Previous Chapters
Close
Easy Take-off2,619 words
Smooth Flying3,151 words
Incoming Storm2,613 words
Turbulance2,638 words
Crashing3,384 words

Crashing

Day five. It's said that the last three days at the academy are the hardest. Light Crash wonders if that is true. They stood in front of a huge obsticle course, everywhere Light Crash looked there were hoops and some form of weather condition was happening. And none of it were good conditions.

"Today we'll be doing our air obsticle course." Spitfire announces to everypony. "And don't worry about winning, it's not a race." That was a hefty amount of weight off Crash's chest, the previous night he had a horrible time falling asleep and woke up dead tired in the morning. Knowing that he could take things easy was a relief. But he still wasn't up to par. "Now everypony, get on your marks!" The group put their goggles over their eyes. When they heard the starting whistle blow, each team departed single file with their partner.

The beginning was easy enough, just fly through the designated hoop. Crash and his partner Sungrowth were second in line. Snowflake --who shaved off what little of pink mane he had-- and Cloudchaser up front, Crash and Sungrowth up next, Thunderlane --also with a shaved head-- and his parnter after. And finally Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust bringing up the rear. Crash was mainly focused on the obsticle course, but had two things stuck is his mind. One was Dash, this exercise wasn't a race so she didn't have to worry about going too extreme, but wondered what she was thinking. The second thing that was stuck in his mind was how good Cloud's ass looked. He had a great view from his position.

But his full attention was quickly snapped back to the reality of his situation when a pink cloud burst from under them and exploded in a tiny lightning storm right next to them. Ponies where pouring some liquid into machines that spat it back ot into a cloudy substance and caused a harmless explosion. Dash and Dust slid past Thunderlane and his partner after they get hit my a cloud.

More pink clouds incresed the farther they went, luckily the clouds where easy enough to dodge. Once completing the second part of the obsticle, they fly into a grey storm cloud. Inside the cloud was pouring with heavy rain and fierce head winds. Crash and Sun have slight dificulty passing through, but nothing they couldn't handle. All the while Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust move past them too, securing their spot at second in line.

Light Crash hears something from Lightning, but it was rather inaudible due to the rushing wind. After everypony makes it out of the storm cloud, Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash shoot ahead and push past Snowflake and Cloudchaser. The two lose controle of their flight and plow into everypony behind them. Light Crash's eyes go wide with realization as the biggest of the two is thrown right at him. He curses under his breathe right before he's thrown back with the giant ball of muscle. Cloudchaser flies into Sungrowth and the four of them fly into Thunderlane and his partner, and the parade all crash into the only objects in the sky: clouds.

Thank goodness for small miracles, Light Crash thinks to himself. He pulls himslef out of the cloud and hear's a chorus of moans. He helps pull Cloudchaser out from where she's stuck. "You okay?"

"Yeah, wasn't expecting that," she massages the back of here neck.

"Help me get the others out." Crash pulls Thunderlane out just as Spitfire and her to assistants show up.

"Looks like you folks had a bit of a tumble." The two stallions pull out Snowflake with the help of Light Crash as Thunderlane gets his partner out and Cloudchaser pulls out Sungrowth. "Well, I can see that everything's fine here. After you're done with the rest of the course head to the mess hall and get something to eat. I expect to see you all back at thirteen hundred."

Crash gives an annoyed grunt before he was able to explain their situation to Spitfire or her assisstants. The three teams continue flying as they were before, ticked off from that stunt done by Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash.

The last bit was easy. Gusts of wind are blown from machines at the side and slowly move up and down. Moving past them was easy, but that still didn't change the fact as to the stunt those two just pulled.

Everypony quietly finishes their lunch, having an eventful conversation was an overstatement, in fact, it was dreadfully boring and dull. It seems that it wasn't just Light Crash to suffer from his sleep deprivation, the others seemd tired too. And now they were sore. But it's not like they had anything to talk about anyways.

Crash sits by himself at the table after the others get up and put their trays away, slowly drinking a cup of milk. He sifts through his memory banks, remembering all the good times, the bad times, and generaly anything else. When his dog died, first meeting Cloud, the hundreds of pranks he and Bright would pull, family field trips, the fights he would get in with his friends, how his marks have suffered and grown throughout school, all the trouble he and Bright Shine would get into, whatching Boom Powder's matches, snowball fight, all the yelling from Serene. Every bit of memory made him laugh or tear up, and he realizes something. He never once thought that one day he might become a Wonderbolt. It never crossed his mind until now. And that just made him laugh a bit more. He swigs back the rest of the milk and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He gets up from his spot and pushes the cafateria doors open.

And there he sees them, his new friends, and his lost love. And realizes something once more, these new friends of his aren't much different from his friends back home. He heads to the group, the next training of the day was about to start.

"Now that you've completed the precision part of your training, we'll go on to the next event." Spitfire calls to the group. "A Wonderbolt isn't just somepony who can put on a show, they have to do their part in keeping the skies cleared too. I want each of you, with your partner, to clear the skies. We'll be keeping track as to which team clears the most number of clouds." An assistant wheels over a chalk board divided into quarters, each quarter had the cutie marks of both lead pony and wing pony. After the short briefing a whistle was blown, signalling the start. Each team took to the skies and quickly divided from one another. Everypony knew how to clear clouds, it was a basic part of training while you first learn to fly.

Crash and Sungrowth cleared clouds by using the simple basics, punches, kicks, tackling, and Crash's personal favorite, crashing. They cleared every cloud in their way, not sparing any. He cathces a glimps at some of the others' methods. Thunderlane used velocity and gravity to continuously kick through clouds while his partner followed behind, using one cloud to bounced off to another getting the ones Thunderlane missed. Cloudchaser was sticking to basics much like Crash and Sun, while Snowflake was literally tearing them to pieces with his teeth and would yell the only word, that Light Crash was now convinced by this point, that he knew. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were outstanding. For the bigger ones they combined their strength to take them down while they cut through the smaller ones. They weren't even phased or stalled for a single second when a cloud disappeared. He saw the chalk board, those two were well ahead of the rest.

An idea pops into Crash's head. "Hey, Sungrowth!" He flies over to her and grabs her hands. "I have an idea that can get us some points. But you have to trust me on this."

"What do I have to do?" She asks.

"I'm going to fling you into that cluster over there," He indicated to a large group of clouds close together. "When I throw you, curl up into a ball. Can you do that?"

She bites her lip, thinking hard. "Yeah, I think I can do that." Crash gives her a warm smile.

"Then here we go!" He spins around with Sungrowth attached, increasing his speed little by little. "Now!" He lets go and sends her hurtling towards the target. She roles into a ball and barrels through most of the clouds, that chalked them up a few notches. It was wonderful, for a moment, Light Crash forgot that he was training to become a Wonderbolt, and he felt like he was just having fun with a bunch of friends who bet each other how could be the best. But the moment didn't last long. Wind started to pick up and increase. Crash turns his attention to where this wind was coming from, and fear struck him.

Moving towards him was a gigantic tornado. Two objects flew out of it, he didn't pay attention to that because fear held him in place as the tornado moved quickly towards his direction. He quickly grabbed hold of the situation and tries flying away, but the vacuum was too strong and he was sucked in and spat back out. A relapse of the Dizzitron came back to him, he spun with the force and activates his adrenaline. Much like last time, time slows down again and he shoots to the ground. He stops the adrenaline rush and pulls up, but clips the ground in the process.

He tumbles and rolls, covering himself in new bruises. He slows down and finds Rainbow Dash in the same situation. Before he could ask her as to what happend or what was happening he hears screaming. A pink hot air ballon is caught in the tornado, and in it were five mares. The ropes snap and the mares are thrown out, plumetting to the ground. Rainbow Dash pulls herself out of her own confussion when she heard the screaming. "NOOOO!" She yells.

She unfurls her wings to chace after them, but then lets out a sharp cry of pain and grabs her injured wing. She pushed herself too hard and has suffered the punishment. Two words whisper out of her mouth, two pleading words that sounded like she has lost everything. "My friends." Without hesitation, Light Crash gives his wings a strong push. Five mares are about to die, and he'd be damned if he doesn't do anything to stop it.

He dives over the cliff with Cloudchaser, Snowflake, Thunderlane and Sungrowth following. "We're not going to make it!" Cloud shouts over the rushing wind. He could tell that she was right, by their falling speed and his increase of flight, they won't make it. They were too far apart.

"Like hell!" Crash pumps his adrenaline as much as his body would allow it. His speed increases immensly as he pumps his wings to force hiim to fly faster, and much like a bullet, he quickly closes the large gap and leaved the others behind; but it was not just his speed that increased. He grabs the flailing arms of one white unicorn and an orange earth pony. With his increased strength and determined will, he pushes his body past limits and throws the two mares up. For a normal pony, that wouldn't have worked, but Light Crash was not normal. He was actually able to throw them farher than possible, all the way up to the other four who were far behind them. Thunderlane catches the white unicorn and Sungrowth catches the earth pony. With two of the damsels saved they slow down their decent. Next was a purple unicorn and a yellow pegasus. Crash didn't bother wondering why the pegasus didn't just fly, he didn't have time to wonder. He grabs those two and throws them up just like with the first two mares. Snowflake catches them both, prompting them to sit on his beefy shoulders.

Finally there was a pink earth pony. Crash didn't have to throw her, he could just grab her and float safely to the ground. That is, if things went his way. His right wing hits an outstretching tree branch, his force was strong enough to hear a snapping sound from the branch, and from his wing. He spins out, trying to regain controle. He'd cry in pain if the adrenaline would allow his body to process it, but what his mind would process is that if he didn't save this mare, neither of them would survive. He forces his body to come to even height with the mare's. He slides one hand around her waist and the other hand under her legs. "Next, stop up!"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," the mare stops him. "The care package." She points to a crushed box. He rolls his eyes and throws the mare up and slides his foot under the box, using the added momentum he kicks it up. She grabs the box as she's caught by Cloudchaser.

They're safe now... He looks to the ground to see how closer it is coming to him. He tries to flap his wings, but his right one doesn't respond to his thoughts. With a sigh of defeat he stops. He halts his adrenaline pumping and gives in to Lady Fate. He could feel the side effect coming in, his body was becoming weaker and his motor functions were not responding. He musters the last bit of his strength and turns his back to the ground, digging into his pockets he pulls out his last cigarette and his lighter. He protects the flame from the rushing wind as he lights the smoke, letting go of the lighter to free fall. Earlier he sifted through his memories, recalling everything. Now he does so again, but he thinks of only one thought. A very recent memory, one of him sitting on a cloud over a patch of heaven, a mountain on one side with a spring pool at the base. On the other side was a field of green grass and beautiful flowers. But he's not alone, somepony is with him, sharing the moment. He stares at her, stares into those big purple eyes. And he leanse forward, their mouths coming together.

He removes the smoke from his mouth and whispers one word. One word that means everything to him. That means the world to him. "Cloudchaser..."

*THUMP*

The mares are flown to safety at the top of the academy. "OH MY GOSH! Are all you okay?" Rainbow Dash asks, Sungrowth helps her stand. She gives them all huge meaningful hugs and notices one missing. She looks around to find her firend Pinkie Pie lying on the ground. "Pinkie Pie!"

At the call of her name she begins to tear up and jumps into her friend's arms. "You remember me!"

"Uh, yeah." Dash answers confused as to why her friend would think that she'd be forgotten in less than a week. "What are you all doing here?"

"We wanted to bring you a care package," Applejack answers. "We didn't realize that you'de be in some kind of crazy tornado drill." Before she could explain what really happened Lighting Dust jumps in.

"That... Was... Awsome!"

"Awsome? My friends could have been smashed to pieces." Rainbow Dash answers annoyed that her lead pony doesn't understand the danger or the reprecussions of her actions.

"Yeah, but they weren't, right?" She replies, catching that everypony was staring at her. "Can't say the same for the clouds. We totally wiped them out with that tornado. The other cadets will be up there for days to bust as many as we did." She extends her hand, expecting Dash to high five her.

"Are you serious? You made me clip my wing, you send half our class into serious tail spins in the obsticle course, you unleash a tornado that nearly demolished my friends!"

"And somepony else had to clean it all up for you!" Cloudchaser adds in furiously. "If it weren't for Crash you would have been in even more trouble than you already are." She points to an empty spot, expecting Light Crashto be there.

"Hey, where is he?" Thunderlane asks. Everypony else looks around, talking to each other and wondering why he's not around.

"Crash?" Cloud asks aloud trying to spot him. Her attention goes back to the cliff, the fear sinks into her. "Crash...?"

You'de think that it would rain on somepony's funeral. But it was worse. There was no rain, the sky was covered in grey clouds, preventing any sunlight, but they refused to rain. Many ponies gathered around a tombstone. Some were crying freely, others held back tears, while others just quietly mourned.

Many showed up. Bright Shine held a weeping Serene in his arms, trying everything to stop his own tears from flowing. Boom Powder stood beside them, a grim expression on his face. Twilight Sparkle and her friends came to pay their respects, but they didn't cry, they only knew him as the stallion that saved their lives. Snowfake was the strongest pony there, but at that moment, he felt very, very weak. But possibly the one who took this the worst was Cloudchaser. Her sister was usually the weaker of the two, but now Cloudchaser couldn't find any of her strength and sobbed into her sister's shirt, soaking it in sorrow tears.

You promised, Thunderlane thinks angrily eyeing his friend who refused to stop crying. You promised that you'de live to regret ever hurting her.

"This isn't what's supposed to happen." Spitfire says through gritted teeth to her fellow Wonderbolt and close friend Soarin. "Things like this aren't supposed to happen."

"What of the one responsible for this?" Soarin looks through the crowd, he was given a description of the mare, but he didn't see her in the sea of faces. "What will happen to Lightning Dust?"

"She's kicked out, and I've made sure that the commity and all other teams know of her actions. Nopony will accept her after this." Spitfire says enraged.

"After what happened, I wouldn't be surprised if any team decilned her application just by seeing her name."

The diggers began to bury the casket. Thunderlane dug into his pocket and pulled out a lighter, one that doesn't belong to him. He managed to scavange it while searching the area. He throws it into the grave, where it'll be buried with it's owner.

Ponies began to leave one at a time, all that was left behind was a dead pony with flowers and tears on his grave. On his tombstone read:

Here lies one who selflessly sacrificed his own life for the sake of others.
A son, a friend, a hero,
Light Crash.

It was simple with few words. But sometimes the less words there are the more meaning it holds. But Cloudchaser felt that it was missing something. He was a hero and a friend, nopony could deny that. But he was also something much more. Something much, much more.

A love.

Author's Note:

Okay so yeah, I suppose I may have over exagerated in the part where he saves the mane six minus Dash, but hey, stories don't have to be one hundred percent accurate. So sue me.

But in other news, that's the end. It's over. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing, and if you didn't, well there's the door right there.

1,027 views

Previous Chapters