Respect the elder generation

by Peace Petal

Chapter Five

Wind Whistler would not cry.

She had yelled at Gusty, not vice versa. She would not make herself the victim, even though she felt that way. Certainly she would not cry in front of all these ponies. She had flown straight to the Ponyville Station. Hopefully the others would realize where she had gone and they could keep on schedule.

Wind Whistler had just perfectly demonstrated exactly the kind of emotional outburst she usually tried to avoid. There was nothing inherently wrong with emotions. They were only problematic when they inhibited common sense. The ponies of Dream Valley found themselves in high-pressure situations so often that Wind Whistler rarely let herself get too emotional. Her cool head had helped them out of many a tight spot. Now her outburst could cause them to miss their meeting with Twilight, and worse, she had almost certainly hurt Gusty’s feelings.

“I thought I might find you here,” a voice said. It was Gusty. Wind Whistler stood up, feeling anger as cold as ice inside her. Anger was the emotion Wind Whistler liked the least. Happiness and even sadness had their proper place. But anger helped no one. “I’m sorry,” Gusty said. “I was mean to you.”

“I apologize as well,” Wind Whistler said stiffly. “I should not have raised my voice at you.”

“It was my fault,” Gusty said. Her ears were down and her head hung low, a submissive posture. “I didn’t know you were still hurt from that time with the Rockdog.”

“I shouldn’t have pent up antipathy for so long,” Wind Whistler said. “It is illogical to hold on to past grievances.”

Gusty hesitated. “I don’t understand you, Wind Whistler,” she said. “Half the time I just don’t know what you’re saying, and even when I understand the words I don’t know why you do what you do. You always act like you have no feelings, but clearly I hurt you. I don’t know what you’re feeling. Maybe I could make it right if you told me?”

Wind Whistler didn’t like talking about her feelings. But maybe that was the only way she would connect with Gusty. She didn’t want to lose Gusty as a friend. She appreciated the unicorn’s selfless bravery. In the very same incident with the Rockdog, Gusty had risked herself to help the others escape, getting turned to stone. None of them knew if there was any way to reverse the petrification. Gusty very well could have died. Beyond being heroic, Gusty was just a fun pony to be around when she wasn’t teasing. Wind Whistler wanted Gusty along in both dangerous adventures and relaxing picnics. She had to find a way to restore their friendship.

“Buttons and Truly saw me get emotional in a high-pressure situation with the Rockdog,” Wind Whistler said. “That’s how they knew for certain that I do have feelings. You were petrified at the time, so I understand why you never apologized. But I still resent you for starting the whole affair. The other two were merely chiming in; you were the first to start teasing me.” Wind Whistler looked right into Gusty’s green eyes as she said, “I do have feelings. I simply don’t want to allow them to inhibit my ability to make good decisions.”

Some kind of machine moved up to the station, and dozens of ponies exited and boarded it. They had missed their opportunity. But it didn’t seem important at the moment. “That doesn’t mean I wasn’t happy to see you this morning,” Wind Whistler continued. “I was filled with anxiety for your welfare ever since we were separated. When I heard that you were in Sweet Apple Acres, I was so relieved, I was nearly brought to tears. I took a moment to compose myself, which is why I arrived in the room after Fizzy. I’m glad I did, because I don’t know how I would have reacted to seeing you in your afflicted conditions if I hadn’t calmed myself beforehoof.”

“You were that worried about me?” Gusty said quietly.

“I try to contain emotional outbursts,” Wind Whistler said. “I think I demonstrated just a few minutes ago exactly what can go wrong if emotions are not kept in check. Despite not always expressing it, I truly do enjoy spending time with you. I want to be your friend. But I need you to respect me.”

Gusty stepped closer and gently nuzzled Wind Whistler. “Thank you for telling me all this,” she said. “I’ll do my best to respect you from now on. Friends?”

“Friends,” Wind Whistler affirmed.

“Wow, that was beautiful,” a voice said. Fizzy came onto the station platform, wiping away a tear. “I’m so glad you made up.”

“Fizzy, how long have you been here?” Wind Whistler said sharply. Shady, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity came around the corner of the ticket office into view.

“A few minutes,” Fizzy said. “We didn’t want to interrupt you.”

“I’m grateful we were afforded the opportunity to reconcile,” Wind Whistler said. “But I’m afraid we’ve missed our scheduled departure.”

“Don’t fret about it,” Applejack said. “Shady stopped us all before we got to the platform so y’all could finish workin’ that out. Twilight is a busy pony, but she’ll understand. She is the Princess of Friendship, after all. We’ll just git on the next train.”

They had to wait thirty-two minutes until the next train. And what a sight the train was! Wind Whistler had been occupied with more important matters when the last train had passed. But now that she was really looking at it, she didn’t know what to make of it. It was a colorful machine that pumped steam out the top. The weight of the whole contraption must have been tremendous. “Darling, you look like you’ve never seen a train before,” Rarity said as she walked past her to board.

“I hadn’t before today,” Wind Whistler said, following Rarity. Shady, Gusty, and Fizzy sat for a pleasant conversation with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack, but Wind Whistler’s mind was still on the train. She walked towards the front, intent on learning more about how it worked. As she passed row after row of passenger seats, she started to think that perhaps this machine carried more ponies than Wind Whistler had ever seen in one place. The prosperity of Equestria was beyond Wind Whistler’s comprehension. Their technology was beyond anything in Ponyland, their population was orders of magnitude greater than the little ponies of Dream Valley, and Ponyville seemed so peaceful and friendly.

Wind Whistler got to the front car, which appeared to power the whole machine. She convinced the operators to let her observe. After watching for several minutes, she started to gather that the heat energy of the coal furnace caused a state change in water, and the energy of the steam was converted into the kinetic energy of the train. Wind Whistler wondered if she could duplicate such a device on a smaller scale back home.

The train arrived at its destination. Wind Whistler exited the train and stared in awe. They had arrived in a city that was nestled halfway up a mountain. There wasn’t too much room up here, but this city was clearly more central than Ponyville. Its buildings were more impressive and lavish. “Welcome to Canterlot!” Rarity said proudly. “Magnificent, isn’t it?” At the highest point of the city was a structure with imposing spires and colorful, pointed domes. “That’s where we’re going,” Rarity said, following Wind Whistler’s gaze. “The Canterlot Castle.”

They made their way up towards the Canterlot Castle. The ponies here seemed to move with more purpose than in Ponyville, and they were perhaps less welcoming than the ponies of Ponyville. No spontaneous musical numbers here. They were also almost all unicorns. Curious. They arrived at the gates of the castle, and the guards let them in, apparently recognizing Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. After making a few turns, they found themselves in a spacious, lavish chamber with stained glass windows and little channels of water running along the sides of the room.

Waiting near the front of the room, standing just beneath the elevated throne, was a purple pony with a horn and wings, along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and an impossibly familiar purple dragon. “Spike?” Wind Whistler said, thoroughly surprised.

“That’s me!” the dragon said. His voice was different, however. “Why, you heard of me?”

“Don’t you recognize me?” she said. “It’s me, Wind Whister.”

“Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met,” he said.

The purple pony, who wore a crown, looked at Wind Whistler and her friends and said, “Welcome to the Friendship Council. I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

Wind Whistler, Shady, Fizzy, and Gusty introduced themselves. “I’m sorry we’re late,” Applejack said. “I know this Friendship Council is mighty important, but these ponies need our help. I reckoned helpin’ them is the best we can do with our time.”

“If they need our help, of course that’s a good use of our time,” Twilight said. “But first…” With a flash of purple light, she winked right next to Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie and wrapped them all up in her wings. “I’ve missed you. Things have been hectic here in Canterlot. I wish you’d all write more.”

“I’m sorry, things have been so busy,” Applejack said. “I’ll do better.”

“Me too,” Pinkie said.

“I think I’ve been fairly consistent…” Rarity said.

“You have been,” Twilight said. “Anyway, what can we help you four with?” She turned to Wind Whistler and the others.

“We come from Dream Valley, in Ponyland,” Wind Whistler said. “So far no one we’ve met has heard of it.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Nor have I,” she said. She levitated a notebook and quill from her throne. “Tell me everything.” A curious one, Wind Whistler noted. We might get along well.

Wind Whistler described in detail the distortion they had walked through, as well as reciting Pinkie’s theory on what it was. “Pinkie’s multiverse theory may have some validity,” Wind Whistler added. She stared at Spike and said, “We have met several individuals here who bear an uncanny resemblance to individuals in Ponyland.” She glanced at Fluttershy and said, “It’s happened at least four times now. It seems too unlikely to be coincidental.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you’ve met my mom, Twilight, but Wind Whistler?” Rainbow Dash said. “Windy Whistles? This is just bizarre. Although in fairness, you act nothing like my mother.” Wind Whistler wasn’t sure how that was meant to be taken.

“Well, this is absolutely fascinating,” Twilight said. “I don’t know off the top of my head how to send you back to Ponyland, but I’ll bet the information is somewhere in the library.”

“A library?” Wind Whistler said. “I’d be happy to help you search.”

“However, we do have some crucial matters to discuss, as well,” Twilight said. Spike unrolled a long scroll. “We cannot skip this stuff, and I know the five of you are very busy with your lives in Ponyville. Let’s discuss these matters quickly, then you can all head back to Ponyville while Wind Whistler and I search the library.”

“Sweetie, your life is the busiest of all of us,” Rarity said. “You’ll find whatever you’re looking for more quickly with more eyes searching. I insist on staying to help you search.”

“I’ll stay, too,” Fluttershy said.

“I reckon we all feel that way, ain’t that right?” Applejack said, looking at Rainbow Dash.

“Hey, of course I’ll help,” Rainbow said in an accused tone.

“Thank you all,” Twilight said. She turned to Wind Whistler and her friends. “You are welcome to listen in if you’d like. Or the guards can show you to the kitchen, if you’re hungry. We’ll be done in two hours and eleven minutes, if we stick to my schedule.”

“I’d like to listen in, if you don’t mind,” Wind Whistler said.

“You listen in, but I’m going to the kitchen,” Gusty said.

“I’ll come with you, Gusty,” Fizzy said.

“I’m half-starved,” Shady said. “We’ll see you after the meeting, Wind Whistler.” The three of them followed a guard out of the room.

Twilight turned to her friends, looking over the list Spike held. “Now, what do you all think about funding the construction of a railroad across the Tenochtitlan Basin?”

Comments

[EnderHooves]

Very nice. A quick but heartfelt apology, the miracles of steam power, and meeting the Quee Princess of the land.
Pacing is a bit quick overall, but if I remember the last chapters, it's keeping consistent.
I'm looking forward to more.