//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: Growing Up - Part Three // Story: Heir of the Storm // by Bishibosh the Shaman //------------------------------// Heir of the Storm Chapter Three The light tingles from the tips of his fingers, Static flows into his veins. His hair stands up as he basks in this sense Of feeling new life sparked in the boy. One month later The city of Ponyville was gifted a sunny day, clear skies, and more importantly cool winds. Rainbow Dash felt that this was the day she got the little runt off the ground and in the air. The last month having little to no progress, any normal pony would have given up. Rainbow is not a normal pony however. Bound and determined to get this pegasus in the air, she concocted the perfect day to due so. Now all that was to do was get Sky's wings opened and in the air. "Aight squirt, today you are getting in the air. No ifs. No ands. And no Buts! We clear?" Rainbow put off a stern voice, but relaxed enough to give Sky the slightest bit of comfort. The pegasus only nodded, faking a smile. "Still not talking? Jeeze... Well here's my plan. First off, wing stretches! Get those babies out and lets see them move!" Rainbow shouted again, trying to sound cheerful. Sky watched as she stretched her wings out and admired the cyan wings outstretched into the wind. His mind drifted a second as a small gust picked up and rustled her feathers for a short second. His attention was caught when the rainbow maned instructor coughed aloud and fluttered her wings to emphasize what she wanted. The same thing Sky tried day after day, flexing the base of his wings just to get them to unfold, still proved impossible to the colt. He could spread them barely an inch away from his back before they would seize up and collapse back down on him. Each time this happened, the cyan pegasus had to fight the urge to facehoof. This kid has got to be the MOST pathetic pegasus I worked with... and he will probably be on my weather crew.... ugh... Rainbow thought in her head, outwardly sighing. Sky heard the sigh, and sunk his head as figured his instructors thoughts. His flank hit the ground and he sat there, silently sulking as he thought about his lacking abilities. He wondered why he couldn't fly, maybe it was because his family was a bunch of earth ponies. But he had to have a pegasus somewhere in there right? Why else would he be one? Maybe it's a bad gene in the blood, maybe he was born a failure. His thoughts were stopped in their tracks as he felt soft wings lift him up from the ground and a hoof bring his head up. "Sorry kid, I didn't mean for you to hear that... Pretty dumb of me... Listen, I told your sister I would get you in the air and that is exactly what I intend to do!" Rainbow smirked. Sky felt his hooves leave the ground slowly, for several seconds he had no idea what was happening and panicked at the new sensation of flying. Rainbow could barely keep her hooves around the squirming colt but managed to lock her grip and flew up to a nearby cloud. Sky's hooves rested down on the softness of the cloud, his eyes growing as he realized where he was. Rainbow soon landed next to him and smiled. "You know how birds learn to fly kiddo?" Rainbow asked, her mouth twisting into a malicious grin. After a silent shake of his head, Sky peeked over the edge of the cloud. Noticing just how high they were, he felt a warm rush run through his veins. As he watched the ground beneath him move, he noted the small dots on the ground. Assuming them to be ponies, he felt a smile creep across his lips at his new found love of the sky. His joy was cut a little short when his instructor shouted in his ear. "They DROP THEM!" Rainbow shouted as she pushed the pegasus colt off the cloud. She marveled for a moment as the colt didn't even scream, but she giggled as she heard the slightest 'Eep' as he fell. Sky shot towards the ground like a rocket, but instead of fear he felt a certain euphoria as the wind whipped across his face. For the first few seconds, he didn't even care if he was falling to his potential death. As soon as the thought crossed his mind though... Once again, the young pegasus tried to unfold his wings and yet again they remained glued to his back. He continued to strain his back trying to force them open but to no avail. Trying his hardest not to look at the incoming ground, he still felt his heart race in his chest. Now it raced in fear rather than euphoria. Several seconds lasted forever for Sky, still failing to unfold his wings and at least glide down the the ground. His heart racing, Sky knew that if he was to save himself he would need to calm down. His older sister beat the importance of remaining calm into his head all the time. As Rainbow watched the colt plummet to the ground, her smirk of confidence soon became a look of worry as she noticed the black spec get smaller and smaller. After not too much longer, the cyan pegasus leaped from the cloud and shot to the ground after Sky, who seemed too far to reach. Rainbow knew she wouldn't catch up conventionally, and she only had one option. She just hoped Applejack wasn't watching some how. Last thing she needed was to be scolded about dropping her family off clouds... Sky finally relaxed enough to focus. He closed his eyes and tried to envision his wings flapping in the wind. Focusing on the idea of flight and the wind rushing past his face, he watched in his head as the long black wings unfolded off his back. Using his mind, he watched them fold out into long gliders to gently land him on the ground. The wind was still ripping at his face and mane, but he began to think he had relaxed enough to finally do it. BOOM! The shock of the loud noise blocked all thought process in the pegasus' mind. Without his mental guidance, Sky just went with the motion and tried to unfold his wings. As he envisioned his wings expanding out on both his sides, he felt the wind let off his face, like he was drifting upward. Another large grin crossed his lips as he felt the wind slowly glide through his mane and coat. This was flying, he was doing it. He could actually fly! Until he opened his eyes. Rainbow looked down at her package, only to see the pegasus smiling with a wide grin and his eyes closed. She sighed silently as she knew what he was thinking. She watched his eyes open, and after his eyes wandered around for a bit they finally locked on her, and that adorable grin sunk into the ground. Rainbow felt her own heart sink as well. The two pegasi landed, Rainbow dropping Sky off and then landing beside him. The colt just sunk into the ground, almost burying his face in the dirt. Rainbow couldn't help but frown as she approached Sky. "Hey, don't be like that. That was totally what was supposed to happen!" Rainbow lied. "It was, well... to get you used to the sky! Yeah! Next week we will deff get you up there by yourself!" "No..." "Sky?" Rainbow's frown returned. "No... I'm... just not good enough..." Sky pouted into the earth. "Hey... Don't say that." "Why? It's true! Ma sister can't fly either! These wings don't mean nuthin!" Rainbow could hear the sobs in his voice. Rainbow remained silent for a moment. "Everypony Ah know in ma family is stuck on the ground... None of em' got wings like me! So what makes me so special, huh!?" "I don't know, I thought it was something... but I guess not..." Rainbow scowled. "Huh?" Sky looked up at his instructor. "I thought you were special, I thought you would never give up. Yeah, so your family is a bunch of earth ponies. So what? That means you will never learn to fly? Not if you give up!" Rainbow's voice grew sterner and sterner with every word. "I'll tell you what. No Apple I know ever gave up. Even when whatever it was seemed impossible, they always managed to get it done! Are you an Apple!?" "Ah... uh... but..." "No buts!! Are you an Apple!?" Rainbow yelled. "Y-yeah?" "You don't sound like one! Get up! Tell me you are an Apple!" Sky felt a warm rush coarse through his veins again. Standing up, he felt his voice begins to rasp as he shouted. "Ah'm an Apple!" "Can't hear you!" "AH'M AN APPLE!" "And are you going to give up!?" "NO!" "THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! GET UP THERE AND FLY!" Sky felt a whole new kind of confidence build in him as he stepped up past his instructor. Steadying his hooves on the ground, he tried to stretch out his wings to the best of his ability. Several minutes went by as he stretched and stretched, feeling no more different than before. The fire inside his chest was still burning however and he pressed on to get his wings. After another grueling session of flexing and stretching, he finally felt some lift off his back. Wanting to look back, he fought the urge back as he pressed on more. Rainbow watched with a hard pressed look as the wings rose, slowly but surely. Her eyes grew with her smile as the wings slowly unfolded out. She watched Sky's face turn different shades as he forced himself to unfold his wings. At the sight of his face, her smile shifted into concern. She ran up to him to stop his over exertion but before she could make it, the colt dropped to the earth. Darkness surrounded the colt, he was standing on a cloud. The familiar feeling of softness was unforgettable to him. The cloud beneath him however was pitch black, and stepping on it caused bursts of energy to cackle up in volts of lightning. Sky looked up from the storm cloud to see two tall, yet regal, figures standing on a further cloud before him. They were masked in the darkness of the storm, but he could see the long elegant wing span of both. The lightning cracked behind them with a loud burst of energy, briefly lighting up the air around them. Sky saw the dark coats of both and deep blue feathers on ones wings. "Hey! Wake up Sky!" Sky awoke to the sight of his youngest sisters big red bow and Rainbow's bright mane. His sister wore a concerned frown while Rainbow looked almost proud. The young colt picked himself up off the ground slowly, gaining his balance as he could. He looked back up to his instructor. "Did... did Ah do it?" He nervously asked, almost sure he didn't want the answer. "Take a look yourself kid" Rainbow smirked. Sky turned his head, and his eyes grew wide. Both wings were half unfolded out and gently fluttering in the wind. It wasn't fully out, but it was a start. Both mares could see the grin forming on his face, but none of them explected what came next. "yeeeeeeeeAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! Yes yes yes yes yes YES! Ah did it!" The normally shy colt bounced around on the ground, fluttering his wings as he did so, in an almost rhythmic dance. Apple Bloom just smiled as she held out a hoof to stop her brother. "Ah'm real proud of ya Sky, Ya'll be soaring like a bird in no time!" She chirped. "Ah can't wait! Thank you sooooooooooooooooooo much Rainbow! You're the best!" Sky shouted as he wrapped his hooves around the pegasus' neck. "Hey watch it now! I don't get into this sappy stuff, buuuuuuutttttt I guess I'll let this one slide. You know, cause I'm the best." Rainbow winked. "Hey Sky! We gotta go show the girls! Come on! They are at the club house!" Apple Bloom shouted in excitement. "Yeah! Wait... Rainbow, can I? Or do you still want me to train?" Sky asked his instructor, who simply laughed with a smile. "Sky, you just passed out trying to get this far. Go take a break and be back here tomorrow. Same time." Rainbow smirked. "Yes Ma'am!" Rainbow watched the two of them run off towards the farm, and a feeling of warmth overcame her. She knew about Sky being adopted, and kind of felt bad about the whole Apple speech. But what the hay, he was an Apple. Through and through. He earned the name sake. The two young ponies approached the club house, still laughing and chatting about earlier events. Sky had gotten into occasional arguments with her sister, but when it came to the Cutie Mark Crusaders he dropped the squabbles and got down to business. Even though he was less concerned with his cutie mark and more concerned about his wings, he knew it was important to Apple Bloom and her friends. Especially that Sweetie Belle. Sky had to admit, the young unicorn was really attractive to him. He couldn't really say why, but every time he saw her and her seemingly innocent nature he couldn't help but smile. That and he loved to hear her squeak. He found it hilariously cute. The two ponies climbed the ramp to the club house, only to find it empty. Apple Bloom looked annoyed as Sky felt a little confused. "Ah told em to wait here! Ah wasn't gone that long! Ugh... I s'pose we gotta find em..." Apple Bloom sighed. "Where could they have gotten to sis?" Sky asked. "Couldn't 'ave gotten too far... They were s'posed to wait on us before headin out to... oh horse apples..." "What?" Sky asked, noticing his sisters concerned face. "We were gonna try Cutie Mark Crusader explorers... in the Everfree... But Ah told em to wait on us!" Like clockwork, as soon as she was done speaking the air was shot with a loud roar followed by two loud screams. Both ponies looked at each other, eyes filled with fear they both ran out the door towards the sounds of the roaring. Apple Bloom was ahead several yards, but Sky was keeping pace with the earth mare. He felt the wind slide off his coat and cut at the touch of his wings. In his hurry, he barely noticed that they began to unfold fully as the wind rushed past them. Several moments and a few roars later, Apple Bloom and Sky Shard found both their friends unharmed, but cornered against a tree by a large raging manticore. "Ah! Sky! Look the girls! And they got a big friend!" Apple Bloom yelped, but barely finished her statement as wind blasted past her face. Double taking, she found the air was thick with static and she saw what looked like a bolt of lighting flying ahead of her. Before she could yelp again, a loud clap of thunder rolled ahead of her as well. Sky saw the giant beast swiping its claws at his friends. His thoughts filled with images he wanted to forget, he pushed his legs even harder to run but it did no good. Closing his eyes as he ran, he remembered the two dark figures. The rolling thunder, and the crackling lightning. The soft storm clouds beneath his feet. Opening his eyes, he saw nothing but white lighting rushing through his vision. Sweetie Belle had closed her eyes, in a vain attempt to hide from the raging beast threatening them. Scootaloo was shaking her hooves as she stood and stared the beast. Her bravery was wavering at every roar however, and every swipe lowered her to the ground little by little. This was it, the end. They were both going to bite the dust before even earning their cutie marks. The thought alone kept the brave pegasus standing. Sweetie Belle managed to peek open an eye, and saw her friend standing before the giant beast. The manticore rose a giant claw, finally bored with the annoying ponies threatening its territory. It began to slam its claw down on the orange filly before him when... A blast of thunder cracked behind it, causing the beast to turn towards the noise. The bolt of lightning jabbed into the beasts stomach. After a half second of resistance, the beast was finally lifted into the air by the bolt of lightning and hurled into the forest from an electric explosion. The manticore rolled several times in the brush of the forest before coming to a stop. The black scorch mark on its stomach was evidence enough that it needed to leave, the three fillies watched as the beast retreated beyond the forest tree line. Scootaloo was in sheer awe at the display, and for several moments was completely unaware of what exactly happened. Sweetie Belle had cowered her eyes in the ground again, still not sure if the explosion was a good or bad thing. Apple Bloom however rushed to the side of a collapsed pegasus laying on the ground before her. Sky Shard was still blinded by the static storm in his head, his eye sight only showing currents of white power rushing through his nerves. He felt a touch at his stomach, and heard a muffled voice that sounded like his sister. The prodding continued until he raised a hoof to show he was still alive. Silence followed for several minutes, his hearing coming back along with his vision. "Sky! You saved us!" His eye sight restored just soon enough to catch the snow white unicorn tackling him in a hug, but she immediately pulled off with a loud "Youch! You shocked me!" "Yeah! He did! Look Sweetie!" Scootaloo shouted in excitement. "Oh my gosh! He got it! Apple Bloom! He got it!" Sweetie Belle squeaked, causing Sky to inwardly laugh. "Got what!? Whats ma brother go-" Apple Bloom stopped as soon as she pushed through the two fillies. "You got yer cutie mark!" Sky stood up at the sound of those words, still shaking from the excess energy releasing from his body. He managed to turn his head to find the mark his sister was talking about, and there it was. A blue shield with a lightning bolt struck across the middle of it. Sky laughed aloud as he considered what his special talent could be, the three fillies joining in on the laughter.