Waiting patently on the side of my bed, I watched as the sun cracked through the open window with the early morning light. The cool breeze hit my skin and I smiled as the rays of the sun warmed me up again. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I took in the smell of pine and oak. Today is going to be a good day. A knock on the door was enough to make me stand up and stretch my arms. "Come in." The door slowly opened towards me and Thunder trotted in with Flash Drive.
"Good morning son. How did you sleep?" Bringing my arms down from the stretch I smiled at him calling me son.
"Much better Dad, Thank you." Drive's little green eye's darted between Thunder and myself.
"Dad? Son? Does that mean I have to start calling you Uncle?" Chuckling at his question I leaned down and rubbed the top of his head.
"Only if you wish to Drive. I won't think of it any differently if you don't." He looked at me trivially as he pondered on it.
"You do remind me a lot of my uncle Shutter, however I think its safe to say I need to know you better. Not that I don't trust you or anything." He eyed my hand as I pulled it away.
"Fair enough. Speaking of which will Shutter be joining us today?" Thunder shook his head.
"No, he said something about running some errands around town. So it will be just the three of us."
"What about Lora?"
"I'm sure Aurora and her can keep each other company. Are you ready to go fishing?" Grabbing my jacket I nodded excitedly.
"Absolutely!" Thunder smiled widely.
"That's the spirit. Lets go." The three of us made our way out of the door and into the living room. Shutter was kissing Lora goodbye when we entered. Glancing in my direction, his face brightened upon seeing me.
"Chris! It's good to see you awake and smiling today."
"Same to you Shutter, it's a shame that you can't come with us today." he shook his hoof.
"It's alright I wasn't all that good at fishing anyways." I chuckled slightly
"Me neither, always hooked myself more than any other fish."
"I know and it's so painful. Probably have a better chance to catch the fish by beating it with the rod itself," At this point we both were laughing together. "Here I want you to take this with you." Shutter then pulled his camera bag off his back and held it out to me in his mouth. I stared at the bag with my heart slightly feeling heavy.
"Look Shutter I already told you..." He dropped the bag and put both hooves on my shoulders.
"Chris listen... I know what you said. And I know why you don't think you're no longer a photographer, but all that happened in the past Chris. It's time to pick up a camera again. Please for one day... Just try it. If you can come back and tell me that you didn't enjoy it, then I won't ever bring it up again." Between alternatively looking at Shutter and the bag, I noticed the rest giving me an intent look. Even Aurora had stopped what she was doing in the kitchen to look at me. The eyes all around the room seemed to just pound me, but I felt something inside me started to churn. Something inside egged me to take it. It was small, but it was enough to make me sigh and grab the bag.
Lora and Aurora squealed in delight while Shutter and Thunder gave me a content smile. Flash Drive's face was in confusion.
"Okay did I miss something here?" Shutter smiled at the colt
"Be sure to take a lot of pictures today, Chris. I can't wait to see what you come up with." Throwing the bag over my shoulder, I gave Shutter a rather forced smile.
"Yeah me either..."
"Okay I should get going. Love you all." He turned and galloped out of the front door sending a little dust trial headed straight for Ponyville.
As Flash Drive and myself sat on the front porch, we enjoyed ourselves to a couple of delicious apples. I savored every mouth watering bite each being better than the last. Perhaps all I will ever need are these apples, taking another bite. Thunder flew around the house and landed in front of us with his saddlebag and a couple of fishing poles.
"Okay son, hop on." I shook my head in what I just heard.
"Wait, you want me to ride on your back." He nodded and stretched out his mighty wings.
"I know I might not be a young stallion, but I am still as strong as ever. Grab hold of Flash Drive and get on." Drive looked up at me with his apple floating in a green aura.
"Your not going to bite my ears are you?" He asked in a nervous tone.
"No. I don't bite ears." He paused a moment before lifting his forelegs for me to pick him up. Weighing somewhere around eighty to ninety pounds, I had to put in some effort to lift him up into my arms. His soft fur tickled my fingers and his little blue streaked mane brushed against my face as I cradled him. Curling his hooves together like a puppy dog I took a moment to see how adorable he looked. Thunder lowered himself and I swung my legs over him.
"Lean against me and do not let go." Complying to his order I leaned on him, which kinda smooshed Flash Drive. His massive teal wings began to flap up and down kicking dust into the air.
"Are you sure you'll be able to fly with me on you?" Thunder slightly turned his head back and looked at me in the eye.
"Do you doubt your father?" Shaking my head side to side, I wrapped one arm around his neck.
"Never." Giving me a smile he returned his attention straight ahead.
"Good. Now hold on." With an enormous downbeat of his wings he leapt into the air with an incredible lunge. The wind swiftly gusted in my face as we picked up speed. Unclenching my eyes I peered downwards and saw that Ponyville was several hundred feet below me. Feeling my stomach swirl I focused on what was ahead of me. My eyes opened wide against the wind. A grand vast sea of cumulus clouds stretched out and rolled far beyond against the bright blue sky.
This is incredible. Thunder plateaued in his ascent and began to just glide with his wings extended out to his sides.
"Dad... This is amazing."
"I knew you would like it. It feels so good to flying with one of my colts again." Flash Drive began to shake, I didn't know from either the cold morning air or the height we were flying at. Regardless I unzipped my jacket and allowed him to crawl inside. Zipping up my jacket I felt him snuggle up against my chest slightly stabbing me with his horn. Gah! That's a little sharp there.
"Sorry, Chris." Patting the lump I leaned forward to Thunder.
"What do you mean by flying with one of your colts again?" Tilting his head back ever so slightly I could see a sad smile on his face.
"I used to fly with Shutter when he was Flash Drive's age, but now he's grown too big for me to fly with him."
"What about me, aren't I too big?"
"No, your not as heavy as him. In fact I can support your figure far better than any pony I ever carried. Where did you say you came from?"
"I didn't, but I came from a place called California on a planet called Earth." I could only assume that I was on another planet, because never in my lifetime would I find a pegasus back home. A thought crossed my mind, Even though finding a pegasus in my own world would be near impossible. I still knew about them prior to coming to Equestria. Is there somehow a connection between our two worlds? Hmm? My hand instinctively was under my chin as I pondered.
"California, sounds like some sort of delicious flower." laughing I rubbed the side of his neck.
"I guess you can say that," He smiled back to me and then his face lit up as he saw a clearing up ahead. The trees below seemed to part away from a serine looking lake. Thunder began to descend when my eye caught something extraordinary. It seemed to be an entire city made of clouds and what appeared to be rainbows flowing out of it like water. Being in the far distance I could make out little flying figures coming and going from it. "Dad, what is that?"
"It's... A lake son. Don't you have those back in California?" Facepalming I shook my head.
"No, not the lake. Two o'clock." He turned his head exactly where I hoped it would.
"Oh that's where I'm from, son. Cloudsdale."
"Extraordinary! Are you telling me that you can walk on clouds?" Thunder flew towards a one of the lower stratus clouds and gently landed with little to no sudden grounding. "That's unbelievable!" Swinging my legs I went to hop off, but his wing pushed me back.
"I'm afraid son that you're not able to do the same. Sorry," He jumped off the edge and continued his glide towards the lake. "Remember to pretend to chew hay. as we get lower. It will equalize the pressure in your sinuses to the air around you." I began to move my jaw and could hear my ears lightly pop as we approached the lake.
As Thunder landed gently, I felt the little bundle in my jacket shift a little. Unzipping revealed little Drive asleep in my arms with a small smile on his face. He's so adorable, I really should've spent more time with my own nephew. Nothing I can do about it now. Wait yes I can... Reaching back I pulled out Shutter's camera and with one hand focused it on Drive. It was difficult, but I managed to get the shot. That will be a keeper, I tenderly slipped off of Thunder and placed the camera back into the bag. After taking off Shutter's camera bag, I unzipped my jacket and wrapped Flash Drive with it. "There you go little guy." His smile widened and he snuggled harder against me.
"Thank you Uncle Shutter." Slightly frowning Thunder placed a hoof on my shoulder.
"Don't worry I know he will warm up to you soon enough." Gently lowering Drive onto the soft grass, Thunder took his hoof off me and began to set up the fishing tackle.
Something stirred within me as I stared down at the little colt. "Where's his mom, Dad?" Thunder's face went stern with a frown. I could tell I struck a nerve as he closed his eyes as he shook his head side to side.
"I don't wish to talk about it. That blasted mother of his is the last thing I on my mind," He bit down on a weight to attach it to the line while I took off my shirt. His eyes immediately saw my scars and his face began to fill with worry. "Son, what happened to you?!" I peered down towards my chest and rubbed my healing wounds.
"Just a present from timberwolves, they hardly hurt anymore. I swear if Shutter wasn't there to save me I would have been a meal for them." I took my shirt and placed it under Drive's head to act as a pillow. Thunder's eyes narrowed.
"Shutter and you were in the Everfree Forest then." After standing back up, I made my way to Thunder and sat next to him. His head was at least a foot above me while he was on his haunches. Grabbing the other fishing pole I started to clamp weights on the line.
"Well you see I was attacked in my own world and, by means of a portal, ended up here."
"I see..." He became eerily silent, which I remembered that meant that a storm was brewing inside him.
"Your not mad, are you?" After tying the hook at the end of the line, he looked down at me.
"Not with you son... Not with you."
After we finished readying the fishing poles, Thunder flew off towards the lake. He flipped sideways and skimmed the water's surface with his wing. Making a wide turn he came back and landed next to Drive with his wing dripping wet. Wet soggy feathers hit across Flash Drive's face causing him to jerk up wide awake. "Wha... Aww stallion... Grandpa I was asleep." With his little hooves he wiped his face.
"Are you here to nap or fish? Come on, get up." He lazily rolled out of my jacket and looked over to me.
"You know for no fur, you sure can produce a lot of warmth." Grabbing my red shirt with his teeth he chucked it to me. Getting hit with his saliva I gave him a irritated expression.
"Why didn't you just use your magic to hand to me." He looked up at his horn and blushed.
"Oh yeah... Sorry." Laughing I slipped on my shirt and gestured for him to follow.
"It's alright, let's go fishing."
Sitting on the bank of the lake I enjoyed the sanguine company of Thunder Wing and Flash Drive. The jokes we shared and multiple failed attempts to cast my line made the mood light hearted and warm as we laughed together. At one point I was even chucked into the water by Thunder. Drive found it hilariously funny when I returned to shore with my line attached to me. When Drive got his first snag he hopped for joy and reeled in as fast as his hooves would allow. To my amazement he caught a whooping fourteen pound fish, it was by far the biggest catch of the day. He wore the biggest grin as he stood over his prize like a champion. We ended up catching only three fish in total. Would have been four, but when it came for me to finally catch a fish it slapped me in the face with its tail and swam off. "Better luck next time son." Thunder patted me on the back.
"Thanks Dad I know I'll get him next time." He gave me a proud smile.
"Hey Grandpa, did you bring the frisbee?" Thunder nodded towards his saddlebag.
"I did. Would you like to play some catch Chris?" Without replying I ran far out into the open and got into a ready position.
"Absolutely!" Drive pulled out a blue frisbee and hovered it in his green magic. Thunder smirked at Drive.
"Drive how about a challenge? You use no magic and I won't use my wings."
"You got it old Stallion. Here try and catch this!" Grabbing the frisbee in his teeth Flash Drive spun around quickly and released it sending it far into the air. Thunder kicked off the ground into a gallop and with an amazing speed he was able to catch it before it hit the ground. "Whoa... Grandpa that was fast." Thunder then tossed the frisbee far in front of me.
There's no way I'll miss this, I sprinted forward with my eyes focused on the frisbee. In the last few feet I held out my hand to catch it and I felt something strange. It was almost like I could make out the frisbee in the palm of my hand without it touching me. I stopped running in my fascination and the frisbee flew by me. Staring at my hand I couldn't help, but feel confused. What was that? How did I feel it if it was still in the air?
"Chris are you okay?" Both Drive and Thunder trotted up to me and I looked at them like I was daze.
"I don't know..." My stomach rumbled and Thunder gave me a hearty laugh.
"Well I do, your hungry son. Come on we'll pack up and head home for some lunch." The afternoon sun was already directly above us as we packed the fishing tackle, but the I my thoughts were still on the event that just happened. How did I feel it...?
-_-_-_-
On the way back home I enjoyed the wind in my face as I leaned slightly back with Flash Drive sitting in between my legs. The air was slightly warmer, but at the altitude that we were flying it was still cool. Drive was content on sitting out in the open air looking out over the land. It must have been the cold that made him shake this morning, I thought as I began to rub his mane in between his ears. He instantly leaned into my hand and gave a little content sigh. Smiling at the Drive's reaction, I continued to rub while I glanced down towards Equestria. The view was grand as green acres stretched far and wide with the occasional mountain jetting out of the earth. I could get used to this. Pulling out the camera, careful as to not drop it, I took a couple of shots before setting it back into the bag. Drive peered up to me with a hopeful look that I would continue. Chuckling I acknowledged by scratching behind his ears.
Thunder began to take a wide turn as he started to descend through the clouds. The wisps of chilled water licked my face as we went through. Once we reached the bottom of the cloud, Ponyville was in view. The residents were moving about their business friendly waving hello to one another. It reminded me of my hometown back in my own world. My own world, it felt so distant like a faded memory. My mom, Robert, O'Harrea... People that care about me and are probably worrying for my safety. I gave Thunder a sad look. But I now have the closest thing to having my father back in my life. As we approached the house I felt my emotions get pulled while I fought with myself in my mind. What I'm I going to do?
The moment we landed Drive jumped off and galloped to the house. Opening the front door he yelled inside, "Grandma we're home!" Thunder lowered himself to allow me to swing my legs off him.
"I'm going to go put away the fishing poles and put the fish on ice. How about you go inside and see what you would like for lunch, Chris." I threw my arms around his neck and placed my head near his shoulder.
"Thank you for taking me fishing. I can't tell you how much it meant to me." He wrapped a foreleg around my torso.
"Your very welcome son," My heart felt warm as he said 'son' and I unconditionally squeezed him. Pulling away he straightened his composure and lifted off the ground "Now go get something to eat, I'll be inside soon." I nodded and headed for the front door.
Inside I found Aurora standing in the kitchen with Lora making something that was out of sight. Flash Drive was sitting on the couch with a pleasant look across his muzzle. "What's got you in such a good mood Drive?"
"Grandma's making us grilled cheese sandwiches and hay fries. My favorite!" Smiling he jumped up and down in excitement. I sat next to him and patted his head. "Sorry I was scared of you before, but knowing that your talons feel good against my head I don't think your that scary anymore." He closed his eyes as I stroked his mane.
"They're actually called hands and trust me I am not the one who likes to scare animals."
"What are you talking about? Your the animal here," Laughing I playfully messed his mane up. His childish giggle could be heard across the house. "Hey I spend good hours of the day make that look good." Aurora came in levitating two plates smelling rich of melted cheese. Upon seeing Drive and me getting along she beamed a happy smile.
"Good that you two are finally good friends." Drive gave put his little hooves on my chest.
"He's awesome Grandma! Like having a second uncle. Chris please tell me that your staying here when Uncle Shutter leaves for Hoofington."
"I don't know about that Drive. I mean..."
"PLLLLEAASSE!" Without warning he was lifted up with a yellow glow and sat next to me. Aurora placed the two plates on the coffee table and giggled.
"Eat up you two. I will join you in a second." Drive looked at the plate before him and smiled widely. He seemed to nearly dive into the plate, causing me let out another laugh. Grabbing my sandwich I took a bite to find it extremely tasty. I might stay just for the cooking.
We were about halfway done with our sandwiches when Thunder, Aurora, and Lora showed up to eat with us. Aurora glanced my way and covered her mouth with her hoof. "Chris, did you take some pictures while you were out with Thunder?"
"A few, but nothing to boast about." Thunder tapped the coffee table with his hoof to catch my attention.
"That will change this afternoon when I take you too a place Shutter and I used to go when he was a young colt." Aurora nodded to her husband.
"Oh honey, that sounds like a splendid idea. I know Chris will love it.
"You know what I'll go ask a favor from a friend. Be right back." He took his last bite and trotted out the door. Upon hearing him fly off, Aurora got up herself and grabbed the camera bag. She pulled out the flash Shutter used to blind the wolves attacking me. Undoing the side panel I half expected to find batteries, but instead I saw a dim glow of light. Aurora put her hoof to her chin.
"Hmm? He sure did use a lot of light since the last time he came here." Lora's eyes slightly flashed with anger.
"That's because he used a good portion to save Chris from the Everfree Forest." Even in her slightly angered state, I felt my heart skip a beat at her voice. Aurora's face went from cross to worry.
"Thunder will be most displeased when he finds out."
"I'm afraid he already knows," Both mares stared at me. "I told Thunder how I got here in the first place and that if Shutter wasn't there for me I would have died." Aurora slowly shook her head.
"I hope that will be enough to calm Thunder down. Or else this house will be the eye of the storm." She stood up and made her way to the front door. Her mark on her flank began to glow.
"Um... Mrs. Flash"
"You can call me Mom if you wish, sweetheart." She sweetly smiled at me and I slightly felt embarrassed for the question I was about to ask.
"Mom, not to seem rude, but what is your special talent?" Her smile widened exposing her white teeth.
"That's not rude at all, honey. Come out here and I will show you." Standing to my feet, I followed her outside.
She stood still in the middle of the front lawn with her eyes closed. Her horn began to glow and I could make out little ribbons of light begin to form around it. It started small at first, but they grew quickly as they went from strands to rays of light. They swirled around her forming to her body until she was covered in blinding light then it all channeled directly to her horn. It had to be as bright as an arc welder, it stung to even squint at her horn. She tilted her head down to the grass where the flash was laying and the light seemed to pour into it. She uses natural light as a power source? That's amazing. She closed the side panel and levitated it towards me. My mouth was slightly ajar from the spectacle. She giggled at the expression on my face. "I can manipulate the light of day into shapes, objects, and even into other ponies." A thought crossed my mind and my face lit up for a moment.
"Can you turn yourself invisible?" She gave me a rather odd expression before shaking her head.
"No, I can't. I can tell you, however, why they called that little device a 'flash'," Grabbing the flash I sat down on the grass as she began. "My grandfather was one the first ponies that invented a device to hold light, but it wasn't until recent years that ponies were able to come up with a container that would allow a quick release of the light. In honor to my Grandfather's work they decided to name it after him. His name was Lighting Flash the Third. He in fact built this very house."
"That's truly interesting." Attempting to show her that I was still intrigued. Just like mom. Get her started on a subject and she'll go on about it.
"Not as interesting as the fact that Shutter has the ability to manipulate light as well." My head jerked up.
"Wait... But he doesn't have a horn."
"Now you see why it's truly amazing. However he can't do it without paying a price for it. Without a horn to properly handle the power of light. He suffers from preforming the action with extreme pain. We almost lost him when he tried to light up the evening sky."
"So, Shutter can die from it?"
"If he does it too much in one day, yes."
"As matter of fact, Chris, Shutter preformed such a flash to save you from King Timberwolf," Lora's voice behind me caused me to jump to my feet. Turning to face her I could sense my heart begin to beat faster as I stared into her sapphire eyes. "He told me that you risked getting eaten to save him as well." Aurora's golden irises shrunk slightly.
"You did what, Chris!?"
"Chris jumped into the mouth of King Timberwolf and stopped him from eating Shutter." I placed my hand on the back of my head and blushed.
"I would've done it for anyone." Then I felt my self get picked up into the air by Aurora's magic. Shaking me a little in front of her she turned me to face her.
"You could have DIED!" In midair I could sense her concern as she squeezed me with her magic. Faking my best smile I tried to reason the best I could.
"Yeah, but I didn't," That should be a good rebuttal. She dropped me and trotted towards the house. "Look at least were alive and well now."
"And that I'm grateful for, but you don't understand how much you mean to us, Chris. If something were to happen to either of you..." Lora placed a wing over Aurora.
"Don't worry Aurora. We won't allow anything to happen to Chris or Shutter." They trotted inside together while I was left outside. I'm sorry, but my action's were justifiable. I will happily place my life on the line for anyone,
-_-_-_-
Sitting on the front lawn I watched as the sky began to take a new shade of blue as the day started to wind down. The evening sun was slowly making it's way towards the west when Thunder showed up. Flapping his wings to gently land in front of me, he wore a big smile. "Come with me I have something for you to photograph." I quickly ran into the house and came back with Shutter's camera bag.
"Where are we headed?"
"Oh just you wait. You're going to love it Chris." Hopping up on his back he wasted no time to take off. The evening air was chilly, but held a sweet fragrance of what seemed to be rain.
"Is a storm coming in?" Thunder didn't respond to my question.
"We need to hurry or else we won't make it in time, Chris hug me and don't let go." Complying I laid myself against his back and held on tight. He then shifted his body into a more aerodynamic form with his hooves extended forward. The air rushed past us as everything became nothing but blur. The air stung my eyes as they began to water and the wind howled as we seemed to pierce through the sky. Ahead a mountain range could be seen and far off I could make out Canterlot. Being closer I could see how majestic it was. The palace was a marvel to behold in itself.
Thunder came to plateau on the mountain. It was small and very little vegetation grew. He started to slow down as we rapidly approached the open area. Coming to a soft landing he brought his head around, "Chris quickly set up the camera. I need to go give the signal."
"The signal for what?" I took off the camera bag and started to unfold the tripod. Thunder then rocketed off into the sky as such a speed it was hard to keep up with him. Losing sight of him beyond the clouds over head I brought my head down. I was caught momentarily dumbstruck at the view ahead of me. With the evening sun projecting it's warm tone across the land, the town of Ponyville laid before me. It's small buildings casted a beautiful pattern of shadows, while the sun was hitting the rooftops just right that it wouldn't wash out the detail in the roofs. Oh that will make for a fantastic shot. I nearly forgot what this was like. Clipping the camera onto the tripod I metered for the midtones as to balance the shadows with the highlights.
Just before I clicked the shutter release button I was taken back by what seemed to be the sound of rolling thunder. It was powerful and loud as it traveled across the sky. To my amazement I saw at least fifty pegasi began to form something with the clouds. After a minute of watch them work I suddenly realized what they were creating. Is that a thunderhead? Lighting began to flash underneath and the rain was visibly falling. Towering clouds stretched to the east while the sun outlined the coming storm. I waited half my life for a picture like this. I eagerly looked through the viewfinder and re-metered for the new addition to the picture. While doing so I could feel something rise inside me. A content feeling, a feeling that I thought died long ago. A flicker of flame started inside me as I started to capture the scene. I was actually enjoying myself.
Thunder landed behind me and I brought my head around to look at him. "Pegasi can create weather?"
"And maintain it." I glanced back to the thunderhead.
"Did you put this together just for me?" His wing laid across my shoulder.
"Yes, son I did. I have a good friend in the weather team and I convinced him that Ponyville hasn't had a good thunderstorm in quite a while." He looked down at me and smiled. Staring into his eyes I saw the same loving look of my father. He's not him though. Even with the same voice, same mannerisms, same love and care. It's still not him. I wouldn't have changed anything from that day though. The moments spent with that pegasus I knew I would cherish forever. But something about it all just didn't fit right and I knew what the reason was. The memories and moments spent with my own father would never be there. All the times we spent going on outings to photograph, the laughs we shared, the hard times we endured. All gone. I had one more reason, but I felt that it was something best kept to myself.
"I greatly appreciate you allowing me to call you Dad, but I feel like something is preventing me from accepting that." Thunder's smile vanished as he stared at me with brown eyes.
"You mean the fact that your a human and I'm a pony," I couldn't look at him, he seemed to just read me too openly.
God just like him. The one thing I hated was that I couldn't keep a lot of secrets from my father.
"Chris look at me..." Unable to move I kept my head downward. "Look at me..." His voice was stern and I felt my chin slowly rise to met his eyes. "Do you know what tells me your my son? Those right there," He pointed a teal hoof at my eyes. "I look into your eyes and you know what I see Chris? I see the eyes of my little baby foal that came into my life all those years ago. My little baby colt," His eyes started to slightly tear up. "I will never forget the day I held him in my arms. The first moments that he opened his little brown eyes and looked at me. Those same eyes that I see in you, Chris. You are my son regardless of your species. And I know that your dad would agree with me when I tell you that I am proud to have you as my son," I couldn't hold it any longer as I begun to let the tears fall. His wing wrapped around me an pulled me in to his side and he rubbed his muzzle against the top of my head. "Your a good stallion Chris. Don't let anypony else tell you differently." My heart and mind for once came to agree on one thing, that for the time being that I was with Thunder. I was with my father. Hugging him hard, I allowed myself to cry a certain type of tear that I hadn't shed for a very long time. Tears of happiness.
"I... Love you, Dad." Thunder squeezed me harder.
"I love you too son." As the sun began to set we continued to hug. I felt complete again, that the missing part of my entity was whole once more. I was home, I was happy, I was a Flash.