"But I just can't! I can't do it!" Zephyr Breeze cried vehemently at his older sister Fluttershy.
They were at Fluttershy's cottage, and she'd just informed him sternly but politely that he had to leave because he couldn't get a job.
Zephyr lay sprawled out on the sofa, holding a hoof over his face to shamefully conceal the tears that streamed down his face. Never had he let them flow so freely.
"Zephyr, I told you if you keep trying, you'll succeed! It's how everypony gets anywhere in life," Fluttershy told him, stepping up to the couch and watching him cover his face. She couldn't tell just yet what he was doing.
But then he uncovered his face.
His eyes.
And the tears rolled down his cheeks in rows. He gasped with each sob, and finally looked away from his sister, down at himself. "I can't do anything right. What's the point in trying? If I know in going to fail, why try?"
"Everypony faces the chance of failure, Zephyr. It's no excuse to sit around begging for others to do everything for you. Don't you want to be successful? To have a career?" Her hard gaze softened as she realized his tears were not of self-pity anymore, but of true hopelessness.
Zephyr sniffled and wiped a hoof across his muzzle. "Of course, but I'm no good. No good at anything..." He glanced off out the window facing her front yard. His gaze had no specific focus; it was just an empty, sorrowful stare. "I feel... Different. Like... Like I'm not as good as mom and dad. Or you..." He looked back at her, the waterworks still on. "Why do I feel like I don't belong here? Like I'm not deserving of a family like this?"
At this point, Fluttershy had all but abandoned her stern attitude toward her brother. Instead, she pushed his legs aside and hopped on the couch beside him. She sighed deeply and looked him in the eyes. She felt as if she was about to cry herself.
"There's something I have to tell you, Zephyr..."
With tears still leaking, he acknowledged his sister with a slight nod.
Fluttershy took one of his forehooves in hers. "I just want you to know, before I tell you this, I still love you just the same. I always have, and always will."
Zephyr was confused now. "What?"
Fluttershy didn't want to tell him, but now she knew that he needed to know the truth.
She sighed deeply once again and began her story.
"Honey, we'll miss the train if we don't leave now!" Fluttershy's dad told the shy little filly as he hugged her goodbye.
They were at the train station, not long after Fluttershy had decided to live on the ground. Her parents came to visit her, and after a few days, they were now at the train station to head on to Manehattan for some important business.
But the goodbyes were painful, and Fluttershy didn't want them to leave.
She squeezed her father in a tight embrace, and held on for dear life.
"Fluttershy, dear, we have to go. The train is leaving soon," her mother said, looking worriedly at the train sitting on the tracks nearby.
Fluttershy didn't let go. "I know, but I love you guys so much..." she said tearfully.
Her dad placed a hoof under her chin and lifted her head, so she was facing him. "I promise we'll be back soon."
With the tears coming down in rivers, she slowly untangled herself from her dad. "Okay..."
At that moment, the conductor yelled his last time for passengers to board, and the parents turned and trudged towards the train with their luggage.
Suddenly, a mare came running up to the mom and dad with a foal wrapped in sheets hanging from her mouth. She shoved it in the mom's arms.
"Please, give him a better life," she said, crying loudly. Then she turned and left just as quickly as she'd came.
Fluttershy rushed up to her bewildered parents.
Her mom unwrapped the baby carefully, revealing its face.
"It's adorable!" Fluttershy cooed.
"I agree," said her mom, "but do we actually keep it? Shouldn't we bring it to an orphanage?"
The dad scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, we don't have time to decide right now." He motioned toward the train.
"Let's keep him!" Fluttershy exclaimed abruptly. She cowered a few seconds later behind her mane. "I mean... I've always wanted a little brother..."
The two parents looked at each other, concerned.
"We'll have to decide on that later. Right now, we've got to go." The dad started for the train. The mom soon followed.
"Will I see him again if you keep him?" Fluttershy called out to her parents as they boarded the train.
Her mom stopped and smiled back at her. "Every week, if we can." Then she disappeared onto the train.
Fluttershy smiled.
As Fluttershy finished, she heard Zephyr's breath hitch. She glanced over at him to see if he was okay.
He was staring directly at her, his emotions somewhere between appalled and grateful.
"I'm... Adopted?" he asked incredulously. He was no longer crying, but the trails where they had once travelled still remained.
Fluttershy patted his hoof with her free one. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I want you to know that we love you just like you were not adopted..." She looked away. "You are my only brother, after all..."
Zephyr was silent for a moment. It all made sense now to him. The feelings. The failure.
He was looking for who he was in the wrong places this whole time.
"Fluttershy, I... " he sniffled. "I'm happy to be a part of this family. If I had known... I would have behaved better..."
Fluttershy faced him. "No, I don't want you to try to be a different pony now. I just want you to be successful. Please, don't give up. Your family is rooting for you. We know you can do it. Mom and dad believe you can do it," she teared up suddenly, "and I believe in you, brother."
Zephyr hugged his sister, beginning to cry again. "Thanks sis. I love you..."
