//------------------------------//
// Chapter 14 - Rainbow Disposition (Cutie Mark Chronicles) 
// Story: On The Wings of Wind 
// by Chazonic 
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It's been a couple of days since the whole concert ticket hoof-out and my apology to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They agreed that I wouldn't be able to join them all the time, so I agreed to accompanying them at least twice a week. In my mind, I figured that if I already dug myself a hole I can't get out of, may as well dig it even deeper.

Flawless logic if I ever heard it... not.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, has been acting weird every time she sees me. I could never tell if she's angry, disappointed, or sad about something. We still verbally nip at each other, so that's unchanged.

Both Applejack and Rarity were rather happy they could go to the concert in Manehatten. Rarity in particular had to flag me down to thank me properly, saying Fluttershy gives thanks too.

Speaking of her, I still avoid her like the feather flu.

Twilight hasn't changed much on the surface, yet I'm starting to get the odd feeling she's... observing me from afar. I usually pass it off as my neurotic side being... that.

Pinkie Pie still scares me, but I did attend a welcoming party for a mare moving into Ponyville the other day. Never got her name, but Pinkie's parties are actually quite good if you're not the honorary guest.

When I'm not being distracted by anypony, I wander the streets, rather than secluding myself in my house. I had gotten to know the locals more, even though it was due to the whole 'small-town atmosphere'.

All in all, I gained semblance of what could be considered a 'normal' life.





"Are you sure about this, Dashie? Even I couldn't handle the heat from that stuff." Pinkie Pie looked at the cup filled with liquid rainbow with worry.

Rainbow scoffs. "Don't worry about it. Besides, this will count as revenge for all the shots he's taken at me."

"Still, disguising it as an apology gift? Isn't that taking it too far?"

"Worst case scenario, he starts a prank war with me. I always win those."

"But still, I--"

Rainbow Dash sighs. "Pinkie, are you with me or not?"

"I... guess so..."

"Good. Let's get set up for it."





"Ah hate to leave you like this, sugahcube, but I need to catch those varmints!" Some rabbits had apparently gotten brave enough to steal some harvested apples from the farm.

"Right, did you want help?" I had yet to fulfill my quota for the day, but I wanted to ask anyways.

"Ah'll be fine. Ya'll continue what yer doing." With that, she dashes off in hot pursuit.

I wonder if she knows I could easily out-speed rabbits holding apples. Oh well.

I kept bucking until Big Mac came along to tell me I was done for the day. Even though I have been there for a while, I always lose track of my progress, and I end up bucking more than I should.

"Is that bag you're holding what I think it is?"

"Eeyup."

"I can't take it now. I thought you guys needed the money still."

"Nnope."

I sigh. He and Applejack are usually insistent about paying me for my hard work. Sure, I originally came to this job for extra spending bits, but after seeing how tight-knit the family was and how they sometimes struggle to make ends meet, I didn't mind doing charity work.

I wonder if I could simply fly off after my quota is done... IF I can keep track of it.

I sighed and simply took the bits anyways. "Thanks." The Apples could be quite stubborn, even more so than I can be.

"Eeyup."

"Right, I'm off." With that, I started walking home. My bandages were starting to feel loose, so I needed to change them.

Hold up, didn't Rarity need something from me? Bah, I should probably go there first.

"LOOK OUT!" I subconsciously leap into the air.

I just got an odd sense of deja vu...

I look down to see the crusaders looking up at me with apologetic faces.

"This totally isn't reminiscent of how we first met," I stated as I flew back down.

"Sorry about that," Sweetie Belle piped up. "We were on our way to Rarity's to find out where Rainbow Dash is."

"Oddly convenient, I was on my way there as well. Guess I can accompany you." I shrug.

Applebloom's face brightened up. "Could you tell us how you got yer cutie mark?"

I give her a dumb look as Scootaloo groans. "I keep thinking we are going to find Rainbow Dash for that."

I shake my head. "I will concede; Rainbow probably has a better story of how she got hers. Mine is rather... pathetic."

Sweetie Belle gives me a pleading look. "Please? We need all the stories we can get about cutie marks." Applebloom joins in while Scootaloo rolls her eyes and sighs.

I groan. "Fine, but don't blame me if you fall asleep or come out of this disappointed."





Zephyr Earthwing, Canterlot Mountain, Ten years ago.





"It happened when I was visiting my grandpa who lives outside of Canterlot."

"Why did he live there?"

"He was originally captain of the pegasus branch of the royal guards. When he retired, Princess Celestia allowed him to build a house on the 'outskirts', as he wanted to stay close to Canterlot, but not live inside it."

"Hi, Grandpa!" I rush up to the older stallion and hug him.

"Ah, there's my little squirt!" Grandpa gives me a noogie before smiling at mom. "And hows my daughter doing?"

Mom smiles. "Just fine, dad. Little Zephyr wanted to see you badly, so here we are."

Grandpa chuckles. "Surely you had some desire to come as well?" He looks down at me. "Regardless, I want to see how much better you became at flying. I still can't believe you could fly at the raw age of eight!"

"Wait, you could fly at MY age?"

"I was apparently a very early bloomer when it came to flying. I'm guessing it's due in part to my larger-than-average wing-span."

"I have gotten better! Watch me." I fly into the air and start flying loops and dives above the house.

Grandpa chuckles as mom walks up beside him. "His control and speed has gotten better, that's for certain."

Mom smiles. "He's quite the little singer too." She then frowns. "Though he still gets bullied a lot because of who he is..."

I stop flying around with a sad face. "I... I still haven't gotten my cutie mark yet either..."

Grandpa shakes his head. "Don't worry about it too much, young colt. Destiny has it's way of revealing itself to you in unexpected ways." When he saw my worried face hasn't gone away, he added, "there's a field of flowers behind the house. you can frolic there if you want."

"While I did go to the back, I didn't feel like frolicking, as I was still sad over not having a cutie mark. It was one of many reasons why I got bullied at school..."

"What did ya do then?"

"I simply hummed to myself. I usually did so whenever I needed to vent my emotions, even if no-pony was around to hear it. While I can sing, I'm normally not good with making up lyrics."

"I can relate to that..."

I simple hummed a sad tone to myself, wallowing in self-pity.

That's when 'it' happened...

"It?"

There was a massive explosion, scaring my out of my stupor so badly, I wound up jumping high into the sky and clinging to something. When I looked in the direction of the sound, I saw a massive rainbow shock-wave.

"Zephyr? Zephyr, where are you?" My mom had come calling for me, worried.

"U-up h-here!" I tried calling. I was still shaking so badly I didn't realize--

"Are you clinging onto... nothing?" Came my grandpa's voice. "No... that's not it."

"Later, dad. Zephyr, I'm coming to get you!"

"N-no, I-I'll try t-to get d-down myself." It took a while, but I managed to get unclung off... something. When I landed, mom had the look of utmost worry as she hugged me, while grandpa looked like he was incredibly proud.

"I can't believe it... my grandson is a natural born." My fright melted away into confusion.

Mom looked at him, shocked. "You don't mean... he clung onto a wind current?" I simply looked at them, confused.

"Mom, grandpa? What's a natural born?"

"Sweetie, a natural born is a pegasus who can interact with wind currents without training. pegasi born with this ability naturally are rare."

Grandpa nodded before beaming at me. "I knew you were destined for great things. It seems your cutie mark agrees too."

I look at my flank to see my cutie mark consisting of a pair of wings and a ball of wind with a mic cut into the center. That moment, I felt like the happiest foal alive.

Mom smiles warmly at me. "Congratulations. Perhaps a treat to celebrate?"

"Yay!" I pranced into the house, with my grandpa still rambling on how significant my ability was.





Present Time





I sigh. "At the time I didn't care, but as I grew older I started to somewhat resent how I got my cutie mark. Kind of pathetic if you think about it..." When the fillies gave me a worried look, I shook my head. "Don't worry, I'm still proud of my cutie mark."

Applebloom put a hoof to her chin. "So, yer cutie mark could come completely by accident?"

I nod. "Why do you think I'm so lenient with you three?" Noticing Scootaloo sighing, I shake my head again. "That's besides the point, I held you girls for a bit too long. I'll go with you to Rarity's."

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle climb back into the wagon before Scootaloo takes off with me flying above her.





Thanks, short-term memory, for being oh-so useful to me today...

Rarity didn't need me until the next day, making my trip there almost completely pointless.

"Guess I'll head back home for now. Still need to--"

"Hey Zephyr." I look to see Rainbow Dash approaching with a somewhat sad face and a cup.

"What is it, Rainbow? I told you I didn't want to--"

"Actually... I wanted to apologize." This metaphorically blindsided me. All I could do was give her a surprised look as she put the cup down. "All I've ever done is antagonize you and treat you like utter crap. I've been pushing my ego in your face all this time and attacking you, forcing you to accept my challenges. I've been making your life here miserable and...

"I'm sorry." She bows her head in apparent shame.

What... but I... you shouldn't...

I think back on how we always antagonized each other, all of the petty insults and the blows to each others pride.

I fold my ears against my head as I thought back to that one day. I started it, and she was apologizing for it.

"... Shouldn't I be the one saying sorry?" She looks up at me, surprised. "After all... on the day of the windstorm, I said something insensitive that you would take offense to. Yet, because of my stubborn pride, I refused to believe it's my fault,--" I close my eyes "--that I was the one who wronged.

"When you started antagonizing me over what I said, I threw it back in your face, masquerading as the victim. I started making your life living Tartarus like you did with me..."

"W-what... what are you..?"

"I shunned and blamed you for brandishing the knife, when I was the one to brandish it first. I'm... sorry." I open my eyes and saw Rainbow Dash with a very sad face before looking at the cup filled with a rainbow liquid.

My memory flashed to when she threw it in my face that she was the fastest pony in Equestria.

"You're not a pony, you're just a monster!"

I'm the monster...

When I grabbed the edge of the cup with my teeth, Rainbow Dash cried out, "no, wait!" I threw my head back and drank the contents.

When I set the cup down, I saw Rainbow Dash cringing. I swirled some of the liquid in my mouth before swallowing.

"...Mmm. Mixed berry with a slightly spicy sub-flavor." She looks up with a shocked look. From the corner of my eye, I could of sworn I saw Pinkie Pie with the same shocked look.

"Y-you like it?"

I stick my now rainbow-colored tongue at her. "Mixed berry is tied for being my second favorite flavor with grape. Apple being my most favorite. What was it?"

She deadpanned. "That was liquid rainbow produced by the Weather Factory."

My turn to deadpan. "Liquid rainbow... as in the rainbows used for decorating the sky?" When she nodded, I looked at the cup with a frown. "Why does it taste so good then?"

She shrugs. "Beats me. Since you like it enough, did you want a pitcher of it?"

I shake my head. "It's fine. I couldn't make you do that..." I hold a hoof out to her. "Want to start clean?"

She looks at me for a bit before smiling and bumping my hoof. "Let's start clean. See you around!" With that, she flies away.

I wonder... could the foals in my past have..?

No, they very clearly betrayed me. They never tried to make up for it or apologize.

Shaking my head, I fly home. For real this time.





Sugar Cube Corner, a while later.





Scootaloo groaned as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle started hugging her. The six mares had just found out that they all got their cutie marks thanks to Rainbow Dash's first sonic rainboom.

Fluttershy got an idea. "Hey. How about a--"

"Wait, hold on," came Sweetie Belles voice. She was wearing a look of realization when all the ponies in the room looked at her.

"What is it, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity looked at her little sister in confusion.

"All of you got your cutie marks from Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom." Sweetie Belle got nods all around. "Then aren't we missing somepony?"

"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked. The Elements looked confused.

Applebloom realized what her friend was getting at. "There was one other pony who got a cutie mark thanks to Rainbow Dash."

Scootaloo quickly caught on. "Zephyr! The rainboom caused him to get his cutie mark as well."

The older mares had a look of both shock and amazement. There was one other pony who was connected to them in that way.

"Then why isn't that silly filly here?" Pinkie Pie dashed out of the bakery.

Applejack looked over and saw Rainbow Dash with a small smile. "Alright, Dash. What has you smiling all of a sudden?"

"Oh, nothing. Just the fact that Zephyr and I apologized to each other today."

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. "You two have been going at it again recently. What made you apologize so suddenly?"

Rainbow scratched the back of her head nervously. "Because it was originally part of a prank I was going to play on him."

Fluttershy stared at her friend, horrified. "T-then your apology wasn't genuine?"

"Let me explain. The plan was to give him a cup of liquid rainbow as an apology. For some reason, I've been feeling hollow ever since I got a concert ticket from Zephyr and I figured that it may of been because I have yet to prank him yet, considering how much we insulted each other." This got Rainbow glares from the other mares and confused looks from the fillies.

"Rainbow! ya knew even Pinkie couldn't handle the taste of liquid rainbows. What possessed ya to do such a thing?" Applejack huffed.

"Let me finish. When I got up to him and delivered the apology, I... couldn't help but put actual genuine feeling behind it. For some reason, it almost felt like a weight was lifted off my back." She frowned and shook her head. "What really struck me was when he apologized. He took all the blame for making me act the way I did, saying that he was 'maska something' as the victim."

Twilight rolls her eyes. "Masquerading."

"That. The final thing he said to me was; 'I shunned and blamed you for brandishing the knife, when I was the one to brandish it first', before drinking the rainbow."

Rarity almost shrieked. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"I tried to, but it was too late. Yet... he likes the flavor of it. Mixed berry with a slight spice to it, if I recall." This got surprised looks all around, minus the fillies who still looked slightly confused.

"He can drink liquid rainbow. Interesting." Twilight mulled over it.








"Come on silly! The others are waiting!" Pinkie Pie was dragging me across Ponyville towards Sugar Cube Corner.

"I swear I'm not that special!" I keep trying to tell her that despite getting my cutie mark through the same event she and her friends did.

"You're special to us!"

I'm not even going to touch that.

The only things worth noting after that was me getting swept up in a group hug, me being irritated by it, and the mares being interested by my ability to drink rainbows.