Sweat poured down Swiftwing’s face as he flapped his wings, desperately trying to pull himself off the floor. His wings buzzed, sending waves of air through his room; loose papers flying through the breeze he created. His face scrunched in effort, Swiftwing tried one last time to pull himself up. The colt’s muscles screamed in agony as the searing pain of exhaustion began to set in. He stopped and collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath.
As he recovered, Swiftwing looked around his room to see how much damage he had done this time. His Wonderbolts poster hung by a single pin, ready to fall at any moment. Several pieces of paper lay scattered around the room, covering up various toys, figurines, and books that had been flung around by the force of the wind he had created. As Swiftwing looked around his eyes settled on his reflection in the mirror. His sweat-soaked mane looked less like its usual dark yellow and more like a pile of moldy hay somepony had slapped on his head. His coat fared no better, his sea green fur was matted and scraggly; his mother was going to throw a fit when she saw him.
The clip clop of hooves coming from the hallway brought him out of his trance. “Swift, honey?” His mother called. “I’ve called you twice now, it’s time for dinner.” Swiftwing yelped in surprise, desperately looking around his room. “Swift?” The door creaked open. “Swift what are you doing that’s so…” Her voice trailed off as she entered the room.
Swiftwing squeaked and fell to the floor, hiding his face beneath his hooves. His mother walked over to him and crouched down. “Swift, look at me.”
Swiftwing peaked out from between his forelegs, “Yeah?” he shakily replied.
“Look, Swift. I know this is hard for you, but look at this.” She stood and gestured around the room with a hoof. “This is the fourth time this week you've managed to wreck your room.”
“Mom, it’s just…”
“I know honey, just please come down and eat.”
Swiftwing sighed and glanced around the room one last time. “Alright, mom. Can you help me clean up after dinner?”
“Only if you promise to go outside next time, alright?” she said, walking down the stairs.
“Alright.” Swiftwing slowly followed, glancing over his shoulder as if expecting to see his room magically cleaned.
“Swift?”
Swiftwing glanced at his mom. “Yeah?”
“I’m worried about you,” she said. “You’ve been working yourself to death trying to fly, you spend every day either in school or lying in bed and you’ve barely eaten anything.” She pointed at his plate. Sure enough, Swiftwing hadn’t even taken a bite.
“I’m just not hungry, ok?” Swiftwing started to leave the table.
“No, Swift,” his mother replied. “You can’t keep doing this, sit down and eat. What would your father say if he was here right now?”
Swiftwing sighed and sat back down. “Alright, mom,” he said, taking his first bite. Swiftwing’s mom sighed.
“Come on, Violet.” she muttered to herself. “Why can’t you be strong for him?”
Swiftwing looked up. “What?”
“Nothing honey, just keep eating,” Violet said. “So, tomorrow is Friday. do you have any plans for after school?” she said, changing the subject.
Swiftwing looked up, halfway through a bite of noodles. “I was just going to come back home.” He turned back down to his noodles and continued eating.
“Well, how about we go get some ice cream after school,” she offered. “Would that make you feel a little better?” An awkward silence filled the room for several tense seconds. Both of them seemed content with letting the other speak first. “Swift?” Violet broke the silence.
“Sure,” Swiftwing mumbled.
“What, honey?”
“Sure,” Swiftwing said, slightly louder. He pushed his plate, still mostly full, away and stood. “I’m done.” He turned and walked up the stairs.
“Swiftwing, come back down and finish,” Violet called after him. Swiftwing sighed walked into his room, closing the door behind him.
Swiftwing looked out his window. It had been almost a week since the battle over Manehatten but many of the city’s scars remained. Burned buildings were scattered around the city. Many of the ponies had left or stayed in temporary shelters until their houses could be rebuilt. They served as reminders of the losses that day brought, losses that Swiftwing felt.
He left the window and flopped down on his bed, tears starting to roll down his face. Sniffles slowly became sobs as he cried into his pillow. The tears streamed down his face only to be swallowed by the fabric. Swiftwing’s cries continued, slowly becoming less frequent as exhaustion finally took him into a dreamless sleep.
Swiftwing woke to the sunset outside his window, staining the world with a red glow. Everything seemed bathed in the crimson light as if a fire was slowly burning the world. Swiftwing sighed, perhaps a trot would help him clear his head. He crept down the stairs, the third step creaking as the floorboards groaned in protest to the movement.
“Quiet you,” Swiftwing whispered to the board. A quiet snore sounded from upstairs, his mom must have gone to sleep early. Swiftwing grabbed a pen and scribbled a note saying he was going on a walk. If all went well he wouldn’t need it but it would save him an angry mother later on.
Taping the note to his door, Swiftwing once again descended the stairs, carefully avoiding the troubled stair. Silently, he made his way out the door, closing it slilently behind him.
The streets of his neighborhood seemed deserted, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Puddles of water in the streets reflected the crimson sunset, turning puddles of water into pools of blood. The sun continued to dip below the horizon as Swiftwing walked down the street. Tinges of purple and blue invaded the bright red of the setting sun.
As the sun dipped below the horizon Swiftwing turned around and began walking back home. A pegasus wearing armor stood at the end of the street, looking straight at him. Swiftwing’s heart skipped a beat, was that... no... it couldn't be. “Dad?” he whispered to himself. The pony turned and began walking away, his telltale cutie mark briefly flashing before his back was turned. “Dad!” Swiftwing shouted, “wait!” He began running towards his father. His heart raced, threatening to pound its way out of his chest as he ran.
The thundering of Swiftwing’s hooves on the hard street echoed against the empty houses. The pegasus ahead of him stopped and turned around spreading his wings. “Dad!” Swiftwing called to him. Looking up, the pegasus lept into the sky and flew away without a word. “I can’t-” Swiftwing’s voice caught in his throat. “I can’t follow you,” he whispered to himself. “I’m just a failure.” Swiftwing stomped a hoof in frustration.
Defeated, he turned and walked back home. Tears fell from his face for the second time that evening as he passed by the last few houses before his own. A loud groan came from the door as Swiftwing pushed it open, wincing at the noise. The note he had taped to the door fluttered down to the floor as he closed shut the door behind him. Swiftwing slowly moved up the stairs, stopping when he reached his mom’s door. He opened her door and peeked in. His mom formed a lump under the blankets, slowly rising and falling with her breath. “Hey mom?” he started. “Mom?” He lifted himself up onto the mattress and tapped her sleeping form.
The blankets shifted. “Your mom isn’t here right now,” the sleeping form said. “but I am!” The blankets exploded upwards revealing a gold and brown griffon.
“Help!” Swiftwing screamed in pure terror as he quickly backed out of the room. “Somepony, please!” He turned and ran down the stairs, heading straight for the door.
“Go ahead and run little guy, a chase is just what I wanted!” The sinister voice pursued Swiftwing as he ran out the front door, diving for the bushes out front.
SMASH! The door exploded in two behind him. The two halves clattered down the street. “Come out little guy,” the griffon hissed. “I just want to play a little game.” His yellow eyes scanned the area locking onto the bushes where Swiftwing was hiding. “How about a little game of hide and seek?”
Swiftwing crouched down into a ball. His body quaked in fear as the griffon slowly walked up to him. “Guess who’s it?” the griffon smirked, separating the bushes to reveal the terrified colt. “You!” Swiftwing shielded his eyes and braced himself.
Swiftwing bolted upright, sweating and gasping for air. The rising sun streamed in through his window as a gentle breeze ruffled the curtains, carrying the voices of the neighbors and the clop of hooves on the pavement outside. A sense of serenity filled the air. “Swift!” His mother’s voice split through the silence. “Get on up, it’s time for school!”
“Ugh, hooray for Fridays...” Swiftwing muttered as he dragged himself out of his tangled sheets. “I’m up!” he shouted down the hall before trotting down the hallway to the bathroom to start his day.