Chapter 136: Our Imperfections Make Us Real (Part 1)
MLP: FiM
Piercing the Heavens
By: Calm Wind
This chapter was edited by: Witching Hour
Chapter 136: Our Imperfections Make Us Real (Part 1)
Needless to say, everypony in the Nimbus was absolutely exhausted from a long day of action and fighting, sleeping in well past the usual rise the next morning. The memo from Spitfire to unwind and reconnect spread like wildfire before bedtime, and the Wonderbolts planned to take advantage of it.
The day started with a breakfast of the same damn ration boxes that some of them were really starting to get sick of. They didn’t have much of a choice, but they were at least happy to still have something to eat. The Renegades had brought in some emergency supplies from their hidden outposts, but they were being saved for when they finally ran out of Wonderbolt rations. In a way, some felt tortured. They didn’t care what they ate as long as it was something different, but Spitfire made the decision and that was final. In the end it may not even matter, even with the thestrals heavily increasing the number of mouths to feed, because if they stuck to their plan, they’d have Crystal Empire cuisine waiting for them in a couple of days.
After choking down their assortment of dried food, dehydrated fruit, and various tasteless nuts, Squad Foxtrot went right from the combat dome back to their barracks, looking to simply get off their hooves… or paws and talons, and rest.
Dash instantly flopped on her mattress and sighed, letting her aching body sink into the divot that recently formed due to her sleeping in the same spot every single night. The pressure on her shoulder near the covered bite mark was a little uncomfortable, but she was almost too fatigued to give a damn. Besides, if she was going to complain about her shoulder, she’d have to complain about the rest of her body as well. Bruised, beaten, and battered, Dash was really feeling the effects of tangling with Nightshade. If it hurt this much today, it was probably going to hurt more tomorrow. There was only so much Bliss and the medical staff could do for her with all the swelling, soreness, and tenderness of her muscles, joints, and nerves all over her limbs and body.
After plopping her face into the pillow for a few moments, she turned her head to the side, looking towards the rest of her squad. They were all banged up, covered in bandages and dressings to protect their healing wounds, all of them except for Twister of course… who didn’t do a damn thing and still owed Dash answers she would likely never get. So she, Squall, and Matteo were patched up, Little Star was technically an exception since her covered wounds were from protecting Squall from Devil’s magic, but whatever… they were all hurt and needed this rest.
Part of Dash wanted to be with Soarin, but she had a responsibility to her squad as well, she couldn’t just run off with her coltfriend every moment. They were also her friends too, she couldn’t just push them aside. She glanced around to assess them all. Matteo was sitting up against his bed, not on it, the sound of shuffling and clattering come from in front of him. He was probably checking on the wood carved figures of his family. Squall was sitting on his bed, but something had his undivided attention. Dash followed his eyes all the way over to Little Star, who was also on her bed, but facing away from all of them, holding a pillow under her chin and digging her head into it.
Dash frowned as she looked upon her small squadmate. She was still a bit shaken. She hadn’t shut down completely… and they finally managed to pry her off Squall’s arm the night before, but beyond that she was functioning minimally. She rode on Matteo’s back to get food, she ate without saying a word, and now she was back in her bed, still staying quiet. Her demeanor had changed after Soarin’s apology. She no longer looked afraid or scared. Instead she just looked very upset. Soarin admitted his wrongdoing, but it didn’t change the fact that he… more or less threatened to hurt her. Star had worked so hard for so long to become a Wonderbolt, having a senior officer threaten her like that must’ve been a hit to her confidence regardless of the scenario. Dash was certain she’d be back on her hooves soon. Star had proven on more than one occasion that she was a strong little mare. If not for the added strenuous circumstances, she’d likely have just brushed it all off by now. She just needed some space. The day of rest would help her.
Dash blinked and looked up above Star, immediately narrowing her eyes as she caught Twister slithering along the ceiling like a snake. He stopped directly above Star and turned his head all the way around while grinning at her.
“PSST!” Dash immediately hissed through her teeth, grabbing both Twister and Matteo’s attention, but as soon as Matteo saw Twister on the ceiling, he went right back to what he was doing. Twister’s head turned all the way back around and stared at Dash instead. Dash glared and made a very rough head motion before shaking it back and forth, clearly signaling for him to leave Star alone.
Surprisingly, Twister obeyed, but instead turned all of his attention towards Matteo, slithering above him instead. Dash readied to try and stop him again, but stopped. Matteo could handle him.
Dash looked around again as a loud SQUAWK, the sounds of struggling, and… something that sounded like a banjo being broken against a hard surface came from Matteo’s corner of the room. Dash just let it happen, instead focusing back on Squall. She was surprised to see Squall’s bed was now empty. After blinking, she glanced back and forth until her ears picked up the sound of hooves clip-clopping along the floor. She looked back towards Star just in time to see Squall slowly approaching her with very slow, hesitant steps and a mixed look of worry and discomfort on his face.
He stopped right behind her bed, looking at the back of her head as he stood still for several moments. After a deep breath he cleared his throat.
“H-hey…” he spoke, but Star didn’t move or react. Squall gritted his teeth, swallowing before trying again. “Star?” he called her by name as he turned and made his way to the side of the bed to at least get in her field of view.
Little Star slowly removed her chin from the pillow and turned her head towards him. He froze when their eyes locked, the two staring for a few seconds before she turned her head the other direction and laid it back down against the pillow. Despite her turning her attention completely away from him, Squall went on anyway.
“How are… you… doing?” he spoke awkwardly with painful pauses in between words, his voice shaky and nearly cracking as if it was the hardest thing he had ever tried to say. Unfortunately, Star did not respond, she just kept looking away. Squall was clearly hoping his efforts would be acknowledged, and what came next was what Dash expected, but made her cringe none the less. “Sheesh… fine!” Squall suddenly blurted out in frustration and turned around to leave, but he didn’t move from the spot. After a moment, he turned back around and stared down at her, his eyes glaring and his lips scrunched. He slammed his eyes shut briefly, opening them up to reveal a softer gaze. He reached a hoof up towards her, but stopped, hesitated, inching his hoof forwards and backwards several times before grunting, turning and taking three steps away from her. On the fourth step he suddenly turned back around, moving right back up to her. He opened his mouth to speak, but his lips clamped down shut right after taking a breath. His mouth jittered awkwardly as he glared up at the ceiling, then down at the floor, the sound of muffled, heavy-breath growling coming from Squall’s throat as he struggled.
That was about all Dash could take. She had to step in before Squall did anything he’d regret later. She grunted as she shimmied herself off her bed and started walking towards Squall as fast as her achy body allowed. But she stopped and blinked in surprise as Matteo, who had appeared to have dealt with Twister, suddenly moved in front and got to Squall before she could. His approach was much less subtle than what she had in mind.
“What the—?! HEY!” Squall yelped as Matteo grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away from little Star, his hooves skidding along the floor. Squall did not appreciate it one bit, and immediately began hurling obscenities as Matteo calmly moved the two of them away from Star. Dash just watched them go by before turning and following. “The hell are you—?!”
“You won’t get anything out of her,” Matteo said as he let go of Squall and sat down, looking upon him with his usual stoic eyes. Squall froze mid yell, lifting his brow and blinking twice as he tipped his head.
“What?”
“Best let Rainbow Dash handle her for now,” Matteo went on instead of addressing Squall’s confusion, but Squall forced the subject.
“Why?!” he demanded as he looked back and forth between Matteo and back at Star. Dash finally made it over to them and stood right beside them both.
“Because you’re a stallion,” Matteo ‘explained’ simply. Squall stopped glancing back and forth, his eyes locked on Matteo as they slowly narrowed into a face of completely annoyed bewilderment.
“What does THAT have to do with any of it?!” Squall questioned while throwing his arms out.
“PFFFFF…” Dash instantly threw a hoof over her mouth to block the laughter. She knew what Matteo was getting at. She glanced up, her eyes meeting a glare from Squall in response to her amusement. He pouted and turned his head back and forth, glaring at them both. Even though it was a gender question, Squall, for some reason, asked Matteo again instead of Dash.
“How in Equestria does that make a difference?” he asked again while pointing at Dash. “Dash was talking to her earlier! Why can’t I?” he pressed, Matteo slowly shook his head.
“She can connect with Star in ways we can’t,” he explained, but Squall gave him a demanding look. Matteo sighed and lifted an eyebrow. “The female mind is a strange beast, one that we as males cannot fully understand, predict, or deconstruct.” As Matteo spoke, Twister suddenly slowly rose up from behind Squall while holding his front hooves up. There was a sock puppet of Squall on one hoof and a sock puppet of Little Star on the other. “They have their way of going about things and we have ours. In times of deep understanding and emotional stress, the clashing of these gender differences can, at times, lead to rather unpleasant and sometimes painful results.”
Dash was doing her very best to not simply burst out laughing as Matteo explained his reasoning to Squall. She had never heard such a philosophical take on something that could have been easily explained with something as simple as ‘you’re a colt, she’s a filly.’ It didn’t help that Twister was slowly moving the noses of the Squall and Star sock puppets together with a completely serious and flat expression on his face. Squall’s eyes twitched as he processed everything Matteo said, completely unaware of Twister behind him as the noses of the sock puppets touched.
“Oh great…” Squall dramatically rolled his eyes as he looked away from Matteo and gritted his teeth. “A lecture about mares from the ‘honor warrior.’ If they’re such a mystery, what makes you an expert, huh?!” he lashed back.
Dash glanced over Squall to see pink hearts floating up between Twister’s sock puppets as his flat face turned into a silly smile.
Matteo looked down upon Squall, tipping his head slighting to the right as he held up his right talons and lifted the middle shank up to show the gold ring.
“I am married, you know…” Matteo reminded Squall as Twister suddenly started vigorously rubbing the noses of the sock puppets together while squinting his eyes, puckering his lips, and making loud sucking sounds. Dash quickly shifted and shoved Twister away, sending him spinning like a top away from them right before Squall could turn around and glare.
“And he’s married to one of the moodiest queens in history of the griffon race!” Dash added sarcastically, placing a hoof on Squall’s shoulder to take any attention away from Twister spinning out of control behind them while making blabbering and spitting noises. Squall turned his head to look at Twister, but Dash reached up, placed her other hoof beneath his chin and made him look at her. “Listen, Squall… I’m going to agree with Matty here,” she reasoned with him as he pouted again, clearly not happy with the direction it was all going. “Look, she’s not ignoring you, don’t take it that way,” Dash continued while giving him stern eyes. “She needs some time to herself, and if she wants it, some girl-talk. Give her some space. You can help her after she comes around.”
Clearly disappointed Squall looked over Dash’s shoulder towards Star, but his eyes suddenly narrowed and he growled. He pointed sharply towards her.
“Oh and HE’S allowed to?” he asked angrily with a growl as Dash’s ears picked up a very strange noise.
She turned around, following Squall’s hoof to see Twister in front of Little Star. He was standing up on his hind legs, wearing a clown nose, and with his mane puffed up in a globe to complete the clown look. He was holding an accordion in his front hooves and playing it loudly while bouncing back and forth on his hind legs, an open mouthed, silly smile plastered to his face as he kept his eyes locked on Star.
Star was staring at him, her chin still sunk into her pillow, but she was grinning. Her cheeks were puffed out as she failed to hold in several quiet giggles.
“Uh… I’ve got nothing…” Dash admitted as she turned back to Squall. Squall’s pout intensified as he glared harder at her. Dash snorted and held a hoof out to her side. “Okay Squall, fine. If you want to dress up as a clown and dance with him, be my guest.”
Squall opened his mouth, but froze, saying nothing as he blinked three times, his ears folded back and a high pitched nicker escaped the back of his throat.
“I thought so,” Dash gave a solid nod and patted him on the shoulder.
Twister suddenly popped up right between the two of them, facing Squall as he continued to dance and play. Squall’s face contorted sharply as if his brain was close to short circuiting, but before he could punch Twister in the face, Matteo reached over, placed a set of talons over Twister’s head, and pressed him all the way to the floor. Twister’s body flattened, making the sound of an awkward, wailing accordion that ultimately resembled the sound of a goose with a sore throat being strangled by a paint mixer.
Then knocking came from the door. Dash was turning and moving towards the door the moment she heard the first knock, taking the opportunity to remove herself from the shenanigans, Not that she wasn’t used to all of this by now. Storm was always a welcome change from her merry band of fools, assuming it was him at the door.
“Storm!” Dash said his name before she even saw him, relieved that she was right. She held a somewhat fake smile on her face as she greeted him. Storm pulled his head back slightly as he heard the strange tone from her, but once he looked over his shoulder and saw Matteo trying to yank Twister off Squall’s back as Squall flailed, he caught on and acted natural. “Come on in,” Dash offered as she acted like there wasn’t a shit show going on behind them. “What’s up?”
“Well… I’m as going to say I’m glad to get away but…” he chuckled as the door slowly swung back behind him. “Well, from silly to silly I guess.”
“Sorry…” Dash sighed and grunted as she puffed her cheeks and glanced at her squad.
“Honestly, its fine,” Storm reassured her with a smile. “I prefer this crazy honestly, I sometimes fear for my life around Macho Sa—”
He was cut off and the two of them flinched as the door suddenly swung back open before it could latch shut, slamming against the wall and stayed there as a hoof pressed strongly against it.
Everything in the room stopped, even the three stooges behind them as they all looked towards the door.
Starry Skies released the door and stomped into the room, her eyes locked on Storm. She didn’t glance at anypony else as if none of them existed. Dash looked between Starry and Storm, wondering what prompted the sudden, rather brusque entrance.
Noticing that Starry was glaring directly at him, Storm decided to break the silence as she approached him.
“Starry? What are you doing he—,” he was cut off as she suddenly leaned her head forwards and clamped down on his ear with her mouth, yanking his head down. “OW!” Storm yelled painfully as Squad Foxtrot all shifted backwards in surprise. “OW! OW! OW!” Storm continued to yelp as Starry forced his head down until he was low enough for her to grab him around the neck. She put him in a headlock and started dragging him kicking and screaming towards the door.
“I need you,” she said angrily as she pulled the door open with her free hoof and tugged Storm right out into the hallway.
“GAH! FOR WHAT?!” Storm questioned, but got no answer as the door swung shut, leaving Dash and her squad speechless and all staring at the door.
After nopony said a word or even moved for several seconds, Dash shook her head out, blinked, and looked back at the rest. Squall, Matteo, Twister, and even Little Star were all staring at her.
“Uh…” Dash swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll uh…” she got no further as she moved towards the door, hoping to follow and figure out what the hell just happened.
“Starry! Ow! What gives?!” Storm desperately tried and failed to get answers out of Starry as she yanked him right out of the barracks hallway, through the doors and into the lobby, drawing the attention of several Wonderbolts and Renegades present as they moved through.
Starry didn’t say a word or make any effort to explain herself. She wanted Storm for something, and that was clearly all Storm was going to get until they reached whatever destination she intended. But even after accepting that conclusion, Storm was forced to stumble and shimmy along as Starry kept her arm clamped over his neck.
Dash stuck a hoof out to stop the barracks door from closing, pushing it out and peeking around it. She waited, hoping to quietly pursue once there was enough distance between her and Starry. It wasn’t any of her business… but it was Starry’s fault for using very direct and somewhat violent tactics to lead away one of her friends. As soon as Starry was near the center of the lobby, Dash shuffled out of the barracks and discreetly made her way behind the nearest bolted-down couch. It was hard to be quick and quiet, her tender joints not fully agreeing with her movements, but she did the best she could. She looking out over the top of the couch as Starry stopped for a moment to wrestle with Storm and reset her grip on his neck.
“Okay! I get it! Can I at least walk on my—OW!” Storm tried to reason with her, but she ignored him and continued to force him down.
Dash waited for her opportunity to move, but then she realized something. The lobby was… surprisingly empty. There were some Wonderbolts and Renegades around but… where were the thestrals? They couldn’t have been outside, it was the morning and sunny. There was no way they had all packed into the infirmary with Luna. Did they go into the basements to get away from the light? Probably not with how much work Rivet and his crews were busy with. Had they just spread out around the Nimbus? If they did it was odd not a single one of them was in the lobby.
Dash came back to her senses as Starry began moving again, turning Storm towards the west hallway. Dash refocused and watched, waiting for the perfect moment to keep moving after them, but she was forced to drop back down as Starry lost her grip on Storm and turned around to grab him again even though he made no effort to get away.
Dash kept her back pressed to the backside of the couch as the sounds of grunting and scuffling met her ears. They weren’t making this easy for her that was for sure.
Dash blinked, her eyes moving towards the east hallway as Squad Three suddenly emerged. They were moving slowly, the Streak twins both limping with Surprise riding on Lightning’s and Misty leaning on Fire. They all stopped and blinked when they saw Starry and Storm.
“Sheesh…” Lightning scratched his head. “The new guy’s always getting all the action.” Lightning glanced at Fire as he received a flat look. “What? C’mon, why else would she be pulling him away?”
“I’d like to think Storm Front has the dignity to believe in consent,” Fire commented with a snort, even though it was clear Starry was the one doing all the forcing.
“So does Chiller,” Lightning snickered. “The captain sure asked him first, eh? Now I just gotta figure out what gets the mares to drag me away, throw me on a bed, and make me part of the mattress by the morning!”
“Pssst!” Surprise suddenly leaned forwards, grabbed on of Lightning’s ears, and whispered loudly into it. “You may wanna figure out how not to get punched in the dick first!” she explained as Fire snorted, earning a head tilt from his brother.
“She said it, not me… even though I was thinking it,” Fire confessed.
“Hey I got half of it right! I just gotta convince them to touch it a little softer, ya know?” Lightning said as he reached a hoof to his opposite arm and gently stroked it up and down with suave motions. Surprise gave him a comical glare and bopped a hoof over his head.
“Okay, let’s stop there…” Fire cut him off, but blinked as he looked towards Misty. “Misty?” Fire looked at her carefully. She was staring directly up with her eyes wide. “What are you…?”
The rest of Squad Three looked up and reacted with a mixture of yelps and flinches.
Curiosity struck Dash as well. She looked up and froze as her eyes stuck open wide.
Well… she found the thestrals.
The high ceiling of the lobby was completely hidden from view… because the entire Lunar Guard was hanging upside down from it, hundreds of thesrals densely packed together, wings wrapped around their bodies, and asleep. It was one giant mix of dark colors, save for P.L. who was dead center right beside the main propeller pillar, standing out like a black sheep… ironically. They were all without with armor except for P.L. who didn’t seem to mind the weight of his own as he slept.
Despite being on their side, Dash found the sight incredibly unsettling.
“Dude…” Lightning Streak spoke up while pointing towards the ceiling. “I am NOT okay with that…”
“Well…” Fire swallowed as his eyes remained locked on the sleeping colony above. “They are part bat, after all…”
“Uh, question,” Surprise spoke up while looking at her hooves. “How do they stick to the ceiling like that?” she asked, scrunching her lips as she looked between her hooves and the thestrals.
“You could always ask,” Fire shrugged, a little curious himself. Surprise shook her head quickly.
“No thanks! They’re bitey enough when I’m not talking to them…”
Dash looked away from Squad Three and back up, shuddering as her eyes scanned the thestrals on the ceiling. Talk about freaky… she was glad they were allies, because they were making it a habit of giving her the heebie-jeebies.
“OW!” Storm’s voice sounded out nearby… and it sounded like it was further away. Dash quickly refocused, remembering what she was doing in the first place as she peeked back over the top of the couch. Starry was on the move again, dragging Storm into the west hallway. Forgetting all about the freaky sight above her, Dash quickly shifted around the couch and gave chase, keeping her steps light and staying out of view as she closed in. She moved from cover to cover, couch, to chair, to table, always staying out of direct view of the hallway just in case Starry lost her grip on Storm and turned around again. When Starry finally got far enough down the hallway, Dash made her move to pursue, jumping out from behind her cover towards the west hall…
But right as she moved, she yelped as she ran into something… then yelped again as something big and heavy fell over the top of her, forcing her over onto her side before being squished.
“Oof!”
“Yikes!”
“Grh! Ow! Ow!” Dash cried out as intense pressure weighed down on her sore body.
But there were two other voices grunted along with hers, one male and one female.
“Oh… whoops!”
Dash immediately recognized that voice, even though her aching body was being painfully squished beneath the big doofus’ bulk.
“Soarin… get… offa… me…” she ordered in between uncomfortable grunts with her voice muffled. Soarin quickly rolled to the side, allowing Dash to gasp for air as she shook her head out and pressed her hooves to the floor. She blinked as she looked up, seeing Soarin first, but also seeing the other pony she ran into.
“Good gravy… how much do you weigh?” Lightning Dust whined, cracking her neck and back as she slowly stood up.
“Soarin? Dust?” Dash asked as she slowly and shakily stood up, but Soarin was pouting at Dust.
“Sorry, but sheesh, I’m not that fat am I?” he asked in a joking manner. Dust shook her body out while lifting her brow and looking him up and down.
“No, but apparently your muscles weigh a ton,” she commented as she continued to look him up and down. Dash quickly flattened her brow, forgetting her curiosity for a moment as she cleared her throat, and slid herself up next to Soarin, grabbing his arm.
“Mine,” she said sternly while giving Dust a slight glare. Dust couldn’t hold in a snicker as Soarin rolled his eyes.
“I agree, but…” Soarin patted Dash on the head before pointing down the hallway towards Starry as she continued to drag Storm further and further away. “I was following them. Can either of you tell me what’s going on over there?” Both Dash and Dust glanced over.
“I dunno, I was following Storm to find out.”
“I dunno, I was following Starry to find out.”
Dash and Dust blinked and glanced at one another as they answered in unison.
“Come on,” Soarin stood up and made a head motion towards the struggling duo down the hall. “Let’s go find out.”
Starry Skies pulled Storm Front all the way to the end of the hallway, stopping right outside the doors leading into the auxiliary gym.
Storm grunted and rubbed his neck as Starry finally let go of him. He shot her a frustrated glare as he shook his head out and snorted.
“Okay now are you going to tell me why you—,” he was cut off, Starry meeting his glare with one twice as intense that shut him up quickly.
“QUIET!” she whispered in a strong but hushed tone. Storm did as he was told, but didn’t let up with his eyes, silently demanding an explanation. Starry turned sideways and pointed at the doors to the gym. “Listen,” she began harshly, struggling to keep her tone down. “Descent is in there…” she said as her face contorted slightly, giving her expression an awkward appearance, one of her ears flopping down, and one of her eyelids twitching. Storm barely noticed though, picking up instead on the obvious.
“What? Dad?” he glanced over Starry at the door, then back at her as she shut her eyes and held her breath for a few seconds. Storm tipped his head curiously as she continued to behave oddly. “Uh… are you okay?”
Starry suddenly pushed him roughly, forcing him back a step as she hissed between her teeth and growled while looking away from him.
“He’s been avoiding us, ignoring and hiding from the rest of the Renegades since we saw Nightshade yesterday! I… I…” she barely managed to keep her voice down, noticing she was almost yelling and throwing her hooves over her mouth. She released what sounded like a muffled, angry yell before taking a breath and glaring at Storm again. “I need you to talk to him.”
“Me?” Storm blinked. He was Descent’s son, but the whole thing with Nightshade was a highly personal topic… and Starry had been friends with them for years… he had really only truly known who his father was for a little while. “Why do I have to? Wasn’t Nightshade one of your friends too? You three were your own little group, right? That’s what Dad told me at least. You understand this situation way more than I do.”
Starry gritted her teeth as Storm gave his logical reasoning. She snorted and scoffed, both sounding very forced and over the top.
“I already tried. I couldn’t get anything out of him,” she answered without any hesitation, adding a harrumph at the end of it, tipping her nose up and exhaling through her nostrils.
Storm looked her over carefully. Starry was acting… very strange. Something wasn’t right.
“Did you really try talking to him?” Storm suddenly asked.
Starry froze in place. Her nose still pointing up, but her eyes stuck open wide and her mouth scrunched up. That sealed it. Starry’s blunt and upfront way of talking made her a terribly obvious fibber.
“Starry…” Storm sighed as he looked right through her. Starry quickly turned around and looked down.
“I don’t want to… push him,” she said quietly, almost mumbling, but Storm heard it. Storm reached forward to put a hoof on her shoulder, but she suddenly turned around, her face scrunched into a look of anger. “OKAY?! I JUST DON’T!” she yelled loudly, shoving Storm backwards again. She immediately gasped and stuffed her hooves back in her mouth as her eyes locked on the gym doors. Storm managed to stay upright, but he didn’t lash back. He simply walked back up to her and placed his hoof on her shoulder as he first intended. She immediately shook it off while shooting him a look of utter disgust.
“Right, right… no touching,” Storm reminded himself out loud, but shook his head as he remained on topic. “Starry, you should talk to him,” he suggested. Starry’s ears flopped as she sat down and looked right down at her hooves, almost as if she was trying to ignore him. “I’d love to help, but this is a personal issue for him that you understand much more than I do,” Storm added.
Starry didn’t answer at first. She just kept looking down and began tracing circles on the floor with her right hoof.
“Because…” she sputtered, clearing her throat. “Because you’re his son,” she barely managed to get out, struggling every syllable. “You’re his real family, it’ll mean something to him… I’m just…” she trailed off. Going no further as looked towards the door and stared at it. Storm waited patiently for her to continue, but she suddenly reached up, grabbed her mane, and yanked on it a few times while growling. Storm leaned back slightly as her demeanor dramatically shifted, but he didn’t get far before she lunged at him, grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him over to the doors. “JUST TALK TO HIM FOR ME!” she demanded, pushing him by the plot up to one of the doors until he was pressed against it.
“Ah! Okay! Okay!” Storm caved as Starry pushed harder, squishing him between her and the doors.
“Dammit! GET IN THERE!” she yelled as she kept pushing.
“Ow! St-Starry!” Storm struggled to speak, his voice slightly muffled as he got more smushed, his right cheek completely pressed against the door.
“WHAT?!” she yelled as she slammed her eyes shut and pushed harder.
“These… are… pull doors!”
Starry immediately stopped pushing and blinked, glancing at the door and seeing the ‘pull’ label on it, complete with a handle. A bright red blush of embarrassment poked right through her fur.
She growled, yanked Storm back, and reached for the door without letting go of him. She opened the door and forced him in with a kick to the plot before slamming the door shut behind him. Her strategy of subtly was already falling apart, but it was long gone. Her physical solution likely alerted Descent and put Storm in an awkward spot, but at this point she didn’t seem to care as long as Storm ‘fixed’ things.
As Starry turned and slumped with her back against the door, her ears perked up and she quickly turned her head back down the hallway. Three heads suddenly disappeared into a nearby doorway, followed by whispering.
“Did she see us?”
“She totally saw us.”
Starry pouted, glared, and released a muffled growl.
“Yes, I saw you. Who the hell is it?” she demanded angrily.
“See I told you…” Lightning Dust said out loud as she sighed and stepped out, immediately cringing as Starry’s glare hit her right in the face. “Er… Hi…” she said awkwardly as Dash and Soarin also stepped out behind her.
“And just what do you three think you’re doing?” Starry asked, even though her own actions had easily sparked the curiosity of all three of them. Dash and Dust both hesitated, averting their eyes embarrassingly. Soarin swallowed, taking one for the team.
“Uh, well…” he began, trailing off as he tried to put together an explanation in his head, but before he could go any further Starry suddenly jumped up on her hooves and shuffled a few steps back, her eyes wide, but retaining the glare.
“WHAT THE…?!” she yelled as she appeared to look past the three of them.
“Huh?” Dash was the only one to verbally react as all three of them turned around… to see Matteo and Squall peeking out one door back from where they were hiding. Matteo was doing a lousy job of ‘peeking’ with his whole big head sticking out of the doorway. Squall tried to hide, but ran into Matteo in the process, tumbling out into the hallway before swearing.
“Guys?” Dash blinked as Matteo stepped out beside Squall, revealing Little Star softly nestled into the fur on Matteo’s back.
This was awkward… Dash, Soarin, and Dust got caught following Starry, only to catch Dash’s squad following them… while they were still trying to explain to Starry why they were following even though it was pretty obvious... Thankfully, Matteo broke the silence.
“Star was curious, so we followed,” he explained straight-forwardly as Squall huffed and got to his hooves.
“Oh, okay,” Dash quickly accepted that for an answer, anything that helped comfort Star was okay in her book right now, but she was curious. To be so close behind them, they had to have followed her nearly from the moment she left. “Okay, I know why I didn’t hear you, Matty,” Dash said as she glanced at his talons and paws, but then she shifted her eyes to Squall’s hooves before looking him in the eyes. “How did you move so quietly?”
Squall scrunched his face and glance to his left away from all of them.
“I don’t want to talk abou—”
“He also rode on my back,” Matteo diligently answered.
“GEE THANKS FATASS! NOW THEY ALL KNOW!” Squall immediately exploded at Matteo, turning and growling up into Matteo’s face. Matteo only glanced at him, not reacting at all to the anger being projected at him, but narrowing his eyes slightly.
“We’ve been over this. It's not fat, I have a lot of fur,” he pointed out calmly.
Dash didn’t pay any attention to the two as she walked towards them to get a look at Little Star, stopping right in front of Matteo before shifting to the side. Star wasn’t just riding on Matteo’s back, she also seemed to be clutching his fur rather tightly. She had a look on her face that seemed wary, maybe even a little afraid. She was looking directly at Soarin, nopony else. Dash sighed, knowing that Soarin probably noticed too, but they had to leave that subject be for the time being. Instead, Dash was surprised she almost failed to realize on particular member was missing.
“Where’s Twister?” she asked while moving back in front of Matteo, assuming he’d pop up the moment she asked, instead, Matteo turned away from Squall, looking down at Dash as he sighed and pointing to his chest feathers.
“He’s in there somewhere…”
Twister suddenly popped out of Matteo’s feathers with a completely blank look on his face, extending horizontally towards Dash until his whole upper body was visible.
“There he is,” Matteo moved his talon from his chest to Twister.
Twister said nothing as he held out a hoof towards Dash, a folded piece of paper in it. Dash lifted an eyebrow, but played along, grabbing the paper and unfolding it. She opened her eyes fully and blinked as she looked at it. It was a picture of Twister’s head, making an odd face gritting his teeth hard while squinting with his eyes pointing slightly away and off center.
Dash huffed and flattened her brow as she lowered the paper to see Twister making the exact same face as he held himself in front of her.
Without a word, Dash slapped the paper over Twister’s face and pushed him all the way back into Matteo’s feathers.
“At least we know where he is…” she said casually as she glanced at Squall. He was glaring towards her, but not directly at her. She didn’t even have to look behind her. She knew what he was doing. “Squall, stop glaring at Soarin.”
Squall immediately shifted his glare to her.
“Don’t glare at me either,” she ordered as she blinked and turned back around, remembering why she was there in the first place.
Starry.
Why had she more or less kidnapped Storm? They had followed but never got close enough to hear what she said before kicking Storm through the door. With many of them curious enough to follow, it was time to get to the bottom of it.
Starry Skies had moved back against the door and slumped down as she had before noticing all the ponies following her. Dust had approached her, but by the looks of things, Lightning Dust wasn’t getting much out of her. But Dash was quick to notice Lightning Dust’s first error, she wasn’t being firm enough, simply asking Starry what was going on to no avail without much demand in her tone. Knowing Starry’s position of authority over her and her sharpness, Dust seemed unwilling to push the envelope any harder. But because it involved one of Dash’s closer friends among the Wonderbolts, she was more than ready to put up a fight.
She approached, nudging past Soarin, and then Dust as Starry started grumbling to herself. Starry glanced up at Dash as she asserted herself, Soarin and Dust hovering behind her.
“Hmph…” Starry grunted as she lifted an eyebrow at them, glancing slightly to her right to see Dash’s squad approaching to partake as well. “Nice to know privacy is a thing around here,” she said with incredibly harsh sarcasm, rolling her eyes and scoffing. Dash tipped her head to the right and narrowed her eyes.
“You kind of barged your way into my barracks and hauled off one of our friends against his will,” Dash pointed out, prompting Starry to look away and puff her cheeks out. Soarin stepped up beside Dash, looking equally amused at her sarcastic statement.
“You’ve been around Fleetfoot this long and still think privacy is a thing around here?” Soarin asked, returning the sarcasm right back at her.
“Okay, okay, fine…” Starry growled, still refusing to look at them. “It’s an emergency, I don’t have time to play paddy-cake and explain to all of you why I’m…” she trailed off as her ears stood up and turned towards the door behind her. She immediately shot up onto her hooves and pressed the side of her face to the door, an ear slapped to it.
“Starry what’s—?” Dash moved closer, but Starry immediately threw out a hoof and shushed her.
“Descent,” she said without making any eye contact.
“What?” Soarin blinked. “What about—”
“I SAID SHUDDAP!” Starry hissed at them harshly even though she hadn't actually told them to shut up yet. But she clearly didn’t notice the verbal slip and went right back to listening. Soarin and Dash glanced at one another before Dash made a quick head motion towards the doors.
With the theme of privacy all but brutally murdered, the two stepped up beside Starry and placed their ears against the doors as well. Dust, Squall, and Matteo did the same, with Little Star shifted to listen while still upon Matteo’s back.
None of them knew what it was about, Starry refused to give any explanation aside from ‘Descent’, but they were about to find out.
“Grgh…” Storm grunted quietly as he removed his face from the floor, pushed himself up, and rubbed the now tender end of his nose. Starry couldn’t hide her care for his father or her eagerness to help him, but he would have appreciated a gentler approach. Being forced into a door the wrong direction, followed by being kicked through said door and landing on his face was not his idea of how to start an approach to his father.
Speaking of his dad, Storm quickly set aside his focus on his nose in favor of finding his dad. The lights were off in the auxiliary gym, but the window shutters were latched open, allowing weak rays of sunlight from the morning sun in from the outside, the west side of the gym conveniently facing east as well as the only real open area of the large canyon they landed in.
Descent was sitting on the floor about twenty yards from the entrance, bathing alone in the soft light that shone through the window closest to the doors. He was looking slightly down, a mixed expression on his face of anger, worry, and deep thought, his body casting a long shadow behind him that ultimately merged with the shaded majority of the gym area. Storm swallowed and took a step.
“Whoever it is, leave me be.”
Storm stopped cold, his father’s words devoid of any strict harsh tones, but the somber, serious tone of his voice almost had a stronger effect. He didn’t look sad, and in terms of sounding sad it was hard to pick out, but Starry wouldn’t have forced him in here if everything was alright. Storm cleared his throat.
“Dad…?” he called quietly, Descent’s ears immediately standing straight up. It remained completely silent, neither of them moving or speaking for several more moments before Descent released a very long, slightly frustrated sigh. Storm gritted his teeth as he continued walking, forcing himself forward despite his father’s request to be left alone. “I’d leave, but…” he began as he stopped a few paces behind Descent. “This was kind of forced upon me. I doubt I’d be let out if I tried.”
“Heh…” Descent released a single chuckle as he looked up towards the window, squinting his eyes slightly as they met the light. “Brutally honest. Let me guess, Starry put you up to this.”
“Uh…” Storm rubbed the back of his head as Descent sighed and shook his head lightly.
“She’s been hovering around me since we got back,” Descent explained, showing he had full knowledge of Starry’s desire for intervention despite her failed attempts to be quiet about it. With that question answered, Storm stepped around and sat down beside Descent, looking up into the light with his father.
“Then it’s probably obvious that she wants to talk to you,” Storm threw out there to get the ball rolling. Starry put the task on him, but he still believed she was more suited for the subject of Nightshade.
“She won’t,” Descent quickly answered as if he had it primed and ready. Storm blinked and looked at Descent as he tipped his head back down, relieving his eyes from the gentle light, shadows moving upon his face. “Believe me, this isn’t the first time she’s tried to step in when I’ve not been in the best mood. She means well, but she’s never been a soft speaker. She can’t retract her barbs, always harsh and blunt no matter what the circumstance. It makes her a great warrior, but comfort?” Descent smirked slightly. “You’d have better luck hugging an affectionate porcupine.”
Storm flinched and gritted his teeth awkwardly as he glanced over at the doors.
“She’s out there isn’t she?” Descent asked. Storm swallowed and nodded.
“Uh, yeah… she is,” he answered, his voice stuttering a little.
“Don’t worry, she knows her limits. It’s probably why she sent you in before saying a word to me,” Descent chuckled again, but each laugh sounded a bit forced. It died down quickly as he turned his head towards the doors, than away in the other direction. “But I’m glad she did… because I don’t really want to see her right now.”
“Huh…?” Storm was sent in to help Descent, but now he found himself just as curious as Starry. He already felt privileged that Descent was opening up a little, he had a feeling no other pony would have gotten this far. So he decided to press… lightly. “Why not?”
Descent remained quiet, looking away from Storm and saying nothing. A whole minute passed before Descent moved, slowly turning his head to look forward, the shadows creeping under his chin and across his jaw as he turned.
“I’m just trying to come to terms with some things right now. Seeing Starry will probably make it more difficult,” he paused exhaling through his nostrils. “She would only be more of a reminder of… Nightshade.”
Storm winced as Descent brought her up. He knew it was coming, but it was still hard to hear in conjunction with the clear difficulty Descent had just saying the name. He refocused as Descent released a loud frustrated grunt as he closed his eyes and growled. He shook his head lightly, the growl and slight scowl on his face fading into a calm demeanor.
“I’m not hiding from anypony right now… it’s pointless to dance around the reality of this. I just need time to absorb it all,” Descent went on, opening his eyes and staring at the ground in front of him. Storm quickly realized that he had been put in the position that Starry wanted. She was worried about Descent and didn’t know what she could do for him, but now HE was here, and Descent was, hopefully, opening up.
Even though Storm still felt Starry was much better suited to help when it came to Nightshade, he would not pass up the chance to give his father a pair of ears to listen.
“Nightshade’s reaction when she saw Starry and I…” Descent continued, just as Storm had hoped. “It was jarring. It was almost as if she was afraid to look at us. What does it mean? What does it imply?” Descent shook his head lightly. “I haven’t a clue, but… the encounter, what I saw… it has sent my thoughts into an extreme conflict.”
Descent turned his head to look Storm in the eye. Storm swallowed and nodded, giving Descent the gesture to let him know he was listening and absorbing it.
“From the moment I deserted the Shadowbolts, I was prepared to face Nightshade if it came to it. She had been blinded by the power of the crystals and was no longer in control, and I felt it was my responsibility as her friend and lifelong comrade to bring her down and save her from herself. Even after the ensuing fight when she disappeared in the explosion, I vowed to stay true to my decision should we discover she survived.”
Descent looked back towards the window, looking right into the light that shone through.
“There has always been a small glimmer of light that I’ve held onto. While I was determined to fight her, I was never happy about it. I never let my hopes get up, but maybe… just maybe…” Descent reached a hoof up, letting the faint rays of light shine upon it. “Maybe I wouldn’t have to kill her… maybe I could help her. It was a fool’s fantasy, but it was something to hold onto. Nevertheless… I was fully prepared for conflict. Nightshade is a mare of intense ambition and unwavering determination. If she wants something, she takes it by any means necessary. With how she is and with the crystals in the picture, I was more than certain no matter what happened I’d be fighting her to the death. My personal feelings would have to be put aside.” Descent put his hoof down. “At least that’s how I felt… until now.”
Descent remained still for several moments. Storm didn’t make a peep, not daring to interrupt his father in any way. Descent released a low groan from the back of his throat as he reached his hoof back up, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead and between his eyes. His groan sounded of frustration, the way his face and expression contorted and shifted slightly implied hesitation, confusion, and indecision.
“I have been on a path and I found her like I wanted, but seeing her again has caused the path to split in completely opposite directions… and I feel like I’m being torn apart trying to travel them both. I…” Descent pushed his hoof harder against his face. “I want to know more, I need more! I need to know why she reacted like that! The image of her face… of her eyes… it’s forcing itself against everything I have strongly followed throughout this long fight! When I landed there with Starry by my side, we arrived to the sight of our comrades all beaten and helpless, the kind of destruction she leaves in her wake… but her reaction to us, the way it all turned down such a different road we’re used to… it suggests she is suffering. Is she filled with regret? Is she troubled by her choices and terrified to even look us, her closest friends, in the eyes?”
Descent growled loudly and slammed his hoof back to the floor, causing Storm to flinch and lean away slightly.
“What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to feel? Which direction am I supposed to go? I once ruled out any hope of her being pulled free from her delusion, but her behavior yesterday is convincing me the Nightshade I know is STILL IN THERE! But she’s still the enemy, she almost killed my allies… do I fight her or do I help her? Where do I put my loyalties? I’m most certainly not about to even consider switching sides to stand beside my old captain, but she… she…”
Descent was shaking, gritting his teeth and glaring at the floor as he struggled to balance the two weights tipping back and forth on his shoulders. Dropping one weight would allow him the balance to hold the other, but neither of them felt right to abandon.
Storm saw an opportunity… perhaps one that he was meant to have. Not too long ago, his father had told him right to his face that Storm represented a side he rarely showed, a side he had but never wanted others to see. Storm felt that maybe… just maybe… he could also be the voice of that side, the side that was less stoic and rigid… the side that cared.
He scooted slightly closed to his father, carefully examining the angry, distraught look that trembled upon his face.
“She really means a lot to you, doesn’t she?” Storm asked. Descent ceased growling and sighed, nodding as his glare remained facing down.
“Indeed, as I have told you. She is a comrade and a friend, there is nopony else I think I’d call those things… beside Starry, of course,” Descent explained, recalling his previous talk with Storm on the subject of Nightshade. But Storm shook his head.
“It’s not that simple though, is it? No, there’s more to it than that…” Storm placed a hoof on Descent’s shoulder. “For both of the mares… isn’t there?”
Descent finally turned his head, his glare fading as he met his son’s eyes.
“There… is,” Descent hesitated, but said quietly.
“Please tell me,” Storm immediately encouraged. He wanted his father to let it all out. He needed to. Spitfire had ordered the Wonderbolts to all relax, reconnect, and recalibrate.
It certainly wouldn’t hurt his father or the Renegades to do the same.
“Nightshade and Starry Skies…” Descent slowly glanced back up at the light shining dimly through the window. “They both mean so much to me. Their significance in my life far outweighs anything related to the Shadowbolts. I never knew my mother or father, I was abandoned on the streets of Canterlot before I ever had any memory of them. Before I met Nightshade and Starry I was just a wild animal, no rhyme or reason, no direction or goal. Everything changed when they saved me from certain death. I was at their mercy, bloody and beaten, but they didn’t hurt me or kill me, they helped me. I had never been shown care in any form, but I was instantly attached to them and decided to never leave their side. They gave me a reason to live, something to look forward to and protect, nothing else mattered to me. Since then, they have been my life… they have always been there. We have a special connection, a bond. Not one forged through smiles, hugs, affection, or cheer… one of trust, respect, and loyalty stemming from our youngest days as the two fillies and a colt on the street when that’s all we had going for us. The bond grew so strong throughout the years that if any piece went missing… I felt broken, devastated.”
Descent turned his eyes away from the light, looking into the darkness opposite of Storm.
“Leaving Nightshade behind was one of the hardest choices I’ve ever made, but it was something I had to do. Starry and I had to escape before Nightshade’s corruption consumed us too. The gap left by Nightshade has been painful, It’s something I’ve learned to live with, but… I long to feel complete again.”
He turned his head back around to look at Storm.
“You saw what happened to me when Nightshade’s crystals shattered… when I thought she would meet the same fate as the fallen commanders. I was scared, terrified, and devastated. I couldn’t breathe, my legs buckled beneath me, and I cried out in horror. I thought she was going to die right there in front of me and be gone from my life forever. Prepared to fight her? Prepared to kill her? The way my body reacted to that sight showed me just how naïve I really am. She narrowly escaped her fate… Nightshade stayed true to her nature and somehow averted death again, but that’s when I no longer recognized myself. I wanted nothing more than to run to her, to take her back, to pull her in and fill the gaping space that she once filled and sealed us tight. That close encounter showed me and forced me to acknowledge just how important she is to me and my life. And when I came back here and found time to think it all over, I realized just how uncertain I really am. I can’t kill her… I just can’t… especially now that I know that she might be suffering.”
Descent reached up and grabbed Storm’s hoof, startling Storm as he pulled it off his shoulder and held onto it tightly, looking at Storm with eyes of desperation.
“She’s a part of me, Storm… and she’s a part of Starry too. I doubt Starry would ever admit it, but I know she feels the exact same way.” He slammed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth. “I would do anything to bring her back to us, but I just don’t know how, nor do I think I can… and if we are forced to fight… I don’t think I… think we could…”
Descent never finished, he just squeezed Storm’s hoof in front of his chest. The grip was tight, and a little painful, but Storm didn’t grunt or flinch. He stared at his father’s hoof. He stared at it for a long time before looking at his father’s pained face.
“Dad…” Storm shifted so he was sitting right in front of Descent and reached his other hoof up to clasp it against Descent’s. “I know exactly how you feel.”
Descent opened his eyes and blinked at he looked directly at Storm. Storm returned the grip on his hoof with equal strength.
“Nightshade is family to you… you would do anything for her, or for Starry, right?” Storm asked, but Descent didn’t reply, he just kept staring. “Dad, I know how it feels because you taught it to me.”
Descent’s eyes widened slightly and his mouth opened slightly, stopping just short of gasping. Storm smiled and gave a firm nod.
“You were the only thing I had going for me when I was young, you know. Before I made any friends, for the longest time you were the only thing that made me smile or feel cared for. Whenever you were gone, I felt like a huge piece of me was missing. It got worse when you started disappearing for longer periods of time and eventually all together, but by then I had grown up and learned to make the most of myself and what you had given me. I stayed strong and stayed true to myself because I always wanted to make you proud and show I cared whether you were with or without me. I wouldn’t even be here right now if it wasn’t for you, much like you wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Nightshade and Starry… You’re MY family.”
Descent looked right into the eyes of his son, contemplating the words carefully and realizing, while the circumstances were very different, how many similarities he shared with his son and how his life was shaped. It was ironic, considering Descent made a vow to make sure Storm never lived a life like his. There were some distinct similarities after all, like father like son. Descent tipped his head down, closing his eyes and grinning as he released a single chuckle.
But then he shifted to his right, releasing Storm’s hooves as he looked into the darkness.
“Storm…”
“Yes?” Storm scooted up beside his father, sitting side by side.
“Please, tell me…” he slowly turned his head, glancing at Storm with the dim rays of light splashing against his face. “If things were different… if you were in my hooves and I was in Nightshade’s… what would you do?”
Storm blinked as he opened his mouth, but closed it quickly, not expecting such a question.
“If I was pitted against you, if I was your enemy despite all we’ve been through, but I appeared suffering from my own self-induced pain… what would you do?” Descent turned his head, the light slipping off of his face as he looked away. “Because I… have no answer…”
Storm looked down, the heavy question hanging over him by a small, unraveling thread. How to answer this? Could he? He had never had such a heavy choice put on him before… but… maybe that was it, maybe there was no way for him to answer. It had to be acknowledged.
“Well... that makes two of us,” Storm answered honestly. Descent looked back at him, but there was no look of disappointment or of annoyance or anything that would come with such a quick answer. Perhaps he knew Storm didn’t have an answer for him. Storm sighed as he looked away from his father. “I don’t really think… there’s any way to figure this out. I’ve never had to face a choice like that, but if I were to, I’d be just as lost as you. And even if I had some sort of plan, given what we’ve gone through I doubt there’d be any right way to approach it. Everything has been a split second decision, a reaction as we learn more and face more. Even when we’ve had a plan, none of it has gone smoothly.”
Descent faced forward just like Storm was, both of them with their heads tipped, their eyes pointing slightly downward as their minds spiraled through the dilemma together. Was there really a way to confront it? Or was it a lost cause? Not every problem has a solution, after all.
“Then…” Descent spoke up quietly. “I guess that—”
“Though…” Storm suddenly cut him off. Descent blinked and glanced at him. Storm turned to look as well. “I would never give up hope.”
Descent stared for a moment before flattening his expression and raising an eyebrow. Storm snickered quietly at the face his dad was giving him.
“Yeah, I know, I know,” he nodded. “I know that sounds real simple and doesn’t really solve anything, but if you were in danger like Nightshade… that’s all I’d have. Hope would keep me going. It would encourage me to fight because I’d never know if and when I’d get my chance to save you.”
Descent’s face shifted to slight surprise as he took in Storm’s words. He smiled lightly, but sighed.
“That’s an optimistic view, but… I’m not so sure I can be as positive about Nightshade, through both knowing her and what I’ve seen thus far. It almost feels foolish to hope.”
“But you never know,” Storm reached over and nudged Descent’s arm. Descent looked towards him and exhaled, his smile remaining.
“I suppose I don’t, do I?”
“Dad, think about it this way…” Storm turned a little more towards him, holding his hooves out. “You were gone from my life for a long time… several years, right? It got to a point where I stopped expecting you to show up, I came to terms with the fact that something had your focus and you were no longer able to see me. I finished growing up, I made a life for myself, and eventually I tried out for the Wonderbolts. But I never once gave up hope that I may one day see you again. Hell, I never shut up about you to my friends. Did it seem unlikely? I didn’t hold my breath… but I held on to hope anyway, and what happened? We were reunited in the most ridiculous, unlikely way imaginable.”
Descent’s mouth hung slightly agape as Storm ran through the scenario. Descent had never really put much thought into the circumstances that reunited them. After thinking about it… it was a bit ridiculous. Storm just happened to try out for and succeed in becoming an elite of the very force Descent and his Renegades were protecting in their quest to take back the Shadowbolts and defeat their puppeteer. What were the odds of that? It didn’t matter, it still happened. Perhaps… it was too early to rule out saving Nightshade… because… he never knew if he would get an unlikely opportunity.
“It never hurts to hope Dad… believe me,” Storm added.
“Heh…” Descent’s smile returned, and grew wider than it had before as he closed his eyes and shook lightly, the thought tickling him as he shook his head. “I guess hope is worth holding onto then…” he opened his eyes and lifted his brow, a smug look on his face. “But you’ll never hear me say that around my wingmates, I have an image to keep up, you know.”
Storm couldn’t hold it in, he laughed, putting a hoof over his stomach as he gave Descent a light jab in the side.
“Of course you can be cheesy around me though!” Storm shot back while slightly turning his head and shooting a smirk right back. “I mean, you only did it right to my face for most of my life!”
Descent shrugged as he continued to chuckle.
“Well, somepony had to,” he reached over and grabbed Storm’s opposite shoulder, shaking him lightly. “Your mother was such a bundle of joy, right…?”
Storm burst out laughing while trying to push Descent away from him, but Descent yanked him over into a headlock and gave him a rough noogie, messing up his mane. Storm grunted, but kept laughing as he struggled, Descent chuckling along with him.
Storm had done it, and he felt great. He didn’t think he was going to find any answers for his father… but that’s not what he went in there for. Starry tossed him in there to help, and now here Descent was, acting like he always had back when he used to visit him in Cloudsdale. It wasn’t the Descent Starry knew well, but it definitely lifted his spirits
Mission accomplished.
Soarin smiled as he heard the sound of laughter from the father and son through the door. He glanced down at Dash beside him as she did the same up to him. They both grinned as they continued to hear the banter and chuckling.
What started as confusion and a desire to know why Starry was being so rough with one of their friends turned into a rather heartwarming experience… and several of them got to partake in it. Dash was sure this would help lift Star’s mood, if only a little. Family was important to her, after all, with all her brothers and sisters and all the encouragement she got from them throughout her challenges. Maybe it would help Squall a little too, since he didn’t hold his family in very high regard for silly but somewhat justifiable reasons. Matteo, of course, valued family greatly. While that little detail about Descent killing his father still lingered, Dash was sure Matteo could separate that from the impact of what they just heard. Or maybe it made him feel sad? It’s not like Dash could ever read his emotions so she would never know. Then again, knowing the griffons, there may not have been much affection involved.
Twister? Hell if Dash knew, last time she asked Twister about family he claimed he was born in an unopened soup can that exploded in the microwave of a pony who forgot to open it first.
But most of all, Dash looked to Soarin as the two kept listening. Not too long ago they had a discussion about family… And Dash made him promise that he visit his family when everything was done. She still couldn’t stand knowing that he had failed to make time for them over the years. Obviously he was busy, but even he admitted that he felt like communication with them had fallen off. They were obviously not in a position for him to make such a trip, but she hoped he was still thinking about it, and hoped that was the first thing he’d do when they finally were free from this conflict.
Dash blinked as Soarin’s ears suddenly perked up and he turned his head towards Dash. Dash tipped her head slightly as Soarin gave her a slightly confused look, but he wasn’t focused on her, his ears were moving as if trying to find a sound.
Then Dash heard it too.
It sounded like… sniffling? Or at least something like it, it almost sounded angry. Dash picked up on the noise, shifting to the left to look around Soarin. The noise was coming from the doors beside them, around the large frame that separated the sets of doors leading into the gym. As she looked, Soarin turned, both of them shifting to the left to see what the noise was. They both stopped the moment they saw it.
Starry Skies and Lightning Dust were up against the other doors, but while Lightning Dust was still up and in a position to listen, Starry Skies was not. She had turned around, put her back against the door, and slumped down to the floor. She was shaking, her eyes quivering, stuck between a glare and wide open. The sniffling-esque noises were coming from her, but there was no sign of tears. Mixed with her body language and faltering expression, the ‘sniffling’ both sounded and appeared to be closer to grunting as if her body was reacting to something she didn’t like or brought her pain, but didn’t know how to show it.
Dash and Soarin both glanced at Lightning Dust. She still had her ear to the door, but had her eyes trained on Starry. She looked just as confused as the two of them. After the sounds of some shifting, Dash glanced behind her to see the rest of her squad had taken notice as well. What was happening to Starry? Was this her struggling to express herself just like she was just before with Storm?
“W-why…?” Starry suddenly spoke up, her voice broken and very shaky. All eyes went back to her quickly. She shook her head, squinting her eyes hard and gritting her teeth as she lifted up her hooves and looked at them. “Why can’t I help him like that?”
Realization hit Soarin, Dash, and Dust quickly.
“Why can’t I speak to him like he can?” Starry continued as she tipped her head down, her hooves shaking in front of her. “What’s wrong with me?!” she suddenly said louder, but keeping her voice down enough to keep Storm and Descent from hearing within. “Why…?” she reached up and grabbed her head, pulling her hind legs in and tucking herself into a ball as she continued to shake. She kept breathing heavily, grabbing at her mane as she remained curled up. There were no tears being shed, there was no hint of sorrow, it was almost as if she didn’t know how to express those things, her body reacting in ways she couldn’t define or control.
She just wanted to do for Descent what Storm just had with seemingly little effort… but she didn’t know how and she hated it.
Soarin immediately took action. The only one of them that needed to be there right now was Lightning Dust. For the rest of them, they had stumbled into something far too personal and had to leave.
Without saying a word, Soarin tapped Dust on the shoulder and then pointed at Starry. Dust quickly picked up on it, giving a nod in agreement before stepping beside Starry and sitting down with her.
Soarin turned around and sternly looked over Dash and the rest of her squad. They all flinched and automatically stood attention as they acknowledged the authority Soarin was expressing. Squall and Star stiffened up obediently, setting aside their current odds with Soarin to respect his rank. Even Twister popped out of Matteo’s feathers beside Starry and held still. Soarin twirled a hoof and pointed back towards the lobby.
“Come on, let’s go,” Soarin said quietly, earning a nod from all of them as they quickly turned, leaving Lightning Dust behind to stay with Starry.
Only Dash looked back as they parted, getting a good look at Starry as they moved.
Their views and approaches to things differed greatly, but in simpler terms, the Shadowbolts were just like them.
Comrades, friends, family, perhaps even loved ones…
Starry was not one to express personal feelings, but it looked like not even she could hide them. Not even a cold, blunt, harsh mare like Starry could escape the pressure of the situation. It really put into perspective just how difficult this battle had to be for her and Descent.
Dash wondered what it felt like… to be forced to fight against those you once trusted and flew beside through thick and thin.
To be torn between loyalties and ideals…
To look a friend in the eye and fight them…
Hopefully she’d never have to experience the pain they have.
---To Be Continued---
Art in this chapter by: Foxenawolf and Penumbra
Descent shows us more of that soft inside hidden by the incredibly hard outer shell... and Starry appears to have some struggles of her own. This mixed with what we saw from Nightshade last chapter... our original three villains have come a long way and shown us a lot over the course of the story, haven't they? Though you really have to feel for Starry... so stone cold that she more or less doesn't even know how to express certain emotions, her body can't even react correctly. The Wonderbolts aren't the only ones who's emotional limits are being tested, it seems.
Also it looked like the problem with where they would house hundreds of extra passengers solved itself, eh? Just how do the thestrals stick to the ceiling anyway? 
And there we go, chapter 137 will pick up literally right where this one left off, with Soarin, Dash, and squad Foxtrot heading back down the west hallway. To repeat what i posted in a blog earlier, i broke up my outline for this chapter into two pieces because i felt the second part was going to completely blanket and overshadow everything you just read.
So the outline for chapter 137 is already complete since it used to be part of 136, that means after my usual 1 day off post chapter i will start work on it (But i'll take care of that Ciderfest blog first, seeing as how it's been over a month now since it happened.)
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
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This was interesting and we got to see some more development for the renegades. I wonder where you will take all of these conflicts you created.
Poor Starry
Even tho they are basically.EVERYWHERE
I feel her pain; I hate 'pull' doors too
Oh and I also feel sorry for her about the confused emotions, but mostly the door situation
Loving the son/father relationship between Storm and Descent
I've got nothing to say about Twister tho...Awesome!
Can't wait to see where this leads
7773449
I ship it too!
*holds Descent and Starry Skies plushies*
NOW SEAL IT WITH A KISSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awsome chapter.
Best part was the father and son moment between Descent and Storm
is it hard to keep track of all the small details you have created in this universe?
Aww, that was very touching and cute. Also yay for more Twister moments. I think Twister is trying to be a chestbuster from Aliens when he was hiding in Meatteo's chest feathers and only poked out his upper body. It's nice to know that the Thestrals really are like bats. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Awwww so much fluffff.... just so much fluff....
I kinda feel sorry for everyone. That ain't easy to go through. Nopony is immune...
NOW... FLEETFOOT! Once we finish with Starry.
How do they... I mean... the cealing... HOOOOWWWWW
Otherwise, really heartwarming chapter... I wish Starry could talk to Decent like that, I mean those three are so close that in effect Starry and Nightshade could be Stormy's step-mothers...
I am just waiting for two characters to just eavesdrop on some drama. One with a tub of popcorn and the other going, "Should we really be doing this?" And gets the reply, "Quiet I'm trying to watch my soaps."
Great chapter!
Though...
Why do I feel like this is foreshadowing?
7773449 yep awsome ship and we are going to need more of it soon!
I feel Descent and Starry's inner pain.This inner conflict issomething they need to fight together...waiting for second part now!!!
7773449 yes
Its so remarkable to see how a father and son can bring out so much goodness amongst each other.
By the way, tomorrow, is the release day of THE LAST GUARDIAN ON PS4!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me during this chapter 3.bp.blogspot.com/-TIQGzYzVstE/UpVGi8nE0-I/AAAAAAAADiE/mZp0CApdy6g/s1600/I+Have+All+These+Feels.gif
Great chapter as always calm see ya in the next one.
That was sweet.
Now with Luna's bat gard things I'm pretty sure they want to get to the crystal empire quickly and the fact that they are tired or dried food.
Can't wait for more
don't worry about it.
ok it's descent with two older sisters, how lovely :P
im so happy to know that decent is happy again.
wait im feelings things?! this shouldt be happening im a cold depressed teen..
What have you done to me Calm?
Looks like there is more to Starry then meets the eye and yaaay more father son moments!
Poor Starry, she just wants to help but doesn't know how…
…She really needs to spend time with Twilight.
I just love the cute father/son moments between Descent and Storm. Even though Descent hasn't really been with Storm for most of his life, there's this bond that really shows that they care for each other.
Nightshade, Starry and Descent…what a rollercoaster of a friendship! The main six should really take notes!
…glue?
I swear you're foreshadowing something here.
I fell scared for Dashie....
cuz you know....forshadowing is....never mind
and TWISTER!!!!!
YOU STILL CRAZY AND STUPID AND STILL.MAKES NO SENSE YEAH!!!!!
I love the father/son bonding and I have a thury why Starry can't talk to Decent well......U thing SOMEPONY'S IN
and
THE ATACK OF THE 'PULL' DOORS!!!!
(I
derpy and dashie
SO SHADDUP!!
)
I KNEW IT! Take that evil onion ninjas! YES!
And as per usual, Calmy, y'all gotta be a weirdo about the endings.
I stand by my statement Knighty, he is the King of cliffhangers,even though I'm pretty sure it wasnt mean to be one... OR was it?
More feels, and mkre feels plus a side note of feels... And a dash of feels
7773440
Conflicts are meant to create tension and tension is meant o be relieved
It's all about giving the readers stuff to care about and worry about when it comes time for the characters to dive into battle or take risks. But they also hold the guarantee of fulfillment or answers to questions and mysteries. Yep they're all going somewhere 
7773449
So basically you are doing what Twister did in this chapter with the sock puppets
Wait a minute...
Sock puppets...
SOCK PUPPETS?!
7773456
THE DOORS! THINK OF THE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOORS!!!!!
7773476
IT SHALL LEAD TO FUN AND FEELS
7773494
thanks!
7773527
Very. One of the toughest things i've been dealing with while writing these chapters has been getting to certain points and thinking, "Wait... have i mentioned this before?" or" have i already used this gag?" or "What did i last say about this particular topic?"
There are so many small details and specific story points that at times elude me and im forced to go back and look up what i did earlier or said earlier. Nothing has been more difficult than the conversations in Soarin's head between the voices. I'm constantly worried about repeating myself in those. Others being like in this chapter, how much did i have Descent say to Storm about Nightshade before this? I almost forgot star was still patched up from taking the hit from Devil in chapter 118. etc. etc. It gets tougher the further i go back. Some thing in part 1 and 2 are hard to remember clearly, but i'm lucky i have some readers who remember it better than i do, making it easier for me to figure it out
7773528
Got a nice dose of Twister shenanigans here
7773535
so many feeeeeels
7773540
Why do you think i broke this chapter in two?
7773547
MIGHTY PUTTY...
IT'S AN EVERLASTING BOND...
NOT EVEN OPTIMUS PRIME CAN TEAR THIS SHIT OFF.
7773579
Spanish soap operas:
POOOORRRRRRQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?!
7773583
No it's shadowforing
7773610
even the stiff angry ones have a soft side, eh?
7773723
The part of Descent that he wants nopony else to see, but he clearly needs
7773744
media.giphy.com/media/bCf7FxSUw9XP2/giphy.gif
7773802
"Bat Guard things"
That made me laugh and i don't know why
7773819
cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder517/50037517.jpg
7773882
ONE BEEEG HAAPPPY FAAAAAMLY!
7773883
s15.postimg.org/5ksvjxw7f/Calmroy_was_here.png
7774073
Starry just wants to be helpful it seems... but has too much pride to be 'sappy' and 'caring' (at least that's what she would probably say
)
7774132
MY DEFENTH ITH INPREGNABLE... AH WILL EAT HITH CHILDREN...
7774349
Starry needs some friendship lessons!
Me? Foreshadowing?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
7774968
Attack of the pull doors!!!!!!!!!!!
NO ONE IS SAFE!
7775205
I'm just a master troll and it's glorious
the feels......
7775782 And, Knighty, here I prove my point. The feels are real but they at least dont make me cry...
Too much anyways
And, by the way, I'll still be reaching for my goal to write your minimum (of which I have concluded it to be 10 000 words) before I take over the world, and let potatos rule the clouds
ALMOST HALF WAY! WHOOOOOP!
7775795
POTATO INVASION!!!!!
2.bp.blogspot.com/-YhOmXgoM4J4/TZGF8tMAbqI/AAAAAAAAEnE/CEgZhoFy08I/s1600/potatoes-destroy-car.jpg
7775824 YES! AND WE WILL RULE THE CLOUDS AND EARTH AND HOUSES AND MORE THINGS! WE. WILL. TAKE. OVER!!!
7775753 Because it is Fleetfoot...
7775773 encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS3z4QUc3Uk4mEZv4vFY1UkePCbJSsUuIHL4ZfeS_9O5he3z7LavQ
7775763 At least he's willing to let his son see it.