Chapter 14: Blue Skies & Troubled Hearts
Two fillies playfully rummaged through the overturned soft toy box together, laughing and calling out silly names for the toys as they did so. Suddenly Rainbow Dash froze at the sight of the light purple toy Wonderbolt with a rainbow mane. Fluttershy’s words were lost on the tiny pegasus as she gazed at the figure. A deep and unspeakable void filled her heart followed by a rush of sadness. That was her dad. The pony who had chosen another nasty booze bottle over taking her out with Soarin for a fun evening out. It hurt more than Dash wanted to admit. The pain felt so out of place. She was supposed to leading an awesome life, not a sad life! She biffed the toy to the side and quickly grabbed a large pink fuzzy teddy bear. “Ursa is hungry!”
The declaration caused the shy yellow filly to eep and hug a brown toy sparrow. “Um… please mister Ursa. Don’t eat my little birdy.”
“Raaaah!” Dash cried out as she made the bear gobble up the fallen purple pegasus. She mashed the two soft toys together as though the teddy were eating the pony.
Fluttershy sat there wide eyed. Her toy bird fell from her hooves.
Rainbow Dash hurled the plush toy of her father with all her might at the opposite wall of the play room. It collided against the wall with a bounce then fell to the floor.
Fluttershy stared at her friend in shock. Only yesterday, Dash had treated the toy made in the likeness of her dad with extreme reverence. What was going on? She sat there utterly lost, her gaze upon the suddenly distraught filly in front of her.
Dash eyed the soft teddy in her forehooves. She tentatively lifted her eyes to her shocked friend. Upon spotting the tiniest hit of tears in those green eyes Dash closed the gap between them with a hug. The sandwiched teddy was all that separated the two best friends.
“Sorry, Fluttershy.”
“A-are you okay?”
“Yeah. Of course, I am.” Dash sat up straighter and rubbed at her face to clear away any trace of her own sadness. The soft bear slid to the floor as she broke the hug. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh, I just wonder why you came back last night.”
“That- don’t worry. It was nothing,” insisted the suddenly sullen blue filly.
“Then… why did you come back? I didn’t know our moms had agreed to a sleep over.”
“They- they kinda- did… not… okay?” Dash admitted rather slowly as she deflated.
“Okay?” Fluttershy softly responded before she followed her companion over to the wonderbolt soft toy.
“My dad…” Dash picked up the well loved toy and gave it a hug. “He said things.”
“What kinds of things?”
“Stuff, okay? I’m still trying to work it out. Lot’s of stuff.” Cerise eyes bored into the toy. “Then… Well-” Yellow hooves reached out and encased the slightly smaller filly in a supportive hug. Dash nuzzled her friend back while she continued to hug the soft toy. “Do- do you think it might be okay if I borrow him?”
“Who?” The yellow filly softly asked as she withdrew.
Bright red eyes fell to the purple pegasus toy, “the toy of my dad?”
“Okay.” Fluttershy was quick to agree.
A tentative smile slid across Dash’s face. “Thanks, Fluttershy. You’re the best.”
Fluttershy saw the hurt and confusion on her friend’s face as their eyes met. “He didn’t- hurt you, did he?”
“No way!” As the words exploded from the cyan fuzz ball, she deflated further. A sad sigh escaped as she relaxed back. “I just want a daddy who’s cool and nice all the time. Blaze- daddy, is almost never cool. Not like your daddy.”
“Aww… Dash. Even my dad isn’t nice all the time.”
“Yea, but at least he’s there.”
Fluttershy gawked at her friend. Where did all this come from?
“I don’t know Fluttershy. Last night, Daddy was really nice to me and Soar till my brother picked a fight with him then he broke. I- I don’t think I like my daddy… I want a new one.”
Fluttershy embraced the tearful filly once more and the pair sat in tender silence together. The silence was broken by the soft sniffling from the normally energetic and happy little pegasus.
A squeal of delight erupted from the stairway. Two filly heads turned at the sound as Zephyr Breeze hurled toward the blue filly.
Dash unleashed a shriek and took off, desperate to avoid the tiny colt who was captivated by her. Fluttershy giggled as her little brother chased Rainbow Dash around the room.
The speedster tripped on one of the discarded plush toys and slid to a stop inside the soft toy box that lay on its side. Zephyr leapt at recovering filly with a delighted cry and jumped on her.
“Aaaah! Get him off!”
The watchful sister fell over in hysterics.
The soft toys in the box tumbled out everywhere under the onslaught of the two wiggling foals inside.
“Zephyr,” Fluttershy called out softly as she continued to lie on her side, “leave Rainbow Dash alone, please?”
The foal in question ignored his sister in favour of his vibrant target.
Dash at last managed to panic rush out of the toy box. “Eeeew, I’ve got colt cooties on my wing! Fix it Fluttershy!”
“Gah! Raybow! Raybow!” The light cyan foal cried out as he stumbled out after the terrified filly.
Dash made it to the safety of her giggling friend. The smaller filly hid behind her gangly friend as Fluttershy rose. A blue hoof pointed fearfully at the grinning babe. “Make the icky baby go away, please!”
“Raybow!” Zephyr clumsily cantered over to his big sister and tried to circumnavigate her.
Dash was quick to dodge to the other side all the while keeping Fluttershy in the middle.
“But Dash, he’s even trying to say your name. Isn’t it cute?” Gushed the normally shy pegasus.
“No!” The smaller filly clambered up her friend only to fall off and land in front of the tiny terror.
“Raybow!” Zephyr cried out as he jumped in front of his downed target.
Dash leapt to her feet. In her haste, she clipped his snout with a wing. The tiny terror stared at cyan filly with wide eyes for a few painful seconds before he burst into tears. Both fillies shared a look of horror then turned to the crying foal.
“Please stop crying, I didn’t mean it!” Dash begged as she tried to placative her tormenter without invoking physical contact.
“Awwww…” Fluttershy leaned in and gave her little brother a hug.
The babe bawled his eyes out into his sister's side while Dash stood by, terrified to help.
The normally shy filly continued to rub her younger brother’s back as she cooed softly. Fluttershy’s mother rushed into the room only to halt at the sight of her daughter offering comfort to Zephyr. She slowly approached as the wails lessened and became mere sniffles. “Good girl, Fluttershy. Thank you for calming your brother down.”
“Oh, it was the least I could do.” The little yellow pegasus replied softly as she continued to comfortingly rub her little brother’s back.
“What set off the waterworks?” Scarlet inquired softly.
“Oh, he tried to play with Rainbow Dash. She accidentally hit him with her wing.”
“It was an accident. I’m really sorry!” Dash was quick to add, desperate to not be in trouble.
“It’s alright. Accidents happen. Do you think you could give him a hug, Rainbow Dash?” The deep yellow mare replied softly.
“Me???” The filly in question side eyed the foal she had accidentally caused distress to. “But he’s a baby colt. Their icky!”
Scarlet Sunset eyed the vibrant filly, torn between amusement and displeasure at her childish antics. “I think you will find he is not so icky if you gave him a chance.”
“Y-you really want me to touch him?” Twinkly red eyes begged the older pegasus to say no.
“Yes please. Give him a hug. Go on, he won’t bite.”
Dash eyed the foal who turned his eyes upon her. Two little eyes grew wide yet he stayed in place at his sister’s side, hesitant to approach the big bad filly who had caused him great distress.
The young speedster sighed. With one slow footstep after another Dash approached the foal and reached out for a hug. She kept her head as far away from him as possible as contact was initiated.
Zephyr gurgled happily into Rainbow Dash’s chest but otherwise did not seem to respond till the speedy filly hurriedly withdrew. A blue hoof worked franticly to wipe her tummy while Zeyphr gazed up at her in awe. Dash shot the starstruck baby a sullen but mostly cautious look. She made her way to safety on the opposite side of her best friend. Once safe, the young speedster at last relaxed, “he’s still icky.”
“Thank you Rainbow Dash. You are very brave.” Scarlet Sunset smiled with delight at the cute moment of reconciliation.
“Got that right…” Dash whispered to her shy companion. Fluttershy smiled softly back.
The sunny mare turned to her daughter, “please may I leave Zeyphr in your hooves for the morning?”
“Okay, mom.”
“Awww, but Fluttershy…” Dash bemoaned.
“I’m sure we can find something to keep him entertained while we play. Okay?”
“Fine…” Dash sighed her gaze upon the troublesome bundle. “Just keep that slobber monster away from me.”
Fluttershy giggled and hugged her friend. “Okay.”
Two young pegasi cursed along through the sky together toward Cloudsdale. Neither were in any rush to arrive home after their fun race to the earth pony town that was apparently called Ponyville.
“Hey, Soarin?”
The colt glanced over at his angel just as the sun caught her mane and it shone like fire. Laughter broke him out of his stupor and he snapped shut his gaping mouth. “You never saw that. What?”
Spitfire grinned back, she totally had seen him gawking at her and it filled her with an odd sense of pleasure. “Wanna talk about that nightmare you had?”
“Oh…” Pale blue wings stuttered and the colt’s progress toward home slowed. “I dunno… It’s kinda…”
Spitfire drew closer to coltfriend. “It’s okay if you don’t want to share, I get that it might have been kinda scary. Although you did call my name a few times.” A cheeky smile ghosted her lips for a moment before she whipped it off in favour of a more serious, worried expression.
“They’re about my dad. Or me, becoming my dad. They always are,” the pale blue stallion admitted shamefaced.
“Your dad? What did he do? Wait. They?!? You’ve had more than one?” Spitfire darted in close, cutting off any further flight toward Cloudsdale.
“Oh I’ve- maybe had a couple over the past year... or- uh, more…” Soarin tentatively admitted. A warm blush crossed his muzzle at the close proximity of his fillyfriend. She was close enough to kiss and the thought filled with him with a strange giddy feeling.
“Really? How come you never told me? Was I not good enough?” Spitfire pouted.
“No. It’s not that, I just thought you might think I was weak or something for having bad dreams about family. I mean… who does? It’s- well, it should be silly, dumb.” The teenaged pegasus continued to hover as he hung his head, too embarrassed to even look at his loved one.
“Soarin.” Green eyes flickered up and Spitfire expertly hovered even closer till their muzzles were about ready to touch. “I would never even think of you as dumb or stupid, okay? If something is bad enough to give you bad dreams, as your best friend and now also fillyfriend I wanna hear about it. If I know, I can try and help you I dunno- feel better or something.”
“Thanks…”
Soft wing beats filled the air as the two youngsters hovered muzzle to muzzle. Their eyes met then darted away several times before Spitfire cleared her throat rather loudly.
“Anyway. Uh... Wanna keep flying or something. I’m... I’m done, I think.”
Soarin nodded. The couple flew exceedingly slowly in silence for another few moments as Soarin fought with his brain and mouth to continue. “I- I sometimes have dreamed that I have grown up to be dad. This drunk, lazy, washed-out stallion who can’t do anything right. I’ve had dreams where everyone leaves me, or ridicules me. And- and…”
The tearful colt suddenly found himself plucked out of the sky by two magnificent yellow forelegs. The strong filly who held him offered a quick comforting nuzzle. “There there… it’s okay. You will grow up to be better than that lazy stallion. I’m sure of it.”
“They- this latest one gets worse. Dad gets me drinking with him. Then all of a sudden I can never stop. It’s like a snare… Dash becomes violent- everyone leaves me… You-“ Soarin chocked on his words.
Spitfire cooed softly as she nuzzled her tearful coltfriend. Her powerful wings beat out a slow rhythm, enough to keep them airborne in the middle of nowhere.
After a few moments of tender nuzzles and a few soft kisses, Soarin found his voice once more. “You- even you left me. Last night's dream… we were married and successful but then I crashed just like dad. You- I-”
“We were married in your dream?” Spitfire couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear at how sweet the thought was.
“Yea, but booze destroyed me. Destroyed us… I guess that’s why I might have been calling your name in real life… I- I just didn’t want to lose you. And the thought of becoming that drunk excuse of a father terrifies me… It just… does, okay?” Feeling lowly and weak, the colt’s gaze fell to the powerful forelegs that bore him. “There now you know… I’m weak.”
Spitfire shot her charge a warning look. “Soarin. I will drop you if you call yourself weak one more time.”
The tearful colt sprang into action and shot out of his fillyfriend’s hold. “Oh no you don’t!”
“I said if you do it again! Don’t do it again, doofus!” Spitfire cut in front of her coltfriend, annoyance clear on her muzzle.
“Oh…” Soarin’s gaze fell sheepishly to his forehooves once more.
“Hey,” Spitfire dated in for a quick kiss then flipped gracefully away into the open skies. “I can see why you don’t want to turn into the kind of pony your dad is. I get it. Kinda. But come on, you’re not going to become your dad!”
Soarin worked his wings to hastily catch up to the speedy filly in front. “How do you know that?”
“I just do, okay. Trust me.” Spitfire winked coyly at the light blue colt and pulled off another areal flip.
“But lots of ponies turn out to be like their parents or close family.”
“And I know you’ll grow up to be better,” Spitfire assured.
“A-are you sure?”
“Yes, Soarin,” Spitfire dated in for one more quick kiss. “If we stick together we can do anything!”
“But- my dad and mom started out early together- what if I crash and become a drunk like he is?”
“Well… don't go and get me knocked up before we are married. And don’t even ever try alcohol.”
Soarin’s muzzle lit briefly with a grin at the thought of marriage before the second sentence sank in fully. “You mean the nasty stuff my dad drinks or-“
“All of it. I don’t ever want you to smell like your dad. He smells rotten after he drinks. You will never smell like that, okay?!”
“Okay, okay!” Soarin defended quickly, shocked by the venom in his fillyfriend’s tone. “But- even knowing this, my fears and stuff, you’re still okay being you know... my fillyfriend?”
Spitfire rolled her eyes, “Soarin. What did we agree in kindergarten?”
The teenaged colt wrung his forehooves together in desperate thought. “Uh, best friends for life?”
“There you go. Now we get to have fun building on it. Now come on, let’s go pick Rainbow Dash up.”
"Hey, Spitfire..."
The firey filly halted her speed burst and spiralled back to hover in her coltfriend's face once more. "What? Don't you wanna race?"
"It's not that... but, uh what you said before..."
Spitfire's brow crinkled, hadn't they just covered everything? "What?"
"You know... about uh...sex." The teenaged colt felt his muzzle catch fire at the mere mention of such a topic to his fillyfriend.
A blush erupted across Spitfire's face and she suddenly found the vista of Cloudsdale in the distance ever so interesting to look at. "Um... what about it?"
"Would you really, you know... do you know... it with me?" Soarin asked as he examined his own forehooves, embarrassed about bringing such a topic to life.
"Well..." Spitfire glanced back at the embarrassing colt before her. "Would you do the thing with me?"
Soarin nodded bashfully. "You're the only one I could uh... do ...that with."
"Yea, you're the only one I would do the thing with too." Spitfire grinned cheekily, despite the hearty blush upon her face. "But why are you asking me this now? I thought we agreed to not do it until we're married."
Soarin glanced around like a little foal caught with his hoof in the cookie jar. "Uh... yea, of course, we wait. I just... wondered. I didn't think you saw me like that."
"What if I do?" Spitfire grinned back playfully, her muzzle as brightly coloured as her mane.
"Well..." Soarin ruffled his own mane as he fought for words, "that's... that's awesome... cool. Yea. I dunno where I was going with this. I shouldn't have brought it up. We've only been dating like this morning. It's dumb..."
"Think you can wait?"
"Oh yea, of course." The embarrassed colt perked up. "Can you?"
"Soar." Spitfire dated in for a quick kiss. "I look forward to years of cuddles and races. Just ignore what those dumb colts at school say. Okay?"
"Yeah, of course... sure." Soarin agreed. “I’ll race you there!”
“Catch me if you can!” Spitfire yelled back as she put on a burst of speed and corkscrewed past her embarrassed colt.
As Gust entered the outer city limits of Cloudsdale she spotted two young pegasi speeding along like crazy speed daemons. She did not need to think twice to know who the golden and light blue trails might belong to. With a powerful burst of speed, the greyish-blue pegasus took off. Within a dozen blocks she had caught up to the pair.
The two youngsters almost slammed into the veteran wether mare as she cut them off. Gust eyed the pair sternly, “do you know you two are speeding in the outer city limits?”
“No.” Soarin’s gaze darted to Spitfire. “Were we going that fast?”
“Maybe? Sorry, miss Dash.”
“You two would have been sorry if areal patrol had caught you. Save those kinds of speeds for performances and the open skies.”
“Yes, mom...” Soarin replied sheepishly.
Gust shook her head, a half-smile slid onto her lips. “Speeding aside, I hope you enjoyed your morning flight with Spitfire?”
The colt nodded, “yea. Spitfire and I had a few things we needed to talk about.”
“What better way to do it than a race to that small town. Ponyville I think they called it.” Spitfire added with a grin.
Gust was quick to notice the lovestruck look on her son’s face as he gazed at the glowing yellow filly and grinned cheekily at him. “What happened to you son, is somepony in love?”
“What? How do you know?” Soarin replied with a hint of panic to his tone, his muzzle flushed lightly.
Spitfire facehoofed. Her best friend lacked subtlety and apparently did not realize.
The grey-blue mare laughed. “Has somepony decided to ask his best friend out?”
“No,” Soarin shot back defensively.
Gust grinned back at her son, all knowingly.
“It just kinda happened when he stayed over last night,” Spitfire spoke up in her coltfriend’s defence.
Concern clouded the middle-aged mare’s face as she gazed sternly at her boy. “What happened? Son, what did you do?”
“Nothing mom. I just had a nightmare, Spitty comforted me and we both kinda realized that we wanted to be more than just best friends.”
Gust rounded on the teen filly, “Is this true, Spitfire?”
“Yes Mrs. Dash,” the fiery young pegasus answered obediently.
“Okay,” Gust nodded, appeased by the response. “Make sure you continue to be best friends and don’t rush into anything. A serious romantic relationship and children are nothing something ponies of your age should be thinking about till you’re all grown up.”
“Woah! That’s... Woah... We’re not- you know...” Spitfire once again answered quickly. “It just feels nice to be extra special.”
“Ah, yes… I remember that feeling…” Gust’s gaze wandered to somewhere on the horizon as pleasant memories flooded her with warm, giddy feelings.
“You remember it? Don’t you and dad still feel it?” Soarin eyed his mother carefully. “You two always seemed so... yea... together. Even though dad drinks.”
The weather mare’s gaze slowly refocused on her offspring and she sighed. “Son, I just slept out on a cloud in the middle of nowhere and I believe my children slept at Spitfire’s house, is that correct?”
Soarin glanced at his fillyfriend and shrugged. “Well, I did. Dash went back to Fluttershy’s place.”
Gust nodded to herself as a thankful smile spread across her lips. “I shall have to thank her parents for taking her in at such short notice then.”
“So...” Soarin began carefully. “What happened to you and dad. Are you saying Spitty and I might lose this awesome feeling too?” Worry crept into the young pegasus’ tone as he flew slowly, leading the way toward Fluttershy’s family home.
Gust held her silence as they navigated the city airways till she eventually sighed and slowed down a bit. “Blaze and I are losing our spark because of personal choices your father has made. If he continues to choose his poison drinks over his family I will be forced-“ The mare’s words caught in her throat. “Forced to leave- him… even though I still love him with all my heart. But he has almost killed that special spark that I see you two have found.”
“Dad said it was two failed pregnancies that started it all.”
Both females' eyes settled upon the colt who dipped in flight, suddenly nervous under their combined gaze. “What? It’s what dad said yesterday to Dash and me.”
“Your father spoke to you about our miscarriages?” Gust continued to eye her son with a less than kind gaze.
“And a few other stuff too, yea,” Soarin replied tentatively.
Gust signed. She glanced around to check no other flying ponies in the area were paying any attention to the group. “I made some bad choices, sure. But it was he who decided to start drinking and hanging out with crazy ponies. It was then my family begun to distance themselves from him. When I declared I would never leave him they were quick to leave me too. That hurt. A lot… It took a lot of work to get some of them to show up to Rainbow’s fifth birthday.”
Soarin noticed the pain in his mother’s eyes and held his silence as they flew closer to the central city district where Fluttershy lived. The trio touched down in front of the house and Soarin took the lead while his mother watched on pensively.
Autumn answered the door and upon sharing a few quiet words with the light blue colt, he vanished inside.
Gust walked up to her son and gave him a quick winged hug. “I know I haven’t always been a good mother, but you are turning out to be a fine young stallion, son. I don’t know exactly what nightmares you wrestle with, but trust me, if you learn from our mistakes and you will grow up to be an amazing stallion and husband to Spitfire.”
“H-husband?”
“Too soon?” A cheeky grin ripped across the wether mare’s muzzle. “I'm sorry, your father and I were married when we were seventeen.”
Soarin huffed, trying to cover the telltale feeling of his cheeks heating up. “Yea, but mom, I’m thirteen.”
“Then you have a few good years to think of how best to propose to her, don’t you?” The greyish-blue mare winked at her son.
Soarin spotted the grin upon his best friend’s muzzle and flushed an even darker shade.
It was at that moment, Rainbow Dash appeared, Fluttershy at her side. Behind the duo trailed Zephyr Breeze.
“Woah, who painted Soarin’s face?” Rainbow Dash laughed. “Why are you blushing Soarin? Did your fillyfriend do something?”
Soarin laughed rather loudly. “No sis. This was not my fillyfriend. Mom did that.”
The smirk vanished from Dash’s muzzle. That was the wrong response from her brother.
Gust strode up to the tiny colt and knelt down to face him. “Who’s this little cutie?”
“Gah ha! Raybow!” The little aquamarine foal bounced eagerly around the stranger, not in the least bit scared of the mare with the black mane.
“You hear that Dash, he knows your name, isn’t that sweet!” Gust broke out into a massive grin as she continued to observe the energetic little colt.
“Yes, mom…” Dash replied obediently as she hid behind her best friend.
“That’s is my son, Zephyr Breeze.” Autumn proudly introduced his son who gazed up at the strange mare and cocked his head to one side. “My wife is currently out, but wishes to invite you to dinner one evening.”
Gust stood up straight and smiled at the stallion, “I would be delighted to accept. Maybe one evening this week after school?”
The pale green stallion nodded thoughtfully, “that should be plausible, yes.”
“Okay, I’ll discuss it more with her when I see her outside school this week,” Gust confirmed.
“Alright. Fluttershy, say your goodbyes. Come on Zephyr.” The stallion plucked his son up who continued to gaze at Rainbow Dash in awe till he vanished from view.
Fluttershy quickly gave her best friend a hug. Dash readily accepted and held on for dear life. She noticed her brother’s surprised expression and poked her tongue out at him. Right now she could not care less what others thought. Fluttershy was nice to hug and she felt like she needed it.
As Dash was about to join her family she froze. “Dad’s toy!”
“I’ll get it,” Fluttershy replied quickly as she darted off into the house.
“I’m coming too!” Dash called out as she joined in the rush for the playroom.
“Dad's toy?” Soarin shot his mother a confused glance.
“Don’t look at me, I have no idea,” Gust shrugged.
The trio waited in silence with baited breaths for the return of Dash with whatever toy she was apparently allowed to bring home.
As Soarin and Spitfire began to itch for the skies once more, two fillies, at last, appeared in the front doorway again.
“Thanks for the toy, Fluttershy.” Dash gave her friend a quick hug.
The shy filly replied in kind with a delighted grin, “of course Rainbow Dash. You can keep him as long as you need him.”
“Are you sure?” Dash’s gaze darted between the plush toy and her best friend.
Vigorous nods from the lanky yellow filly were the response.
Dash grinned. “Thanks, pal, you’re the best!”
Blue hooves carried their owner hastily toward her mother, plush purple toy gripped in her right wing. “Look what I’m allowed to borrow mom!”
Something caught in Gust’s throat as she realized what, or who the toy depicted. Spitfire noticed and gave the older mare a comforting one hoofed hug.
Gust straightened up, “alright. That’s very kind of Fluttershy to let you borrow him. Let’s go home.”
Four pegasi arrived at the raincloud home of the Dash family. While the three young pegasi relaxed together in the street, Gust headed for the door.
As a grey-blue hoof lifted to open the door, Gust froze. “Go play.”
“What?” Dash gazed up at her mother, confused as the older mare continued to stare right at the raincloud door in her face.
“Please. Go and enjoy yourselves.”
Dash scoffed, “why? Is it dad? Won’t he just be sleeping like he always does?”
“Go play. Please.” The grey-blue mare turned from the door. Her gaze bored into the vibrant blue filly who gazed back with wide, surprised eyes.
“Come on Rainbow Dash,” Soarin wrangled his sister, rather put off by his mother’s odd actions. “How about we go to your lookout and try to get some airtime?”
“Okay,” the little speedster agreed reluctantly, confused by her mothers' overly serious demeanour.
“Jump on,” Soarin knelt down and his sister hoped up for a free ride.
Dash quickly checked that her new toy was secure before she nodded to her brother. “Okay, I’m ready.”
The trio took off into the sky and Gust sighed. The grey mare continued to watch the receding group who held a special place in her heart. Even Spitfire already felt like family and she hoped the filly would never know the pain she felt now.
Gust turned to her home. She took a deep breath to steady herself then opened the front door.
The sight before her smashed the weather mare’s breath away with the strength of a hurricane. Fear lanced through the mare at the still form on the floor. She froze there in the doorway. This could not be happening.
Like the cold chill of melting ice upon her back, Gust knew that this was no bad dream. Her husband really was in trouble!
With a distressed cry Gust rushed to the downed stallion’s side.
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Well now I feel bad I hadn't gotten to this sooner. Absolutely hooked. Cause this was emotional trauma: the chapter, what with a decidedly messed up moment of Dash trying to get out some of her feelings with the toy version of her dad. Cause it seems like she somewhat gets what's going on, but can't act on her feelings of being rather messed up by this.
I have no idea what you are doing with Zephyr later, but for how much I don't like him in the show, as a baby here, he's actually not that bad and feels kind of like an actual young kid. Ironic that Dash later loves that she has a fan club in the show, but here you have her first fan and she's really uncomfortable since he's like 2. Still I like that Fluttershy seems to have more emotional knowledge and she's actually trying to help Dash out, even if its just letting her borrow a toy or two.
Then with Soarin' having totally understandable fears of becoming like his parents and becoming an alcoholic? That hits hard and it makes sense since he would have seen more years of how his parents began to fall apart as the miscarriages hit them in different ways. Though now that makes me wonder about how, or when, you push the story up a few years closer to the time of the show itself, how you will deal with Dash. Cause the show hinted, through a couple episodes that she really has a bit of a drinking problem with the Cider Season episode coming to mind most readily. So that makes me wonder how she would internalize her parents' relationship since by that time, it'd be years later. Or with how the chapter ended, is her dad dead. Cause there's two ways that cliffhanger could easily go. Dead or not. And both kind of worry me.
But Gust continues to be my favorite character here cause she has that kind of fun, jokey demeanor with Soarin' since she knew exactly what was on his mind and playfully jabbed him with a few jokes. But she also cares for her kids and has to deal with a husband with a drinking problem. Hits rather close to home, since I know a few people in similar situations and it is done with some rather nice depth for a story with cute ponies.
Seriously though I wonder if the dad is dead. Which would be a major departure from canon and would really mess up all the semi-cute stuff happening here. Cause while the throughline continues to be the alcoholism problem, any death would just derail everyone's emotions.
Seems like this is going to be his turning point... I hope. Too bad it's possibly happening when it's literally going to kill him. Over the past several chapters I was convinced that he couldn't just quit on his own, or even drink less. Didn't think it'll go this far. It's apparent he really needs everyone in order to get past this.
I'll say there's an interesting balance between the fluff and the drama going on here. It works and really hooked me in reading this. I really like how you show all this drama with their father has been affecting both Soarin and Dash. It all makes sense as more pieces of the fall in place, as we learn more and more about the past.
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Thanks. Sounds like that's two votes for Dads likely dead. Poor Blaze... he's for sure having a rough time here and you will see where it is going and why soon (I hope). I'm walking a fine line on season 2/3 canon and wanting to conform to it as that is when the tale was conceived and I want to keep the classic vibes. So, keep in mind, the parents are from newer seasons and so I'm not feeling the need to keep any aspect the later seasons' show. The next chapter has a couple more bombs to drop and Blaze is right there in the middle of it and therefore, his whole family is too.
Both Rainbow Dash & Soarin have been great to explore and see how the two different siblings handle it and they have a long way to go from where they are now to how they appear in the show and some aspects are going to be a challenge to cover. But hey, challenge is good and it will continue to include plenty of cute stuff mixed in with the drama.
And as per my drunk Dash story, yes, I think RD grows up and develops a love for the cider and how it comes about and why she doesn't go for stronger drinks too like her dad is all to be explored as the tale continues.
Glad to know everypony is impactful and seem to be connecting well.