//------------------------------// // 2 - New Life // Story: Soaring on Little Wings // by tom117z //------------------------------// Cloudsdale Two pegasi were walking along happily together, the male having his wing draped along the female’s back. Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles were happy as can be, just enjoying one another’s company as they walked away from the restaurant where they had only recently been eating a meal together. Anypony could tell the two were happily married, a marriage that had lasted ever since they were both in their early twenties with their daughter being conceived on the wedding night. Rainbow Dash, who twenty years later was still the pride of her two doting parents. Their daughter was practically a national icon, having become the bearer of the Element of Loyalty four years earlier and was now both a member of the Wonderbolts and sat within the inner circle of one of the four ruling princesses of Equestria. Of course, they didn’t actually know about the Wonderbolt part until a few weeks prior when a little filly named Scootaloo revealed that fact after literally crashing through their lawn. After the family drama that has arisen from that little incident, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had returned to Ponyville while the two proudest parents in Equestria were able to enjoy a little peace and quiet together. “So, what do you want to do when we get home?” Windy Whistles asked her husband, a suggestive look on her face. A look he missed completely. “Huh, now that you mention it I was thinking of renovating the trophy room. What do you think about adding confetti to the door?” Windy rolled her eyes. “I’m not cleaning that up every time you go in there. Which is every single day.” “Well, if you have any suggestions I’m all ears?” “Maybe we should ask Scootaloo, she seems to have a few bright ideas when it comes to our little Dashie,” she suggested. “She did like the room after all.” “We can send her a letter,” Bow agreed. “Or maybe a visit is in order, we can drop in on Rainbow while we’re there. We haven’t interacted much with those friends of hers, we only saw them in passing at the Princess’ Hearthswarming party.” Windy Whistles’ face lit up. “Oh, what a great idea! It was such an experience being in that castle, and maybe we can see Dashie’s throne even!” Bow blinked. “Dash has a throne?” “That’s what I heard, apparently all the Element Bearers do.” “OK, we have to get a picture of it to add to the collection!” Bow stated enthusiastically. “Preferably with Rainbow Dash sitting in it. You know, it adds to the-” Windy Whistles stuffed a hoof into her husband’s mouth without warning, a confused expression crossed his features that only increased when he saw his wife’s ears standing on end. “Do you hear that?” Bow’s response was muffled. “Oh, sorry!” Windy apologised, removing the hoof. “Thank you,” Bow Hothoof deadpanned. “And no, what is it?” “Listen Bow, doesn’t that sound like crying to you?” Bow strained his ears, and he finally heard the very faint sound of what seemed to be a baby’s cries. “Yeah… I do. Where is that coming from?” “Down there I think,” Windy stated, gesturing towards an alleyway a little ways up the street. “Let’s go!” Windy led the way, with her husband hurriedly following behind her. When they reached the alleyway the solid architecture of the street gave way to simple cloud that was only traversable due to the two pegasi’s innate magic abilities, abilities which unicorns and earth ponies lacked without the proper enchantments. The alleyway led on straight ahead for a ways before suddenly having a left turn. When the couple reached said turn, they were then faced with another straight stretch that led to an eventual right turn that likely led back out into an opposing street. They didn’t need to go that far however, the distressed cries were extremely audible now and the source of those cries was within sight. “Is that… a cardboard box?” Bow Hothoof asked. “A normal cardboard box… on cloud?” “It must be enchanted,” Windy Whistles noted. “A unicorn must have left it or something.” The two gingerly approached the box one cautious step at a time. When they reached it they found it was already open to the sky, and the contents were exactly what they expected them to be due to the constant crying. A little blue pegasus filly tucked in a blue blanket of a similar shade to her coat. She had a very light brown mane and tail and dark blue eyes that bounced around erratically, as if trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Her entire form shivered in fear that was only added to the constant terrified wailing filling the air, her tiny little wings twitching every few moments. “What in Celestia’s…?” Windy Whistles mumbled to herself in shocked and appalled disbelief. “Who would leave such a defenceless little filly here like this?” “Is she alright?” Bow asked, concern dominating his voice. Gently and with great care, Windy Whistles picked the filly up and let her rest in her right foreleg. The filly seemed to notice the two ponies for the first time, her cries dying away with a final hiccup. Her red puffed up eyes met Windy’s, the filly continuing to tremble in fear. “Hey there little one,” Windy cooed. “There’s no need to be scared, you’re safe. We’re going to get you help, OK?” The filly hiccupped again, then proceeding to bury her head in Windy’s chest while emitting a few shy whimpers. “She’s terrified…” Windy noted. “She must not have the faintest idea where she is, the poor little thing.” “We’ve got to take her to the authorities, honey,” Bow stated. “They should be able to find out who she is.” “And what? Let the parents who abandoned her do it again?” “I don’t think they would get custody, you know that,” Bow pointed out. “But we can find out who she is, and make sure she is placed somewhere safe.” “Somewhere safe?” Windy mumbled, looking down on the little timid filly with mothering eyes. “Alright… But in the meantime I’m not calling her ‘the baby’ or something. Even if it’s temporary, we need a name.” “Well… how about Little Wing?” Bow suggested. “Just until we find out her real one.” Windy chuckled lightly, still holding onto the filly protectively. “Alright. Let’s get her out of this place.” Later that day After the two strange pony things had found her, the former human turned filly had fallen asleep. Before that however, she had heard them give her the name ‘Little Wing’. It’s not like she had any great attachment to her old name, but it was still weird. Weirder still, she could understand them. She hadn’t really thought about it during her encounter with Penumbra, only then considering it as sleep enclosed around her. She guessed that Penumbra might have something to do with it, but did not have long to contemplate it amidst incoming sleep and an already taxed mental state. When she had next awoken, she appeared to be in a rather official looking building with yet more ponies surrounding her along with the first two. As her eyes slowly opened, she noted she was on a small bed that seemed to have been wheeled in while what appeared to be a doctor of sorts looked her over. Over by the two who found her, two other pegasi in armour were questioning them about how they found Little Wing. “So, she was just in a box down some alleyway?” one of the guards asked. “Mrs Windy Whistles and Mr Bow Hothoof, are you sure you didn’t see anypony else?” “Nopony,” Windy Whistles stated. “She was alone.” “Excuse me,” the doctor spoke out towards the others. “She has woken up.” Windy gasped, and rushed towards the bed with the other walking more calmly behind her. Little Wing looked up towards the blue mare, seeing nothing but care in her eyes. It was a look she was not used to receiving. “Are you OK, sweetie?” Windy asked, obviously not receiving a reply. “The doc says you’re alright, so we’re just going to find out who you are now.” “About that,” one of the guards spoke up, having just been spoken to by a third arriving guard. “According to the doc here the filly is about a week old, and we’ve just been going over all births in Cloudsdale over the past week.” “And?” Bow Hothoof enquired. “Nothing. No foal born in the past week match this filly’s exact description.” “She could have been brought in from outside Cloudsdale,” the pony doctor suggested. “They did say they found her in an enchanted cardboard box.” “We’d have to do some extra digging,” the guard stated. “But it’s also possible the filly was born outside the hospital and hasn’t got any official birth certificate or any other documentation.” “So, what happens to her?” “In all likelihood, she may very well be sent to an orphanage,” the guard admitted. On hearing that word, Little Wing’s heart sank and she curled up slightly while emitting another whimper. She didn’t want to start her second life without any parents, she wanted a home and a mother and father who loved her. She didn’t want to be alone again. Windy’s eyes widened. “Orphanage!? Bow, we can’t let this poor little foal be thrown in there! It’s not right!” Bow sighed. “I know honey, but what can we do?” “I… I…” Windy drooped, glancing back towards Little Wing. The filly met her gaze, which was almost pleading to the mare for help. She saw terror mixed in with a distant longing, and perhaps just a little bit of hope. The mare felt a lump form in her throat; she just couldn’t do it, she just couldn’t leave this filly’s fate in the hooves of anypony else. “She’s completely healthy,” the doctor stated to the guards. “You can take her whenever.” “No,” Windy Whistles commanded. “If her only other option is an orphanage, to be alone, then we will make sure that does not happen. We’ll look after her.” “Honey?” Bow Hothoof called out in surprise. “Y-you really want that?” Little Wing suddenly found herself being brought up into Windy Whistle’s grasp one more, the mare walking right up to her husband and presenting the filly to him. “Look at her, Bow!” Windy stated desperately. “She’s so tiny and vulnerable, and yet so beautiful. We have to do this, and I’m more than capable of raising another child thank you very much!” “I-I know but… you know, it’s just so sudden,” Bow stated. “But if it’s what you want, I’m in.” One of the guards hummed. “You’re Rainbow Dash’s parents, right?” Windy nodded. “Yes, that’s right.” The guard nodded. “Well then, I will need to clear it with the higher ups but I think it will be allowed. I think the fact your daughter’s so close to Princess Twilight Sparkle will add some weight to your request.” Little Wing let out a small and unnoticed sigh of relief. She was still terrified beyond all belief, but it was a start. Though, what was that about their daughter being close to a princess? Bow and Windy’s Home They had been stuck for a few more hours, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof having to sign one form after the next before they allowed Little Wing into their custody. However, the guard had been correct and it all turned out fine in the end. When they were finally able to leave, Windy Whistle gently deposited Little Wing onto her back where the filly found a surprisingly comfortable spot between her wings to curl up. The whole trip she laid staring into space, she had received more affection the past day that she had in thirteen years. She didn’t quite know what to make of it all. The journey did give her ample time to finally process everything that was happening at long last. Her death and subsequent resurrection, and not only was she now a Pegasus but she was also an infant Pegasus. She was so small and helpless, she couldn’t even walk or talk. She had tried both. She half expected to nod off again and wake up back where she started, only time would tell. The sun was dipping below the horizon when Little Wing set eyes on her new home for the first time. It was larger than her old house, and far more beautiful. “Here we are dear,” Windy said happily as she walked in through the front door, switching on the lights as she went. Everything was so bright, so clean and tidy. Little Wing was beyond mesmerised by the sight. Windy brought her from the hallway and into the living room, several comfy looking seats were spread about and there was a fireplace with three decorative plates with sun motifs sitting on the mantle. It was also then her stomach rumbled. “Oh, you haven’t eaten yet have you?” Windy Whistles realised. “You sure you’re up to that honey?” Bow Hothoof asked, entering the living room as well. Little Wing was confused as to what he meant by that. “It’s not like we have any bottles lying around the house. Besides, I know how to do it.” “Well, alright,” Bow conceded. “I’m going to set up Dashie’s old cot, and get out the nappies we never used on Dash.” Little Wing blinked. Nappies? She was an infant true, but she didn’t like the idea of wearing one of those. She didn’t have time to dwell on that however, as she found out exactly how she was to be fed. She really should have seen that coming, especially since they had to stop off at the hospital on the way home so Windy could receive, as the filly had overheard, a spell to reactivate a specific hormone, though at the time Little Wing didn't really understand what was happening in the least. She was initially repulsed by the very idea of it, but however much she resisted a mix of hunger, Windy’s encouragement and emerging infant instincts soon put an end to any and all rebellion. When all was said and done, it was as if all of what little energy she had left had completely dissipated. With a yawn and a fluff of her tiny little wings she found herself curling up under Windy Whistles’ protective wing, slowly dosing off back to sleep. “It’s all set,” Bow stated as he returned with a nappy in hoof. “You all done here?” “Yes,” Windy stated with a motherly smile. “She’s completely shattered. Let’s put her in the nappy and then right off to bed.” “No arguments from me,” Bow replied as he lifted a stirring Little Wing away from his reluctant wife. “Now, let’s see if I remember how to do this…” He did, as it turned out. And once the nappy was on he gently picked up the foal and, with his wife at his side, slowly made his way up the stairs towards Rainbow Dash’s old bedroom. There Dash’s foalhood crib had been set up, the mobile depicting the era’s Wonderbolt team flying around in circles. Little Wing was still only half asleep when he placed her into the crib, both ponies kissing her on the forehead goodnight. They too seemed to be a little tired, the day’s events being so eventful and so sudden, they needed almost as much time to process it as Little Wing. Almost. “So, we need to get Rainbow Dash up here ASAP, right?” Bow quietly asked his wife. “We should invite Scootaloo as well, make it a surprise!” Windy eagerly responded, albeit also in a whisper. “And what if they do find her parents?” “They abandoned her, and I’m not letting this little one go without a fight,” Windy stated with a determined expression. “And I can’t wait for Dashie to meet her little sister. And I mean, just look at her…” The mare looked down on her newly adopted daughter, her face one of absolute adoration. Gently, she took her husband’s hoof and led him out of the room. As sleep finally claimed Little Wing in full, she swore she heard one last declaration from Windy Whistles. “Best, sleeper, ever!”