Return to Cloudsdale Saga: All According to Plan

by TheFailedBrony

Chapter 3

“Sweet apple jam! A twisters headin straight for Ponyville”, Apple Jack said through roaring wind. Twilight looked equally concerned about closing storm. Her face growing grave.

“Todays storm was supposed to be re-routed”, said Twilight while dropping into a puzzled tone. “And the forecast never called for tornados...”

The winds started to roar more while Twilight and Apple Jack braced themselves to avoid being knocked down. Pinkie jumped into the air and let herself be carried away, giggling until she hit the nearest building were she remained pasted to the wall.

“Hurry girls, Ponyville in danger”, she said while galloping off to the storm. Apple jack following right behind. Pinkie Pie ,after removing herself from the wall, skipped after them.

“nooooooo”, said Fluttershy as she finished her long stretched out, quiet lament near Rarity's dress shop. She turned to Angel.
“I can’t make it to the cafe, if there is no cafe?”

She prepared to let the flight in the fight or flight response take hold as she raised her wings. “What a pity, lets go.”

Angel hopped in front of his master. He gave his master a long, scolding glare. Guilt took hold as Fluttershy slunched down and let out a sigh.

“Your right, I can't just run away”, she said with disappointment mixed with fear. The mare took a deep breath, puffing herself up, before continuing.

“I guess I'll have too....”, she paused gulping while she stared at the looming disaster. “Stop this.”

Fluttershy bent down preparing to leap into flight. Her leg muscles and wings tensed up. She leaped into the air, then she proceeded to crashed back to the ground. Fluttershy's looked behind to find her wings clamped in protest.

“Oh my. This is going to be harder than I thought.”

The twirling mass of blackened air let out a fearsome roar. Its cloud top erupted bursts of lightning while its creator hovered above the winds reach. Rainbow Dash gave a boastful grin.

“Now thats a Wonder-bolting storm. No way Bold will miss this, or me.

Rainbow Dash looked over the swirling destruction one more time.

“Or is it?”

The wind screeched around the pegasus as she spun around the twister. Faster, faster, faster she soared. The cyclone screamed louder, louder, and louder. Faster and faster the two went.
“Just”...

“about...”

“Perf...”
“whaohoooooh”, Rainbow Dash yelled as the tornado took the lead in the areal waltz. Dash tumbled inside her creation. Finally with a loud, “nooooo”, she was ejected. Rainbow plummeted uncontrollably towards the ground.

“I wish I could be more like Rainbow Dash”, Fluttershy said after failing to breach the air once again. “I just know I would have already stopped this storm, by now.”

Fluttershy kicked the ground in frustration. Well, nudged the ground while she missed the falling Rainbow trail across the sky. The town clock rang and sent the startled pegasus cowering to the ground. She let out a gasp.

“I'm going to be late and... disappointing.”

The shy mare glared at the twister, then at the clock, then back at the twister, and then back to the clock.

“No. I. Won't,” she said when her wings sprang open.

Fluttershy lifted into the air, soaring as fast as her wings would allow. Four butterflies quickly passed her with ease.

Three ponies ran past Ponyville's welcome sign. Pinkie Pie stopped to gaze through the newly added hole. Twilight soon came to a stop at the town's edge as various ran around in panic over the approaching storm. The purple unicorn looking into the approaching disaster.

“Its worse than I feared.”

“What Twilight?”

“The cyclone!!!”, she yelled back trying to force her voice through the suddenly stronger winds.

“I thought I could use my magic to stop it, but its grown too large. I can't do it alone, I need a pegasus, or several!”

“Shoot, right when those Wonderbolts ain’t due back till sundown.” said Apple Jack.

“Ponyville will be blown down before then”, Twilight said while collapsing to the ground in despair. “Were is Rainbow Dash!? Now of all times she decides to go missing”

“Silly, she's not missing. Dashie's plummeting right towards us.” said Pinkie Pie while pointing skyward.

The mares looked up in just enough time to catch a glimpse of Rainbow Dash before she slammed into a near by store; Pillows r Us. Debris went flying into the air. Apple Jack, Twilight, and Pinkie trotted up to the freshly cratered building. Rainbow Dash laid atop the remains of pillow filled shipping crates.

“You happen to have a back up plan?” asked Apply Jack as she noted the stars floating around Rainbow's head.

“Daddy, won't you tell me another Wonderbolt story?”

Twilight tried to hide her growing frustration from Apple Jack, but still gave a short facehoof.
“Well... there is always Fluttershy. Together we can stop the storm.”

“Fluttershy? You sure she's up to bucking a twister? Or able?”

“There are ways”, Twilight said as her horn radiated magic. “Plenty of ways.”

Before Twilight finished, a yellow flash crashed next to them in an explosion of feathers. Small non-existent birds proceeded to fly above Fluttershy's head as she laid on what remained in the discounted but still soft stack. Near by stacks trembled.

“Found her”, Pinkie Pie said before stacks of pillows collapsed on Fluttershy; fully submerging her in a plush prison.

“That twister chewing through pegasi for breakfast,” said a concerned Apple Jack.

“And Ponyville lunch,” said a frustrated Twilight.

“Really, Applelusa sounds sooooo much more tasty”, said a giddy Pinkie.

Twilight started to pace back and forward while she mumbled aloud to herself. Solution after solution was raised, then quickly dropped. Twilight herself collapsed to the floor.

“Where in Equstria a pegasus when you need one!”, Twilight said to no pony in particular.

A blond pegasus with a bubble cutie mark flew by. Another crashing sound quickly followed.

“Ooh, Ooh, found one”, said Pinkie Pie as she zoomed out of site.

“Pinkie, I don't think she....” Twilight stopped mid lecture.

“It would be my pleasure to offer any assistance”, said Talon Bold standing before a gaping mouthed Twilight & Apple Jack.

“The rouge storm currently too unstable and near to Ponyville to safely handle alone without the risk of collateral damage. I offer my aid and request yours in resolving the emergency at hand Twilight Sparkle, Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie.”

Twilight jolted back up on her hooves from surprise, “You know our names?”

“Yes. I'm well aware of your exploits,” he said moving closer to the 3 conscious mares. “Now I must ask Celestia's prized pupal if she has any ideas.”

Twilight started to calm down as she joyfully mumbled to herself while blushing.
“Celestia does talk about me.”

“Well...”, said Bold puzzled. “More specifically...”

“Not to be impolite yall but,” Apple Jack said while nodding towards the even closer tornado. “We've got bigger apples to pick.”

Twilight snapped back into focus, “Right, here what we need to....”

“Twilight Sparkle, are you sure about this”, asked Bold as he stood ready to take off into the fierce winds. The roaring monster was only a few minutes from reaching the town. Its size was comparable to the town itself.

“Don't worry Mr. Bold, you can trust my plan”, said Twilight as her horn started to glow. “And my magic.”

Talon gave a reassuring nod.

“One more thing”, he said while looking back at the purple unicorn. “Please leave it at Talon, I hate formalities.”

Talon shot off like a rocket. Behind him he left 3 onlooking mares at Ponyville's edge. Twilight waited to play her part.

The air had grew dark around Talon when he reached the twister's edge. The winds reducing his speed several fold. He tried desperately to simply stay out of its grasp.

“NOW!”, Twilight screamed as magic started to erupt from her horn. Talon Bold had no way of hearing her, but felt her words effects when his speed instantly doubled then tripled.

“Blue blazes, what did you do to him?” Apple Jack asked concerned after Talon's wings seemed to burst into flame bright enough to be seen from the ground.

“A rocketing wing spell”, explained Twilight. “It will give him the needed thrust to form a counter revolving wind current around the existing one.”

“Wait what?,”

Talon soared around the twister. His wings leaving a blazing trail in his wake. With each trip his speed grew. Burning trails quickly connected one after the other. Soon one fired mass of twisting wind formed. The second flaming tornado fully enshrouded the first in a scarlet coat. A now fiery, screaming twister charged at Ponyville. Scorching the earth in its wake.

“YOU MADE ANOTHER ONE!”, Apple Jack yelled trough the wind before she and Twilight winced. Their eyes remained firmly closed in preparation for the coming pain. Pinkie pulled out Rarity's camera.

The bright blazing funnel sped towards town. However, it soon started to slow. Its lunge being stretched out longer and longer while fiery beast grew smaller and smaller. Apple Jack, growing inpatient at her coming doom, opened her eyes to see a burning tornado no larger than Apple Bloom pass right by before fizzling into smoke.

“IT WORKED!”, Twilight yelled. “The currents canceled each other out.”

“You look awfully surprised it worked?” Apple Jack thought to herself.

With a loud thud Talon Bold appeared next to them. He appeared unscathed with the exception of a few soot smears. A section of his mane had an attached flame that Pinkie quickly pinched out.

“It appears your wits are as sharp as my reports noted,” Talon said while looking over himself. “Though I could have done without all the singes....”

Twilight tried to hide the blush of shame. Saying it will grow back didn't feel appropriate at the current time. Then after a second of thought she looked confused.

“Wait, Celestia writes reports on me?”

“What, No,” Talon said noticing disappointment on the unicorn's face. “”Why would Celestia send me reports?”

“Wait... then who gives you reports on us.”

“Oh that,” said Talon. “Maybe report was an improper phrasing. You see I normally receive falcon letters about your adventures in friendship. Ones delivered by one of my messenger falcons. Usually they arrive weekly. However the messages have been coming late. Apparently the falcon I used got injured in some silly race.”

“Hold up now. Who exactly sends reports, I mean falcon letters about us?” Apple Jack asked.

“Wait, you don't know. She never told you?”

A pile of pillows jumped with life as a dizzy pony emerged. She ducked low after receiving unwanted attention from 3 mares and one tall colt. Talon Bold trotted over to , glaring down. He raised his front right hoof, placed it on her head, and proceeded to ruff up the pegasus's mane.

“You never told your friends about me?” Talon said with a hurt edge in his voice.

“It... It never came up... Dad”, Fluttershy said with a great blush of red as Twilight & Apple Jacks jaws dropped.

Talon Bold let out a sigh while he walked out one of the damaged store's 2 new entrances.

“If you would excuse us ladies.” said Bold while trotting away. His daughter ran to catch up.

“Oh... my... my everything”, Rainbow Dash said after she regained consciousness. She looked around, then bolted to her feet.

“WHERE'S BOLD?” Dash asked her friends. “I still have time, I know I do.”

“He's on a date”, said Pinkie while hoping around Rainbow Dash.

“A DATE! With who? Mare Major.”

“No, Flutershy”, Pinkie said while she skipped about and pointed towards Bold.

“Wait, what?”, Rainbow Dash said when she saw Fluttershy catch up and walk along side Bold.

“FLUTTERSHY!, Wait... what... huh... WHY!”

Pinkie stopped hopping right beside Rainbow Dash.
“Father daughter bonding.”

“Father... daughter... I... huh”, Rainbow Dash fainted once again.

Dear Princess Celestia;

“Today I learned a good end doesn't justify bad means.

“especially if the good end never achieved.”

“Ahem.”

“I mean, the end never justify's the means.....”