The three Pegasus followed the small dragon into the dinning room where they were expected. Twilight and her friends got up from their chairs and walked to greet them. "Welcome, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of friendship." She said, bowing in respect. "This is Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and you already know Fluttershy and met Spike." The princess added as she pointed at each of her friends.
The three Pegasus also bowed their heads in respect. As they looked back up, The bigger Pegasus, who stood in the middle looked up at Fluttershy with a stern look. The yellow Pegasus whimpered as she looked down. The big Pegasus was just about to introduce himself until. "Hi big sis." Said a bright orange pony with silky white wavy mane, and a huge smile, not just on his face, but he also had a smile as a cutie mark with a sparkle on the side of the smile.
Fluttershy soon perked up as she saw her little brother standing beside her father and smiled back. "oh, hi Cloud Charmer." She responded.
"Cloud Charmer?" Rarity said out loud, with a confused expression on her face. "Wait a minute." She soon perked up as she realize just who he was. " Are you by chance, THE Cloud Charmer? As in Cloud's Mattresses, were ever mattress is as soft and divine as a cloud?" She asked with a smile on her face.
Cloud Charmer smiled as he looked at Rarity. "Why, yes ma'am. I am Cloud Charmer, the owner of over a hundred Mattress shops world wide."
Rarity gasped with glee. "I simply LOVE your mattresses. Its just like sleeping on a real cloud." Rarity complemented as she gave the good looking Pegasus a flirtatious stare. Spike saw this and sighed in annoyance.
Before Cloud Charmer could say anything back, he was interrupted by the large golden Pegasus with dark brown mane that was combed back. He sported a chin that would make Mr. Cake proud, and lastly his cutie mark was a huge light blue lighting bolt. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Hello, Princess Twilight. it is an honor to meet you." He said with a thundering voice. "My name is Thunder Ruffle, The president of the Las Pegasus's weather factory "
"It is an honor to meet you sir." Twilight replied back, taking a shock at just out loud he was.
Rainbow Dash gasp as she heard where he worked. "Oh my Gosh, Fluttershy's dad is the PRESIDENT of the weather factory of Las Pegasus?" Rainbow asked. "I heard that Las Pegasus's weather is the best." She commented.
Thunder Ruffle looked at her with a face of anger. He felt insulted by the word. "Best? The "best" only get a third place trophy. WE are the GREATEST weather factory in the world." He said with intimidation in his voice. Rainbow Dash felt a chill down her spine. Never before has a pony intimidated her ever before like this. Not even Spit Fire made her feel this way during training. "Las Pegasus is THE Greatest. If Manehatten's weather factory does ten inches of rain, we do FIFTEEN INCHES. If Appleloosa has two tornadoes, we have FIVE TORNADOES and at the end, they will collide into each other, because WE ARE NUMBER ONE!" He boomed, as he stomped his hoof on the ground and snorted.
Both Fluttershy and Charmer trembled, along with the rest of the mane six at the sound of Thunder's voice. However, the cotton candy blue mare, with straight cotton candy pink mane and a black cloud cutie mark stood there, beside him, just shaking her head with a tear rolling down her face.. "well, um yes, well who are the rest of your family?." Twilight said nervously.
Thunder calmed down and let out a heavy sigh. "Sorry Princess, my deepest apologies." He said with a bow. He lift his head back up and turned his face toward Cloud Charmer. "You already know my GOLDEN foal, Cloud Charmer. He is the BEST mattress salespony in THE world. Nopony can match him." He said boastfully. He then turned his face toward the mare beside him "And this is MY WONDERFUL and MOST beautiful wife in the world, Gloomy Skies, equestria's number ONE physiologist."
The cotton candy blue mare took out a Kleenex and wiped the tear away from her eyes. "Hello, it is a pleasure *sniff* meeting you all' She commented.
"Gloomy Skies?" Applejack said in confusion. "Hey, aren't you that fancy head shrink that has all them books?" She asked.
"Yes I'm that *sniff* Gloomy Skies." She said with a few more tears flowing down her face.
Rarity looked at Applejack in wonder. "Applejack? how do you know about Gloomy Skies?" She question.
Applejack smiled weakly and scratched the back of her head. "Well.. when yer sister is going to the dentist, um, ya git bored real easily just waiting for an hour." she commented
"*snidd* sorry, you had to wait for the dentist fo so long, that you were force to read my book." Gloomy Skies said wit a few more tears rolling down her face
"APPLEJACK, you made our guest cry." Rarity scolded.
"Oh, gee, I'm might sorry ma'am The book was good honest." Applejack responded, feeling bad for what she had done.
Gloomy blew her nose before looking back at Applejack. "Oh, don't worry, it wasn't you *sniff*" She reassured. "Its just, I feel so much pain. I have a six sense, I can feel deep pain within you and the white unicorn over there."
Both Applejack and Rarity looked at one another. "What ever do you mean darling?" Rarity asked. "I am happy with my life."
"Yeah, same here." Applejack added. "I'm as happy as a hog in fresh mud."
"Would you *sniff* care if I prove you wrong?" Gloomy Skies asked.
Both RArity and Applejack looked at each other again and then back at Gloomy Skies, and agreed to it. Gloomy walked toward the two and looked into their eyes. After a few second eveypony watched her. Suddenly, Gloomy's eyes watered even more. Tears fell down the mares face, as she hugged both ponies. "You keep working hard, because you feel its not good enough and your parents aren't proud of you." She said toward Applejack. "But they are, they will always love you sugarcube." As she said this, Applejack began to cry and hug her back. She then turned her attention to Rarity. "You feel the need to make all these beautiful dresses, because you were eased as a filly for being ugly. However, you are beautiful, from the inside and out." She commented. Rarity to teared up and hugged Gloomy. Both ponies thanked her as she let go. She asked if they both were ok, in which they nodded.
Twilight and the rest of her friends were amazed at just how good Gloomy Skies was. However, it was time for dinner to be served, so she asked Spike to go get the food. As they took their seats at the table, Thunder Ruffle was looking sternly at Fluttershy. The yellow Pegasus saw him and started to sink in her chair Cloud Charmer and the rest of the mane six noticed. “So, how are you doing Fluttershy?” Cloud Charmer asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Fluttershy looked at him with a smile and perked up a bit, despite being starred at by her huge intimating father. “Oh, I’m doing fine how about you Cloud Charmer?” She asked.
However, before Cloud could get a word out, he was yet again interrupted by his father. “Tell me daughter, what do you do for a living and how well is the pay?” Thunder demanded, without any hesitation. “I assume you have a good job, just like your brother?”
However, Fluttershy couldn’t answer him due to how scared she was, just by his voice alone. She couldn’t understand why. She wanted to tell him that she was a care giver of cute animals, but the words just didn’t come out. However, Fluttershy didn’t have to say a word, for Pinkie Pie jumped from above her chair and stood on it, while defying the laws of physics. “Oh, Fluttershy here is Ponyville’s very own, number one animal care giver. She takes care of all the animals that come to see her.” Pinkie Pie said with a smile.
“Wow, that’s great Fluttershy.” Cloud Charmer commented with his very own smile.
“*sniff* its so sad that the animals get sick or hurt.” Gloomy Skies added. “But at least they have you to take care of them sweetie, I’m so *sniff* proud.” She says as tears of joy flowed down her eyes.
However, Thunder Ruffle cleared his throat and looked at Fluttershy with the same stern look. She started to sink in her chair even lower. “What Charmer and Skies meant to say was. How is the pay?”
Pinkie put her face in front of Fluttershy and giggled. “Pay? Pfft, she does it all for free. She lives off the land. Besides helping her animal friends is more important then the bits.” Pinkie said as she jumped back to her seat.
Fluttershy wanted to smile, but she couldn’t. Her father was still staring at her with disappointment in his eyes. “Hmm, So, you are a free loader?” He asked.
Rainbow Dash was about to say something, but was interrupted by Applejack who looked rather annoyed by his comment towards his own daughter. “Now wait here sir, no disrespect, but this here is yer daughter. Aren’t ya spose ta love her regardless of what she is?” She questioned.
"I will be PROUD, if she did something worth while.” Thunder Ruffle commented.
Rainbow slammed her hoof on the table with a ticked off look on her face. She just couldn’t stand anyone, regardless if it was a family member, putting her friends down. “YEAH, well Fluttershy here help me and the rest of the Ponyville Pegasus get water to Clouds Dale in order for it to rain for equestria. Also, she made a dragon cry like a newborn filly to save Ponyville from a haze of smoke, how is that for worth while?” Rainbow asked.
“That is impressive Fluttershy.” Cloud Charmer commented.
Gloomy Skies’s tears flowed down even harder. “I am so proud of you Fluttershy, you saved Ponyville from a nasty dragon”
Thunder looked at her and snorted. “If memory serves, you made the LOWEST time in Equestria in bringing Clouds Dale water. While Las Pegasus made NUMBER ONE. On top of that, dragons act like they are tough and high mighty, but a dragon sneeze tree will have even the brain DEAD dragon lord packing. “ He snorted as he finished.
Rainbow Dash was annoyed by the lack of respect he was giving Fluttershy. Applejack felt the same way. Both ponies looks upset over how cruel he was. Fluttershy on the other hand just wished she could disappear. Rarity looked at her poor friend with sweat coming from her forehead. She cleared her throat. "Well... dear Fluttershy here, uh.. was a model for Photofinish...temporally" She said with a weak grin.
Thunder raised an eye brow. "Temporally? hmm... why you stop? You could have been famous and had tons of bits." Thunder Ruffle pushed.
Yet again, the yellow timid Pegasus couldn't even make a peep. Her brother looked at her with sympathy, but dared not stick up for her against their own father. Bother Rainbow and Applejack bit their tongues hard, for the only reason they didn't chew him out, was because it wasn't their place in a family matter. The same went for Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie. All Gloomy Skies did was sit there with her eyes closed, letting the tears flow down her face. She knew what to do, but the time was not yet ready.
Luckily, Spike came in with the dinner and started to serve everyone. Gloomy opened her eyes and saw how happy he was giving everypony their plates from the cart. As the Dragon served Twilight, she notice something interesting. She could feel the sadness, deep down in his very own heart. As Spike came toward her with her plate, she looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "She is grateful you know?" She asked.
Spike placed her plate down in front of her and looked at the Pegasus with a confused look. "Huh? What do you mean?" He asked.
"You help Twilight, not only because you enjoy cleaning, but deep down for feel that you owe her a life debt, due to you think that your parents abandon you and Twilight might do the same. But er love for you will never end"
Twilight looked at Spike with a look of sorrow. "Spike, I told you, I will never abandon you. Your my number one assistant and best friend." She comforted. "You will always have a place in my heart, no matter what, I promise." Twilight reassured.
Spike's eyes filled with tears as he went to Twilight, giving her a tight hug. "I know, its just, I am so grateful for all you've done for me Twilight."
"Its ok Spike." Twilight patted her friend's head in comfort.
Spike let go and wiped his tears away before thanking Twilight. He took his seat and everyone started to eat. However, nopony said a word, and the tension in the air was thick. Twilight, felt the need to break the awkward silence. "So, Cloud Charmer, Fluttershy says you had some BIG news?" She asked
Cloud Charmer looked up and swallowed his food. The Pegasus smile with delight. "Yes ma'am, I, Cloud Charmer, have sold, and made trade to the yak prince of Yakastan."
Twilight and everyone congratulated him in amazement. As Cloud Charmer thanked them, Thunder took a sip of his cider and placed it on the table, He soon smiled with pride for his son. "Yes, MY golden foal has made me and my wife more proud then any other pony ever." He boasted. "He did what no pony has ever done, make a sale to the Yaks." He added, while patting his son on the shoulder.
"Thanks dad..." Cloud Charmer said, feeling rather uneasy with the bragging.
Thunder Ruffle soon turned his attention to Fluttershy. "Yes, see daughter, Cloud Charmer made something of himself." He commented.
"Dad, wait." Cloud tried to stop his dad before he said something he could never take back.
Thunder Ruffle ignored him. "How come you can't be like him?" he asked. "or do you like being a failure?"
The room fell dead silent. As The words failure hit Fluttershy with a force of a Minotaur. Tears soon filled the yellow Pegasus's eyes. He heart slowed down as her world shattered.
"Flutters, he didn't-"Cloud Charmer wasn't able to finish his sentence. Fluttershy flew off in tears. Both Rainbow and Applejack wanted to rip him a new one, but they ran after their crying friend instead. They were followed by everyone else, including Cloud Charmer. Thunder Ruffle just sat there as if he did nothing wrong. Gloomy Skies looked at him with a tear rolling down her eye. He turned to see his wife looking at him with sadness in her eyes.
"What? It was the truth." He said, with not regret for what he done.
To be continued