//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 // Story: Wings for a Pony // by Brawney Hooves //------------------------------// Day 4: The Last Day Part 2 Clay sat under a tree crying his eyes out as he felt his chest tighten. His trust in his mother had been shaken to its core. He didn’t know what to think anymore. As Clay sobbed he heard a soft thud and looked up. The noise had been caused by Firefly. “Mind if I sit with you?” Clay shrugged as Firefly sat next to him. “Clay…I know you feel betrayed. But don’t you think you overreacted a little?” “You mean like you did?” Clay muttered. “Fair enough. But…you know you really hurt her Clay. She’s back there crying her eyes out because she thinks you don’t love her anymore.” Clay looked at her startled. “Of course I still love her. I just…I just don’t know if she loves me. How can I trust her if she kept the one thing that I wanted hidden from me?” Firefly rolled her eyes. “For pony sake Clay she raised you and gave you a home of course she loves you! There are foals out there that are stuck in an orphanage because they don’t have a mom and dad to love them. If she didn’t want you she would have just dropped you off there.” Clay looked at her silently. “I…I guess I never thought of it that way.” Firefly placed a hoof on his shoulder. “And I’m sure that whatever reasons she didn’t tell you about the spell. She did it to make sure you didn’t get hurt.” Clay looked back at her “You know while were gone all she talked about was how proud she was of you for having the guts to make your dream come true. She was so happy.” “She…she was?” Firefly nodded. “I’ve only known her for a few hours, but even I can tell that she loves you Clay. You’re very lucky to have a mom like her.” Clay looked to the ground and then put his face in his hooves. “Oh, Celestia what have I done? She must hate me.” “She doesn’t hate you Clay…but her hearts broken. And you need to do something before it gets worse.” Clay lowered his hooves. “I…I don’t know. My mom isn’t the most forgiving pony. What if she hates me forever because of those things I said?” Firefly smiled. “You’re her son of coarse she’ll forgive you.” Clay lowered his head. “I’m not her son…” A tear slid down his face. Firefly’s expression saddened as she tried to think of something comforting to say. “Even if she doesn’t…you still have me.” She placed her hoof on his. Clay smiled slightly when suddenly his ears perked up. “Do you hear something?” “Like what?” She asked. “Like a voice.” Firefly perked up her ears and listened. As she did she heard a muffled shout. “I do hear a voice.” Clay and Firefly flew into the air and searched for the sound. Eventually they heard it more clearly. “Help! Somepony help!” Clay’s heart dropped. “Sweet Celestia that’s Dinky!” Clay bolted towards her voice and Firefly followed. As Clay and Firefly drew closer they saw that Dinky had been cornered by a large timber wolf that looked at her with hungry eyes. Without even stopping to think Clay charged in at full speed and rammed right into the beasts side. “Clay? What are doing here?” Dinky shouted. “We came to rescue you now get out of here!” “We?” Dinky looked and saw Firefly above her. “Dinky take my hoof!” Firefly reached for Dinky and began pulling her on top of the wall. Clay seeing that they were safe left the wolf and flew up to them. “Thank you Clay and Firefly. I thought I was a goner.” Clay smiled. “I’d never leave a friend hanging.” Dinky hugged Clay tightly. The rescue was short lived however when the timber wolf started climbing the wall. “Run!” Clay shouted as the wolf poked its head up. The three ponies ran as fast as they could with the timber wolf hot on their trail. After what felt like hours they ran into a dead end the path cut off by a raging sea below the cliff they stood on. “What do we do now?” Dinky asked frantic. “I have a plan, but you have to do what I tell you.” They both nodded as the wolf emerged and bared its teeth “On three jump out of the way.” The wolf dug at the ground. “One…Two…” The wolf charged snarling at them “Three!” They jumped in unison and the wolf missed Clay and tumbled off the cliff. The wolf managed to grab the edge and was trying to climb back up, but the ground broke and it brought the wolf and Dinky tumbling into the sea. “Dinky!” Clay screamed his heart leaping in his throat. Clay flew in after her as fast as his wings would go trying with all his might to reach her before she hit the water. Clay could see the terror in her face before he flapped harder and reached a hoof out for her. For a spilt second time stood still and then…contact. Clay grabbed Dinky’s hoof and hung her in the air as they watched the wolf splash in the crashing waves. Clay began flying back up and carefully placed her on solid ground. As Clay also landed Dinky hugged him tightly crying tears of joy. “Thank you Clay…I…I couldn’t ask for a better friend than you.” “Same here.” Clay whispered as he hugged her back. Dinky then let go and turned to Firefly. “Thank you Firefly for pulling me to safety.” “Hey you needed help. And if you’re a friend of Clays than you’re a friend of mine.” Firefly and Dinky bumped hooves giggling slightly and then turned to face Clay. “Man Clay that was some awesome flying! I’ve never seen a pony fly so fast!” Firefly said gleefully. “I have to admit you did look pretty cool Clay.” Dinky chimed in. “Thanks, but I’m just glad you’re safe Dinky.” As they smiled at each other Clay began to squirm. “Whats up with you?” Firefly asked. “I…my back feel’s weird.” Clay grunted as he twisted his body. At that moment Clay splayed his wings and Firefly and Dinky gasped “What is it?” Clay asked worried. “Clay your…your wings are glowing!” Dinky said alarmed. Clay looked at his back and sure enough they were giving a faint glow. “What’s going on…why are they doing that?” Firefly asked. Clay looked at the position of the sun and his heart sank. “Oh no…” Clay whispered. “Clay what’s wrong?” Firefly asked. Clay looked back to his wings which were still glowing. Then he looked back to Firefly and Dinky and they saw that his face was streaming with tears. “Clay…” Dinky said quietly. Clay took several shallow breaths before answering. “It’s over.” He whispered sadly. As they watched Clays wings glowed brighter almost blinding them. Clay stood where he was and shut his eyes as he continued to sob. His wings glowed brighter still giving off sun like rays. They kept growing brighter and brighter until they began to disintegrate before their eyes. Golden dust flowed in the breeze as the wings began to disappear until finally they were completely gone. Firefly and Dinky looked at Clay as he turned his head and saw that his back was blank once more officially making him an earth pony again. They approached him looking sympathetic. Clay hung his head and allowed his tears to fall. He knew that his dream was now over. “Clay…It…it’ll be okay.” Dinky said kindly. Clay fell back on his back legs and continued to stare at the ground through tear filled eyes. “How can you love me now Firefly?” He choked out. As he wept Firefly stepped in front of Clay and lifted his head with her hooves staring into his eyes. Then she slowly brought her face close to his and gave him a soft loving kiss on the lips before parting them. Clay looked at her surprised. “I still love you Clay.” She whispered with tears in her eyes. She then brought him into a tight hug. When she finished Clay stood back up. “Are you okay?” Dinky asked. “No…no I’m not okay.” Clay sobbed. “Is there anything we can do?” Firefly offered. “Just…just don’t talk about it right now.” Clay said sadly. They nodded in agreement. Dinky and Firefly started walking, but Clay stayed behind. He looked to the sky and saw two birds a mother and its baby learning to fly. Clay sighed and looked back to the ground when something caught his eye. He approached a shiny object in the grass and picked it up. As he did he saw that it was a yellow feather and he recognized it as his. It was the only proof that he ever had wings at all. He watched it sway in the wind giving off a brilliant shine in the sun’s rays. He scoffed and was about to let it blow in the breeze when something compelled him to hold on to it. He tucked it behind his right ear and began trotting to Dinky and Firefly slowly and sadly.