Star-Crossed School Days

by mechafone

Flights, Fights, And Family

"Uh...g-guys?"

Sapphire glanced at Spark Storm sweetly. "Yeeees?"

Spark Storm gulped loudly, barely overheard by the rushing wind. "I-I'm not sure sure about this..."

Rainbow Dash frowned at him. That kind of behaviour coming from a fellow Pegasus was totally uncool. "Get over it, dude! You're a Pegasus! You totally belong in the air, bent wings or not, you are what you are!"

"What I AM is afraid of heights!" Spark shouted as the wind picked up and sent the quad squad of winged ponies swaying off course. Spark Storm let out an undignified shriek.

The three Pegasi closest to Spark Storm, Sapphire Snow, Ditzy Doo, and Rainbow Dash were towing the flightless Pegasus to Cloudsdale, and so far it was a trying affair. Spark Storm had never been higher than the second floor of his own home. "Don't worry, Spark, there's no way we'd let you fall. We've got you," Ditzy told him kindly, even though it was hard to hear over the rush of wind from where she was positioned, holding his rear hooves.

---

It was a long, annoying trip, and by the end even Sapphire was starting to get sore at Spark Storm's complaining. Finally, Cloudsdale came into view through a bank of clouds. Spark immediately stopped his whining when he saw it. He'd never seen anything like it. It was a glorious, giant city, all on one enourmous cloud. He stared at the cloud they were approaching. Having no experience with them, he immediately began to panic. "Wait, that's a cloud! We can't land on a cloud! We-" The girls had come to the same conclusion at the same time, and all three simply dropped him at the same time.

He let out a scream that was cut off as he pressed down into something solid, yet so deliciously soft. He spat out the cloud that got into his mouth and looked around, his eyes wide with shock and awe. Rainbow Dash groaned and shook her head incredulously. "You know, it might've been a good idea to tell him how clouds and Pegasi work with each other." Ditzy merely giggled, and nodded. It really would've helped things.

Sapphire stepped over to Spark Storm and lent him a hoof up. He took it, tried to stand, and ended up leaning against her for support. She smiled prettily at him, to which he ducked his head and pulled away from her with a blush. She good-naturely rolled her eyes and looked around at the sprawling city before them. It had been a few months since she'd been here. Memories, good and bad, came flooding back to her. Personally, she preferred it back on the ground, and that was mostly because Spark Storm lived there...

She was pulled out of her revirie as Spark Storm let out a shout of glee. "Wow! I can't believe no one told me I could walk on the clouds! This is amazing!" He let out a whoop and bounced around on the cloud floor like the excited foal that he was. Rainbow Dash's lips pulled up in a slight scowl. How immature. Suddenly inspired, she raised into the air and slapped Spark Storm good-naturedly on the back. "Hey, we gotta get into town! Race ya!" She took off towards the city, followed closely by Spark Storm. He ran as fast as he could, which was already pretty fast. With his wings giving him extra propulsion, he made for decent competition.

Once inside the city limits, both foals came to a stop, both breathing hard. With hard-won respect evident in each other's eyes, they smiled at each other. The silent moment between them was broken as Sapphire landed inbetween them and coughed pointedly. "Well. We're here for a reason." She turned and stared straight at Rainbow Dash. "So tell us where to find his parents already." This unusual cold and impatient tone, while confusing Spark, was noticed by Rainbow Dash.

"What, jealous much? You can play with Spark anytime you want on the surface. Up here we're free to race out in the open. Spark totally belongs up here." It took a lot of effort not to add 'with me', but even Dash felt that might be pushing it. The snow white Pegasi's no-funny-business attitude was obviously a front, but Dash wasn't going to push it. There were more important things to do.

"Whatever. Just take us to where you think we'll find Spark's parents." Sapphire huffed and started off without the other three. Ditzy shot Dash and Spark a questioning look, but they both shrugged and walked on behind Sapphire before Dash flew off in front of her and beckoned that they follow.

"Fine. Follow me, and keep up!" She flew on ahead again, this time making sure to slow it down a bit. Ditzy flew after her, while Sapphire and Spark ran after her, side by side.

As they traveled through the city, they soon came upon four Pegasi in the street, huddled around each other. Rainbow Dash swerved to avoid them, but quickly came back around to look at them. She suddenly looked miffed. "Hey! Knock it off, you jerks!" She landed among the middle of them as the three colts in the group backed up, all three with amused grins on their faces.

"Well well, if it isn't Rainbow Crash! Stopping by for a visit?" The tallest of them said.

"Stuff it, Dumb-Bell! Like I don't know how you're constantly teasing Fluttershy!" The so-mentioned Pegasus meep'd quietly as she stepped closer to Rainbow Dash. She was tiny, lanky and thin even for a filly of five. She hid her face under her pretty pink hair.

As the male Pegasi laughed and tossed insults at the two Pegasi mares, Spark Storm's anger began to rise. He hadn't expected there to be bullies here, too. He supposed they were everywhere, and that he should just expect them to be no matter where you tried to go. Well, where there were bullies, there were colts like him to balance it out.

"Hey! Knock it off! Why don't you jerks go somewhere else for a while?" He demanded. He could handle these clowns, the same as he could handle River and Mint. The three of them turned now to Spark Storm. While Spark had been developing good strong muscles with all his running, and recently his wing power, these Pegasi were already developing athletic builds usually not seen until high school.

"Well, well, Rainbow Crash!" Hoops laughed and took a step towards Spark. "Look at the company you keep! Oh, look, it's derpy!" Ditzy frowned and backed away from the scene slowly. She remembered these three all too well. Sapphire snorted, gaining the attention of the three bullies. "Ooooh, look at this shiny filly! Looks like you managed to make a normal friend for once, Rainbow Crash."

Dumb-Bell approached her, attempting to turn on the charm. "Why don't you come hang out with us? You're not gonna have any fun hanging out with the lamos" He indicated Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, "...and the cripples." He indicated Ditzy and Spark Storm. That did it. Sapphire launched herelf into the big Pegasi's chest, propelling him away from herself. He caught himself in the air, about to retaliate, when she met him mid-way in the sky.

Spark Storm had never really seen her fly before, he'd almost forgotten that she could. Suddenly, he found himself the target of Hoops. The jock threw a punch at him, which he dodged easily. He tripped the bigger Pegasi, thinking he'd go down. Instead, Hoops took to the air and bombarded the younger foal. Spark Storm took a hit to the jaw, this time staggering and falling back on the cloud. Hoops would've railed more into him, but he was shoved roughly onto his back as Rainbow Dash charged him.

The scuffle launched into a full-blown fight as four Pegasi took to the sky, mares against colts. Score was about to enter the fray to even the odds, but he was held down as Spark Storm latched onto his legs and pulled down to the cloud ground with his wings. The overweight Pegasis fell sharply, with Spark rolling out from under him before he hit cloud. He came down and bounced on the big Pegasi's head, effectively knocking him out cold.

Unable to follow the girls into the air, Spark had to watch and cheer on his friends from the clouds until a loud whistle split the air. All four combatants broke apart. The colts bolted, leaving Score behind to fend for himself. A police Pegasus landed down among the mares and colt, his face livid. "Rainbow Dash!" He shouted. "What have I told you about brawling in the streets?" She thought for a moment, actually considering it, then opened her mouth to answer. He cut her off. "I told you not to do it! That's your fourth warning, I'm gonna have to tell your parents!" Dash lowered herself to the cloud surface, her eyes wide with dread.

"Oh man, I can't get in trouble again, I'll get grounded!" Spark Storm stepped up beside Rainbow Dash, Sapphire to her other side. "It wasn't her fault!" Sapphire countered.

"Yeah! She was protecting her friend, they were being bullies!" Fluttershy, who had been largely ignored, had been lying on the cloud surface, hiding her face in her forelegs. The officer glanced at Fluttershy, then sighed. The little shy Pegasus was always playing the victim...He turned back to make a reply, when he stopped and took a good, long look at Spark Storm.

He continued to look at Spark Storm with intensity, making him and the others feel quite awkward when he suddenly exclaimed, "Celestia's Sun...you look just like him!"

Spark's heart skipped a beat. "U-uh...wh-who?"

The officer smiled and tipped his hat with a wing. "Why, Roving Gale, of course. Not many Pegasi 'round here with his coloring, and you're the spittin' image of him!"

Spark Storm found his breath again once he realized that he'd been holding it. He glanced shakily at Rainbow Dash for confirmation. She nodded quietly. That was the name she remembered to go with the face. Sapphire turned to Spark, and gently rubbed his back. "Spark, it sounds like we've got a lead...Do you still want to go through with this?"

The dark Pegasus sighed shakily, then nodded. He stepped closer to the officer, fear and hope running wild in his eyes. "Please, sir...It's really important...can you please take us to him?"

Finally, five Pegasi arrived at a big cloud house, single floor, but spacious. The officer had let Dash off with a warning, but only because Fluttershy had come out of her shell long enough to plead with the officer, who had agreed and escorted the foals here.

Again, Sapphire comforted Spark, rubbing his back and sidling up close to him. Ditzy leaned against his other side, nuzzling his mane. "We've come this far, Spark, but you don't have to go in if you don't have to...Either way, we're here for you." Spark nodded quietly, then nuzzled both his friends in thanks. Suddenly struck with inspiration, he glanced back at Rainbow Dash.

"Wait a sec! You never did say how you know them!" Rainbow Dash shrugged carelessly. "They're my aunt and uncle." The silence following this was deafening as two mares and a colt were staring daggers at Dash. Fluttershy took a few steps back, whispering,

"Oh my..."

Dash looked around at the stares she was getting. "What? Didn't I mention that?"

Sapphire turned to face her, wings flared. She was furious. "Rainbow! You idiot! That means you and Spark Storm are cousins!"

Rainbow Dash blinked up at the other Pegasi. It was like a light bulb lit up over her head. "Wait, what?"

Comments

[IRBRONY]

what the fuck

[mechafone]

844358
lol sorry for the confusion. I've gone ahead and posted in this chapter what the special previews are for.

[LizzieLizard]

why the random break in the story?!

[LizzieLizard]

Good though

[TotalOverflow]

Well, that was something. Lol.

Honestly, i've never beloeved in the whole wing boner thing. Just seems weird.

[mrmayortheiv]

I wonder if she noticed his wings? She is pretty accepting if she did. (considering he knows Tia, there probably isn't a lot she could do to fix them)

[Melody Brush]

Oh man! Mech I love this. I will so enjoy reading the rest of this.