Have you ever thought about how it would be to be born into a family of celebrities? Normally that would be great, but being born with a deformity to top that off, that turns your life in a bad direction. Of cause your family doesn't think ill of you and still loves you, but everyone else... Sometimes you wish only your family was there.
My name is Tempest and this is the story of when i stood up for my sorrows and managed to get a grip of my life.
"Hello again, Jumbo. How's the weather patrol going?" Gust called out at me with his usual grin.
I knew it was time for him to harass me again, so i didn't answer to his stupid joke.
"Oh, you've gone mute again, Jumbo? Well there's a way to fix that. Takedown. Get her." Gust grinned, signalling to Takedown, an unusually big earth pony beside him. Takedown then ran towards my body at full speed, pinning me to the ground in a matter of seconds and grabbed onto one of the feathers on my large wings.
Of cause i gave out a yell of pain. Takedown wasn't his real name, but it fitted him perfectly. "Alright! I'll talk" I cried out, hoping that Takedown would let go of my wing.
He let go of my wing, but he kept me pinned to the ground.
"So how's our favorite freak doing today?" Gust grinned out, almost getting him to laugh, though he managed to contain himself this time.
"I'm not a freak." I said, sad of lying to myself. I was a freak of nature. I was born with wings twice as large as normally. Normally you'd think of that as a bonus, but I still can't fly yet and i'm soon getting out of school. It's too hard for me to fly and I've never even been able to hover for more than a few seconds above ground before getting exhausted and falling to the ground.
"Oh really? So your parents have this too?" Gust asked, once again with a grin on his face. If he only knew.
"N-no... They're-" I tried to say before I was cut off by Gust.
"Yeah, yeah. In the Wonderbolts, I get it. Then how come you don't look like any of the Wonderbolts or that we've never seen any of your family? Too busy to take care of you?" Gust grinned, letting out a laughter that was sure to attract attention.
"Yes..." He was right. I didn't even live at my parents house most of the time. They were always out touring with my brothers. My sister was the only one close enough to talk to, but ever since she got foals of her own, she was too busy herself to help me.
I didn't look like them either. I was once told by an artist that i was an exact match between both of my parents, but he's the only one who's ever seen me like that before. It was something with my colors. I'm not quite sure...
"Hey! Get off her!" Someone screamed from around the corner. I looked over and there was my saviors. Cloud Skipper, a white pegasus with a black mane and stripes like that of a zebra, ready to ram right into Takedown and Memento, a grey unicorn also with black hair, standing behind her, trying to focus his magic on Takedown.
"Says who?" Gust asked with a slight grin still placed firmly on his face.
"Says I." Said Cloud Skipper, flying directly towards Takedown.
A second before Cloud Skipper hit him though, he was thrown completely out of balance by his hooves being thrown into the air by Memento's magic. This made Takedown fall a few hooves distance when he got his by Cloud Skipper.
Memento ran over to me and helped me up whilst Cloud Skipper stared Gust down. "Leave her alone!" She yelled out furiously.
Takedown had already started running, Gust taking a moment before starting to run himself. "We'll meet again tommorow Jumbo!" He yelled back at me when I got to my feet.
"Are you alright?" Memento asked, knowing how much the bullies bothered me.
We had moved to a hill nearby, we usually did when we needed to get our minds off things.
"Yes." I said, tears still present in my eyes.
"Well you don't look the part." Cloud Skipper said.
"Would you Skippy? They're after her every day just because she's a bit different." Memento defended me. I wish he hadn't though.
"A bit different? Excuse me, but have you noticed who you're talking to? I'm a cross-breed. I know how it is to be different. I've been from the day I was born and I will be until the day that I die." Skippy said, glaring at Memento with harsh eyes.
"I didn't mean it like that. I was just implying-" I couldn't take it anymore.
"Will you two shut up already!" I yelled at them. They both grew silent. "This is my problem, there's nothing to do about me being born the way i was, but accept it. I've been told i'll be able to fly someday, but until then i'll have to deal with my life as it is."
"But... That'll only get you more hurt... You saw what they were doing, you might lose a wing if it doesn't get stopped." Skippy said, with a hint of regret in her voice.
"Then i'll be off with those monstrosities once and for all." I said, though I didn't mean it. "I just wish it was only my wings they tormented me with..."
"What do you mean?" Memento asked. Of cause he did. He and Skippy had never been there the entire time whilst Gust and Takedown bullied me.
"They think I'm a liar... I haven't lied about my parents..."
"I'm sorry to say this, but with us never having met your parents, it's hard for us to believe you in saying they're part of the Wonderbolts."
"And your looks don't exactly tell that off either... Along with the wings..." Said Memento, a hint of regret in his voice.
I sighed. They were right. I didn't look anything like my parents. I still had to prove everything to everyone though. That's when I knew what to do. "I know. I'll have to go now..." I said, trying to put out a sad voice, though from the look on Cloud Skipper's face, it was a vague attempt. She though passed it.
"Alright... Just come talk to us if you need to, alright?" She said, me nodding.
Memento didn't really get why she let me go, so he started arguing with her once i had left. I'm happy i wasn't there.
I had started giving out invitations. I'm not entirely sure if this was the smartest thing to do, but I had learned one thing about flying. It's a lot easier to hover than to fly properly.
So far i had handed out... 18 invitations. That was alot more than i thought i would be able to, seeing I'm as unpopular as i actually am. I thought i would be able to maybe get 5 people to join the show and that's including Skippy and Memento. This was just going to be great.
And here comes the grand event. Somehow Gust heard of the show and here he was on his way towards me with Takedown behind him.
"What is this, Jumbo? You're holding a flight show? Seriously? You can't even fly, yet you try to let people think they're going to see something spectacular." He said, staring me down.
I didn't care much for his glare this time. "Yes, I am going to show the ones invited a spectacular air-show. One that not many from the school have seen beforehand."
"Ofcause not. Not many have seen a freak fall to their death before. Where is this show going to be then? Near the kindergarten?" He smirked.
"No. It's in Collateral Valley." I said.
"Ha! Then you are trying to get yourself killed. 82 good pegasi have died flying through there. You can't even fly, so there's no chance for you to survive that." He laughed.
"Well then, shall we make a bet? If people are amazed by the show tomorrow, you will stop harassing me. If they are not, you can harass me all you want without me complaining." I might be getting a little overconfident, but this was a chance to get Gust off my bag once and for all.
"Alright. But I'll decide when people are excited. Just them being amazed that someone as clunky as you being able to fly isn't excitement." He said, letting the terms down.
"Got it." And with that he left me. I can't believe he actually left me alone today.
Ponies were lined up for the show. Seems like Gust had gotten a lot more ponies to see the show. The 25 seats i had put up were filled and there were even some ponies that were standing. I think there were 50 ponies just to see my aerial acrobatics show.
All ready to see either me performing a great show or my failure.
They were going to see neither.
"Fillies and Gentlecolts." The speakers Memento had gotten were amazing. "I thank you for having showed up here today to see this show. I only have one thing to say though. I am not going to perform any aerial acrobatics today." Some gasps and a hint of laughter was within the crowd. "I however have gotten some help from my family to put this show up." Nopony understood what i meant ofcause. Nopony had ever believed my when i said that most of my family were part of the Wonderbolts.
"I present to you, Soarin', Ace-flier of the wonderbolts, also my father-" At that, my father flew out of the Valley, the signature thundercloud following him. Some looked in awe, others started cheering. I looked at one particular face that was completely stunned.
"And his wife, my mother, Spitifre, former captain of the Wonderbolts, though retired due to her getting children." She crossed over Soarin's thundercloud, one following her aswell. Even though she was retired, she still had it in her.
"And my two brothers, the wondertwins of the Wonderbolts. Javelin and the current captain Firefly!" With that my two brothers flew out from the valley and started performing as well. If there wasn't so much sound i'm sure i could've heard a jaw fall to the ground.
The show continued for good 10 minutes before they settled down on the side of the Valley. They were met with a great applause. Firefly, Soarin' and Javelin walked to the crowd that were screaming like fangirls, whilst Spitfire turned towards me and gave me a hug. "I'm sorry we haven't had time to take care of you, but touring with the Wonderbolts takes a great deal of our lives. I might not be part of them myself, but your father and the boys would be helpless without me."
"It's alright mom, I know why you're doing it. I have seen how Firefly's room can get after just a week of no one looking after him." I said, both of us breaking out into laughter.
"If it's any comfort, this season is over, we don't have any more shows for now, so we'll move back to Cloudsdale in a few days." She said with a smile.
"Really?" That was a surprise. They hadn't settled in their own house in so long it's hard for me to remember.
"Yep. I hope it's alright with you to stay in Ponyville. There is a room for you, but... Due to your wings I think it's going to be a tough time for you to get up to Cloudsdale." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice, seeing she had to leave her daughter again even though they just met up.
"Yes, it's alright, I'm still working on learning to fly and even though they're not pegasi, Lyra and Bon Bon are great to help me through the day." It was true. And I was glad my family had returned. That at least gave me some comfort. Especially now that people believe i'm not lying anymore.
"Well great, now if you'll excuse me, Javelin is once again trying to break the sonic barrier and I don't want to got the infirmary just yet. See you later Tempest. And thanks for not being mad." She said with a smile, turning slightly as she was about to leave.
"About what?" I asked, confused as hell.
"About us leaving you so often." With that she flew down into the Valley to get a hold of Javelin.
And then the next big thing of the day. Gust was on his way towards me.
"Well that was... Something..." He said, obviously embarrassed.
"Remember our deal." I said with determination, I wasn't going to let him forget that.
"Ofcause, ofcause. You're off, I won't bother you anymore." He answered, defeated.
"Good. Now begone, I feel a tackle incoming." Just as he turned around, i was right. Cloud Skipper rammed directly into me and pulled me into a tight hug.
"That was amazing! I can't believe I actually know the sister of some of the best fliers in the Wonderbolts!" She said, excitement in her voice.
"Don't forget her father." Memento said, trotting over towards us.
"Hehe." I laughed. "You could just have listened to me before. I told you already." I said, with a grin on my face.
"I know, but it was a little hard to believe it when we'd never seen them! I'm just so happy that you were not lying!" She said, smiling furiously, though she didn't stop hugging me.
"Hehe." I laughed again. "Shall we join the festivities? Atleast before my brother needs to go to the hospital." I said, both of them nodding and we joined the rest of the crowd.
And with that, the story ends. It might not have been the best of stories, but that's how I got respect back into my own life. I didn't get my cutie mark, so that's a story for another time. But I can say one thing, that day might've been the best day of my life.
