Weathering the Storm

by ArchAngelsWings


1 - Cloudy with a Chance

Chapter One

Cloudy with a Chance

“Have a wonderful day my little ponies.” Ivory Pages said as she waved off her students from the day’s learning. “Oh, and don’t forget that next week we have Career Day! Make sure to ask your parents if they’d like to come in!” Her students scurried off before she could get another sentence out. One little filly slowly walked out of the classroom after everypony else. “Have a wonderful weekend Fluttershy.” Ivory Pages said with a gentle smile.

“Thank you ma’am, you too.” she nodded and then began her walk home. Her head was in the clouds all throughout the walk back to her house. She didn’t realize she had already made it home until she heard his voice.

“I see you made it home without some ridiculous detour stopping you today.” a light blue pegasus with a gray mane grumbled from the mailbox on the porch.

“I came straight home sir,” she mumbled under her breath in his general direction.

“What are you waiting for ya brat, get inside already!” Stormy Skies yelled at his daughter after slamming the empty mailbox shut. She scrambled into the house attempting to avoid his rage but tripped on her mane and rolled until she hit a cabinet. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry I…” Fluttershy began but was promptly cut off.

“What is wrong with you? I can’t believe you’re my daughter. If you’d have been a colt you’d never be acting like some sort of idiot foal. Get outta here, I have to pack for an important trip for work next week. The itinerary was supposed to come in the mail today…” he glowered down at her trembling form.

“B-but Papa what am I supposed to tell Ms. Ivory Pages when she asks me about Career Day?” Fluttershy stood a safe distance from her father, whose look grew more angry than before.

“I don’t give a flying buck what you tell your damned teacher as long as it means that I don’t have to be there.” Fluttershy went to walk away with her head down, “Did I say you could leave?” Stormy Skies snarled at his daughter.

“But you just told me to leave though…” she bowed her head down and flattened her ears against her head. He pounded his hoof against the wall and made an indent as a painting on the wall shook a bit. “No sir, you didn’t. I’m sorry,” Fluttershy sighed.

“Damn right you’re sorry, and you always will be, even from the moment your mother spat you into this world you’ve been sorry.” She hid in her mane and stared at the floor, his words still stung even after all this time. “Now go make yourself scarce before I take it out on your hide.” he grunted as he turned his back on her and headed into his study.

“Yes sir,” was all she could manage as she turned and shuffled towards her room.

“Is that you my sweet little Fluttershy?”

“Yes Momma, do you need anything?” Fluttershy made her way into her parents’ room.

“Come here sugarcube.” came the weak voice of Breezy Day from her almost permanent place in bed. She did as she was told and stood next to her mother. Breezy noticed the edges of her daughter’s eyes were a little moist as she stroked Fluttershy’s chin softly, “Ya know, I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful daughter.” she said as she tried to get the filly to look her in the eyes.

Fluttershy pulled out of her mother’s grasp and looked at her with eyes full of admiration before shaking her head vigorously, “No Momma! You’re the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria! Even more beautiful than Princess Celestia!”

“That’s kind of you to say my little one.” she smiled at her daughter’s fervor. “Would you be a dear and see if the post pony’s been by? I can’t wait for this month’s magazines. I wonder if we’ll find something we can make together…” Breezy leaned back into her pillows as her daughter turned to go check the mail. Fluttershy quietly made her way to the mailbox trying to avoid his attention. She snuck out the door and collided with the post pony.

“Ohmygoodness! I’m so so so sorry!” Fluttershy jumped away from the white pegasus.

“No no don’t you worry your pretty little head over it.” he smiled. He pulled a bundle of mail from his satchel and gave it to her. “Now go make something as pretty as you are,” he said as he flew off as she turned to go back inside. She went through the mail to see if anything else of interest came in and she came across an envelope addressed to Stormy Skies. She gulped down a breath before deciding what she was going to do about it.

She opened the door to find her father standing there. He opened his mouth to say something but before he had a chance to Fluttershy was running past him leaving the rest of the mail on a small desk, “I went to get the mail for momma, your letter is on the table sir,” she said and she was in the bedroom with the door shut without a second thought about anything he might have said or done. “I got the magazines Momma,” Fluttershy said as she placed them beside Breezy on the bed.

“Oh thank you. Would you like to look through them with me?” Fluttershy nodded and Breezy patted the empty space beside her on the bed. She hopped up and then her mother flipped open the magazine and began explaining the importance of several stitches used on the first dress they saw in the glossy pages. Fluttershy hung on every word as she enjoyed this happy time with her mother. A couple hours passed before Fluttershy sighed and her mother noticed.

“Is there something wrong little one?”

“Oh ummm well… just that Papa said he couldn’t make it to Career Day and I couldn’t possibly bother you to do it, but it’ll be okay.” Fluttershy tried perusing one of her mother’s magazines in hopes that she didn’t just hurt her mother’s feelings and that she wouldn’t bring the subject back up.

Breezy just smiled gently before saying, “You’re right, it’ll be okay. I have an idea.”

Fluttershy looked up from the ad she wasn’t really reading in the magazine, “Uh huh…”

“How about we make you one of these stylish new dresses?”

Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide, “Really Momma? You really mean it?”

Breezy giggled at her daughter’s reaction then nodded, “Yes I mean it.” She wrote down a list of all the supplies they’d need and gave it to her along with a pouch of bits and sent her off to the market on a scavenger hunt of sorts.

“I’ll be back soon so we can start right away… or whenever you want to…” she hid in her mane a little bit.

“Right away.” That’s all it took to send Fluttershy flying out the door and on her way to the market.

Just as she reached the front door with her saddlebag and list Stormy stopped her, “And who said you could leave this house?”

“Momma needs some things from the market sir,” she looked at the floorspace between them.

“Hmph fine, get out of my sight.”

“Yessir.” Fluttershy stood still looking at the floor waiting for him to leave first.

“I said get out of my sight ya waste of space!”

Fluttershy ran as fast as she could toward the market leaving the image of her father as far behind her as possible. Once the house was no longer in sight and the market was visible she took a moment and caught her breath before going over her list. ‘Let’s see what momma needs… A bolt of fabric, a few spools of thread, and some buttons. That sounds easy enough.’ She smiled as she carefully made her way through the booths and shops of the marketplace. She found everything she needed and made her way towards home. Toward the edge of the marketplace she passed a cloud candy vendor and the smell made her all but stop and stare at the delicious sweets adorning the stall. They were in many pastel shades and some were even shaped like animals.

The voice of the vendor broke her trance, “Can I help you with anything Miss?”

“Oh, ummm I was just looking at your beautiful cloud candies.”

“Would you like to buy some? I’ll give you a great deal, especially because today’s been pretty slow.” He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I really really wish I could, but I’ve spent all the bits I had on these supplies for my momma’s sewing. Maybe next time...” Fluttershy bit her lower lip and started to walk off, embarrassed. The pegasus running the stand smiled down at her gently.

“Please don’t run off just yet Miss!” She stopped and looked at the vendor curiously.

“But I don’t have the money you see…”

“It’s alright, this one’s on the house for being such a good daughter and running errands for your mother. But you gotta promise to share it with her. Who knows, maybe you’ll be eating this cloud candy and you’ll like it so much that you get a cutie mark for sweets, why I bet you might even get one for helping your momma with her sewing! Come back and let me know how it goes alright?” He walked around the stall and tucked a pouch of candy into her bag. A smile spread across her lips.

“Thank you very very much, you really didn’t have to do that.” Fluttershy hid in her mane a bit and blushed. “But I’ll make sure to share it with her as soon as I get home!” Her smile stayed on her face until she arrived home. She tried her best to keep quiet as she entered the house and closed the door. She could feel his eyes on her as she creeped along further into the house.

“I’m taking the things Momma asked me to get at the market to her now sir.” Fluttershy said just loud enough for him to hear as she scurried away to the safety of her mother’s room. Before closing the door she could hear her father’s grunt of discontent. Once safely inside, Fluttershy turned toward her mother. “I got everything you put on the list Momma.” she said as she started unloading the contents of her bags.

“That’s funny, I don’t remember asking you pick up any cloud candy, Fluttershy…” Breezy used an obviously fake chiding tone and raised an eyebrow at her daughter as a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth.

“Well, uhm ya see Momma… The stall owner gave me a bag and told me to share it with you! I promise I didn’t do anything bad to get it!” Fluttershy hid in her mane and ever so barely trembled.

“I wouldn’t dream of you ever doing anything bad my dear Fluttershy!” Breezy said in a gentle tone. “It was awfully nice of them though, what do you say we have a little bit before we start working on our project hmm? Oh look! It looks just like bunny!” Breezy giggled as she pulled the candy out of the bag and made it look like it was hopping around like an actual bunny. Fluttershy giggled and sat next to her mother on a stool. Breezy pulled off two identical pieces and passed one to Fluttershy. She inspected the candy by poking it here and there and giving it a sniff that made her mouth begin to water. It was so fluffy and sweet smelling! She finally popped her piece into her mouth.

“Ohmygoodness Momma this is the best thing EVER,” her face lit up with a smile in response to her first bite of cloud candy. Breezy couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s enthusiasm.

“I’m glad you like it so much! You’re too cute my little one.” Breezy smiled again matching Fluttershy’s face this time. After finishing the treat they set to working upon their dresses, stitch by stitch. Breezy would correct Fluttershy’s stitches every so often and she’d try to learn the stitches exactly the way her Momma showed them to her. Breezy would nod approvingly when Fluttershy got the stitches done properly. Several hours passed between the two as they worked together quietly humming before they heard a commotion from outside of their little world.

“I’ll… I’ll go check on it Momma, you can finish up the last few details without me.” Fluttershy managed as she made her way toward the door to the room. The smile she’d been sporting slid its way away from her after she closed the door. She tried to be stealthy but failed when she tripped over a bump in the carpet in the hall.

“There you are... ya misherable lil’ thing.” Stormy’s words were slurred and he smelled of alcohol, it wasn’t hard to tell he’d spent the past few hours very differently than the other two.

“I’ll go start working on dinner sir,” she ducked past him quickly and made her way to the kitchen. He stood in the doorway belligerently and watched her bustle about the kitchen. “Is there anything you don’t want for dinner tonight sir?” He looked at her and stared for a moment.

“Just don’t burn the house down.” She nodded and went through their cupboards. She pulled out some barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, kidney beans and vegetable stock and set to making simple stew. She worked around the kitchen like it was almost second nature.

“You look just like your mother in the kitchen,” she barely heard him mumble under his breath. A small unexpected smile came to her face as she set the stew to finish on the burner and put some rolls in the oven.

“It should be done in about twenty or so minutes Papa, for now I’m gonna go and check on Momma though,” he had slid into one of the chairs around the table and started on another glass of his poison. She shook her head gently then made her way to the other room.

“Was everything alright?” Breezy asked anxiously.

“Everything is okay Momma, Papa was just being clumsy in the kitchen. I started on some dinner while I was out there too. Maybe we can eat together tonight?” Breezy’s face looked a bit paler than it had earlier in the day. “Momma… are you okay?” Fluttershy rushed over to her mother’s side and Breezy began coughing to what seemed like no end. Fluttershy held a bin up for her mother and rubbed her back gently as her mother’s face disappeared into the bin.

“I’m sorry my little one.” Breezy managed between spasms, “I should be the one to take care of you, not the other way around…” she didn’t have enough time to catch herself with the bin so she used her hoof instead when she coughed. Fluttershy’s eyes darted immediately to the red on her mother’s hoof.

“Momma we need to get you a doctor right now!” She started darting around the room trying to figure out a plan of action in her panic.

“Take a breath my love.” Breezy took her own advice and it seemed to help, “I’ll be okay my darling. Remember that Momma is sick? This is just part of my sickness. It’ll pass, just try to keep calm.” She tried to soothe away her daughter’s worry from her bed.

“B-but Momma, you coughed up blood! That’s serious!” Fluttershy’s eyes began to tear up and her bottom lip quivered even as she tried her best to follow her mother’s instructions.

“I know, I know. But it’ll be alright. Everything will be alright in the end.” Breezy Day patted the bed next to her after hiding away the rubbish bin. Fluttershy immediately sat next to her and hugged her gently, not wanting to hurt her. Breezy placed her chin on top of Fluttershy’s head and placed a kiss on her brow. “I love you little one.”

“I love you too Momma.”

“You should go check on dinner, I’ll be okay. Make sure your father is alright if he’s around.”

“Yes Momma.”

“Good girl.”

Fluttershy reluctantly left the room and made a beeline for the kitchen, she could smell the stew bubbling on the stove and the rolls in the oven. It made her stomach growl a bit.

“Ish et done yet Breeshy?” Fluttershy turned her head and looked at Stormy slumped over on the kitchen table and shook her head a little bit.

“It’s done Papa, but it’s me Fluttershy.” She reached for the dishes and poured out three bowls of stew, each with their own pair of fluffy hot yeast rolls. She placed a bowl in front of him, “Please be careful it’s very hot right now.” Stormy looked down at the bowl and just nodded. She balanced the other two and carefully made it back to the other room. When she opened the door Breezy was asleep against her pillows. Fluttershy left the bowl of stew on the bedside table with a plate covering it. She scrawled out a little note on a scrap of paper and left it with the food: ‘Please eat when you feel up to it, it’ll help make you feel better! Love you Momma!’

She closed the door behind her and went back to the kitchen where she’d left her father. He was slurping down his stew when she found him.

“Et’s good.” he managed with his mouth still full. She sat down opposite him at the table and tucked into her own meal.

“Thank you.” she said between bites. They sat in relative silence finishing their meals. Fluttershy cleared the table and did the dishes then headed to her room. She looked out the window and toward the moon wistfully. ‘If only he could be that nice when he wasn’t drunk and sure it was me and not Momma.’ she thought as she curled up on her bed under the covers. The last thing she saw was some light filtering in through a crack in the door and what she thought could have been her father standing at the door.

“You look just like her, my Breezy.” And the door closed with a click after her eyes closed, heavy with sleep. And the dreams tonight didn’t wake her up.