*Two Years Later*
High above the ground, perched on a soft white cloud, were Firefly and Firebolt. Today Firefly was trying once again to teach her son how to fly, for he was now thirteen years old and needed to know the basics of flight if he was going to be a proper pegasus stallion. Bolt on the other hand was not quite as enthusiastic about the idea as he looked to his mother nervously.
“Now remember Bolt, it’s all about control and rhythm, not how fast you can flap your wings,” Firefly said encouragingly as she flapped her wings slowly to show her son the proper technique.
“That’s not what Grandma says,” Bolt retorted.
“Well Grandma isn’t here right now, and I’m the one teaching you, so please pay attention,” she replied, sounding slightly annoyed.
Firefly flapped her wings again and floated away from the cloud, hovering in the air. She slowly turned around to face her son, giving him an encouraging smile.
“All right sweetie, just flap your wings and fly over to me, OK?” Bolt looked down past the cloud, and was greeted by the sight of the green grass below him that seemed to be hundreds of feet down. Bolt gulped and looked back at his mother. “It’s okay sweetheart, I’ll catch you if anything happens.”
“Mom I… I don’t think I can do this!” Bolt shouted, slowly backing away from the cloud’s edge.
“Of course you can. Flying is in your blood Bolt! Both of your grandmothers are fliers, your grandfather is a flier, I’m a flier, so you should be a natural!” Bolt still didn’t look convinced. “Come on Bolt! You don’t want to be like your Aunt Fluttershy and hardly fly at all do you?” Right now Bolt would have given anything to be even at Fluttershy’s level of flying. “Bolt you have to try, please, for Mommy?” she urged sweetly, but Bolt backed away and shook his head.
“I… I… I just can’t do it Mom,” Bolt said shamefully as he sat on the cloud. Firefly let out a sad sigh, but still gave her son a small smile as she floated over to him and picked him up off the cloud before slowly heading for the ground. “I’m sorry Mom,” Bolt whispered, wishing he could disappear at that moment.
“It’s all right. We can try again later,” Firefly said quietly as she set him down on the ground and gave him a small hug.
As they broke the hug they heard the sound of hoofsteps behind them. They looked over to see Clay and Star trotting up to them, obviously heading home themselves. Star had a look of annoyance on her face as she trotted past her mother and brother, which caused Firefly to look at her husband with concern.
“What happened? Did she hurt herself from her first time apple bucking?” she asked, slightly worried.
“No she didn’t hurt herself, but…” Clay looked slightly embarrassed as he saw Star join up with her brother and began to talk about their day. “Well… I was showing her the proper way to buck an apple orchard, and when she tried nothing fell off. So she tried again… and again… and again, until she lost her temper and…” He paused.
“Go on,” Firefly encouraged.
“Well I told her not to use her magic for the work, but she got so frustrated that she levitated the tree, ripped it right out of the ground and shook the apples off!” Clay chuckled slightly as he pictured the image again.
“Oh my!” Firefly said, giggling slightly.
“Well needless to say AJ saw and… well… how should I put this? She told Star to put it down and she did… right on top of AJ.” Clay snickered again.
“Oh my goodness,” Firefly chuckled. “She isn’t hurt is she?”
“Nah, she’s fine. A bit peeved at her niece, but fine.” When they had gotten control of their laughter Clay started again. “How did Bolt’s training go?” Firefly gave him a sad look and shook her head. “He’s still having trouble?” She nodded glumly. “Did he at least get off the cloud this time?” Again she shook her head.
“It’s my fault. I should have trained him sooner, but between my job, and the house work…” She stopped and kicked the ground as she hung her head.
“I thought that between you, Comet and my mom, he would have at least made some progress.” Clay pondered.
“Well maybe if your mother would give him proper advice he would be flying right now,” Firefly grumbled.
“What are you talking about?”
“Apparently Rainbow has been telling Bolt to flap as fast and hard as he can. He’s not ready for that yet; it’s like trying to teach a baby to run before it walks!” Firefly snapped. “And the other day, when I left him with her to go meet with some of my friends, I left her notes about what I had been teaching Bolt so she didn’t go too fast for him. And when I got back I found the note crumpled up on the ground! She must have done it as soon as I left!” Firefly said crossly.
“Well… I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding?” Clay suggested.
“Misunderstanding my hoof! Your mother is totally undermining my authority Clay! How can our son learn to fly when I’m telling him one thing and she’s telling him another!?”
“Look, you have to understand my mother is used to doing things her way. And to her credit she has been flying a lot longer than you.”
“But he’s my son!” Firefly shouted angrily as Clay rubbed his temples.
While their parents bickered, Firebolt and Star were having a conversation of their own.
“So you still can’t fly?” Star asked her brother as he shook his head. “But I thought you were having Grandma and Grandpa teach you? You should be flying circles around me by now!” Bolt looked at his sister with uncertainty.
“Can you keep a secret?” he asked her.
“Of course,” Star replied.
“And you promise you won’t laugh?” Star nodded as Bolt looked around, leaned into his sister’s ear and whispered, “I’m afraid of heights.” Star was silent for a moment before she burst out laughing. “You promised you wouldn’t laugh!” Bolt shouted, cheeks blushing with embarrassment.
“I-I’m sorry!” Star giggled. “B-but whoever h-heard of a pegasus b-being afraid of heights?” She had tears running down her face as she looked at her brother. “S-should I start calling you Flutterbolt?” She broke out into laughter once more.
“It’s not funny! If I can’t fly I’ll never become a real pegasus! I’ll never get to go to Cloudsdale, or join the Wonderbolts, or get a girlfriend! I’ll be the laughing stock of Ponyville, and I’ll have to move to the Everfree Forest just to get away from the laughing! My life will be ruined!” Bolt screamed. “And the worst part is…” he said, sounding as if he was on the verge of tears, “… Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa won’t love me anymore.” Bolt hung his head, allowing large tears to fall from his eyes.
“Wow Bolt, you’re really upset about this!” Star gasped as she saw her little brother’s depression. She sat down next to him and gave him a comforting hug. “I promise you will fly. And I know Mom and Dad would still love you even if you never fly. That goes for Grandma and Grandpa too.” Bolt glanced over at his sister and dried his eyes while he tried to calm himself down.
“T-thanks sis… you always make me feel better.”
The moment finally past, Clay and the others headed for home, ready to forget their failures and just enjoy being together. While they walked home, though, Star began to formulate a plan that would help her brother fly.
Later that day Clay was at home reading the daily newspaper. The house was fairly quiet as Firefly and Firebolt had left to train once again. This time Clay had asked Rainbow to join in the hope that, between his wife’s patience and kindness and his mother’s experience, his son would finally get some flying done. He knew that things were tense between his wife and his mother, but he was running out of ideas, and besides it wasn’t like he could help Bolt fly. So in the meantime Clay decided to relax in the living room with Star, who was lying on the ground reading a comic book called The Ponypuff Fillies; something about three alicorn fillies that flew around saving Equestria before their bedtime or something like that, Clay wasn’t really interested. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of pages being flipped as the two ponies read quietly.
That is until the front door opened with a loud bang, startling both of them as Firefly came storming in with her son tucked under her wing. She kept shushing Bolt, who looked like he had just seen Nightmare Moon in the flesh. Then she turned her attention to Clay with a look of anger on her face.
“Your mother is crazy!” Firefly shouted, still holding her son tightly.
“What else is new?” Clay chuckled, but Firefly didn’t find his response humorous.
“Your mother almost got Bolt killed!”
“What?” Clay was utterly confused, and was only more so when Rainbow came barging in through the front door, causing Firefly to hold Bolt closer.
“Stay the hell away from him!” she hissed at her mother in law.
“I said I was sorry! I didn’t mean for it to go that far!” Rainbow said, looking worried, while Clay was utterly confused.
“Whoa, whoa hold up! Would somepony explain what happened?” Clay said, trying to make sense of what was happening.
“I was trying to show Bolt how to fly and look cool while doing it, but he wouldn’t budge from the cloud.” Clay eyed his mother suspiciously. “Well I figured if he got off the cloud his instincts would kick in and… well, I sort of…”
“She pushed him off the cloud!” Firefly shouted, cutting Rainbow off.
“You what!?” Clay exclaimed, “Mom how could you? He’s not ready for that yet!”
“I know I know it was stupid I’m sorry! I’m really very sorry Bolt, I just thought that…”
“You never think! That’s why you keep crashing and hurting yourself when you try a new stunt!” Firefly said, putting Bolt down and then getting herself between Bolt and Rainbow Dash.
“Well excuse me Miss Perfect, but if I took half as much time as you do with a stunt, we wouldn’t have the awesome payoffs that I deliver!” Rainbow retorted.
“It’s not always about you Rainbow. The Wonderbolts are a team, and that means you take my advice and techniques as well as your own!” Rainbow smirked.
“You’re just jealous because I’m Captain!”
“I’m not jealous… but I’m starting to wonder why Spitfire put you in charge in the first place!”
“Because I’m the one who has the guts to do what nopony else can. Can you do a sonic rainboom?”
“It’s not just about flashy moves and glory Rainbow!” Firefly retorted.
“What, and we should all be softies like you? I’ve never seen a Wonderbolt look as… girly as you are sometimes. Probably from spending all that time in Canterlot with those uptight ponies. When’s the last time you got in a fight with another pony anyway?”
“You want to see a fight? I’ll give you a fight, you tomcoltish , airheaded glory hog!” Firefly was now inches away from Rainbow’s face, looking like they were about to duke it out right then and there. Clay looked down to see Star hiding behind him, looking terrified at what she was seeing. Before things got violent Clay ran up and pushed his wife and mother away from each other.
“Come on, just give me five minutes with her!” Firefly shouted, trying to get at Rainbow.
“Careful princess, don’t want to chip a nail!” Rainbow retorted. “Clay, tell your wife that I’m right.”
“No, tell your mother that I’m right!” Firefly shouted.
“Clay!” shouted Rainbow.
“Clay!” shouted Firefly.
“Would both of you just calm the hell down?!” Clay shouted as loud as he could, making the room shake slightly.
The whole house went quiet as Clay glanced around to see both of his kids huddled next to each other for comfort. Firefly stared at him, looking afraid, and even his mother looked startled by his outburst. None of them had ever seen Clay shout like that before, and even though it had stopped the arguing Clay didn’t like that he had had to yell in order to do it. Finally he took a deep breath and looked to his children. “Kids, why don’t you run up to your room and play while I have a… talk with Mom and Grandma, okay?”
Bolt and Star slowly trotted away from their father and started climbing up the stairs, but while they did Clay heard Star whisper what sounded like, “Mom and Grandma are in trouble.”
Clay waited until he heard their bedroom door close before turning his attention to the two mares in front of him. He shut his eyes, took a deep breath and started to speak when suddenly Rainbow and Firefly both blurted out “It was her fault!”
Clay shot them both a glare that made them fall silent again. “What is wrong with you two? Fighting right in front of your kids and grandchildren! Do you want to set a bad example for them?” They both tried to speak again, but Clay held up a hoof and made direct eye contact with them before speaking in a low, stern tone. “Honey… my mother has been flying and doing stunts before both you and I were even born, so I think it would be fair to say that any advice she gives would be helpful. And as I recall she was the one who offered to train you before you were a Wonderbolt yourself, so I would appreciate it if you treated my mother with some more respect from now on and listen to her.” Firefly slowly nodded her head. Clay then turned his attention to Rainbow, who actually looked slightly fearful of her son.
“Mom… I appreciate you trying to help Bolt fly, but that was a dumb and reckless thing you did. I know you don’t agree with Firefly’s methods all the time, but she is his mother. You helped raise me, and now it’s my turn to help raise my kids. It’s my life, my family, my rules, so unless I ask you for help stop undermining my wife’s authority and if you pull a stunt like that again with my son you’ll be dealing with me… got it?” Rainbow also slowly nodded her head. “Now, both of you make up and say you’re sorry.”
Firefly and Rainbow looked at each other and begrudgingly muttered, “I’m sorry.” Clay gave a small smile.
“Good. Now then why don’t we just calm down, and have some dinner… all right?” Firefly and Rainbow nodded again and slowly began to trot to the kitchen when Clay spoke again, making them flinch. “Mom, why don’t you go get Comet? I think everyone should be here tonight.” Rainbow nodded and ran off without hesitation, taking to the air as soon as she was out of the door to get Comet. Meanwhile, Clay trotted to the stairs and called up, “Kids, it’s time for dinner!” Within seconds Star and Bolt ran down the stairs and joined their parents at the table; soon after the front door opened to reveal Rainbow and Comet as they came trotting in.
“I still don’t understand why I have to come?” Comet said as he walked in.
“Because Clay wants us all over here tonight, now shut up and sit down,” Rainbow hissed as she took her spot across from Firefly.
“Hello Uncle, good to see you!” Clay said, happily waving him in.
“Hi Clay… uh, Rainbow said that you wanted all of us over here tonight. Any reason?”
“No, I just wanted to remind everypony what a family should be like, that’s all.” As Comet took a seat next to Star Clay returned with their dinner: hay spaghetti and veggie balls.
As everypony started eating Comet couldn’t help but notice some tension in the air. Leaning closer he whispered to Star, “Did I miss something?”
Star simply muttered back, “You have no idea,” before returning to her spaghetti, fork twirling in the grip of her magic.
-----
Hours had passed, Dash and Comet had returned home for the evening and Firefly and Clay were on their way upstairs to go to bed themselves.
“You go on ahead honey. I’m going to go check on the kids first,” Clay said, turning to his wife.
“All right, but don’t take too long. You know how I hate being in that big bed all by myself.” She smirked as she kissed him on the cheek before trotting down the hall.
Clay made his way to Star and Bolt’s bedroom and saw the light from inside peeking out from under the door. He raised a hoof and was about to knock when suddenly he heard a faint sob from the other side of the door. Clay paused as he listened and then quietly opened the door, expecting to see Star in tears. However, to his surprise it wasn’t Star who was crying, but Bolt instead, sitting on the edge of his bed with Star beside him, a foreleg around his back.
“Bolt… are you all right?” Star and Bolt looked back at him, the young colt’s eyes filled with tears. He merely sobbed as his father walked over to his side, concern etched on his face. Bolt gave a slight hiccup before throwing himself into his father’s chest and letting out heartbroken sobs. Clay wrapped a foreleg around Bolt and held him close. “Son, what’s wrong?” Clay asked, growing more worried by the second until Bolt finally calmed down long enough to look up at him and utter a few words.
“D-dad…” He sobbed uncontrollably. “D-do you… love me?”
“Bolt, why would you ask me that?!” Clay asked, startled by the question.
“B-because… I… I can’t fly!” Bolt buried his head in his father’s chest again as he continued to weep.
“Bolt, of course I love you. Flying has nothing to do with how much I love you.”
“But… it’s my fault that Mom and Grandma fought today! If I could fly they never would have fought with each other! And you never would have gotten mad and yelled at them!” Bolt sobbed. “I’ll try harder I promise, just don’t yell again Dad!” Clay looked at his son, startled by his outburst.
“Bolt, I wasn’t yelling at you.” Bolt shuddered as he recalled the event.
“Please don’t yell again Dad,” he whispered quietly. Clay looked over at Star to see that she too had the same fear on her face.
“You were scary, Daddy,” she whispered. Clay lowered his gaze, feeling disgusted with what he had done. Scaring his children was the last thing he had ever wanted to do.
“I’m sorry,” Clay whispered. “I never should have yelled in front of you two like that.” He motioned for Star to come closer and, when she was close enough, pulled her and Bolt into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered again, as he nuzzled the tops of their heads.
“Promise you’ll never yell like that again,” Star muttered.
“I promise,” Clay replied as his two children each gave him a tight squeeze. He then let Star go and resumed talking to his son. “Bolt, what happened today wasn’t your fault. Grandma just… made a bad decision. It had nothing to do with you.”
Bolt wasn’t convinced. “But it was all my fault, Dad! If I wasn’t so afraid of heights then Grandma wouldn’t have pushed me, and Mom wouldn’t have to spend her free time teaching me just how to get off a cloud! And you… you never would have yelled.” Bolt lowered his head and looked at the ground, his expression a mixture of sadness and anger. “I’m a pegasus, why am I so afraid of being off the ground!?” Clay gave his son a sympathetic look as he tried to explain it to him.
“Because you’re not like most pegasus ponies, Bolt. You were born and raised on the ground with an earth pony father and a pegasus mother. You’re afraid of heights because you aren’t used to living in the clouds like Rainbow and Comet. Believe me, this is perfectly normal for a pony in your position.” Bolt looked up at his father as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
“But I’m thirteen! Most pegasus ponies start flying when they’re a year old, and Mister Pound Cake started flying when he was a month old!” He lowered his head again, a look of shame on his face. “How can Mom, Grandma and Grandpa love me when I can’t fly like they do?”
Clay began to stroke the back of Bolt’s head. “Believe me Bolt, I asked the same question when I was your age. I used to think that your grandmother could never love me completely unless I could fly like her.”
“But you’re an earth pony, Dad. Grandma knew that you couldn’t fly… I have wings, what’s my excuse?” Bolt muttered sadly. “Maybe I’m not meant to fly, or join the Wonderbolts. Maybe I’m just meant to be the failure of the family tree.” Clay set his son down and held him at arm’s length, a stern look on his face.
“Bolt, look at me.” Bolt looked up and stared into his father’s brown eyes. “You are not a failure. I know that you will fly because you come from a long line of fliers that joined the Wonderbolts. And I know that you are going to be one of the greatest they ever had in their ranks. But even if you never fly for the rest of your life… I will never stop loving you, or being proud of you.” Bolt looked at his father uncertainly.
“And Mom, Grandma and Grandpa? Will they love me too?”
“Of course they will. We all love you and Star with all our hearts, and nothing will ever change that,” Clay said reassuringly.
“Thanks Dad… that… that means a lot coming from you.” Clay smiled as he released his son.
“You’re welcome Bolt. Now both of you get to bed; it’s late and you both have school tomorrow.” Bolt and Star nodded and climbed into their own beds before getting settled under the sheets. Clay turned off Star’s bedside light and kissed her on the head.
“Good night Daddy,” Star whispered as she rested her head.
“Good night sweetheart,” Clay replied before he walked over to Bolt’s bed, turned off his light and kissed him on the temple.
“Good night Dad,” Bolt whispered.
“Good night champ,” Clay replied. He was making his way out of the room when Bolt spoke again.
“Dad.” Clay stopped and looked back at his son in the darkened room. “I want you to know that even though you can’t fly or use magic… you’re the coolest pony I know.” Clay blinked in surprise.
“Really? What about your mom or grandmother? They seem pretty cool to me.”
“Yeah, Mom and Grandma are cool, no doubt about that. But you don’t need wings or magic to be a great dad. So that makes you twice as cool.” Clay was quiet for a few seconds, before a small smile formed on his face.
“Thanks son.”
Bolt smiled and then rested his head, almost instantly drifting off to sleep as his father stood silently in the doorway, before exiting and shutting the door behind him. He lazily trotted to his bedroom, entering to find his wife resting in their bed and reading a copy of Dr. Whooves.
“There you are. I was starting to think that you weren’t going to get here before I fell asleep,” she said happily as she spotted her husband. Clay walked to his side of the bed, got under the covers and simply stared forwards with a smile on his face. Firefly saw this and looked at him curiously. “What’s got you so happy?” she asked. Clay turned his head to look at his wife, his smile still there as he replied happily.
“I’m the luckiest pony in all of Ponyville.”