//------------------------------//
// Flashback 
// Story: Equestriancraft 
// by Lionpaw315 
//------------------------------//

  Ant was running into every cloud in the sky.
He officially hated it. 
Especially since everyone on the ground was trotting at a slow pace so that they wouldn't leave him behind.
Rainbowdash had warned him not to run into them, but how was he supposed to avoid them? He didn't know how to fly very well, or at least, had forgotten how to. Heck, it was a miracle he had even been staying up in the sky so long. 
Jason, meanwhile, was gliding through the sky with ease, extending his wings and doing loop-de-loops and barrel rolls.  He caught Ant's eye and made a "flerp-a-derp" face. Ant glared at him with a look that said, "I am going to destroy you when we get back home."
When we get back home.
Ant shivered. How would they get back home? If the legend was true, then....well....
Don't think about it. 
So of course he thought about it.
He glanced down at Sky, who was panting and tripping but determined all the same. Ant was pretty sure he was the only one who knew what Sky was.
He thought of the time they had first met....

"HELP!!" Someone, help!"
Something crashed through the forest.  A young boy, no older than eight, was blindly charging through the forest, brown hair flying in his face. He was being chased by something-or some things.
The boy panted. If he could just get out of the forest, he would be safe....
He gasped. He had come to a dead end.
He was trapped.
He turned around. Five large squidmen had surrounded him, One of them, the largest, leaned toward him, sneering. 
"What's wrong with you, boy?" It asked, its voice coming out in a low growl. The boy whimpered and cowered against a tree. 
The squidman continued, "Don't you know that this is squid territory?" it hissed, pressing its knife against his throat. 
The kid gulped. "I'm...I'm sorry! I forgot, just please, let me go, I'll never do it again, just please-"
"SILENCE!" the squidman bellowed, kicking the boy. He gasped as it connected with his stomach. The squidman looked toward his companions. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's teach this kid a lesson that he'll never forget."
The squidmen slowly crept towards the kid. He wailed in pain as they kicked him over and over again.
"Some special person you are," taunted the squidman. "I don't see why your father is so interested in you. You don't seem worthy to be in some prophecy. Then again, He-"
Zing. An arrow flew at the squidman's head. It missed by a fraction of hair, slightly grazing the head of it.
A boy in a tree glared down at the squidmen, holding a bow and arrow in his hand. He couldn't have been more than nine, but he jumped out of the tree in front of the kid that was being attacked. The kid had already passed out from pain.
Ant glared at the squids. "Leave him alone," he growled, holding his bow and arrow threateningly. "Unless you want my arrows in you noggin...?"
The squidmen stepped back, glaring at him. "Oh, look at this, Ant defending his little friend?" The squidmen laughed, but Ant could detect some nervousness in his voice. 
"One: He's not my friend. It's five on one; this fight isn't fair. And two: Isn't attacking people who accidentally cross over to your territory illegal? Do you really want me to tell?"
The squids slowly walked away. Ant narrowed his eyes. "Don't think this is over," the squidman threatened. "When our king hears about this, he'll have his entire army after you."
Ant smirked, stepping back and lowering his bow and arrow. "Come at me, bro," he called at the squidmen, who hurried away.
"Ugh..." came a feeble groan from behind him. Ant spun around. The boy that had been attacked by the squidmen had woken up. His eyes widened. "Where am I?!" 
"Don't worry," Ant said, kneeling down in front of him. "I took care of the squids. What's your name?" he added, helping the kid up.
The kid winced as he got to his feet. Everything still hurt, and it felt like all of the bones in his body had turned into mush, but he could still walk. He looked at Ant. "My..." he hesitated. The last people that had asked for his name.....
Ant nodded. "Go on," he continued. 
The boy frowned. He decided he would go with a nickname until he was sure that he could trust the kid that had saved him. "It's Sky."
Ant nodded. A fitting name, going with the color of his eyes. 
"Come on," Ant said, letting the boy lean on him. "I'm going to help you out of this forest, okay? Then, you can return home."
Much to his surprise, Sky shook his head. "No," Sky said. "I'm never going back. That place sucks." He glanced at Ant. "Can I live with you?"
Ant shrugged. He didn't see why not.
"My friend lives in a tree not too far from here," Ant said. Sky nodded, flinching with every step he took. "He could probably help you. His name is Jordan."



POOF!  Ant was jolted out of this memory by body slamming into another cloud. 
Rainbow sighed. "Honestly, Ant, didn't I tell you to avoid them? You ran straight into that one; I don't think you were paying attention." She added, "Wake up!"
Ant moaned and covered his ears. He never wanted to hear another lecture from Rainbowdash ever again.
Suddenly, Apple's voice rang out: "We're here-what in Tarnation?!"