The Hurricane-Pt 10: Many Meetings
6 Hours Later…
Canterlot Station-August 28th, Evening
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Twilight Sparkle gazed out through the train-car windows and into the city that was falling into the covering of her namesake, the soaring towers and pinnacles above her seeming to reach up to personally greet Luna’s stars as they winked into existence while the Princess of the Night raised the moon up and over the horizon. Although Canterlot looked its best in the daylight, it was almost an insult to not call it beautiful when shrouded in night as well. Not the same sort of splendor as the sun glinting off the spires, domes, and great panes of glass, but a different sort of beauty, a parallel of equal majesty to be sure. Just as the two Princesses ruled the city, so did the two phases of the-
“Twiley!”
“Shining-oof!” Twilight was knocked out of her musings not two steps off the train as a large white Unicorn with a blue mane grabbed her up in a strong embrace and gave her an affectionate (if that were a possible description) hoof-noogie on her head before holding her at arm's length and looking down at her.
“Wow, have you grown since we last met?” Prince Shining Armor beamed down at her in the light cast by the streetlamps that surrounded the station. He was wearing his military uniform, and he looked every inch the Captain of the Royal Canterlot Guard. Beside him stood the cerise Alicorn mare that gave him his royal title, his wife Princess Cadance, herself wearing a simple violet veil over her mane that nonetheless managed to accent her smiling eyes. Twilight on the other hoof was wearing her saddlebags and nothing else; to say she felt a little underdressed was a bit of an understatement, but her relatives' easy-going manner around her abated any worries she might have had in regards to appearance.
“Heh, maybe a little taller, Shining,” Cadance smiled and nuzzled her sister-in-law. “Unlike you, who’ve just grown a little wider,” she playfully jabbed her husband in the ribs with her horn, making him yelp and jump sideways.
“H-hey, it’s not my fault,” he sputtered. “Ever since I became a prince, I’ve been buried in paperwork and hardly even have time to take my Guards out for drills anymore…or see my little sis,” he gave Twilight a bit of a pained smile, not sure if he’d ever get used to this being royalty business.
“Oh, she’s just giving you a hard time, right Cadance,” Twilight winked at her sister, who winked back in return.
“Maaaaybe, heehee,” she playfully nudged Shining Armor again. “I don’t care how old and fat you get; I’ll always wub you,” she baby-talked him, knowing that he enjoyed it in private, but also knowing it would embarrass the hay out of him in front of his sister…and by the looks of the blush creeping across his face, it was working.
“You know, Cadance,” he sniffed dramatically. “You’ve acquired a bit of a mean streak since we got married. As a prince, I’m offended to be treated so,” he pretended to swoon…right on top of her. She quickly moved out from under him, sending him tumbling to the street in a chuckling heap.
“Stallions; I swear the older they get, the stranger they become,” Cadance shook her head and helped him to his hooves. She noticed Twilight’s uncomfortable stance and gave her a gentle smile. “Heh, you’ll learn about it one of these days…unless you already have,” her eyes suddenly brightened.
“What? My little Twiley has a coltfriend?” Shining Armor looked around but saw that Twilight was standing there face-hoofing alone.
“Urgh, no, not yet…” the librarian trailed off. “I’ve been too busy to even think about something like that.”
Liar…
“Oh? Busy with what, your friendship studies?” Cadance asked sincerely. “How are those coming along?”
“Oh, they’re actually going pretty well, but that really hasn’t been my main study of focus lately,” Twilight replied, much to both her siblings’ surprise.
“Whoa, Twilight not studying friendship?!” Shining Armor gasped in mock horror. “That’s…that’s not possible! Cadance, is Luna’s sky falling?” But instead of an answer, he was met with flick of her tail across his muzzle. “Ow, I was just kidding. Twiley, if you’re not mainly studying friendship, then what are you studying?”
“Well, I still send Celestia the occasional letter on the subject, but that’s beside the point,” the purple Unicorn replied and shivered as an early fall breeze caressed her back and ruffled her mane. “Brr, mind if we trot and talk about this; I’m not used to this cool mountain air.”
“Oh, of course,” Cadance nodded as she and Shining Armor led their younger sister towards their house. The Captain of the Guard carried himself with a little less than his usual stiff-lipped military poise, perhaps to put his little sister a bit more at ease. He was the Captain, but not a stranger; he was still her BBBFF, and he made it a point to not strut and clank his hooves loudly like he was often expected to. Cadance on the other hand carried herself with her usual grace, her small hooves making the barest of clipping noises on the street as they trotted along, Twilight between the married couple. “So…”
“Oh, right! Well, I don’t know if you know about this or not, but there’s been a recent discovery that’s ignited a new field of study around Equestria,” Twilight explained with a grin.
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Twiley,” her brother bumped her with his shoulder. “What is it?”
“Ok…it seems that a certain spell was leaked from the Starswirl the Bearded Wing in the Canterlot Archives this past spring. Some ponies think it was done intentionally, but I tend to believe that in the chaos of the Changelings attacking the Royal Wedding, a few likely snatched some texts because ever since then, literature not really seen outside of Canterlot have been popping up in the strangest places,” the smaller Unicorn replied.
“Yeah, I think I know what you’re talking about, Twiley; Celestia and Luna have had my Guards running all over the place recovering important documents lost during the attack,” The Captain of the Guard said, nodding to a pair of said armor-clad Pegasi as they marched past, their bronze-shod hooves clanking along the Canterlot cobblestones.
“Indeed,” Twilight nodded. “And until a few months ago, nopony had found anything particularly useful…or exploitable. But that changed when a scroll of Starswirl’s was found, and the spell within it, though relatively harmless, has become an object of fascination among Unicorns outside of Canterlot.”
“And what does this spell entail?” Candance inquired.
“Well, it has to do with inter-dimensional travel; bringing objects to our world from beyond the stars,” Twilight explained as both her siblings’ eyes widened. “As well as sending things from our world to others; works just like a long-distance teleportation spell, which I thought it actually was until I attempted it.”
“And I take it you’ve been studying this? How come I haven’t really heard of it until now?” Shining Armor asked, not feeling particularly comfortable with being left out of the loop here.
“Well, I thought I was the only one with the knowledge of the spell until I started seeing objects never before seen in Equestria, almost always in possession of Unicorns,” Twilight replied. “Turns out I was a fairly late to the party as this spell’s use had been going on for quite some time. What was interesting was that this spell only brought in objects from one particular world, and never from anywhere else.”
“How do you know all the objects came from the same place?” Cadance queried as they reached the front door of their home. She quickly unlocked it with her horn and flicked on the lights, revealing a richly adorned home more than fit for a prince and princess. She quickly trotted to the kitchen and prepared some hot tea, keeping an ear pricked to Twilight’s explanation.
“Because patterns began to emerge in the materials used and the labeling of the objects, as well as-whoa, nice place,” the librarian again caught herself gazing at a lavishness that would have made even Rarity green with envy. “Oh-heh, sorry. Anyways, because of those patterns and the constant mention of the planet’s name in newspapers, magazines, and other pieces of literature, we came to call the planet they came from Earth.” She quickly opened her saddlebag and lifted out a rolled up newspaper with the title NEW YORK TIMES on the front page, which was covered in pictures and writings in a style not dissimilar to that used in Equestria. And filling those pictures were the faces and forms of the humans that covered the planet.
“Wow,” Shining Armor wiped his brow. “And here I thought we were alone in the universe…and then I get proven wrong by my little sister,” he gave her a proud smile.
“Oh, and that’s not the best part though,” Twilight beamed and opened up her other saddlebag, lifting out a large stack of freshly written-upon parchments. “For the last few months, I’d actually been sending my friend Rainbow Dash to Earth to explore it, and you won’t believe the information she was able to deliver to me, even while thousands of feet in the air!”
“…but I take it by the almost creepy grin you’ve got on your face that’s not the biggest surprise you have in those papers,” her brother chuckled at the look her sister would often get when she was revealing her studies’ findings. Cadance returned with the hastily-prepared tea and floated the cups over to her sister and husband before settling down on the couch.
“Heehee, far from it,” she giggled as she sipped from her cup. “Because a few days ago, Dash took a little longer in returning from Earth than usual…”
“And?” Cadance and her husband asked in unison.
“When she returned…she wasn’t alone…”
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“Ow-hey, Miyagi,” Volare groaned into the pillow he was facedown in, his body stretched out on the simple cot Fluttershy had set up in the main room of her cottage. “You sure this is supposed to-argh-help me?” He ground his teeth as the yellow Pegasus standing over him rotated his right wing in small circles. The previous six hours had been filled with jogging around Fluttershy’s property, various cardio exercises, and a few minor strength-building activities such as squats and having small animals sit along Volare’s out-stretched left wing as he lifted them. All the while, he’d kept his right wing tightly tucked up against himself within the sling, not wanting anything to touch it for fear of the pain it would likely cause. He hadn’t paced himself during the exercises though, mainly just excited to get going on the road to recovery, and now he was paying the price for it.
“Mhm, very much so,” Fluttershy replied as she flexed the crippled limb as gently as she could, though she could tell by the small jerks rippling through it that she was causing its owner a fair amount of discomfort. “I know it hurts, but we can’t let your wing just sit up against your side and shrivel, otherwise it won’t ever heal. This merely makes sure the blood doesn’t clot up in it. I also want you to focus on the sensation of how it moves.”
“Oh believe me, I don’t have much choice in that matter,” he grunted.
“No, I mean really focus on how I’m moving it. Here, flex your left wing,” she instructed and he followed suit. “Now then, feel how I’m moving your right wing? Move your left wing in the exact same motion.”
“Urgh, got it,” he said into the pillow. She slowly flexed the wing to its fullest, lightly running her hoof along the primary feathers at the end, letting him know just how far his wing was stretched. He imitated the motion with his left wing, keeping it outstretched as Fluttershy moved his right wing slightly forward, supporting its weight as she paused, waiting for Volare to match her. As he did, she gently touched a nerve in the middle of the wing, bending the edges of the limb downwards into a vague cup shape. Volare focused on that same nerve in his left wing, and once he’d copied her actions, she brought the right wing down and back in a sweeping motion, allowing him to feel the air cupped within the wing. Once he’d copied the motion in his left wing, they repeated it twice more before he looked back to see her grinning.
“That was wonderful, Volare,” she beamed encouragingly. “Just do me a favor and keep that motion in mind, because we’ll build on that eventually.”
Not sure how that’s gonna help if my wing stays crippled, Volare grumbled to himself.
“If you say so,” the blue Pegasus sighed as she finally sat his wing down before wincing again as she worked her hooves into his sore shoulders. He hissed in a breath as she found a knot in a muscle and worked at it. “Hmm, not sure if I enjoy this more than I “enjoyed” passing out and falling on my face in the dirt earlier,” he chuckled grimly.
“I’m terribly sorry that happened, Volare,” she rubbed his back between his wings gently, again, an alien sensation that he nonetheless rather appreciated. “Believe me when I say that wasn’t a necessary part of what we did today.”
“Fluttershy, I know you didn’t mean for that to happen,” he turned his head and peeked at her with his left eye. It was all in the name of establishing a base for himself to work off of, and considering that his body was so weak that he couldn’t even keep pace with Fluttershy on a slow jog after a few hours…that base wasn’t exactly the most impressive thing he’d ever created in his life. In fact, a matchstick bridge in 3rd grade science class sprang to mind as something he was more proud of…and that was after he’d burned it…
“Didn’t really make it any less embarrassing…”
“Well, don’t you worry about that,” she gently scratched him behind the ear with her hoof. “You don’t have to push yourself so hard that you collapse for you to impress me…in fact that kinda worries me more than anything.”
“I know, it’s just…urgh…” he tried to argue, but the scratching felt so good! Oh gawd…yet again I realize I’m no longer human…
“In fact, if you must know, I think you did very well for your first day,” she patted his mane and went back to working the knot out of his shoulder. She looked over at Iron Will, himself snoring in the corner of the room after his own daily workout, and smiled. “You’re in a bit better shape than Will is.”
“Yeah, well I wasn’t out there pulling up dead trees from their roots,” he muttered. Suddenly, Fluttershy stopped working at his shoulder and he looked up in mild surprise.
“Volare, I think that might be part of your problem,” her sea blue eyes reflected the seriousness of her statement.
“Hrm, what’s that?”
“You keep comparing yourself to others that are far and away better than you, no offense,” she explained. “So you push yourself to be their equal or even succeed them, but that’s potentially dangerous…isn’t that how you got in this predicament in the first place?”
“Well…yeah,” Volare tried to argue that statement but found he really couldn’t.
“You even did that earlier today with our little exercises. You know you could have told me you were tired and wanted to stop, right?”
“I know, I know,” he grumbled, still a little embarrassed.
“And you know today wasn’t the day for proving anything other than where we could start from, right?” He nodded in reply.
“Big Macintosh told me about your dreams…about your sister and how you promised her you’d always push yourself to do better. But for now, in order to get better, you’re going to have to be patient, otherwise you might cause permanent and lasting damage that would limit your potential,” she gave him a quick pat on the back.
“And what would your sister think if you limited yourself from being dumb, hrm?”
“Heh, she’d probably kick my butt if she were here,” Volare chuckled at the thought. “Alright, alright, I’ll be patient…for you.”
“Nope, for yourself,” she booped his nose and smiled, although it was all Volare could do to not let his little inner whoop become a bit more outer: Fluttershy just booped my nose…HNNNNNNGG!!
“Now lay back down so I can finish what I started.” He conceded and relaxed again as she returned to rubbing the base of his left wing.
“Agh, mmm…has anypony ever told you you’re really good at this sorta thing, Fluttershy?” he asked, and he didn’t mean just the massage. It made him wonder what else she had in store for him…
“I think a few might have,” she blushed slightly and felt around on his back, kneading out the last knot she could find. “I picked up a few things from the spa Rarity and I go to once a week…you really think I do a good job?” she pressed in at the base of his neck, cracking the joints and relieving the pressure built up there from the day’s activities.
“Ooooh yeah…absolutely…” Volare sighed and relaxed. Before he realized it, he’d drifted off to sleep…and thankfully, it was the most peaceful, dreamless sleep he’d had in days. No nightmares, no fire, no blood, no skulls…just sleep.
Oh yeah…so worth it…
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“Whoa…th-that’s crazy, Twilight,” Shining Armor’s blue eyes were as wide as the mouth of the cup full of now-cold and untouched tea sitting in front of him. He shakily floated said cup over to himself and sipped from it before shaking his head in disbelief for the umpteenth time. “So for the last few days, you’ve been basically living with this guy?”
“Hey, it’s not like that at all, big brother!” Twilight protested quickly. “He just…he didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
Not like you wanted him to go anywhere else, right Twilight…?
“So I take it all this information you’ve gotten from him on Earth will be shared with the Princesses once you meet with them during your stay?” Cadance asked, her own mind ruminating over what Twilight had called the barest of summaries about this human-turned Pegasus named Volare.
“Mhm, absolutely,” she beamed. “In fact, without him and his input I couldn’t have continued my theory on Equestrian weather nor would I have even given any serious thought to how the behavior of certain Pegasi is linked to the levels of oxygen in their blood, for example! And don’t even get me started on the first-hoof levels of history of this entirely new planet he was able to provide me with!”
“Heh, you sure you’re not smitten with this guy, Twiley,” Shining Armor gave his sister a playful nudge, being met this time not by a flick of his wife’s tail, but by a less-than-gentle magical shove that sent the Captain of the Guard flank-over-muzzle backwards off the couch with an audible oof!
“Ow…I guess I had that coming…”
“To say the least,” Twilight grumbled. “I only just met the guy and…even if I did have feelings for him, he’s been through so much crap in such a short time it…it just wouldn’t be right to force myself onto him like that.”
Not to mention what I know from his dreams…yeah, he doesn’t need any more of my “help”…
“Besides, I think the only real thing we have in common is our love for physics anyways, and that’s just coincidental.”
“Well, that’s very considerate of you, Twilight,” Cadance nodded before shooting her husband a stern glance to which he could only give a sheepish grin and a small shrug. “I’m sure Volare appreciates the sentiment as well. So you’re also going to search the Canterlot Library to find the book with the spell that’ll fix his wing correctly?”
“Yes, that’s one of my priorities while I’m here for sure,” Twilight replied. “Or at the very least figure out where the hay I even saw such a spell…”
“Well, there’s no sense in trying this late at night,” Cadance shook her mane softly. “Instead, how’d you like to help me make dinner while Shining Armor sets the table, hmm?”
“I’d like that,” Twilight grinned as she followed her into the kitchen as the blue-maned stallion complied and began to prepare the dinner table.
“Me, a prince and the Captain of the Guard, reduced to setting the table like a servant…what a world,” Shining Armor moaned melodramatically, making the mares in the kitchen giggle.
“Does he always act so goofy around you, Cadance?” the librarian inquired.
“Well, not all the time,” she rolled her eyes. “I personally think it’s just something he does for attention.”
“I heard that!”
“I know you did, dear; now get back to work! Besides, you know you’re only royalty because of my marriage to you, right?” she teased.
“…When’s the last time I told you I love you a lot?!”
Cadance chuckled. “I find it rather endearing, actually, and a welcome break from all the usual pomp and circumstance of being royalty, so…I usually let it slide. I guess it’s just the personality our coupling has developed…it’s hard to put a hoof on it actually.”
“Wish I could help determine what it is, exactly,” Twilight’s face fell a bit.
“Oh, don’t you worry,” Cadance nuzzled her. “You’ll know what I mean one of these days.”
Hopefully that doesn’t mean “one of these days in the distant future”, Twilight sighed inwardly. She felt happy for her brother and sister-in-law…but it did make her yearn for something just a little bit more all the same…
One of these days…
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August 29th
Fluttershy’s Cottage-Morning
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*tweak*
“Mmm-mrhm, knock it off,” Volare mumbled sleepily as he rubbed his nose with a hoof, trying to relieve the sensation of something flicking it.
*tweak-tweak-whack!*
“Wha-hurgh?!” Volare sat up suddenly and fell off the cot right onto his injured wing. So much for a peaceful rest.
“YOW, what the hell?!” He blinked his eyes sleepily and searched the room for his nose’s assailant. But all that greeted his eyes was the main room of the cottage slowly being filled by the rays of the rising sun. The other animals inside had been sleeping peacefully, but many of them were restlessly milling about or had run out of the room at the Pegasus’ outburst. He failed to notice the small shape complete with a wicked little grin and shiny black eyes that watched his every move as it huddled beneath the armoire against the back wall.
“Volare, what’s wrong,” Fluttershy appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes with a wing before trotting down towards him. He quickly scrambled to his hooves and investigated the ground where he’d fallen, hoping to find some sort of evidence that would vindicate him…but there was nothing!
“I-uh,” he rubbed his muzzle again. “Something kept flicking my nose and then, well…it woke me up to say the least,” he said in frustration. “If it weren’t for the fact that my nose hurts like I got slapped, I’d think I was going a little nuts there for a minute!”
“No, something certainly hit you,” she eyed the red mark on his snout and frowned. “Can’t tell what though.”
“Urgh, sorry for waking you, Fluttershy,” he sighed.
“Oh, it’s fine,” she squinted out the window. “It was about time to get up anyway.”
“So, what sort of crazy exercises have you got planned for me today,” Volare asked jovially. “Cuz at this rate, it could range anywhere from sparring with Iron Will to helping you water the flowers.”
“…did you hit your head when you fell out of bed?” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.
“Hm, nah. Just slept really well until I got that rude little awakening, that’s all,” his eyes scanned the floor again. I swear, I’ll find whatever the heck did that…
“That’s good news,” she smiled and stretched her wings to their fullest before noting the slight frown on Volare’s face. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she quickly folded her wings back up and pretended to study the floor.
“I’m good,” he smiled and stretched his one good wing in the same manner. “Er, well, half-good, heheh. So, no need for apologies.”
“Oh, ok,” the animal caretaker nodded and headed for the back door. “Go on and wash your face and wake up, then meet me outside…then you’ll see what I’ve got planned for today.”
As she opened the door, she encountered Iron Will lounged out in a wooden lawn chair she actually felt badly for as it nearly sagged in half under his bulk. The diurnal birds in the trees were just waking up for the day, not quite ready to fill the area with their songs, while the nocturnal birds had long-since headed back to their roosts. The morning sun had just managed to fully clear the horizon, and a slight breeze carrying the scent of autumn was racing through the grass and blowing away the ground mist that remained from the night before. Strangely enough, there was only a single cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky. It was going to be a gorgeous day! “Morning, Iron Will,” she chirped.
“Oh, morning, Fluttershy,” the minotaur rubbed his eyes and sat up carefully, minding the chair. “Sleep well?”
“Mhm, I did,” she nodded and waved a hoof to the rest of the animals that were just now waking up themselves. “And good morning to all of you as well!”
“So what was all that shouting I heard in there?” he asked as he scratched his Mohawk and yawned. “Spike-head have a bad dream?”
“Oh, no, he said he actually slept very well,” she replied with a tilt of her head. “Seems something woke him up by swatting him in the nose.”
“Did whatever hit him leave a mark?”
“Mhm.”
“Wouldn’t happened to have been shaped like a rabbit foot, would it?”
“Well, now that you mention it…yes, it kinda was…”
“Oho, is that so,” Iron Will glared towards the door, giving the small white shape he perceived to be hiding in the shadows somewhere in there the stink eye. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Unfortunately yes,” Fluttershy sighed. “He just never does well with strangers.”
“Believe me, I can more than attest to that,” the minotaur pointed to the small, bucktooth-shaped bite scar on his own nose. “He’s a brave fella though, I’ll give’em that. He takes care of his “mom”, that’s for sure,” he gave Fluttershy a soft look as she picked up a burlap bag of bird seed and carried it up to the bird feeder in the middle of the backyard. “Coulda used his help when I was still giving lessons, heheh.”
“Yes, but he needs to learn manners,” Fluttershy said as she filled the feeder and sat the bag back down, keeping her front hooves crossed in irritation. “I mean, goodness knows I love him to pieces, but treating guests this way is no way for him to behave.”
“Heh, there was many a time when I’d like nothing more than to “love him to pieces” too,” the minotaur clenched a massive fist slightly, cracking his knuckles. “But we eventually got along pretty good, didn’t we?”
“Yes, eventually,” Fluttershy chuckled. “But even so, Volare’s going to need his rest and doesn’t need Angel attacking him in his sleep, for whatever the reason.”
“Hrm,” the minotaur stroked his short beard for a moment before a smile grew across his face. “I might have an idea…what’ve you got planned for Spike-head today?”
“Well…”
……………………….
Volare washed his face in the sink and flicked the water off before reaching for the towel he had looped over the drawer handle adjacent to the sink…but it was gone!
“Argh, now what,” he grumbled and shook the water from his mane before he spotted the towel poking around the corner of the cabinet. “Aha, gotcha,” he exclaimed as he bent down to grab the towel in his teeth…and was immediately staring into two beady black eyes nestled within a frowning white face topped by two huge white ears: Angel Bunny…and he was far from amused. He balled a tiny paw into a fist and shook it under Volare’s nose in a gesture that could only mean one thing: I’m gonna knock your block off!
“Um…hi? Oh shit…”
………………………
“That’s funny, Will, cuz I was actually planning on having Volare help me with her today,” Fluttershy reacted to the minotaur’s idea with a smile.
“Oh? Is she doing ok?”
“Mhm, she just hasn’t been flying for too long and I don’t have the time to accompany her on her hunt today. Plus it’d allow Volare a chance to really observe the correct technique of how to fly, especially since her body type is fairly similar to his.”
“So, you’re basing his technique on hers? Interesting,” Iron Will nodded. “So when will he start?”
“Well, as soon as he”-
“Oh GAWD, GET HIM OFF, GET HIM OFF, HELP!!” a wet blue Pegasus came pelting out of the cottage, bucking and tossing his mane like he’d lost his mind…until Fluttershy saw what was firmly clamped onto his head, or rather who.
In the single cloud above the cottage, a lighter blue Pegasus shot awake at the shouting below her, nearly rolling off the cloud before she caught her bearings. “What the hay?!” She looked down to see what looked like Volare howling in pain while what looked like a white rag of some sort was angrily latched onto his face and biting his ear.
“You gotta be kidding me,” Dash breathed as Fluttershy approached the thrashing Volare.
“Angel Bunny!” she shouted, though shouting for Fluttershy was rarely more than an outside voice used to speak over the din of animals in her backyard. But it wasn’t so much the loudness as much as the tone that got the enraged rabbit attached to the blue and yellow Pegasus to stop biting him and look up curiously. “You let him go right this instant, mister!” The small rabbit reluctantly obeyed, releasing Volare’s ear from his teeth and hopped to the ground.
“Agh, what the hell was that all about?!” Volare cried, touching a hoof to his slightly bleeding ear. At least he hadn’t managed to take a piece out of it! He glared down at his assailant, recognizing him as Fluttershy’s pet bunny Angel, who was wearing the most innocent expression the pilot had ever seen on an animal, though the corner of his mouth not facing Fluttershy was crooked upward in a vicious little grin.
“Oh, he’s just not very good with strangers,” Fluttershy explained, though no less irritated as she did so. “Angel, you’ve got to stop doing this to ponies that come around here!” To Volare’s surprise, the bunny made a gesture between Volare and Fluttershy before miming running his paws over someone on a bed, making extraordinarily lewd faces as he did so before stomping his foot and shaking a tiny fist at Volare. Even Iron Will blushed slightly at this little outburst before looking at the two Pegasi with wide yellow eyes. “Angel, go back in the house this instant! Momma will deal with you momentarily.”
The small bunny stuck his tongue out at Volare before hopping back into the cottage.
“Did he just imply that you two…?” Iron Will crossed his index fingers together but couldn’t bring himself to finish the question lest it ruin his mental image of Fluttershy being sweet and innocent, however true Angel’s outburst might have been. He cleared his dry throat with a great ahem and loosened his tie slightly, feeling it getting rather hot outside all of a sudden, a gesture not lost on Volare who face-hoofed mightily.
“Yes he did,” Fluttershy frowned. “And no we didn’t. I was simply massaging the knots out of Volare’s muscles because he doesn’t understand the concept of pacing himself,” she hoofed the Pegasus lightly in the shoulder and smiled, clearing the tension from the air substantially.
“And I do thank you for that,” he grinned his thanks before realizing that his right wingtip feathers were brushing down along the grass, having left his sling behind. “Oops, lemme grab some-wait a sec,” he paused before he re-entered the cottage where the vengeful bunny was likely hiding in wait. “Um, help?” he asked sheepishly.
“I got ya covered, Spike-head,” Iron Will walked inside and grabbed the sling from where it had fallen off in the tussle before heading back outside with it, swearing he felt little black eyes burning holes in his back as he left. “Found it,” he announced as he began to truss up Volare’s wing, but Fluttershy halted him with an upraised hoof.
“No, wait, before we do that,” she turned to and trotted up to the blue Pegasus. “Do you remember the motion?”
“Huh-oh yeah,” Volare grinned and spread his left wing.
“Good, now flap it like you would if you were already in the air,” she instructed. “Place yourself on the breeze and move yourself forward through the air.” She grasped his crippled wing and flexed it forward just as before as he did the same before bringing them back against his body.
“What the hay is she doing,” Dash wondered aloud as she watched the yellow Pegasus run her hooves along the base of Volare’s right wing as he continued to flap his left wing, the wind from it blowing back Fluttershy’s mane as he imagined himself flying above the clouds. But the yellow Pegasus soon frowned and folded his wing back up against his body.
“What’s wrong, Fluttershy,” Volare asked, already a little light-headed from the activity.
“Oh, nothing, I was just checking to see if anything had possibly changed with your wing here,” she patted the limb as Iron Will tied it back up with the sling.
“Any change?”
“I’m afraid not…and I’m a little bit irritated with you as well.”
“Huh, me?!” he asked, more than a little shocked. What had he done?!
“Mhm, you’re repeating the motion just fine, but you’re flapping your wing like crazy, like you’re trying to take off. I said to imagine yourself already in the air, soaring, using technique over brute strength,” she explained.
“Hey, what’s the matter with a little brute strength?” Iron Will asked, unable to help himself as he gave his left bicep a quick peck. “Heh, sorry; old habits kinda die hard.”
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” Volare hung his head. “It’s like you said; I just need to slow down and be patient.”
“Yes, exactly,” she nodded. “Which is exactly why you won’t be doing any real exercises today.”
“Wait, what? Why not?” the pilot’s ears drooped; he’d been hoping to try them again without running himself ragged this time.
“Because I have a special task to ask of you,” Fluttershy explained. “You really ran yourself into the ground yesterday and even now, after only flapping one wing for a few minutes, you’re breathing hard. I don’t think you’re in any condition to train today.”
“Ah, I see,” Volare’s face fell further.
“However, that’s not to say that you might not enjoy this little favor, if you’re up to it of course,” he looked up to see a twinkle in Fluttershy’s eyes.
“I thought you said to avoid taking up challenges I couldn’t handle,” he eyes her suspiciously.
“Mhm, I did, which is why I’m offering you that choice,” she explained. “I’ve got an animal that’s in the process of rehabilitation herself and I need somepony to help put her through her paces today. And because I don’t have the time to do it myself, I’m asking you to help.”
“What sort of animal is she?” Volare cocked his head, looking around the yard. “Is she here?”
“No, but she can be,” the yellow Pegasus said cryptically with a small smile. “Would you like to meet her?”
“Sure,” Volare matched her grin with one of his own, amazed that even Fluttershy could make something sound cool with a vague description. "No, but she can be"…what is this, some sort of ninja? He knew it was a stupid thought, but he couldn’t help himself. She had him curious. “Yes, I’d like to meet her.”
“Alrighty then,” Fluttershy raised a hoof to her a mouth and gave a high-pitched cheereek whistle out towards the Everfree Forest. Within moments, it was answered by a slightly lower-pitched chewk-chewk-chewk call that sent small birds scattering into the sky above the trees. “Ah, here she comes.”
Volare’s eyes scanned the treeline before he spotted the black and white feathered creature winging her way towards them. Again, she gave that high chewk-chewk call as she glided less than a foot above the tall grass before suddenly pulling up and alighting on top of the chicken coop, her black talons sinking into the wooden pinnacle with little resistance. The Pegasus’ jaw dropped as the bird of prey before him displayed a long, narrow wingspan that was twice the width of Iron Will’s great horns before folding them up and clacking her blue-black beak quietly. The bird’s piercing yellow eyes met his silver-blue ones out from under a black band of plumage that circled halfway around her white head before melting away into the darkness of its dorsal feathers.
The bird stood proudly on the roof; if she had been standing on the ground, she would have been half as tall as Volare was. Her white chest and underbody feathers shined in the morning light, unafraid of anything in the yard, the owner of which spoke up after seeing Volare had been made speechless by the sight of the great bird or prey. Even Rainbow Dash, as high above them as she was, was more than a little stunned at the sight of such an animal. But it wasn’t just the sheer sight of her that had rendered him so…no, it was the memories that such a bird awakened…
“Volare, this is Shae,” Fluttershy gestured as the bird’s head snapped around at the mention of her name. “She’s an”-
“-Osprey*,” Volare interrupted her. “Ah, sorry, it’s just that I’ve seen birds like her before, back on Earth,” he grinned fiercely up at Shae, who cocked her head curiously, having never seen this particular Pegasus before. “They live around waterways, and whenever we’d dock into port on our Navy ships, we’d always see loads of these guys all over the place.”
“Mhm, that’s correct,” Fluttershy nodded.
“But we’re not anywhere near any major bodies of water, are we?” Volare asked.
“Well, there is the Ponyville River and the Everfree Forest River,” she indicated the general direction of both with a hoof. “But as for large bodies of water, no, the closest one is Horsehoe Bay far on the northeast side of Canterlot Mountain.”
“So, how did you come across Shae,” the blue Pegasus asked, now being watched closely by the female osprey, curious about this new blue pony who somehow knew her name just as Fluttershy did.
“Well, as far as I know, she blew in here on a storm that must have carried her away from the sea,” she grimaced. “She was rather badly injured when I first found her, stuck right up there, actually,” she pointed to a tall oak tree on the edge of her property. Sitting up near the top of the tree was a large bundle of sticks; a nest by the looks of it. “It took her many months of recuperation before she was able to fly again.”
“How long has she been flying, Fluttershy,” Volare asked as he continued to lock eyes with the osprey.
“Hmm, about three weeks.”
“Just three weeks?!” Volare exclaimed, startling the bird slightly, causing Shae to ruffle her feathers for a moment. “And you want me to do what with her, exactly?”
“Just put her through her paces,” Fluttershy explained. “She’s only hunted a few times that I know of since she’s recovered, and they’ve all been escorted outings, so I’d like you to take up the task for me today.”
“But I”- he protested, to which Shae gave a cheek-cheek cry, almost as if she were chuckling at his hesitance. It wasn’t just that he knew nothing about the bird, but it was in the way that Fluttershy, a lover of animals, so flippantly mentioned taking this bird out for a hunt. “Am I qualified for this?” he leaned in and whispered, making Fluttershy giggle.
“There’s nothing to it,” she smiled encouragingly, walking towards the back of the cottage and picking up a well-worn leather saddle. She hovered it over to Volare and dropped it onto his back. “Just escort her and make sure she doesn’t get lost. In the meantime, I want you to observe her; how she flies, how she moves, how she conserves her energy until it’s needed, which is exactly what you need to be focusing on.” She tightened the straps of the saddle down and smiled. “There we go.”
“Heh, ok Zen-master; I guess if you trust me...” Volare chuckled. “How do I go about this, exactly?”
“Well, you’re wearing her favorite perch, so all you need to do is call to her, and she’ll come. Like this: cheeereeek. Now you try.”
“Um, ok…cheeereeek!” To his wonder, Shae lifted off the coop and glided down to him, alighting her surprisingly light body on the saddle and standing up straight on her long, pale legs, putting her right at eye level with the blue Pegasus. Her golden eyes seemed to stare directly into his soul, her sharp hooked beak a hair’s breadth away from his face. She was no longer beautiful so much as she was terrifying this up close and personal. Instantly, all activity from the animals in the backyard ceased, everything falling so silent that one could hear the leaves on the Everfree Forest trees rustling in the middle distance. Even Iron Will was frozen in place.
“Don’t look away, Volare,” Fluttershy urged, her hackles standing on end at how quickly the situation had changed, at how charged the air between Volare and the young osprey had become. She had a feeling Shae would do this because Volare kept locking eyes with her, but not this quickly…and now she was too close to do anything to stop her if she set her mind to putting those tearing claws and beak to work. Volare would be wishing for a pummeling from Angel instead, then…
“Ok, why not?” He had a fleeting thought of running, but her claws were firmly dug into the saddle strapped to his back. Nope, that wouldn't help...
“Because she’s challenging you; asserting her dominance.” Shae had done the same to Fluttershy, but the yellow Pegasus had The Stare to back her up…but what did Volare have? Oh no, this so close to all going so wrong; what were you thinking, Fluttershy?!
“Oh,” he silently damned the sweat threatening to drip from his brow and into his eye, forcing himself to stare the bird of prey down. “That’s just excellent…”
From up above, it was all Rainbow Dash could do to keep from diving down there and breaking her promise…but that would surely cause Shae to attack! Come on, flyboy! Come on, she mouthed silently. Don’t give in! Show some guts, dude!
---------------------------------------------
Notes: Heh, looks like that ol’ Volare boy has gotten himself in a heap o' trouble.
Volare: Jeez, is that a Dukes of Hazzard reference?
Me: Maybe…
Volare: I swear, if you make this bird eat my face...I'll haunt you
Me: O.O ..*re-writes*
Volare: D8<
*Here's a reference to Osprey's in case you're wondering what they look like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osprey
And thanks to Ghrathryn for the idea of muscle memory retention for Volare's wing! 
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I wonder how Angel Bunny matches up to Courage with making gestures with hands and otherwise?
642377 LOL that's actually who I was using as a pantomine example
(but I dunno how well Angel Bunny can morph himself into crazy shapes)
Are you a psychic Taco?
Also, I went back through and edited a whole load of errors cuz I was stupid and hit the Publish button way too early
642409 no, i'm not a psycic. however, my co-worker is, total douche, but he's th' master of all things intangible... dosen't really matter when i can turn his car into a pile of mayo though... but he diddn't tell me either. i'm just a huge Courage fan *owns every episode on DVD*.
642421 My thoughts of you now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ockTmZ6dg&feature=related Especially the ~45 second mark
And all the episodes on DVD? You've earned a mustache, sir
Another great chapter!
Every time one comes out I fear of reading it because then it will have been read and I will then I have to wait for the next one to come out. (Did any of that make sense?)
I can't wait for the princess' reactions to everything that twilight has been doing over the last few days. It is going to be great!
I know that there is no point in saying this since you can only work as fast as you can, but,
MOAR PLEASE
"Wow, have your grown since we last met?" Prince Shining Armour beamed...
This continues to support my theory that the second someone, or pony, enters a position of purposeless authority, they lose several veteran brain cells.
(Other evidence is all current polititians.)
Either that or you made a minor mistake.
Now to continue reading.
Nice Dukes of Hazzard refrence
Anywho, nice chapter. This is going to be interesting between Volare and Shae.
Staring a bird down. Mother of god,
how intense...
It's like the fate of the universe is depending on this stare down.
... Hmm, maybe it really would be if we replaced the Osprey with SCP-173
... I'm bored now, and even I can feel how bad this joke is... And this comments been reduced to random thoughts being picked and slapped onto this.
So that's where my missing things go.
Wait.
GIVE THEM BACK
Oh no, this so close - this is so close.
Just like you were. You said there were no errors. You were wrong.
Sorry.... had to say it. Especially since you know what I mean 
Wonderful, as usual. But again, with the question marks.
This is the B-2 MOAR Bomber, you are clear to drop your load....
sounds of bomb's droping...
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
(Kinda been a while since i commented)
At the beginning- totally jealous of Volare
Poor guy.
At the end- totally NOT jealous of Volare
I find it intriguing how Twilight and, of all ponies, Rainbow Dash are struggling with their feelings about colts...or this one in particular
and yet Fluttershy's handling it like a boss. 
Even when Angel made that assumption, she kept her cool somewhat. Not saying it's bad and she's terribly OOC, just an observation- one that I quite enjoy rather. 
And lastly:
"Fluttershy just booped my nose…HNNNNNNGG!!"
^By far the part I enjoyed the most!
642955 Heh, yes, the Princesses' reactions will be...interesting to say the least
As for your MOAR request... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STXco3O2PHI
Volare:
643081 LOL nah, it was a typo...and I hope I'm writing him correctly (he only had like 5 minutes of regular, non-brainwashed dialogue to go off of
)
643164 LOL yeah, he is in quite the pickle. And yes, Volare, a crippled pegasus pilot who's got a serious case of vertigo hanging out with a vicious bird of prey....yeah, that'll end well
Volare:
643238 Oh lord
643549 Yes, Angel Bunny is the true thief of linens, garments, and socks.
643616 Aha, aha
Thanks for catchin' 'em!
643627 Thanks! But wait, I thought I fixed them all this time
643646 Oh shit, run! *dodges bombs*
Volare: You know, I'd fly away if you hadn't made Twilight FRICKING CRIPPLE ME!
And lol, yeah, welcome back!
643684 Heh, yeah, poor Volare is gonna have to show some guts here...or else he'll literally be showing some guts, if ya know what I mean
And as for Twilight and Dash having issues....well, Twilight is a bit of an introvert in regards to stallions (or at least, I haven't seen any evidence to prove otherwise in the show), and like she said, most ponies are turned off or bored to death of her chatterings on about science and physics and what-not. But now here's this new stallion, a former human with some things in common with Twilight. Heck, for all I know, him being stuck in bed like that could have been the most male interaction she'd had outside of Spike in one sitting. So I think it'd make sense for her to be conflicted on what she should feel exactly. One one hand, there might be more things they have in common, but on the other hand, like she said, he's been through so much crap that she'd feel like she was taking advantage of him if she told him what she might be feeling...although it kinda leaks out in her adorkable actions
And as for Dash...well....THAT gets touched on big time later in the story (but not too much later)
AND as for Fluttershy keeping her cool in that situation...I see her as simply treating Volare like an injured animal that needs rehabilitation. And I also figure that after the Changeling attack on Canterlot (and having Iron Will live with her for some time now), she's grown more confident in herself, although she does still have her moments. She just really knows how to handle animals and feels confident in doing so
(that and in my head-canon, Fluttershy is the second-oldest of the Mane Six behind Rarity, so that extra bit of maturity probably comes into play as well).
645243 When a sentence is broken, you still need a question mark. My English teacher turned me into a grammar nazi.
Instead of this
"I was wondering; do you thought this codpiece makes me look too heterosexual," asked Owen Wilson, "I think it gives me a bit of a Bowie look."
Try this
"But how many grams of cocaine could possibly be inside that donut?" Asked David Bowie, "I mean, it's only a honey cruller! A Boston creme, on the other hand..."
645243
Ahem. What I was trying to say was
UNICORNS
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/089/665/tumblr_l96b01l36p1qdhmifo1_500.jpg
STOP STEALING MY THINGS FROM EARTH
645274 I gotcha...I just thought I got them all this time
645826 Oh...
646290
I'm gettting tired of having to replace my ipod
646359 Oh, hrm...
Volare: I got nuthin'
647242
On a related note, I seem to have "lost" my notes for my next story update... If they reappear on my desk within the next few days, no questions will be asked.
665555 lol funny you mention that because I went to their Wembley concert back in 08
Reached the most recent chapter...
NOOOOO!
this part of the story reminds me of the most inspirational song ive ever heard
i mean i drew a human versions of the eohto this song and they turned out okay (im a terrible artist)
An Osprey
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
1285052 That was the first thing to come to my mind as well, I love machines too much. haha
Muscle memory is how they make us perform drill and ceremony. Also rifle drills. Very clever to use such a method for rehab
Just figured something out... Twilight may have had something to do with his problem as well. In the first dream, which she entered and interfered with, she caused the flash of light, causing Volare to pick up the document. When he dropped it, a flood of blood spilled out.
But the second dream... She wasn't inside it, though there was still that flash which caused him to reconsider and pick up the documentation again. This time, however, it spilled fire and brimstone, burning a hole in the floor.
My theory is this: She unintentionally altered the way he subconsciously acts, causing him to second guess himself, and do things he knows he wouldn't normally do, ie: picking up the document. She planted the seeds of self doubt in his mind.
Ah yes, the noble osprey. I used to see them all the time here in Ontario when I lived out by Peterborough. Locals used to build platforms on top of hydro poles for the osprey to nest on top of.
7459879
The self-doubt was always there. She just made him stop avoiding it and confront it is all.
Good guess though :)