//------------------------------//
// Life 
// Story: The Last One 
// by computerneek 
//------------------------------//

It’s been a few months since the sisters, her adopted parents, took her in.  That night, so long ago, they had told Sergeant Cloudspear about what she remembered of her past.

Those words, the ones that triggered that reaction, that meant terrible was coming, had not been specified.

As a matter of fact, later that same day, Flitter had worried that, if she could chance upon them, so could somepony else.  She’d asked if there was any way to keep her from hearing them.

The answer had been no.

However, she had realized that it wasn’t the words themselves that had meant terrible was coming- it was their meaning.  Whatever meaning that is still escapes her, but it’s not the literal meaning of the words.

So Flitter had asked if it was something they could change, after giving her a confused look.

That answer was a yes.  That meaning could be reassigned to a new phrase.  But, Flitter’d have to say the first one out loud to make it possible.

So they’d done that.  She’d closed her eyes and listened while Flitter recited those terrible words, then recited the other words she’d remembered that make such a change possible.  They weren’t Equestrian, so she has no clue what their real meaning was, but she had been able to recite them.  Then she’d listened while Flitter came up with her new…  phrase.  It was actually quite a bit more than that, but she wasn’t complaining; the chances that somepony would randomly come across it are simply so small.  She’s pretty sure Flitter was making it up on the spot.  After all…


“Phrase to be evil to be the ponyfeathers on a horn of a pineapple on a house in a cloud on a hoof in a blue cream plus six nine seven um dash apple road tree pegasus bash bang boom ka-plow erm dish of the century anypony that can say this in one breath must have really deep lungs um crash pow um pew crash ding dong I don’t know pegasus hooffalls and a butterfly.  Three.”


Complete with all the ums and erms, to boot.  Changing it hasn’t reversed the effect of the first time she heard it- but it has made sure that it should just about never happen again.

That was cold comfort, but Flitter had also promised to protect her against the terrible, no matter what.

She’d then pointed out that the protection was likely to actually go the other way, since she is so much stronger and knows how to use her horn, while Flitter doesn’t either.

But the solution to that had been fairly simple.  In the privacy of their home, she’s been teaching both sisters how to use their horns.  The strength difference is not something they could solve; as a matter of fact, they didn’t believe her, until she demonstrated by crumpling a solid bar of cloudsteel Flutter had made like so much tinfoil.  She hadn’t understood the comparison at the time but, while Flutter stared uncomprehendingly at the crumpled cloud- it had resisted a little, she thought- Flitter had explained.

Flutter works in the weather factory-factory.  As in, the factory that makes weather factories for delivery to new locations across the nation.  They make them out of various materials, but some of the core components they make out of a very solid, very difficult to produce material called Cloudsteel.  To qualify, it has to be at least as tough as standard steel- and most pegasi simply aren’t strong enough to produce it.  It’s not a simple matter of magic strength, or a pony like Rainbow Dash could turn it out by the ton- no, it’s a different facet of their pegasus magic.

Flutter just doesn’t- well, didn’t- have the thaumic strength to be a Wonderbolt, or even to try to be one.  What she did- and still does- have is an enormous potential on that different facet; stronger, even, than any other pony anypony’s ever seen.  Because of that, the Cloudsteel she produces is dozens of times tougher than that which other ponies produce.  Her Cloudsteel is at least a hundred times tougher than regular steel- and it’s so tough even earth ponies and unicorns will crash into it as if it were standard steel.

And she had simply crumpled a solid bar of it as if it were nothing.  Even with her newfound Alicorn strength, Flitter can’t bend such a bar of even her own Cloudsteel- and she’s only barely strong enough, in that facet, to make the stuff.

Well…  She used to be only barely strong enough.  As it turns out, the ascension has magnified that ability as well, making them both top-tier Cloudsteel producers.  Not that Flitter works at that factory; no, she works in the Cloudsdale weather factory, delivering the gentle rains and shines needed to maintain the Unicorn Plains below.  And, of course, the occasional storm.

She herself has gone to Cloudsdale Elementary.  She already knows much of what they teach, and she was able to glean the rest from the books before her first class; however, both Flitter and Flutter had told her she needed the experience- that she could benefit from making friends.

So she’d done that.  She hadn’t touted her apparently unusual mind, with her perfect recall and apparently lightning fast thoughts.  She’d never bragged about her grades, never mentioned her abilities.  Never showed off.

Yet as much as her teachers all love her, none of the other colts and fillies want to come anywhere close.  Not that they’re afraid of her- they just…  don’t fit.  She thinks it’s some false impression of intimidation; she doesn’t flaunt any of her abilities herself, but her teachers like bragging about how good she is.  She’s even contemplated answering incorrectly on purpose just to get them to shut up, but Flitter had told her to do her best, so that’s what she did.  There hasn’t been a single point offered, bonus or otherwise, in any of her classes, that she hasn’t gotten.

Flitter had been impressed when she found out; Flutter had, after a few seconds of silence, gone to fetch her bit bag, having lost a bet that nothing more could surprise her.

She’d even received an invitation for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.  Of course, they’d written back- she’s a pegasus, not a unicorn or something.  The School had simply returned that they were starting new pegasus and earth pony programs, and that she was invited to be part of that.

Nopony is yet sure how to react to that news, so she hadn’t accepted the invitation just yet- even though that’s the result she expects.

And, though she’s never voiced those expectations, she’s only very rarely revised them- or been wrong.  One of those errors had happened fairly quickly.  She’d quickly lost the adopted daughter status in the family; rather, the two mares started referring to her as their sister.  They’d been surprised, but happy, when she returned the favor.

Now, though, they’ve heard of some dangerous creature traveling across Equestria, taking out cities and towns as it goes.  Word is that the Element Bearers of Harmony themselves are aware of the threat- but have been instructed to stay in Ponyville.

And this creature has, reportedly, already attacked- and defeated- the Wonderbolts, and entire armies of Royal Guards.

So she and her sisters are traveling to Ponyville, as that’s where just about every threat seems to end.

She can’t shake the feeling that a lot of threats ended with her specifically, rather than with a party of ponies and gemstone necklaces.  And she suspects that this one might end with her as well.  She’s not sure, though- so she’s not making an expectation for that much detail just yet.  At this point, she just expects exactly what her sisters expect:  This threat will be stopped in or near Ponyville.