The Storm

by The_Last_Centurion

Chapter 9

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Part Nine: Category 5

“…And that is how you remove the hearts of these beasts.” Luna finished with a grim smirk as I threw up again. I had thrown up at least ten times while she showed me how to open the horned serpents and remove their diamond-hearts upon death. Luna had explained to me that this was the only way normal ponies could help fight against the creatures, but that didn’t give the whole process an excuse for being totally disgusting.
At first, the lunar soldiers laughed when they saw me throw up, but then they started to roll their eyes every time they saw me gag near the horned serpents. When Luna tossed one of her moonbeam scalpels to General Crimson he simple caught it in his mouth. Then he ran up onto one of the charred corpses, doing all the work with ease. In fact, he seemed at ease as he removed the hearts from the creatures. This just made my stomach do a few revolted revolutions.

When the deed was done, I summoned a small rain cloud and let it pour its contents all over me. I washed myself of the grime and gore, hoping that I would never have to do this again. However, I knew I would and this disturbed me.

As Luna collected the hearts in her saddlebags, everypony fell back to her. Her horn lit up sending us home, away from the evils of the badlands. Not a second too late either, as I started to feel that spine-tingling, evil feeling of apprehension again. I also felt them as they came towards the magic from far away, their disgustingly scaly bodies moving over abused rocks; their serpentine voices traveling on the wind, telling me how they would enjoy killing me in a multitude of ways. I just shivered as the scenery vanished by magic.

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‘Little one, you must stop this foolishness.’ Storm said gently through my mind as I lay on my bed in a traumatized ball. I was crying softly but continually as I remembered that feeling from earlier. Not the evil apprehension, but something scarier. The feeling I got as I saved Luna, that predatory feeling of dominance and power. And the worst part was that some part of me liked that feeling. It liked the scent and sight of gore on my fur, of charred bodies, of incredulous power that most ponies could not even think of in their wildest dreams.

I heard Storm sigh. ‘Stay still,’ he told me. ‘This will take your mind off of things.’ He continued as I felt a rush of power through me. I started to feel scared, but my vision went black before I could react. Slowly, my blackened view came alive with the comforting sound of thunder and rain. I also heard long, drawn out flaps of wings and I felt the ground beneath me start to move. Then, gouts of lightning lit up my view and I could see I was in a dark storm cloud. I managed to catch glimpses of what I was riding upon.

“Storm?”

We burst through the dark cloud and into a world of undulating gray, hidden from the view of the ground below and the sun above. I saw my world in a gentle light and I looked down at Storm as he carried me on his back, flying through the sky. I heard the sounds of the storm and was calmed. I felt the wind rush by my face, blowing away the depression I had but a minute ago.

“Where are we?” I asked Storm.

‘We are in your mind Little Wing.’ Storm replied.

“Oh. But where are we?”

Storm snorted. ‘We are in a storm.’

“I knew that.” I replied testily. “But which storm? Why have I never felt this one before?”

‘This is a special storm, from long ago.’ Storm said deeply. ‘You will see why very soon, but for the present time, just enjoy it. No more questions.’ He said before going quiet and catching an air current. We floated on the breeze, letting the wind take us where ever it wanted to go and I looked around at the clouds, my soul becoming quiet.

The clouds turned and churned within themselves making the walls of gray around us move with their own life. I felt the serenity stuck in all the chaos of the storm, in every sporadic flash of lighting, in every random sonic resonation of thunder, in every different water droplet of rain. As the winds blew and the precipitation fell, many ponies would see this as a scary being of nature, a thing they almost never saw thanks to their weather pegasi. But to me, this was serenity it all its glory.

“Storm?” I asked in a small voice.

‘Yes child?’ he replied just as gently, feeling my emotions.

“I’m scared.” I said falling silent.

‘Look at the storm and feel its power.’ He told me. ‘That is the power of the thunderbirds. We are strong creatures Little Wing.’ Storm said as we flew. ‘But that does not mean we are impervious.’

‘I fell to old age, but in my life I was able to experience many things. And even though my strength is mighty and my power immense, I was scared too.’ He continued before falling silent.

“When?” I asked feeling conflicted.

‘When I was young. When I was old. It does not matter the age Little Wing; I was scared my times in my life. When I was just a hatchling, I was scared of humans. They were a young species, capable with the powers to do anything. However, they just destroyed and plundered and forsook their abilities. They began applying their knowledge to that of war and eventually they killed out their own kind. I became scared then, as well; for I experienced the true terror of a war I was not able to defend myself from. I became even more scared after the dust cleared and I was the only one of my kind left. Even when I was young, I knew there had been few thunderbirds left, but I did not know that they could be wiped out by accident. I thought we were all powerful. That was probably the time when fear truly reigned over my mind and soul.’ He said.

“But how did you…become you again? How did you conquer your fear?” I asked.

Storm laughed deeply, his voice making thunder respond to him from the clouds surrounding us. He flew on as the storm became stronger and stronger, but then it went silent as we started to descend. The gray around us started to vanish into wisps of cloud as we came closer and closer to what looked like a large, jagged rock. I felt Storm slow and his flapping increased as he perched down on the rock. Slowly, the clouds let loose their rain, clearing the low hanging mist around us. I gasped as the mist cleared, revealing that the “jagged rock” was actually the top of a mountain. I looked down at the landscape and saw lush, dark green valleys and spots of rolling forests. The rain from the clouds gently covered the land, clearing my mind of all fear and bringing a tear to my eye.

‘This,’ Storm said with majesty, ‘is how one of our people conquers his or her fear. We fly and let our homes become drenched in our sadness, in our uncertainty. We cry out our fears to the lands we control and we let the storms take over. Then, hope emerges.’ He said as the clouds parted and the sun shone through. As the sun touched the rain, rainbows formed over the lands below. I gaped in joyful awe, feeling the hope that every rainbow held.

‘It was true that I was scared of humans. It was true that I was impossibly scared of being the last of my kind left. But, hope sprung eternal.’ Storm said emotionally. “The thing that gave me hope in all those times of great fear was the hope given to me by the newest race of rulers: the ponies.’

“But how could you be sure we wouldn’t turn out like the humans?” I asked unknowingly.

‘I didn’t, and for a long time, that was my greatest fear. But as always, hope came to me in my time of need. When I was dying, scared, and afraid that my powers would disappear, you came. You gave me hope. I was very scared that you would turn into a being like the humans, but the second I saw your eyes. I knew differently. You are my hope, Little Wing, and I know that you will do what needs to be done when your time comes.’ He said, leaving me lost for words as I choked back sobs of joy. Nopony had ever said I was their hope. Nopony even ever believed in me, much less saw my strengths and weaknesses. So how could Storm, a being so powerful, a being called “Lord” by the two immortal princesses of Equestria, have faith in a nothing like me?

‘Because you are not nothing.’ Storm said calmly, reading my mind as usual. ‘You are the strongest being I know. You alone had the courage to let your fears in me disappear as you let your pity take over. You saw a weak, dying, and scared creature who needed you, while any other pony would have run from me screaming. You are strong because you had the courage to stay and console me.’

I was moved by his words and I started to cry silently. Storm let me cry in silence, not once speaking as I did. I was thankful and my heart felt like it was bursting from all the emotions I felt, and I knew, even if I was scared, Storm would always be here, he would always be supportive of me, and he knew that I was scared and weak, but that I was his hope.

Two screeches of my kind averted my teary eyes from Storm’s back to the horizon. I watched as two thunderbirds flew out of the silhouette of the sun, past the storm clouds around us, and through the valley, trailing two rainbow contrails. I saw that one was much smaller, a baby really, compared to the other that flew a little ahead of it. They screeched again, but I noticed it was not one of declaration, but of joy. As I looked on, I realized that the larger one was a female, a mother, and the smaller was her baby. It was then with a start that I realized I had seen the markings on the plumage of the smaller one before.

Storm read my mind and looked back at me, his curved beak in a smile, his eyes glistening with tears and lightning. He rose off the perch, flapped his wings once, and then I was back in my body on my bed in the circular room.

I got up shakily and ran a hoof through my mane. I couldn’t feel Storm’s consciousness in my mind, but I knew he was there inside me. But what really humbled me was the fact that I could just see what I did. That I knew immediately that the baby thunderbird was Storm, that that was his first storm itself. I wiped the tears lingering at the corners of my eyes and I stared to smile. I felt the determination rising in me. I was going to make him proud.

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Princess Celestia almost jumped out of her seat at the breakfast table as I kick the doors in. Prince Blueblood looked equally shocked, but what astonished them both was that I was in thunderbird form, and I was emanating an air of confidence and electricity.

“What kind of training are we doing today Celestia?” I asked, hungry for things to do.

“S…since you helped my dear sister with the raid last night, I was planning on letting you sleep in.” she stammered. “I did not think…”

I cut her off prematurely. “So what was I going to do today?”

“I was going to start teaching you how to harness the energy of the Sun.” she replied shakily.

“But doesn’t that only work for you, Auntie?” asked Blueblood astounded.

Before anypony could say anything, the chefs came in with the royal breakfast. Many of the chefs gave me wide eyed looks and stayed on the other side of the table, but they had been trained and had seen a vast number of strange and powerful beasts at this very table before. Thus, most of them waited until they got back into the kitchen to fall into hysterics, wet themselves, or just hide in one of the numerous pantries.

My hunger to train was soon overpowered by my actual hunger. I sat down at my usual seat across from Blueblood and started tearing into breakfast. Literally. Dish after dish deposited its contents into my mouth and then stomach as I ripped through the meal, making Blueblood and Celestia watch with a mix of astonishment and horror. When I finished, I looked at them with a smile… and then burped so loud it created a thunderclap that sent both of them flying out of their chairs and breaking all the windows along the wall of the dining hall.

“Excuse me.” I said blushing madly as rounds of royal laughter spread through the entire castle. I even started to laugh too, the mirth from the two awakening my own happiness. Soon we were all laughing hysterically, wiping tears from our eyes, and gasping under the strain of such laughter. Eventually, everypony calmed down, but then Blueblood and Celestia looked at me again, erupting into a new chorus of laughs.

“Ok, ok.” I said happily. “It wasn’t that funny.”

Blueblood shook his laugher-tear soaked face at me. “No it’s just…YOU!” he said finishing with a loud obnoxious laugh.

“What?” I asked a little confused.

“Rarely do we *hic* ever get any *hic* fun guests.” Celestia said, hiccupping away her laughs.

“They’re always so stuffy.” Blueblood said as he got up off the floor, using the table as leverage. “They always have to follow a…woah!” he said, as his hoof slipped on the table cloth, letting him fall, but sending all the dishes, cups, silver ware, and table pieces flying. Each hit the far wall with a resounding crash of expensive glass ware, but Celestia just looked at this spectacle and fell out of her chair, her royal peals of laughter echoing throughout the castle.

These royal types really were deprived for fun. But then again, being stuck in a castle all day could do that to a pony. I thought of Celestia’s day job, of nothing but correspondences, legal matters, and diplomatic relations. But then I thought about Blueblood’s daily to-do list and I shuddered. Soap operas, ugggh.

At that time, I knew what we would do today.

“When was the last time you two got out of the castle?” I asked them.

“Just yesterday.” said a voice that resigned to be on the ground from across the table.

“I can hardly remember the last *hic* time I have gotten *hic*…” Celestia said as she got up, still hiccupping.

“Why don’t we all go to Ponyville?” I proposed. “I know that I have lessons today, but we can do those in Ponyville. I just think we could all use a little change of scenery.”

“Oh, I could introduce you to Rarity!” Blueblood said to Celestia.

Celestia just rolled her eyes. “Rarity is the element of *hic*. I think I *hic* her by now Blue*hic*.” She sputtered out. “But I *hic*-gree. We could all use a little *hic*.”

“Maybe we could even cure those hiccups in Ponyville?” I asked playfully.

Blueblood laughed as Celestia smiled. “Why not?”she said with a shrug, before hiccupping repeatedly. I sighed dramatically and pretended to face hoof at all of her hiccupping, which elicited even more hiccups from the princess of the sun.

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“Teleport successful!” Celestia cried as we appeared in the middle of Ponyville square, surprising the many ponies who were mulling about, purchasing goods at one of the weekly farmer’s markets. There was an awkward silence as all the ponies looked toward the shining princess, the royal prince, and the intimidating thunderbird and looked at us, stupefied. Then they dropped everything they were doing and bowed towards the three of us.

“Come on Auntie!” Blueblood said, as giddy as a schoolyard filly. “Let’s go visit Rarity!” he said, jumping around on his hooves.

I heard some ponies snicker when at the sound of Blueblood calling one of their princesses “auntie” but they soon fell quiet as they saw me from their prostrate positions. I could see a wave of fear spread through each pony’s eyes. I looked at all of the ponies and saw a trembling, familiar face. Golden Harvest shuddered as she saw me see her staring. I sighed and started to feel the depression seep into me, but then Storm’s word echoed through my mind. I was his hope and I would live up to his expectations. I would not let this pass.

As Celestia was about to give the command to rise to the ponies, I put up a hoof and stopped her. I walked over to the bowing Golden Harvest and saw her quiver with each step closer.

“Rise.” I commanded to the ponies, specifically Golden. When none rose I looked back to Celestia.

“Listen to him, my little ponies.” She said softly with a knowing look in her eye.

The ponies around me rose, but I kept my gaze on the one in front of me. She stood up, her eyes to the ground, her hooves shaking.

“What?” I asked. “Don’t you recognize me?”

She glanced up to my face for a second, but then dropped the gaze. Her body trembled as she shook her head. I saw a tear spring to her eye and I was astounded. Was I really that frightful?

“What?” I asked gentler, scared by her reaction to me. “I AM just a mistake.” I told her, changing back into my pony form. The crowd around us gasped and Golden Harvest stepped back, scared and confused.

“Little Wing?” she asked in a shaking voice. I looked at her for a moment and then just walked over to where my friends from Canterlot were standing.

“Let’s go to the Boutique.” I said strongly, leading the way.

To any other pony, this might seem like I was bullying Golden Harvest for her past sins against me. But in reality, I felt no malice towards her. I just wanted her, along with the rest of Ponyville, to know who would save them. Who was their guardian thunderbird. Who would be their hope for the coming future.