//------------------------------// // 22 - Silver Breeze // Story: Soaring on Little Wings // by tom117z //------------------------------// Cloudsdale Flight School The next school week started out as normal, Little Wing’s detour to the Wonderbolt Academy quickly becoming but a pleasant memory to add to the sizable collection. The first couple of classes had come and gone, nothing particularly notable about any of them. Little Wing would enter and sit at a desk next to Misty Gust, listen to a teacher drone on for a little while before maybe doing some exercises in their books. They would then be dismissed upon that relieving bell, and wander off to their next class. Rinse and repeat, with the occasional break in between. As was the nature of school life, of course. Every young mare and stallions’ favourite part of the school day was, by and large, the lunch break. Not only was it the longest break of the day, but food was involved! What could have been better? Little Wing had currently reached that point in her school day, and so cantered into the Cloudsdale Flight School’s cafeteria alongside Misty Gust. The line to get to the food counter was predictably long, but it was nothing they weren’t used to doing. So, with that in mind, the duo latched themselves onto the end of the queue and waited their turn patiently. In the meantime, Little Wing and Misty Gust got to chatting amongst themselves. Topics varied from what they planned on picking up from the food counter, talks about the classes they had attended that day to general day-to-day life gossip. Included among these was the fact that one of their regular teachers was soon to go on maternity leave with her foal expected to arrive extremely, to one of the guys in their class buzzing about how he had successfully asked his hopefully soon-to-be marefriend out on a date. Little Wing found that situation adorably amusing, Misty Gust just thought it was rather cute. The line whittled down bit by bit, not counting those who joined on behind Little Wing and Misty Gust, and eventually the two young mares reached the front and collected their food trays. There was a decent enough selection on display, the two looking over their options with telling rumbles coming from their stomachs. Misty Gust elected to place a salad onto her tray with an apple standing to the side. She also made sure to grab an orange juice box before she departed. Little Wing did not go with a salad, rather immediately scooping up the nearest hay burger and a small hoofful of fries, and her juice box was flavoured with apples straight from Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville. “You always go for the apple juice,” Misty noted as they looked for a table to sit down at. “You always go for orange juice,” Little Wing shot back. “So what?” “I don’t always go for orange,” Misty rebuked. “But you do always go for apple, every single time. Just something I noticed.” “I like apples, alright?” Little Wing said defensively. “Especially from Sweet Apple Acres, they do it the best.” They located a spare table at the very corner of the cafeteria, placing down their trays and taking seats behind their respective meals. “I know they’re good, but try and have variety, Wing.” Little Wing snorted. “Of course they’re good! I would hope since they’re literally made by ponies called ‘the Apples’. And once again, so what?” “It’s called your five a day.” “I have five apples a day, at least in some form or another.” Misty rolled her eyes. “Never mind.” “You’re just being overly dramatic,” Little Wing stated. “I can’t wait until my parents let me have that cider that RD is always squawking on about. She loves the stuff.” Misty giggled. “Well, as long as you don’t turn into a raging alcoholic.” Little Wing was the one to roll her eyes this time. “Don’t worry about me. They won’t let me until I’m sixteen anyway.” “Put it on the calendar.” “Yeah… right,” Little Wing said sheepishly, taking a drink from her juice box. Misty gave her a deadpan look. “You already have, haven’t you…?” “Maybe.” “Seriously?” “Rainbow makes them sound REALLY good, okay!?” Misty gave her best friend a coy smile, leaning up against the table. “You’re adorable when flustered, have I ever said that?” Little Wing’s cyan coat turned a nice tomato colour very quickly. “M-Misty! Don’t say things like that!” Now it was Misty’s turn to become bright red, apparently haven spoken without thinking. “Oh, uh… I-I didn’t mean to embarrass you or anything it kind of just slipped out and I don’t actually think you’re adorable even though I kinda do and now I’m rambling and-” “Misty? You remember how breathing is a thing?” Misty decided it was prudent to take Little Wing’s advice, taking in some gulps of sweet beautiful air before calming herself down slightly. “There you go…” Little Wing said with a teasing, vengeful smirk. “Now who is the adorable one? What’d gotten into just then anyway?” Misty was still bright red, tapping the table with one hoof with her food seemingly forgotten about. Little Wing tilted her head in confusion as Misty Gust gawped like a goldfish in an attempt to find some words to say. Just as Little Wing was becoming a little tempted to clip her gently around the ear to bring Misty out of her weird daze, the dark grey pegasus suddenly shot up from her seat and began to back away.” “Yeah, uh… I’ll be back in a minute!” she claimed. “Just need to use the bathroom… Yes, that. Back soon!” Then she had dashed off at alarming speeds, leaving behind a bewildered Little Wing staring at the now abandoned food tray sitting opposite her. “I… guess I’ll look after your food then,” Little Wing muttered to herself. “Well, that conversation went weird fast… I wonder what that was about?” Little Wing stared at her own food with a decreased appetite, before looking back over to the doorway Misty Gust had raced through in her odd retreat from… whatever it was she had been retreating from. And then she saw Silver Breeze. Silver Breeze had been standing by himself, his usual gang nowhere to be found, and had actually been watching Little Wing and Misty Gust from a distance. Little Wing only realised this as he saw him glance through where Misty Gust had exited, and with a stone-like expression exit directly after her. Little Wing blinked. That had to be bad. Very bad. Sneaking one last bite of her hayburger, Little Wing abandoned the table and also raced out through the doorway. When she came out into the hallway, she lost sight of Silver Breeze and Misty Gust among the crowd of ponies heading in and out of the cafeteria. She scanned the area for any sign of either pegasi, but to no avail. “Hey!” Little Wing called out to a random passer-by. “You seen a colt named Silver Breeze pass on through here?” “Silver Breeze?” the other student responded. “Yeah, I think so. He was heading out back in a bit of a rush.” “Out back, thanks a bunch!” Little Wing shouted back at the pagasus, already running off in that general direction the moment she heard it. She ducked and dived through the various ponies in the hallways of the school, getting at least one warning for running along the way. But eventually she was able to make her way to the back of the school and burst through the doors into the open sky. Outside, running along the bare cloud or flying through the clear air, were a great many young pegasi. Many were doing various aerial games to pass away the time until class was to begin again, while others simply talked among their friendship groups to waste the time away. Little Wing had a moment of doubt that she would be able to find Silver Breeze or Misty Gust among such a sizable crowd. Until she looked directly ahead, and saw Silver Breeze bearing down threateningly on the smaller form of Misty Gust. “-saw the way you interacted with her. Who knew you really are marefriends?” Silver Breeze taunted. “You must feel so special, on top of the world like you can get everything you want…” “Go away, Silver!” Misty shouted back. “She’s my friend, that’s it!” Silver Breeze snorted. “Oh, I see now. You like her, but she doesn’t even notice you! Pfft, that’s the most pathetic thing in the world! If you can’t even get that dork to notice you then who will?” “Go. Away. Now!” Misty Gust shouted angrily, trying to move past Silver Breeze back towards the building. Only to give a yelp of surprise as she was forcibly pushed to the ground. “You’re not going anywhe-” Silver Breeze’s yelp was even greater as a cyan hoof impacted his face. Silver Breeze was on the ground himself as his senses returned, one hoof held against his cheek as he checked the damage. It was minor, unlikely to even leave a mark, but had been no less surprising and out of nowhere. He shot back to his hooves with a growl and looked towards his attacker, seeing the fuming Little Wing standing in opposition to him. “You can insult, belittle and be a jerk all you want…” Little Wing began to say through clenched teeth. “BUT YOU DON’T TOUCH MY FRIENDS!” “You… just hit me?” Silver Breeze asked in slight disbelief. “You… You punk! There’s no Rainbow Dash around here if you didn’t realise, and now you’re toast!” Little Wing was staring daggers at Silver Breeze, but slowly lowered her aggressively raised wings. “No. Stay away.” Little Wing turned away from Silver Breeze dismissively, moving to help the bewildered Misty Gust up off of the ground. “Don’t be a coward!” Silver Breeze shouted as he charged. Silver Breeze headbutted into the side of Little Wing’s barrel, sending her off her hooves and down onto the floor. The young stallion looked to where Little Wing had dropped and moved forward again, aiming to drive his hooves again into her side. Little Wing rolled to the side desperately, scrambling painfully up to her hooves as tears breached the sides of her eyes. Silver Breeze had fire in his eyes. “You don’t get to run! You don’t get to cry! Just this once, you don’t get everything handed to you on a platter!” By this point all eyes had turned towards the fight, most watching in both curiosity and shock while a few turned tail and ran indoors to collect the closest teacher they could find. Silver Breeze shot forwards again, hoof aimed for Little Wing’s muzzle. Little Wing gave a fearful step backwards and she caught the strike in her own hooves, only for his second forehoof to also be brought up and successfully meet its target. With Little Wing once again on the ground, face bloody, Silver Breeze jumped on top of her to keep her pinned down. “You don’t know what it’s like! But you will!” It was then that Little Wing, through her own bleary eyes, noticed that Silver Breeze had also begun to tear up. This observation was put to one side, however, as she saw his hoof raise up again with wide eyes. “Stop!” Misty shouted desperately, grabbing onto Silver Breeze from behind. With a grunt, Silver Breeze flailed a wing out wildly and caught Misty Gust directly on her muzzle, drawing some blood and knocking her away. Little Wing, enraged by the strike against Misty and given some wiggle room by her actions, was able to buck Silver Breeze off of her and roll back onto her hooves once more. Screw the ground, there was another way she would finish the fight with ease. Little Wing jumped, her wings stretching outwards and propelling her into the sky. “Come on then!” Little Wing shouted angrily. “If you’re so big and tough! Let’s do this like proper pegasi!” Silver Breeze gave a feral growl, wings opening as he met Little Wing’s challenge head on. He flew directly up towards her, blind rage filling his mind over any tactical sense. As he attempted to slam his hooves into Little Wing she did a simple dodge and bucked one of her hind hooves into his barrel. Silver Breeze gave a shout, spinning a little back managing to maintain his control. When he focused again, however, he saw that Little Wing was literally flying circles around him. She was putting her flying session with her elder sister go to good use. Silver Breeze darted ahead, aiming for where Little Wing would be when he made it there. Little Wing had anticipated, and wanted, this however. When Silver Breeze thrashed out with his hooves, Little Wing did a small flip in the air to position herself above him before driving both her hind legs between his two wings. That had done it, and Silver Breeze fell from the short distance they were in the air and back onto the cloud below. Good thing that clouds were inherently soft. That didn’t stop Silver Breeze giving a cry of pain, however. And before he could force himself back up the teenage pony found Little Wing landing on top of him and pinning him in place. Unlike with Little Wing, however, nopony was coming to the young stallion’s aid. Silver Breeze whimpered, tears streaming down his face as he stared up at the fuming features of Little Wing. “Why!?” Little Wing shouted straight into his face. “Why are you like this!? Why have you got to be such a twat!?” “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Silver Breeze asked between sobs. “Go on then! As if you couldn’t make yourself seem any better anyway!” Little Wing started to get her breathing under control, looking at the infamous bully questioningly. “Better? What the hay are you talking about!?” “Don’t act dumb!” Silver Breeze replied. “You just love to have it all! Have everything hoofed over to you free of charge, never knowing what it’s like to be miserable?” Now Little Wing was really confused, not understanding a word of what he was saying. And then she truly looked into his eyes, and she saw it. Misery. Suffering. Sadness. Pain. “I. Don’t. Care,” her mother growled back. “Go entertain yourself. I don’t have time for you.” “You’re not good enough,” her father stated dismissively, returning to his newspaper. “Nobody would care for you out there anyway,” her father stated dismissively. “Unless you do what we say, you’ll always be alone.” Little Wing stepped away from Silver Breeze, the young stallion looking onwards and sitting up uncertainly. He saw the shock and horror on Little Wing’s face, but that was nothing compared to her next question. “Silver, how long have your parents been neglecting you?” Silver Breeze’s eyes widened, his lips trembling. “W-what?” “How long?” she reiterated. Silver sniffed, wiping away from lingering tears as new ones emerged. “You’re not even their flesh and blood, but your parents adore you. They give you everything, you have a family who adores you! Your sister is super famous, and with her you’re practically guaranteed some success in life! Some ponies even think you’re a hero because of how you got your cutie mark… You. Have. EVERYTHING.” The pegasus was doing his best not to hyperventilate, a lifetime’s worth of pent up emotions bubbling up to the surface. “Meanwhile, my folks don’t even know I exist half the time! I don’t remember the last time they gave me a hug, gave me a compliment or… anything! I drag myself to school, but they don’t pay that much interest. I do really well in a test? They just snort and get back to reading the paper! I bet you come home to a cooked meal each and every single day? I have to make my own… and have done since I was a colt!” “Silver…” Little Wing muttered, voice shaking. He took little notice. “They’ve never cared! They never wanted a foal in the first place! I’m just an unfortunate accident! A stain they have to live with! While you, the adopted special little filly, have everything and everypony you could even want or need. You… You and that friend of yours have what I never will. And I HATE you for it! Understand that! I DESPISE you! I-” He was interrupted mid rage by two cyan hooves gently wrapping around his neck, the little pony holding gently onto the weeping pegasus. He sat in silent shock for a moment, but the sheer depression forcing its way down upon him made Silver Breeze relent and bury his muzzle deep into Little Wing’s neck furr. She let him cry his sadness away, just holding him as he did so. Silver Breeze was Little Wing. Or rather, he was Emma. A little glimpse into what could have been, potentially, had events not led the young pegasus to where she was that very day. And she understood him far more than he could ever possibly imagine.