Weathering the Storm

by ArchAngelsWings

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Slice of Life
Length: 5102

A quiet neighborhood in Cloudsdale, home to a little yellow filly, her sick mother and her father who works long hours to provide for them. This filly's quiet, kind, and well behaved. The pride of any parent. Her life's gotta be perfect. Right?

A nice quiet neighborhood in Cloudsdale, home to a little yellow filly with a pink mane, her sick mother and her father who works long hours to provide for them. This little filly's quiet, kind, and well behaved. The pride of any parent. The one you wish was yours. Her life's gotta be perfect. Right?

~Full series chronology~
Weathering the Storm by ArchAngelsWings
By Blood or Choice by Krickis
Inner Strength by Krickis
Finding Home by Krickis

Cover art line work by Dessert, color by me. (Will fix later when I can get a hold of Photoshop.)
Edited by Krickis

Published 2015-11-20 04:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-18 04:16:12 UTC

1 - Cloudy with a Chance

Chapter One

Cloudy with a Chance

“Have a wonderful day my little ponies.” Ivory Pages said as she waved off her students from the day’s learning. “Oh, and don’t forget that next week we have Career Day! Make sure to ask your parents if they’d like to come in!” Her students scurried off before she could get another sentence out. One little filly slowly walked out of the classroom after everypony else. “Have a wonderful weekend Fluttershy.” Ivory Pages said with a gentle smile.

“Thank you ma’am, you too.” she nodded and then began her walk home. Her head was in the clouds all throughout the walk back to her house. She didn’t realize she had already made it home until she heard his voice.

“I see you made it home without some ridiculous detour stopping you today.” a light blue pegasus with a gray mane grumbled from the mailbox on the porch.

“I came straight home sir,” she mumbled under her breath in his general direction.

“What are you waiting for ya brat, get inside already!” Stormy Skies yelled at his daughter after slamming the empty mailbox shut. She scrambled into the house attempting to avoid his rage but tripped on her mane and rolled until she hit a cabinet. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry I…” Fluttershy began but was promptly cut off.

“What is wrong with you? I can’t believe you’re my daughter. If you’d have been a colt you’d never be acting like some sort of idiot foal. Get outta here, I have to pack for an important trip for work next week. The itinerary was supposed to come in the mail today…” he glowered down at her trembling form.

“B-but Papa what am I supposed to tell Ms. Ivory Pages when she asks me about Career Day?” Fluttershy stood a safe distance from her father, whose look grew more angry than before.

“I don’t give a flying buck what you tell your damned teacher as long as it means that I don’t have to be there.” Fluttershy went to walk away with her head down, “Did I say you could leave?” Stormy Skies snarled at his daughter.

“But you just told me to leave though…” she bowed her head down and flattened her ears against her head. He pounded his hoof against the wall and made an indent as a painting on the wall shook a bit. “No sir, you didn’t. I’m sorry,” Fluttershy sighed.

“Damn right you’re sorry, and you always will be, even from the moment your mother spat you into this world you’ve been sorry.” She hid in her mane and stared at the floor, his words still stung even after all this time. “Now go make yourself scarce before I take it out on your hide.” he grunted as he turned his back on her and headed into his study.

“Yes sir,” was all she could manage as she turned and shuffled towards her room.

“Is that you my sweet little Fluttershy?”

“Yes Momma, do you need anything?” Fluttershy made her way into her parents’ room.

“Come here sugarcube.” came the weak voice of Breezy Day from her almost permanent place in bed. She did as she was told and stood next to her mother. Breezy noticed the edges of her daughter’s eyes were a little moist as she stroked Fluttershy’s chin softly, “Ya know, I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful daughter.” she said as she tried to get the filly to look her in the eyes.

Fluttershy pulled out of her mother’s grasp and looked at her with eyes full of admiration before shaking her head vigorously, “No Momma! You’re the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria! Even more beautiful than Princess Celestia!”

“That’s kind of you to say my little one.” she smiled at her daughter’s fervor. “Would you be a dear and see if the post pony’s been by? I can’t wait for this month’s magazines. I wonder if we’ll find something we can make together…” Breezy leaned back into her pillows as her daughter turned to go check the mail. Fluttershy quietly made her way to the mailbox trying to avoid his attention. She snuck out the door and collided with the post pony.

“Ohmygoodness! I’m so so so sorry!” Fluttershy jumped away from the white pegasus.

“No no don’t you worry your pretty little head over it.” he smiled. He pulled a bundle of mail from his satchel and gave it to her. “Now go make something as pretty as you are,” he said as he flew off as she turned to go back inside. She went through the mail to see if anything else of interest came in and she came across an envelope addressed to Stormy Skies. She gulped down a breath before deciding what she was going to do about it.

She opened the door to find her father standing there. He opened his mouth to say something but before he had a chance to Fluttershy was running past him leaving the rest of the mail on a small desk, “I went to get the mail for momma, your letter is on the table sir,” she said and she was in the bedroom with the door shut without a second thought about anything he might have said or done. “I got the magazines Momma,” Fluttershy said as she placed them beside Breezy on the bed.

“Oh thank you. Would you like to look through them with me?” Fluttershy nodded and Breezy patted the empty space beside her on the bed. She hopped up and then her mother flipped open the magazine and began explaining the importance of several stitches used on the first dress they saw in the glossy pages. Fluttershy hung on every word as she enjoyed this happy time with her mother. A couple hours passed before Fluttershy sighed and her mother noticed.

“Is there something wrong little one?”

“Oh ummm well… just that Papa said he couldn’t make it to Career Day and I couldn’t possibly bother you to do it, but it’ll be okay.” Fluttershy tried perusing one of her mother’s magazines in hopes that she didn’t just hurt her mother’s feelings and that she wouldn’t bring the subject back up.

Breezy just smiled gently before saying, “You’re right, it’ll be okay. I have an idea.”

Fluttershy looked up from the ad she wasn’t really reading in the magazine, “Uh huh…”

“How about we make you one of these stylish new dresses?”

Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide, “Really Momma? You really mean it?”

Breezy giggled at her daughter’s reaction then nodded, “Yes I mean it.” She wrote down a list of all the supplies they’d need and gave it to her along with a pouch of bits and sent her off to the market on a scavenger hunt of sorts.

“I’ll be back soon so we can start right away… or whenever you want to…” she hid in her mane a little bit.

“Right away.” That’s all it took to send Fluttershy flying out the door and on her way to the market.

Just as she reached the front door with her saddlebag and list Stormy stopped her, “And who said you could leave this house?”

“Momma needs some things from the market sir,” she looked at the floorspace between them.

“Hmph fine, get out of my sight.”

“Yessir.” Fluttershy stood still looking at the floor waiting for him to leave first.

“I said get out of my sight ya waste of space!”

Fluttershy ran as fast as she could toward the market leaving the image of her father as far behind her as possible. Once the house was no longer in sight and the market was visible she took a moment and caught her breath before going over her list. ‘Let’s see what momma needs… A bolt of fabric, a few spools of thread, and some buttons. That sounds easy enough.’ She smiled as she carefully made her way through the booths and shops of the marketplace. She found everything she needed and made her way towards home. Toward the edge of the marketplace she passed a cloud candy vendor and the smell made her all but stop and stare at the delicious sweets adorning the stall. They were in many pastel shades and some were even shaped like animals.

The voice of the vendor broke her trance, “Can I help you with anything Miss?”

“Oh, ummm I was just looking at your beautiful cloud candies.”

“Would you like to buy some? I’ll give you a great deal, especially because today’s been pretty slow.” He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I really really wish I could, but I’ve spent all the bits I had on these supplies for my momma’s sewing. Maybe next time...” Fluttershy bit her lower lip and started to walk off, embarrassed. The pegasus running the stand smiled down at her gently.

“Please don’t run off just yet Miss!” She stopped and looked at the vendor curiously.

“But I don’t have the money you see…”

“It’s alright, this one’s on the house for being such a good daughter and running errands for your mother. But you gotta promise to share it with her. Who knows, maybe you’ll be eating this cloud candy and you’ll like it so much that you get a cutie mark for sweets, why I bet you might even get one for helping your momma with her sewing! Come back and let me know how it goes alright?” He walked around the stall and tucked a pouch of candy into her bag. A smile spread across her lips.

“Thank you very very much, you really didn’t have to do that.” Fluttershy hid in her mane a bit and blushed. “But I’ll make sure to share it with her as soon as I get home!” Her smile stayed on her face until she arrived home. She tried her best to keep quiet as she entered the house and closed the door. She could feel his eyes on her as she creeped along further into the house.

“I’m taking the things Momma asked me to get at the market to her now sir.” Fluttershy said just loud enough for him to hear as she scurried away to the safety of her mother’s room. Before closing the door she could hear her father’s grunt of discontent. Once safely inside, Fluttershy turned toward her mother. “I got everything you put on the list Momma.” she said as she started unloading the contents of her bags.

“That’s funny, I don’t remember asking you pick up any cloud candy, Fluttershy…” Breezy used an obviously fake chiding tone and raised an eyebrow at her daughter as a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth.

“Well, uhm ya see Momma… The stall owner gave me a bag and told me to share it with you! I promise I didn’t do anything bad to get it!” Fluttershy hid in her mane and ever so barely trembled.

“I wouldn’t dream of you ever doing anything bad my dear Fluttershy!” Breezy said in a gentle tone. “It was awfully nice of them though, what do you say we have a little bit before we start working on our project hmm? Oh look! It looks just like bunny!” Breezy giggled as she pulled the candy out of the bag and made it look like it was hopping around like an actual bunny. Fluttershy giggled and sat next to her mother on a stool. Breezy pulled off two identical pieces and passed one to Fluttershy. She inspected the candy by poking it here and there and giving it a sniff that made her mouth begin to water. It was so fluffy and sweet smelling! She finally popped her piece into her mouth.

“Ohmygoodness Momma this is the best thing EVER,” her face lit up with a smile in response to her first bite of cloud candy. Breezy couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s enthusiasm.

“I’m glad you like it so much! You’re too cute my little one.” Breezy smiled again matching Fluttershy’s face this time. After finishing the treat they set to working upon their dresses, stitch by stitch. Breezy would correct Fluttershy’s stitches every so often and she’d try to learn the stitches exactly the way her Momma showed them to her. Breezy would nod approvingly when Fluttershy got the stitches done properly. Several hours passed between the two as they worked together quietly humming before they heard a commotion from outside of their little world.

“I’ll… I’ll go check on it Momma, you can finish up the last few details without me.” Fluttershy managed as she made her way toward the door to the room. The smile she’d been sporting slid its way away from her after she closed the door. She tried to be stealthy but failed when she tripped over a bump in the carpet in the hall.

“There you are... ya misherable lil’ thing.” Stormy’s words were slurred and he smelled of alcohol, it wasn’t hard to tell he’d spent the past few hours very differently than the other two.

“I’ll go start working on dinner sir,” she ducked past him quickly and made her way to the kitchen. He stood in the doorway belligerently and watched her bustle about the kitchen. “Is there anything you don’t want for dinner tonight sir?” He looked at her and stared for a moment.

“Just don’t burn the house down.” She nodded and went through their cupboards. She pulled out some barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, kidney beans and vegetable stock and set to making simple stew. She worked around the kitchen like it was almost second nature.

“You look just like your mother in the kitchen,” she barely heard him mumble under his breath. A small unexpected smile came to her face as she set the stew to finish on the burner and put some rolls in the oven.

“It should be done in about twenty or so minutes Papa, for now I’m gonna go and check on Momma though,” he had slid into one of the chairs around the table and started on another glass of his poison. She shook her head gently then made her way to the other room.

“Was everything alright?” Breezy asked anxiously.

“Everything is okay Momma, Papa was just being clumsy in the kitchen. I started on some dinner while I was out there too. Maybe we can eat together tonight?” Breezy’s face looked a bit paler than it had earlier in the day. “Momma… are you okay?” Fluttershy rushed over to her mother’s side and Breezy began coughing to what seemed like no end. Fluttershy held a bin up for her mother and rubbed her back gently as her mother’s face disappeared into the bin.

“I’m sorry my little one.” Breezy managed between spasms, “I should be the one to take care of you, not the other way around…” she didn’t have enough time to catch herself with the bin so she used her hoof instead when she coughed. Fluttershy’s eyes darted immediately to the red on her mother’s hoof.

“Momma we need to get you a doctor right now!” She started darting around the room trying to figure out a plan of action in her panic.

“Take a breath my love.” Breezy took her own advice and it seemed to help, “I’ll be okay my darling. Remember that Momma is sick? This is just part of my sickness. It’ll pass, just try to keep calm.” She tried to soothe away her daughter’s worry from her bed.

“B-but Momma, you coughed up blood! That’s serious!” Fluttershy’s eyes began to tear up and her bottom lip quivered even as she tried her best to follow her mother’s instructions.

“I know, I know. But it’ll be alright. Everything will be alright in the end.” Breezy Day patted the bed next to her after hiding away the rubbish bin. Fluttershy immediately sat next to her and hugged her gently, not wanting to hurt her. Breezy placed her chin on top of Fluttershy’s head and placed a kiss on her brow. “I love you little one.”

“I love you too Momma.”

“You should go check on dinner, I’ll be okay. Make sure your father is alright if he’s around.”

“Yes Momma.”

“Good girl.”

Fluttershy reluctantly left the room and made a beeline for the kitchen, she could smell the stew bubbling on the stove and the rolls in the oven. It made her stomach growl a bit.

“Ish et done yet Breeshy?” Fluttershy turned her head and looked at Stormy slumped over on the kitchen table and shook her head a little bit.

“It’s done Papa, but it’s me Fluttershy.” She reached for the dishes and poured out three bowls of stew, each with their own pair of fluffy hot yeast rolls. She placed a bowl in front of him, “Please be careful it’s very hot right now.” Stormy looked down at the bowl and just nodded. She balanced the other two and carefully made it back to the other room. When she opened the door Breezy was asleep against her pillows. Fluttershy left the bowl of stew on the bedside table with a plate covering it. She scrawled out a little note on a scrap of paper and left it with the food: ‘Please eat when you feel up to it, it’ll help make you feel better! Love you Momma!’

She closed the door behind her and went back to the kitchen where she’d left her father. He was slurping down his stew when she found him.

“Et’s good.” he managed with his mouth still full. She sat down opposite him at the table and tucked into her own meal.

“Thank you.” she said between bites. They sat in relative silence finishing their meals. Fluttershy cleared the table and did the dishes then headed to her room. She looked out the window and toward the moon wistfully. ‘If only he could be that nice when he wasn’t drunk and sure it was me and not Momma.’ she thought as she curled up on her bed under the covers. The last thing she saw was some light filtering in through a crack in the door and what she thought could have been her father standing at the door.

“You look just like her, my Breezy.” And the door closed with a click after her eyes closed, heavy with sleep. And the dreams tonight didn’t wake her up.

Author's Note

Hi hi! :twilightsmile: Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of Weathering the Storm! :raritystarry: It really means a lot to me! I'd love to hear what you have to think about the story! :heart: Did you love it? Did you hate it? Did I miss some earth-shattering details? Tell me!

2 - Frittatas and Fashion

Chapter Two

Frittatas and Fashion

Fluttershy woke with the sun shining through the cracks in her curtains, and the quiet peacefulness of a new morning. She groggily rolled around in bed a little bit before finally getting up. She shuffled toward the bathroom from her room, and washed up for the day to come. As she made her way to the kitchen, she noticed her father half sprawled on the floor and half on the couch. ‘He never makes it to bed…’ She picked up a bottle off the ground, and quickly pitched it into the waste basket. Fluttershy grabbed the blanket from the armchair and threw it over him before heading back toward the kitchen. The soft snores coming from her mother’s room made her giggle even after the worries of last night. A couple mugs clinked as she went through the cupboard for coffee supplies, then she set a pot to brew then began planning breakfast. She yawned as she rummaged through the fridge, pulling out all of the ingredients she’d need to make a frittata. “Tomatoes, spinach, some onion and mushrooms… a little cheese and this is gonna be so good,” Fluttershy giggled to herself as she diced up her vegetables. She bustled about the kitchen blissfully unaware, until she heard a sleepy grumble from the kitchen doorway.

“How did I get so lucky to have an angel for a daughter? You’re this happy and productive in the morning, and I just want coffee…” Breezy stood there looking like the smallest thing could knock her over.

“Momma! You shouldn’t be out of bed!” Fluttershy crossed the distance between them as soon as she heard her mother speak.

“I’ll be okay little one. How about I sit down? Would that put you a little more at ease?” Fluttershy nodded vigorously.

“I’ll get whatever you want.” Fluttershy walked toward the counter and grabbed a mug, already knowing how her mother took her coffee. Breezy sat watching from her place at the table with a smile. Fluttershy walked over to the table, carefully carrying the hot drink. “Three sugars and just enough cream to make it light brown, exactly how you like it Momma.”

Breezy giggled, “Exactly how I like it.” She sipped her coffee and smiled. “So what’s for breakfast Chef Fluttershy?”

“I’m not a chef Momma, I just follow the recipes you gave me. You’re so silly.” Fluttershy checked that the pan on the stove was hot enough to add the vegetables. “I am working on a vegetable frittata though, maybe a little cantaloupe on the side too…” She stood fixating on the fridge for a moment. She found the covered bowl of melon chunks and set it aside. The butter in the pan melted and she tossed the vegetables in, humming as she did so.

“I dunno… I’ve never liked those recipes as much as when you make them ya know.” Breezy sipped her coffee slowly. “Any plans for today?”

Fluttershy continued making breakfast but replied anyway, “Just to help you with the dresses some more, I guess. Did you need anything else done?”

“I think that’s about everything I had planned for today, it should take most of the morning and a little of the afternoon.” Breezy took a long sip of her coffee and looked at the ceiling tiles pensively. Fluttershy nodded and turned back to the veggies sauteing in the pan on the stove, she gave a quick stir to keep everything evenly cooked. She turned from pouring the eggs into the pan when she heard a second voice enter the small kitchen.

“That smells good,” Stormy Skies half grumbled, as he shuffled into the kitchen and took the seat across from Breezy. He rested his forehead on the cool lacquered wood of the table and let out a sigh. Fluttershy pulled another mug from the cabinet, counted out ten spoonfuls of sugar, poured the coffee and added milk until it barely resembled coffee anymore. She took the mug and gently placed it next to Stormy at the table.

“Papa, drink this. Okay?” She placed a kiss on his cheek quickly and went back to tending to the fritata. He grunted and scooted the mug over to his lips and sipped at it like it was the best thing in the world. Breezy sat watching the simple exchange and smiled to herself. Fluttershy heard her father’s slurps as she finished making breakfast. She slipped the frittata onto a serving plate, sliced it into equal portions and sprinkled cheese over it. Breezy got up from the table and gathered place setting for each of them, and only smiled when her daughter’s face looked at her with disapproval apparent. Breezy nudged Stormy so she could set his plate in front of him and he gripped his mug protectively.

“A fresh veggie frittata and some cantaloupe,” Fluttershy answered the silent question from her father’s gaze, as she set the dishes down at the table. She served everyone and then finally took a seat between her parents and tucked into her plate.

“Definitely a chef,” Breezy said in between bites of breakfast. Stormy nodded with a grunt of concurrence and continued eating without looking up from his plate. Fluttershy smiled and poked at her food a little. “What’s wrong little one?”

“Nothing, Momma.” Fluttershy ate the rest of her breakfast, and cleared the table when everyone had finished. “I’ll pack you a lunch for work today Papa.” Stormy looked at her and then to his empty mug and back again, “But after I make you another cup of coffee.” He surrendered his mug and she filled it with more coffee flavored sugar milk for him. Breezy had started on the dishes, and laughed to herself listening to them. Stormy slinked out of the kitchen, mug in hoof, with there being nothing left to hold his attention at the moment. “Momma you should get back to bed, you’ve done plenty more than you should have,” Fluttershy nudged her mother’s flank gently.

“Alright alright. I’ll go start working on the dresses again.” Breezy placed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead and headed out of the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway. “I love you, little one.”

“I love you too, Momma.” She ran over and hugged her mother, before going to finish up the dishes and pack her father’s lunch. She reheated some of the leftover stew from the night prior and filled a thermos with it. She rummaged through the kitchen a bit and found some crackers and some cinnamon apple chips to go with it, and packed those away in a sack with the thermos. Fluttershy took the sack out to her father who was finishing up his coffee. “Here’s your lunch for work Papa.” She placed it on the side table and hugged him quickly. “I’m gonna go help Momma now, b-but I hope you have a good day at work.” She took a few steps back and looked at him with a small smile, her eyes pleaded with him a little, wanting something more from him than his usual distance.

Stormy grunted, “Thanks kid,” and with that he grabbed the sack, pushed past Fluttershy and headed out the door. The fragile smile on her face fell and she shuffled to her mother’s room. She could hear her mother humming happily on the other side of the door, and she took a breath and her smiled reappeared on her face once more before pushing the door open.

“There you are my darling,” Breezy said from behind a pair of bedazzled spectacles, as she gingerly hoof-stitched a ribbon rosette to the waist of the dress she was working on. Her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth while she finished up, and Fluttershy giggled. After making sure it was on securely, she looked at her daughter. “What’s so funny missy?” She put her hooves on her hips in mock anger.

“You are Momma,” she laughed and replicated the face her mother made. Breezy smiled and laughed at herself too. She patted the spot next to her, and Fluttershy happily sat there and watched as her mother stitched things in place impeccably. They sat like this for hours, occasionally trying on the dresses to make sure everything fit properly. Fluttershy took in every little detail her mother showed her and committed it to memory. After hours and hours of toiling, they finished their project and beamed at each other. “You’re so amazing, Momma!” Fluttershy hugged her mother and admired her handiwork. “They’re prettier than anything you could buy at a shop in Canterlot or Manehattan!”

“I’m glad you like them so much, sweetheart.” Breezy smiled down at her daughter. She looked at the clock on the nightstand. Fluttershy’s eyes followed her mother’s.

“Ohmygoodness! I’m gonna go make something quick for lunch. We gotta keep your strength up or you’re never gonna get better!” Fluttershy dashed out of the room and almost tripped over her own hooves on her way to the kitchen. Breezy sat in bed and looked after her daughter.

“Or I’ll never get better…” Breezy said under her breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. She fumbled with a piece of ribbon and tried to keep a straight face on in case Fluttershy came back before she finished making food. She scribbled something down on a notecard and tucked it into the nightstand drawer. Fluttershy came back with a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches and bowls of tomato soup after a few minutes, and Breezy’s eyes were dry. “That looks delicious Fluttershy.” She smiled as her daughter set up their plates.

“I’m sorry it’s so plain Momma, I just wanted to get you something to eat quickly was all.” She looked into her bowl of soup and bit her lower lip.

“Sometimes the simple things are the best things.” Breezy ruffled her daughter’s mane, and smiled as she took her first bite of the grilled cheese sandwich. They sat in silence as they ate together. Fluttershy cleared the dishes after they finished and returned to her mother’s side. “You know that you don’t have to be with me all the time darling. I’m the grown-up here ya know.” Breezy laughed softly.

“I know… but I worry about you Momma.” Fluttershy’s eyes got big and her lip quivered a little. Breezy put her hoof under Fluttershy’s chin and looked into her eyes.

“I will be okay, everything will be okay, you’ll be okay too.” She smiled her biggest smile. “Why don’t you run along and enjoy yourself while I tidy up in here?” She got out of bed and scooted her daughter toward the door.

“Ummm… Okay Momma. I’ll go practice my crocheting, maybe I can make something to go with our dresses…” Breezy could see the gears turning in Fluttershy’s head as she thought about her new project and smiled. Fluttershy took one last apprehensive look at her mother and then headed toward her room for the rest of the afternoon. Breezy scribbled a letter out, tucked it into a stamped envelope and made her way to the mailbox just in time for the post pony to take it with him. She smiled and waved as he flew off.

‘As much as I can before I can’t anymore.’ She smiled wistfully and made her way back inside without Fluttershy noticing she’d ever left her room.

Author's Note

Sorry for the super long wait! :ajsleepy: I don't write as regularly as some people... :raritycry: I shall also apologize for how short the chapter is. Eh heh heh... :twilightsheepish: