36 - Death, Part 1 of 10
"Surprise!" Pinkie Pie shouted at near megaphone levels.
Cloud Blazer, startled, staggered backward narrowly avoiding Pixyglitter before regaining his composure.
"Bwah! Pinkie! Are you trying to scare me to death?" he stammered as he entered the farmhouse.
His heart pounded like a drum. Pixyglitter was snickering behind him as if she had been in on this unannounced gathering, and inside were several smiling faces, including Mayor Applejack and Java Chip.
"Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday, silly!" Pinkie Pie said.
He hadn't forgotten, but his mind had been filled with other things. The thought of having a celebration just wasn't something that had even registered on his list of things that were important. There were decorations laid out and some of the guests even wore party hats. Cloud Blazer smiled.
"Of course not!" he put on a cheerful facade, "I just didn't think anypony else remembered."
"Oh, I'd never forget a birthday," Pinkie Pie said in her exuberant way. "Besides, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle reminded me too!"
As parties go, it was plain. That did not make it less enjoyable. The food was scarce, but the little they had was delicious. The Cakes had somehow got a hold of some flour and sugar to make a small cake. Before he could cut it, Apple Bloom interrupted.
“Speech!” the mare hollered, her pink bow bouncing.
Cloud Blazer waved her off.
Several of the others echoed and began a chant, “Speech, speech, speech...”
The stallion stood, feeling rather embarrassed with everypony looking at him expectantly. He’d never really had the tradition of giving a birthday speech, but he was not unfamiliar with it. More to the point, he didn’t know what to say. His legs began shaking as he stood there. He felt Pixyglitter gently place a hoof on his shoulder. It was a calming gesture. When he caught sight of Sweetie Belle, he began speaking.
“It has certainly been a wild year for all of us. I think there’ve been changes that none of us would have expected. Heh, a year ago, if you’d have told me what our lives would be like today, I may not have believed you. More importantly, without several of you in this room, I wouldn’t be here to celebrate today.”
He felt the air sucked out of the room at the seriousness of what he’d said.
“Truly, I thank you all for being here for me. I hope I can be at least as helpful to each of you, and I know you’ll all be there for me when I need you, though, I hope to not be falling off another cliff anytime soon.”
There was something that passed for a nervous laugh.
“Well, you asked for it,” he shrugged. “I’m no good at speeches. That’s all I’ve got.”
He cut the cake, which was little more than the size of a few cupcakes, but everypony got a little taste. He hadn't thought to care about his birthday, but the fact that the others remembered it warmed his heart greatly. After a while, the guests disbursed themselves, either back to chores or other interests. Cloud Blazer, Pixyglitter, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were left basically alone.
"There's one more thing," Apple Bloom said. "Y'all up for a walk?"
"Lead the way," Cloud Blazer replied.
He really didn't feel like going anywhere, but she seemed excited about this, so he decided to go along with it. Standing up was still painful, but not nearly so much as flying, not that Cloud Blazer would admit this to anypony else. The last thing he needed was for Pixyglitter to have any kind of excuse to not keep flying. Besides that, he enjoyed it in spite of how much it hurt. Dragging the one cast leg behind, he followed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle outside into the dusk.
The sun had only just set, and the sky was still bright with the scattered rays, making an orange and golden canopy overhead. The pair led on, practically giddy, a short distance from the farmhouse. The gentle tapping of Pixyglitter's cane reported that she was following close behind. They arrived at a patch of earth that looked ready for planting. There was a new fence that had only recently been completed. Cloud Blazer knew this particular spot well.
"You remember where this is, right?" Sweetie Belle's voice dripped with anticipation.
He smiled at her and spoke as politely as possible, "Of course I do; how could I forget?"
"This place was special to all of us," Apple Bloom said. "I wanted to wait until Scootaloo could be here, but seeing how you two aren't exactly getting along, plus it's your birthday and all..."
"We couldn't think of a better time!" Sweetie Belle finished.
Cloud Blazer tilted his head to one side, curious as to what purpose they had brought him to this place. Apple Bloom held up an apple seed. There was nothing apparently special about it; it was just a seed.
Apple Bloom spoke, "This seed came from an apple that I took from our tree when it was still here. I picked it when y'all came for dinner and you and me came out here to talk. We thought we should replant the tree, together."
The nostalgic sentiment was powerful, nearly bringing a tear to the stallion’s eye... nearly. The four had spent a great deal of time at this place. Of course, that had been many years ago, before the world had become so dark and terrifying.
"I'm not sure what to say," Cloud Blazer managed to reply.
"Well, what do you think?" Sweetie Belle asked.
The stallion’s feelings were mixed. His heart still yearned for Scootaloo. A foolishness, he knew. His mind was well aware that anything developing beyond friendship between them was impossible. It didn’t matter how powerful his desire, it would never be fulfilled. She didn’t love him, not like that. He instead tried to focus on the issue at hoof, the seed and what to do about it given the friendship.
He took a breath, "I'm touched. I feel like you guys do, and we had a lot of great times here. But I think I want to wait for Scootaloo."
"Told ya," Apple Bloom sang at Sweetie Belle.
"But you two are the best friends... nopony could ask for better."
"Oh, did you hear the news?" Sweetie Belle practically squeaked as she changed the subject.
"No," Cloud Blazer said, "I've been busy all day."
Apple Bloom took over, "Apparently, all those soldiers that left Ponyville a few weeks ago were joined by griffins and are fighting a huge army of timberwolves south of here."
"But Scootaloo is with them, and they are holding the timberwolves near Dodge Junction," Sweetie Belle said.
"I heard they were fighting near Apple Loosa," Apple Bloom countered. "I also heard they're outnumbered five to one, but they've been holding back the stick-dogs for several days already."
Cloud Blazer was a little skeptical of this from his own experience, but this sort of information was never complete.
"Any word on the others: LD and Sparklefly?"
Sweetie Belle shook her head.
Apple Bloom spoke up, "I heard that Captain Sparklefly already killed a hundred of the timberwolves by herself."
Cloud Blazer smiled at the absurdity of that rumor, "Yeah, I'd heard that one too."
“Oh, you mean the Angel of Death. You don't think she did?" Sweetie Belle asked.
He shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, it's just crazy when you hear something like that about somepony you know. And who calls her the Angel of Death?“
“I don’t know, everypony.”
"Perhaps you don't know her so well anymore," Pixyglitter said. "Maybe she has been changed, and now Death is what she has become."
Silence followed that statement. Cloud Blazer doubted whether that much transformation were even possible, but the very thought of it was rather unsettling to say the least. Still, if even half of the rumors that were told and retold about Sparklefly were true, comparing her to a grim reaper might not have been that far off as far as the timberwolves were concerned.
"She's just a girl," Glitterdust said, startling the others.
Sweetie Belle squeaked, ”You know I hate it when you sneak up like that!"
Cloud Blazer thought he saw a smile flutter across the intruder’s, but it went so quickly that he couldn't be certain. Her usual sullen disposition was in full force today by her expression. She turned and skulked away without another word.
“You don’t have to go!” Apple Bloom called after her.
Glitterdust didn’t respond, but continued walking away.
The farm pony shrugged, “Pixyglitter, no offense, but you sure know how to give ponies the creeps."
Pixyglitter grinned at them; it was a genuine smile, the kind that lifts everypony's spirits.
Cloud Blazer shook his head and smiled, "That's horrible. Come Nightmare Night, I definitely want you around for story-time."
"So how are things going with Fluttershy?" Sweetie Belle asked.
As he considered this, Cloud Blazer worked through the challenges ahead for them.
"Well, I think she's as ready as she's going to get. I have already put in for the travel pass.” He rolled his eyes and added, “We'll see if my 'hero' status has any pull."
"When do y'all leave?" Apple Bloom asked.
Pixyglitter answered, "The day after tomorrow if all goes well."
"I wish I could come!" Sweetie Belle said.
"I know, but we just don't have enough pegasi to carry another passenger," Cloud Blazer said.
He wished desperately that he could make the flight without having to be carried.
"Look at the time," Apple Bloom said. "I need some shut eye if I'll be any good for chores in the morning."
It had indeed become late. The darkness of night had claimed the sky. Stars burned brightly overhead, little pinpricks in the blackness above. They all rose, returned to the house, and began making preparations for bed. Cloud Blazer walked behind Pixyglitter after the other two had already gone up the stairs. Arriving at the girls' bedroom he found himself doubting whether Pixyglitter actually was happy with the arrangement they had. He certainly didn't want to make her fly across Equestria and take their lives in their own hooves if she wasn't completely committed.
"Pixyglitter," he said.
She stopped and turned to face him, "What is it?"
"I..." he wasn't sure how to put his thoughts into words concisely. "Are you okay with this, flying to Manehattan I mean?"
"Of course," she answered without hesitation.
"And us, I mean, well, our relationship, for lack of a better word.”
“What are you getting at?”
“I mean, I kind of tell you what to do all the time-“
She shushed him by shaking her head, "It is beneficial. I have had to accept that I'll never be quite as self-sufficient as I once was. I'll always hate that, but I'm actually glad to have you as a friend. You and the Apples and Sweetie Belle, you’ve all been such a bright spot in all of this.“
"Thanks."
He smiled at her, feeling much more at ease.
"Now, are you going to keep me up all night or is it time for sleep now?" she asked in a tone that sounded like teasing.
They exchanged their goodnights. Big McIntosh was already fast asleep by the time Cloud Blazer made it into the room they shared. The wingless pegasus got down onto his pallet and lay awake for a time. His mind was full of all of the final preparations they would go through. Fluttershy was a fair-enough flyer, but speed was definitely not her strongest suit. If they ran into any sort of trouble, he wasn't sure what they'd do about it. Sweetie Belle had kept his combat knife and returned it, but it would be useless against changelings with their ranged magic.
A dreamless slumber stole his thoughts away and brought morning. As usual, Big McIntosh had left silently in the early hours before Cloud Blazer stirred, and it was impossible to tell whether Thunderfly had ever even come into the room. The morning stretches were as unpleasant as usual. The promise of the pain easing in time and some measure of recovery was enough to keep him moving.
After his morning rituals were completed, Cloud Blazer headed down the stairs to the living room. Pixyglitter was already wearing her flight harness, sitting on the couch near the door, but nopony else was with her. The young 'uns could be heard playing outside.
"I thought you were going to sleep all day," Pixyglitter said. "Something came for us."
"Oh?" he asked as he negotiated the stairs.
Finally achieving the bottom, Pixyglitter held up an envelope. Cloud Blazer took it, opened it and read the contents. It was the travel pass he had requested. It would be valid for two days for himself, Fluttershy, Pixyglitter, and Rarity. It would be signed and dated by a guard as they left Ponyville and contained descriptions of the travelers and their cutie marks.
"Looks like we'll be heading to Manehattan in a couple of days," Cloud Blazer said.
"At least all this practice won't have gone to waste. We'd better to tell Fluttershy."
"Yeah. Given how far we're going to be flying, I think we should rest today."
"You don't want to do a morning flight around town?" she asked, almost seeming disappointed.
"I just don't want to push you too hard.”
She scoffed at him, "Please. You're not that heavy. Besides; I like the morning breeze."
He smiled at her but then remembered that she couldn't see it, "Well alright then. You know I never turn down a morning flight. Let's go!”
I've had birthdays where everything is so busy that I just don't even want to do anything. It's kind of sad when that happens, but if one or two good friends remember... Sometimes that's enough. 
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Sees act title
Don'tkillamaincharater,Don'tkillamaincharater,Don'tkillamaincharater
8595537
Ooh, yeah, I might have should have named it something else.
I mean, I was going for ominous, but I may have overdone it just a bit.
In this fic, anyone can die. Though if one of the mains die, the mission is critically failed
8595605
Now I'm just going to be worrying the whole time.
Who could it be...
8595723
I can’t have you worrying so I’ll just tell you what happens.
Just kidding, I’ll never tell! Gotcha!
8595651
Thank you for that. The uncertainty of life is one of the things I’ve been working with this entire time. I’m glad my efforts have come across.
Also thanks for the comments. They always brighten my day.
Ohhhhhhhh death ooooooooohhhh death won't you spare me over for another years time
8751309
Is that a classic... quote?
8595880
Why are you called The Bird
I'll never tell
Oh right you haven't seen scootertrix, In scootertrix the abridged Rainbow Dash's name is the Bird.
It is a really good abridged series, I would say it is, plot wise, the best mlp Abridged Series, well okay Mentally advanced series was amazing so scootertrix I will give second. FIW would be up their as it had the biggest impact on the fandom but it was to short and It is now completely abandoned, I would also check out Wacarbs UFP
8595882
Shutup George RR Martin
Wait that analogy doesn't work, you are still writing.
I have never actually seen game of thrones or read the books, something about incest porn just through me off.
Pinkie pie
Pinky is different
Pinky and the Brain, it's Pinky and the Brain
One is a genious, the others insane
8751352
Oops! I wonder if that one auto-corrected on me...
Their were friends there so better than most of my birthday parties. Well is it a party if it's only me.
8751379
Hey, I though self deprecating humor was my thing!
I wonder what crazy hijinks he'll perform on his birthday with his harem
8751699
Haha! He’d be like, well, it is my birthday...
wait, do you mean Glitterdust?
8752546
Yes! Cloud Blazer is not creepy!
Happy Birthday, Cloud Blazer. Maybe next year you can get your wings back
Though Cloud Blazer and Pixyglitter don't really know Sparklefly that well, right? Basically only after they joined the military together. Scoots is the one that knows Sparklefly really well, having fought together so long.
8786138
Yes. Cloud Blazer only knew her from their time as cadets and that one mission. So he knows her, but not nearly as well as Scootaloo. Pixyglitter has only met her in passing.
As for wings back... man... that was cold!
you forgot 'last time, on 'The Last Cutie Mark Crusader' Sparklefly was rescued from caves, was planned for taking back Appleloosa, and was just restocked after getting half their plan together. Now they are fighting on timberwolves ten to one, who will win? Ponies with their tactics or timberwolves with aerial enforcement from the changelings?
yeah? I heard that originally it was 10 to 1, I checked the numbers they counted, I got 9.somedecimal to one. So, Apple, you are correct, since they plowed down about half the enemy force very well, leading to roughly 5:1, so props to your scout, Apple Bloom
8842477
She heard wrong.... it was closer to 10 to 1...