Brayside Crush

by Outlaw Quadrant

8 - Old Chime Wisdom

Out of the caverns and into the woods.

Swift and Rainbow flew down a winding path through a land of trees overflowing with enough undergrowth that they could only see the top half of a nearby lighthouse. At a solitary blue mailbox on the side of the road, they detoured to a side path where figs grew from low-lying branches and the scent of the ocean made its welcome return. Despite the plentiful shade provided by the tall canopy, however, their sweat clung to their bodies like glue.

“Okay. This you could call hot,” Rainbow mused, fanning her face. “You can you… hey. I hear something up ahead.”

Once rounding a bend, a faded white cottage house with fencing on both sides came into view. The owner had hung on the porch wind chimes of every shape and size, all of them gently swaying in the occasional cooling breeze.

“So, I’m guessing this is the place, Swift,” she asked.

He landed just past the front steps and groaned. “I don’t wanna be here.” He swung open the screen door and touched the panel door’s knob. “I really don’t wanna be here.”

“What are you whining about?”

Swift sidestepped to one of the two front windows and rubbed off some grime. “I bet he’s expecting me already. Rainbow? We should probably, oof!”

“Just go inside already,” she protested, pushing the stallion through the entryway.

“Rainbow! Hey! No! Bad idea! You don’t know what you’re dealing with!”

“Pffft! You make it sound like… log. Loggggg!”

Both leaped out of the way of a swinging log suspended from a rope. The stump knocked both doors straight off its hinges before the rope snapped.

Rainbow crawled to the doorway and gaped at a splintered porch and the front end of the log dug deep into the dirt a few feet away. “W–what was that?”

“Windy Chimes!” Swift banged the floor. “Are you completely bonkers?”

Raspy laughing emerged from the staircase in front of them. Moments later, a blue pegasus with wispy yellow hair emerged at the top. “Very good. Predictable result for one but for the other, impressive. Correct you were about this Rainbow Dash, Rarity.”

Said unicorn appeared next to him and then trotted down the stairs, “Apologies, dearies, but Mister Chimes insisted we’d start you two with something that would, oh, how did you phrase it?”

“Stimulate the senses,” Chimes answered. He hopped onto the railing.

“Goodness,” Rarity exclaimed. “You shouldn’t be doing that at your age!”

The stallion slid all the way to the first floor with nary a bobble on landing. “Age is merely a number, my dear! Heh, heh!” He took a step before reaching for his back. “Ohhhh! If only my bones shared that same wisdom. Now, how is my star student doing?”

Swift got up and stared at him as though he was a seagull. “How do you think I’m doing?”

“Pain in the flank I am,” answering with a wry smile, “but it is for your sake, Swift.” The elder turned to Rainbow Dash. “And I suspect for yours, as well.”

She scratched her hair. “Um, I don’t get what you mean by that.”

Chimes opened his mouth but whatever he had planned to say, he discarded with a shrug. “Come. Let’s go out back, shall we?”

The homeowner escorted his guests down a narrow hallway toward the house’s backdoor. Along the way, black and white pictures hung on the wall, many of them with Windy Chimes in the middle of an aerial maneuver or posing with other ponies. However, those depictions had thicker hair, a body that lacked sags and in one instance, wore something that stopped Rainbow in her tracks.

“No… way!” She blew off some dust off the picture just in case the humidity was playing tricks on her. “T–that’s a–a Wonderbolts uniform! How is, were you, is this—?”

“Yes, I was once a member, ages ago,” he answered, stroking his thin goatee. “It was for a brief time and I wasn’t there to do stunts.”

“Huh?”

“Allow me a demonstration.”

Seconds later, they all emerged outside to a wide clearing within the forest enclosed by fencing. Only the occasional weed broke up the sea of flat brown monotony. He pushed one button of many on a panel by the side of the door, triggering hidden doors on the ground to grind open. Soon enough, tall narrow tree stumps, cardboard pony cutouts and thin balls with metal balls on top littered the terrain, as did other contraptions whose purpose were just as mysterious.

Windy Chimes walked to the closest to one of the faux ponies. With his eyelids shut, he held one wing high in the air.

“Hyah!”

A sudden gust knocked down the cutout. The elder then turned around and bowed. “Back in my time, the Wonderbolts was more about protecting Equestria than razzle dazzle stunts. As a favor to a friend, I briefly became an instructor on a special form of self-defense, one that requires a mere wing flap like what you just witnessed.”

“Wing-Fu,” Rainbow whispered.

“Yes, I suppose that’s what your generation calls it. A useful art for those than can learn such a technique but it requires great patience and understanding of wind flow.”

Rainbow raised a foreleg. “Oh! Oh! I totally wanna learn! Swift here can do it! I should too!”

“Hmmm. A quick check would be in order.” He lifted one of her wings and ran a hoof across the feathers. “You would have great difficulty, Rainbow. Great wing power I sense but it is wild, aggressive, like an incoming storm front. Success requires becoming the eye of the hurricane, calmness amidst chaos, a quality that Swift possesses because of his very nature.”

“Ahem!” Rarity forced herself in between all of them. “Now, I’m sure this is all fascinating and all but we should stay focused on the task at hoof. We’re here to help them perform together, remember?”

Chimes smiled wide. “Ah, but such knowledge is key. These two, you see, they are alike in some ways but quite different in others. Together, a potent combination of harmony, if they allow it to happen.”

Swift titled his head. “I have no clue what you’re rambling about.”

“Yeah, I’m totally lost too,” Rainbow mumbled into Swift’s ear.

“You will understand soon enough,” Chimes reassured them. “Come, Rarity. You will get a performance, indeed. Swift should be quite familiar with this particular routine by now.”

Swift’s wings stood up. “Hold up! Don’t tell me I’m doing that!”

He walked right to the panel and pushed another button. “Do not worry, Swift. This time, you’ll be sharing this experience.”

Rainbow trembled at the sound of grinding gears and a low electrical hum. Then, lightning suddenly flowed across the various poles, holes opened up on the tree trunks all around the perimeter and the pony cutouts began spinning on its axis and moved along rail lines. Beyond the fencing, water sprouted up into the air and condensed into a haze that seeped into the area.

“Um, Swift?” Rainbow backed right into him. “W–what’s going on?”

“You remember how wicked our training was from Blaze?”

She copied his dour expression. “Please don’t tell me this is even worse than that.”

He pretended to laugh. “You might wanna stick close to me for this.”

Meanwhile, Rarity peeked through a wide window inside the house. Lightning bolts, rubber pellets and static silhouettes moved all around the misty backyard. Two shadows darted amongst the chaos, their panicked yells muffled by the thick glass.

“Are you sure this is going to help, Mister Chimes?” she said, shifting in place. “The log, I suppose was okay for a one time deal but this seems a little, excessive.”

Chimes wheezed a few chuckles. “You’d be surprised how well adversity brings ponies together. Just wait and see.”

---

“Malt-astic!”

Under the shade of a palm tree, Spike sat on a picnic bench sipping a cup through a straw. He paused and licked some red foam off his lips, making sure his tongue got every drop.

“Oh, yeah! Who do I need to talk to so we can get a Malts ‘R Us open in Ponyville?”

Across from him, Blossom rested her head on the table and kept a lazy eye at the nearby pathway congested with ponies. Some stood in a line of fifteen to place their order at the Malt ‘R Us counter. Others went in and out of the various shops lining one side of the trail, most of them selling the expected items sold near the seaside: patterned towels, surfboards, lotions, postcards, sunglasses and hats. Artisans, musicians and craftsponies had set camp on the sandy side using tables or a simple bed sheet to sell more hoof-made wares. One of them made pony portraits out of seashells and before she knew it, Spike slid one to her.

“So, what do you think,” the dragon asked, grinning at his purchase. “Isn’t it great?”

She cast a glance – she saw better efforts from kindergarteners using macaroni bits. “It’s the thought that matters, Spike. Thank you.”

“Are you all right, Blossom?”

“No,” she answered, pouting her lips. “We’re still behind schedule but those seagulls just won’t let up. I really should be back at the site but I’m just so worn out.”

“Just take it easy. I mean, swinging that surfboard all day trying to keep those seagulls away and organizing such a big festival can’t be easy for anypony. If anypony deserves a break, it’s you.”

Blossom stroked his scales, “Oh, you’re such a sweet wonderful little dragon! Can I keep you?”

Spike blushed. “Ah, I wish I could but I’m Twilight’s assistant.”

“Don’t remind me but you’re nothing like her, Spike. You do everything I tell you to do the best way you can. You wouldn’t do anything to make me mad.”

The dragon clenched his jaw. Oh, why did you have to say that? When she finds out about the orchestra, she’s… she’s gonna—

“Oh, no! You’re shaking again! I’ll go and find you a doctor!”

“No!” He scooted off to the edge of the bench. “I–I’m fine! Heh, heh, heh. It’s just that, um, oh! They’re here! Look, Blossom!”

Arriving to the scene was Twilight, followed by Fluttershy and two other ponies with scruff marks and the scent of ash coming from their messy hairs. They all took a seat with just enough room to fit comfortably.

Blossom clasped her forehead. “Widget? What did you do now?”

“I ain’t done a thing,” said the unicorn, rubbing grease off her cheeks. “Check that. No bad things, um, with the boring fireworks.”

“Our fireworks cannon is another story,” added Pinkie, removing all grout in one fervent shake. “We’ve had some teensy weensy little hiccups.”

Twilight did an eye roll. “More like major malfunctions but based on what I saw with the regular fireworks, I can confirm there’s nothing to worry about in that department, yet. First piece of good news we’ve had all day.”

“Not quite,” Blossom said cheerily, pausing for a prideful glance at Twilight. “I brought you all here partly because of some great news of my own. The rock band has finally come together, singer included and as a special bonus, we just scored Vinyl Scratch too!”

The amassed yelled a cheer, all except a slanted frowned Twilight and her trembling assistant. “Go easy on the nail-biting, Spike,” she quietly instructed. “This won’t change anything.”

Blossom breathed a heavy sigh. “Now for the other reason why you’re all here. Seagulls. Those flapping yapping good for nothing pests of pests seagulls! I’ve had just about enough of them ruining my festival and my beach!”

“Oy! You’re sounding like you’re taking it a wee bit personal, now, Blossi,” Widget commented.

“I’m not taking it personal! Everypony in this town is fed up with those seagulls!” She jumped onto the table. “They tip over garbage cans. We just clean it up. They ruin our picnics. We let them eat our food. I won’t let them ruin this festival and win! Not again! The line must be drawn here! This far and no further!”

Those around the steaming redhead looked elsewhere.

“Oh. I, um, sorry. Got a little carried away there.” She returned to her seat. “Now, we don’t have the means to keep them away for an entire day and they’re apparently not interested in negotiations but there must be a solution to this problem that we can come up with. Fluttershy? I’ll start with you.”

Twilight raised a hoof. “Actually, I was going to suggest moving this meeting to the local library before we start talking seagulls.”

The redhead’s eyes swirled a deeper orange. “And why is that?”

“Closer access to valuable resources. After all, a wise pony once said there no solution that can’t be found inside a good book.”

“Yes, except I’ve already looked there last week. I wasn’t able to find anything useful.”

“Oh.” She pounded her forelegs together. “But I bet I can!”

“Are you implying that—” A smirk suddenly appeared on her face. “You know, you may be right. For all I know, I might have overlooked something invaluable. After all, you practically live around books and therefore, you are the most qualified pony in conducting detailed research. How about you head off to the library and see what you can find. Then we can all meet up at the Luau Kitchen at around seven for dinner and we can discuss your findings there. You can’t miss the place. It’s close to the Trotwalk.”

Twilight rose from her seat. “To the library! Spike, let’s go!”

“But I wanna—”

She tossed him onto her back and galloped toward the beachfront.

Blossom sighed. I wish she wouldn’t have taken Spike. Poor little guy. “Anywho, Fluttershy? Tell us your thoughts.”

---

“Darn these pineapples!”

“Yo! Don’t diss the fruit!”

Applejack had her reasons to complain about ingredients but she had nothing on the accommodations. This kitchen had a wide marble counter right in the middle of the room, perfect for laying out several pineapples crates and a few barrels filled with apples. Knives were just a quick turnaround away from reach, all sharpened to a glisten and placed on a wall rack from smallest to largest. Wooden cabinets all around the room had every spice, pot, pan or whatever else any professional cook would need for a great meal.

Everything except the right recipe book.

“These are too hard to cut,” Applejack grumbled as she wriggled a knife through a large pineapple. “Just another reason why apples are better.”

Blitz squished juice off an apple into a bowl. “You wish! There’s a reason why ponies go with the pine at the beach. They want something juicy, sweet and totally gnarly. The only ones that even touch apples are foals drinking juice out of their sippy cups.”

“Grrrrr! I’ll admit that was a good comeback, too good. Do you actually think before you say anything or are you just blabbering what others tell you?”

“I think… about what my family tells me. Actually, that was my best stuff for an apple.”

Applejack slid pineapple pieces into a blender before grabbing another pineapple. “Lemme ask you something.” She grunted while slicing. “Don’t you get tired of all this fighting between fruit families? Not that I don’t enjoy a little rivalry, but it can get might annoying. Last month, our farm was pelted by peaches. Took us days to clean all the gunk.”

“Rotten bananas here,” Blitz answered before lifting onto the countertop another barrel of apples. “They even left the peels on the roof. You wanna talk smack, that’s cool, but making me work overtime and that’s too much! Oh, and bullying foals and colts into eating your fruit! Totally wrongcious!”

“Well, at least we have something in common. We may never agree which fruit is better, but I suppose you’re more bearable than the others. Tell you what. How about we start being a little nicer to each other and focus on making some good grub? I’d love nothing more than to be in the best spot for the festival and rub that in the other families’ faces.”

“Blitz, yeah,” shouted the stallion, banging the counter. “I’ll take an apple over a mango or banana any day!”

“I hear that. Now, do me a favor and preheat the oven.”

He glanced at the appliance tucked away near the corner of the room. Dials adorned both sides of the door with letters and numbers that had him ruffling his brushed back mane. “Um, okay. I can do that.”

---

Within Chimes’ living room, four ponies sat on their haunches around a low table to partake in a tea, sweet bread, and toasted sandwich spread. Chimes and Rarity opted for small sips from their little cups and nibbles of their sweets.

Swift and Rainbow, on the other side of the table, gobbled up enough food for ten.

While Rarity wrinkled her nose at their uncouth table manners, the elder listened in to their nonstop conversation. Rainbow and Swift complained about every facet of their impromptu training session but they also tossed out occasional compliments for avoiding the singe of an open flame or a strike from a flying pellet.

Rarity leaned into the old stallion’s ear. “Are you noticing something, Mister Chimes? Please do share.”

He paused for a quick drink. “Fascinated, I am. They demonstrated a level of teamwork beyond my expectations.”

“I see. If I may be so bold, do you think it’s because they may be,” she giggled, “romantically connected in some fashion?”

“Heh, heh. If I were able to read those types of signs, I’d be quite a rich pony. What I can say is that they have handled adversity more intense than today’s session.”

“Hmmm. They did go through some training a few months ago with one of Swift’s falcon friends.”

“I’m aware of that but it may be more than that,” he said before taking another sip.

“You know, when they met the first time in Ponyville, they ended up over a week together while my friends and I were away. They’ve never gone into specifics about what they did together and nopony in town seems to know, either. It’s possible that—”

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the front door. Chimes put down his cup only for Rarity to get up first.

“No, please. Allow me, Mister Chimes. Maybe you could, ahem, talk to Rainbow and Swift about that time? Maybe you can find some answers there, answers you could share with me, hmm?”

Both young pegasi gave the unicorn a curious stare as she trotted into the dim hallway and disappeared. Moments later, they reached for the last sandwich on the crumb-infested plate; both paused just short of touching the snack. Each once moved their heads, indicating they could go ahead and take it. Eventually, they pulled back their hooves in retreat.

Then, cyan and grey blurs swiped at the sandwich.

“Too slow,” Swift mumbled, stuffing his prize into his mouth.

Rainbow flicked the plate. “Yeah, yeah. I let you have that one.”

Chimes grunted. “That’s not what I saw.”

“You need your eyes checked, old timer,” she refuted.

He bellowed a laugh. “You’re quite a spitfire, aren’t you? A surprise that you could harmonize so well with a pony you’ve only met months ago.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Swift responded, flicking off crumbs on his lips.

He craned his head back toward the hallway. “Alone us three for a while, it seems. Allow me to get straight to the point, young student.”

“Eh? That’s a first. Why so serious all of a sudden?”

A shadow fell over Chimes’ face. “Flying Stress Syndrome. You had that infliction, did you not?”

Swift might as well heard his parents had gone missing. “W–wha–?”

“Back at Blossom’s Hearts Warming Eve party last year, that was our first encounter. I sensed an ominous wind around you, enough to believe that not all was well with you. I was but a stranger to you then, the only commonality between us was that I was a friend of your mother’s. My place to intervene in your life that night it was not. Patient I had to be. After you returned from Ponyville, however, that presence was but a mere draft, completely tamed by its master. Yes, correct I am, aren’t I?”

His shrinking pupils made a quick shift to Rainbow who burned brighter than the lit candles on a nearby shelf.

Chimes gasped softly. “The winds do not lie. Both of you. The same exact battle.”

Both lowered their heads.

“Do not worry young students. There is one reason above the rest why I know this, a secret that I will share.” Chimes adjusted his seating position. “I flew the same path as you two.”

“W–what?” Swift pointed at his teacher, “H–hold on. You had it too?”

Chimes did a second check of the hallway; distant chatter put him at ease. “A little older than you two I was when I had a terrible accident, one caused by youthful arrogance. Once I realized I had Flying Stress Syndrome, the shame it brought me kept me away from the skies. There was a time when I believed flying would be forever out of reach. However, a retired Wonderbolt guided me every step of the way, unbending in his desire to ensure the success of my recovery. The years between us may have been great, but through shared adversity, we formed a bond that lasted through time. That’s what I see between you two.”

“So what does that mean, exactly,” Rainbow asked. “We work great together?”

“I sense between you two the hardships endured and the joy of ultimate freedom. Only ones that have lived through such an experience can begin to understand how such a journey can forge a strong connection. ” He stopped for a third check. “Now, let me ask both of you something. Do you happen to know why there is such a thing as Flying Stress Syndrome?”

Swift’s eyes widened. “You know? You actually know?”

“Not a clue!” He wheezed a guffaw.

“Figures,” Rainbow grumbled.

“But I have heard some interesting theories over the years. Some claim it was originally a test given by a long-forgotten divine figure in a time when they were only earth ponies roaming this world. Those that passed literally earned their wings and became today’s pegasi. Others say it’s a nightmare run amok after Princess Luna’s banishment to the moon a thousand years ago. In the end, the origin may be of little importance. What matters is the great challenge it presents a pegasus to overcome such an infliction. Flying Stress Syndrome, formidable it is, but the lessons they provide are invaluable.”

“Eh?” Swift remarked.

He closed his eyes. “You two faced the same adversity, one more difficult than mine, and together, you overcame. There is little else I can teach you about working as one.”

“Eh?”

Chimes poured some more tea, “The barriers that you two face today are the ones you have erected yourselves. Reflect on the past and they will guide past them.”

After a few seconds of blank staring, Swift tussled his forelocks. “What?”

Rarity pranced back in the room and returned to her spot next to Windy Chimes. “I do apologize for the wait. That was Light Shower at the door and we got a little carried away chatting on a few things. Did I miss anything?”

“Nothing of great importance,” said Chimes before drinking from his cup.

Swift and Rainbow exhaled their relief. “What did he want,” Swift asked.

“Surfing Blossom wants us to be at the Trotwalk at seven. We’ve all had long days so she thought it would be best if we, um, shared some time together, at the Trotwalk.”

Both pegasi verbally agreed.

“Wonderful! I need to freshen up for tonight. We’ll meet you at the boardwalk entrance!”

Chimes kept an eye on the unicorn as she departed the room before sipping his warm drink. “A charming pony, that one. Lessons to woo her, that I can teach you, Swift.”

“No,” he emphatically answered.

“You shouldn’t discount such advice so easily,” he countered, rustling whatever hair he had left on his head. “Do promise me that you will heed everything else I have told you today.”

“If we could actually understand what you’re saying,” Rainbow grumbled.

Windy Chimes stood on all fours and cleared his throat. “You’ve been through a lot tougher, kids. Just relax and have some fun together. Let the answers come to you.”

---

“Welcome to the Luau Kitchen!”

It took all of three seconds from when Blossom brought Fluttershy, Pinkie and Widget into the tiki-style building that several attendants wearing grass skirts greeted them with leis. Then one of them escorted the group through the busy floor bustling with guests, drinking and laughing as overhead fans provided air cooler than the breezes blowing from the ocean and below the hay-stuffed canopy. Old surfboards, tribal masks and glowing bulbs dangled from the rafters as did the shell of a raft; the server seated them at a bamboo table right under it.

Soon enough, the adjourned placed their orders for sweet drinks and appetizers. Blossom casually checked the main courses on the menu before sliding it to the middle of the table.

Well, this is a little disappointing. I thought everypony would be here by now. I said seven, didn’t I?

Then she noticed Spike running in between two servers before taking a seat next to Blossom and speaking labored hellos.

“There you are, little guy,” said Blossom. “Where’s Twilight?”

A server handed Spike some water; he made quick work of it. “She’s—” He then received a refill but only drank a quarter. “Still at the library. Twilight wants to do a little more research, so she’ll be running late. In fact, I just came here to tell you guys. Gotta run!”

Blossom wrapped him around her wing. “Oh, no you don’t! You’re staying here with us!”

“But—”

“We’re still debating on some plans about the seagulls and we’d like to hear what you think. Besides, the cooks here are great with special requests. I bet they can throw gemstones in just about any meal if you ask nicely.”

Spike smacked his lips. “You don’t say? Well, I suppose Twilight will understand.”

Blossom slid him a menu. “Good. More company, the better. And speaking of company,” Flailing a hoof high in the air, “Rarity! We’re over here!”

The unicorn maneuvered toward the table. “Darlings! There you are.” She sat in the empty spot right by Fluttershy. “I must say I love the décor here. Simple, yet festive.”

“Yes, I think so too.” The redhead craned her neck toward the restaurant’s entrance. “Um, I thought you were with Swift and Rainbow. Aren’t they coming?”

Rarity let a titter escape. “Oh, those two. You see, they had, other plans.”

Comments

[-Brutus]

and finally Applejack and him is working along XD

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6015081 For now...

[Just Defender]

I kinda like how Blossom is coddling Spike. Little guy deserves more of that, rather than a stray nuzzle or pat on the head on random occasion. At least he has his own bedroom, as we have seen in season 5.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6019428 Twilight does care for Spike; she just goes about it a different way. Yes, she can be demanding at times but I believe she does it so that Spike grows up with a higher degree of maturity and work ethic.

Blossom, she's more of a nurturing type. That and she adores anything cute and adorable. Finally, emotions drive her more than logic which can be detrimental. Spike sees that and has good reason to be scared. XD

[nopeeeee]

NGH
MORE
I LOVE YOU
HAVE MY BABIES
O WAIT
IM GAY
NVM

[Dustchu]

“Wing-Fu,” Rainbow whispered.

Haaaaawwwt... hehehe eue, awesome chapter well done man! :D

This is awesome auce!