Chapter One - Cloudsdale
In the land of Equestria, in the city of Cloudsdale, lived a young white stallion with a brilliant blue mane. The Pegasus, Fleetfoot, was married to Dewdrop, a pretty light grey Pegasus with a light blue mane. Fleetfoot, as his scroll and quill for a cutie mark suggested, was a scholar. Even though there was a magnificent library in Cloudsdale, Fleetfoot dreamed of studying the knowledge contained in the Canterlot Royal Library.
This brought on tension, however, as Dewdrop wanted nothing more than to be a weather pony. Her specialty was rain and she disliked being on the ground. The tension between them was high, but they stayed together for the unborn foal that Dewdrop carried. It was nigh into Dewdrop's final term that the fights began.
A week before his child was due; Fleetfoot was happily trotted home from his job at the library. He had finished translating a scroll written in one of the ancient languages, and was thus feeling quite proud of himself. As he neared his cloud home, he saw that the flag on the mailbox was up. Looking in the cloud mailbox he pulled out a letter from Manehatten University. Curiously he opened it up as he entered the front door.
Fleetfoot of Cloudsdale,
It is with great pleasure that I write to you. Word of your accomplishments with ancient languages has reached our ears. Recently a faculty staff has opened up in our languages department. The entire faculty here at Manehatten University would be honored to have you as our newest Professor of Ancient Languages. We would be happy to provide lodgings for a few days if you would like to visit. Please reply promptly.
Signed,
Feather Scroll
Headmaster
Manehatten University
Manehatten
Fleetfoot's mouth dropped open, this was the biggest opportunity he'd ever had. Unable to believe it, he read the letter over three times.
"What's that?" Dewdrop asked, as she walked in from the kitchen.
"I got invited to be a faculty at Manehatten University," Fleetfoot said, his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.
Dewdrop frowned, staring at her husband.
"I presume that you will turn them down," she stated flatly.
"What?" Fleetfoot looked up at her confused.
"We are not moving to Manehatten," Dewdrop's frown had deepened and her ears were slightly back.
"But this opportunity is amazing."
"We are not moving," Dewdrop hissed, her voice filled with poison.
"Do you not care about what I want?" Fleetfoot snapped at his pregnant wife.
"If you care so much about this Manehatten University then why don't you just go there alone," Dewdrop spat.
Fleetfoot stepped back in shock, his mouth hanging open. When he first met his wife they had instantly become good friends. She was much more brash than he, with a temper that occasionally would flare up.
Dewdrop shot another glare at the speechless stallion before heading back towards the kitchen to finish making dinner.
With great sorrow, Fleetfoot took up a pen and scroll and wrote back to Feathered Scroll expressing that he unfortunately was unable to accept the position. As Fleetfoot sealed up his letter, he sighed with regret. Never had he imagined that marriage would be one of the worst things to happen to hi.
The next five days passed without major incidents, just the small fights that were normal. Midday a messenger pony in a real hurry came to Fleetfoot in the library. The black Pegasus stood panting as he tried to get his message out.
"Your wife," the Pegasus took a deep breath, "she's going into…"
"Dewdrop is going into labor?" Fleetfoot interrupted the messenger.
The black Pegasus barely had time to nod his head before Fleetfoot was racing by him. Flying full speed, Fleetfoot boomed towards the hospital.
"My wife is in labor," Fleetfoot said quickly.
"Cutie mark and name?" The receptionist looked at him over her glasses.
"Dewdrop and her cutie mark is a raindrop."
Checking the records, the receptionist directed him to room 245. Without even pausing to say thank you, Fleetfoot raced up to the second floor. As he entered the room that contained his wife, Fleetfoot saw a site that caused him to freeze. His wife was lying in the bed holding a little foal. Fleetfoot had come as fast as he could, but his son had apparently been exceptionally eager to meet the world.
Dewdrop looked up at the sound of hooves. As she saw her husband she smiled. For the first time in months she looked at him with love in her eyes.
"His name is Lightfoot," Dewdrop said quietly.
Fleetfoot approached the hospital bed, reaching his muzzle out to sniff the young foal. The little grey foal had a bright blue mane. As Fleetfoot touched his nose to Lightfoot's forehead, the young Pegasus opened up his brilliant blue eyes.
"He has your eyes," Fleetfoot commented nuzzling his son.
That day was the happiest day of Fleetfoot's life. As he went home and put his son in his crib, Fleetfoot smiled happily. He may have given up his dream for his wife, but he also gave it up for his son. A son who he loved more than anything.
Over the next few months, Fleetfoot spent the majority of his free time with his dear son. For a while things with Dewdrop were better. Dewdrop didn't yell at him, they didn't have fights. It was pleasant to live with her. Things began to change for the worse when Lightfoot learned to speak. Immediately Fleetfoot recognized the bright mind of his son, the colt asked questions that no other foal his age would ask. Dewdrop obviously didn't want her son to be a scholar like her father.
Things got even worse between Fleetfoot and Dewdrop when Lightfoot learned to read. Rather than spending time with his mother, Lightfoot chose to go to work with his dad almost every day. The Cloudsdale library provided endless entertainment for the young curious colt.
Lightfoot's first memories were from the Cloudsdale library. Lightfoot loved spending time with his father. On one fall day Lightfoot got up and followed his dad to work as usual. While his father got to work translating a scroll, Lightfoot explored the library. He soon found himself at the top of the cloud building in a small room. The room was perfectly round with windows all around. In the center was a pedestal with a single book on it. Of course Lightfoot was curious, so he carefully raised himself up on his rear hooves so he could see the book.
The book was made out of aged parchment and was bound with some sort of leather. The words were in an ancient language that Lightfoot recognized as ancient draconic. Lightfoot could only make out a few words, but what he could scared him. The book spoke of an ancient evil that would be released when the son of a god came of age. Lightfoot instinctively knew that this book was evil. Scrambling quickly he raced out of the room and down to his father.
"Dad," Lightfoot said, pressing up against his father.
"Yes, Lightfoot?" Fleetfoot turned his deep purple eyes on his son.
"There's a scary book at the top of this library," The young colt squeaked out.
Fleetfoot immediately put his ears back
"Don't ever go up there again, do you hear me?" Fleetfoot said sternly.
"Why not?"
"That book is dangerous, it is not for young colt eyes. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Father," Lightfoot put his head down.
"Go outside, Lightfoot. I'll see you at home tonight," Fleetfoot returned to his studies.
Unsure what to do, Lightfoot headed out of the library. He rarely walked around Cloudsdale by himself. Soon he found himself on a cloud at the edge of Cloudsdale. Staring at a cloud not far from him, Lightfoot flapped his wings hard. Fleetfoot had started working with him on flying not a week prior. Lightfoot cautiously fluttered up into the air and made it to the cloud. Grinning, he curled up and watched the clouds go by.
Before he knew it, the sun was near setting. Lightfoot stood and stretched his wings. His father and mother would be worried about him if he didn't go home soon. Fluttering back to Cloudsdale, Lightfoot proudly landed. It was only then that he noticed a small yellow filly watching him from behind her flowing pink mane.
"Hi!" Lightfoot said, trotting over to her, "I'm Lightfoot."
"H-h-hi," The young filly stuttered, putting her head down.
"What's your name?" The curious colt asked.
"Fluttershy," she spoke so quietly that Lightfoot almost couldn't hear her.
Realizing that the filly was extremely shy, Lightfoot tried to think of a way to make her more comfortable.
"Do you ever read, Fluttershy?" Lightfoot asked kindly.
The filly nodded her head slightly, but didn't say anything.
"My dad works at the library, come on I can show you around."
As the two foals walked through Cloudsdale, Fluttershy began to warm up to Lightfoot. On their way to the library Lightfoot found that he and Fluttershy had much in common. They both loved reading and neither of them had many friends.
After that fateful day, Lightfoot and Fluttershy spent practically every waking moment together. Before school started Fluttershy had a growth spurt leaving her standing taller than all the other foals. Her long gangly body and oversized wings were not good for flying. Rather than attend school with the other foals Lightfoot was taught by a private tutor at the library. It was in the afternoon of one day after Lightfoot was done with his lessons that Lightfoot was headed to meet Fluttershy. The two would meet up at the playground outside of the school every day. As Lightfoot entered the playground he spotted a group of foals. At first he thought that they were friends of Fluttershy's, until he heard what they were saying.
"See you later, Klutzershy," One particularly large Pegasus said as he pushed past Lightfoot.
"What was that about, Fluttershy?" Lightfoot asked, glaring after the foals.
"N-nothing," Fluttershy looked away, pressing her wings against her back.
Lightfoot surveyed the filly, fully knowing that it wasn't nothing. Rather than press her, Lightfoot stared after the bullies wondering what to do. That night, Lightfoot told his father what had happened and asked him for advice. Fleetfoot told him to do what the characters in his favorite book would do. Though Lightfoot was smaller than the bullies, he didn't ever want to see Fluttershy looking that sad again. The next day he went to the playground determined to stand up for his friend. As he approached the playground he saw that a few Pegasi were lined up to race. One filly stood out with her rainbow mane and tail. As they took off, Lightfoot saw Fluttershy get knocked off the cloud. The next thing he knew a giant boom was heard and a large rainbow was visible. Standing agape, Lightfoot shook his head remembering that Fluttershy had been knocked off the cloud. Darting to the edge of a cloud, Lightfoot stared down but couldn't see his friend.
Panicking, Lightfoot darted back and forth before eventually leaping off the cloud. As he tumbled down he forced his wings out to catch himself. Lightfoot managed to land on a cloud not far below Cloudsdale. Swallowing his fears he continued to cloud hop and fly down towards the earth far below. Afraid of what he'd find, Lightfoot carefully flew the final hundred feet. With no sign of Fluttershy, he flew over the trees carefully looking for any sign of an injured yellow filly. When he did find her, Lightfoot let out a giant breath in relief.
Fluttershy was trotting through the forest with an enterouge of animals. Seeing her like that caused Lightfoot to forget his insecurities with flying and just hover there. His friend looked at home, she looked happy. Lightfoot then noticed the cutie mark on her flank; three purple butterflies.
Flapping his wings, Lightfoot left Fluttershy in peace. He knew that this moment was special to her. As he landed back at Cloudsdale he saw the cyan filly with the rainbow mane and tail surrounded by foals cheering for her. As one of the moved aside, Lightfoot caught glimpse of a shiny new cutie mark on her flank as well.
Fluttershy made it back up to Cloudsdale later that day. She was extremely happy to see Lightfoot. She couldn't stop chattering about the ground below and Lightfoot was just happy to listen to her.
"Hey, you're Fluttershy, right?" Lightfoot and Fluttershy looked up at the filly that had interrupted them.
"Yes," Fluttershy said softly.
"I'm Rainbow Dash, the most amazing flier in all of Equestria," The cyan filly boasted.
Lightfoot narrowed his eyes at the filly's boastful attitude.
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok," the filly continued.
"I am, thank you," Fluttershy smiled at the newcomer.
From that moment onward, Lightfoot, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were inseparable. Aside from his lessons, Lightfoot spent no time in the library. Instead he was off having adventures with his two friends. The three of them spent many hours on the ground below Cloudsdale. Fluttershy wanted to spend time with her new animal friends and Rainbow wanted to learn new flying tricks. Occasionally Lightfoot would fly with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow taught Lightfoot a lot about flying and soon he was accomplishing things that he had never even dreamed of. With practice, Lightfoot found that he was almost as good of a flier as Rainbow, though not quite as fast. The two raced every so often with Rainbow often winning. Occasionally, however, Lightfoot would manage to get the drop on Rainbow.
During the peaceful summer Lightfoot would spend a lot of his time sitting under a tree reading, or watching while Fluttershy played with her animal friends. The days were nice, and Lightfoot was happy. He had long but forgotten of the ancient dangerous book in the Cloudsdale library.
Author's Note: Lightfoot has been in my head as an OC for years. About a month ago he finally convinceed me to start writing his story. I don't know where it is going to go, though I would suspect it will have a hint of fantasy to it. I'm not planning on updating this very regularly, I will try and update once every couple weeks though. It may be slower than that as I am editing the story as I go. I normally don't edit fanfiction (yay being lazy), but this one is getting major edits.
I don't know if I have to put a disclaimer on this site or not, but here it is.
Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony or any of the canon characters, places, things, or events mentioned. The original characters, namely Fleetfoot and Lightfoot, are my own as is the plot.