Stormy Nights 3: Darkened Skies

by Void Chicken

Chapter 3

Stormy stood, wings drooped, dripping water onto her bedroom floor.

There was a light tapping on the door. “I got some towels from the bathroom. Can I open the door?”

“What does it matter? You’ve seen me already, haven’t you?”

Stormy glumly looked at the door as it magically opened a few feet. Beyond it was only the top of the living room. Several towels floated in from out of view. The door then closed itself.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Starry. I didn’t see anything, I promise.”

Stormy walked up to the door and began to dry herself off. “You... you really mean it? You still don’t know?”

“I swear to Celestia I don’t know. Are you dry yet? Come on, get dressed so we can have lunch. I’m hungry for grilled cheese.”

---

After several days, most of the unnatural clouds had either rained out or wandered away. The afternoon sun shone between the few that remained.

“Ready to go camping?” Spyglass asked. A rolled up sleeping bag was slung over his left flank, and a package of supplies hung on his right.

“I’ve got my bag.” Stormy carried a sleeping bag of her own. “You decide on a scope to bring?”

“Of course. We’re taking this one.” A simple refracting telescope and a folded tripod floated up.

Stormy tilted her head. “Kind of small, isn’t it?”

“Yes. But this one has... sentimental value. I think it’s worth bringing on my first trip up the mountains with you.”

“Um... should you be bringing something that important to you on a camping trip?”

“Mom always said that it’s only a telescope when you look through it. Until then, all it is is just an empty tube and some glass. She gave it to me to be used. Here you go.”

The telescope and tripod secured itself to Stormy’s free side. “I’ll be careful with it.”

“Come on, let’s get hiking. We should reach the campsite by sunset if we head out now.”

---

The two ponies exited the treeline and approached a simple rope bridge crossing a ravine. Far below, the Tamfoala River steadily worked on eroding the rock, flowing onwards towards the town and to the ocean beyond.

The sun sank towards the horizon. Stormy trotted to the edge of the ravine and peered down. “Whoo, long way down there! I can’t even see the bottom in this light.”

Spyglass shuddered. “Can you stand a little farther away from it? You’re making me nervous.” He paused and tilted his head. “Wait, you’re scared of some trees but you can just stare down a cliff like it’s nothing?”

“I can see down the cliff. I can’t see what’s in the forest.”

“I keep telling you, it’s pony-controlled. There’s nothing in there bigger than a dog. Now can you please step away from the edge?”

Stormy walked towards the bridge. “Fine, fine.” She crossed, and Spyglass followed.

He pointed down the trail. “We have to go back into the Super Spooky Forest Of Death a short ways, then we’ll reach the clearing where we can set up.”

Stormy followed Spyglass into the woods again. She eyed the trees suspiciously in the fading light, and stuck close by his side.

---

In the forest clearing, two ponies sat next to the simple telescope, one looking through. Within, an unimaginably distant galaxy hung in the sky. She looked away from the eyepiece, and up at the sky, which was filled with countless others like it, each invisibly small, except for the one that painted its band from horizon to horizon.

“Wow. I really had no idea the Milky Way could be this bright,” Stormy marveled. “I’ve never paid that much attention to the night sky outside of the cities and towns and all the light pollution. What are we going to look at next? The Horseshoe Nebula was pretty cool, ooh, how about the Horsehead Nebula? I’ve seen nice pictures of that.”

Spyglass chuckled. “We won’t be able to see the Horsehead Nebula in my mom’s little old scope, sorry.”

Stormy looked at Spyglass. “This is your mother’s telescope?”

“Yeah, she made it for me for my last birthday before she died. I know she’d want me to keep using it, though.”

“I see. How about next we look a... a...” she trailed into a yawn.

“How about we call it a night?”

“Already?”

“It’s awfully late.” Spyglass unrolled his sleeping bag. “But the stars aren’t going anywhere.”

Stormy unpacked her bag. “I guess not. We should do this again sometime, though.”

She snuggled into her sleeping bag, careful to keep her robe from bunching up and showing anything. The rope tying her wings closed was uncomfortable, but it was better than risking them opening in her sleep. “Goodnight, Spyglass.”

“Goodnight, Starry. Sweet dreams.”

---

How long have I been here? Three weeks now? What happened to “a week or two”? He said that his shop was in trouble; he’s not THAT well-off. Certainly not enough to support ME. I clean up once in a while, he gets to double his grocery bill. I’m such a stupid pony.

I still manage to find ways to hurt those I care about. What other ponies would be better for him than I am? How about ANY OTHER MARE IN EQUESTRIA. Yet here I am, exploiting his generosity, and keeping him from somepony who deserves him more. Such an idiot, Stormy.

Starry.

“Starry!” Spyglass shook her awake.

“Hrm? Wha? I sleep through the alarm clock?”

“I woke up early and I saw you tossing and turning all over the place. Did you have a nightmare or something?”

Stormy stretched in her bag, then began to work her way out. “No, nothing too out of the ordinary. Sorry if I woke you up.”

Most of the stars were still out; there was only the faintest hint of the new day in the sky above the trees at the eastern edge of the clearing.

---

After a granola breakfast, the pair had packed up and were heading down the mountain. The eastern horizon was now glowing, the sun lingering just below.

“When we get back to Baltimare,” Spyglass said, stepping off of the bridge over the ravine, “what do you say we hit the beach again?”

“Why the beach?” Stormy asked as she crossed the center. “Cheaper than another flower?”

There was a snap. The rope bridge lurched.

“STARRY!”

The other rope snapped, splitting the bridge in half. Stormy frantically hooked her forelegs into a gap and swung down, hitting the cliffside. The telescope, tripod, and sleeping bag she was carrying were knocked free and fell away into the darkness below.

Spyglass’s head appeared above. “Starry! Are you all right?”

Stormy had the wind knocked out of her. “I’m... I’m okay. Oof.” Her hind legs scrabbled for purchase. One of the anchors had unwound, leaving the bridge hanging by a single rope.

“Hang in there, I’ll get you up!”

Spyglass pushed the front half of his body over the edge, stretching a foreleg downward. Stormy unhooked one of her forelegs and reached up, but they were much too far away from each other to reach. He grunted, then slipped a few inches.

Stormy’s heart stopped. Spyglass managed to push himself away. “DON’T!” she yelled. “Don’t do that! Don’t... don’t risk yourself for me.”

Spyglass’s head appeared over the edge again. “Starry. I don’t ever, ever, want to hear you talk like that again. I’m going to think of something, just give me a few seconds. You’re not going to fall. I promise.”

It’s all right, Stormy thought. I can still fly. I’m not in THAT much trouble. I... my wings. … I tied down my wings. She gripped the bridge a little tighter.

All right all right, I just need to get the rope off. She dug her hind legs into her stomach, kicking at the rope securing her wings. Come on, come on. She tried to open her wings while Spyglass wasn’t looking. Just... a little... there! The rope fell off, catching on her hind legs. Okay NOW I know I’m going to live.

“Okay, Starry.” Spyglass appeared again. “I’m going to use magic. I’m going to telekinetically pull the bridge up. Hang tight.”

“Wait, is your magic strong enough to lift me?”

“I’ve never been strong enough to pick up another pony. But I have to try! I promised you’d be safe, remember. Here goes!” He stepped backwards and left her sight.

The bridge illuminated and slowly shifted upwards. Stormy could hear heavy exertion above. “I’m uh, not so sure about this...” she started.

The rope supporting the bridge began to fray against the edge of the cliff.

The magic faded.

The rope snapped, and Stormy felt weightless.

---

Stormy twisted herself head-down as she fell. Her robe flapped upwards. Stormy opened her wings. Her left wing opened, but something caught her right. She looked to see the rope wrapped around her wing and her hind legs.

She flapped as hard as she could with her free wing to slow down. Her right wing wiggled pathetically in the rope’s grasp. Below, the Tamfoala River rushed up to greet her, along with the rocks jutting out of it.

Stormy tried to correct for the uneven thrust the best she could, rolling over, jerking herself upright, and trying to avoid turning into the cliff wall.

She couldn’t stop her descent entirely, and hit the river. Under the water, she felt her robe snag on something, holding her head under the surface. She squirmed underwater until she managed to get her teeth on the robe’s neck, and pulled it off over her head. She swam with the current to a nearby rock and pulled herself out of the river.

She flopped herself down onto the flat rock, panting heavily. “Stupid... rope... never doing... that again...” She worked the rope off and kicked it into the river, where it floated a short distance before catching on some other rock.

Stormy shook herself dry and looked up. I guess that’s it. Not quite how I wanted to leave, but it’ll have to do. I wonder if he’ll bother with a funeral. I wonder what he’ll say at it.

She opened her wings. All I have to do now is just... fly away.

Stormy took off.

But first... it can’t hurt to listen. Just listen.

She flew up to where the bridge used to hang, being careful to hug the cliff face. She listened intently, but heard nothing. Did he leave? Just like that?

Stormy flew along the ravine for a short distance and peeked over the edge. Spyglass was still there. He was on his stomach, head buried in his hooves. The very top of the sun poked over the horizon behind Stormy.

She landed atop the cliff and walked into the forest. She made her way to the trees nearest to him, moving as quietly as she could. Spyglass did not notice.

He’s going to be all right... he’ll find somepony else... somepony better than I am... She turned back and forth. He deserves better, whoever he’ll find deserves him... Her wings opened and closed. I have to go, I want to... I have to... I have to leave.

Why can’t I leave?

Comments

[Void Chicken]

So, Stormy, what's it going to be?

[deathtap]

>Why can’t I leave?

It's cause you love him, you fool!

[CoolStoryBrony]

Later tonight, you will be shamelessly promoted to about 600 people.

So... Yeah. Hope you don't mind.

[KingOfTheMuffins]

716085

Females are so indecisive and blind to their true feeli- *gets bitch-slapped* Ow! What do I d-

...Just... give Stormy time... *flinches as shadow rises over me*

716020

Cake or death? Er, I mean: that's ironic. It's your story to write, and we can only guess (who knows, you could do a troll ending just to play mind games with us.)

[KMCA]

I'm pretty sure I know what's going to happen but I'm still wanting to shout at my computer. Don't run stormy, Go back!!!

[Void Chicken]

716471

Well it's a serious part of the story and I didn't want to crack a joke at it, but if you really want the mood killed...
First I dangle Stormy off of a ledge, then I have a cliffhanger.

[KingOfTheMuffins]

721289

How evil!

Wait... oh, wow! I see what you did there. Very 'punny.' T_T

716944

That's how you know it's a good story. It plays with your mind and heart.

[Atosen]

I... my wings. … I tied down my wings.
Oh geez! I forgot! Please don't die Stormy. O_O

And:
All I have to do now is just... fly away.
Don't you dare.

[banjo2E]

728853

I was referring to that undefined stallion from behind the scenes of part 1, who apparently was not in fact a mailman.

Glad to hear it.