A dark cyan colt lay in his bed, peacefully sleeping. His dark blue tail flicked from time to time as the young colt slept and dreamed.
Blue Zephyr yawned. He sat up in his plush cloud bed, stretching his wings and front legs. He smiled; today was his Cute-ceñera, and he was going to enjoy it. Zephyr trusted his parents to protect him.
"Blue Zephyr! Breakfast is ready!"
"Alright Ma!" Blue called back. He flew out of bed and as he rushed to make it neat, Blue Zephyr reminisced of how he had gotten his cutie mark.
The flight school instructor sized his charges up. He nodded to himself. "Alright, my little ponies, today is the Turbulence Trial. You will all fly up to the starting cloud, and when I blow my whistle you all fly toward the pegasi on the other side. A cloud is in front of them. Land there and you'll pass the test with flying colors. Now, this is not a requirement to pass flight school, but the other instructors and I feel it's important to at least try to hone this skill. Now fly up!" A whistle sounded, and all the young pegasi flew up to the fluffy starting cloud.
Blue Zephyr rarely felt nervous before a test, as he almost always passed with fairly good results. Yet this test seemed strange. After all, they just had to land on a cloud! He'd passed the Dizzitron Junior test with exceptional marks, he'd held it together long enough to pass the Tornado Creator test, and always was in the front of the middle of the pack during the morning laps.
So why be nervous now? Blue Zephyr was sure he'd pass with a good mark. He buzzed his wings to get the blood flowing and waited for that whistle.
It pierces the air and all the pegasi bolted toward their older counterparts. Then the elder ponies began to beat their wings. Blue Zephyr slowed slightly to prepare for the buffeting wind.
Others sped up, hoping to reach the end cloud before the elders really made a gale, but the wind sent them tumbling back. Blue persisted at his somewhat slower pace and was making good distance against the instructors' efforts.
In front of him was a lavender pegasus, going at the same speed. Suddenly she tried to rush forward, and one of her wings turned a way it normally should not. She cried out and folded her wings instinctively. Blue's eyes widened as she plummeted.
He reacted the way the heroes in his father's foalhood bedtime stories did and speared down to save her. He folded his wings after one strong beat and managed to catch up to the frantic falling filly.
Blue wrapped his front legs around her, made sure to have a steady grip, and opened his wings as far as possible to glide them down.
It was working! They were certainly falling slower than before. Then Blue Zephyr saw they were still coming in too fast, and rolled so he'd take the fall.
With a grunt they crashed to the ground. The primary instructor landed next to them with wide eyes. "Son... That was the most reckless thing I've seen since Rainbow Dash was enrolled here! Are you hurt?"
Blue Zephyr just shook his head. He wasn't, beside the minor cuts and bruises expected from such a landing.
"Good. Then you're to give me ten, no, twenty laps and then to the mess hall."
Blue Zephyr nodded, shook off the landing's vague shock, and flew to follow his teacher's instructions. The other pegasi watched him from either the starting or ending cloud.
Blue noticed the instructors fly to their colleague and looked at him. He spoke, they nodded, and slowly they herded the remaining pegasi to the mess hall and two instructors brought the pegasus with a badly sprained wing to the infirmary. Still, he continued his laps, until finally entering the cloud mess hall.
Inside, a cheer from his classmates nearly made him jump out of his bluish coat. The filly he'd saved had one wing bandaged and tied to her side, but looked otherwise no worse for the experience they had shared.
She smiled and nuzzled him as she said, "You saved me! Thank you."
Blue Zephyr reddened and felt a tingling on his flanks. All in the mess hall cheered even harder as the colt realized he had gotten his cutie mark! It was a wind against a shield.
Blue cocked his head. "Teacher, what does that mean?"
His instructor pondered. "I think all it's saying is that you're not going to be knocked down easily, Zephyr. And you need to use that to help those that are vulnerable."
The stallion smiled down at the colt, pride evident in his voice. "You're a hero."
The memory always made him smile, even if (or maybe because) it wasn't too long ago.
Still, his Cute-ceñera was now impending. He shuddered unconsciously; all foals of the recent generations have had Cute-ceñeras that ended... badly. He recalled what Ms. Blossom had said regarding the recent history and that of Cute-ceñera celebrations.
During the days of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, peace flourished throughout the land. Ponies had lived long and happily. Neither changeling invasion nor evil royalty, nay not even the Lord of Chaos himself, established a dark domain for long with the legendary heroines around. Ms. Blossom's ancestor, Ms. Cheerilee, had even taught siblings of the saviors.
Pinkie Pie, embodiment of Laughter and Optimism, had made a name for herself as the Party Pony of Equestria toward the end of this golden era. Her attitude negated the darkness that always seemed to surround her and her friends, and this inspired many of the pony folk.
Applejack, bearer of the Element of Honesty and Integrity, was a pillar in times of doubt and fear. The fact that everypony could count on her and her friends in times of peril shone as a ray of hope for all in the land. Many impressionable colts and fillies mimicked Applejack's policy of honesty, marking a time of intense trust among the residents of Equestria.
Rarity, known as the Element of Generosity and Charity, was well known in all circles, from the common folk she played a part in saving to the well-to-do, recognizing her as the best dressmaker in the land. Her business skyrocketed, and with the wealth she earned she helped many unfortunate and downtrodden ponies. Many took her lead and selflessly gave to others. Her influence led to happiness flowing like water in the country.
Fluttershy, the pony known for Kindness and Compassion, was not as well known as the other bearers. However, this was due to her reticent lifestyle and shy nature. Nevertheless, one never could say she wasn't ready to help when possible; indeed, many a pony and creature owe her a debt of gratitude. In a subtly effective way, she showed how rewarding compassionate behavior could be, and prompted others to act similarly. Ponies enjoyed each other's company far more, with Fluttershy to thank.
Rainbow Dash, and her Loyalty to her friends, was famous in the realm. Her speed, talent, and unique ability to do the Sonic Rainboom made her beloved by many ponies. She eventually joined the Wonderbolts as a special member, able to perform with such names as Spitfire and Soarin' anytime but never obligated to. Needless to say, anytime they were around and she wasn't saving Equestria, Rainbow Dash joined the Wonderbolts for a show.
The most recognized of the group, Princess Twilight Sparkle, aka the Element of Magic and the protégé of Princess Celestia, was as much with her friends as with the Princess. Many rumors spread about Twilight, ranging from sordid events with the other Princesses to having had repeated Magic Kindergarten, but none denied her achievements. She was the leader of the group that cleansed Princess Luna from her Nightmare Moon form, defeated the ancient spirit of chaos and disharmony Discord, destroyed the evil King Sombra and saved the Crystal Empire, saved Equestria from the changeling invasion of Queen Chrysalis, and even defeated Tirek and once again saved Equestria.
Eventually, the bearer of each Element passed away, their lifespan increased but not infinite. Twilight Sparkle, the last to pass away, ruled over Equestria as a regent for Princesses Celestia and Luna. Eventually another Princess would be born, the daughter of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. This princess, Princess Blazing Shield, led the revolution and pushed the country further against the Everfree Forest. Little ground was gained, but this weakened her power. The rest of the royalty was weakened by time and Equestria, still under Blazing Shield, fell into separation between the ponyfolk and the nobility.
The griffons, having been through it all as ponies had, took advantage of the dissonance between layers and struck. Many ponies fell victim to hunting griffons, who had been ancient predators of the pony and now returned to that slot of the food chain.
Eventually, a descendant of Applejack struck a deal with the griffons, albeit one that was still not unfavorable: griffons may only eat ponies sold to them, but in return a law unofficially passed stating that a pony may be hunted down and captured to be sold or whatnot on, and only on, their Cute-ceñera.
The griffon leader, Razorclaw, agreed grudgingly after the descendant noted with diplomatic disgust, "Now a pony is a treat, a special thing. This makes us... special."
And thus began the fear of all foals: the Cute-ceñera. Blue Zephyr hurried down and ate his breakfast, his parents watchful of the house's surroundings. They lived in a home on the ground, as was the style.
Both Silver Wind and Aqua Berry feared for their child, but both were willing to use any force necessary to protect him. Silver Wind, a pegasus, would fight until his wings fell off if need be; Aqua Berry would use every spell in her arsenal if the situation called for it.
Blue Zephyr was on high alert, but relaxed as his parents walked him to the party site in the Ponyville town square. True, while an attack might seem easier from an outsider, any and all able-bodied Ponyville ponies would fight to protect their fellow ponyfolk.
Blue grinned as he saw his friend Soaring Spark and the filly he saved, Lilac Blossom. She was the daughter of Ms. Blossom as it turned out. Many other foals had come to wish him a happy Cute-ceñera and partake of cake and games.
Soaring pinned the tail on the face of the figure, Lilac bashed the piñata hard enough for candy to fly everywhere, and Blue simply could not be having more fun.
It all ended with a bang.
The bang was followed by a whistling noise, and then a net wrapped around Blue Zephyr. Smoke bombs pelted the party, releasing a noxious sleep-inducing gas. Soaring stumbled toward his friend before collapsing, and Lilac was a hoof's reach away before she also fell. His mother used her magic to dispel the smoke, before darkly garbed ponies essentially fell from the sky.
"Sweet dreams," one pegasus said and sprayed her with a puff of noxious fumes. Aqua fell instantly.
The pegasus turned to take a kick to the side, courtesy of Silver Wind. A super effective attack, evidently, as the target stayed still but breathing.
Silver then attempted to get to his son, and yet Blue noticed he seemed to be moving. He turned and saw he was being reeled in like a fish.
A blue magic aura surrounded his father, the telekinesis stopping him and forcing him to watch his son fall into the clutches of the mastermind.
"Dad!" Blue Zephyr finally cried out, shock stopping him until now.
"Blue, no!" Silver struggled, but no use.
A quick sleep spell sent Silver Wind to the ground, free from the magic only to be in sleep's hold.
Blue Zephyr closed his eyes, hoping it was all a dream. At least he would be strong, for his friends and family.
He only wondered how luckily the party guests had gotten off as the entire group of assailants, a total of ten of mixed types, gathered around.
The mastermind barked, "Alright! Let's go. He should bring in a nice sum."
The blue foal whimpered. He'd been left in a small room, alone, although there was a daffodil sandwich on a plate and a glass of water as well as a bed. A door had bars as a window, but no doubt the door itself was locked.
Blue watched the door; no hoofsteps, no one seemed to be coming quite yet. His wings twitched at the thought of escape, particularly if the alternative was being sold and eaten by griffons.
Blue Zephyr probably couldn't outpace an adult griffon. They were hunters of the sky in the same way dragons could be on occasion, only the griffon had adapted to specifically eat ponies of all types. Honed sharp claws to keep a grip, wings longer than a pegasus's to outpace flyers and intimidate all, feathers that act as a cushion against physical blows, and intelligence to match that of their prey.
He curled into a ball as well as he could on the bed, quivering. The moonlight lit the room up a bit, and Blue's eyelids were feeling heavy. He yawned and let sleep claim him.
The next morning, he woke up with a smile on his face. "Ma?"
His smile vanished as he realized he was trapped by foalnapping ponies seeking to sell him, as they'd said. Blue noticed the food had changed; he recalled there had been a sandwich with water last night but now there was a plate with toast and a bowl of oatmeal, with a tall glass of milk to the side. The pegasus's stomach growled but he recalled his mother, Aqua Berry, always warned him to not eat food from strangers.
"Eat up, kid. No use in starving yourself." A low voice told him. He turned and saw a white unicorn watching him through the bars in the door.
Blue Zephyr's eyes widened and he forgot the food entirely. "Where am I? Where are my parents? Who are you? Why did you take me of all ponies? Why are you doing this? Don't you thi-"
"Enough!" The stallion stomped his hoof. "Now, eat and we'll see what I tell you. Here's a hint: don't talk so much and you might get answers faster."
Blue shrunk back and nibbled his toast. He refused to look the stallion in the eye.
A sigh came from the door. "Sorry, kid. Just that it always stresses most of us out, these foalnappings. Now, I'd rather, erm, make your stay as comfortable as possible. I might be able to get you some stuff you want. Anything?"
Blue Zephyr looked at him, head cocked slightly. "Do you have any comic books?"
"We might. What kind?"
"The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well."
The stallion smiled. "Alright. Sit tight." He left the window, and the blue pegasus ate his breakfast.
After finishing his milk, he hovered over to the window. He looked through to see a large room with a throw pillow on the ground and a few items scattered nearby. Blue guessed that would be where the white pony had stayed. He was probably the guard, keeping him from escaping.
Strange, though. For a bad pony, Blue didn't think this stallion acted like a bad pony. He seemed nice, almost. Blue Zephyr supposed that if this was how bad things would get, it wouldn't be so bad.
He nodded at this thought, before freezing. No, this was not the end game. The end game was a slow walk toward an oven to be roasted and eaten by griffons! Roasted if he was lucky, and if not, then... Blue shivered at the thought and huddled on his bed.
Eventually the stallion returned. "Here you are, kid. Plenty of comics." He teleported the small books into Blue's room.
"Thank you," the small pegasus said quietly. The unicorn nodded and walked away. Blue heard a faint squish sound, from the pony's pillow. He looked at the comic books in front of him, chose one, and began to read.
Blue Zephyr's mood lifted as he read of the superhero's missions. The hero wore a costume of black and purple: a black mask with blue eye fabric, a body coat of purple with a black cape, black hoof wrappings, and a purple hat with a blue ribbon. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well hopped down from a low building rooftop and landed in front of a pair f thieves.
Blue Zephyr wondered if a hero could somehow save him. He doubted it would be one like Mare-Do-Well, but heroes came in all shapes and sizes. He sighed and read on.
The hero now had the thieves subdued. She looked around and to vanish into the shadows as the pony police arrived. The bad guys had lost and good had defeated it. Maybe the same would happen here.
Blue Zephyr's ear twitched as he heard voices out in the big room. He strained to hear them, but they were talking quietly.
He only caught a few words, like "hamburger" and "gems" and "bits." Blue paled. He did not want to be a simple meal for a griffon. A tear welled in his eye, but he brushed it off; he knew Mare-Do-Well would be braver than this. The hero would fight until she couldn't, and he would have to do the same.
Except he couldn't fight. He was too small and his father always joked about Aqua Berry's magic, warning their son that a unicorn could be a most dangerous enemy but obviously a powerful ally.
Blue smiled. There was always a way out if you looked hard enough, his mother said. With some luck, the unicorn guard would not always be an enemy and perhaps soon could be a friend and ally.
Blue Zephyr hoped so. He peeked and saw an earth pony with an orange coat and a long black mane leave the unicorn guard. The unicorn looked over at his charge and motioned for the pegasus to get down. Blue dropped to the floor and the orange returned briefly to say good night to the guard.
The unicorn wished the same to her and the orange pony finally left. Blue's ear flickered again, and he was sure it was just the two of them, Blue and the unicorn, once more. He hovered up to the bars once more and saw the unicorn watched his door, apparently waiting for Blue to pop up again.
"Can I ask you a question?"
The unicorn nodded. Blue asked, "What's your name?"
The stallion smiled. "I'm... Light Screen. What about you, squirt?"
Blue's nose scrunched at the nickname, but he answered, "My name's Blue Zephyr. Who was-" The pegasus clamped his mouth shut, and floated down, much to the unicorn's confusion.
Light Screen stood and as Blue sat on his bed he could see the stallion's horn. The guard looked through the bars and looked at Blue. "I'm sorry if I scared you the first time by yelling at you. Look, you can ask anything. I might not answer if I can't, but don't be afraid."
Blue looked at the unicorn, his violet eyes connecting with Light's blue ones. Blue trusted this bad pony; maybe he wasn't a bad pony at all! How many bad ponies ever apologize?
"Mr. Light Screen, who was that mare?"
The unicorn's smile faltered. "She's... What I am to you." He paused in thought, then smiled wryly. "Except she won't bring me comic books."
The small pegasus laughed. Yes, it seemed more and more that this was no bad pony, just a pony with a bad job for a bad stallion or mare.
"Light Screen, what's your cutie mark look like?" The pegasus, struggle as he did, could not gain enough elevation to properly see. The stallion beamed a construct of it in Blue's room to show the curious colt.
It was a glowing silver shield, the light glinting off in a starry fashion and giving the mark its own brilliance.
"Similar to yours, isn't it, Blue Zephyr?" The colt nodded. "Maybe our destinies aren't too different. Although considering why you're here, I should be afraid of that."
"Why aren't you?"
The white stallion smiled. "My own name. Light Screen. I've tried to be nice to the past foals, you know. None accepted what little comfort I can get them. Except for you. You're different. So maybe the destiny the Food Chain has picked out for you is not what will happen. And... It won't. I won't let it happen."
His face darkened for a split second before he grinned. "But we'll need to play it off as if we're not friends, and I'm just nice to you. Otherwise the others might catch wind. So shush, and read the books. I'll plan."
Blue Zephyr's mind tumbled over itself. He nodded and a tear welled in his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Light Screen."
The unicorn nodded and walked over to his throw pillow, sitting down with a wink.
