There was no changing Gallant Gust’s mind. His nose was flared and his eyes were narrowed. The time for hiding was over and the time to confront Rawhide was now.
“Fall,” he said before heading down to the first floor. “Can you keep close to my sister? I don’t want her, or you, to get hurt if things get ugly.”
“Ugly…?”gulped Fall. “You’re not going to start a… fight. Are you?”
“Right now,” spat the orange Pegasus as he fluttered his wings. “I’m ready to do anything to make sure things get better around this awful place.”
“But, brother,” said his sister, Soft Steps.
Gallant held out his leg while giving a very sincere look of determination.
“I have to do this, sis,” he said as he felt a lump in his throat. “I can’t just stand aside knowing someone could bully you for something you never asked to be born with.”
Fall watched as Gallant began to tear up while talking about his sister. This was exactly how Pint and Bucky seemed to feel about her. No. This was how they felt about her.
“Um,” said Fall as she stood alongside Soft Steps. “I think I know why your brother wants to do what he’s going to do.”
“What?” wondered the purple Earth Pony. “You think he should fight that awful Pegasus?”
“No,” replied Fall while shaking her head. “I just think he needs to do what he thinks is right.”
“Thanks, Fall,” stated Gallant while flicking his tail. “I don’t want to fight. But, if Rawhide makes me, I’m willing to take him on for you and my sister.”
“But…,” panicked Soft Steps.
“Let him go,” said Fall. “He’s your brother and he loves you.”
“I know,” whimpered Soft Steps as she watched her sibling march down the stairs. “That’s why I don’t want him to get hurt just because of me.”
“It’ll be okay,” assured Fall as she felt tears of her own streaming down her face. She felt as if Gallant Gust and Soft Steps were her actual, first example of why Bucky and Candy Cloud mentioned how wonderful it would be to have her for a sister. This tied in with how a part of her saw a bit of all of her friends in Gallant as he bravely marched forward to stand up for those, like herself and Soft Steps, who were easy targets for bullies, like Rawhide.
“It is,” assured the orange Pegasus as he helped Rawhide to his feet. “And, after Rawhide here finishes his apologies and cleaning up his mess, we’re going to do it.”