet.

“You are indeed correct, this is most enjoyable.  Come, I have another idea!” Luna cried, racing off towards the kitchens with the other three in hot pursuit.  They watched with curiosity as she sifted through the cupboards, carelessly tossing aside the bottles that she didn’t need and giving a snicker of glee as she found that which she sought.  She then proceeded to dump the entire bottle into the canister of ground coffee that was to be prepared the next morning before turning and showing the bottle to her cohorts.

“Ground Ghost Pepper?  I’ve never even heard of that, but it sounds painful,” Rainbow Dash giggled.

“It is one of the spiciest of all the peppers in Equestria.  Verily, the morning guard are in for quite a surprise!” she said as she laughed maniacally.  Around this time Storm and Rainbow Dash got the feeling that things were going to go too far.

“Should we stop her?” Storm whispered out of the side of his mouth.

“Nah, with Luna on our side, we can afford to go a little overboard,” she muttered with a wink, giving him a quick kiss and trotting over to Luna who was making little effort to restrain herself.  Luna’s face grew skeptical for a moment before she grinned fiendishly, casting an eye on Storm who was quite visibly disturbed.

“Come on, Storm.  Let’s retire to our room for the evening.  Scootaloo needs her sleep.”

“Rainbow Dash, what are you planning?”

“Oh, you’ll see.”  Scootaloo was too tired by this time to offer an argument, heaving a huge yawn as Rainbow Dash tucked her in.  Climbing into the other bed, she motioned Storm over and they lay there together for a few minutes in silence.  The door to the room slowly opened, and Storm watched wordlessly as Luna walked over and created a small barrier around Scootaloo.

“Uh, Princess?  What is that?”

“Tis simply a sound barrier so we won’t disturb the sleeping filly, have no fear.  Now,” she whispered as she turned towards Storm with desirous eyes, “I have need of your services, Storm.  You too, Rainbow Dash.”

“You got it, Princess.”  Storm’s jaw dropped as Luna raised her voice loud enough for his parents to hear the next room over.

“Storm Blitz, long has it been I have met a stallion of your caliber.  Please, give yourself to me this night!” she cried, jumping onto the bed and wrapping the hapless Storm in her arms.

“Rainbow Dash, help!” he begged, and she sauntered over and joined the princess, looking at him with desirous eyes before raising her voice to match Luna’s.

Quakehoof and Flying Grace both woke at Luna’s initial shout, but didn’t comprehend the words.  They lay blinking groggily a moment before Rainbow Dash’s voice made their ears shoot straight up, staring blankly in shock as the voices came through the wall.

“Hey, hooves off, Luna!  Storm is mine!”

“Nay, let us share!  Is that not a more mature solution?” Luna shot back.

“What the buck is going on?” Storm shouted, completely beside himself with fear and an utter lack of comprehension.

“I believe this generation refers to it as a threesome, is that not correct?”

“That’s right, Luna.  I hope you’re up to the task, Storm.”

“Are you bucking kidding me?!?”  Another creak.

“Are they really...” Grace said softly, shaking her head in disbelief.  While she wouldn’t put it past Storm to try something like that even with his sister present, she couldn’t imagine him in a threesome, and with Luna no less.  A rather large moan sounded from the room, causing the parents to blush.

“Oh, Storm, now the fun has tripled!” Luna wailed.  The creaking increased regularity and Quakehoof covered his face with a hoof.

“Luna, your wings are so soft!” Rainbow Dash cried, following after with a sudden, sharp gasp.  Quakehoof jumped out of bed and barreled through the door.  Luna and Rainbow Dash ceased jumping on the bed and fell over laughing as Storm lay paralyzed on the bed, not having been warned that the whole thing was a setup and very seriously thinking that Rainbow Dash had lost it.

“I do not approve of this,” Quakehoof muttered before returning to bed, slamming the door behind him.  The hilarity of the situation suddenly struck Storm and he soon found himself every bit as breathless as the two mares on the floor, tears streaming from their eyes.  That is, until he looked over and noticed that Scootaloo had woken at some point and watched the whole thing, but without any sound to know it was a joke.  Luna looked quite worried as she walked over to the filly, who seemed to be screaming with all her might and covering her eyes.  They all plugged their ears as the barrier went down and Scootaloo’s screams shook the room as the filly tore into her parents room to escape the nightmare.

“Ok, Luna, we should probably call it a night.”

“Oh, but Rainbow Dash, I haven’t had this much fun since the last Nightmare Night!  Please, join me for one more?”  How could they refuse?

“Captain, the moon, it’s... it’s...” the guard stammered, blushing deeply and pointing towards the window.  His superior gave an exasperated snort as he approached, looking up at the sky and suddenly found his powers of speech nonexistent.  It was truly a full moon, the lunar body having taken the shape of Celestia’s flanks high in the sky for all Equestria to see.

“How the hay am I supposed to explain that to her Highness?  Celestia, please, have mercy,” he whispered to himself, sprinting towards her chambers and swallowing his fear.  He knocked hesitantly and Celestia call him in, waiting patiently to hear his report.

“Um...” he faltered, his usually gruff tone cast aside as he wracked his scattered brain to find the best possible way to break the news.  “Have you taken a look at the moon tonight?”

“An odd question to hear from you, Captain.  No, I have not, though I imagine it’s quite beautiful.”

“Yes, it is,” he replied automatically before slapping a hoof over his eyes.  “Your Highness, you should probably take a look.”

“If you insist, why don’t you join me?” she replied cheerfully, standing and making her way to the balcony.

“Because I’m looking at it,” he whispered, swallowing hard and catching up to her.  She threw back the curtains and closed her eyes as the window let in a cool breeze, coming to a stop and looking up into the sky.

“My goodness, that looks just like my cuti...”  She froze mid sentence, her eyes growing wide as she did a quick comparison between herself and the moon.

The trio of pranksters had just pried themselves off the floor when Celestia’s deafening bellow shook the castle, awakening everypony like a shot of adrenaline to the heart.

“LUNA!  I HAVE WORDS FOR YOU!”  Suddenly, Luna’s royal Canterlot seemed tame in comparison to when Celestia used it.  Luna stood her ground as Celestia flew into the room, staring her down.  “Any particular reason my flank is on the moon?”

“Tis the most fair.  Art thou not proud, dear sister?”

“FIX IT!” she screamed, slamming a hoof to the ground.

“Temper, temper, Celestia.  There are guests present,” Luna replied with a giggle, closing her eyes and returning the moon to its usual form.  Celestia suddenly noticed the quaking forms of Rainbow Dash and Storm, who were locked in each other’s embrace and fearing the worst.

“Luna... was this part of your trying to make friends?”

“Indeed, I’m sorry if I have angered you, sister.  I may have gotten carried away, but it was quite fun, these pranks.”  Celestia thought for a moment before relieving everypony with a warming smile.

“I am pleased to see you making friends, Luna.  However, I have two things I have to say.  One, if I ever find any part of my anatomy superimposed upon any celestial body ever again, you can expect an extremely severe reprisal, are we clear on that?”  Luna gave a meek nod as Celestia continued.  “Secondly, if you’re going to get into mischief, then you simply must invite me,” she said, laughing softly and easing the anxiety that had been building.  “Come, everypony, I need your help.  I wish to add my own touch of humor to the night’s activities.”

Spike never appreciated being woken by incoming messages, doubly so for larger objects such as the packaged that escaped his mouth in a green burst of flames.  It wasn’t very large, but the scroll tied to the top caught his attention.  He read the message quickly before dashing downstairs and waking Twilight in a panic.  She groaned as she came to, waking Cerulean accidentally with a misplaced hoof.

“Spike, what’s this about?  It’s late.”

“I know, but you just got a message from Celestia, and it’s urgent!”  Twilight grabbed the letter and brought it to her eyes, reading aloud so Cerulean could hear.

“To my Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle,

What is contained within this package is of dire importance to the fate of Equestria.  You must gather all the ponies listed below before its opening and use.  Your prompt reply is expected.

Princess Celestia”

“Cerulean, I hate to ask you to do this, but...”

“Don’t worry, I’m on it.  Spike, you run into town and wake Rarity and Pinkie Pie, I’ll grab Applejack, Big Mac, Cloudburn, and Fluttershy.”  They nodded and set off, the urgency of the task driving them to great efforts.  The ponies all readily complied as they were informed of Celestia’s warnings, and within the space of fifteen minutes they had gathered at the library.  They held their breath as Twilight opened the package to reveal an unmarked videotape.

“I cannot believe I was woken from my beauty rest for such a prank.  The very nerve!” Rarity huffed, preparing to leave before Twilight slammed the door in front of her, levitating the princess’ letter in front of her.

“I’m not making this up, Rarity!  Look, you can see for yourself.  Whatever is on this tape is extremely important.  I can only assume that Rainbow Dash knows what’s on it already, since she’s in Canterlot.  Cerulean, can you grab the television from downstairs and bring set it up on the main floor?”  He nodded and everypony filed downstairs.  It took a few moments for to get the thing up and running, and tensions ran high as he set the tape in the machine and hit play.

The room-wide silence only magnified the pulsing beats of the music that blasted from the screen.  Every jaw hung agape as they beheld the Solar Princess performing the most provocative dancing anypony there had ever seen or heard of, complete with a pole which she made excessive use of when she wasn’t swinging her flanks around.  Everypony as a bright red by the time the video finished, more so for the two stallions who were unable to avoid arousal at the sight.  Cerulean had been sitting with his legs spread and Twilight laying against back his chest, and he cringed as he noticed what he had hoped she wouldn’t.

“Cerulean, please tell me that’s not what I think it is...”

“Please don’t kill me, it’s not my fault,” he whispered, drawing her closer in an attempt to hide it, though his horn was glowing faintly for all to see.  Fortunately, Rarity was the only one who noticed and she, being a lady, determined it better to say nothing and let him preserve his dignity.  She also wanted to leave in one piece, something that couldn’t be guaranteed should Twilight lose her temper.

“How...” Applejack started, falling silent a moment before continuing.  “How in Celestia’s name is this of the utmost importance t’ the fate of Equestria?  Has our princess gone an’ lost her bloomin’ mind?” she ranted.  “Big Macintosh, can you believe...” the started as she turned to find her brother’s face deeply flushed.  “Wha... you too?  I’ll flay ya alive fer lookin’ at Celestia like that!”

“My goodness, Big Macintosh, you are aptly named,” Cloudburn tittered, blushing harder as the hapless stallion backed away from his sister who he honestly believed had every intention of making good on her word.

“Big Mac, you may want to run now,” Cerulean called out as Applejack turned on her tame brother.  Taking him at his word, the embarrassed stallion took off out the door with Applejack in hot pursuit, her usually tame vocabulary infiltrated by words sailors would be afraid to use.

“I must say, that rather changes my view of our beloved Princess.  I, for one, am horrified that she would dare to stoop to such activities.”

“What’s wrong with dancing?  It’s a lot of fun, you should try it Rarity!  I bet Twilight could...” she started before she found her mouth magically sealed shut as Rarity cast withering gaze at Twilight.

“Any idea what she’s talking about, Twilight?”

“I, um, have a letter to write.  We’ll discuss that at another time, Rarity.  Cerulean, help me upstairs please.”  He didn’t move and she gave a sigh, whispering out of the corner of her mouth.  “Still?”

“It reminded me the other video you made, so excuse me!  Fine, I’ll take one for the team, climb on,” he muttered, carrying her upstairs as Rarity gave a snort and left.  Pinkie Pie strolled back to Sugarcube Corner and while nopony was looking, Fluttershy popped out the tape and quietly flew back to her cottage.  Peace returned to the library as Twilight wrote out her response to the object of “dire importance.”

“Dear Princess Celestia,

What the hay?  Did somepony slip you something?  I cannot imagine that you would willingly cause a small panic and make me and my friends watch something like that together.  Do you know how embarrassing that was?  And I fear for Big Macintosh’s life when Applejack catches up to him.  Princess, why did you send me this?

Your Confused Student,

Twilight Sparkle”

“Spike, can you send... Spike?” Twilight started, expecting him to be nearby but finding him nowhere in sight.  Come to think of it, since the video viewing neither Twilight nor Cerulean had seen the baby dragon.

“Twilight?  I think he’s been scarred for life,” Cerulean said with a worried chuckle, levitating the petrified Spike up from the floor where he hadn’t moved since the video began and setting him on the bed next to Twilight, his mouth still open and not visibly breathing.  Cerulean reached over and froze a few of his spines, the sudden cold jump starting his mind and letting a colossal yell rip from his lungs.  Twilight shoved a hoof in his mouth while he calmed down, and she slowly withdrew and wiped her hoof on the bed.

“Spike, send this letter to Celestia and then get some rest, ok?”  He did as instructed and wandered upstairs in a daze.  As he left, Twilight turned back to Cerulean who had climbed in next to her, not looking the least bit tired.  “You still haven’t calmed down?  Do you really think of Celestia like that?” she said, shooting him a wry look.

“I was... remembering our stay in Canterlot, actually.”  Twilight soon found herself similarly awake, though being eight months into her pregnancy, she felt little energy for anything other than her daily functions.  “Don’t worry, that wasn’t a leading statement.  Try to get some sleep, Twilight.  You both need your rest,” he said with a smile, kissing her gently and drawing back to give her space.

“I’m not that tired.  Besides,” she whispered with a giggle, “you’re still glowing.  I think I can help.”

Celestia opened the letter and called Luna over, who was snickering even before Celestia’s smile faded.

“Luna?” she said slowly turning.

“Yes, dear sister?”

“Did I not ask you to send the tape solely to Twilight Sparkle?”

“Oh, is that what you said?  I could have sworn thou bid me tell her she should gather her closest friends for a viewing.  Silly me!”  Celestia was forced to smile, and soon the sisters’ laughter again filled the halls, waking Storm and Rainbow Dash.

“I think Twilight got her royal gift,” Storm whispered as he started to shake with restrained laughter.  Dash just smiled, pounding hooves with him quietly before snuggling closer and eagerly anticipating their return home after such an eventful night.

First Performance

Chapter 25: First Performance

“Storm Blitz!”  The door to his room slammed open and Storm was confronted by his fuming father, pointing at the front page of a newspaper that had been delivered just outside of Storm’s room.  “Unexplainable Asstronomical Phenomenon” the headline read, with a full color photo of the full moon the night before.  “Did you have anything to do with this?”  Storm looked at Rainbow Dash before both descended into snickers, shaking their heads and ignoring Quakehoof’s obvious displeasure.

“No, dad, that wasn’t us.  That was entirely of Princess Luna’s design, we had nothing to do with that one.”

“What do you mean by ‘that one,’ son?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Don’t drink the coffee.”

“What do you...”

“Just don’t.  Don’t drink the coffee, trust me,” Storm said, again laughing quietly as his father again examined the newspaper.  Flying Grace made her way over and looked in.

“My, it seems you had quite a bit of fun with Luna last night, quite a bit more than our little performance, right dear?”  Quakehoof remembered the event and abruptly ended his son’s mirth with roars of his own, Storm soon blushing and desperately trying to push the frightful event from his mind.

“Her wings really were soft, though.” Rainbow Dash whispered to Storm, who shot her a grin.

“Oh, I know.  She could make a pegasus really happy, that one,” he replied, matching her tone.

“Easy, Storm, don’t make me hurt you,” she growled, kissing his cheek and pulling away to stretch.  “So, when is the wedding, you two?”

“Oh, but shouldn’t we be asking you the same question, Dash?”  She watched the mare blush a bit before answering.  “As soon as possible, actually.  We’ve only been waiting for over twenty years, so to say we’re eager is an understatement.  We will speak with Mayor Mare immediately upon arrival and send out the invitations.  Come, we have been invited to breakfast.  Please behave yourselves, all right?”  Storm and Rainbow Dash nodded, following them out and noting that Scootaloo was making a point of keeping her distance, likely still traumatized over her perception of the previous night’s activities.  They walked in just in time to see Celestia take a deep swig of coffee before sputtering violently and downing a pitcher of water in a most unrefined manner.

“Son, you’re playing with fire,” Quakehoof muttered as they watched the display, while a calm Luna waved to them, a knowing smile gracing her muzzle as she set down her tea.  Celestia quickly excused herself and left with tears streaming from her eyes, as did approximately two thirds of the ponies in the room, finding themselves in much the same condition.

“Rainbow Dash, I must thank you for introducing me to this form of fun; it is quite entertaining.”

“Heh, no problem, your Highness.”  She paused and looked around at the mostly empty room, most of the remaining guests staring around the table and too fearful to touch the food for fear of what might occur.  “Though I think it would be best if you wait a little while before your next round of pranks.  Ponies tend to get angry if they are frequent or over used.”

“Tis sound advice.  Thank you, Rainbow Dash.  I shall be careful.  Now come, eat!  But be wary of the coffee, it is quite potent this morning.”  They bantered easily amongst themselves for a good hour, Celestia joining them ten minutes in and whispering something in Luna’s ear to which she gave an apologetic nod before they resumed in peace.

True to their word, Quakehoof and Flying Grace made straight for town hall as soon as they stepped off the train.  Rainbow Dash knew her friends would be wondering how it went, but Spitfire’s urging to continue her training prompted her and Storm to pass the afternoon practicing.  As evening fell they deposited their gear at home and made for Grace’s house, where the smell of a fresh meal assailed them before they even opened the door.

“So, how did things go, dad?” Storm asked as they squeezed in around the much too small table.

“Quite well, the wedding is planned to take place in a week,” he replied as he set into his meal.

“That’s awesome, I’m really happy for you two,” Rainbow Dash quipped, smiling as the two doted on each other.  “You should really invest in a bigger table, though,” she said as she accidentally kicked somepony for the third time.

“We’ve already spoken to the mayor about that, and using some of my inheritance from Proud, we should have a new house built in town by the time the wedding takes place.  A proper table will come shortly after, I assure you.”

“You may want to invest in some soundproof walls, for Scootaloo’s sake,” Storm said with a grin, and Quakehoof let out a low rumble of a chuckle as he nodded.

“Indeed, a wise observation, son.”

“Scootaloo, you’ve been awfully quiet.  Are you still moping about what you saw the other night?  Because that was just...”

“Horrifying!  Disgusting!  Sickening!  How could you do that with the Princess when you have Rainbow Dash?  That’s just... ugh!” she groaned, shoving her plate away.

“Hey, chill out, Scootaloo, it was my idea,” Rainbow Dash said, attempting to preserve Storm’s honor at the sake of her own.  “I know it probably looked bad, but trust me, nothing happened.  I wouldn’t let Storm be with anypony else for anything.”  The filly reached forward and began eating in silence.  If Rainbow Dash said it was fine, then she’d have to believe it.  Storm grabbed Lightning Wing’s training manual before heading back home with Rainbow Dash, and they were cuddled up on the couch flipping through it when a knock sounded at the door.  Storm rose and took a step back as he found Soarin and Spitfire on his doorstep, and he quickly welcomed them inside.

“Hey you two, what’re you doing here?  I thought you had a show.”

“That was a few days ago, and it was quite a show, I assure you,” Spitfire replied with a malicious grin.  Storm and Rainbow Dash listened as she went on to explain their declaration, the ensuing riot, their night in jail and subsequent trip to see the princess upon being released.  “After talking to the Princess, she informed us that there are no more barriers between you and us.  Rainbow Dash, Storm Blitz, as of this moment you are both officially Wonderbolts.”  Unable to contain herself, Dash shot out the door and into the sky, twirling and spinning to her hearts content as the other three watched.

“Is she always like that?” Soarin muttered as he saw his own enthusiasm mirrored, reminding him of how excited he was when he was inducted into the Wonderbolts.

“Most always, yeah.  Especially when it comes to the Wonderbolts, or flight in general,” Storm replied as he gazed affectionately at the rainbow streaking through the sky.  “It’s been her lifelong dream, so I want to thank you two personally for making it a reality.”

“Heh, don’t thank us, Storm.  You’re the one who pulled her back from the brink and gave us a shot at such a valuable member.  We’re the ones who should be thanking you.  Hope you don’t mind living in her shadow, though.”  Spitfire stopped to laugh a little.  “Something tells me she’s going to hog the spotlight for a good many years.”  She regarded Rainbow Dash with confusion as she suddenly slowed to a stop before making her way over and landing in front of the three pegasi.

“Spitfire, how long am I going to be gone?  I’ve never left Cloudsdale for any great period of time, and just thinking about it makes my worry about my friends...”

“Rainbow Dash, we don’t perform every day, and most places aren’t terribly far away.  You’ll likely be gone for, at most, a week per show, and we normally have a show every month or so.  You’ll have plenty of time to train and have fun.  Normally, one of our official trainers would oversee you, but I think your current trainer knows how to handle you pretty well.”  She immediately perked up at this, and threw herself in Storm’s hooves as they shared a deep kiss.

“Hey Spitfire?  Can we...”

“Get pie?  All right, fine, I’ll wrap this up,” she said with as sigh.  “Rainbow Dash, Storm, I need you two to come with us to get fitted for a uniform.  Also, you’ll be gone for much longer this time around, since we have to teach you our routines,” she declared, noting the look of dejection on their faces.  “What’s wrong, you two?  It’s only a month.”

“My parents are getting married in a week, and I can’t miss it.  I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Storm replied sadly, having been quite excited for the offer but unwilling to be absent for such an important event for his mother and father.

“I’m sorry, Spitfire, but I’m with Storm on this one.”

“Wow, you make it sound like we’re gonna kick you out for that.”  They both shared a quizzical look before turning back to Soarin and Spitfire.

“You’re not?”

“We didn’t go to jail for you just to ditch you because you have a previous arrangement.  How about this: come now and we’ll get as much down as possible, then make it back and perform for the wedding.  It would be the perfect occasion for your first performance, so do we have a deal?”

“What are we standing around for?  Let’s get going!” Rainbow Dash cried, grabbing Storm by the hoof and taking wing.  “We’re gonna go say goodbye to our family quick, then we’ll meet you at the station, all right?”

“Sounds good, but don’t take too long.  I don’t like being late, and we have to catch the last train out of here.  They nodded their agreement before taking off, landing outside the apartment and entering quietly.  Scootaloo looked up with surprise as her brother scooped her into a massive embrace, and she felt him shaking as he cried softly.

“Storm, what’s wrong?” she asked fearfully, her normally annoying brother acting strangely affectionate.

“Son, is everything all right?”

“Mom, Dad, Soarin and Spitfire just stopped by.  They accepted us into the Wonderbolts.”

“Storm, that’s wonderful news!”  She noticed the look in his eyes as he glanced over at her, and she suddenly understood.  “But, that means you’re leaving, doesn’t it.”

“No, you’re not allowed to go!  I still need more lessons!” Scootaloo said, starting to cry as well.

“I’m only going to be gone for a week at first.  They’re gonna let me come back for the wedding, but then I will probably be gone for another month or so.  But I’m gonna come back, Scootaloo.  And I won’t stop giving you lessons until you can fly just like Rainbow Dash, but you have to be strong until I get back, ok?”  She tried to calm herself and nodded as Grace and Quakehoof wrapped them both in their hooves.  Grace noticed Rainbow Dash standing to the side, her head turned away in an attempt to hide her own tears.

“Rainbow Dash, come.  We’d like some time with our daughter before she leaves too.”  Rainbow Dash cantered over and let herself take shelter under Grace’s wings, feeling a different kind of love that she hadn’t experienced before and smiling through the bittersweet, looking forward to a future free of tears.

When they managed to extract themselves they made straight for the station, making it aboard just in time.  Soarin and Spitfire both noticed their significantly subdued moods, remembering their own similar experiences.

“If it helps at all, Soarin wept like a foal when he had to leave.”  Soarin looked up indignantly from his pie, the gooey insides that smeared his face making his scowl one of the biggest failures in intimidation that Storm and Rainbow Dash had ever seen, and they couldn’t help but laugh as Ponyville faded into the distance.

Spitfire was truly impressed.  While they weren’t perfect, Rainbow Dash and Storm had managed to master a good number of their maneuvers in four days time, shortening their likely training period to as few as two weeks.  Now, a week since they left, they again found themselves in Ponyville.  Rainbow Dash was nervous, as expected, and she left with Storm under the guise of “relieving the pre-show jitters” much to Spitfire and Soarin’s amusement.

“That mare really is amazing,” Soarin murmured as he watched her go.

“Careful, Soarin.  I don’t think Storm is the type to share.  Besides,” she said with a chuckle, “you already have a fillyfriend, am I right?”  He took the hint and gave her a fond embrace.

“You’re right, as usual.  Still, are you feeling nervous?”

“Nah, I’m good,” she replied, grinning as he gave a disappointed sigh.  “Still, there’s some tension in my wings, perhaps you could help me with that?”  Soarin trotted over and locked the door before returning to his mare to begin her treatment.

Storm and Rainbow Dash met up with the other Wonderbolts ten minutes before the ceremonies started and took their seats on the left side of the front row.  Off to the right the rest of her friends sat, and Pinkie gave them an enthusiastic wave as they sat.  It wasn’t long before the ceremony started, and Flying Grace walked out in a stunning dress that was crafted by Rarity to hide her pregnancy as much as possible.  Storm had to admit, it was likely unnoticeable to anypony who didn’t know she was with foal.  Quakehoof followed shortly after in the suit Rarity had crafted for him before, and their joy spilled forth onto everypony present.  Storm joined his parents in shedding tears as they exchanged vows, and he watched with pride as the two ponies were finally bound together with nothing left between them.  A nod from Spitfire and he cleared his eyes, leaving with the other Wonderbolts as Princess Celestia made their introduction.

“In celebration of this occasion, we now give you the Wonderbolts.  Let us welcome their two newest members, Cloudsdale’s Rainbow Dash and this couple’s own son, Storm Blitz.”  Everypony stomped their hooves and cheered as they started their routine, flying in formation with the two newest members taking the ends.  Rainbow Dash and Storm didn’t miss a beat, breaking and performing their assigned stunts with ease before meeting up again at the proper times.  A nod from Spitfire alerted Storm and Rainbow Dash that it was their turn to shine, and working together they whipped up a colossal maelstrom.  Many of the ponies began to murmur about the danger before their worries turned to an all consuming exhilaration as Rainbow Dash drenched the area in seven hued light, the shifting hues of the lighting bolts forking out in all direction and causing the very air around to dance in the light of the sun.  The shouts of her friends rose above the roar of the crowd, and it was them that Rainbow Dash treasured as she met up with the rest, bowing low and reveling in the cries of adoration.

Silent Gale, Freefall, and Snowdrift arrived on scene just in time to witness the spectacular feat, and they gazed in awe as they felt the magic flow over them.

“Never in all me life have I ever seen somethin’ like that.  C’mon, mates, we’ve treasure t’ give the happy couple!”  They ran towards the procession and Cloudburn’s breath caught as her friends darted passed.  She hadn’t realized how much she had missed them until then, and she followed at a distance as they unloaded articles of great worth before Flying Grace and Quakehoof.

“Sorry we’re late, Miss Grace.  I took the liberty of purloining a few choice articles from Proud’s estate.  Word on the wind is he won’t be needing it no more, we figured it would be better off with you.”

“Ever the gentlecolt, Gale.  Thank you very much.”  He bowed a knee before casting a wave at Storm Blitz who immediately fell into a dive and tackled him, laughing as they tumbled over.  Rainbow Dash landed a respectful distance away and watched as Storm was quickly overcome by Freefall and Snowdrift.

“I can’t believe you’re all here!  I’m so glad to see you all,” he said, fighting back tears as he beheld his friends for the first time in five years.

“Your mother sent us an express delivery, bidding us to come.  I, for one, was grateful for a chance to get out of Cloudspire.  Your Wonderbolt friends caused quite the ruckus, Storm Blitz,” Freefall said with a grin, and they all let him stand as they backed away.

“Heh, we gave them a run for their money at the weather factory, though,” Snowdrift added.  “But seriously, look at you!  Made it into the Wonderbolts, must be your grandfather’s blood.”  Storm chatted energetically before he saw Rainbow Dash off to the side.  He waved her over and she approached cautiously, wanting to make a good impression for Storm.  Dash suddenly found herself held in a tight embrace.

“Actually, guys, the only reason I ever took up flight again was for this mare.  This is Rainbow Dash, the most talented pegasus in Equestria.”

“No, no, that can’t be right,” Snowdrift said, accepting Storms offended look before continuing with a smile.  “There’s no way a pony that beautiful would shack up with you.”

“I’ll make you eat those words, Snowdrift!” he roared, tackling him again and laughing as they wrestled.  Gale watched with a smirk before a tap to his shoulder caused him to turn and jump as he looked over at Cloudburn.

“Why, hello there, Cloudburn.  It does me well to see ye again.”

“I’m sorry for leaving like that...” she muttered, looking away.

“Are ye pulling my leg, lass?  I’d have jumped for an opportunity to see Storm again too, though I know it was a little more than that for you.  Tough break, Cloudburn.  I think that spots been filled,” he said, dropping his usually playful tone in exchange for an appropriately gentle one.

“I know, I’m just glad he’s happy again.  I’ll find myself somepony, some day.”

“Ye know, I may not be as strappin’ a lad as he is, but if you ever find yourself takin’ a fancy to a heartless rogue, just say the word.”  Cloudburn whirled, stepping a couple feet back and not noticing that the rest of her friends were staring.

“Gale, you... I... how long?”

“Let’s see now, must be a good seven years.  You didn’t think Storm teased you all that time about us for nothin,’ did ye?”  Cloudburn was blown away.  After having given Storm such grief about not noticing her feelings for him, here she had done the same to Gale.  Was this feeling growing in her chest at seeing him again real?  She couldn’t say for sure, but she determined to find out then and there.  Gale’s eyes grew wide as she kissed him, her friends standing shocked for a moment before cheering loudly, causing the emotional mare to come back to reality, yanking back and apologizing immediately.  “Now don’t you worry none, Cloudburn.  I’ve been waitin’ for that seven years.  I ain’t ashamed.”

Rainbow Dash offered her support and encouragement to the two before her and Storm brought the group over to get acquainted with his new friends in Ponyville.  Applejack did her best to keep a straight face and not let her disappointment show that of all the ponies that could come to Ponyville, it had to be two stallions that were too young and one that was young and quite likely to be taken soon.  Pinkie Pie was beside herself with excitement, deciding that since everypony was gathered anyway it demanded a party, and the crowd soon found themselves covered in confetti from her party cannon.  Fluttershy stuck close to Twilight and Cerulean, while Rarity lounged on the couch she had drug from home, flirting with a hopeless Freefall.  Storm and Rainbow Dash made their way through over to the three, who were talking to Quakehoof and Flying Grace.

“Hmmm, what do you think, Twilight?  How long until they get married?” Cerulean said as they approached, causing them both to blush.

“I’d say... three months, tops.”

“Twilight, cut it out!  Sheesh, find myself a coltfriend and next thing you know everypony is talking about marriage,” Dash huffed, heaving a sigh.

“Well, if Storm is anything like his father, I’d say two months,” Grace said with a grin from within Quakehoof’s embrace.  They all shared a laugh until a sudden angry cry arose from a frustrated orange earth pony behind Cerulean and Storm, rising above the crowd and causing a moments hesitation before more laughter followed.  Cerulean and Twilight couldn’t help but feel sorry for Applejack’s lamentation, and they drew beside her as she wailed.

“Dang it, what’s an honest mare gotta do to find a decent stallion ‘round here!?!  It just ain’t fair!”

The Usual Welcome

Chapter 2: The Usual Welcome

"Did you bring them?  Oh, these will be the perfect comfort food!" Twilight exclaimed as Pinkie entered the library, a small white box balanced expertly atop her head.  While normally baked goods filled her with both sugar and glee, Twilight's strange requests as of late made even her think twice about ever asking Twilight for cooking advice.  Pinkie set the box down in front of her and made a face as she hungrily began devouring the cookies.

“Gee Twilight, you sure like some weird stuff.”

“This from the mare who likes hot sauce on her cupcakes?”

“What?  It’s good!”  Twilight stopped and stared at her, suddenly inspired.

“You’re right!  Pinkie, can you go grab the Fillydelphia Inferno Sauce from downstairs?  Thanks!”

“Okey dokey,” she said, slowly retreating and descending the steps backwards, Cerulean having just arrived.  “Hey there Cerulean!” she called out as she passed, waving enthusiastically.

“How is she?”

“Pregnant, duh!”

“I know that much, I meant her mood.”

“Ooooh, that.  She’s pretty happy right now.  Just enjoying some, um, cookies.”  Pinkie giggled nervously and resumed her quest.  Cerulean was relieved to find her happily munching away, frosting smeared all over her face, breathing a sigh of relief that somepony had been able to heighten her temperament a little.  She beckoned him closer and eagerly held out a cookie.

“Here, you gotta try these, they’re amazing~” she sang, watching eagerly as Cerulean gratefully accepted and took a bite.  It wasn’t that it was so nasty that he wanted to retch right then and there as much as it was a combination that would never, ever have thought of creating.  Forcing a straight face he continued chewing slowly before swallowing, suppressing the urge to gag.

“What... are these?”

“Tomato basil chocolate chunk cookies with bleu cheese frosting,” Pinkie said with a shudder as she joined them, handing the bottle of hot sauce to Twilight who eagerly began dousing the remaining cookies with a liberal amount.  “So how did things go with that pegasus Rainbow found?” she asked between mouthfuls, not bothering to look up.

“What?  There’s somepony new in town?  Where where where?” Pinkie interjected, bouncing excitedly around the bed.

“Ponyville Clinic, but he...”  Cerulean got no further as Pinkie rushed out the door and off to the clinic.  Somepony new?  That could only mean one thing: a party!  It had been nearly a week since the last one she threw, and that was much too long.  This would be the perfect reason to celebrate and she made for the clinic with all haste, making little effort to contain her excitement.

Storm was shocked into silence by the revelation.  He glanced at himself for a moment before turning back to Quakehoof, who was waiting patiently for his response.  Suddenly his size made sense.  Sure, he knew his birth father was an earth pony, but Quakehoof?

“You’re... huge...”  Not quite the greeting Quakehoof had expected from his son, and he paused a moment to examine himself.

“I suppose.  You didn’t think you got it from Proud Skies, did you?”  Quakehoof was forced to smile as his son snickered at the ridiculousness of the statement.

“Not a chance.  If there are two things Proud is devoid of, it’s love and brawn.”

“Indeed.  What are you doing here, Storm?  I thought you were living with Grace’s father.”

“He passed away five days ago,” he replied, turning his head away and staring at floor.

“I see...”  An awkward silence descended upon the room, and Rainbow Dash suddenly felt very out of place.  As badly as she wanted to ask them both about Lightning Wing, she shoved her excitement down and was about to leave when Storm locked eyes with her.  “Oh, Storm, this is Rainbow Dash.  Rainbow Dash, Storm Blitz.”  She swaggered over and put on her game face.

“Hi Storm!  I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Ponyville.  Nice to meet you,” she declared, offering a hoof.  Storm’s expression was blank for a moment before he broke into a grin, accepting her outstretched hoof and shaking it gently.

“Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash.  Are you Quakehoof’s daughter?”

“Uh, do I look like his daughter?” she replied, cocking her head to the side.  Storm had to admit, they looked nothing alike.  What a stupid question.  Way to make a first impression, Storm.  “I called out to you, but when you looked up at me you passed out, remember?”  He shook his head slowly, recalling hearing a voice but never putting a face to it before he lost consciousness.  “Anyways, you were too heavy to move myself, so I had a friend help me get you here.  How are you feeling?”

“Exhausted, though that’s to be expected.  Golden Feathers is a long ways away when you can only fly for a few hours at a time.”  Rainbow Dash again examined his wings, their size much larger than most pegasi and easily enough to support his weight.

“Why only a couple of hours?  Wings that size can’t just be for show.” Rainbow asked.

“I hadn’t flown in months before coming here,” he responded with a shrug, much to Rainbow Dash’s consternation.

“What?  You’re a pegasus, we have wings for a reason, ya know.”  Rainbow immediately saw a change in his disposition, his eyes staring off into the distance as the smile slowly faded from his muzzle.

“I have my reasons.”  His voice was suddenly harsh, like he was barely able to keep from shouting at her.  That’s it?  That’s the only explanation she got?  If it wasn’t for the fact that he looked so depressed she would have pressed it further, but now was clearly not the time.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you mad.”  Storm cringed on the inside as he looked at the small mare awkwardly pawing at the floor.  She didn’t deserve that kind of response, and he knew it.

“You didn’t, sorry...” he muttered, unsure of how to steer the conversation to a less touchy subject, when he heard a bang and his vision was obscured by confetti.  Shortly after the only thing he could see was a pair of blue eyes that seemed to radiate energy.

“Hi!  I’m Pinkie Pie, and you must be new in town ‘cause I’ve never seen you before!  How exciting, this means we get to throw you a party!”

“A party?  But I don’t know anypony; why would you want to throw me a party?”

“So you can meet everypony, silly!”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile at Pinkie’s enthusiasm, but she could tell that Storm was a little overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

“Pinkie, he just woke up.  Why don’t you go and start planning the party while he rests?  Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he comes,” she declared with confidence.  Not waiting to hear a response she darted out of the room to prepare.

“Um, hate to interrupt but do I have a say in the matter?” Storm replied, waving a hoof to get their attention.

“Sorry son, it’s tradition here in Ponyville.  Community is very important to the ponies here, and this is the usual welcome,” Quakehoof chuckled, smiling ear to ear.  Storm didn’t really mind.  Who knows, he might actually make some friends.  The thought drew his mind back to Cloudspire momentarily, but he was unable to brood due to the wealth of good intentions in the room.

“All right, fine, you win.  I’ll go,” Storm replied with a laugh, a growing excitement building within.  He had been away from ponies for a long time, and the sudden shift was most welcome.  Perhaps he would even be able to be comfortable here, away from Proud Skies and the collective scorn of Cloudspire.

“Ok, I’ll be back to pick you up around six.  You should probably get some rest so you can enjoy yourself tonight,” Rainbow urged before walking out the door, waving over her shoulder as she went.  The comment alerted Storm of the many places he ached, his muscles still overtaxed and malnourishment robbing him of his usual vigor.  He closed his eyes and sank into the pillows, sighing as he did so.  That mare had a rainbow mane, which was almost legendary among pegasi.  Curious to find her in an earth pony village.

“You thinking about Rainbow Dash?” Quakehoof asked, eyeing his son with amusement.  Storm snapped his eyes open at the statement, staring at him.

“How did you..?  Was it obvious?”

“...Indeed.”

“Well, it’s not what you think.  I’m just shocked to see a rainbow pegasus in an earth pony village, that’s all,” he huffed, screwing his eyes shut and making it clear he wished to sleep.  He had just been kicked out of his home for the last five years, lost his grandfather, and nearly died trying to make it to town.  Adding an infatuation with a mare that likely had plenty of suitors was too much to even begin to think about.

“I’ll see you at the party then.  And after I’ll show you to your new home.”  Storm nodded slowly, and Quakehoof left for his apartment.  It was going to be difficult to explain to Storm’s sister that she was now going to be sharing a home with the pony she despised the most.  The apartment just wasn’t big enough to split them up, having only two rooms, a single bathroom and a small kitchen, with a small open area between the bedrooms as the only thing that could even be compared to a living room.  And then there was the issue of food.

Working on the rock farm was to making money what drooling was to acceptable social practice on a first date.  Still, it was the only income he could find, his gargantuan size making him unusable for most other professions.  Not to mention that his talent allowed him easily break things unintentionally, with the possibility of earthquakes should his temper boil over.  Most ponies considered him a flight risk, and he was just grateful that the citizens of Ponyville had allowed him to live in peace.

Quakehoof sat down with a sigh, looking at the clock and reminiscing.  It had been three years since Flying Grace yielded her child into his care.  It was heartbreaking for everypony involved, but what Proud Skies wanted, he obtained, crushing anypony who tried to interfere regardless of any supposed family ties.  Quakehoof covered his eyes with a hoof, trying to push the anger aside and remember those precious few days that he had been able to spend with Grace.  At Pride’s command, his daughter wasn’t allowed to know that she was Quakehoof’s child, and it still to this day hurt whenever she called him by his name.  Just once he’d like to be called “daddy” or “father.”

Storm was still asleep when Rainbow Dash returned to the clinic, his chest slowly rising and then falling with the rhythm of his heart.  She sat and watched him for a time, impressed with his size every time she saw him.  It would be really embarrassing to be caught watching him, so she gently shook him awake.  After a small groan he sat up, blinking a few times and motioning to his throat.  Rainbow left and returned quickly with a glass of water, which he eagerly downed in record time.

“Ah, much better,” he replied cheerily, nodding his thanks to Rainbow Dash and gently easing himself out of bed.  The sleep had worked wonders on the soreness in his legs, though his wings were likely not going to get any use for the next day or two.  “So, it’s party time?”

“Oh yeah, prepared to be blown away.  Maybe literally.”  Rainbow Dash’s constant enthusiasm was infectious, and Storm found himself quite enjoying her company as they made for Sweet Apple Acres.

“So...” Rainbow Dash started, her will power to contain her excitement about being in the presence of Lightning Wing’s grandson finally overcoming her desire not to pry.  “What was Lightning Wing like?”

“Confident.  Skilled.  Crazy fast, even after he retired.  Pretty cocky, really.  He’d spend all afternoon telling me about all the races he’d won and royals he’d preformed for.  It got old, but he was nice enough I suppose.”

“Did he ever show you any of his famous stunts?”

“Whether or not I asked, yes.  In fact, a lot of the other ex-Wonderbolts there flew together for fun, doing all sorts of tricks.”  He stared at Rainbow’s magenta eyes, now twice as large as she clung to every word he said and fascinated beyond belief.  “Why are you so interested in the Wonderbolts anyways?  Are you a groupie?”

“It’s been my dream to be in the Wonderbolts for like, ever!  To be in the spotlight, racing at blinding speed, pulling crazy stunts; what pegasus wouldn’t want to do that?”  As much as Storm would have liked to point a hoof to himself, he couldn’t help but admire Rainbow Dash’s childlike excitement, and wasn’t about to be a raincloud on her sunny day.

“Well, you have to be really good to make it in.  How often do you practice?”

“Oh, at least six hours.”

“A week?”

“A day, duh.”  Storm stopped, his open mouth betraying his surprise.  Six hours a day?  How did she manage that?

“Don’t you have a job or something like that?  How do you find that much time?”

“I help work the weather, but that only take me a couple of hours at most.”  Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky, which had the usual dose of spring clouds dotting the tranquil golden rays of early twilight.  Storm noted the eagerness on her face, and narrowed his eyes.

“Prove it.”  The space where Rainbow had been was instantly empty, and he blinked a few times before turning his gaze skyward, staring in awe.  The clouds were disappearing at an unbelievable rate, her raw speed and grace clearing the sky in ten seconds flat.  Rainbow landed a short distance and sauntered over, her smug expression and self confidence only compounding Storm’s amazement.

“See?  Nothin’ to it.”

“I’m not going to lie, that was just as impressive as some of the things the Wonderbolts at Golden Feathers performed.  You’ll make it in easy.”

“Really?!?” Rainbow squealed, before catching herself and resuming her usual attitude.  “I mean, yeah, of course I will.  I’m the best flier around, after all.”  Slightly embarrassed at her sudden outburst she continued the journey, hoping that the sudden feeling of heat in her cheeks was due to a lack of rushing wind and nothing more.  They made it to the barn as the moon was just beginning to rise, and Rainbow Dash turned as opened the door.  “Well Storm, it’s time to get down Ponyville style.  Pinkie Pie, hit it!” she shouted, throwing a hoof towards the dark interior which exploded into life as no few than fifty ponies shouted, the lights going on and up beat music blasting from the speakers.

“Welcome, Storm Blitz!” the thunderous unified cry shook the rafters, with a chorus of cheers following after.  Storm was hard pressed not to be overcome with sentiment as the myriad of smiling faces truly did make him feel like he belonged even though he had just arrived.  Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“C’mon Sweetie Belle, hurry up!  We’re already late, and we had to beg to get special permission to be out this late!” Scootaloo shouted, motioning her two friends towards her scooter.

“Sorry!  I’m ready, let’s go.  Come on Applebloom!”

“Ahm comin’, I’m comin’!”  Scootaloo checked to make sure they were all aboard before pushing off, quickly building speed as she barreled down the empty streets.  The wind felt great against her face, and she slowly closed her eyes, relishing the sensation.

“Scootaloo, watch where yer goin’!” Applebloom yelled, causing Scootaloo to snap her eyes open and quickly swerve to dodge one of the closed stalls in the market place.  She turned to apologize when a sudden impact sent all three of them flying, the immobile bench refusing to move from it’s place of rest.  Prying herself from the pile she regarded the bench with anger, her totaled scooter now laying in several pieces strewn about.

“Great, now what are gonna do?” Scootaloo grumbled, stamping her hooves in frustration.

“That looked rather painful.  You girls need a lift somewhere?”  They turned to regard the blue stallion with hopeful eyes.

“Hey Cerulean, perfect timing.  Is there any way you could help us get to Applejack’s barn?  We got permission to go to the new guy’s party but somepony wasn’t watching where she was going,” Sweetie Belle explained, glaring at Scootaloo who nervously dug at the ground.

“Sure, no problem.  I was going to head over there myself after I dropped this stuff off at the library,” he said, motioning to his saddlebag.  “Though you three sure are out late, and I don’t think your ride is going to get you much further.  Here, use this.”  Cerulean closed his eyes and imagined the scooter, and soon an exact replica was born from his magic.  He enchanted it so it wouldn’t melt on the way, and he waved as they sped off once more.

“I can’t wait to see the new guy, I hear he’s a giant pegasus!  I’ll bet he’s a great flier,” Scootaloo explained as they approached the barn, the festivities well under way.  Storm was just being introduced to Applejack, who took a step back as he approached.

“...Ah didn’t know they made pegasi Big Mac sized,” she said slowly, beholding him with wide eyes.  “Hey Big Macintosh, get over ‘ere,” she called, the red earth pony slowly plodding over.  Big Mac was just barely taller, and both of them equally as muscular.

“Whoa, there are two ponies in this town my size?  Are you related to Quakehoof?”

“Nnnope.”

“Friends then?”

“Eeeyup!”

“He’s my dad.”  Big Mac suddenly broke into a grin, locking eyes with Storm as he posed his challenge.

“Ah reckon we should hoofwrassle, then.  Quakehoof is still the only pony t’ ever beat me.”

“Indeed,” Quakehoof laughed as he approached, placing a hoof on their shoulders.  “I’ll be the judge.  Applejack, would you fetch a spare box to use as a table?”

“Sure thing, Quakehoof.”  She replied, returning shortly with a good sized wooden crate.  Storm met Big Mac’s eyes as they locked hooves, both grinning widely as they waited for the signal.  “All right you two, get ready... get set... go!”  Pain shot through Storm’s leg as he strained to match Big Mac’s strength, but he was having too much fun to notice.  He doubled his efforts as he felt his hoof slowly start to drift towards his end of the box, pushing it back to the center as Big Mac applied matching strength.  Ponies all around were shouting their encouragement to both sides, and Rainbow Dash watched, equally as impressed.  For anypony to be able to last even a few seconds against Big Mac was commendable, but he was actually putting up a decent fight, even in his weakened condition.

“Storm Blitz?  What are you doing here!?!”  The sudden voice shattered Storm’s concentration, the ponies around celebrating Big Mac’s victory as his hoof went limp and was promptly slammed down.  Big Mac noticed and looked at Storm with confusion as Storm slowly stood and turned.  Scootaloo stood in between Applebloom and Sweetie Belle who regarded her with confusion as her face contorted in anger.  Storm’s heart sank, one side overjoyed at seeing her alive and well and the other all too aware of the rage in her eyes.

“Scootaloo?..  Sis, is that really you?”

Ups and Downs

Chapter 13:  Ups and Downs

“Storm, is that what I think it is?” Cloudburn exclaimed, beaming as she beheld his proud swagger.

“You bet it is, Cloudburn.  I finally got my cutie mark!”

“Aye, took ye long enough,” Silent Gale teased, chuckling as he recieved a sour look for his input.

“They save the best for last, they say.  Check this out!”  They watched with curiosity as he grabbed a large tuft of cloud and began spinning it rapidly, the white cloud quickly becoming a black thunder cap.  Storm flew a short distance back then rammed through it, dispersing the cloud among a shower of sparks, the electricity crackling around his wings.

“That was really something, but didn’t that hurt, mate?” Gale inquired, curious as to why he was unfazed by such a thing.

“Uh, it kinda tingled a bit.  But no, it didn’t hurt.”

“Hey, stir up a big one and let’s all fly through!  That was amazing, Storm Blitz!  C’mon, guys!” Cloudburn shouted to Gale, Freefall, and Snow Drift, who eagerly gathered behind her.  Storm readily agreed, building a small fortress of cloud and flying around it rapidly until a small cyclone had formed.  “All right guys, on the count of three!  One... two... three!”  They plunged in, and there was a deafening crack as her vision flashed white, then slowly faded to black, the vague sensation of falling being the only thing she could feel.

Cloudburn woke with a start from the dream, blinking rapidly to assure herself that she was rid of the memory.  Nopony there that day walked away unscathed, and Cloudburn couldn’t help but feel blessed that she had retained any ability to fly at all after the incident.  It was likely because she had flown through so close to Storm, who was the only pony to not suffer physically, but the guilt with which he looked at her when she had awakened in the hospital bed was more than enough to show he was hurt the deepest.  Cloudburn closed her eyes once more, hoping that it would help them reach Ponyville sooner, as they were due to arrive late afternoon.  A quick glance at the sky showed it to be only an hour after sunrise, and she gratefully slipped into a light doze.

Rainbow Dash sighed as Storm attached the second set of weights, causing him to stop and look up at her.  He dearly wished he could read her mind, but like everypony else that didn’t have psychic powers, he had to ask verbally.

“Is something bothering you, Dash?”  She didn’t respond, which he correctly interpreted to mean “yes there is, no I don’t want to talk about it.”  Rainbow Dash had, at that moment, been lamenting the fact that nearly a week had gone by since their sunset was tragically interrupted, and no real opportunity had arisen lately to finish what was started.  She glanced down as he removed the two weights he had attached, setting them down on the floor of her cloud home.  “I’m curious to see how much you’ve improved.  I have a little test for you, come on.”  Rainbow Dash followed him outside and they landed a short ways outside of Cloudsdale on one of the larger clouds floating lazily through the skies.  “I want to see how much improvement a month of training has made.  Act like this is the tryouts, minus the freaking out.  Get to it!”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes glinted as she accepted the challenge, taking off so fast it blew a chunk out of the cloud and left Storm’s mouth agape.  Rainbow Dash had never felt so light, having been used to being weighted nearly all day every day, and now that she was free she pushed herself to test her limits.  “Step one, circle twenty clouds as fast as possible without damaging them!” Storm called out excitedly.  Within fifteen seconds the deed was done, residual rainbows left dancing on his vision.  “Ok, next step, show me how a Wonderbolt barrel rolls!”  The opportunity to show off her stuff filled her with elation as she began to spin, far faster than she had been able to while harnessed, quickly completing ten in record time before shooting towards the sun.  “All right, don’t get cocky!  Let’s see how you punch holes in the sky, get rid of these clouds!” he encouraged, and was truly amazed as his vision was vivisected by rainbow streaks.

“That all you got, Storm?  Gimme something hard!” she laughed, landing beside him and breathing easily.

“Show me your secret weapon.”  Her confidence drained as the thought of failing in front of him clouded her mind, her last attempts having been dismal failures.  “Rainbow Dash, you can do this.  I believe in you.”  She stared at him for a moment, the words being exactly what she had wanted to hear.

“Wow Storm, that was cheesy.  Suddenly, I don’t feel so worried about embarrassing myself after that.”  Storm ignored her sarcasm and simply grinned as her light blush betrayed her true feelings on the statement.  His eyes followed her carefully as she flew into the distance, becoming a mere speck in his vision.

“C’mon, Dash, you can do it,” he whispered, no trace of doubt remaining in his mind.  Rainbow Dash took a few deep breaths before setting her eyes on the horizon and swallowing her inhibition, pushing her wings for all they were worth.  She felt the resistance begin to build with the panic of failure, and then it melted away with a glance as she passed over Storm, his steady gaze filling her chest with a burning warmth.  Renewed energy coursed through every fiber of her being as she closed her eyes, her focus complete as her singular thought escaped her mouth in a murmur.

“This one’s for you, Storm.”  There was a massive explosion as the full spectrum radiated in a wave as Rainbow Dash exceeded the speed of sound, coating the world around for miles in dancing light of all colors.  Tears sprang to Storm’s eyes as he beheld the sight, the combination of adoration, excitement, and awe overpowering his emotions.  Rainbow continued her feats, quickly wrapping the world around him in the seven colors with corkscrews and dives, ascensions and loops.  He was completely unprepared as Rainbow Dash bowled him over, causing them both to tumble with Dash landing atop his chest.  The shifting hues drenched them both, and Storm closed his eyes as Rainbow leaned in deep, slowly bringing her lips to his.  She could feel the rhythm of his heart pounding against her hooves, and they both savored the moment as the world melted away.

After a time she pulled away just slightly and looked into the eyes of the one who had given her the strength to pull off the feat.  “Thank you for believing in me, Storm.  I couldn’t have done that without you,” she whispered before a timid squeak caused her to turn her head.  Had she not been so enraptured in the moment she would have noticed that Fluttershy had flown up beside the cloud, having seen the Rainboom from a distance and immediately coming to congratulate her.  By the time Rainbow Dash had pulled away Fluttershy’s face was matching the color of her hair.

"I, um, sorry! I thought you had done a Rainboom, but I guess that's what happens when you kiss, Rainbow Dash.  I'll leave you two alone now," she stammered, pointedly looking towards the ground where most of her friends had gathered.  Before either pony could explain she returned to the surface and consulted the curious eyes of the other ponies.

“Fluttershy, is everything all right with Rainbow Dash?” Twilight inquired as she slipped from Cerulean’s back.

“Oh, yes, well you see she was just, um, kissing Storm.”

“That was a kiss?  I’d hate to see what happens when...” Cerulean started before his mouth was magically sealed shut.  He nodded his understanding to Twilight and she removed the spell with a kiss of her own before turning back to Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy, I hardly think that a reaction like that would result from something a simple as a kiss,” Rarity offered, returning her gaze to the cloud that still showed no movement.  Rainbow Dash poked her head over the side and immediately pulled it back as Applejack arrived on the scene.

“Why does this always happen?” she muttered as she desperately tried to calm herself.  Storm on the other hand thought it was extremely amusing, and made no attempts to hide it.

“Come on, cheer up.  You just had your first kiss under the light of a Sonic Rainboom.  I’d say it’s worth a little embarrassment.”  She was forced to agree, and together they descended to their friends waiting below.  Dash was about to explain the situation when she was bowled over and her sense of taste assailed by cotton candy.  She soon suffered an acute shortage of breath as Pinkie locked lips with hers, holding the position much too long before bouncing cheerily around her in a circle.

“It musta been a Rainboom, ‘cause a kiss didn’t work!  By the way, Rainbow Dash?  You taste spicy.”  Rainbow Dash remained on her back, twitching slightly as her mind failed to comprehend a second kiss on such short notice, and by Pinkie Pie of all ponies!  Storm was less than sympathetic, both him and Cerulean suffering from fits of laughter while the rest of the mane six looked on in shock.

“Pinkie Pie, you can’t just kiss somepony like that!” Applejack exclaimed as the powers of speech returned to her.  “I mean, what if that had been ‘er first one?  Come to think of it, was that yers?”

“Nope!  I’ve had lots, but that one was pretty tasty!  Best one since Cerulean, actually.”

“Wait, what?!?” Twilight shouted, whirling and glaring at a now thoroughly frightened blue stallion.

“It wasn’t like I had a say in the matter, I was glued to the wall!” he cried, frantically waving a hoof.  “And besides, it wasn’t so much a kiss as it was her cleaning my face.  With her tongue.”  And as soon as he said those words, he realized that it sounded much, much worse than a kiss.  The rest of the ponies present began to back away and Cerulean realized he was in it deep if he didn’t figure something out.  In an act of pure desperation he grabbed Pinkie Pie with his magic and forcibly brought her lips into connection with Twilight’s.  There was a collective gasp from the onlookers.  “There, we’re even!”  And with that he took flight, making straight for the library to start writing his will.  Pinkie Pie didn’t mind in the slightest as she enjoyed a new flavor, before bouncing happily back towards Sugarcube Corner having had her fill of kisses for the day.

“That... stallion... is so... in for it!” Twilight screamed as she ignited, leaving scorched earth in her wake as she stalked back towards the library.  The friends quickly shot off silent prayers for Cerulean before scattered chuckles spread, lightening the mood.

“Well, Rainbow Dash.  That Rainboom of yours really is somethin’.  Always makes a scene, that’s t’ be sure.” Applejack said as she turned to her.  “...It was a Sonic Rainboom, right?”

“Yes, Applejack, it was.  All this time I’ve spent training is finally paying off,” she declared proudly, standing beside Storm.

“Oh, that’s wonderful, Rainbow Dash.  I bet you’ll do really good at the competition coming up,” Fluttershy encouraged.

“Quite.  One glimpse of a display like that and you’re sure to be a Wonderbolt in no time at all,” Rarity agreed, smiling at her friend’s childlike anticipation.

“Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  You’re gonna have to keep workin’ at it if you’re gonna win.  I’m sure you won’t be the only great flier there, so no slackin’ off just yet.  You can do it Rainbow Dash, if ya put forth the effort.  You’ve got the skill.”

“You’re right, Applejack.  C’mon Storm, there’s still plenty of daylight.  Let’s get to training!”

“Training... my grandfather’s manual!  Sorry, Rainbow Dash, Twilight took something from me and I need to get it back.  Can you train yourself for a bit without the gear?  This is really important.”  She nodded, and he began to trot towards the library, following the black marks on the road.  They ended a few feet from the library which was surprisingly silent.  “Hmmm, it seems Cerulean worked things out peacefully,” he mumbled as he approached.  There was a slam and a burst of snow as Cerulean shot out of the door and into the sky.

“Cerulean wait, come back!” Twilight cried as she watched him leave, tears streaming from her eyes.  The book was forgotten as the lavender mare in front of him sank to the ground, her legs shaking a moment before giving out completely.

“Twilight?  What happened?” Storm asked, kneeling beside her.

“Please, Storm, go talk to him.  Bring him back...  I went too far,” she managed, before she was too overcome with grief to speak.  Storm turned in time to see a blue speck dive-bomb down into Everfree Forest and he immediately gave chase.  As he landed near where he had seen Cerulean enter he found deep score marks in several trees, a frosty residue dripping from the grooves that had recently been hewed out.  As he walked deeper into the forest he felt the ambient temperature begin to drop.  In the middle of a small clearing Cerulean sat alone, the sweat and tears the had formed instantly freezing as he slowly lost control of his anger.

“Cerulean?  Hey, are you ok?”  Cerulean said nothing, and Storm gave a shiver as he approached and sat beside him in a pile of new fallen snow.  “...Do you want to talk about it?”

“It wouldn’t make any sense to you,” he replied, his hollow voice more frightening to Storm than the bizarre weather conditions and slices in the trees.  “I don’t... I don’t know if I can keep doing this...”  Storm mulled over the words silently before speaking in a gentle tone.

“You know, Cerulean, I haven’t been here very long but I’ve really come to look up to you.  You’ve only ever given me good advice, and it’s really helped me out a lot.  But a wise pony once told me that there is no room for fear in love.  Twilight loves you, Cerulean.  All it took was seeing you together in the library that one night for me to know that.”  Not having anything more to say, Storm returned to the library, leaving Cerulean alone to his thoughts.

“Is he coming back?” Twilight inquired as Storm entered, her worry again flaring as she saw Cerulean was not with him.

“He’ll come back, Twilight.  Don’t doubt him so easily.”  Storm paused a moment before continuing, giving her a moment to collect herself.  “I had originally come to get my book back.  Are you done with it?”  Twilight descended the steps into her laboratory before returning with a black and yellow hardcover tome.  A large lightning bolt adorned the cover with the title reading “The Legacy of Lightning Wing.”

“Twilight, thank you.  You’ve done my grandfather proud.”  She gave him a feeble smile before turning and walking up the stairs to retire to her bed.  Storm quietly excused himself and made for the center of town to look for Rainbow Dash, hoping that the afternoon’s training would help distract him from worrying about his friends.  As confidently as he had spoken, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had helped at all.

Dash was lazily completing corkscrews and gut bending spirals with ease under the freedom of her usual constraints, and as Storm arrived they both made for her cloud home to get geared up.  After much pleading, he let Rainbow Dash have a small look through the book, which she began absorbing instantaneously.  Five minutes later they geared up and she started again with renewed vigor and enthusiasm as her mind processed some of the stunts she had read about, knowing they would dazzle even the stiffest panel of judges.

An hour remained until the sun would be fully set as Flying Grace and Cloudburn stepped off the train.  Cloudburn couldn’t explain why but she immediately felt a sense of familiarity with the place, like it was a home to her all along.  They immediately made for Quakehoof’s apartment, and Cloudburn braced herself for seeing Storm again.

Quakehoof glanced up from the bills on the table as a timid knock sounded from the door.  With a groan he stood, stretching before opening the door to find his love on the other side.  She was immediately wrapped in his massive arms, knowing that if she was here again outside of the time arranged then something truly horrible must have transpired.

“Grace, what happened?” he asked slowly as she pulled away.  Quakehoof soon matched her grin as she spoke, his heart soaring as the moment he had waited for years finally came.

“Quakehoof, I’m here to stay.  Proud Skies won’t touch my family ever again.”  Cloudburn stood a respectful distance away, letting them enjoy their reunion.  Quakehoof noticed her, and while he had heard Grace speak of Storm’s friends he hadn’t personally met any of them.

“Can I help you, miss?”

“Um... is Storm Blitz here?”

“He’s probably practicing with Rainbow Dash near the outskirts of town.  You a friend of his?”

“Yes, my name is Cloudburn.  It’s a pleasure to meet you, Quakehoof.  Grace, I’m going to try and find him.”

“All right...” she said hesitantly.  Grace had urged Cloudburn not to get her hopes up, but she was determined to at least confess to Storm, and she knew that no words would dissuade her.  Cloudburn galloped through the town, searching the skies and, seeing a rainbow appear in the distance, altered her course and made straight for it.  Even if it was bittersweet, the trip would be worth it just for a moment with Storm.

“How are you adjusting to the new weights, Dash?”

“Ugh, they’re horrible.  Do you even have to ask?  You’re a slave driver, you know that?” she replied, stretching out her wings and pausing to catch her breath.  Storm was in a similar condition, the first set of weights just as heavy as Dash’s and forcing him to push his limits.  They had learned through trial and error how to tell when they were nearing a point where flight would no longer be possible while burdened, and as the sky turned pink Storm called a stop.  They both landed gratefully in the cool grass, and together they helped remove the weights.  They lay looking up at the sky as it slowly changed from pink to crimson, a few sparse clouds drifting lazily in the evening breeze.

Rainbow Dash blushed as Storm’s lips connected delicately with her cheek, and he was surprised as she let out a small giggle as she rolled onto her side so she could see his face.  “Hey, you missed.”  He smiled and had his eyes half way closed before they snapped open again.  Rainbow Dash noticed and rolled over to see a green pegasus mare slowly walking towards them.  Storm leapt upright and ran to meet her, throwing his arms around her and hugging her close, unaware as Rainbow Dash looked on, confusion mixing with fear to create a churning in the pit of her stomach.

“Cloudburn, is it really you?”  Tears filled the mare’s eyes as she let her head sink into his chest, nodding slowly.

“It’s been five years. I’m glad I haven’t been forgotten.”