The Factory's Remnants

Throughout the workday, Thundercloud debated in his mind whether he should tell them Surprise’s threat.

Tossing one bale, he thought, “If I do, then I’m definitely fired.”

Heaving another, he mumbled, “If I don’t, they won’t understand the surveillance.”

Shoving another bale, he wondered, “If I do, then they’ll bail out of town. She might turn me in.”

Once the market had closed, after stacking the last bale into the storage area, he decided not to tell them. He’d only told Blazer that it still existed, and the young stallion had kept that to himself. That kind of secret gnawed on Thundercloud’s stomach because it suggested other worse things he could tell, or do to, Blazer, but Thundercloud decided that would be the limit and the last secret. If Lightning Blitz ever asked about the Factory, he would tell the whole truth, and of Surprise’s threat.

Thundercloud arrived for his therapy the next morning but was surprised to see that the room was already occupied. It was the first time he’d had to wait, so he sat in reception and stared at the old stallion in glasses who sat kicked back in a chair, reading. “You’re here early,” Thundercloud remarked.

He nodded. “Had to start getting here early. She took a few new clients. She’s getting busy and might not have time for them all.”

Uh-oh.

“You have a name, sir?”

“Just call me Redd. Try not to call me anything.”

Thundercloud tried to start a conversation, but every time he was shut down by the old stallion loudly turning a page. He waited half an hour for Brightwing to let him in the room.

“I’m sorry,” Brightwing said. “I might not have enough time for you. I just received a lot of referrals in the last few days, and they wanted the morning. I’m already exhausted.”

Thundercloud sighed. “Brightwing, I came for therapy today, but I think I have to warn you instead. The Factory is trying to overwhelm you.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“I have a lot of explaining to do.” He let her know of everything: Surprise’s threat, Sunny’s plan, and that the Princess might be behind it all.

Brightwing sat on her lounge chair. “This is something. Now you’re having delusions of grandeur.”

Thundercloud shook his head. “You don’t get it. What did you talk about with your other patients?”

Brightwing looked shocked. “Thundercloud! You know I can’t talk about that.”

“Then suppose there were a situation like mine, and I told you what I just did, would that hypothetical situation look any different?”

She remained silent for a long time.

“Brightwing, I promise. Just don’t be shocked if, tomorrow morning, there was some damage here. They said they'd, um do stuff."

She jumped down from her lounge, left the room, and returned after a few minutes.

“I told Redd to cancel everything else today. If you’re right, then I’ll know tomorrow. If not, then you’re out of here, because it means you’re using me. Got it?”

“I know. I’m taking a big risk here. I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope.” He stood and left, nodding at Redd, who nodded back.

Thundercloud stood at the stall window staring out. Because everypony was a pegasus, he couldn’t tell entirely who was suspicious, but the repetition of a few gave him pause. Who was and wasn't from the Factory. However, Surprise didn’t even bother hiding herself. She even grinned at him the few times she trotted by, wearing her trimmed gown. She paused at neighboring stalls and bought food and wares. Every time she did stared back at Thundercloud and smiled. That smile that showed such a sweet mare, but Thundercloud knew hid a dark and hateful psyche.

Late in the afternoon, Thundercloud meandered through the clouds and found his way to Sunny’s flat. He knocked on the door. It flew open and Vapor Puff stood on the other side, scowling at him.
“Did I come at a bad time?”
“No. I just don’t feel so great today. What do you want?” She grimaced and reached a front hoof toward her belly. “Ack, dammit, kid! Cut it out!” She returned her gaze to him.
“I just wanted to thank you two for everything.”
Vapor Puff grunted. “Good for you.” She jumped onto the futon and lay down. “You can come in if you like. Just don’t stay long.” She moaned.
He entered and closed the door. “Hey, are you okay?” Thundercloud said, raising his eyebrows.
Vapor puff gripped her belly. “I’m fine. I’ve been doing this for almost eleven months. I can handle it.”
“Where’s Sunny?”
“Still at work.” Vapor Puff lay down on a pillow. “They’re preparing for the round of rain later in the week. They’re behind.”
Thundercloud folded his legs underneath his body and lay on the floor. “Vapor Puff, I’m really sorry about, well everything. Living here, and taking up everything, and…”
Vapor Puff interrupted, still grimacing. “Look, I didn’t like it at first, but you grew on me. It really didn’t even bother me that you worked there.” The pained expression on her face grew worse. “I just thought you’d be lazy, or worse, a psycho.” She grunted.
He took a few paces toward her. “You sure?”
“Go to the weather factory!” Vapor Puff closed her eyes and huffed.
“What?” Thundercloud shot to his hooves.
“Get Sunny!” she shouted with her eyes closed. “The foal’s coming!”

The light around the outside of Thundercloud’s eyes darkened in tunnel vision. He approached the entrance to the weather factory. Numerous clouds and rainbows surrounded it. He wondered for a moment how these rainbows were created, but stopped when he remembered his task. He dropped onto a cloud at the welcome center.
“Are you a visitor, or employee?" The mare questioned.
“Uh, visitor.”
“Are you here to see somepony, or just the sites?”
“Somepony,” Thundercloud heaved.
The mare paused and her eyes widened. “Oh, do you have a pass? Because that’s what’s required., and…”
“Just get Sunny Blaze!” he shouted.
“What?”
He pressed his face forward. “It’s Vapor Puff! Now!”
The mare’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
“Vapor! She’s having… It’s the baby! Get him!” he stuttered.
The mare’s eyes widened. “I’ll get right on it!” She cranked a radio on the desk and relayed the message.
Within minutes, Sunny Blaze appeared at the front gates. They opened, and the two darted through the sky together.
“Will she be alright?” Thundercloud asked.
“She’ll be fine. We worked this out,” Sunny Blaze answered as they soared through clouds.
“How do you know?”
“We have a plan. The midwife should already be there.”
They landed at Sunny Blaze’s door. Sunny Blaze threw it open, revealing Vapor Puff and the midwife sitting behind her. Vapor Puff had an expression of excruciating pain on her face, and she grunted.
“Breath and push, sweetie,” the midwife said.
Sunny Blaze leapt forward into the room and nuzzled Vapor Puff, who smiled for a brief moment. “We can do this,” he whispered.
Thundercloud stood in the door and watched all of this; his eyes transfixed on the moment.
“Just a bit more,” the midwife strongly said. “One more push.”
Vapor Puff screamed and collapsed to the floor. The midwife had a tiny foal in her hooves. “You have a filly,” she said. She scrambled to place the filly underneath Vapor Puff’s front hooves. Sunny Blaze gathered himself to them. They nestled together as a family.
“Vapor,” the midwife said softly, “I just have to keep you clean, no infections, sweetie.” She remained at Vapor Puff’s rear.
“Mhm,” Vapor Puff replied, her faced covering her foal’s head, her eyes closed in bliss.
Thundercloud watched this from the door. He walked inside and sat in a corner.
“Who’s that guy?” the midwife asked looking toward Thundercloud as she cared for Vapor Puff.
Sunny Blaze answered, “My friend. He told me Vapey was in labor. He’s fine.”
“Uh, okay,” the midwife replied.
Thundercloud remained in the corner, and sat down.
An hour later, the midwife cleared her tools. “Okay, hun, You’re gonna be fine. But get ahold of me or the hospital the moment something feels off.” She veered through the door and into the sky, leaving the door open, which allowed sunlight to illuminate the young family laying together.
“Thundercloud, get over here,” Sunny Blaze commanded, his head still nestled over Vapor Puff’s.
Thundercloud stood and walked to them, his legs shaking.
“Sit down.”
Thundercloud did.
Vapor Puff raised her head from the foal. The filly lay sleeping on her mother’s front legs. She had a dull yellow mane and tail and a bright green coat.
“She, she looks so much like you, Sunny,” Thundercloud croaked.
Vapor Puff showed the foal. “Do you want to hold her?”
Thundercloud stepped back. “Are you sure?”
Vapor Puff turned her head, looking to her sides. “I don’t see any machine around here.” She lifted the filly.
Thundercloud took the foal from her and sat, cradling the filly. He ran his hooves over her delicate wings that folded onto her back. He stroked her ears and nose. He lightly pressed his muzzle into hers.
The foal began to stir and utter a few cries. Vapor Puff reached for the foal, and Thundercloud returned her. “I’m sorry!” He said.
Vapor Puff nestled the foal beneath her and said, “You didn’t do anything wrong. That’s just how they are.” The foal quieted.
Thundercloud sat and dropped his head. “I didn’t do anything wrong…” he trailed off.
He felt a hoof wrap itself around his neck. He looked up to see Sunny Blaze peering into his eyes, smiling. Sunny Blaze then hugged him and pulled away. “I can’t believe this, I’m a dad!” he beamed, the smile growing ever wider. Sunny Blaze then grabbed Thundercloud even tighter into a hug; Sunny's grip[ was as tight as a vice. Despite the pain, he wrapped his hooves around Sunny Blaze and squeezed.
They let go of each other. “What's happening?” Thundercloud sputtered.
“Why is what?” Sunny Blaze said.
“You’re letting me see all of this,” he gestured toward Vapor Puff’s prone position.
Sunny Blaze glanced toward Vapor Puff and back at Thundercloud. “We’ve talked about this,” he looked to Vapor Puff, who nodded, her head still resting over the foal. Sunny Blaze turned back to Thundercloud. “We want you to be the cloudfather.”
Thundercloud backed away with one hoof following the other. “Cloudfather? But, but, I’m… the factory.”
“Yeah,” Sunny Blaze said.
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Thundercloud wrested himself from Sunny Blaze’s grip.
Sunny Blaze snuggled Thundercloud, sat next to him, and wrapped a front hoof around his shoulders. “Yes, it does.”
“But, why?” Thundercloud said.
“You’re not a lunatic.”
“No, just a depressed alcoholic,” Thundercloud muttered.
Sunny Blaze hugged Thundercloud. “You haven’t been either for a while.” Sunny Blaze sat next to him at the wall. “You haven’t touched the stuff for a long time. And now you have something like a regular life again.” Sunny Blaze pulled away and bumped a hoof into Thundercloud’s chest. “But we’ll be watching. Keep yourself in shape.” Sunny Blaze tapped the older stallion’s chin.
“Cloudfather…” Thundercloud muttered, staring ahead.
“Cloudfather!” Sunny Blaze shouted, jumping, and pulling the older pony into his front legs. “I’m a dad!” He held Thundercloud even tighter,
Thundercloud hugged Sunny Blaze. “I’ll do it,” he whispered. “I’ll be the best cloudfather.”