The Unloved Storm

by mechafone

Chapter 2

Aurora Flash opened her eyes, immediately closing them again as the feeling of white everything flooded her sight. After a moment she tried again, this time the blinding white of the hospital walls not nearly so intense. Her ears perked, the soft beeping of machines filling them and filling her with a sense of comfortable repetition. Once she felt she was awake enough to speak, she called out, "Hello? Is anypony here? Roving Gale?" A silent moment or two passed before a male Pegasus entered her line of vision. Her husband looked down at her with an indecipherable look upon his face.

Roving Gale was a beautiful Pegasus, even for a male. He was tall, and black as night. His mane was long, indigo and silky, as if made from the finest fabrics. His cutie mark was a loom, as was his trademark in fabrics made specially for Pegasi. His eyes were the most striking feature about him, though: His eyes were bright gold, and they stood out against his strong, black face, like marbles in a black bag. Right now his eyes were telling Aurora that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Aurora Flash, in all her multicolor glory, as was common in her family, was afraid to ask what troubled her husband. Aurora's gorgeous dark blue Pegasi body was accented with red, blue and green wings, much like her sister. Aurora's mane bore magenta, pink, and blue hues. All in all, she was a gorgeous edition to the Rainbow family. But right now she felt completely drained of any beauty, any good feelings she'd had before she'd gone under the anesthesia. She sat up in bed, a hoof reaching out for her lover, the touch alone pleading for some kind of answer.

Roving paused one last time before speaking up. He looked his wife straight in the eye, a tell-tale hitch taking in his breath as he spoke. "Aurora, um...the baby...h-he's fine, he's safe. But...my love, he'll never fly." Aurora took this all in quietly, nodding once. There was silence between them both as Roving moved in closer and sat beside his wife in bed, and wrapped his forelegs around her tightly. Aurora didn't really notice how tightly he was holding on to her until she had to wiggle a bit just to take a breath. As soon as the stale hospital air got inside her lungs, she began to bawl.

---

Cherry Joy frowned gently as the Pegasi couple laid their baby into the basket before them and slid baby and container across the desk. The husband, a tall Pegasus, black as night, began signing the release form in front of him, silent and somber as he set to the task of signing over his son to the orphanage they were all standing in. "Please..." Cherry broke the silence delicately, "Won't you reconsider? I'm sure there will be other ways to enjoy your son's life..."

Aurora shook her head gently. Her eyes were sad, but persistant in this task. "He'll never fly. It's not just being unable to teach him to fly, but...if he were to fall through the clouds, he could be seriously injured, or he could die. I...we...can't risk that."

Cherry sighed quietly, accepting the forlorn mother's explanation. She wanted to try harder, but she'd been trying to get the couple to change their minds for days now. Her own daughter, little Cheerilee, watched the whole scene from between the older mare's legs. She crept towards the basket, peering inside at the little baby colt. It was perhaps the most beautiful creature the two-year old had ever seen. It was midnight blue, had a full head of black hair and the most charming little blue streak down the middle. He gazed back at her with little golden eyes. A new baby brother for her to take care of? The little mare was always up for more family.

Cheerilee suddenly noticed something odd about the little Pegasus baby. Pegasi had wings, right? She glanced up at the two Pegasi adults currently signing their baby away. Their wings were large and strong. And yet, this little one barely had two little nubs protruding from his back. Where feathers should have been, long bony finger-like appendages stretched out across his back, gently moving up and down as the baby settled in for a nap. Cheerilee, being the innocent child that she was, looked up at the Pegasi adults and inquired, "What's wrong with his wings?"

---

Spark Storm, so named by his older Earth Pony sister, sat at his desk as he waited for class to begin. Five years had done much to change his appearance from his nearly naked body. His fur had grown deeper, a little darker. He had developed two round, black markings around his muzzle and forehead, respectively. The wings on his back had developed as well, but as his parents had been told, they had grown in a way that would never allow for flight. His wings were bent at odd angles, and the bones had allowed for feathers that were too long and heavy, giving him a look oddly reminiscent of a peacock.

There were two new students in the class today. A red colt with a blonde mane, and an orange mare with an equally blonde mane. He'd thought about going over to say hi, but he'd really had enough of the teasing for one day. He scowled and looked in the direction of his most hated rival, Righteous River. His whole family was wealthy. River's older brother, Filthy Rich, was an up and coming business-pony, and made connections with all the businesses in Ponyville. River used this as an excuse to throw his weight around among the mares and colts at the school, a bully through and through.

Seeing his favorite punching bag glancing his way, River took this as a sign that the commoners were uprising again. This of course had to be fixed. He fixed his lackeys, Mint Bank and Trixie Lulamoon, with a pointed glare. Mint was...well, mint. All brawn and no brain. His father was employed by River's father, who was currently working on building a dam for the river. Trixie was another orphan, like Spark. She, however, had forever lived with dreams of grandeur and fame. She had the magic to back it up, but her tricks were underhanded and sneaky, unlike the blunt and tactless behaviors of her peers.

River approached Spark Storm, who by this time had looked to the front of the class, well aware of the azure pony's intentions. "Hey, peacock! I must ask..." He announced loudly. He grinned sadistically as he nodded his head to his lackeys, who took position on either side of Spark, surrounding him. Spark didn't move, a frown on his face as he simply concentrated on the blackboard at the front of the room. "What's it like being such a freak?" When he didn't get an answer, River pressed on. "So hey, I know you're in close with Cherry Joy and Cheerilee..." Spark Storm visibly bristled. "I know she's like your sister and all, but does Cheerilee ever visit you in the night and-" he was cut off as Spark had had enough. Taunt him all you like, but going after his sister was just dumb.

Spark Storm punched River right in the nose, hard enough to make him bleed, right before Mint came crashing into his shoulder, propelling him off River. Spark had been through this before. He landed on his hooves. He quickly changed direction, however, as he saw the glow coming from Trixie's horn. He dashed towards her and flicked the tip of her horn hard enough to jerk her head back. "Ow!" she cried, falling hard onto her butt.

"Nope." He said with a grin. Mint charged Spark once more, who deftly crouched and lifted the big green dope off his feet and onto his back. "Nope." He repeated. There was only one left, and River was just picking himself up off the ground, glaring at the Pegasus as he took an aggressive stance.

It all went black when a handkerchief suddenly wrapped itself around Spark's head, blinding him. He barely noticed the azure glow, tingling his scalp before it disappeared. He had little time to react before River rammed a hoof into his stomach, and Mint pounded the back of his head from behind at the same time. Spark nearly blacked out before he heard a scuffling sound, some shouts, and finally a resounding, deep "Nnnnope." Spark groaned quietly and pulled the handkerchief off his head and looked up. What he saw amused him to no end. Mint Bank, Trixie and River were all piled together, groaning and black-eyed. Beside him, offering him a hoof up, were the new students. Brother and sister he would learn later, in detention. Big Macintosh, and Applejack. The only friends he'd made there so far, besides his adopted sister Cheerilee.

---

The situation above with Spark's parents remain canon for my story, even though it's never really mentioned. Also, Cheerilee was two and not four in my original story. I wanted to change it so that she would be a good three or four years older than the mane 6. Plus, I'm really glad that I expounded more on River and Mint's relationship with Spark. Also, I realize that Trixie pretty much faded out of existence in SCSD, but eh.

Comments

[Licorice Twist]

I still say "Meh!" and "Boo!" on the parents >_< Boo, I say! But yay and sniff for Cherry Joy!