Eighteen – Flutterstorm, Part III
The city of Fillydelphia was shimmering from the city gates to the coastline, a magnificent collection of chrome-front skyscrapers, pegasus cloud-arches, and ancient mansions in the Unicorn Quarter. Under the early moonlight, there was plenty of illumination for the ponies trotting or flying along major avenues like Liberty Way. The dinner-hour crowd was particularly heavy tonight, especially with so many travelers pouring out of Sub-Stallion Station.
In the lobby of the Lipizzaner Hotel, Fancy Pants sat in an armchair, reading a newspaper in peace. Though it was important to stay informed on current affairs—and he looked forward to the upcoming birthday of Celestia’s adopted great-grand-niece Moonlight Sonata—the newspaper was merely a cover. Nopony batted an eye at some fine gentlecolt in the lobby and he’d taken great care to style his mane and polish his monocle for the occasion.
With a rustle of his paper, Fancy Pants scanned the hotel entrance. His eyes lit up when he spotted a gray mare and a blue stallion trotting inside, with an orange-haired pony pushing a cart full of luggage behind them. Fancy Pants took his time folding up his newspaper and setting it down on the table beside his chair. He moved at a leisurely trot toward the newcomers. It wouldn’t do to spook them, even when he had to impart the most terrible news.
While Night Light was checking in at the front desk, Twilight Velvet happened to look around the lobby with a pleasant smile. Fancy Pants paused mid-step when she saw him.
It would’ve been easier to blurt it out, but that was simply not done. Tact was called for.
“Ah, Miss Twilight!” Fancy Pants swept his hoof to his chest and bowed. “Lovely to see you again! And hello, Sir Night Light! What a pleasure it is to find you both here!”
“Good evening, Fancy Pants.” Much like her famous daughter, Twilight Velvet had a very gracious smile in the presence of nobility. “I had no idea you were in town. Is Fleur Dis Lee with you?”
She’ll be here soon enough, but that thought was better left unsaid. Fancy Pants knew he’d have to book her a room in this very hotel once all this business was concluded. “Alas, she is not. I’m afraid I’m here on…” He pulled open his coat, presenting his Service badge to both ponies. “Official business.”
Night Light’s jaw dropped, but to her credit, Twilight Velvet kept her composure. She regarded Fancy Pants with a cool stare, with only her twitching tail betraying her concerns. “I see. And what would a Secret Service unicorn want with us?”
Fancy Pants coughed politely into one hoof. “It pains me deeply to have to tell you, my dear, that it concerns your daughter and her marefriend. There was an accident over the Everfree Forest—no, no, please, don’t worry. They’re both alive and safe, for the moment.” Once Velvet’s mouth had closed, he continued, drawing on years of experience delivering bad news and field reports to the Princess. “It’s the storm. The one Princess Luna assured you was nothing to worry about. It seems she misjudged it. We all did.”
In his experience, Fancy Pants had usually found that mothers tended to worry the most about their children, while fathers were more likely to believe that they’d be fine. But here was Night Light, looking so very upset and turning to his wife for comfort. Velvet seemed to be in better control of her feelings—a trait that Fancy Pants had to admire. No doubt she’d studied so many horrors and surprises in her career as an adventure writer.
But that twitching tail revealed how scared she truly was. Fancy Pants could sympathize. He thought well of both Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. All of Rarity’s friends were lovely and didn’t deserve the nightmare that those two were facing now.
His pity hardened into cold resolve. Fancy Pants placed a hoof on Velvet’s shoulder. “My dear, my assignment here in Fillydelphia concerns you. I must ask for your help, so that I might help save your daughter and her beloved.”
“How…?” Velvet covered her muzzle and sniffled. Her tail stopped twitching long enough for her to ask, “How can I help?”
Fancy Pants beamed. “You can help me convince one of the greatest heroes in Equestria to suit up and help lead the rescue operation.” He stared into her eyes, though he used none of his magic to persuade her. Only his conviction. “Princess Luna believes you may well be the only pony who can.”
“Sky Sonnet…” Velvet blinked. “But he hasn’t been a hero for ages!”
“And that, my dear lady, is precisely why you must help him remember how to be one again…”
Neither rain nor wind, nor the ominous gloom of the storm itself, would keep Fluttershy from the pony she loved. Even soaked and shivering, she grit her teeth and flew straight for the shelter. In her front hooves was a bundle of freshly-picked daises, tulips, and fruit pie remnants that were still fresh. Fortunately, no animals had come along to eat them. In fact, Fluttershy had yet to see any critters this deep in the forest.
In the center of the shelter, Twilight lay on a small bed of grass that Fluttershy had made for her. It wasn’t much of a bed, but at least it could keep her comfortable. Sure enough, when she saw Twilight’s gentle smile, Fluttershy knew she’d be fine.
Somehow, they’d be fine. She had to believe that, even as tired and miserable as she was.
“I, uh…” Fluttershy landed next to Twilight, putting her collection of food onto the edge of her grass bed. She paused to catch her breath. “I hope it’s enough…”
“Should be plenty,” said Twilight as she inspected her offerings. With a faint pull of her magic, she selected a daisy and popped it into her mouth. Her face melted with delight. “Mmm. The daises out here taste much better than at home!”
Fluttershy giggled, but didn’t partake of the feast. Instead, she lowered herself onto the ground and dropped her head onto her hooves.
Twilight noticed this immediately. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly—” Fluttershy stopped as soon as Twilight shoved a hoof full of fruit pie into her mouth. The sweet taste of lemon meringue made her stomach gurgle, so Fluttershy swallowed the morsel at once.
One bite was all it took. She grabbed a bunch of tulips and began to eat with the ferocity of a wolf.
Guess there’s still some Flutterbat in me after all, Fluttershy reflected. But she decided it was best to keep that thought to herself. It wouldn’t do to scare Twilight about it. The Everfree Forest was creepy enough as it was.
They ate for a while in silence, munching on flowers and Pinkie’s leftover pie. It wasn’t nearly as idyllic as their lunch up in the balloon, but it was quiet and peaceful beneath the shelter, and Fluttershy wouldn’t have it any other way. Even Twilight seemed to be in better spirits now that she’d rested. Her wings weren’t twitching in pain as often as before.
As she finished her meal, Fluttershy looked over at Twilight, locking eyes with her. With the fruit pie still on her lips, the alicorn had the most innocent expression. It was sweet enough to remind Fluttershy of a cute little filly she knew back home. But thinking about her brought the rest of her family to mind and that made her shudder.
“Something wrong?” Twilight asked.
Fluttershy shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
“Don’t say that.” Twilight reached her hoof out, patting at the ground between them like it was a couch. “Come on, Shy. Talk to me. I can take any problem you’ve got.” She fluttered her lashes, still looking more adorable than seductive. “If you were kind enough to listen to my story about Flash Sentry, I can handle any baggage you’re carrying. I promise.”
In the span of a heartbeat, Fluttershy felt her old instincts kick on. Her lips and wings would tighten and she’d shrink back into a ball of frayed nerves, using her mane and tail as a shield. It’d be easier to look away and be ignored.
But this time, she stood her ground. Digging one hoof into the drying mud, Fluttershy forced herself to take a breath and look her marefriend in the eye.
She wouldn’t back away this time.
“I-I know we’ll get out of this,” she told Twilight, “but I’m still worried about my parents.” Strands of hair fell around her face, nearly covering her eyes. “Especially my dad.”
“You’re still scared of how he’ll judge me?”
“I-it’s more than that.” Fluttershy continued to dig all four hooves into the mud. If she couldn’t run away, then she couldn’t leave the conversation. “He’s not a very nice pony. I don’t mean he’s cruel, but he can be…” The word danced around on her tongue. “Bitter.”
Twilight nodded. “Mom mentioned that he was quite the hero.”
The mention of Twilight Velvet brought a warm glow to Fluttershy’s heart. She smiled and said, “Yes, he was. But he got hurt a lot. A-and when he retired, he’d get these moods and then he’d…” She closed her eyes. The sound of hooves stomping around their house filled her mind, shutting out the din of the forest. “He’d say the worst things…”
Look at your friends, she could hear him say. Those cold blue eyes staring down at her. They even say Rainbow Dash pulled off a sonic rainboom. And you’re still in first-year classes. Aren’t you ashamed, Shy? He leaned down from his chair in front of the fireplace, eyeing the filly on the floor. Or should we pull you out and find you something better to do…?
And then Fluttershy would cry and her mother would carry her off to bed, consoling her the whole way. She felt those same tears starting again, but she refused to let them fall. Twilight didn’t need to see that.
“I’m sorry.” Twilight’s voice struck deep. Fluttershy opened her eyes, feeling her heart slowly unclench. “About your father. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Twilight’s jaw tightened. “But I won’t let you go through it alone, Shy.”
Fluttershy sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hoof. “Thank you.”
“And we won’t be alone either.” Twilight coughed as she shifted on her grass bed. Her wings twitched once beneath the bandage. “I asked my parents to meet us in Fillydelphia.”
Fluttershy went still. For a moment, she didn’t dare to breathe. “They’re coming…?”
Even an apologetic look couldn’t reduce Twilight’s beauty. “I thought they’d make you feel more comfortable.” She rubbed at the back of her mane, shrinking back a little. “M-maybe I shouldn’t have—”
“Twily.”
“Yes?” Twilight looked back. “What—?”
She stopped once Fluttershy leapt free of the mud and grabbed her by both cheeks. Twilight stared dumbfounded into her marefriend’s determined face for only a second. Trails of mud fell along her cheeks in total silence. Then Fluttershy pressed her lips against Twilight’s, moaning all her gratitude into a single kiss.
“Mm, Twilight…” Fluttershy pulled back long enough to whisper. “You’re the greatest.”
Twilight murmured something against her lips as Fluttershy continued to kiss her. They nuzzled against each other, with Fluttershy taking extra care not to upset her wings. The warmth from Twilight’s body was enough to make Fluttershy forget her worries, if only for a moment.
She closed her eyes and rested her head against Twilight’s shoulder, thinking about the smiling faces of Twilight’s parents and the warmth of her mother’s hooves. She pictured them sitting around her family’s living room, drinking tea and eating biscuits and it was so wonderful that she was going to cry again, but tears of joy, this time…
“Hey, Shy?” Twilight shifted so that she was looking down into Fluttershy’s face. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear more about your family.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Tell me what your folks are like. How about brothers and sisters? Or cousins? Or aunts and uncles?” Twilight’s radiant smile could’ve banished the storm and the gloom entirely if it were any brighter. “I want to hear it all!”
Fluttershy opened her mouth to reply, but she quailed when she heard the distant howl of a timber wolf. Shivering, she pressed herself against Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight’s hoof rested on her back, holding her steady.
“O-okay,” she forced herself to say. “W-where do I even start?”
“Just tell me what they’re like.” Twilight’s voice was warm in her ear. “Until this storm passes and my wing heals, we’ve got nowhere else to be…”
“Well…” Fluttershy swallowed and closed her eyes. It was easier now to picture her family than to imagine the storm and the beasts lurking all around. “I-I’m told I take after my mother Posey. In fact, we look very much alike. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I’ve got lots of cousins, especially my second cousin Phoenix Dawn and she’s the cutest filly in the whole wide world…”
She continued to ramble until late into the night, as the rain fell and the wind beat against the shelter.
Though he’d been working in the Service for many years, Fancy Pants couldn’t recall a more awkward meeting than when he’d rang the bell at the home of Sky Sonnet and Posey. The mare who answered the door was a slightly larger and definitely older version of her daughter Fluttershy, right down to the pink mane. The only difference was that Posey was an earth pony, which didn’t surprise Fancy Pants in the least. She was gracious to her visitors and invited them in for tea.
Much like its occupants, the house was a small, unadorned tenement in the southern side of Fillydelphia, whose once noble exterior had faded to a soft yellow. And much like Posey herself, the home was designed as a quiet homage to her husband’s exploits. Awards and medals lined every wall from the foyer to the living room, along with oil paintings of a young stallion with outstretched wings and a flowing fiery mane.
But sitting now in the living room, in an armchair facing the fireplace, was Sky Sonnet himself.
Although he didn’t show it in public, Fancy Pants knew a thing or two about scars. This pegasus had quite the collection. A healed gash on his right flank, just below his cutie mark of a lightning bolt over a heart. A few crooked feathers in his wings. Several minor cuts along his forelegs, and one fine scar along his ear that went up into his mane, where it left a white streak.
Even Sky Sonnet’s mane had lost its illustrious shine, now faded to a dull maroon. His blue eyes hadn’t lost their gleam, but unlike the bright-eyed hero depicted in his paintings, Fancy Pants was now looking at a cold-eyed veteran.
Fancy Pants hadn’t said a word when he’d gone up to the poor fellow. He’d shown his badge and received a surprised eyebrow lift, followed by a resolute nod. Sky Sonnet had grunted something along the lines of “You’re welcome to stay” and resumed his vigil by the fireplace. The embers flickered and fell as the fire roared on, filling the room with warmth.
Somehow, Fancy Pants doubted there was any warmth left in this old pony. It explained rather a lot about his shy and anxious daughter.
While Night Light and Posey were quietly chatting in the other end of the room, Twilight Velvet had stood behind the chair, looking back and forth between the gentlecolt from Canterlot and the old hero of Fillydelphia. She’d opened her mouth several times to speak, but words failed her. A rare occurrence for such a talented writer, Fancy Pants surmised.
Finally, after nearly two whole minutes of awkward chatting punctuated by silence, Velvet said, “Sky, we need to talk.”
Though he didn’t say anything, Sky Sonnet sat up in his chair. His eyes lifted away from the fire, staring straight at nothing.
“Fancy Pants tells me that both of our daughters are caught in that dreadful storm to the west,” Velvet continued. She stamped her hoof gently against the wooden floor. “Your Fluttershy and my Twilight. You know I’d never ask you to fly again, but won’t you reconsider, just for me?”
Sky Sonnet blinked once. Then he lifted himself out of the chair, hardly using his wings as he landed on all fours. When he turned to Twilight Velvet, his eyes sharpened onto her with all the subtlety of a six-foot-long spear.
“Tell me something, Twilight,” he said in a low croak. “Your daughter’s a grand princess now, isn’t she? She’s gotten herself into and out of all kinds of adventures by now. Dragons and parasprites, Nightmare Moon and changelings. Even took on Ol’ Discord, I hear.” He crept forward, lifting his head until he was towering over the poor unicorn. “And you’re telling me that one teensy tiny storm has got her stumped?”
“Her and Fluttershy,” Velvet insisted.
“Shy’s always been in trouble. That’s just how she is. Always in need of rescuing. If your amazing daughter can’t get her out…” He shrugged. “Then what good am I?”
Velvet’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe you’d be so callous—”
“Callous?” Sky Sonnet snickered and turned back toward the fire. The flames cast long shadows over his face, twisting his sour expression into something more malevolent.
“The whole world is callous, Twilight. I’ve spent my whole life trying to save ponies from the big bad world, from every little thing that Chaos could throw at me. Mad storms, manticores, dragons—you name it. And do you know what I learned from all that?”
Nopony bothered to suggest an answer.
Sky Sonnet dropped his head. “The world doesn’t care if anyone’s trying to save it. Maybe you get a little gratitude from some pony you just rescued, but there’s always somepony else in danger. And in the end, all you get are more scars and a lot of sleepless nights.” He lifted his hoof, examining its weathered surface. “I’m not the hero of your little novels anymore. I used to be, but like it or not, those days are over.”
Fancy Pants didn’t say a word, but he could feel the old pony’s pain. He’d seen what life in the Secret Service had done to some of the ponies who’d come before him: old, broken, and trying to lead a quiet life. They still leapt at the sound of a twig snapping or woke up drenched in sweat because of a nightmare about that one scouting mission into dragon territory. The old ponies could only keep themselves occupied with tending to gardens or grandchildren.
But few were as bitter as Sky Sonnet.
A pitter-patter of hooves against the floor made Fancy Pants look up and take notice of Posey, who was now at her husband’s side. She leaned against him, nuzzling him without saying a word.
The old pegasus took a few deep breaths, letting his eyes fall shut. It was amazing to see how subtle the change was. The atmosphere of the room relaxed by just a hair, by the edge of a hoof.
“Thank you,” Sky Sonnet murmured. He nuzzled his wife back and turned around to face his guests once more. “I’m sorry to disappoint you all for coming here.” His eyes locked onto Twilight Velvet. “Especially you, Twilight. But I’m just not built for flying anymore.”
Velvet’s jaw tightened. Fancy Pants took an involuntary step back.
“Don’t give me that, Sky Sonnet.” She lowered her head and glared. “You weren’t built for the Baltimare Maelstrom, but that never stopped you, did it?”
“No, I—”
“Or how about those friends of yours in Sapphire Fields? You hadn’t even gotten your cutie mark and you still took on that raging bear!”
“That…” If it wasn’t so serious, seeing Sky Sonnet look so flummoxed would have been amusing. “That was totally different—”
“It’s no different,” Velvet snapped, stomping right up to his face. “You’re a hero, Sky Sonnet. You were born to fly and fight for those who couldn’t. Maybe you can’t take down a dragon like you used to, but I doubt even you would let one teensy tiny storm from getting in your way.”
Sky Sonnet shook his head. “This is no ordinary storm, Twi—”
He stopped as soon as Velvet grabbed his muzzle by her hoof and dragged his face toward her. The room went deathly still and quiet. Night Light glanced at Fancy Pants, but didn’t say a word or move a muscle. Neither did Posey, who watched her husband with tear-filled eyes. All eyes were on the two ponies in the center, whose shadows filled the living room as the fire in the hearth grew brighter.
“Listen to me,” said Twilight Velvet. “I’ll understand if you’re too hurt to fly. If you physically can’t, then we’ll find some other way. But if you can fly and just can’t be bothered...” Her eyes narrowed into slits sharp enough to cut glass. “If anything happens to our daughters out there, I will devote the rest of my life to reminding you and everypony else about this. My readers will never remember you as a great hero, but as a failure of a father. They will remember Fluttershy as a hero long before they ever think of you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Sky Sonnet’s jaw clenched, but he nodded all the same. For a moment, Fancy Pants thought he saw a hint of the young stallion’s fire in those cold blue eyes. That deadly resolve in the face of certain danger.
“Good.” Velvet’s smile was just as deadly. “Now let’s fix up those wings, Sky Sonnet. We don’t have much time.”
“Just open up your heart and you will see… the beauty’s in every flower and tree!”
Twilight clapped her hooves together as Fluttershy finished her song. The storm hadn’t gone anywhere and her wing wasn’t perfect yet, but so what? This was the Fluttershy she wanted to see: the happy, dancing Fluttershy who could enchant the whole world with her voice.
“That was lovely,” said Twilight, snuggling up with her marefriend as she sat back down. “I really wish you’d sing more with the Ponytones, though. It’d be a shame to let your voice go to waste.”
Fluttershy blushed, but her smile didn’t diminish by a single watt. “That’s very kind of you to say, but I’d rather not. Besides, we don’t get together that often anymore. We’re all so busy with our daily tasks, like Rarity with her dresses or Big Mac with his apple bucking.” When she looked away, her smile widened. “Still, I do like singing with them… but only for my friends.”
Twilight rested her head against Fluttershy’s shoulder. She noted a few twigs and loose strands poking out from her marefriend’s mane, so she didn’t think anything about using her magic to pick the debris out one by one. The rest of her magic was gathered into soft magenta tendrils that brushed Fluttershy’s mane back into place.
The pegasus sighed. “Thank you. That feels wonderful.”
“Just be glad Rarity isn’t here to see you,” said Twilight. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she concentrated on finagling one leaf out of the other pony’s mane. “She’d have a fit if she knew your mane was ruined.”
She stopped her work when she noticed the tears peeking out the corners of Fluttershy’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh…” Fluttershy’s ears drooped. “Our friends… th-they probably don’t even know that…”
Twilight grimaced and reached her foreleg around the other mare’s shoulder. “Hey. It’ll be fine. I’m sure we’ll get out of this. Somepony like Zecora is bound to come by eventually. Even Rainbow Dash and her weather team might realize what happened.”
“You… you really think so?”
“I do—”
Her words died in her throat as soon as the air outside the shelter flashed and two seconds later a terrible rumble filled the air. Fluttershy squeaked and dove under Twilight’s tail for safety.
Twilight cleared her throat. The rain was falling hard against the top of the ruined balloon, beating into the fabric. She flinched as soon as she saw one of the knots on the tree branches tearing itself apart.
“As I was saying,” she amended, “we might need that rescue team a lot sooner.”
His wings ached, his ears were twitching non-stop, and those old flight goggles were pressing so hard onto the bridge of his nose. But Sky Sonnet grit his teeth and continued to fly toward the swirling black maelstrom over the forest.
“This would’ve been a lot easier,” he growled against the wind, “if I were alone!”
“Oh, stop it!” Twilight Velvet replied, secured to his back with a harness. She adjusted her own goggles. “We’re making good time! I can see the base of the storm from here!”
Sky Sonnet hadn’t flown like this in over twenty years. He’d given the occasional lecture at the local flight camp, but that was nothing compared to the misery he was putting himself through now. Even a young daredevil like Rainbow Dash would know to steer clear of the mayhem that this storm was bringing. And flying while carrying a full-grown unicorn like Velvet? That was just suicidal.
But the glare she’d given him before Sky Sonnet left had stopped any protests. He remembered that the meek writer was just a mask for the diehard adventurer beneath. The Velvet he knew could give Daring Do a run for her money when it came to exploring ancient caves and jungles.
Still, to the best of his memory, Sky Sonnet couldn’t recall a time where he and his partner had been strapped together while flying cross-country in excess of a hundred miles an hour.
“Get us lower!” Velvet called out. She pointed a hoof past his shoulder at the rotating black cloud. “There! We can make a path straight for them!”
Sky Sonnet tried to scan the upcoming treetops, but his wings buckled under the strain of the gale that swept up against him. Only by spreading his wings back could he keep from being thrown several yards back.
“That’s some wind shear!” he called back. “How good’s your magic?”
“Good enough! Why?”
Jabbing his hoof toward a pair of swaying trees in the distance, he answered, “See that? There’s a gap in the outflow boundary! If you can use your telekinesis to make a tunnel, I can fly us in!”
“I’ll need some time—!”
“Better hurry!” Sky Sonnet grit his teeth as another wave of wind and water vapor hurtled toward them. He spun around and dove straight, barely missing the impact.
A minor course correction brought him a few meters closer to the forest canopy, where the twisted branches of the Everfree Forest reached up for his belly. Sky Sonnet swerved past swaying treetops and flying branches, trying to glide with the current. But this storm was brutal. It responded with a labyrinth of twisting currents and gales, trying to knock him out into the forest below.
That’s the idea, thought Sky Sonnet with a grim smile.
Up ahead was the gap he’d spotted: a pair of very weak oaks with delicate canopies. The storm didn’t appear to be affecting them much, so that was where they needed to be. Even twenty years of retirement hadn’t taken that knowledge away from Sky Sonnet.
“Now, Twilight!” he called out.
Velvet’s horn unleashed a very loud crackle and then he saw a cone of blue light flicker into existence between the two trees. He swerved along the fighting currents, bouncing from one to the other in a very long zigzag across the treetops. Branches and leaves whipped at his face, but he didn’t care. All Sky Sonnet could see was the goal.
Right as they cleared the edge of her magic barrier, he folded in his wings and let them fall just below the base of the thunderstorm. A side current knocked them out of the path of an incoming tree and right toward a murky violet sheen below.
“There! There!” Velvet was shouting. She pointed her hoof as a cloud of pink sparkles rose up to meet them. “Head that way!”
Sky Sonnet nodded and spread his wings to control their descent. He grunted when a delicate branch hit him right above the left eye, but he didn’t let it slow him down. The cold air here was light enough for him to bring him and Velvet into a soft glide toward the crashed balloon.
I just hope we’re not too late, he prayed.
Fluttershy winced as half of the balloon shelter ripped open, unleashing a torrent of rain. On pure instinct, she grabbed Twilight from below and carried her away from the flood that now spread across the ground. Dirt gave way to thick mud, followed by the ominous rising water.
“Oh, my. Oh, my…” Fluttershy glided into the air, holding Twilight close to her chest. “Twilight, I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry it had to end this way…”
“Don’t say that.” Twilight’s horn lit up as she pointed her hoof toward the murky skies. “Look!”
They watched as a shower of sky blue sparkles descended through the gap in the shelter. And not two seconds later, two ponies came flying down toward them. Twilight Velvet was panting as she unstrapped herself from the harness, which was attached to the back of—
“D-Daddy?” Fluttershy shrank back, holding up Twilight as a pony shield. “What are you—?”
“Are you hurt?” Sky Sonnet barked. He searched the two mares’ faces with sharp glances. “Either of you?”
Twilight coughed and twitched her wings beneath the bandage. “I-I am, sir. My wing’s too sprained for me to fly.”
Sky Sonnet didn’t say a word, but Twilight Velvet came dashing forward to throw her hooves around her daughter’s neck. “Oh, sweetheart!” she sobbed. “Are you in pain? Tell me where it hurts!”
“Mom, please don’t…” Twilight used her magic to separate herself from Velvet’s crushing embrace. “I’ll be fine, really. But we need to get out of here first.”
“That remains to be seen,” said Sky Sonnet. He glanced up at the massive black cloud overhead, through which the rain came pouring down, flooding the clearing. He kicked away the mud from his hooves and floated off the ground. “Horse feathers. Shy?”
“Y-y-yes?” Fluttershy swallowed and forced herself to look at her father. It wasn’t easy. The whole disaster of this trip hadn’t been good for her nerves; throwing her father into the mix only made it worse.
She remembered all too well the grim stare her father gave her as he floated over to her side. With one hoof pointed at the cloud, he said, “I know you’re not much of a flier, but I need you to get these two ponies to safety. I’ll deal with the storm myself.”
“But Daddy—”
“No buts, Shy.” His cold blue eyes swiveled back up to the storm. “You’re a better flier than you think. I know I never said it much, but it’s true. Now get moving.”
“But Daddy…” Fluttershy tugged at his tail before he could charge into the storm. “That storm is much too big for one pegasus!”
Sky Sonnet whirled on her, flapping his wings with a fury to match the vicious rainfall. “And what would you know about it, Shy? Have you become a weather pony since the last time we got a letter from you?”
“Sky!” Velvet cried out.
“No, I can do this!” Sky Sonnet grit his teeth and rose higher into the air. His wings were beating hard now, but Fluttershy could see the way his chest was laboring in pain with each flap.
He was going through the moods again. Pretty soon he’d be flashing back to his adventuring days and then he’d shut out the rest of the world. She almost started to curl up into a ball at the memory of those angry nights, but she wasn’t going to give in this time.
She couldn’t because she heard Twilight say in a croaking voice, “So can she.”
“What’s that, dear?” asked Velvet, hugging her daughter to her chest.
Twilight shook her head. Her eyes were drooping shut, probably from the pain caused by her wings. “Look, sir. Fluttershy really can fly. She’s just as good a flier as Rainbow Dash.” Her voice got stronger once she smiled. “The difference is that she can fly when it counts. And this storm is as big a crisis as any we’ve faced in Ponyville.”
Sky Sonnet said nothing, but as lightning flashed overhead, the clearing was bright enough for Fluttershy to read the doubt on his face. He looked right at her, as if noticing her for the first time. Unfortunately, her instincts made her shrink back. As a filly, she knew that her father looking at her meant he was going to be mean and judge the way she flew again—
“Well?” he asked, his voice almost drowned out by the rain. “Can you do it, Shy?”
“D-do what, sir?”
He tossed his wet mane to the side and nodded up at the massive storm cloud. “Help me kick this storm apart, of course.”
Fluttershy’s mouth opened. She had to bite down on her bottom lip just to be sure she hadn’t hit her head and was only dreaming. “O-okay…”
“Then you’d better suit up. Twilight—”
“Yes?” said Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Velvet.
Sky Sonnet blinked. “Er, Twilight Velvet. I think my daughter’s going to need those goggles.”
It had been years since her days at flight camp, but Fluttershy still remembered one or two key lessons. She’d never had trouble with the theory of flying or weather manipulation—just the practice.
Right now, she remembered that storms consisted of moisture, atmospheric turbulence, and rising heat from the earth. It helped that Fluttershy had discussed this problem often with the birds back home, giving them tips on how to avoid storms in the first place. But she’d never imagined that she’d have to actually use this knowledge herself.
Racing toward the storm alongside her was Sky Sonnet. Now she could see the hero that her mother had always talked about. The way his mane flew back from the wind shear, or the way he grit his teeth and charged through the falling rain at a sharp angle—it was all so dramatic!
We’re really doing it, Daddy, Fluttershy thought, cheering loudly in her head. I can’t believe it!
Overhead, the black storm loomed. Fluttershy could see flashes of lightning crawling along the surface of the cloud, which hadn’t let up on the rain. She yelped when a sudden side wind threatened to knock her off-course.
“I’ve got you!” said her father, grabbing her underneath her forelegs. He was breathing hard into her ear. “Just stick… stick close to me, Shy…”
Fluttershy nodded and drew herself forward. With one determined flap of her wings, she propelled herself high into the air, trying to match Sky Sonnet’s angle as he circled around the storm. She tracked his red tail through the dark skies, trying to use him as a beacon as they raced toward the top.
Up high, the storm was only getting worse. Thunder split the air and nearly deafened Fluttershy on a close pass. The wind shear was sharp, but she grit her teeth just like her father did and found a current to glide up toward him.
“Here!” Sky Sonnet called out. He floated toward the top of the clouds, flapping his wings twice as hard as Fluttershy was. The Hummingbird Method rarely failed, even in times like this. “I can take the left and you take the right! If we time this just right, we can generate enough cold air—”
“And we’ll break up the storm!” Fluttershy exclaimed. She gave him a quick salute, trying to think what Rainbow Dash would do in this situation. “Then let’s do it!”
Sky Sonnet flashed her a tired grin right before he dove to the side and began his run.
Fluttershy paused to adjust her goggles and followed suit. She could follow the edge of the storm, seeing where its black rim ended and the eerie forest below began. It was only a matter of keeping her wings beating furiously as she followed the edge of the storm, keeping one eye on the clouds and the other on her father’s own arc.
But as she completed the first run, Fluttershy noticed her father was slowing down. She watched Sky Sonnet duck his head and cough as he began to veer off-course.
“Daddy!” Fluttershy reached out and grabbed his hoof. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine!” he snapped and waved her forward. “Keep it going, Shy!”
She swallowed, but Fluttershy knew better than to waste anymore time. She flew back into the storm, closing her eyes as the winds battered down from all sides. All she had to do was picture the storm breaking apart and flap her wings in the right direction…
And then the storm will dissipate under the lack of moist air locked inside, she heard Twilight saying. It’s pretty basic meteorology, really. I read about it in the Cloudsdale Almanac…
A happy smile blossomed across Fluttershy’s face. She needed to hear that. Her wings began to beat harder, generating more of their own wind to fight against the shear.
“Just like that, Shy!” her father’s voice called out.
Fluttershy really can fly, Twilight’s voice reminded her. She can fly when it counts.
I can, Fluttershy responded. With a desperate squeal, she forced her wings to beat harder and harder. She thought she saw her father for a second, but she didn’t need to worry. All she could do was fly with the storm. Lightning crackled as her wings brushed against the center mass, but she refused to slow down. She knew the moisture was locked away in here. All it needed was just a little more cold air.
“Now you… listen here…!” she yelled into the wind. “You’ve been nothing but trouble! It’s time you… went… home!”
She had no idea if the storm could actually hear her, but she felt the winds slacken their pressure by a hair or two. It was a magic storm after all.
Fluttershy closed her eyes again and continued to dive through the worst of it.
Faster and faster, deeper and deeper into the storm. Her whole body shivered as her wings beat up a flurry of cold air all around. The blood was running into her face and clouded her vision with a red filter. There was only so much adrenaline she could produce before her wings would start to give out.
Not yet, Fluttershy insisted. She kicked herself forward. We’re so close, Twilight!
Another side wind was too much to handle, even with all his training as a flier. As his wings tightened up, Sky Sonnet fell exhausted onto the topmost branch of a nearby tree. He collapsed against the jagged wood, clinging to it like a sloth from the Southlands.
Horse feathers, he was too old for this. A delirious grin broke out over his face. But damn it all if it wasn’t still fun. If he was only ten years younger, this would be the best day he’d ever had. Facing down a massive storm with his daughter—
“F-Fluttershy!” Sky Sonnet craned his neck back and peered into the gray clouds. “Shy, talk to me! Where are… you…?”
His voice trailed off into a squeak. It took a moment for his brain to register the fact that the massive black cloud had turned to a shade of charcoal gray. And he didn’t hear the thunder anymore.
“Sweet Celestia,” he murmured. “She’s actually doing it…”
Thankfully, age hadn’t ruined his eyes too much. He could still see the faint blur of yellow and pink near the edge of the thunderstorm. Her daughter was flying faster than ever. Faster than him, even. And her wing power was consistent enough that the storm was breaking up right before his eyes.
Sky Sonnet felt a lifetime of misery drop away. He stood up on the branch and watched his daughter fly with unabashed pride.
“Well done, Shy. Well done…”
In her mind’s eye, there was no storm. All she saw was the golden warmth of the library as she and Twilight kissed, as they curled up together to read poetry by the fire, as they snuggled under the blankets in Twilight’s bedroom. Distantly, she knew that the storm existed and that she was still flying, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was this memory.
Twilight’s sleepy eyes and loving smile. That was her heaven, even more than all the adorable animals of Equestria. That was her goal—
“Whoa!” Her father’s voice snapped through the fog in her mind, breaking the dream. Fluttershy yelped when she felt a massive wall of cloud push up against her belly. She fell panting onto its cotton-like surface. Her whole body tingled with adrenaline and exhaustion.
“Oh… oh, my…” Fluttershy gasped and pushed the goggles up from her head. “Daddy, what—?”
Sky Sonnet’s grin filed her world. “You did it, Shy. I’m sorry I ever doubted you for a minute.”
Fluttershy closed her eyes. “N-no, I didn’t. This is just the dream, isn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?” His hoof pushed her chin up from the inviting cloud. “Look!”
When she peeked out over the rim of the small cloud, Fluttershy still felt giddy. But it only took a second for her to see that she wasn’t caught in the middle of the hideous black maelstrom anymore. The sea of black had given way to an endless expanse of gray and white swirls. It was cool and dry this high up in the atmosphere.
He wasn’t lying. The storm was finally gone.
“Oh, my…” She pressed her hooves to her cheeks in delight. “We… we did it!”
Then, Sky Sonnet did something Fluttershy had never seen before.
He blushed.
“Well, actually…” Her father rubbed at his half-dry and frazzled mane. “This was all you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.” He gave her a quiet smile, like the kind her mother used whenever Fluttershy had had an awful day at school. “I’m… I’m proud of you, Shy.”
Fluttershy tried to speak, but her mouth refused to work. Her lips and throat had turned to wood. All she could do was offer a tiny, bittersweet squeak.
Her father chuckled and nudged her cloud down a few feet. “Come on, Shy. Let’s go get your marefriend.”
Marefriend… The word snapped Fluttershy out of her shock. “Twilight!”
Though she was exhausted, she didn’t let it stop her from jumping off the cloud and fluttering her wings in a controlled descent. Sky Sonnet kept at her side, guiding her through the twisting and snatching branches of the Everfree Forest.
Far below, the balloon shelter in the clearing had collapsed. Fluttershy saw that Twilight Sparkle was sitting on the ground with a glum expression. Meanwhile, her mother Velvet was attaching a series of ropes to the makeshift bandage around her back. Fluttershy recognized it as a flight harness like the kind Sky Sonnet was wearing. An ancient but effective technique that let pegasi carry non-flying ponies before the days of chariots and airships.
Velvet dropped the rope in her teeth when she spotted the two pegasi descended. “They’re back!”
Immediately, Twilight’s face lit up. Fluttershy locked eyes with her, sharing the biggest smile she could conjure up.
“Y-you’re safe,” said Twilight. She reached out both hooves and dragged Fluttershy into a hug once she got close enough. “Thank goodness! I was so worried!”
Fluttershy nuzzled her for as long as she could. But she had to be careful. That dream state she’d entered up in the clouds was so tempting.
Surely she could just rest her eyes for a second…
Sky Sonnet sat back on his haunches, taking soft breaths to conserve his energy. His wings would need a good examination after all this and then he’d take a long, hot bath to ease the pain in his joints.
Still, if this was going to be his last adventure, he didn’t mind. He was happy to be alive and with his daughter.
Horse feathers, he thought with a quiet smile, if I’d known she was that good, I’d have enrolled her in the Wonderbolts Academy…
But that was just pride talking. In the meantime, Sky Sonnet was content to sit back and take in the scene before him. Twilight Sparkle was curled around around Fluttershy while they slept, breathing softly like a pair of fillies at a sleepover. It brought to mind that terrifying day in the hospital, when Sky Sonnet had held onto Posey’s hooves while she screamed abuse at him in her delicate voice, terrifying the nurses despite all their hard work. And then Sky Sonnet had held a tiny foal with a tuft of pink hair. She’d nestled against his chest with a low-pitched squeal.
Looking back, not even chasing off the manticores with Posey at his side had been quite as thrilling as that first moment with Fluttershy.
She deserved better from him. Even in his worst moments, when the scars ached and the pain was too much, Sky Sonnet had wondered if he could have done anything different in his life. But he was always thinking about his past adventures, even while his own daughter was right in front of him, looking to him for guidance.
A whisper of motion from the side snapped Sky Sonnet back to reality. He turned and saw Twilight Velvet sitting down beside him.
“I can’t thank you enough,” she said with a tender smile.
“Thank her,” he replied, nodding at his daughter. “She did all the work. I just got her into the air.”
“That’s why I’m thanking you.” Velvet nuzzled him. “Fluttershy’s as much of a hero as you or Twilight, but she needs a little more encouragement. And all she’s ever wanted was to make you and Posey proud.”
Sky Sonnet smiled. “Mm. You make a good point. And your daughter… she’s happy with her?”
“Happier than I’ve ever seen her.”
“That’s good. She’s found her Posey.”
Velvet chuckled, but stopped short once they heard a rustling from overhead. Sky Sonnet groaned and leapt to his hooves, prepared to a falling branch or a timber wolf attack.
Instead, a small wagon descended into the clearing, tethered to the backs of two pegasi in black suits. The bat-wing badges on their chests tipped them off as Secret Service ponies right away, but even if Sky Sonnet hadn’t seen them, he would’ve recognized Fancy Pants riding in the back. The gentlecolt had changed out of his city attire and donned a green field cloak instead.
“Thank heavens you’re all right!” he exclaimed and leapt out of the wagon. “We saw the storm break apart and came as soon as we could!”
“Your timing couldn’t have been better,” said Velvet. She pointed to the sleeping ponies on the ground. “My daughter’s hurt and her marefriend probably needs medical attention, too.”
Fancy Pants didn’t hesitate. His horn glowed and levitated Twilight and Fluttershy onto the wagon. Then he stood to the side and waved Velvet in, letting her settle down next to her daughter with an anxious whinny.
As Sky Sonnet moved to join her, Fancy Pants stopped him with a hoof to the chest. He looked the gentlecolt in the eyes.
“Ever so sorry,” he said, “but it’s an honor to fly with you, sir.” He turned to the two pegasi. “Strider? Covert Ops?”
The other ponies nodded and then all three Service agents lifted their hoofs in a salute.
Sky Sonnet felt another blush coming on. Twice in a day was rare for him. “Please, don’t. I’m not a hero anymore.” As he spoke, he felt the weight of his years and the exhaustion from the storm chase sinking into his back. “I’m just a poet trying to enjoy his golden years.”
“You know, with the right word, I’m sure I could persuade Princess Celestia to name you the new Poet Laureate. Just think of all the accolades and galas you’d receive in Canterlot for your heroism…”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Fancy Pants’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Oh, I might.”
Sky Sonnet clapped him on the shoulder before he jumped onto the wagon. “Do what you like. I’d like to be with my daughter if it’s all the same to you.”
“Very good, sir.” Fancy Pants turned to the pegasi. “Right! Let’s go!”
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Flutterawesome and Fluttercuddles!
4044521 Yep, best of both worlds!
YAY, Fluttershy the hero. Well done, best pony, you kicked that evil storm back to wherever it came from. I hope we find out where it came from and what it actually was at some point (if you already wrote that, then I forgot and I am sorry) An incredible chapter, I must say, and sad to know you only have so few left to go. Looking forward to the final quarter
Loving another great chapter
That...was such an awesome chapter! Twilight and Fluttershy were as adorable as ever, Fluttershy proves just what a badass she is once properly motivated, and just like in the show, Twilight ALWAYS has faith in Fluttershy, even if Fluttershy doesn't believe in herself.
It's wonderful seeing Sky showing he truly loves his daughter, and is so accepting of her being with a mare. Although Twilight herself might not like it, I can't help but grin watching Velvet fussing over her like that
Also, Fancy Pants is always a good thing.Seriously, we need a Fancy Pants emoticon on here.
An amazing chapter that once again shows that Fluttershy is a true hero that only needs the proper motivation. Seeing her father show how proud he is of her was the icing on the awesome cake that is this story. On to the next chapter, but first...
Way to go!
i thought he was just a author, was Fluttershy´s Dad really a hero? hmmm not sure if i like that, but it is not bad.
Well okay, i had my usual little problem with that sudden change, maybe i just didn´t remember everything right, but it turned out more than okay.
I have to say i really like that chapter.