> School! Flying! Falling! Goofing!
>  by Lazydrill
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Ch.1 Wake up! Time for school!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beep-Beep-Beep!

"AAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhh...."  waking up by the ever so friendly alarm clock next to your comfy bed, you groaned at the hellish noise that was only doing its job, what your mother bought it for. 

Beep-Beep-Beep!

With your body still completely under the covers and only your bed mane sticking out from under it, you stirred around slowly as the beeping noise continued on without some otherworldly power to stop it other than your hoof of justice! Getting your left hoof out from under the warm sheets, you raised it up and with all the power that you could muster at seven in the morning, you brought your hoof of justice down with an alarming speed at the clock! 

Missing the clock by a few centimeter, you hit the side of your nightstand next to your bed with your hoof. "OWH! Damn, sweet, Celestia!" You cursed out while pulling your hoof back under the covers, holding it with your other hoof and massaging the hurt, soft spot just below the ankle. Rolling around and throwing the blanket off of you with your back legs, letting it fall on the floor in front of the bed, you slowly got up while still holding your left hoof before glaring at the Tartarus black box that was your clock.

Beep-Beep-Beep!

With your left eye twitching slightly, you unfurled your right wing and just whacked the button on top of it with a beat of your Wing of Order! "Sweet, sweet silence!" You smiled as you folded your wing back and began to lay down on your bed. Rolling on your belly facing the mattress, you curled back into a small ball again, trying to get comfy without your blanket. "Hhmmm, just a few more hours..." you groaned as you closed your eyes again.




"....Why the hay, can I not sleep without that blanket..." you sighed through your teeth, your brain working over-hours this early in the day, trying to decide to just lay there, or get up and get the blankets. Which needed you to get up, soooo, that is one big NOPE! With your life decision made, you just kept laying there, not giving a 'wing beat' about getting up in the least. That is until your bedroom door slams open and two sets of small hooves came running in at you. Your eyes shot open as suddenly the galloping stopped, and instead, two weights slammed on top of you, giggling, as you gasped for air...

"Get up! Get up!" two set of voices giggled at you at the same time. 

Having air back in your lungs you are finally able to form words instead of gasping. "NO! I want to stay in bed!" you whined to the two little devils now jumping on the foot of your bed. You tried to curl up further into a ball, putting your wings on your ears, trying to block out the noise of the intruders. 

"You must get up!" One began, 

"Yeah! mom and dad say that you must get up or you will be late for school!" The other chirped in. 

"I have no school for an another week! Let me sleep already!"

"MOMMM!!" the two devils of morning yelled at the same time, hurting your brain. "MOM! Static doesn't want to get up!" they both yelled through the house. You prayed silently to every upper worldly being you could come up with, to have mercy, and give you five more minutes of sweet, delicious, comfortable sleep!

You heard a pair of hooves coming up the stairs. "oh sweet Celestia, save me!" you thought, because if you were correct in who you think it was, the morning was about to get worse... for you of course. 

"Static, sweetie. It is time to wake uuppppp," your mom said in her ever happy morning singing tone. You really questioned how your mother is able to be up earlier than you, and still be as living as ever, while you are every morning like a bale of hay when waking up. You sometimes questioned how you are her son.

You heard groaning coming from down the hallway as your ears perked up at the same morning sound that you always made. "Honey, do you really need to be so energetic around him now? You know that he doesn't like the morning, just like me..." The gruff voice said while yawning. Oh yeah, that's how you remember every time that you're family. You shared your love for the morning with your dad, who you were pretty much a spitting image of in personality and preferences. Like hating the morning hours. Honestly, how your mom and dad got together will always be a question, as they are pretty much the opposite of each other. But even then, they loved each other very much.

Cracking your eyes open a little, you immediately regretted it as your eyes were burned right away by the sun sneaking through your curtains, bombarding you with Tartarus morning light. Putting your hooves on your eyes trying to hide your fried pupils from more pain, you slowly got up from your comfortable bed, before getting slammed down on the mattress again by the two morning devils. Both of them were hugging your torso, and you just gave up resisting. Pulling your hooves back from your eyes you put one front leg on each small devil and hugged the two bodies that were nuzzling into your belly.

You opened your eyes again. Now being smart, you lazily unfurled your right wing and held it above your eyes as a self made roof, protecting them from Celestia's wrath. Looking down your body, you saw under your right front leg a small filly with beige coat, orange mane and tail with two small streaks off blue on the right side of them, her violet eyes looking at you beaming. "Hey, Summer," you said while yawning towards the little filly. Summer giggled and closed her eyes while laying her muzzle softly on your belly again. 

Looking to the other devil under your left front leg, you are greeted by another set of violet joyful eyes looking at you. Almost as if a mirror had been placed on your torso. The little filly had also a beige colored coat and orange mane and tail, but she had red streaks instead of blue with her mane pulled up into a ponytail. "Hey, Gloomy," you said as you patted her mane. Gloom smiled and got onto her hooves, walking a little bit more before plopping down on her belly again and putting her small hooves around your neck, nuzzling your cheek softly.

Smiling, you put your left front leg around her and gave her a soft squeeze. Gloomy has always been your favorite sister, even though Summer and Gloom were twins, Gloom was the one who you liked the most because she was the more relaxed one of the two, and was more like you and your dad. Summer was as energetic in the morning as your mother, which gave another point to Gloom.

"Ahem..." 

Your ears perked up and you got up in a sitting position, your wing still unfurled and covering your eyes. You looked over to the doorway before hearing a little whining coming from your left. Your eyes glanced to your left and down, you saw Gloom looking up with her ears down a bit. 
"I was getting comfy..." Truth be told, Gloomy could be cute when she wanted to be. And this was one of those times, her eyes were pleading and looking straight into yours. 

Summer jumped off the bed and skipped. Yes, she was skipping towards your mother standing in the doorway, hugging her legs. "MOM! Are we going to school yet?! I want to meet Miss Cheerilee!" 

Putting a hoof to her mouth, your mom chuckled softly at the little filly while she hugged her. "Now, now, Summie, be patient. I know you are just as excited as always, and want to go now, but we need to wait for your brother. If he ever gets out of bed of course."

You perked up at that. "Huh? Why do you need to wait for me? Can't you go to Ponyville without me?" you questioned, while secretly hoping that she would let you sleep again. 

"We want you to show you where your little sisters' will go to school, Sparky, and of course you wanted to see them off as well. If we leave without you, we will find you in bed again when we return..." Aw hay, well you mother was more observant then she looked. Or was it because it happens more often then you would like to admit? Yeah, it was probably that.

"Come on Static, I know we both don't like it, but we need to get breakfast and then get you ready to go to your sisters' new school, and your own school as well. And me to work after that," your dad said from behind your mother. His voice had become grumpy at the end, not that you could blame him. Working at the weather station of Cloudsdale was sometimes a load of horseapples. If you had to believe your dad's word, of course.

Groaning, you rolled to your right, landing with a 'flomp' on the cloudy floor without a care in the world. If you didn't know any better, you would say that the floor was your bed as well. Because truth be told, clouds were damn comfy! Getting your hooves under you and standing up, you folded your wings lazily back to your sides. With your brain still not working optimally, you almost fell back to the floor again when Gloom jumped from the bed and onto your back, giggling all the way while hugging your neck again and getting comfy on her new cab driver. Recovering from what just happened, you turned your head to the filly on your back and smiled softly at her, nuzzling her mane before extending your wings a little bit up and laying them softly over Gloom, giving her a warm blanket of feathers.

Gloom hummed happily when your wings rested over her, snuggling just a little bit deeper into the back of your neck, closing her eyes as she did. "Aww..." sounded from the doorway. Looking up, you saw that your mom and Summer were smiling at you, your mom cooing at the sibling love, and your dad was grinning. 

Chuckling softly, your dad brought everypony out of the cooing stares, and back to the task at hoof. "Ahem, I think we should get breakfast, don't you?" 

Your mother smiled after tearing her gaze away and nodded happily."I agree. If we keep it up like this, we will not make it to your sisters' school in time."

Rolling your eyes, you turned around and walked over to the doorway while your mom, dad and sister were going down the stairs. Getting to the stairs yourself, you bent your back legs a little bit, making sure your little sister stayed comfy on your back and would not slide down your neck. Now walking awkwardly down the stairs, trying to keep balance all the way, you saw your dad looking at you from below with puffed up cheeks and hoof to his muzzle. "Damn it, dad."

Your dad took a deep breath and put his hoof back to the ground, with a smile still on his face as you made your glorious descent. "Sorry, Static. But from my point of view, that looked ridiculous." He smiled again before walking into the living room. Rolling your eyes you reached the cloudy floor and followed your father into the living room where your mom had set down five plates on the table with sandwiches. Staring at the sandwiches, your muzzle watered at the sight. Although, you hated your moms happy morning mood, she could cook as no other! Your dad, though, he somehow burned sandwiches. Which you didn't know that they needed to be cooked even. So your mom forbade him from cooking, ever.

Your mouth watering was interrupted by a light snoring from behind. Looking over your shoulder, you saw that Gloom had fallen asleep on your back. Smiling, you nudged her mane. "Gloomy, wake up. It is time for breakfast." 

Gloom stirred a little before murmuring, "Noooo, don't want to, I'm so comfy now..." She curled up further under your wings, getting almost completely covered by them. Sighing, you pulled your wings away, which Gloom didn't seem to like to much. She crawled up with her eyes closed and tried to get comfy again by hiding her muzzle a little under your mane. 

"Dammit Gloom, if you continue like this, I am going to bed again myself."

"Gloom doesn't want to get up, I see?" You looked to your left and saw that your mother was standing next to with a smile. Unfurling her wings, she hovered towards you, extending her hooves. She tenderly grabbed Gloom and began lifting her up slowly. Gloom, feeling that she was being pulled off of you, swung her hooves around your neck and tried to hold onto you with all the might her little hooves could manage. "Come on Gloomy, we must eat breakfast and get ready for school," your mom told her. Gloom sighed, opening her eyes and releasing you as she was being set down on her own hooves. 

Starring up at you smiling, Gloom hugged your left front leg, "Thank you for the small nap, Static." Smiling, you hugged her softly with your other hoof before releasing her and nudging her softly towards the table. Gloom released you and walked over to it, sitting in the middle of Summer and your mother.

Releasing a yawn, you lazily walked over to the table and sat down between your father and Summer, Summer talking excitedly with your mom and Gloom. She did this as your dad was taking a bite of his sandwich and looking through the 'Cloudsdale's Dash' news paper, making a puzzle. Sitting down next to the master puzzle solver, you grabbed your sandwich with your hooves and took a slow bite out of it, enjoying the heavenly flavor of your favorite sandwich.

The rest of the breakfast was uneventful, your little sisters' donned on their saddlebags while you helped your mother put the dishes into the sink and clean the table a little. Your dad put on his flight goggles and put on his own saddlebags as well. Although, he was no morning pony, your dad was a pretty fast and good flier. He won a few medals for competing in a few races back in the day, which he proudly displayed on the wall behind his seat at the dinner table.

"Thank you for helping with the dishes, Static, and don't forget your own saddlebags," Your mother called out from the kitchen. 

Craning your neck into the kitchen, you replied, "No problem, mom, and no, I will not forget my saddle bags. They are in the hallway next to the front door." Your mom turned to you, and with a nod, went back to make you lunch to eat at school.

Walking to the front door, you found your saddlebags laying against the wall, just where you left them when school ended at the beginning of summer vacation. Picking them up, you stirred up some wind up with your wings and caused a layer of dust to fly up into the air and into your face. Coughing, you slammed your saddlebags on while flapping your wings a few times, getting rid of the dust. "Okay, I'm ready." 

Gloom and Summer came trotting into the hallway, followed by your dad, and Mom right behind him. "Is everypony ready?" your mom asked. "Okay!" 

Opening the door, you walked out of the house and was greeted by the fresh, cool air blowing through your mane and tail, your feathers almost feeling relieved when the air went through them. Gloom and Summer trotted out from under you and jumped up into the air, flying into the sky, giggling as they chased each other. Your mom and dad walked past you and spread both of their wings before taking to the sky as well. 

Spreading your own wings wide, you could feel the air brushing through your feathers, giving an amazing feeling of freedom and comfort. Going into a gallop you jumped up at the end of the front yard and took to the sky yourself, going after your family as they flew towards Ponyville.



> Ch. 2 Flying high!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The air blew through your feathers as you casually flew behind your family. Your two little sisters, Summer and Gloom, in the front chasing each other while your mom and dad stayed close behind them. Flapping your wings, you lazily let the wind just guide you through the air. Humming to yourself, you let your eyes close for a few seconds, enjoying the freedom and feeling the wind gave you as it brushed through your coat and feathers, mane and tail, while the sun gave a soft, comfortable warm sensation as it basked you in its rays.

Your moment of comfort was cut short however, as two small weights settled gently down on your back. Opening your eyes and glancing over your shoulder, you saw that Gloom was beginning to get comfortable while you kept flying. Summer was right behind her, but was there for the free ride, giving her a break from flying. "Sorry, girls. Only room for one filly at a time. You both are getting too big to be on my back at the same time,” you said chuckling softly. Summer perked up and nodded. Spreading her tiny wings, she skipped off of you and into the air again, making her way for your dad instead.

Glancing back over your shoulder, you could see that Gloom had no intention to move in any way, so you just let her lay there while you kept flying casually, not minding that she was using you as a flying bed instead. Gloom sighed, content as you made no attempt to tell her to get off of you. Turning your muzzle forwards, you saw that Summer was jumping from your dad's back to your mother’s back a few times before staying on your mother's, making you smile.

Beating your wings faster, you began to pick up speed to catch up with your parents and sister. "Dad, how long until we reach Ponyville?" you asked. 

Your father thought for a second, putting a hoof to his chin. "Uhhmm, we should be there any minute now... Oh! There it is." Your father pointed with his hoof to a small town that came into view. 

"Huh, looks cozy. Although, that big tree in the middle of the town looks kind of odd,” you observed out loud. 

"I've been there once, it is in fact a library. It is very well maintained by a violet unicorn mare. I believe her name was Twilight Sparkle,” your mother spoke up from your father's left. 

"Twilight Sparkle? Isn't she supposed to be the student of Princess Celestia or something?" you asked, happening to have her name mentioned a few times in school.

"I believe she is. She is also supposed to be the 'Element of Magic'." Your mother continued. 

"What is the 'Element of Magic' then? I've never heard of it before," you asked, getting curious of the title.

"It is supposed to be a sort of jewelry containing very strong magic. There were six of those jewelry pieces I believe. But I cannot say I know the rest of them, just the 'Element of Magic'." Your mom explained. 

Nodding in understanding, your eyes locked back onto Ponyville, seeing all kinds of ponies walking about. Seeing a small building with a bell on top of it, you gestured towards the building with your hoof. "I guess that is the school?" you pointed out. 

Your mother flew up next to you and searched with her eyes were your hoof was pointing at. "Uuuhhmm, yeah! I think it is. You have good eyes, Static!" Your mother beamed at you. 

"Heh, I have your eyes remember." You stuck your tongue out playfully at her. 

"Nah, you have my sight for detail maybe, but you have your father’s eyes. Your little sisters though, they have my eyes." Your mother rolled her eyes at you. Extending her hoof, she ruffled your already disheveled mane.

Slowing down, your mother flew closer to you, and with her muzzle she nudged the little ball that was still nestled on your back.

The ball of fur on your back stirred and groaned as she was interrupted from her nap. "Gloom, sweetie, you must get up. We are almost there." Peeking over your shoulder at Gloom, you saw her eyes open and she yawned softly. ”Okay, mom. Thank you for letting me nap again, brother,” she said smiling, while letting out another small yawn. 

Smiling back at Gloom, you teased her with, "You know, if you sleep more on my back, we can sell your bed. And put me in its spot." You said smirking at her. 

Gloom chuckled softly, "Ha, ha. I can't help that you are a bed with wings! I can always sleep comfortably on your back, so that is not my fault!" she said, sticking her tongue out at you with her eyes closed.

Gloom stretched her back and wings before jumping off of you and flapping her own wings, flying next to you and your mother. Smiling at Gloom, you patted her mane softly, earning a smile from her. Out of nowhere, Summer dived next to Gloom and tagged her back yelling, "Tag, your it!" and shooting off into the clouds. Gloom shook her head out of the sudden daze, and began flapping her wings faster and zapped after her twin with a grin on her face. Your mother chuckled softly and began flapping her wings faster, trying to keep close to the two yellow blurs as they were chasing each other between the clouds.

Looking to your left, you noticed that your father began to fly up higher into the sky. Curious over what he was doing, you followed after him as he went higher over the clouds. Gliding above the clouds, your father swayed on the wind as he glided. Upon reaching him, you saw that his eyes were closed behind his goggles. "Dad? What are you doing?" Your father opened his eyes and glanced at you grinning.

"I'm going to take a quick refreshing bath." 

Raising an eyebrow at your dad, you asked, "You're going to take a bath? In the sky?" Your father just nodded, that grin still on his face.

“Seriously? A bath? In the sky? Without rain?" Your father just chuckled at your questioning before looking down. Searching where your dad was looking at, you saw nothing than a few fluffy clouds drifting innocently through the sky. Glancing back at your father with your eyebrow still raised, you opened your mouth to go on with questioning your father's common sense, when he gave one powerful flap before his wings shut tight to his sides and he dived towards the fluffy clouds. Tracing your father as he pierced the innocent cloud, it puffed and disappeared as your dad shot through it. Between your twitching eye at your father’s daring antics and hovering in place by the sudden descent from your dad, a small thought came along. "That, that was pretty cool. Poor cloud though..."

Seeing your dad climbing out of his fast descent by using his downwards momentum and angling his wings a little bit to shoot upwards again, he began twisting and spreading his wings outward, leaving a small twister of light, glistering water droplets behind him as he went on. Processing what your father just did, you shook your head fast from side to side and began flying towards him. He just hovered in place, grinning as you caught up with him. "Dad, that was awesome!" you praised him. Your father smiled, closing his eyes in self praise as he raised his hoof up. Rolling your eyes at your dad’s ego, you extended your left hoof and bumped it against his. "Dad, that really was cool." 

Your father smiled wider, "I know, I know. I'm awe.." 

You interrupted his moment of self praise with, "For a mare." Your father’s mouth stayed open in the middle of the sentence while his eyes opened halfway, processing your comment. 

"Huh? What do you mean 'for a mare'?" your father asked, now glaring at you. 

"Come on, Dad, don't look at me like that. Take it as compliment! If this was a beauty contest you would have gotten second place." 

Your fathers right eye twitched as you went on before he raised his eyebrow in question, "Wait... what do you mean 'second place’? Who would be first then?" You chuckled at you fathers competitiveness, him completely forgetting that you made him out to be a mare. 

"Well... first place would be Mom, of course. Don't get me wrong, being second to Mom is no small feat."

Your dad was now glaring daggers at you the best he could, although, compared to Summer’s glaring when you ate her last cookie the week before, his was almost comparable to puppy’s eyes. But then, you never thought that cute sisters could glare into your soul like that. Thinking back at the moment, you could vaguely remember that you had a small nightmare about the glare she gave you that night. But of course, nopony would ever know that you were so scared of your sister’s 'demon' stare, that you had a nightmare that night right? Right..?

Still hovering in place, you and your dad were violently brought back from aimlessly hovering in the same place by the twins. Summer slapped the back of your head with a hoof, and Gloom slapped the back of your father’s head with her own. Rubbing the sore spot at the same time as your father, the twins giggled. "You two are both little fillies!" Summer so energetically commented. 

"Yeah, you should take an example from me, Summer and Mom!" Gloom happily chirped in. The twins flew towards each other and did a hoof bump before shooting off again. The small sore spot on your head now less hurt, your eyes and that of your father followed where your sisters were going. They raced towards a cloud some distance away, with on top of the cloud was your mother sitting. She was watching you and your dad with a grin, although, her eyes were slightly narrowed. The twins both flew up to her as she raised both her hooves in the air, so Gloom could bump her left hoof and Summer her right.

You and your dad saw your mother glaring at you two as the twins landed next to her. Gulping, you glanced at your dad who did the same thing, the two of you sharing a look. "I guess we better go or she is going to kick our flanks to Ponyville..." you guessed, chuckling awkwardly as your father rapidly nodded. Turning fully towards the three mares on the cloud, you and your father flew quickly over to them. Stopping in front of them, you and your dad smiled innocently at the glaring mare in the middle of the two beaming fillies. 

"Well, hehe, shall we go on then? We don't want to be late now, do we?" your dad asked a little uncomfortable under the gaze of his wife. Although she was glaring at you the whole time, after your dad was done trying to divert her attention from the both you, she simply smiled and gave a nod, her eyes closed, before standing up again. The twins doing the same, they turned around and extended their wings, taking off from the cloud.

You glanced to your dad, puzzled, while he wore a look of relief and wiped his forehead with his left hoof. He noticed you looking at him and chuckled awkwardly before taking after his wife and the twins. Rolling your eyes, you took flight after your family again. Thinking back at what your dad pulled off a few moments ago, you could not shake the urge of doing it as well. Beating your wings faster, you gained speed and flew up higher. 

From their flying, your mom and dad peeked back to see if you were still there. Not spotting you right away, they stopped flying and hovered in place. ”Girls, do you know where your brother went?" your mom asked in concern. Summer and Gloom flew back over to your mom and dad and looked about. Not spotting you either, they shrugged. Your dad gently patted mom’s shoulder with his hoof to get her attention. She turned around to your dad who was pointing up to you, an small smile on his face. 

"I think he is going to take a quick bath." Your mother and sisters looked to where your dad was pointing, and saw you hovering in the air above them.

Thinking back to what your dad did, you gave a powerful flap with your wings and angled yourself into a dive. Tucking your wings to your sides, you aimed for a similar fluffy cloud that your dad went through before. Going faster and faster in your dive, you felt the wind rushing past you and adrenaline rushing through you as you picked up speed, your mane, tail and coat swishing as the wind went through them. 

Nearing the cloud, you prepared to go through the cloud by sticking your hooves out in front of you and gritting your teeth a little in concentration. Suddenly, the cloud disappeared when a grey mare with a gold mane wearing a mail bag bumped into it. The mare shook her muzzle and flew away. “Oh, come on!” you thought.

You saw another cloud drifting under the one where you were planning to go through, so you continued on diving. “Oh, never mind.”

Coming close to it, you noticed a cyan coated Pegasi sleeping on the cloud edge. Seeing the pony, you stopped beating your wings and flared them out, trying to slow down. You managed to do so, although, you were still going too fast, so you closed your eyes and extended your hooves underneath you, trying to minimize the impact.

You bumped hard onto the other edge of the cloud, falling onto your belly with a 'thump'. And because of the Pegasi physics, instead of just falling onto the cloud and that being it, your momentum caused the cloud to act as a jump castle, bending your side and launching the other side of the cloud, where, unfortunately, the cyan pegasi was sleeping, into the air. The cyan pegasi was shot a few feet into the air, letting out an alarming yelp. You watched as the cyan mare, with a rainbow mane, flailed her hooves as she fell back towards the ground. 

Recovering from what happened, you got up to your hooves and trotted to the other edge of the cloud. Looking worriedly down for the mare, your eyes widened as a cyan blur came shooting back up at you. FAST. "Uh, oh... she doesn't look happy… at all."

> Ch. 3 Rough start!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Groaning, you slowly opened your eyes a little bit to be greeted by two pair of violet, concerning looking ones. Still a bit fuzzy, you managed to make out that the twins were looking you over worriedly. You managed to smile and put a front leg softly around each filly. Summer and Gloom squealed in happiness as you hugged them to your belly. The twins swung their hooves around your torso, hugging you as strongly as they could.

"Static, are you okay?" the twins asked with concern. As you glanced down your belly, you could see that they were smiling now, but were still looking at you some worry in their eyes.

You nodded at them and gave a little squeeze, "Don't worry girls, your big brother has taken worse hits. I think, at least." 

Satisfied by the answer, they smiled fully now and hugged you more, laying their heads down on your belly. Feeling a bit bad about making your sisters’ worry so much about you, you gently rubbed their backs with your hooves to which they happily giggled. 

Looking around, you saw that on the edge of the cloud, your parents were talking to the blue mare who seemed very defensive. "She is probably getting a lecture from my parents about self control or something..."  you chuckled inwardly, knowing how your parents deal with this kind of situation. You have had many lectures yourself, may it be from stealing the last cookie from your sister, or breaking your mother's vase when you tried to play hoofball in the living room. That was not one of your best actions, yeah. That vocal storm made your ears still ring after an hour.

Nudging the fillies one by one softly, you asked, "May I get up?" while you smiled at the twins. 

"Only if you're sure that you feel good!" Gloom ordered you right away. 

While chuckling, you extended your left wing and put it to your forehead, giving a winged salute to her. "Miss Gloom, I feel well enough to get back on my hooves. Do I have permission to do so?" you asked her in an formal voice as if speaking to a sergeant. 

Gloom smiled at you and stood up, giving you some space, with Summer doing the same. Summer trotted over to your parents, who were still talking to the blue mare, the latter looking more irritated now than anything else. You could relate to that feeling all too well. Lectures from your parents were not to be taken lightly, even if it was as simple as washing your hooves before dinner. They would lecture you for fifteen minutes just about that.

You tried to get onto your hooves, but was pushed down again by Gloom. "I didn't say you had my permission to get up now, did I?" 

Rolling your eyes, you let yourself plop back down again on the cloud. Gloom glanced you over while walking in a small circle around you, searching for any bruises or pain that would give her a reason to keep you from getting up. Inspecting your wings, front and back legs, even your belly and tail. Not able to find anything, she stopped in front of you and smiled. "You are clear to get on your hooves again!" Gloom beamed as she gave a little skip, fluttering her wings as she did so. 

You smiled at her. "Thanks Gloomy, you could be a nurse someday." 

Gloom got a little blush on her cheeks and pawed the cloud with her hoof, "Y-you really think so? I don't think I will be that good at it," she said, facing the cloudy floor. 

You got up on your hooves and moved closer to Gloom. Laying down on your belly in front of her, you nudged her with your muzzle lightly. Gloom turned her head to you, and softly, you put your forehead against hers and stared with loving eyes into her violets, smiling. "Gloom, don't ever think like that. You are an amazing, caring, loving and understanding filly. Later you will become a beautiful mare, and maybe even a great nurse! Who knows, maybe you will be taking care of me when I get injured on my wings or hooves." You reassured your little sister softly. 

Gloom's eyes were glistening when you were done talking. Giving her a soft nuzzle on the cheek, you asked, "Do you want to hop on? It is the least I can offer to such a devoted nurse." You winked at her. Gloom didn't waste any time in nodding and crawling onto your back again, getting comfortable between your wing bases.

Satisfied that your little sister was comfortable again, you got up and decided to give the blue mare a break from the barrage that were your mother's lectures. Getting close, you saw that Summer was on your father’s back, her front hooves on top of his head and her back legs on his shoulders. Upon reaching the battlefield, you could hear your mother on the offense. The longer you were knocked out, the easier would it be to calm the raging mare. 

Walking up next to your mom, you nudged her shoulder. "And that is why you should NEVER sleep on a cloud in the first place! And even then, you should alwa..." 

Sighing, you looked to Summer who was still on your dad's back. "Hey Summie?" Summer's ears perked up and she looked at you. "How long was I out?" 

Summer tilted her head a little to the side, looking puzzled. "What do you mean, 'how long was I out?'" 

Chuckling you just shook your head, dismissing it with a wave of your hoof. "Dad? How long was I out?"

"You were out for about three minutes. You actually recovered pretty fast. That was a nasty blow you got to the head." 

You craned your neck back a little, looking over the shoulder of your mother and to your dad who looked concerned. Smiling to him, you gave a small nod. "I'm okay, Dad. Three minutes out? Then it was indeed a strong blow. Because honestly, the only thing I remember is that I saw a blue blur coming up at me. The next thing I knew, Summer and Gloom were looking at me." 

Your dad chuckled at that. "Yeah, although, you are to stubborn to be knocked out for long. Rainbow Dash gave you a fierce uppercut! I vaguely remember when I pulled a similar stunt with your mother, although, her uppercut knocked me out for over an hour..." You laughed with a hoof to your mouth, rolling your eyes as your dad’s face cringed and he brushed his chin where your mother apparently laid the knockout blow.

"Side note to self; never surprise Mom if she is napping! And if you do, make sure that Gloom is nearby with a first aid kit..." 

Breaking away from your thoughts, you noticed that your mom was still on the relentless assault of lectures towards the cyan mare. You knew that this will go on for quite a while if you did not interfere. Deciding that this would be the best course of action, you bent your legs down to the ground. Looking back at your passenger, you said, "Gloomy, it would be better if you get off of me for now." Gloom perked up, giving you a confused look, but nodded and hopped off of you. 

Standing back up, you casually walked away from your mother's side and took a stand in between her and the cyan mare. Turning to face your mom, you locked eyes with her to which she stopped in the middle of a sentence.

You walked closer to her and closer with your eyes slightly narrowed. Your mom looked taken aback from your sudden angry look, but was relieved when you got face to face with her, your eyes softening, as you nuzzled her cheek while softly putting your right hoof around her, hugging her. "I'm okay mom, don't worry, I'm okay." 

Your mom sighed in relief before she launched her front legs around you, squeezing you against her torso. "My little colt is unharmed. Thank Celestia!"

Your mother nuzzled your cheek while continuing to hold you in her Ursa hug. "Uhhm, Honey? I think you should release our son." your dad said worriedly. 

Your mom stopped her endless nuzzling of you and looked at your dad with narrowed eyes, "Why would I release him!? I almost lost my little colt a few minutes ago!" Your mother glared at your dad. 

Your dad just shook his head. "I know, I was worried too. But you are overreacting. Besides, I think if you will not release him, the mare who gave him that blow will not be the only one with a blue coat." 

Your mom raised a eyebrow at what your father was hinting. "What do you mean not the only one with a blue coa..." 

Managing to lift up your hoof from being squeezed, you patted you mother on her side. She looked at you and released you promptly as she saw your blue cheeks and bulged out eyes. 

Landing with a small 'flomp', you fell belly first softly on the cloud. "Sweet, dear oxygen!! Never leave me again!” you prayed inwardly, inhaling as much air as your lungs could carry. 

"WOW! Mom, I didn't know you were so strong!" Summer giggled from on top of your father's back. 

You thought you could hear your dad whispering, "Neither did I..." 

Gloom trotted over to you. "Static! Are you okay?!" she asked, full of concern. 

Coughing a little, you held your hoof up to stop her before she could also begin to hug the air out of you. "Don't worry, nurse Gloomy..cough.. I am not hugged to pieces, so I'm still okay. Although, I think my wings are a bit ruffled by that." You emphasized by looking to your wings and pointing at the small ruffled feathers along the side. Gloom sighed and smiled before nodding and walking over to your right wing, inspecting the ruffled feathers.

Your mother also came back out of her shock and trotted over to your other side and nuzzled your cheek softly. "I'm sorry Static, I didn't mean to be so harsh. I was just so relieved that you were unharmed." 

Chuckling, you nuzzled your mother back, assuring her that you were not hurt. "I'm okay mom, again. Although, how, in the name of Celestia, did you get so strong?" 

Your mother raised her head up and puffed out her chest in pride. "Static, you will be surprised to see what a mare is capable of, if her little colts or fillies are on the line." 

Summer flew over to your mother's back and took the same pose of pride, "Yep! Our mom is awesome!" Summer beamed. 

"Yehmm, sjhe isj!”

Looking behind you to the muffled voice, you yelped as Gloom pulled a feather out of your right wing. "Owh!" You jumped to your hooves and extended your right wing, inspecting it, you noticed that a feather had been pulled out just below the primaries. Raising an annoyed eyebrow, you gazed at Gloom who still had the feather in her mouth. 

Spitting the feather out, she pointed to it. "Sorry, Static, but that one needed to be taken out so that the new feather can grow. I know you, you will take few days before actually preening your wings." She smirked at you. 

Coughing in your hoof awkwardly, you chuckled lightly as you nodded at her. "And nurse Gloom is right again. But next time, warn me please. I didn't expect that."

Gloom nodded at you. "Sorry, brother, I will be careful next time.”

You ruffled her mane playfully and bent your neck down to her, nuzzling her softly, "Also, Thanks, Gloom, you are really a good nurse." 

Gloom beamed at you as you pulled back. Looking over Gloom, you noticed that the cyan mare was still standing there, now conversing with your dad about something. Walking over to them, you let your eyes wander over the mare, and honestly, she looked pretty. 

She had a carefree look about her, while also daring and wild. She obviously also kept herself in good shape. Her mane and tail both had all colors of the rainbow going through them, which were complimented as the sun reflected slightly off of them. Her cutie mark was of a cloud with a rainbow bolt coming out of it. "Huh, I wonder what her special talent is..."  Your shook your head out of the disrespectful eyeing of the mare. But yeah as a teenage colt, and a mare as pretty as her, your eyes could get minds of their own. Glancing over to her eyes, you thought you saw her eyeing you for the smallest amount of time before she shot them back to your dad. 

Coming up alongside your dad, you heard him laugh as he addressed the blue mare, "Don't worry, he can take quite a beating, he has endured worse." 

The blue mare locked eyes with you, and now you could see that she had deep magenta colored eyes which went very well with her cyan coat and rainbow mane. "I'll bet that he has. Seeing him recover so fast is not what many Pegasi can do, especially after an uppercut from me." She boasted in a some raspy voice, putting a hoof to her chest and puffing it up. 

She extended her left hoof towards you. "Hi, my name is Rainbow Dash. Best flier in Equestria and soon to be the newest captain of the Wonderbolts! And sorry about that blow to your head... mine never really works well this early in the morning... especially after a rude wake up." 

You chuckled at her boasting, and at the fact that you had the same problem in the morning. Extending your hoof to hers you shook it lightly. "It is okay, Miss Rainbow Dash. My name is Static Spark, and I should have tried to get out of the way instead of trying to slow down. But I guess you could say that I have the same morning problem as you, with my brain only working at maybe, twenty percent."

Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly. "So it seems. Anyhoof, I must be on my way now. Again sorry for uppercutting you. And one other thing." 

Her grip on your hoof tightened as she got close to your muzzle, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Call me 'Miss' again, and me uppercutting you will not be the worst thing I will do to you." 

Gulping, you nodded slowly to her while craning your head back a little to get some distance from the now smirking mare. Rainbow Dash let go of your hoof and spread her wings. She gave a powerful flap and launched into the air faster than you thought was possible. Glancing after her as she went, you saw a rainbow trail behind her as she faded into the distance.

Processing everything that just happened, you could feel the hoof she grabbed throbbing slightly in pain, reminding you that she grabbed the same hoof that you slammed against your nightstand before. "Damn, not only is she pretty, but that mare is strong too! And I think she wasn't even trying..." you thought to yourself.

You got the feeling that you were being watched and glanced to your right, seeing your father smirking at you. "Dad, I know that smirk. And I know what you are thinking. No, I don't like her." 

Your dad chuckled, nodding his head. "Sssuuurrreeee. I saw you looking at her when you walked towards us. And don't give that excuse that you were curious, because you looked her over way longer than you should have. I believe she even noticed, and you're lucky that she didn't do anything about it."

You could feel your cheeks light up a bit as your dad deduced your statement in less than ten seconds. You just sighed and let it drop, probably not able to convince your dad otherwise. "Whatever you want, Dad. Anyhoof, I think we should be on our way. I don't think we have much time left to get to the twins' new school." 

Rolling your eyes, you turned around and walked back to your mother and sisters who were idly talking, probably waiting for you to finish meeting with Rainbow Dash.

Your mother saw you approaching and smiled to you and your dad. She kept looking at your dad and you saw him looking back at your mom, nodding with a smirk. Your mother looked back at you and got a knowing smile on her face. "The look on your fathers face tells me you have a little cruuushhh." She said in a singing voice. 

Summer and Gloom squealed in joy and began trotting around you in a circle, singing, "Static has a cruuushhh, Static has a cruuushhhh!" Your cheeks lit up even worse now as your mother cooed. 

"She always knows how to to be subtle..."

"Okay! Lets go before we are to late for the twins' new school!" you quickly rambled out. Flaring your wings wide you took off from the cloud. Your ears picked up the giggling from your sisters and mother as they followed you into the air, your cheeks getting even warmer as the air even felt warm.

"I never thought I would be so happy to go to school and get rid of the giggling gang..."




 
> Ch. 4 Awkward and Warm conversations.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ppplleeaasseee... let the giggling stooooppp..."

Along the rest of the way towards Ponyville, your sisters were flying circles around you, cooing, giggling and singing, "Static has a cruuushhh! Static has a cruuushhh!" 

Through the giggling, you could hear your mother talking with your dad already about you bringing a fillyfriend home this year. You were pretty sure you heard a small cooing come from your mom as she was talking about grandfoals. 

”A little bit early for that, ain't it Mom..." you thought as your cheeks flushed a bit.

Your dad came flying next to you, breaking your sisters' 'Orbit of Cooing' as they flew to your mother. "Don't be embarrassed, Static, I was around your age when I started dating your mother. Even back then she was already fond of foals, it was hard to get her mind of them when she thought about it." 

Resisting the urge to just slap your forehead with your hoof, you just glared at him instead. "Dad, that is not really helping with the cooing airlines behind me." Looking back at the mares behind you, you saw the twins flying excitedly, while your mother moved her hooves as if she was cradling a foal.

"Dad, how long will Mom go on like this?" 

Your dad chuckled and looked at you with sympathy, "Depending on how cute she thinks it looks.” He glanced at his wife before looking back to you again, "Seeing how she is now... probably a week." 

Your eyes shot open as your father finished. "WHAT? An entire week before she stops?!” 

Your dad smirked. "Static, I forgot to say, a week at the very 'least'." 

You slapped your forehead with your hoof, unable to keep it back at the thought of having your mother for at least a week continuously cooing and talking with you about foals. "You can tell Mom that she won't see grandfoals for quite some time. I don't even have a fillyfriend yet!" 

Your dad just laughed. "Indeed, you don't have a fillyfriend 'yet'. And 'when' you get foals, that really depends on your mare. Look at your mom and me for example, I thought I would have my first foal about now. But instead, I have three already. And that is purely because your Mom really wanted one, and now there’s three." Your dad kept laughing at the memory while you just stared at him with your mouth half open. 

Your mom came flying next to your dad, grinning. "You told him that it was because of me, didn't you?"

Your dad stopped laughing and took a deep breath, calming himself down. "Yes, yes I did. But that is because it is true!" 

Your mom rolled her eyes at him. "Oh stop it already! You wanted foals as badly as me at Static's age!" 

You were pretty sure your jaw fell from the sky as your mom laughed heart fully at your dad who was now blushing badly and looking away from the mare. You looked bewildered at your dad as he began flying faster, trying to get away from the topic. 

Your mom took your dad's place beside you and grinned. "Owh, sweetie, don't look like that. Your father loved foals back then, and still does. Besides, I think you share that similar trait with him. You always love being around your sisters. You also take good care of them, protect them and play with them. And even so, you do that with almost every foal you come across with. That tells me you’re in excellent form to be father, which by the way, a 'lot' of mares are looking for in a stallion!"

Your eye twitched and your cheeks were beet red. In the lower corner of your eye, you spied a small lake directly below you. Wanting to escape the inevitable 'birds and the bees' talk, you said, ” You know what Mom? I'm done with this topic." 

Your mom raised an eyebrow at you in question, "What do you mea...."

So you did the only thing reasonable, and while still in your flying momentum, you just stopped flapping your wings. Folding your wings back to your sides, you let yourself drop from the sky. You curled up into a ball while yelling, "CANNONBALL!" 

The furred ball of doom that was you came falling down into the lake with a loud splash that launched the water up to four meters into the air.

Being underwater, you blinked slowly. "Now that I think about it... that was pretty awesome." 

Realizing that you were self praising underwater, you shook your head and flailed your hooves, managing to swim back up. Reaching the surface, you gasped for air, but were relieved to be out of the awkward conversation with your mother, so you hoped. 

"Having fun, I see. At least you’ve had your bath now." You looked up and saw your mom and sisters hovering above the lake. Your mom glared at you and the twins were smiling innocently, not getting what just went down between your mom, dad and you. 

Summer looked at you and scratched her chin in thought. "Mom, what did Static scream when he jumped into the lake?" 

Your mom looked curiously at the filly. "Uhhmm, cannonball. Why?" 

Summer beamed, tucking her wings to her sides before curling into a ball and began to fall towards the lake as well. "Oh no you don’t, missy!" Your mom dived down and scooped Summer up in her hooves. "You have school in a few minutes, you're not going in there." 

Summer pouted and crossed her front hooves. "But Mooommm, why can Static do that then?" Summer whined at her. 

"Because your brother did that suddenly, I did not say that he could.”

You just chuckled as Summer let her legs hang loosely while still pouting her lips as her mother carried her in her hooves, 

"CANNONBALL!" 

A small splash of water hit you from your right. Wiping the water out of your face, you saw your mom sighing and with one hoof smacked her forehead, while in her other hoof Summer was laughing out loud while swinging her hooves in glee. 

Hearing coughing coming from next to you, you saw Gloom resurfacing, laughing as she saw the angry face of your mother as she was glaring daggers at her.

Smirking at your little sister, you raised your hoof up above the water and Gloom hoofbumped it happily, laughing all the way. "Nice one, Gloomy,” you praised her.

Your mom put Summer on her back and hovered down to the water and pulled Gloom out of it. “Are you happy now, Static?” 

You put your hoof to your chin, scratching it as if you were deep in thought. "Actually, yes. Yes I am." You smirked at your mom as she held the still wet filly in her hooves. 

She glared at you. "Then you won't mind getting to the school of the fillies’ yourself in time. You’ve got ten minutes." 

Smiling at her, you casually waved your hoof. "Don't worry, Mom, I will be there in time to see them off." Your mom nodded at you, still glaring a bit before flying away, with the two giggling fillies waving at you as your mother brought them with her.

Watching as your mom flew off with your sisters, you began to paddle your happy flank to the shore. "At least I have had my bath now." 

Chuckling at your own little victory, you crawled up onto the grass and began to shake your coat and flap your wings, getting rid of most of the water while your mane was still dripping. Glancing to the direction you saw Ponyville last, you began to walk your way over there while humming a small tune to yourself, swaying your body to the music.

The walk was uneventful as you reached the end of the forest. Still humming and with your eyes closed, you reached a small dirt road. Hearing something buzzing, you opened your eyes in curiosity, and glanced around the road and the small edge of town buildings, but you could not point out where the buzzing was coming from. 

"Look out!!" 

You looked up to your left as a small pegasus filly on a scooter came flying at you. 

"Aw hay..."

You closed your eyes in anticipation of the inevitable, but it never came. Opening your eyes again, you saw that the scooter lay a couple of meters in front of you but the filly was nowhere to be seen. Hearing wing flaps coming from above you, you glanced up to see the very mare that you woke up not so long ago, holding an orange coated filly with a purple mane and tail in her hooves. 

"Rainbow Dash?" 

Rainbow Dash looked down at you from her flying and smiled at you. “Hey, Static, what are you doing here? And sorry about that, hehe. Scootaloo here needs to learn how to stunt properly with her scooter." Rainbow Dash looked at the small filly in her hooves who was probably around the same age as the twins.

Smiling back at Rainbow Dash you waved your hoof dismissively at the mare. "It is alright Rainbow Dash, besides, I think I've had worse today." you said to her with a knowing smirk on your face. 

Rainbow Dash smirked back at you and snickered. "Hehe yeah, that is probably the worst you will have today."

Nodding at her, you looked down to the orange filly in her hooves who was looking confused at you. Rainbow Dash flew down to you and put the filly down next to her. "Scootaloo, meet Static Spark. Static, meet Scootaloo, my little sister." You smiled at Rainbow Dash and then looked over to Scootaloo who was beaming with giant eyes at the blue mare.

"I didn't know you had a little sister, Rainbow Dash. She is a cute filly,” you said as you patted Scootaloo softly on her mane. 

Scootaloo shot you an angry look and huffed out, "HEY! I'm not cute! I'm tough!" She puffed up her chest in pride which made you chuckle. 

"She is not my biological sister though, I kind of adopted her, and she is awesome!" Rainbow Dash boasted as she did a backflip in the air and hoof pumped as she touched down again. 

"Okay, okay, I got to admit, seeing her flying on the scooter, she looked awesome indeed,” you said, rolling your eyes. 

Scootaloo puffed up her chest again and put her hoof up to her chest, mimicking the pose Rainbow Dash did when she introduced herself. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, if she goes on like this, I think she will become your twin in a few years,” you said, smiling at the two.

Scootaloo's mouth hang open a bit as her eyes expanded before jumping in the air, buzzing her wings, "You really think so?!” Rainbow Dash and you laughed at the excitement of the little filly. 

"If you continue to practice with me and on your own, you will be just as awesome as me in no time, squirt!" Rainbow Dash said as she ruffled the mane of Scootaloo. "Anyhoof, say, Static, what are you doing here in Ponyville? I thought you were living in Cloudsdale?" 

You nodded at Rainbow Dash. " Yes, I do live in Cloudsdale, but I'm here to see my twin sisters off as they go to their new school. I believe the school was around here somewhere... and I'm.. probably late... hehe." 

Rainbow Dash smiled warmly at you, “That's nice of you to bring your sisters and see them off. I'm bringing Scootaloo to school as well, you could tag along if you want." 

You smiled at her with a nod of your head. "I would like that, Rainbow Dash." Rainbow Dash's smile got a tiny bit wider as she nodded back at you.

Rainbow Dash glanced at Scootaloo, "Well let's get going, squirt, or we will be late as well. Hop on your scooter so we can go." 

Scootaloo glanced unsure down, while rubbing her right hoof. Your eyes narrowed and you spotted a small bruise on her hoof. "It is better if we take her there, Rainbow Dash,” you said as you sat down in front of Scootaloo and took her hoof slowly in yours. 

"Huh? Why?! She can ride her scooter just fine!" Rainbow Dash argued defensively. 

You just shook your head and massaged the little spot on Scootaloo's hoof. She wanted to retract her hoof but when you looked at her and smiled reassuringly, you said, "Don't worry Scootaloo, I'm not going to hurt you." She nodded and let her hoof being softly massaged by yours.

Rainbow Dash came close to Scootaloo and looked at what you were doing. “What’s going on?" She asked with a confused expression. 

"I'm massaging Scootaloo's hoof, she has probably hit it somewhere between flying at me and now." 

Rainbow Dash looked at the filly’s hoof and huffed, "It is just a bruise, she can ride her scooter with that, no problem." 

You shot Rainbow Dash a nasty glare which made her take a step back. "No she is not. She even winced when I only 'touched' her hoof, let alone if she used it to ride her scooter, she could get hurt. What if she falls again on her hoof, or she hits something else? At the speed she is going, that could be a very bad situation!"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes slightly in irritation. "Fine, we will bring her there, sheesh. No need to get all worked up."

You gave a firm nod to her before looking back at Scootaloo, who mouthed a small 'thank you'. 

Kneeling down onto your belly in front of Scootaloo, you said, ”Hop on Scootaloo, I will take you to school, okay?" Scootaloo looked at you and to your back, looking uneasy. You gave her a gentle smile and a small nod. Scootaloo fidgeted a little before getting on three hooves and inched over to you. She tried to climb on your back which didn't go well, so you gave a little nudge with your muzzle, helping the little filly onto you.

Glancing over your shoulder, you saw that Scootaloo sat down between your wing bases. Scootaloo simply sat there, looking a little puzzled on what she was supposed to do. You smiled at the filly, nuzzling her softly to reassure her. "Don't worry, just get comfortable." She nodded at you with a small smile and began laying down on your back. 

Standing back up again you looked to Rainbow Dash who had a staring look on her muzzle. “Well, Rainbow Dash, lead the way." 

Rainbow just kept standing there, gazing at you. "Uhm, Rainbow Dash?" 

The blue mare shook herself out of her staring, "Huh, what? Oh yeah, school! Follow me!" Rainbow Dash shot off into the air while you raised your eyebrow at her, and instead, started walking casually.

Rainbow Dash came flying back with a puzzled look. "Why are you walking? If we go flying we will be there in seconds flat!" 

You just shook your head. "I am not flying if I have an injured filly with me, unless I have to." 

Rainbow Dash groaned, dragging her hooves over her muzzle. She landed in front of you, leading the way to the school. Glancing back, you saw that Scootaloo had closed her eyes and breathed slowly. You folded your wings up and over Scootaloo, and she snuggled further into the feather blanket, her mane becoming almost the only part that poked out from under your wings.

Happy that Scootaloo was safe and comfortable, you turned your head forward again, and saw that Rainbow Dash gave you another warm smile before slowing down to walk next to you, "Why do you do that? You're the first pegasus I know that does that." 

Raising an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash, you asked, "What do you mean? The first pegasus to do what?" 

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes before pointing with her left hoof at your wings. "That, you folded your wings over her. Why do you do that?”

Chuckling softly, you looked up and smiled at the memory. "Call it instinct, I began doing that when my sisters were born. When they were little, they liked to climb onto my back, as I brought them almost everywhere because they were still to small to fly, and to walk properly on their own. Once, I when I went with them to a playground, at the end of the day, they were so tired they fell asleep on my back almost instantly when I carried them back home. When we got back, my parents were out for dinner. And because I was tired as well, I just slept on the couch with my sisters on my back. I don't know what gave me the idea to do so, but when I glanced back at them, I just did it. I just did it without thinking, I just folded my wings over them for the first time. After that, I fell asleep as well. When my parents got home and saw me and my sisters, they took a picture of me with my sisters' on my back as we lay on the couch. They said that we looked so peaceful that they didn't want to separate us, and just put a small blanket over us. Since then it became a thing for me, that if one of my sisters would lay on my back, I would put my wings over them. They say that when I do that, it gives them a very safe and comfortable feeling." 

Looking back at Rainbow Dash, you saw her smirking at the little purple mane as it poked out from the wing blanket. Glancing over to Scootaloo as well, you saw her snoring softly. Rainbow Dash looked back to you, "I see that it is not only working for your sisters, but even for a tough filly like Scoots." 

You chuckled, "Heh, apparently it does. I don't know why they like it so much, except for what they tell me, I don't know how they feel it. My parents told me they have never done that with me.”

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Heh, neither do I. If I look at Scootaloo, I would say that your back is a better place to lay on than a cloud. It almost makes me jealous.”

Your cheeks flushed a little at the compliment. "Heh, thanks. You should ask her how it feels when she wakes up." 

Rainbow Dash nodded at you while continuing down the road towards the school.
> Ch. 5 We're there. No, for them, not you. Not yet.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Wait, you know Miss Cheerilee?" Rainbow Dash asked you as you walked along the edge of Ponyville. 

"Heh, yeah, you can say that, although, not very good. I went to school there for maybe half a year before my parents decided that it would be better if they put me in a school in Cloudsdale and closer to home. I wonder if Miss Cheerilee remembers me?" 

Rainbow Dash chuckled at you, "Don't worry, Static, I know Cheerilee as well. And I can assure you, she remembers every filly or colt that ever came in her class. Even the ones that were only in her class for a week." You smiled at her.

Rounding a corner, the road lead you and Rainbow Dash to a red building with a bell on top of it. Colts and fillies were playing in the front of the building. You turned your muzzle to Rainbow Dash, "I guess that is the school, right?" 

Rainbow Dash looked back at you with a raised eyebrow but nodded, "How do you not know if that is the school or not? You went there, right?" 

You chuckled lightly and shook your head, "Well yeah, I went to Miss Cheerilee's class. Only that was quite some years ago. Besides, back then the school was not painted red and there was no bell on the roof. So 'sorry' that I don't have the best memory ever." Rainbow Dash laughed at you before turning her muzzle towards the school again.

"Hey Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash looked back at you, "Yeah? What's up, Static?" 

You pondered lightly on how to ask, not wanting to come over as too rude, "Uhm, sorry but I'm just curious, back when I nudged Scootaloo up onto my back and folded my wing over her, you were staring at me the whole time. Why?" 

Rainbow Dash smiled at you with her eyes closed before turning her head forwards again, "Don't get all excited Static. I told you that Scootaloo was pretty much my sister. So seeing her happy makes me happy. I care a lot for the little filly, and right now, she is quite adorable, even tough, she doesn't like it when I say that." 

You chuckled at the last part, remembering when Scootaloo huffed at you and stated that she was 'tough'. You could relate with the happiness that the sight of you and Scootaloo brought her. For you had your own little sisters as well, who brought the same smile on your face when they were happy or on your back like Scootaloo.

"Hey Rainbow Dash, how did Scootaloo actually became your so-called 'adopted' sister?" 

Rainbow Dash laughed lightly before turning to you once more. "Well, it was a few weeks ago. The CMCs, me and two of my best friends went on a camping trip in the woods." 

You nodded at her but raised your eyebrow questionably at her, "Wait, sorry but, what the hay are the CMCs? Sounds like some kind of special forces. Is that what you call those guards in Canterlot castle? You know, those ponies who all look the same?" 

Rainbow Dash groaned and slapped her forehead with a hoof, "I forgot that you're not from Ponyville." 

You craned your head back a little in confusion. "What has that have to do with those special forces? Are they stationed only in Ponyville?" You began looking around for the guards that were supposed to look like each other, not spotting an single guard, you looked back at Rainbow Dash who was laughing lightly at you.

"Well you could say that they are 'special', and that they are indeed, for the most part, stationed in Ponyville. But I think I will explain you when you come across them. Oh, don't worry, you'll notice them when you see them." 

Rainbow Dash got a grin on her face that you did not like, not in the slightest. Narrowing your eyes in suspicion, you said, "Umh, Rainbow Dash, that grin on your face tells me that I am not going to like the meeting with them." 

Rainbow Dash just laughed and turned her muzzle back to the school, "That depends on what they are doing today." Hearing Rainbow Dash say that so casually rang a 'lot' of alarm bells.

Approaching the school, you could see that your parents were in front of the school talking with a purple coated mare with two light pink color streaks in her tail and mane. The mare had a cutie mark of three smiling flowers. Remembering who it was, you smiled and began to pick up the pace, while still being careful not to wake up the sleeping filly still covered under your wings. Rainbow Dash noticing you trotting and joined you in your pace. 

Your mom noticed you in the corner of her eye and looked at you. She waved at you before turning to the other mare again. Reaching the three adults, you stopped next to them and looked at the purple mare, "Miss Cheerilee?" you assumed out loud, your head tilted a little to the right. 

The mare's ears perked your way and she glanced at you, "Yes? Can I help yo...! Oh my... Static? Static Spark?" 

You smiled at her and nodded your head. "Hey, Miss Cheerilee! I'm surprised that you still remember me!" 

Cheerilee smiled at you, "Of course I remember you. I remember every little pony that stepped into my class, especially the ones that had a crush on me. Ring any bells, Static?" 

A big blush spread across your cheeks as you lowered yourself a little, feeling awkward. Cheerilee smiled playfully at you, while behind you, Rainbow Dash could be heard falling onto the ground and laughing her lungs out. Your mom chuckled at you and your dad snickered with his mouth closed.

You stuttered a bit, "I-I-I'm p-pretty sure you mean somepony else." Your eyes darted around from Cheerilee to your parents and back. Cheerilee's smile got wider and she got closer to your muzzle, your blush expanding across your cheek as she got closer. 

"Oh but my dear Static, I am sure I have in my school desk a certain love letter, from a certain colt, that had a drawing on it with you and me hoof in hoof...." Cheerilee's eyes closed halfway, giving you a very uneasy feeling. You craned your head back to get away from the advancing teacher, your face now completely red and warm. 

"B-but I-I..." You were interrupted as the three mares around you began laughing at you, Rainbow Dash gasping for air while your mother also laughed fully at you. Cheerilee laughed with a hoof in front of her mouth, and your dad had a hoof to his mouth with puffed up cheeks that were about to burst. You were pretty sure that if your face got any redder, you would fall into a coma because of wrong blood flow. Honestly, that would be a good escape from this.

You wanted to say something back but felt a stirring on your back and under your wings. Glancing over your shoulder you raised your wings a tiny bit and saw that Scootaloo was waking up from her nap. Smiling, you craned your neck more to the filly and nudged her mane softly, "Scootaloo, we are at school, time to get up." 

The filly stirred, but rolled around again and grabbed one of your wings and pulled it over her again muttering, "No, please, daddy, five more minutes." You narrowed your eyes in confusion and craned your head back. "Uhm..." 

Cheerilee came standing next you together with your mom. "What is wrong Static? Something wrong with your wings?" your mom asked with concern while she looked your wings over.

You looked at both mares and shook your head, "Well, not exactly. It's just that..." 

You raised your wings again so that Scootaloo came into view, snoring softly. Your mother smiled gently at you and Cheerlie chuckled, "I see what is wrong. Scootaloo doesn't want to wake up?" 

You shook your head slowly, "Well, that is also the case, but... when I tried to softly nudge her awake, she called me... daddy..." You chuckled awkwardly at the mares. Your mom's face almost exploded in cooing expressions, Cheerilee, though, looked confused and taken by surprise. Scootaloo stirred again and took one of your wings and draped it over her again. Your mom jumped up and down, while one hoof was in her mouth, trying to hold back the 'D'aawwss' that were bound to come out.

Rainbow Dash landed next you, wiping away a tear as she did, "Hehe, ffeewww. Sorry about that, that was to good. Anyhoof, what's happening? Did I miss something?" 

You looked at her, "Well, actually, I have a question for you."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at you, "Uhm, okay, shoot."

You sighed and glanced over at Scootaloo who was now under one wing again, only her head poking out from underneath it. "Rainbow Dash, is Scootaloo an orphan?" 

Rainbow Dash's head shot back and she got a confused look on her muzzle, "Huh? No! she lives with her parents. Why?" 

You looked back at Rainbow Dash, "Well, because you said you pretty much 'adopted' her as a sister, and... she called me her 'daddy' when I tried to wake her up." 

Rainbow Dash's ears drooped to the side and her expression became one of soft understanding, "Well, I can explain that. I think. See, Scootaloo lives at home with her parents, but they work, a lot. She's had many filly sitters' over to take care of her. More so than her parents I think."

Your eyes soften in understanding before your mom spoke up, "Well, I can see then why she calls him daddy. Filly and colt sitters are almost always mare's, so her being taken care of by Static must give her the feeling that he is her dad." Rainbow Dash nodded slowly.

You looked back at Scootaloo with a small smile, "Well, truth be told, I wouldn't mind being the daddy of such a cute fil..... I said that out loud didn't I?"

You sighed and looked around at all the mares and your dad. Your dad nodded at you and raised his head in pride. Peeking a glance at the three mares beside you, expecting to be overloaded with cooing, you were surprised that your mom only had a soft caring smile on her face, mouthing the words, 'You see'. 

Cheerilee on the other hoof looked very pleased, "Well I can say that you have indeed grown a lot in the past few years, I guess that is because of your two little sisters right?" 

You wanted to answer but your mom beat you to it, "You can say that, Cheerilee. Since the twins were born, he started to be really protective of them and caring. He once got into a fight with my husband over how he handled his little sisters with not enough care. The week after that, Static did everything he could to make sure that his dad would not come into five meters of the twins. Even when my husband tried to bottle feed the twins, Static grabbed it out of his hooves and checked if the temperature and taste was good, and even if the right amount was in the bottles so that both of the girls would get the equal amount. And then he would feed them both at the same time."

You blushed softly at the story, not just because of the compliment, but also that you kept your dad from the twins like that. Cheerilee smiled and chuckled softly. You looked over to Rainbow Dash on your left, now standing close to you but with her muzzle towards the filly on your back. Your eyes wandered over her, this time staying on her wings that were tucked sweetly to her side. Her wings wore a very well kept look, her feathers looked beautiful and clean and were definitely preened every day. Shaking your head a little, you forced yourself out of eyeing of the mare next to you. Taking a deep breath, and letting it out, you tried to calm your thoughts. Glancing over your shoulder, you saw that Rainbow Dash nudged Scootaloo herself. "Come on Scoots, wake up sis, Miss Cheerilee is waiting for you."

Scootaloo let out a scratchy sounding yawn and opened her eyes. You raised your wings up and slowly folded them back to your sides. Scootaloo rubbed her eyes and began to sat up straight on your back, letting out another yawn while she looked around her. "Arrgghh, do I really need to? I haven't slept so good in quite some time." 

You smirked at her, "Well Scootaloo, me, as your personal bed. I'm glad to hear that I do my job good."

Scootaloo turned to you and smiled, "Hehe, you did your job good, yeah." 

You gave a pleased nod to her. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow with a smirk at the filly who looked confused back. "Well Scoots, tell me, because I'm really curious now. Do you sleep better on his back, or on a cloud?" 

Scootaloo got a smirk on her face and looked at you before looking back at Rainbow Dash, "That, Rainbow Dash, is what you need to find out for yourself."

The cyan mare took a step back at the blunt statement the little filly made to her. You could swear that you saw a very tiny red stripe form across her cheek before it was gone a second later. You chuckled at the little filly's bluntness and began to lower your belly to the ground, tucking your legs underneath you. Scootaloo wanted to hop off, but you held her back with a wing. She looked at you with a raised eyebrow, and you glanced back at her with a soft smile, "Be careful with your hoof Scootaloo. It's better if you let Miss Cheerilee take a look at it before you use it again, okay?" 

Scootaloo smiled and nodded at you. You folded your wing back and Scootaloo turned around on your back, putting her back legs first on the ground before her last good hoof touched down on the ground. Cheerilee walked over next to you and Scootaloo, "Scootaloo, did you hurt yourself on your scooter?"

The little filly nodded at Cheerilee who sighed, probably having seen it multiple times already. "Well you're lucky that this nice stallion brought you here." 

Scootaloo's ears drooped a little to the side but she smiled at you, "He is not a nice stallion." Your ears drooped to the side and you lowered your head in fear that you did something wrong.

Scootaloo chuckled before limping over to you and hugging your neck, surprising you. "He is not a nice stallion. He's an awesome stallion!"

Your ears perked up again and you smiled at the orange fur ball that was hugging you with her wings buzzing in happiness. "Thanks, Scootaloo, I was afraid that I did something wrong." 

Scootaloo chuckled at you, "Not in the slightest. You have been a better pony than some of the filly sitters have been. And, uhm, you can call me Scoots, like Rainbow Dash does. But don't take it the wrong way! I'm not cute!" 

Scootaloo let you go and turned around to go with Cheerilee towards the school. Scootaloo made a motion with her hoof that Cheerilee needed to lean down with her head, Scootaloo whispered something in her ear. Cheerilee smiled at Scootaloo before looking to you, "Well Static, now that everypony is accounted for, I should start class before they will overthrow the school. I wish you a healthy and cheerful future, as well as a nice fillyfriend," You blushed lightly. Cheerilee leant down to your ear and whispered, "Don't tell Rainbow Dash, but Scootaloo says that she sleeps better on your back then on any cloud."

You chuckled, "Thank you, Miss Cheerilee. I hope you have a smiling future, with manageable classes."

Cheerilee smirked playfully at you, "Don't become a smart mouth now, young colt, or I will give your mom the love letter you gave me." Your eyes expanded and you gulped loudly. Cheerilee just chuckled and turned around with Scootaloo, You waved both of them away, "Stay safe, uhm, Scoots!" Scootaloo turned her face towards you from the entry door of the school, and she smiled and waved to you as well before disappearing into the building with Miss Cheerilee.

As Scootaloo and Cheerilee disappeared, two yellow blurs shot out of the door and came flying at you. guessing who they were, you just kept your belly on the ground and opened your front legs in 'hug receiving mode'. And you guessed right, as Summer and Gloom slammed into your front legs and hugged you cheerfully. "Hey Summie, hey Gloomy. How do you like the school so far?" you asked as you closed your front legs around the twins, hugging them softly. 

The twins craned their heads away from your neck and they both looked into your eyes, "Our class is really friendly!" Gloom answered first. 

"Yeah! And we even made two new friends already! Apple Bloom and Sweetiebelle!" Summer chirped. 

You nuzzled them, "That is great to hear, girls. I hope you will not make it to hard on Miss Cheerilee." 

Summer and Gloom moved their heads from side to side, "No, we must save our energy!" Summer began.

You raised an eyebrow at her before Gloom spoke up. "Yeah, we must save our energy for when we are done with school, to help our new club!" 

You chuckled at them, "Okay, and which club is that?" 

The twins at the same time began to open their mouths and take in large amount of air. Raising an eyebrow, you noticed that Rainbow Dash took out of nowhere two big corks and put them in her ears, and then she grinned at you. "Why do I get the feeling that I am not going to like this..." 


You turned your head slowly back at the twins as they shouted, "THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!!"

"..." 

The whole group of ponies turned silent, except for Rainbow Dash, who could be heard laughing out loud through the ringing noise in your ears. You could see a flash going off through your unfixed eyes, as they were shot in different directions due the direct force of the twins' war cry.

Shaking your head to clear the daze and get your eyes in place, you glanced over to your right where your mom now had a camera around her neck. She held a picture in her right hoof and showed it to your dad who was laughing loudly. Your mom saw you looking and began trotting over to you happily, and she put the picture in front of your eyes while chuckling softly. 

Looking at the picture, you saw that the twins were cheerfully screaming out their war cry at you. And because of their war cry, your coat was flying backwards over your whole body, as your eyes went unfixed and your ears, mane, tail and wings were being blown backwards as well.

Risking a glance at your wings, your eyes widened. To your horror, they were ruffled beyond what you had ever seen. "What the hay!? This is gonna take forever to preen every feather!!" Spreading your wings to the widest and adjusting them so you could see the underside, your jaw dropped to see that the underside did not fare any better than the topside of your wings. 

Rainbow Dash was now snickering, and came to stand next to you. Extending her left hoof, she poked at one of your worst looking feathers, which promptly fell off. Rainbow Dash began laughing again, turning her muzzle towards you, "Good luck preening that, you will be busy all day with just your left wing!" 

You growled  at the mare who didn't seem fazed by it in the slightest and instead began laughing louder. Huffing loudly through your nostrils, you began to flap your wings a little while turning them lightly in different directions, putting most feathers back in place, but your wings stayed quite a mess.

You looked with narrowed eyes at the twins again who were smiling innocently at you with big, glistening eyes. "Cheaters! They know I can not get angry at those eyes!" You sighed and just hugged them tighter, "Girls, pleaseeee, don't do that again, my wings are a mess now!" 

You looked at your sisters to see them giggling softly. "Oh? Finding this funny don't you? Well how about you both don't get to be on my back for the next few days?" 

Their smiles and ears dropped instantly as they stared at you, "Y-you don't mean that, right?" Gloom said, beginning to get tears in her eyes. 

"Yeah, we're reallyyy sorry Static! Please? We promise that we will not do it again!" Summer followed quickly. 

Smiling sweetly you hugged them tighter to you, nuzzling their cheeks, "Of course I don't mean that, don't worry. But please, don't scream like that again. Or I will also need new ears. They're still ringing." 

You released them and they looked back at you, smiling again, "We promise, Static!"

> Ch. 6 Still not there.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You nuzzled the twins one last time before releasing them. "That is a promise, girls. Now go, before Miss Cheerilee gives me homework to make."

Summer and Gloom nodded at you while getting on their own hooves as well. They turned away from you and trotted over to your mom and dad, who both stood watching with small smiles. They were leaning against each other as they watched the sibling love between you and your sisters.
As Summer and Gloom closed the gap, your parents bent both down onto their bellies as the the twins pounced them. Gloom hugged your dad around his neck, Summer doing the same with your mom. Your parents gave the twins both an affectionate nuzzle before they nudged them softly towards the school. "Go on, girls, have a very fun day! And don't get into trouble, okay?" Your mom beamed at the twins with a twinkling in her eyes.

The fillies released your parent's necks, and both looked at them, wearing giant smiles. "We promise, Mom, we will not get into trouble!" the twins both chirped out at the same time.

Your mom and dad nodded at them. "Good. Your brother and I will be here to pick you up from school again this afternoon, okay?" your mother continued.

Standing back up yourself, you walked over to your mother's side. Summer and Gloom locked their eyes once more onto you. you grinned back to your little sisters. "Okay, one more then," you said as you sat down on your haunches and opened your front legs. The twins squealed as they pounced onto you one last time. Hugging them closely to you, you gave them both one last nuzzle on their manes before putting them down onto the ground again. 

"Now, I will see you both in the afternoon, okay? And please, don't hurt yourself," you said with a little worry in your voice.

Your sisters both smiled at you with their eyes closed and gave you a firm nod. "Sibling promise that you will stay safe?" you smirked at them. 

The twins both chuckled before taking on a pouncing stance in front of you with their wings spread, and holding their left hoof from the ground. "Spread our wings, we will fly, staying safe, is our sky!" buzzing their wings while laughing as they went through your so called 'sibling promise'.

You nodded at them, satisfied by their safety promise. You gave them a salute with your hoof. "Now mares, move out!"

They gave you confident looks and both saluted back to you before turning around and galloping their way into the school. Chuckling at your sisters' energy, you let your hoof down on the ground again, and stood back up. Glancing over to your right, you saw your mother ever so lovingly looking at you. "Why will you not just accept the fact that you are really a father figure, Static? I've told you that many times, but you always deny it."

Blushing lightly, you scraped the ground with your hoof lightly. "Sorry, Mom, but, well, I never truly see myself as a father, I don't know, I just don't feel like a father figure."

"Don't worry, son. That feeling will come with time, and of course, with your fillyfriend as well." Your father smiled with pride as he stood next to your mother. He made a motion with his muzzle that you should look to your left. Glancing to the way he was indicating to, you saw that Rainbow Dash stood not that far away, talking to an orange coated earth pony mare with a stetson cowboy hat, probably even within earshot of the conversation. Blushing more as you saw the cyan coated mare, you noticed that the earth pony mare was looking your way with a raised eyebrow. Rainbow Dash turned her muzzle your way, curious where her friend was looking to. Seeing you, she smiled and waved your way before leaning towards the ear of the orange mare and whispering into her ear, to which her friend chuckled lightly.

You could feel the heat in your cheeks rising the longer you were watching the blue mare, who was every now and then glancing your way, while still whispering into her friend's ear. Shaking your head, you glanced back to your right, your mother simply nodding to you, while your dad wore a smirk with his head held up high. 

Feeling that this situation got more awkward with the moment, you decided that this would be a good moment to take to the sky and get underway towards your own school. "Hehe, well, I think it is time that we should go to High Altitude, don't you think?"

Your mom got a devilish smirk on her muzzle, matching the one on your dad's. "Oh, but sweetie, don't you think you should say goodbye to your new 'friend', Rainbow Dash?" Your mom pointed innocently towards the cyan mare.

"B-but I..."

"Now, now, son. You know it is not nice to go without saying goodbye at least." Your father joined your mom.

You growled in irritation, to which your dad smirked and your mother innocently smiled. Sighing through your teeth, you turned towards Rainbow Dash and felt a little heat gracing your cheeks again as you came closer to her. Rainbow Dash, noticing your approach, stopped whispering into her friends ear and turned her muzzle fully your way, smiling as she was watching you closing the gap. "H-hey, Rainbow Dash?" you began awkwardly.

Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly, with the orange mare doing the same. "Yeah? What is it Sparky?" Rainbow Dash asked, a somewhat alluring tone in her voice, her tail swishing lightly.

Your cheeks were now burning and you were sure that the mares could see that. Chuckling awkwardly into your right hoof, you tried to calm a bit before responding. "Well, I'm going to my school in Cloudsdale, I just wanted to say that it was nice meeting you," you said as calm as you could.

Rainbow Dash looked to her left to see her friend grinning back at her. She locked eyes with you again, walking closer to you. "School in Cloudsdale, huh... which one?" Rainbow Dash asked you, now only a few hoof lengths from your muzzle.

You took a small step back. "Well, the school is named 'High Altitude', it is not far from the Cloudsdale Colosseum, I'm beginning my last year now," you said while taking an another step back, to which Rainbow Dash responded by taking a step closer to you.

"High Altitude, huh? Well that is a coincidence." Rainbow Dash said as she grinned at you.

Not knowing where Rainbow Dash was talking about, you raised an eyebrow at her. "Huh? w-what do you mean 'a coincidence'?" 

Rainbow Dash's grin turned into a smirk as she began walking closely past you. "Well, let's say that I'm in my last year on High Altitude as well," she said with a teasing voice as she walked past you, brushing her tail lightly past your front leg.

You were frozen to the ground as her soft tail brushed your leg, earning you another blush, with blood throbbing in your ears. "I-I didn't know you went to High Altitude before, R-Rainbow Dash, I have never seen you before." Glancing slowly back over your shoulder, you saw that she was standing almost against you with her neck turned over her shoulder as well, looking back to you with her eyes half closed. Not able to resist, your eyes wandered slowly over the mare, starting with her mane that was brushed neatly to the side of her face, with a small patch of her orange and red mane covering her right eye. Trailing further up to her puffy ears which looked cute from close up, down her neck as you followed the cooler colors of her mane that were brushed to the side of it. Going further, you stayed on her wings, which were still looking as beautiful as ever, like they were preened every hour. Unnoticed by you, she gave her wings a small ruffle, putting her feathers in a more wild look which you found very alluring to look at. Breaking away from her wings, your eyes went down to her cutie mark, where the cloud with the rainbow bolt was still proudly displayed. Following her tail down, your eyes widened as you followed her tail towards your own chin as she brushed it softly, earning you a jolt to go through your body.

'FOMP!', you shot your head forwards again with a blush on your face that could melt 'Winter Wrap-Up' by itself. You heard Rainbow Dash fall on the ground behind you, laughing as she was hitting the dirt with her hoof. The mare in front of you with the stetson hat was also laughing lightly, while some other ponies in the street were chuckling and pointing at you. Sighing, you peeked over your shoulder to see that your wings were stiff, completely extended and were throbbing every once in a while.

Turning your muzzle to the orange mare, you saw her walking up to you, and you raised an eyebrow as the mare bent her muzzle towards your ear. "Ah mighty reckon you want to get her back?"

Looking back over your shoulder, you saw that Rainbow Dash was still laughing uncontrollably. Turning to the orange coated mare, you nodded with a smirk on your face. "Hay, of course. I want to repay her for the 'winged' situation I'm sporting right now."

The mare got a smirk on her face as well before whispering in your ear, "She doesn't share this with anypony, but..." 

The smirk on your face grew wider as the cowboy mare continued to whisper in your ear. You peeked over your shoulder to the blue mare as she was panting on the ground with her belly facing the dirt. Nodding in understanding towards your new 'friend', you thanked her with a small salute to which the mare gave a wink in return.

Turning around, you slowly made your way to the still panting and laying Rainbow Dash. You walked over her carefully, putting your front hooves next to her neck and your back legs next to her hip, keeping her from suddenly escaping. Bending your head down, you breathed strongly through your nostrils into the ears of the mare. "How about I return the favor?" you said alluringly. Rainbow Dash froze in place, and was still panting, but not fighting back. Seeing that as a confirmation, you slowly took the tip of her right ear in your mouth and nibbled it tenderly, earning a sudden gasp from Rainbow Dash. 

You continued to nibble on her ear tip while bringing your left hoof to her left wing and brushed through it softly. "Her wings feel soft, yet strong..." Rainbow Dash began to fidget between your hooves, trying to get loose. Seeing that your prey probably had enough, you decided to playfully give her ear a last, firm, but gentle tug. 

'FOMP!', you got wacked to the side of your body. Glancing back, you saw that two blue wings were outstretched, throbbing slightly against your sides. Smirking, you stepped away from Rainbow Dash, who slowly got to her hooves. She looked your way with a tint of red across her cheeks. 

"D'aaaawww, that looks cute over her blue coat."

Smirking you locked eyes with her. "Seeing you like that, Rainbow Dash, I would say that we are even." 

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes in a death glare and began to growl. "Okay... remember when I thought that Summer had a demon stare? Well, compared to that glare from Rainbow Dash, those were from an angel...

Faster than you could blink, Rainbow Dash launched at you, pinning you to the ground with her hooves on your chest. Staring with eyes of Tartarus at you, while growling like the dog Cerberus. She raised her right hoof into the air. "I'll wipe that smirk off your muzzle, Static!" Rainbow Dash growled through her teeth. 

Seeing the sudden hoof approach, Your pupils became pinpricks and your ears instantly went down to the side of your head. "Oh Celestia..."

WACK

"...."

Your eyes darted around, seeing little clouds flying around you in a circle. Groaning, you slowly pulled your head off from the ground as you refocused your eyes. Still being pinned down, you looked up to the rainbow-maned mare, who looked still angry, but was probably satisfied by that, as she still held her right hoof over you. Moving your left hoof up to your muzzle, you held your jaw and moved it around a bit, noticing that it was a few degrees off to the right. Smacking your lips a few times, you managed to get your jaw back in place. Glancing up to the blue mare, you chuckled, to which she gave a confused look while she still panted a little. "Why are you laughing!?" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Well, first off, that punch to the jaw, that I deserved. Secondly, that is probably the worst thing that will happen to me for the upcoming month."

At that, Rainbow Dash smirked. "You bet that that will be the worst! Nopony will top that!" she boasted, as she puffed up her chest.

"Uhm, Rainbow Dash?

She looked down to you with a raised eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Not that I really mind it, but, you're kinda... squishing my... lungs..." you managed to get out.

Rainbow Dash's smirk returned and she pulled her hooves off of your chest and put them down to next to your shoulders. Instead of going away from you, she inched closer to your muzzle, brushing her tail over your stretched out hind legs. She was so close that you could feel her warm breath on your muzzle as she was still panting a bit through her nostrils. She inched closer, and closer, and closer. You tried to crane your head back, but it was held in place as the dirt blocked your escape. 

"Being an Ostrich would come in handy right about now..."

Feeling the heat in your face coming to dangerous levels, you were blinded as a white flash went through your eyes. Bringing your hooves to your eyes, you groaned as you rubbed the poor things for the second time that day. You felt Rainbow Dash stumbling away from you, probably blinded by the light as well. Still covering your eyes, your ears picked up your mom muttering, "Ah, shoot. I did it too early."

At that point you didn't know if you were saved by the... flash? or if your mom just interrupted the mood, and maybe your first kiss with a mare. But let's go with the "saved by the flash" for now.

Moving your hooves away from your eyes, you managed to glance to your right, seeing that your mom had the camera around her neck again. She was looking at the picture in her hoof before putting it away into her saddlebag, looking displeased. "Really, Mom?"

Your mom glanced at you innocently. "What? Can't a mother have a picture of her son's first kiss?"

Still with a few blue spots dotting your eyes because of the flash, you stumbled to get up. "Uuugghh, Static, please tell your Mom to put off the flash. I'm pretty sure my eyes are fried right about now..." Rainbow Dash said from your left as she also stumbled around a little.

Groaning you agreed with her. "I hear you, Rainbow Dash, this is not the first time my eyes have been fried today."

Slowly you got in front of your mom who was fidgeting with the camera around her neck. "Mom, will you... please.... uhhh..." Noticing something behind your mother, you craned your neck a bit to the side, looking past her. 

Your mom looked up at you with an eyebrow raised. "What is it, sweetie?" 

Your father patted your mother on her shoulder to which she turned her head to your dad, who was watching with an open mouth at the same thing that you were looking at. Your mom looked to where your dad was pointing at, and her jaw dropped as well.

A pink earth pony mare was hopping across the road with a giant cannon behind her. It was stuffed to the end of the barrel with what looked like confetti and balloons. The mare jumped up and down while dragging the giant blue, confetti filled cannon as if it was nothing, while you were sure that it looked like the cannon should weigh at least a ton.

"Mom? Dad? You two are seeing the same thing I'm looking at right now, right?" 

Your dad's right eye twitched. "You mean the pink mare hauling the big, confetti filled cannon? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I see that as well. you too hun?"

Your mother said nothing as she simply nodded her head slowly. 

Rainbow Dash came to stand next to you, groaning as she still rubbed her left eye. "Hey, where is everypony looking at?" she asked as she saw the look on your face and those of your mom and dad. Slowly, you brought your hoof up and pointed at the pink mare which was now closing in on you. Rainbow Dash cocked her head next to your hoof and looked that way. "Huh? I don't see anything strange."

You glanced, surprised, to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, don't you see the mare that is 'hopping' her way over to us, is hauling a giant confetti filled canon?!"

Rainbow Dash looked again to the pink mare. "Yeah, so what? That is Pinkie, being Pinkie," Rainbow dash said as she shrugged.

"Rainbow Dash. She. Is. Dragging. A. Giant. Cannon," you said with your left eye twitching in disbelief.

The pink mare stopped in front of you while still hopping in place. "Hey, Dashie! I just found out this awesome new flavor combination at Sugarcube Corner! It is a heavenly flavor mix of blue berry and frosting! Mixed with little sprinkles of chocolate and Jam! Then you mix that with a small super secret special ingredient! I'm heading to Twilight's right now to ask her if she can help me make more! Although, yesterday she said that she would be busy with studying for her upcoming test or something. But that would be silly, because then she can't help me in making more which would be terrible, because if she can't help me, than I can never make enough to let al of Ponyville taste it! and if everypony can't taste it,  everypony wouldn't know about it. And if not everypony knows about it, then I've packed my cannon for nothing! which means I need to shoot it for nothing! Which is not fun. If I don't find something to fire it off for, it means that Gummy will have no fun day as well, because he likes the cannon a lot! There was this one time I went with Gummy to see Rarity when she was making a new dress and...." The Pink mare continued on in her endless rambling without taking a breath. 

You were pretty sure there was smoke coming out of you and your parents' ears, as all of your thoughts were on overdrive with what the pink mare was going on about. Rainbow Dash punched your shoulder, bringing you back out of your thoughts. You swung your head from side to side. Feeling a slight headache coming up, you put a hoof to your temple and rubbed it softly. "Ugh, what the hay..." you groaned out.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Thrust me, Static. It is better if you don't think about or question it."

You simply nodded at her, taking her advice to heart as your head seemed to calm down a bit. "I think that is indeed for the best, Rainbow Dash, but... but... physics... I mean... how?"

Rainbow Dash gave another jab to your shoulder, bringing you back from your thoughts again. "I told you, it's better not to question it. Believe me. Once, my friend Twilight wanted to discover how she could go on like this. She's an egghead, so she wanted to know what science thingy was behind it. In the end, I'm pretty sure her egghead got boiled. And after that, we told her to just accept Pinkie like this."

You slapped your forehead with a hoof and dragged it slowly down your face in simple acceptance. "FINE. I will not question her. But that doesn't mean that she isn't defying physics with what she is doing! I'm pretty sure a pony shouldn't be able to carry around a HUGE cannon filled with party ordnance, while casually HOPPING through a town without getting tired, or even stopping ONCE! Even now she is hopping in place, going on about something, without stopping to BREATHE!"

Rainbow Dash simply shrugged. "That's Pinkie."

You groaned in frustration. "FINE. Pinkie being Pinkie!"

Rainbow Dash gave you a smirk. "That's the spirit! Just don't think about it, and you will survive her."

You raised an eyebrow at her. " What do you mean, 'survive her'?"

"And that's why I think that Princess Celestia's throne is made of dough! Oooohhhh, who is your new friend, Dashie? I've have never seen him before....." The pink mare let out a sudden giant gasp. "WAIT! if I haven't seen you in Ponyville before, that means that you are new to Ponyville! Because I know everypony that has been to Ponyville before, which means that you must be new here! OOOOOHHHH! This so exciting! Maybe I can use my cannon today after all! For the new SUPER DUPER WELCOME TO PONYVILLE PARTY!!"

The pink mare launched forward and, somehow, grabbed you, and your parents in one giant hug and squeezed you all. "My name is Pinkie Pie! What's your name?" she asked, looking at you with giant blue, beaming eyes.

Struggling, your body being squeezed together with your parents, you managed to answer her, "I'm... Static... Spark... and... these... are... my... parents... AArrgghh."

Pinkie Pie giggled and promptly released you all onto the ground. "Stay strong, Static. Fate is taunting you today..." you thought to yourself as you were pulling yourself together from the ground. Slowly getting onto your hooves, you noticed that your parents didn't fare much better than you. As they were struggling to get to their hooves as well.

As you managed to get up again and shake your head, your front hooves were both being grabbed by two pink ones. And again, you looked into the otherworldly big eyes of Pinkie Pie. She shook your hooves up and down in rapid succession without stopping. And you were pretty sure that your shoulders got dislodged at some point as she shook your hooves up, but were brought together again as she brought your hooves down again.

"OH! I totally have to prepare a party for you!" she said in less than two seconds before her expression became thoughtful and she released you. Your arms still shook even tough she had released you. Forcing yourself to stop, you slowly got your hooves back onto the ground, and you flopped down onto your belly as your front hooves became paste. "Ouch... I think she just surpassed Rainbow Dash... by a mile..."

"Wait, You can't come to your party because you must go to school, right?" Pinkie Pie asked you. 

Still laying on the ground, you groaned while giving a tiresome nod. "Wait. How do you know I need to go to school?" you asked her with your eyebrows raised in question.

Pinkie Pie shrugged before answering with, "Just a hunch." 

She smiled wide and turned around, hopping off towards the big Oak library with the cannon trailing behind her as if it was nothing. "Bye, Dashie! Bye, Static! Bye, Static's parents! Say hello to Dust Cloud for me!" the pink mare yelled as she disappeared into the town.
> Ch. 7 Glancing onward. And yes, we're there.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your eye twitched as Pinkie Pie disappeared into the town. You turned your muzzle to your mom and dad, who were standing on their hooves again and holding one hoof to their temple as well, rubbing it while groaning to everything they just witnessed. "Mom, Dad, I think you both may heed Rainbow Dash's advice as well, and just don't think about it, and simply accept what she does, when she does. Because when I tried to comprehend that mare, I got headache's. And I guess you both do as well," you said, while looking with sympathy at your parents as they were still rubbing their temples. Your mom and dad simply nodded their heads slowly, groaning as their head movement brought more headache with it.

Chuckling to your parents, you glanced over to Rainbow Dash who was snickering at them. You poked her with your left hoof. "Hey, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash turned to you. "Yeah?"

"Thanks, for saving my head from more headache then it already had to endure," you said, as you put your right hoof to your temple and rubbed it softly.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and puffed up her chest while putting her right hoof to it. "No problem, Static. I won't let anypony get a headache from Pinkie, not If I can help it."

You smirked at her. "Then I can assume, that you can't even help three ponies at once. So much for Rainbow Dash," you said, raising your head up and closing your eyes.

Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open and she glared at you, while you kept smirking at her. "HEY! what do you mean by that!?"

You lazily pointed a hoof to your parents who were now beginning to get their wits back again. "You helped me out of it. So why not my parents as well?" you asked her, narrowing your eyes with a grin.

Rainbow Dash chuckled before answering, "Okay, first off. You really need to work on your glare's. Second, your parents fried my pupils. Third, you gave me a bucking 'wing boner'!" Rainbow Dash glared at you.

You just shrugged. "Hey, you gave me a wing boner first. Besides, you wacked my jaw! two times!"

The blue mare smirked at you. "Well, that is what you get for teasing a mare like that, and waking her up."

You put your right hoof to your chin and brushed it in thought. "Hhhmmm, okay. I guess that is fair enough. Besides, my parents kind of deserved it. They like to tease me, and not did they only fried your eyes, they burnt mine as well." you said as you shrugged to the blue mare next to you.

Rainbow Dash gave a firm nod in agreement to your statement. She raised an eyebrow at you in question before asking, "Static, how did you know you needed to tug my ear like that?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at you.

You chuckled at her glare. "You can thank your orange coated friend of yours for that. She walked away after she told me that though, something about bucking apples."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened, before returning into a death glare. Growling, she spread her wings and blasted off into the air, screaming, "AAAAAAAJJJJJJJJJJ!!!"

You coughed a little as Rainbow Dash's take off left you in a cloud of dirt. Shaking the dust off of you, you noticed your parents came standing next to you. "Well, I think it is better if we get going now. I think my brain can't handle much more of this. And I still need to work today," your father groaned from your right.

Glancing to your left, you noticed your mother held her right hoof to her head and was gritting her teeth a little. Feeling a bit worried, you nuzzled your mom's shoulder lightly with your muzzle, asking, "Mom? are you okay?"

She looked your way, her eyes and ears perking up as she looked at you. "Yes, I'm okay, Static. Don't worry, I can survive your dad, you and your sisters everyday. So a little headache won't slow me down," she said as she put her hoof down and nuzzled your cheek softly.

You chuckled lightly as you returned the nuzzle. "I know you, Mom. You're too tough to be slowed down by a headache."

Your mother smiled at you as she pulled her head away from you. "And you better remember that."

You nodded at her. "That is something that I will never forget, Mom."

Your mom nodded back at you with her eyes closed her chest puffed out a bit. "You shouldn't praise your Mother like that, Static. I will never hear the end of it by her or her friends. They will all be telling me that she is the boss around the house." your father said, smirking your way.

You chuckled while raising an eyebrow at him. "Oh? I always thought that Mom was already the boss at home. And that you were just her assistant."

Your dad chuckled and rolled his eyes at you. "Well, that is close enough. When your mare tells you to do something, you better do it," he said, as he ruffled your mane lightly. "You better heed that advice from your Dad, son. You can ask your Mom if I'm right." he said as he looked past you, towards your mother.

Your mom raised her head up with closed eyes and puffed out her chest, wearing a giant smile. Glancing over to her as well, you chuckled at your mother's pose. "That is all I need to know, that you're right Dad."

Your dad looked to you and your mom. "Let us be underway then. I think you'll be late for your first day, Static. And I'm already late for work anyway, so I will come along to 'High Altitude', okay?" he said with a little teasing in his voice.

You gulped lightly at hearing that your dad will be going with you to your school. The last time he went along with you, that was last year during Autumn, it took only ten seconds for him to point out mares he thought to be a good match for you. Which if your remember correctly, was half of all the mares in school. He even tried to get you into talking with a mare that time, to let you two get too know 'each other'. After that, you never wanted him to get near the school again. Not that your mom was that much different, but at least she only talked to you about mares. And was not trying to get you to talk with them, except for Rainbow Dash. Which was odd now that you thought about it.

Sighing, you agreed with your dad, "Fine. You can come along then, as long as you aren't going to try to pair me with every mare in school!"

Your dad put his right hoof to his chest, his face turning into an expression of hurt. "But, son. I would 'never' do that to you. Besides, why would I try to match you with a mare, when you obviously have found one already," your dad said, his face turning into a smirk.

Your cheeks became a little warm again as your father finished. Groaning, you spread your still ruffled wings wide and shot into the air, leaving your parents behind in a small cloud of dust. 

Your mother turned to your dad with an unamused look. "Do you really need to tease him like that every time?"

Your dad glanced back to her with a grin. "Oh, honey. As if your talking about him being a father figure is helping him. And you're the one that is imagining him marrying with every mare that he seems to like even a bit. As well as hoping that he will get foals on his own, so that you can spoil them and become the best grandmother there ever was."

Your mother chuckled back at him. She glanced up to you as you were now sitting on a cloud above the edge of Ponyville, her eyes half closing with a small twinkle in her eyes. "That is true." Your mom lowered her head a bit, a tear falling down her cheek. "It is just... he grows up so fast. This year he is going to be graduating from High Altitude. After that, he will probably move out, seeking his own future, his own way, his own home. I don't know if I'm ready to face that, maybe I will never be able to face it."

Your dad nuzzled your mom as he came standing next to her, a warm smile on his face. His eyes closed half way as he carefully laid his wing over your mother's back. "Don't worry. He may be almost fully grown up, but he will always be our son. Our little colt that we brought into Equestria, the little colt that we helped learning to walk, fly, eat, play, love, enjoy life. And soon, we will learn him to find his own way. Largely he will have to do that himself. But we will help him in any way we can. Until he really leaves us, and will only visit us to see his sisters. Or to have one of your specially made sandwiches were he always get's a water muzzle from."

Your mom chuckled as she looked back at your dad, a loving smile on her muzzle. She leant into your dad's side, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, dear."

Your parents nuzzled each other affectionately before braking and spreading their wings. They both walked a bit before taking into the sky, making their way over to you as you were sitting on the cloud.



You were idly sitting on the cloud, just enjoying the bit of silence while it lasted as your parents were talking on the ground. You closed your eyes as the air brushed over and through you, making you feel free. Hearing wings beating behind you, you opened your eyes and glanced over your shoulder, noticing your parents flying towards you. Blinking, you could swear that you saw that your mom had a tear going down her cheek. You shrugged it off, "Mom? crying? Naahh, she never cries, unless it is something serious. Must be from a bit of dust or something that came into her eye."


Your parents stopped flying and hovered in front of you. You smiled at them, which they returned. "High Altitude?" you asked them with an eyebrow raised. 

Your mom and dad turned their muzzles towards each other for a few seconds, before turning to you and nodding at the same time. "High Altitude."

Nodding back to them, you stood up and jumped off of the cloud before spreading your own wings. You flew towards Cloudsdale as your parents came flying next to you on either side, somewhat closer than usual, but you didn't mind. "Say, Static. What happened with Rainbow Dash? She zipped away before we could say her goodbye," your dad asked from your right.

You chuckled as you looked to your dad, as small grin on your face. "Let's say that she went to visit the mare that 'advised' me, to tease her like I did. I wonder how it will be going between those two," you said as you brushed your chin with your right hoof.

Your father smirked at you. "Well, if both mares know what their 'friends' teasing spot is, maybe they will... you know," he said winking at you.

You rolled your eyes and tried to avoid thinking to much about what 'could' be happening between them right now. Glancing back over to your dad, you saw him still smirking at you. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?" You shot your muzzle forwards again, trying to hide the light blush that was creeping onto your cheeks. 

Looking forwards, you saw that the familiar cloudy city came into view. You perked up at seeing the best city in Equestria, still floating proudly over the grassy plains below it, small waterfall-like streams falling down at a few edges of the seeming endless cloud. Upon entering the Cloudsdale's city edges, you and your parents flew towards the giant Cloudsdale Colosseum, which was as good as the city center. Flying over the marvel of Pegasi architecture, your mom pointed towards it. "Sweetie, remember that there is a Wonderbolts show coming again near the begin of winter as a closing for this year. If you want to see them, it is best that you order tickets as soon as you can. You know that those tickets are going away like feathers form a aging pegasus."

"You mean like the feathers of grandpa?" you said chuckling towards your mother. 

Your mom chuckled as well before looking to you. "Almost, but your grandfather is losing his feather's slightly faster."

You and your mother laughed both at the little mocking of the old timer. Your mom sighed after the laughter died down, looking ahead into nothing particular. "We should visit him soon," she said, her voice becoming a little scratchier.

Your eyes softened. "Yeah, we should. I think grandma would like it as well. We don't go to see her that much either."

Your mom nodded while her left hoof brushed her left eye softly, she sniffed before responding, "We can visit them around Autumn. I believe you have vacation from school then, right?"

You brushed your chin in thought. "I honestly don't know. I'll need to look on my school schedule for that, but I think I have indeed vacation around that time." Your mom gave a slow nod towards you before turning her muzzle forward again.

"It is indeed sometime ago we visited them. I believe that I need to put on my tux again then. I need to make a good impression every time I see your parents, or they will scold me for not being the best I can be for their daughter," your dad said as he was smiling to your mother. 

Your mom chuckled softly as she glanced his way. "For my Dad, that would be the best. For my mother, you'll need to do your hair backwards. Like she always wanted you to have," your mom said quietly.

You flew a bit up, letting your dad glide towards your mom as you hovered to your dad's spot in the air. Your dad brushed your mother's cheek gently. "I will comb it backwards when we go visit them, okay?" he said softly as he tenderly brushed your mother's cheek. Your mom leaned her head slightly into the affectionate touch of your dad.

"I would appreciate that, dear," your mom said calmly.

They gave each other a nuzzle before fully turning their attention forwards again. You smiled as you saw the never ending understanding between your parents. Even if they are the opposite from each other, they would never do anything without considering the feeling of the other or before asking the other's opinion on anything. It was always warming to see that your family stayed ever strong like this.

Noticing a flag not far away from you, you glanced fully towards it. You saw the flag off your school standing proudly on top of the main entrance building. The flag itself was a shade darker blue than the sky was, two spread out wings with a golden Halo above them was displayed on the flag as it waved in the wind. "Looks like we're there," your dad said as you three approached the building.

"Indeed, High Altitude," you said as you watched the flag waver through the sky.

Glancing in front of the large school, you noticed varied colors of Pegasi from around your age walking or flying around. In font of the school entrance was a big water fountain, made from grey rain clouds. Next to the fountain, were a mare and a stallion idly talking. You grinned as you saw the two pegasi. 

Gliding down towards the fountain, you silently touched down onto the cloudy ground with your parents stopping somewhere behind you. Walking slowly behind the stallion, your face turned into a smirk.

"Well, Well. Look who survived summer and hasn't been hospitalized or putted into a institution yet," you said smirking to the stallion.

The stallion's ears perked your way and without looking to you, he chuckled before responding with a smart-flank voice, "Who says that I haven't been institutionalized all along? And that this is just my mind tricking me into believing that I'm still going to school?"
> Ch. 8 Great start of the new year.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stallion turned around to face you, his eyes were ember colored, his mane and tail were a slightly darker color than his eyes, his coat was a light tint of brown and his cutie mark was of a cloud with a brown tornado on it. You grinned as the stallion fully faced you. "Still as stupid as ever. It is good to see you again, Dust."

The stallion chuckled as he extended his right hoof and you extended yours. Interlocking the two hooves, you both pulled on it and wrapped your free front leg around the other's neck. "It is good to see you too, Static. I haven't seen you throughout summer because I was on vacation. I should have probably told you that before I left, though," Dust said as you two released each other.

You made your face look like you were truly hurt by the sudden absence of your friend, brining a hoof up to your chest. "You almost broke my heart, Dust! I went to your house with a bouquet of flowers in one hoof and chocolate in the other! I finally got the courage to ask you to be my coltfriend, but when you didn't open the door after I read my poem for you... I was deeply hurt!" you finished with letting out a fake tear.

Dust cringed his face into one of mild surprise. "Dude, I know you love me. But that goes a little bit fast, I don't think I'm ready for such a commitment to you." He took your left hoof in both of his, and locked eyes with you. "But, for you, Static. I'm willing to make that change," Dust said as he inched closer to your muzzle, his lips pouting out to meet yours.

Your eyes widened at the sudden advance of your best friend, feeling creeped out by him, you leapt a little back, freeing your hoof from his. "WOW! Dust, calm your hormones, dude. Did you inform your fillyfriend that you wanted to start a herd with her and me?" 

Dust looked saddened and surprised by your retreat, before shrugging. "Nah, I broke up with Daisies this summer. She became really too clingy for my taste, she always wanted to be with me. And I really mean, ALWAYS. The mare wouldn't give me space to breath, so I ended it."

You glanced at him with surprise. "Dude, why are you so picky on the mares? you have had like, what, three fillyfriends last school year?"

Dust shrugged before locking eyes with you again. "That is because I haven't found the 'one' yet. But when I gaze into your eyes now, after being so long away from you, I realize that you are the 'one' for me," Dust said as he slowly made his way closer to you again.

Your face cringed in mild disgust towards him. "DUDE! enough with bromance already, sheeze. What the hay did you do in summer vacation anyway? Not enough mares for you or something?"

Dust wasn't fazed by your look, and continued to inch closer to you while you slowly backed away from him. "There are a lot of mares, you know that. But there is only one 'you', Static."

Dust was brought out of his advancing by a harsh 'wack' to the back of his head. He groaned lightly while he stopped in place and sat down on his haunches. Rubbing the hurt spot on the back of his head, he craned his head to his right, where a bit smaller pegasus mare than Dust was standing, retracting her hoof as she glared at Dust.

Dust chuckled at the mare next to him. "Where the hay was that for, sis?" Dust groaned lightly as he still rubbed the back of his head.

You glanced over to the mare next to him, she had the same eyes as Dust, as well as the same mane color, only her mane and tail had streaks of a lighter color going trough them, her coat was a mint green. You smirked at the mare, bowing a little in gratitude towards the mare before saying, "Thanks, you always know when to jab sense into him, don't you, Lightning?"

The mare put her hoof down before turing her muzzle to face you. Her eyes and ears perked up when she looked towards you, her muzzle turning into a smirk. "You bet I know that! Who else than his big sister to wack him back to his senses?"

You chuckled at her as you raised your head again. You raised your right hoof up in the air and made circular motions with it. "Hurrah, for the all powerful sister, Lightning Dust," you finished with making fake cheers sounds.

Lightning narrowed her eyes at you, her muzzle still carrying the smirk. "You should be grateful, Static. If it wasn't for me, you could be getting caressed by Dust right about now, and have a nice 'colt on colt' session here in front of the school."

You cringed at the smirking mare, quite disturbed by the picture that appeared in your head. "Jeez, Lightning. I didn't know that you were into that kind off stuff, especially when your brother is involved."

Lightning looked confused as she raised an eyebrow at you before realization hit her and she cringed as well. Dust Cloud decided to join into the conversation, he stood up and glanced towards his sister. "I know you, sis. You aren't into that stuff, but you are into Static..." he said as he raised an eyebrow with a smirk and pushed her lightly with his right hoof.

Lightning's eyes went wide as a light blush crept unto her muzzle. Your eyes widened as well as you looked towards Lightning who was now fidgeting on her hooves and looking away from you and Dust. "Y-you have a crush on me, Lightning?!" you said in surprise.

Lightning still refused to look at you. She stammered a bit as she rubbed her right hoof with her left, "Well, m-maybe a little..."

You stared at her with your mouth half open. Dust began laughing loudly at you and Lightning, struggling to breath as he laid down onto the clouds. And, as always, your parents came joining the conversation at the right moment. "Oh? I did't know you liked my son, Lightning Dust. If you really like him, you should work for it now, though, since he has a crush on an another mare," your mom chirped in from your left.

Lightning Dust instantly glanced your way with wide eyes. "H-he has?!" 

Your mom and dad both gave a nod to Lightning. You groaned as you smacked your forehead with your right hoof. "Mom, Dad, for the last time. I don't have a crush on Rainbow Dash!" you groaned out towards your parents as they smiled at you.

"WHAT!? you have a crush on Rainbow Dash?!" Lightning screamed out.

You and your parents were taken back by the sudden outburst. Lightning Dust was now glaring at you, her wings spread out and her teeth were showing as she gritted them. You quickly shook your head. "N-no! I don't have a crush on her!"

Your dad coughed while saying, "Cough.. yes, you do..cough.."

You half closed your eyes in an unamused look as you glanced over towards him. Your father smiled innocently at you. "And that is the reason why I never want you around my school."

A bell chimed trough the air, signaling that the students had ten minutes to wrap up everything they were doing and get to their classes. "Saved by the bell..." you thought to yourself as everypony glanced towards the school. Dust crawled back onto his hooves again, glancing to you, he took a look of annoyance on his muzzle. "Static. You know what our first lesson is, right?" he said with his voice pitched lower, matching a pony who was desperate.

There was only one thing in Equestria, were he would take on that voice. Your ears dropped to the side of your head as your eyes widened. "Please, you don't mean what I think you mean..."

Dust slowly nodded his head. "I'm afraid so." He gulped loudly before he spoke the worst thing that could ever be said between you two, "Math."

You swung your hooves up into the air, while screaming in agony, "NNNNOOOOOO!!" 

Your dad chuckled at you. "Don't be like that, Static. Math is a very important subject. Besides, last year you did pretty good."

You huffed at your dad. "Dad, I finished last year with just enough to make it."

Your dad grinned at you. "That is good enough for me. As long as you make it, you're pretty good at it."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Dad," you said, rolling your eyes.

"Anytime, son," he said as he ruffled your mane.

You slapped the hoof of your dad away with your own, groaning as he faked a face of hurt as he brushed his swatted hoof. Ignoring the drama queen next to you, you turned your muzzle to face Dust and Lightning as they watched you and your dad perform.

"What?" you asked as you raised an eyebrow at the two.

"Dude, your father said that you're good at... 'math'."  Dust almost whispered the last part, as if afraid that some upper being would punish him for outing the Tartarus subject. 

"I'm not that good at it, I barely survived last year."

"Still, you are better than me. Can I copy your work? PPLLEEAAASSSEEEE?" Dust pleaded as he bowed before your hooves while swaying his body up and down on his knees.

You gave Lightning an unamused look and pointed with your left hoof towards the idiot in front of you. Lightning grinned at you and nodded, she got beside her brother and raised her hoof up. She brought her hoof down at the same time as Dust tilled his head up again.

WACK

Dust's head slammed down into the clouds, burying his face in it. You shuddered, as you were certain that you heard something crack when Lightning slammed the backside of her brother's head. 

With his face still buried in the clouds, Dust trowed his left foreleg lazily from the ground up into the air, his words muzzled by the clouds, "Fhanks, sjis. I eeded ath."

You raised an eyebrow at the face-buried stallion in front of you. "Dust, didn't that hurt? from my point of view, Lightning should have wacked your head off of you."

Dust shrugged. "Nah, only a bit. Lightning has jabbed my head so many times that my skull is used to it, and I'm pretty sure my brain is missing a few parts back there..." Dust said as he crawled straight up onto his hooves again and rubbed the back of his head.

"Are you foals done? we need to get to class before Miss Pi is going to saddle us up with a wagon load of homework!" Lightning complained.

You and Dust both groaned at the same time. "Do we really have Miss Pi, again? sheez. We have had her every year so far. And every year she hate's our flanks more," Dust yammered.

You nodded at him. "She likes everypony, except us. I bet that if she could, she would cut our tails off and use it to explain under which angle it is cut the best."

Your friend nodded is head rapidly. Miss Pi, your math teacher for the past three years on High Altitude, is a pony who praises hard working ponies. And really dislikes you and Dust, because you two are almost the complete opposite of those. So for that past few years, she held a grudge against you and Dust, and was every year surprised that you two, somehow, succeeded in getting a high enough score in math to actually go to the next year.

"Sweetie, I think it is better if you go to class," your mom told you softly.

You glanced to your left to your mother as she looked to you. You smiled at her and nodded with, "Okay, Mom. I think that would be the best right about now."

Your mom nodded at you, she leant towards you and gave you a soft kiss on the forehead, and a light nuzzle on the cheek which you returned.

"I'll be waiting here again when you're done with school, okay?" your mom said as she craned her neck away from you.

You nodded once more at her to which she smiled. Your dad ruffled your mane again, making it a mess as a few strains of your mane dropped over your left eye. "Go to work, Dad," you said as you blew the strains out of your face.

Your dad grinned. "I love you too, Static."

Your dad walked around you, towards your mother and kissed her passionately on the lips. You made a gagging noise, putting a hoof to your mouth and faking to throw-up.

Your parents broke their kiss. "Hun, I'm going to work, I'll see you around five," he said as he gave your mother another peck on the lips. Your mother nodded at him with a loving smile, your dad jumped into the air and flew off towards the Cloudale's Weather Station.

As your dad flew off in the distance, your mom turned her muzzle to you and chuckled. "Don't be such a foal, Static. This year you'll taste love yourself. And you will like it."

"Oh, yeah? and how do you know that?" you said as your raised an eyebrow at her.

Your mom smirked at you. "Rainbow Dash? Lightning Dust?"

You gulped loudly to which your mom chuckled again. "Anyhoof, I'll see you in the afternoon, sweetie," your mom said as she nuzzled your cheek again. "And it was nice seeing you as well, Dust Cloud," she said as she turned her muzzle to the stallion that was now on his haunches, writing in a notebook.

"It was nice seeing you too, Miss Spark."

Your mom shook her head, letting out a small sigh, muttering, "Foals," before spreading her wings and taking off into the sky. You watched your mother fly away, waving at her as she disappeared over the cloudy buildings. 

You turned your head over to Dust with your eyebrows raised at him in question. "Dust? what the hay are you doing?"

"I'm taking notes," Dust said without looking up from his notebook.

""Taking notes? you? on what?"

"On what happened here in the last few minutes, between you and your parents."

"For Luna's sake, why?"

"So I can annoy you with this in the future, you never know when a perfect opportunity arises to agitate you with this."

You facehooved, groaning as you watched Dust continuing to take notes. You looked around, noting to yourself that nopony was around anymore, even Lightning was gone. "Dust... I think we should go befo...." you were interrupted as the bell chimed again.

You and Dust both shot your muzzle up towards the school. Looking back towards each other, you both mouthed at the same time, "We are so bucked."

Dust slammed the notebook back in his saddlebag as you spread your wings and pulled on his tail as you launched towards the entrance. Dust yelped in surprise as you hauled him after you, his face scraping over the cloudy floor, leaving a small trench in it. You zipped over the two stair steps in front of the entrance, Dust's face bouncing up the steps with soft 'skipping noises' as you raced into the school. Stopping in the main lobby of the school, you looked about, trying to find where the classroom was to be found. "DUST! which class room?!" you asked your friend as he was trying to stand up again.

"F3C!" Dust yelled at you.

"F3C?! BUCK! That is on the third floor!" you cursed.

"I Know! just go!" Dust encouraged you.

Spreading your wings again, you grabbed the tail of Dust, who looked back to his tail before sighing as his head got slammed back into the cloud floor. You launched from the floor again, pulling Dust behind you as you ascended the main lobby staircase. Unfortunately for Dust, the staircase had more than twenty steps. As you dragged him onwards behind you, Dust's head bounced against every single step that you past by, with every step, you heard him groaning, "Ou...ou...ou...ou....ou...ou."

"Sorry, Dust!" you yelled over your shoulder as you reached the second floor.

Dust groaned into the floor, "Its okay, dude. You're the fastest of us, and not only with flying..."

You narrowed your eyes at him as you hovered on the first floor. "Oh, wait. We need to go up another set of stairs," you said smirking at him.

Dust sighed loudly into the floor, not bothering to raise his head up, "I hope you sprain a wing, Static."

"If I haul your fat flank behind me all day, I will sprain both of my wings."

"And maybe get some muscle when your at it." Dust retorted.

"Says the one that can eat ten muffins in thirty minutes, and still be hungry."

"Just get us to class already. We can discuss our relationship there."

"Fair enough."

You aimed to your left where the second staircase was build, and shot towards it while smirking as you heard Dust's head bounce off of the steps, "Ou...ou...ou...ou....ou...ou..."

Reaching the top of the stairs, you made a sharp left turn into a hallway with multiple doors on each side. You scanned with your eyes past the doors, to the little signs that were hung next to the door, informing which class it was. "F3A, F3B, F3C, F3D. Ah ponyfeathers, flew past it," you groaned.

You angled yourself towards the left wall, extending one of your hoofs while holding Dust's tail in the other, you pushed yourself from the wall, making a jump for the wall on the other side. You did the same here, extending one hoof and pushing yourself off again, making an one-hundred and eighty degree turn in a hall not wider than four meters. As you turned, you heard Dust's face scraping over the floor as his face stayed in the same place but was rotating as his flank was turned around.

You stopped in front off the classroom door and released Dust's tail. Craning your head towards it, you put your ear onto the door. You tried to eavesdrop to what was being said on the other side. You heard that the teacher was busy at the moment with counting heads and doing an introduction round. Gulping, you slowly inched your right hoof over to the doorknob, opening it inwards with just a crack. Peering trough the crack in the door, you noticed that the teacher was turned towards the windows at the other side of the classroom, facing away from the door entirely.

"Okay, Dust. If we do this quietly, we can sneak in without being noti..AAHH!" you yelped as your whole body was pushed into the classroom from behind. The door slammed open as your face met the cloudy floor.

"Ah, Misters Static Spark and Dust Cloud. What a joy to see that you two finally made it."

Pulling your muzzle from the ground, you glanced up towards a middle aged pegasus mare with glasses. Her mane was pulled into a small bun behind her head. Her coat was a light shade of red. Her mane and tail were a light shade of violet, she wore a brown suit with a small name tag on it, displaying; Miss, Pi.

You chuckled awkwardly as you scrambled back onto your hooves, "Hehe, hey, Miss Pi. I hope you have had a good summer?" you said, raising an eyebrow and putting on your best fake smile on your muzzle.

"Take a seat," Miss Pi said with a professional tone.

Sighing, you looked around the classroom. The classrooms were all similar build, There were three by three rows school benches were three ponies could sit next to each other. You spotted Lightning sitting in the middle of the bench at the window side, paired by two other mares that were sitting beside her. You noticed that behind her, the last bench was completely empty. You trotted over to the bench with Dust trailing behind you, glancing over your shoulder as you walked down the path between the middle row and the window row, you noticed that Miss Pi was facing towards the school board and was struggling with a few wires that were next to the board.

Turning your muzzle to the front again, you reached the desk at the back row of the window side, you slide out the chair with a hoof and sat your saddlebags down on the cloud floor, next to your chair. You glanced over your shoulder as Dust took the seat next to you, noticing that he had simply dropped his saddlebags against the wall behind you. "You realize that we need those books in your saddlebag, right?" you asked with a raised eyebrow at him.

Dust crossed his hooves as he laid them on the desk and buried his muzzle in his forelegs. "Wake me when we need them, then I will take them out of their wrappings."

"...I really can't blame you on that one. Mine are still wrapped, too," you said while shrugging.

"Mister, Static. Please sit down," came the voice of Miss Pi in front of the class.

You glanced over to the front of the class, noticing that Miss Pi was tapping her right hoof on her desk while looking at you with slightly narrowed eyes. You smiled innocently and sat down on your chair. "Ouch..." you groaned to yourself. As you sat down, your tail was directly underneath your flank, hurting it as you sat down on it. "Sometimes I forget I have a tail.." You stood up slightly from your chair and swung your tail through the opening in the back of the chair.

Finally sitting down, you directed your attention, from what you could manage, towards the teacher in the front who seemed happy that everypony was here at last.

"Alright, class. First, let me congratulate everypony on succeeding the previous school year, and making it to the last year. But just because it is the last year you're here, doesn't mean that you can all sit on your flanks doing nothing. All in all, this will be the most difficult year you'll have on this school, so I expect everypony's best throughout the year. And if you don't succeed, you can try it once over. After that... you'll have to find out for yourself," she finished with gazing towards you and Dust.

"Thanks for the ever so 'motivational' pep talk, Miss Pi, you're becoming better at it every year," Dust said without raising his head up from the desk.

You snickered inwardly as you saw the annoyed glare that Miss Pi was shooting your friend. The annoyed teacher sighed and shook her head, "It surprises me that of everypony I had in my classes, you and Static are almost the 'laziest' I have ever had. And still make it this far, I expected you two to fail the first year, and yet here you are, last year of school. And still as lazy as ever, even on the first day."

"Call it talent, Miss Pi," Dust groaned out again.

"Talent? in math?" Miss Pi asked with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"No, in laziness of course. Who the hay gets a talent in math? except for you Miss Pi," Dust mouthed, now pulling his head from his front legs and instead laying his chin on them.

"HEY! shut up Dust!" a voice from the middle row of benches yelled through the air. 

You and Dust glanced over to the middle row. On the first bench of the middle row in front of the class were two mares seated next to each other. 
The mare in the middle of the bench was scribbling in a note book, while the mare to her left was glaring at Dust. The glaring mare had a dark blue coat, her mane and tail had two yellow tinted streaks going true them. Her cutie mark was a light grey 'plus'.

"I apologize for my friend here, Digit. Dust has just found out that he is pregnant, that is why he is like this, you know, hormones and stuff," you said to the mare in front of the class. 

"Dust is pregnant? Congratulations Dust! who is the father?" Digit asked teasingly.

"Yeah, brother, tell us. I'm pretty sure that Mom and Dad would like to know as well. How long do you know it?" Lightning spoke while grinning from the bench in front of you.

Dust sat straight up before lazily sliding down his chair, his back now against the back of the chair. He rubbed his belly softly before speaking up, "Well, sis. I wanted to tell Mom and Dad when I found the courage to tell them. And I have found out this morning," he said as he looked with half lidded eyes down to his belly. "And to answer your question, Digit."

Dust Glanced over to you with half closed eyes. "Static is the father."

Your mouth fell open as the rest of the class began laughing at you and Dust, who was back to rubbing his puffed-out belly. You saw that even Miss Pi was laughing at you two. "Well, congratulations to the both of you, Static. I'm sure that these upcoming months will be exciting for you and your 'fiancé'. If your truly love each other, you will make it," Miss Pi said smirking from the front.

You groaned and smacked your forehead on the desk, trying to ignore the class as they were glancing over to you and the still belly rubbing Dust, that was apparently your 'fiancé'. "Don't you have something to teach us, Miss Pi?" you asked as your face was still slammed on the desk.

"In fact, I decided that we would begin this new year with a two hour 'documentation' on the life cycle of a Perrasprite," Miss Pi said as she unrolled a white screen that was rolled up above the board. Out of her desk drawer she grabbed a little grey remote and tapped the top button of it as she was aiming towards a projector that hang from the ceiling in the back of the class. The projector came to life as it aimed the film on the unrolled screen in front of the class. On the screen appeared in big black letters; Life of a Perasprite.

You and Dust groaned a little as you both turned to face each other. "Better than math?" Dust asked you.

"Better than math."
> Ch. 9 Class as usual?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Tap-Tap*

"ZZzzzz...."

*Tap-Tap*

"Hhhhmmm... But Mom, I don't like hay mixed with grapes..."

*Tap-Tap*

"Static, somepony is knocking."

"Five more minutes, Mom."

"You lazy colt."

Your eyes shot open as you felt a sudden jolt of pain going trough your right back leg. While groaning, you brought your right hoof down to your thigh, massaging it on the hurt spot. With narrowed eyes you glared at Dust as he was laying on his table with his front legs crossed and his left cheek rested on them.

"Dust, what in the name of Celestia was that for?" you asked silently.

"There is somepony knocking on the window, and I'm not going to open it," Dust said lazily, without showing any sign of life.  

Confused, you glanced to your left out the window, noticing nothing, except that it was a nice looking day to be not inside the classroom. Not spotting anypony, you huffed and shrugged before twisting your muzzle around to Dust.

"There is nop..."

*Tap-Tap*

Raising an eyebrow, you turned back towards the window. You almost fell from your seat as a cyan mare with a rainbow mane was hovering in front of the glass.

"R-Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash was hovering in front of the window wearing a saddle bag, she waved at you before pointing to the window lock in front of you. Assuming that she probably wanted you to open up the window for her, being the nice gentle colt that you are, you smirked at the hovering mare and shook your head. Rainbow Dash looked confused before narrowing her eyes and showing her teeth. She pointed angrily at the tiny lock on the window that could be released with one hoof swing, you simply stuck your tongue out at her.

"Static, if you're not going to open the window, I will..."

You brought your left hoof slowly to the lock, Rainbow Dash perked up as she saw your hoof going for the lock. But she narrowed her eyes unamused as you lazily swept your hoof passed the lock and moved it up to your muzzle, yawning into it before crossing your hooves in front of your chest. Rainbow Dash began tapping the glass again, this time rather hard. You heard Dust groaning next to you. "Static, I swear to Celestia, if you are not going to let that pony in, I will throw you through that window myself."

Glancing to Dust, you chuckled lightly, "You? Throw me out of the window? You're too lazy to even lift your muzzle off of the table, let alone get into moving to throw me out of the window."

"Thats true. But in all seriousness, open up that window. We will need the fresh air as well, this classroom is just filled with dust."

"What a surprise that the room is filled with 'you', isn't it?"

"At least I can fill something big, the only thing you will ever fill are the tissues under your bed."

"Buck you, Dust."

"Buck your tissues. Now open the window already, before I will tell your parents about your 'Playcolt' stash in the second drawer of your nightstand, behind the Daring Do series."

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Try me, Static. Try me."

"Last time I tried you, you ended up pregnant. So, no."

"That's a good colt, now open the window for Celestia's sake."

"Fine. Everypony needs the fresh air with you in the class."

With slightly narrowed eyes you turned your muzzle towards the lock of the window. You were surprised to see that Rainbow Dash was not in front of the glass anymore. Confused, you extended your right hoof and silently moved the pin of the lock out of its place. With both hooves you pushed the window up until it was all the way open. Leaning from your chair, you poked your head out of the window. Glancing around for Rainbow Dash, you noticed that she was not in the air anymore. You scratched your mane in slight confusion to where Rainbow Dash had shot off to. That is until a set of voices came from a few floors down, the school courtyard to be precise, the very place where you were glancing over for the cyan mare. You ears twitched into the direction of the voices, you followed the sound to an arched entrance at the bottom floor of the school.

You gulped as you noticed that Rainbow Dash was in an argument with a rather impressive looking pony, The Rector. 

"Miss Rainbow Dash, this is unacceptable. You've been late for your first day of the year, again. I've let you go before, but today, you're going to stay past school time."

"But Mr. Slate! I can explain! I Was bringing my sister to school and after that I was helping a friend of mine at her farm. When I realized how late it was getting, I flew this way as fast as I could! But, halfway, I forgot that I didn't have my saddlebags with me, so I needed to fly all the way back to get them, and then fly back here!"

"Yeah, yeah. All bits of a story that conclude in you getting late. I'm getting tired of these actions Miss Rainbow Dash. We're going to the Headmistress, at lunch time. And I can assure you, that she will agree with me this time. You've gone free out, far to many times. It is time that you learn some responsibility and discipline."

"We don't have to go the the Headmistress! I will be more responsible, I promise!"

"I'm afraid that the days of pleading and puppy eyes are over Miss Rainbow Dash. I am informed that you already had a talk with her this summer about this issue, you should have thought of that before coming late again. Now, no more arguing. I will escort you to your class, and then at lunch time I will pick you up from your class and will bring you to the Headmistress."

The Rector turned around and walked into the open archway into the school. Rainbow Dash hung her head low with her ears drooped to the side. She swung her head your way, staring daggers at you. You gulped loudly, pretty sure that you just singned your own death contract. Rainbow Dash kept glaring at you until her ears perked up and growled as she spun her head around to the archway where Mr. Slate was probably calling her from. As Rainbow Dash entered the school, you hung your head slightly out of the window with your ears a bit down. "If I knew she would get that much in trouble with it, I would not hesitate to open up the window... I hope she doesn't really hate me for this."

"Where is the pony that was tapping on the window, bro?" Dust asked you from his seat.

You sighed lightly as you brought your head back inside and took your seat again. Crossing your front legs, you placed them down onto the desk and buried your muzzle in them. "I think I've just given the pony a free detention ticket. And to top it off, an one way ticket to the Headmistress, during lunch time no less."

Dust hissed lightly, like something was burning. "Damn, mate. If that colt needs to go the the Headmistress, he must have done something horrible. The last pony that went to the Headmistress was me, and that was because I managed to put the cafeteria on fire and burnt down half of it in the process. And that wants to say something, seeing that almost everything is made of clouds..."

You snickered lightly at the memory of the school alarm bell going off because of Dust. "That was two years ago, Dust. And you still haven't told me how you managed to do that."

"Truth be told, I don't know either. I was trying to make noodles that I took with me from home. How the place went up in flames? I don't have a feathery clue. I blame magic for that"

"You blame everything on magic, Dust."

"And why shouldn't I? It is the only reason the cafeteria could be set on fire, while it is made of clouds, which, we both know, are pretty much consisting completely out of water."

You slowly raised your head up from your front legs and glanced to your right. You snickered lightly as you noticed that Dust was bored out of his mind, which was obvious do to the poor pencil that was being chewed slowly between his teeth. Dust had his chin on his left front leg, while his right hoof was moving the pencil from left to right and back every time he bit down on the poor thing. Leaving the pencil to his torture, you took a second to look around the classroom. Noting that half the class was asleep while the film was still playing, in a very... slow... paced... exposition.
Lightning Dust was still in front of you, talking with the mare that was to her left, and right in front of you. The mare to Lightning's right was leaning into the conversation over Lightning's shoulder, giggling to what ever they where gossiping about.

Moving your attention away from the three maresketeers, you risked to take a peek at the clock, noting that you still had about one-hour and thirty-minutes left until the end of the film, and of math class."WHAT. I have only napped for thirty-minutes!? When I nap on clouds in the morning, I wake up again in the evening. Thank you, Luna. For slowing down the time when you nap at school..."

"Thou art most welcome, dear subject."

Your eyes went wide as you heard the soft voice of Princess Luna in your head. You looked around the class rapidly, trying to get a glimpse of the princess. Not spotting her after darting your eyes around for a while, you calmed down and slipped the edgy feeling from your mind. "Pleasssse let that be my imagination..." you said quietly to yourself.

There came two soft knocks from the classroom door. Miss Pi, who sat on a chair at the window side in front of the class, looked up from her book that she was reading. She stood up from her chair and closed the book. Walking over the to the door and past her desk, where she lay her book down onto as she went past it and made her way over to the door.

Right now, most students, including you and Dust, were watching Miss Pi as she made her way towards the door. You gulped lightly, slight fear creeping over your back as you got the bad feeling about who would be coming through that door. As if on cue, Miss Pi opened the door and stepped to the side as nopony else, than Mr. Slate himself came walking into the classroom, with a cyan, rainbow maned mare behind him.

"My apologies for interrupting, Miss Pi. But I found a filly who could not find her way to class."

You noticed that Rainbow Dash growled as her teeth were showing behind Mr. Slate, and her wings twitched as the Rector made his remark.
Miss Pi glanced unfazed to Rainbow Dash behind him, looking her over before turning her gaze back towards Mr. Slate. "I see. Next year we should include a map of the school with the year-planning, so that these things don't happen again."

"I agree, Miss Pi. I will put the idea on the NESC for the upcoming year." Mr. Slate said with a small grin. "I will leave this one to you for now, Miss Pi. I'll collect her five minutes before lunch break starts."

Miss Pi nodded in understanding. The Rector nodded once and took his leave, closing the door with as soft *thud* behind him as he left the classroom. "Well, you would be Miss Rainbow Dash I presume?" Miss Pi questioned the cyan mare.

Rainbow Dash growled at the teacher. Some ponies in the class snickered slightly a the formal name pun, to which Rainbow Dash growled in their general direction. Her eyes darted across your classmates while narrowed, that was, until her eyes found yours, to which she narrowed her eyes even more.

Miss Pi waved a hoof in front of Rainbow Dash, and guided her view away from the class and towards her instead. The teacher and Rainbow Dash began conversing privately in front of the class, probably not able to be heard by the front row, as it seemed that they were whispering.

Dust gave a small jab to your shoulder to get your attention. Sighing, you turned your attention the the brown stallion next to you. "What, Dust?"

"Dude, you're lucky that the Rector did not bring the stallion in that you got into trouble."

"Hehe, yeah, well, about that..." you said as you scratched the back of your neck lightly.

"What abou... No way. Is SHE the one you got into trouble?"

You nodded at Dust, who took a look of disbelief on his muzzle. Dust glanced over to Rainbow Dash, and then back to you. "Mate, she is hot! Why wouldn't you open the window for her!?"

You fiddled with your hooves while darting your eyes from Dust to Rainbow Dash and back. "Uhm, well, I..." you began, but was interrupted as Dust's face got very close to yours and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at you. You craned your head back from him as he searched your face with his eyes. "Uhm, Dust? Uncomfortable over here..." you said, now almost falling off of your chair as you kept craning your head away from Dust and he just moved closer.

Dust moved his head back and began to smirk at you. "Tsk, tsk. Static, I should have noticed right away what's going on. You are never one for teasing mares on purpose. Unless, I start and drag you with me into teasing them. The only other filly you've ever teased before on your own, that was, if I recall correctly, Blossom Feather. And that was back in Cloudsdale middle school! Every time you were around her you were always being extremely nice to her, offered to help her with almost everything, or you joked with her a lot. You even flew with her home more times than I care to count."

Dust crossed his forelegs in front of his chest while facing you with a smug smile on his face as he retold the last time you had a crush. You stared back at him with half-closed eyes and your eyebrows raised with an unamused look pasted on your muzzle. "Dust, that was over six years ago."

"So? It is the only other time that you acted on your own to tease, or for that matter, showing actual interest in mares, like what you're doing right now."

"Huh? How am I showing interest in her right now?"

"Static, the whole time I've been talking to you, your eyes dart over to that mare and back to me... You're not even paying attention to me are you..."

You looked back at Dust, not really registering what he said. "Huh, what?"

Dust sighed and dragged his hooves over his face slowly. "Forget it." Dust rested his hooves back onto his desk and glanced over towards Rainbow Dash with a raised eyebrow, "She does seem familiar to me in a way..."

You turned your muzzle to Dust with curiosity, "Familiar? How so?" you asked as your eyes also went over to the cyan mare who was finishing with talking to Miss Pi.

"It is something about how she keeps her mane, but I can't put my hoof on it."

"I don't see how that is..."

You were interrupted by a cough from in front of the class. As you darted your eyes over to the front of the classroom, you saw Miss Pi standing patiently, with a bored Rainbow Dash next to her, who's eyes were staring right back at you, slightly narrowed. Dust leant next to your ear and whispered, "Dude, I don't know how much trouble you got her in. But the way she is staring daggers at you, I am realllllly happy that I'm not you."

You leant slightly back to him, and whispered back, "Want to switch bodies, Dust?"

"Not even if you would promise me to buy me everyday muffins for the next ten years."

"If the two mares in the back are done planning their wedding, could you please pay attention."

You and Dust peered from your whispering over to the voice from the front of the classroom. You sat upright again, still noticing that Rainbow Dash was staring at you, with promise of vengeance. You lowered yourself a bit into your chair while Dust looked at you with a raised eyebrow, and then over to Rainbow Dash and back to you. "Mate, not to be heartless or something, but I think I will take the empty seat next to me."

Glancing over to Dust with curiosity, you asked, "Huh? Why are you going to..." 

"Mr. Static! Pay attention!" came firmly spoken from the front.

You snapped your head to the front again, to Miss Pi who looked with annoyance back at you. Dust came leaning over from his seat right next to you, and whispered, "To answer that question of yours, If you did not notice, the rest of the seats have been taken. And I'm not going to sit between you and that 'cyan fury' that is bound to come this way, so, good luck mate!" he patted your right shoulder lightly, and zipped away from his seat to the one at the end of the desk.

"Dust, sometimes I really hate your flank." 

"Love you too mate."

You growled lightly at your friend as he left you to your fate. Glancing to the two mares in front of the class, Miss Pi spoke up, "Mr. Static, since you're so fond of continuously interrupting, maybe you would like to join Miss Rainbow Dash in staying after school time, hmm?" You quickly shook your head, not wanting to be any longer here than you needed to, aside from that you also wanted to pick up your sisters from Ponyville this afternoon, you did not want to be alone in the same room with the cyan mare, who would probably do very un-marely things to you, you feared.

"Good. Now, without further ado, I want you all to meet, Miss Rainbow Dash, a mare that has joined us for the last year at a later time, because she forgot her saddlebags."

Rainbow Dash Looked irritated next to her to Miss Pi. "Okay, first off, stop calling me 'Miss', it sounds realllly sappy and boring. Second, I can introduce MYSELF. And last, I did NOT forget my saddlebags, it slipped my mind is all!"

"I'm sure it did, 'Rainbow Dash'. Now, please choose where you want to take a seat." Miss Pi said as she pointed her hoof into the classroom, ignoring the fuming cyan mare.

Rainbow Dash sighed and whipped her head around towards the the benches in front of her, searching with her eyes for an empty seat. You could see her growl as she found no other seat, than the empty spot next to you, where Dust was supposed to be. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and drooped her ears halfway to the side. She began to make her way over to your aisle, stopping next to the benches in front of you, where Lightning was looking over to Rainbow Dash. The cyan mare stopped for a second and gave a wave to Lightning, "Hey, Lightning. What's up?" who to the surprise of Rainbow Dash, silently growled. "What is it with you, Lightning? Still angry over what happened this summer?" Rainbow Dash asked with an annoyed look, to which Lightning simply huffed and further ignored her.

"That, that is not a good sign... especially for me..."

You silently followed Rainbow Dash as she made her way past Lightning's desk and stopped next to Dust, "Hey, can you take the seat next to you?" Rainbow Dash asked Dust, who was back to laying on his crossed front legs with his chin.

Dust yawned,"... Sorry Rainbow, I'm not moving. You will need to drag me if you want to sit here."

Rainbow Dash growled at Dust, who, just as you predicted, didn't move a single muscle. You glanced with pleading eyes to Dust, in the hopes that he would come back and sit next to you again. That is until Miss Pi interrupted the scene, "Miss Rainbow Dash, just take the seat next to Mr. Static."

Rainbow Dash glared to Miss Pi, "I told you, don't call me MISS!" Rainbow Dash fumed to the unfazed teacher.

"Just take the seat."

"GGrrrr... Fine..."

Rainbow Dash circled around Dust, but not before giving his right, dangling, back leg a kick with her own. You hissed lightly as you saw Dust's eyes bulge out and his teeth clanged together. You could relate to the feeling, only you've not yet felt the pain from her back kick, and by judging the look on Dust's face, you really didn't want to know.

Your pity for your friend was cut short when a bag was dropped on the floor next to you. Glancing upward from the bag on the floor, you found Rainbow Dash's, deep, magenta eyes starring back into yours. 

"Uhm... hehe. Hey, uhm, Rainbow Dash..."
> Ch. 10 Notes and a way to amend
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash stood in front of you, one eyebrow raised as she was looking confused at you as you kept staring into her eyes. She groaned in annoyance and broke eye contact with you, taking the seat directly to your right. As Rainbow Dash sat down, you gathered your senses, and shook your head lightly from side to side. You straightened yourself on your chair and turned your muzzle to the front of the class, only to be greeted by a white small ball as it hit the tip of your nose, and landed onto your desk. Looking around, you could not identify the pony that could have thrown it.

Glancing down to the little ball, you noticed directly that it was no ball, but a crushed white paper. You picked it up with both of your hooves, curious, you unfolded the piece of paper, which was empty. Confused, you turned the paper around, and found that a question was written on it.



Do you like Rainbow Dash? Y/N  
-S

  

You narrowed your eyes a bit at the question, knowing who the pony was that wrote it. You pulled your bag up and lay it onto your desk. Opening its flap, you began digging with your hooves through the still, in magical binders, unopened books, searching for a quill to write with. Not feeling one with your hooves, you dug with your muzzle into the bag, trying to look through the disaster that was the inside of your bag, it was something where the god of chaos would be proud of.

As you rummaged through your bag, you could hear a soft snickering coming from outside of the bag. Ignoring it, you dug a bit further with your muzzle, and found a worn out and damaged, but still usable, quill. Pulling yourself out of the bag, you dug in with your right hoof to the spot where you found the quill. Finding the point of the quill, you pulled it out and were greeted by an age old looking feather. Smiling to yourself, you brought the quill towards the crumbled paper, and scoffed at the feather as you began to write the first letter, and it broke in half.

Looking at the top half of the quill, it hung by the smallest bit onto the bottom part. Bringing you left hoof to the top half, you touched it very lightly, and sighed as the top part broke off completely and dwindled down to the cloudy floor next to your seat. Glancing down to the grounded feather, you heard soft snickering coming from next to you. Looking next to you, Rainbow Dash was sitting there with her chin on her crossed front legs which were laying on her desk. Her face not as much angry, she was not even looking at you, she looked bored. Although, not entirely at the same time.

"What are you looking at?"

You jumped slightly at the sudden voice. Glancing back to Rainbow Dash's face, you noticed her narrowed eyes looking you over.

"I asked you, what are you looking at?" she fumed again.

"N-nothing, Rainbow Dash," you said as you turned your muzzle away, and back to the paper in front of you.

Rainbow Dash murmured something through her teeth as she placed her chin back onto her front legs. You couldn't understand what she said, so you shrugged it off. Although, curiosity remained about what she probably would have said.

Focusing back at the question that was laying in front of you, you took the broken quill, and made a few, thick, circles around the 'N', before crumbling the paper back into a ball, and threw it to the mare in front of you.

The ball of paper hit the mare on the head, and fell onto the table. The mare in front of you gave you a small glare, to which you glared back at her with a smirk. Somehow though, that got a small chuckle out of Rainbow Dash next to you. Glancing next to you towards Rainbow Dash, you raised an eyebrow at her chuckle. She looked back to you and narrowed her eyes, "Stop looking at me," she said threateningly.

Complying, you turned your muzzle away from her again and back to the mare in front of you, who was writing on the paper, with Lightning glancing at it as well, while whispering into her friends ear. Not soon after the whispering began, Lightning glanced at you, and then immediately back to her desk.

"Why does this happen to me now..." you thought to yourself as the mare in front of you was done with scribbling down on the paper and threw it back to you. Catching this time in your hooves, you unfurled the paper and looked it over.



Why not?

Do you like Lightning? Y/N





You sighed as the next 2 questions were laying in front of you. Picking up your broken quill again, you answered the first question, by writing down your question.



Why not?
Why? Should I like her then?-__-




You snorted lightly as you wrote down the unamused smily on it to emphasize your interest on the subject. Going to the second question, you took a second to think about it. You've know Lightning almost as long as you have know Dust, she was a good friend of you, but nothing more than that, was she? You began to ponder how you would answer this one, if you wrote down the wrong thing, it might ruin your friendship, and it would probably hurt her deeply. Sighing to yourself, you decided on how to respond, bringing the quill down to the paper you began to write.



Do you like Lightning? Y/N
Come see me after school.



You gently crumbled the paper into a ball, and instead of trowing it to the mare in front of you, you threw the paper lightly to Lightning instead, the paper landing softly on her side of the desk. Lightning turned her muzzle towards you, locking eyes with her, you gave a nod to the paper that lay on her desk. She flattened the paper on her desk and glanced over it, she appeared to be staying on the last thing you wrote down for some time. The mares next to Lightning came looking over her shoulder to where she was staring at, and began whispering into Lightning's ear, with an occasional glance in your direction. 

You rolled your eyes at their behavior. The thoughts of how you will talk to Lightning about it lingering around in your head, making you question if you really didn't like Lightning in that way, until today, you've never really seen her differently than just a good friend.

Your attention was taken by the sudden feeling of something softly hitting you on your crossed front legs. Glancing down to the spot, you saw that the paper ball was back once more. Flatten it out again, you noticed that there was a response under what you had written. It looked to be a bit...odd, like it had been written with a shaky hoof.



Do you like Lightning? Y/N
Come see me after school.
Okay, where do you want to meet?



Thinking a bit, you thought it would be best to meet at the fountain in front of the school. Since your mom would come to pick you up to go towards Ponyville and get your sisters, it would probably be better if you could be visible when she would arrive so that you would not miss the opportunity to pick up Summer and Gloom from their first day. You smiled a bit at the thought that they would most probably have done something to steer up the class, or Cheerilee.

Coming back from the thought, you wrote down the answer and crumbled the paper back into a ball and threw it back again. Lightning looked back to you as the ball landed gently on her desk. She straightened the note on her desk and looked at what you had written down again. She glanced up from her paper and looked towards you, giving you a small nod before turning he muzzle forward again and the mares on her side began peeping on the paper.

Sighing at the moment that was about to come later today, you took a look out of the window, hoping to clear your head a bit. Glancing over Cloudsdale and into the sky where the blue air and fluffy clouds were greeting you with the sun shining high in the sky, your eyes began to close by themselves as your thoughts ran freely.



There was a knock on the door, rousing you from your short nap. You slowly opened your eyes, blinking a few times as your eyes felt heavier than ever. Your ear flicked as you heard muffled voices coming from the front of the class and the slight screeching of a chair next to you. Turning your muzzle to where Rainbow Dash was seated, you noticed her seat was empty and she was picking up her bag, an irritated expression her muzzle. 

Turning your head forward, you saw Mr. Slate standing next to the door, Miss Pi standing next to him, both looking to the mare that was slowly making her way to the front of the class with her ears drooped to the side of her head. As Rainbow Dash made her way down the aisle, she made one last eye contact with you, one of hostility. 

Your ears drooped down to the side of your head as you saw her expression, guilt building up inside that you had brought this upon her, while it could all have been avoided if you had just let her inside through the window. 

Rainbow Dash stood now in front of Mr. Slate, sharing a few words with each other before Rainbow Dash was shown out of the class room, Mr. slate following closely behind her as he shut the door behind them. Miss Pi simply shook her head as the door closed in front of her. She made her way to the screen which played the documentary, she turned the projector off with the small remote before burying it inside her desk drawer and rolling up the screen with the cord that was hanging on the side of it.

Miss Pi turned towards you and the rest of the class, "Alright class, seeing the circumstances, and the fact that this documentary seemed to be more of a Lullaby than anything else, I decide to end the class early, so you all can have a longer break. Don't think this will happen more, this is an one time event, so enjoy it while it lasts." 

As soon as she was finished talking, half of the class poured out of the room with the speed of the Wonderbolts with Dust dive bombing into the vacating herd, leading into a small traffic delay at the door. You were the last one to stand up from your seat. You picked up your broken quill from your desk with your left hoof as you slowly got off of your chair, putting it back in your saddle bag and closing the flap. Brining your saddle bag onto your back, your ruffled your wings a bit as it slide past them. Your ear flicked at the sound of hooves coming towards you, craning your head to the aisle, you noticed Miss Pi walking towards you, a somewhat questioning look spread over her muzzle.

She stopped in front of you, glancing at you for a few seconds before sighing and speaking up, "Mr. Static, please tell me what it is between you and Miss Rainbow Dash?" she questioned you.

"Uhm, what do you mean, Miss Pi? There is nothing between us," you answered.

"Mr. Static. Do you think I wouldn't notice her harsh glares? Or your, somewhat, fearful or quick reactions towards her?" she caught you a bit off guard by this. Her professional tone shifted down to a gentle, "I have been teaching for a few years. And trust me if I inform you that I've seen my fair share on what tension like this brings, and those never ended well. So, please tell me, Static. You've my word that I wouldn't tell this to anypony. Unless you want me to," Miss Pi softly smiled to you, something she did so rarely, it was a complete surprise to see her like this. 

Your mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to get a grip on the gentle approach of your teacher. Sighing, you broke eye contact with her and stared at your hooves, looking a way to explain the situation you were in.

You heard a chair move, looking up to the sound, you saw Miss Pi sitting on the chair that was on the other side of the aisle, she gestured with her hoof to the chair Dust sat before, "Take a seat, It'll help you collect your thoughts."

You gave her a nod and turned the chair to Miss Pi before sitting down. Surprisingly, it indeed helped a bit, easing the feeling of apprehension that came as you thought back at the looks Rainbow Dash gave you.

You opened your mouth again, hesitating a moment before beginning to explain what went between you and Rainbow Dash, "Well, Miss Pi..."

You were interrupted by the mare sitting in front of you, "Please, Static, if it helps you, you may call me Square," she said, smiling, while folding her glasses and putting them in the pocket of her suit.

You nodded, feeling comforted in the openheartedly approach of Square. "Well, uhm, Square." Miss Pi gave you a slow nod. "There is nothing special between me and Rainbow Dash... We actually met today." Square got an intrigued expression as you continued, "We didn't met really under the best of circumstances..." you letted out a small chuckle. "We did get along though. When the class was in session, she tapped the window next to me," you said as you turned your muzzle towards the window behind you, a transparent Rainbow Dash appearing there for a second before disappearing again as you thought back about it. "I don't know exactly why, but I didn't open the window for her. It seemed fine to me to tease her a bit like that," your ears drooped to the side of your head and you looked down to the cloudy floor.

"That was until I became distracted for a moment, when I turned back to open the window for her this time, she was gone. I glanced out of the window to see if I could find her, but Mr. Slate had called her down, they talked about her having already had a talk to the Headmistress this summer, and that she would get into real trouble this time. Since that moment, she has not spared a single look to me that was something other than annoyed or angry. If I knew... I would not have second thoughts to let her in... If I had, she wouldn't be in trouble right now," you planted your fore hooves gently against you forehead, silently cursing and hating yourself for letting this happen to Rainbow Dash.

A soft touch reached your shoulder. Removing your hooves and glancing to Square, you saw her soft, understanding look. "Don't blame yourself, Static. You couldn't have know it, teasing each other is something we all do. Although, teasing like that while you two only just met, tells me you see possibly more in her than you say." You wanted to say something back, telling her that was not true, but Square stopped you before you could even begin, "As I said, Static. I've been teaching for quite some time now. To you, I might look like a boring teacher who is as cold as ice," again you wanted to dismiss what she said, but just as before, she didn't stop, "And that is true, when giving class. But apart from helping with math, I also help ponies like you who might have it a bit difficult at the moment, you've never seen me like that, and that is what creates that image of that I am nothing else but a stern teacher. If you would have stayed a few times over the years, instead of zipping out of the door, like today. You would have seen that I have had some ponies that stayed longer, and had a talk with me about similar situations, and the not so similar ones."

"So, it may now not come as much of a surprise when I say, I know the looks certain ponies give one another when they show more interest in each other, and your looks, if I may be so blunt, are quite... obvious," Square gave a little chuckle as she finished.

"W-what do you mean with... obvious?" you asked uncertainly.

"Well, I guess Dust has already pointed this out to you, but when Miss Rainbow Dash entered the class and stood next to me as I introduced her to the rest of the class, even though you were talking to Dust, your eyes glanced towards her quite a few times. And I'm quite certain she stared at you as well, maybe for different reasons, but nonetheless, she was gazing at you."

You shifted a bit uncomfortable in your chair, a light warm feeling gracing your cheeks. "I-I-I..." you stammered, fiddling with your hooves while trying to find the words you wanted to say.

"Don't worry, Static," she said as she patted your left shoulder lightly a few times, "I won't tell anypony about this, you've my word," her right hoof moved to her chest where her heart was. "Now, I'm sure that if you explain it to Rainbow Dash, she will forgive you for this," Square said in certainty.

Your certainty only plumbed. Ex-explain her? Explain her what?! That I didn't open the window just to tease her?! That I got her into, I don't know how much, trouble, just because I like her?! Like she will ever forgive me when I say it to her like that... 

Your muzzle must have made signs that you were struggling with what Square said to you, since it didn't go unnoticed by her, "You think that it wouldn't help, do you?"

You said nothing, and gave a silent nod in return. Square pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin with her right hoof in thought, "Well, you could always try to to talk to the Headmistress, try to see if you can plead for Miss Rainbow Dash, and let her see it through the feathers this time."

You liked that option better than the first one in every way, except for the 'going to the Headmistress's' part. But if you had any chance of bailing Rainbow Dash out of the trouble, you would happily oblige.
> Ch. 11 Coming to the rescue.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You stood up from your chair, determination radiating off of you as your goal was clear, "Saving Rainbow Dash from the fearful 'Headmistress'". As you thought about it, it sounded more as a cliché romance novel...

Coming back out of your thoughts, you noticed Square looking up at you, smiling as she saw your lifted mood and determined look. "I see you have your goal cut out for you," she said with a nod. "I hope you'll succeed in your endeavor."

"I'll try my best," you said back with a smile of your own. "Thank you, Square."

Your teacher stood up as well, sliding her chair back under the desk she sat next to. She glanced at you, "Now, I believe you have something to do, Static. I usher you to make haste to the Headmistress's office, before she decides Rainbow Dash's verdict."

You nodded and turned sharply to your left, your saddle bag bumping against your sides as you trotted down the aisle and shot passed the desk of your teacher. 

"MR. STATIC!" You heard your name getting yelled from inside the class. You screeched to a halt at the classroom door and looked behind you, seeing that Square was standing near her desk with her glasses on.

"Y-yeah, Square?" you asked with slight worry.

Square narrowed her eyes slightly at you, "First off, 'NEVER' run in my classroom," she said in seriousness. "And second, it's Miss Pi," she said, giving you a small grin and a wink.

You smiled back at her once more, "My apologies, 'Miss Pi', and, thank you," you dipped your head a bit in gratitude. Miss Pi made a motion with her left hoof that you needed to get going, so you did that, turning your gaze away from Miss Pi, and towards the hallway you stood a hoofstep away from.

You jumped into the hallway and unfurled your wings to their maximum span, shooting off through the corridor and making way for the main lobby of the school. You shot past every other door that was down the hall, luckily, the teacher let you go earlier than the other classes, so flying through the school was easy to do, not having to watch out for anypony made your flying a whole lot easier.

You halted your flying and fanned out your wings as you entered the upper floor of the lobby, the staircases going down to your right, towards the 2nd floor, and to the left ended in a wall, in front of you was a railing with beyond there a somewhat 20meter or so drop to the first floor. 

You gave a powerful flap with your wings, diving over the railing and gliding down to the first floor, where you landed with a 'fomp'. "Okay, now to the Headmistress's office!" you said to yourself as you folded your wings back to your side and began trotting towards a corridor in front of you.

"...Wait... where is her... office..."

"..."

"Bbbbuuuccckkk..."

You slapped your forehead at the brain failure that just happened, "I should have asked Miss Pi where the Headmistress's office is..." You span your head around in a hurry, trying to find anypony who might tell you where the office was. Luckily, there appeared to be an old looking janitor mopping the floor. You perked up at seeing the janitor, and made your way over to him, but at the same time a question went through your head, "Why, in the name of Celestia, would you need to mop clouds...?"

You shook your head lightly, pushing back the question for another time, right now you needed to interrogate the janitor where the office was located. As you got closer, you noticed that he was old... like... really old. He wore a lime green overall where his un-preened white wings came through the side, a color matching cap on his head and a toothpick resting between his lips, a toothpick that was there a bit 'to' long. You also saw that he was mopping the cloudy floor aimlessly, the clouds simply reforming to their fluffy self as the mop went over them, without a change in their color or cleanliness in any way. You were pretty sure that the stallion was close to fall asleep right then and there if is face was any indication.

You stopped a few steps in front of him, "Excuse me, sir?" you asked with hesitation. 

The stallion sighed deeply before stopping with mopping the floor. He brought the mop directly under his chin and leant on it while looking towards you, his green eyes glancing you over. "What is it kid?" he said as he moved the toothpick from the right-side of his mouth to the left and snorted in disinterest.

"Uhm, I wanted to ask where the office of the Headmistress was."

The janitor sighed again and stretched his right hoof towards the staircase, "Take the right stairs, second floor, first hallway to the left, third corridor right, first door on your left," he said without any doubt or stop to think, changing the position of his toothpick from his right mouth corner to the left.

"uhm, are you sure?" you asked a bit uncertain as you raised an eyebrow at him.

The janitor had his eyes closed while leaning on his mob, mouthing a simple, "Eeeyup."

"Okayyy, thank you," you said in slight awkwardness while your turned to your left towards the staircase, wanting to get away from the slightly strange janitor that began to aimlessly mop the floor again.

Trotting up the cloudy staircase, you skipped two steps at a time by jumping over them. Reaching the second floor, you turned to your right and glanced as you had three corridors where you could go. "Okay, so second floor, first hallway to the left." you recalled what the janitor said to yourself a few times as to not forget it. Trotting into the first hallway, you were greeted by a similar look as the way to your math class, only this corridor went further into the school. 

"Alright, third corridor on my right..." you slowed down to a steady walk as you arrived at the intersection, as you walked around the corner you were greeted by a small hallway with only two doors, one on the left, and one on the right. Further down the corridor was only a window where a little bit of sunshine was coming through. "First door on my left... here goes nothing..." you stopped in front of the door, your right hoof lifted towards the door, ready to knock.

"Rainbow Dash... we had this talk already. And I'm 'not' going to repeat myself." Your hoof halted an inch from the door as you heard an annoyed female voice through the door. A bit curious, you planted your ear gently on the door, trying to hear the muffled conversation better. 

"But, Miss Firefly! I really tried to be on time!" You heard the distinct voice of Rainbow Dash almost yelling through the door. "I woke up a bit later than that I planned, but that is the only thing! I brought Scootaloo to school and helped my friend Applejack at her farm! She said she really needed my help with getting supplies for raising their new barn! I lost time there, and as soon when I realized how late it was getting, I flew here as fast as I could! Only... I forgot my saddle bag, so I needed to go back to my house and grab it and then fly back here. But I really tried to be on time!" 

You heard a slight 'sigh' coming from the other side of the door. "Rainbow Dash... I know you cannot say 'no' to help your friends, especially Scootaloo. But you MUST understand that you need to fully attend this school year. The previous years you could skip most of them due to your 'FAS' and your apparent 'missions'. But that ends now. School must be your priority. You need to have this diploma, if you want anything for in the future; A stable life, a house, a husband, maybe even foals. How are you going to support that all without a job? Your time as a weather pony in Ponyville was only granted to you for a certain time, due to these 'missions'."

You took in everything the Headmistress said, your thoughts hanging on the 'FAS' and these 'missions' she was talking about. 'Rainbow Dash could skip almost three years? Thats probably how I haven't seen her before...' you thought to yourself as the conversation behind the door continued.

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, but I need to punish you for your absence, as I told you before, this year you need to FULLY attend school, including the punishments that come with it for being late."

"B-but, Miss Firefly!"

Sensing the incoming verdict, you moved your ear away from the door, and lifted your right hoof once more towards the door, and with slight hesitation knocked gently.

It remained silent for a few seconds, until the door opened and a... well... quite beautiful middle aged mare came into view. Her mane was a firey-red with an orange color stripe that matched a setting sun. Her coat was a nice snow-white color, her wings resting gently at her sides through the professional brown suit she was wearing, a card hanging from it, reading: Headmistress Firefly.

You got a slightly odd sense of 'déjá vu' as you took in the appearance of the Headmistress, something about her seemed familiar to you. "Can I help you?" came the voice of the Headmistress. You locked eyes with Miss Firefly and noticed her magenta eyes looking you over in a questioning manner.

Collecting your thoughts, you took a small inhale and letted it out through your nose, "Miss Firefly, my apologies for interrupting. But, it is not Rainbow Dash's fault for being late," you said as you looked straight into her eyes.

Your ear twitched as the sound of soft clip clopping came from behind Miss Firefly. Tilting your head to look past her, you saw Rainbow Dash walking up behind her, a surprised look on her muzzle, "Static?"

This got the attention of Miss Firefly, turning her head around to Rainbow Dash, she asked, "Rainbow Dash, do you know this stallion?"

Rainbow Dash gave a nod to Miss Firefly before looking back to you, "I met him today."

The mare in front of you turned her head back to you, "Alright, so tell me then, Mr. Static, 'why' it is not her fault for coming late?" she asked somewhat sternly.

You gulped lightly from the somewhat stern gaze the Headmistress was giving you. "Well, you see, Rainbow Dash would been on time, if it was not for me holding her up."

Miss Firefly nodded, "Continue."

"I met Rainbow Dash in Ponyville today, which was not one of the best meetings ever, but nonetheless, I held her up on a few occasions. When she brought Scootaloo to school is one of them. After that I kept her from going by talking to much with her. When she did arrive here, I...I kept her from getting into the school..." 

Miss Firefly's expression narrowed further at you, "And 'WHY' didn't you let her enter?"

"I... I... I honestly cannot tell you. Because I don't have a real reason as to why I did it," you diverted your eyes from Miss Firefly and lowered your ears, expecting to get a verdict yourself. 

To your surprise however, it never came. "Remarkable." You turned your head back to the Headmistress in question, her expression was lifted, one eyebrow raised at you. "I understand why you're late, Rainbow Dash."

"You-you do?" Rainbow Dash questioned with slight disbelief in her voice.

"Rainbow Dash, you're here by free to go. BUT, this is your 'LAST' time. No more problems, no coming late, and 'NO' excuses, or I'll punish you for real," Miss Firefly said as she faced the cyan mare behind her. She turned her muzzle back to you, "As for you, Mr. Static. You have my appreciation for telling the truth, and helping your friend in such a manner. Not many stallions of your age fly around with such feeling of responsibility. BUT, don't think just because of what I just said, will help you in the future. Today is your lucky day for that manner, next time, I'll punish you as well. Is that understood?"

You perked up and nodded without a second thought, "Absolutely, Miss Firefly."

"For you as well, Rainbow Dash?" Miss Firefly asked as she turned to Rainbow Dash, who was still looking in disbelief at the both of you. "Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash blinked a few times before noticing what had been said, "Uh, yeah! Don't worry Miss Firefly, this is the last time I'll come into trouble! I promise!" Rainbow Dash made a salute with her hoof.

Miss Firefly gently shook her head at Rainbow Dash, "Now, out of my office. Before I change my mind."

Rainbow Dash didn't need to be told twice as she walked past Miss Firefly, who was looking at you again. Now that you saw both mares next to one another, you noticed something, their eyes and their mane, they looked very similar. "No, that can't be a coincidence..."

You kept staring at them for a while, until the door closed in front of you and Rainbow Dash brought you out of it, by slapping your left cheek. 

"OUCH! Wha..? Rainbow Dash!" you said annoyed as you brought your left hoof to your cheek and rubbed it on the spot. With your eyes slightly narrowed you looked over to the cyan mare who was standing in front of you. "Dammit, Rainbow Dash! Why did you hit me!?" 

Rainbow Dash grinned at you, "That is for not letting me in through the window."

You couldn't help it but slightly agree with her on that one, "Okay, I guess I deserve tha..." She wacked you again mid-sentence.

"What the hay!" you almost yelled as sat down onto your haunches and brought your right hoof to your right cheek, the same pain now flowing through both of your cheeks.

"And that, is for getting me into trouble." Rainbow Dash commented smugly.

You growled inwardly, annoyed by the fact that she just hit you two times, and you did nothing about it. "Do I get anything else? Or can we go?" you asked as you stopped with rubbing your cheeks and brought your hooves down to the ground. 

Standing up, Rainbow Dash turned to her right and began to walk down the hall, "We can go, We'll see when I need to give you anything else," she said glancing back at you as you began walking towards the intersection yourself. Rainbow Dash turned left and you followed right after her, walking down to the lobby together, you heard the bell chime two times, signaling the start of the fifteen minute break time.

Not two seconds later, every door in the hallway opened up and ponies filed into the hallway like it was black-friday at Hoof-Mart. You and Rainbow Dash were quickly submerged in the middle of an intersection in a sea of ponies as they all went towards the lobby. "For Celestia's sake, this always happens!" you groaned inwardly.

Luckily, it were not as many ponies as you would like to believe, it only looked like it were many by the sudden flood students that wanted to get out of their classes. Looking to your right, you saw Rainbow Dash being slightly annoyed as well. 

Rainbow Dash glanced past you, a thoughtful expression on her muzzle before she began to grin. You raised an eyebrow at her in question, turning your muzzle to your left, you saw that she was looking down the corridor, with a window at the end of it, which was wide open. You guessed what she wanted to do. Turning back to Rainbow Dash, you gave a side-ways nod to the window, to which Rainbow Dash gave a smug grin and a nod. "Cheeky mare..."

Rainbow Dash suddenly began to run, diving between the ponies that were still making their way down to the lobby. "Come on, Static!" she said as she ran past you. You chuckled lightly as you spun yourself around and began to ran after her while avoiding your fellow students. You locked your eyes on the rainbow maned mare as she ran towards the window, her agile form skillfully evading every student. You almost ran into a stallion because of your slight lack of concentration on the crowd, "WATCH IT!" Was yelled after you as you barely missed him. "SORRY!" you yelled back as you resumed your way.

Nearing the window, you noticed Rainbow Dash's wings unfurling a bit. "What is she doing!? she cannot fly through 'that' window with her wings fanned out!"

Rainbow Dash, instead of bringing her wings back to her side, spread them fully and gave a powerful flap, shooting her off into the air. She shot straight for the window. Sensing danger, you tried to stop her, "RAINBOW DASH! STOP!"

The rainbow mare ignored you and out of nothing she brought her wings back to her side and began twist on her axis, shooting out of the window like a rainbow colored arrow, missing the sides of the window by a feather length on each side.

You halted inches from the window sill, your mouth half agape as you followed Rainbow Dash's colors shooting into the air. She halted her daring antic in the sky and glanced back at you as you stared at her. "Your turn, Static! Or are you chicken?! Tok-tok-tok!" Rainbow Dash shouted from where she was hovering while mimicking chicken wings with her forelegs. You closed your mouth and narrowed your eyes a bit. "Is... is she really challenging me?" Not wanting to give Rainbow Dash the satisfaction, you decided against your better judgement and turned around to get some distance from the window sill.

Nopony was in the hall anymore, so you had a straight line to the window. You faced the opening in the cloudy wall and got ready to do... well... whatever you could come up with, seeing you pulling off the same stunt as Rainbow Dash would give you most probably a bad ending, so that was no option. You just began to run towards the window, without any real thoughts as to what you were going to do once your reached it. Nearing the window in full gallop, you jumped and made yourself as flat as you could in order to fit the easiest through the window. As you surged through the air, your head went through the window, and in the top-right corner of your eyes, you saw Rainbow Dash still hovering in place. Thinking quickly, you just turned your forward momentum into your advantage and transformed the jump, into a summersault. You ducked your head onto your torso and aimed it downwards while you tucked your legs towards your belly, transforming you into a spinning ball.

You span a quick two rolls forward before flaring out your wings and brining your head forward and your hind legs back to their regular flying spots.You were a tiny bit dizzy, but you shook it off as you were pretty proud that you managed to do a summersault straight out of the window.

Although, every little bit of success you felt was quickly thrown out of the window, literally, when you opened your eyes and noticed that the cloudy ground was coming to meet you. "You had to show off again, didn't you?" was the last thing that went through your head before you vision blacked out.
> Ch. 12 Break time!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laughing...

It was the first thing you heard as you tried to get your head out of the clouds, like, literally, you were head first into the cloudy ground, trying to wiggle your muzzle out of it while muffled laughing came from around you. "I will never go against my better judgment ever again. When it comes to showing off at least..." you mentally promised yourself, something that you'll most probably forget by next week.

You felt something grabbing your flank and your hind legs, "I appreciate the help... but could you maybe 'not' grab my 'flank'?" you thought in slight awkwardness, thinking at the sight the others must be seeing right now, 'head in the clouds, flank proudly up in the air.' Yeah, you were already going to be the talk of the week.

Suddenly, you felt a powerful tug on your hind legs and you shot out of the clouds, flying a bit back, and most probably falling onto your rescuers. As you groaned from the fall, you wobbly stood up and opened your eyes and was surprised to see that you had flattened three stallions and one mare to the ground. "REALLY!? four ponies were needed to get my head unstuck!? Bucking hay..."

Your four rescuers groaned lightly as they all got to their hooves, best of all, you knew them. "He he... thanks guys." The closest to you was, surprisingly, the mare. Her mane and tail were a cherry red with a white streak going through them, her coat a leaf green and yellow eyes. You recalled her name to be 'Lucky'. 

The three stallions also crawled to their hooves. The one next to Lucky you remembered to be, Thunderlane, he had dark yellow eyes, a dark grey coat while his mane and tail were white. The one behind Lucky had a fiery red mane and tail, his coat was orange and his eyes were sky blue, he wore a black MB headphones on his neck. You remembered him as Blazing Beats. The last stallion, the one next to Blaze and behind Tunderlane, came finally to his hooves as well. His mane and tail were both an ivory white, his coat was a dark shade of blue and his eyes were violet. His name was, Sky Edge, if you remembered correctly.

Lucky jumped to her hooves, smiling at you with her never fading happy attitude, "No problem, Static!" Lucky chirped while giving her wings a few flaps.

"By Celestia, Static. You really need to exercise more... or ask Lightning to wack your head smaller so it doesn't get stuck," Thunderlane commented as he was inspecting his right wing, which had a few ruffled feathers. "Now I need to preen... again."

"Stop complaining, 'Mockinglane'. Be glad that you were able to help somepony for a change, instead of sitting on your flank," came the voice of Sky Edge behind Thunderlane. Thunderlane gave him a slight glare before returning to inspect his wings.

"You should watch out, Static. Remember, always fall with your flank down," Blazing Beats advised as he looked his headphones over for damage.

"Yeah! If you fall on your flank, you've a softer landing! Right!?" Lucky said glancing excitedly around to the others, Blazing nodded while putting his right ear pad on his right ear while his left pad leaned onto the back of his head. Thunderlane shrugged while correcting a feather in his right wing. Sky Edge simply chuckled at Lucky.

"Anyway. Thanks again, guys. If you hadn't helped me, I would still be wiggling my flank," you said with a small but relieved sigh. "How have your summers been going?" you asked them in general. 

No surprise to you, Lucky was the first one to speak up, "It was just great, Static! I've been to Canterlot, Fillydelphia and Baltimare! You should see those cities!! The buildings that are there are HUGE!" she said while standing on her hind hooves and throwing her hooves into the air. "If you put one of those, skyscrapers is what they call them there, under Cloudsdale, the tip of the building would be piercing through the clouds!" Lucky twisted around on her hooves in joy at the recollecting memories of her visit.

You grinned at the enthusiastic mare. "Now that you mention it, Lucky," you said as you brought your right hoof to your chin and rubbed it lightly in thought. "My parents wanted to go on vacation for a week in the winter, leaving me alone at home and my sisters' at my uncle, aunt and nephew in Canterlot. Maybe we can plan a trip through Equestria, visit different places as we go," you thought out loud.

Lucky got a massive smile on her face and jumped into the air and hovered for a few seconds, "That sounds awesome!!" Lucky looked to the others, "Are you guys in on this?" she asked as she landed on the clouds again.

Sky Edge was the first to react, "Hay, yeah! I'm always in for traveling!" he said while sticking out his right hoof to Lucky which she bumped happily with her left hoof.

"Why not? Sightseeing Equestria is something that everypony would be able to enjoy. Maybe we can go to a few clubs if we come across them, they probably have good music." Blazing Beats said while bopping his head to the music he was without a doubt listening to through his one ear pad.

You nodded to the three with a smile. Everypony turned their attention to Thunderlane, who was still busy with his feathers, probably not even listening to anything that just had been said. Lucky walked next to Thunderlane and brought her muzzle close to his left ear. She pouted her lips and, you didn't exactly knew what Lucky did, but it managed to get Thunderlane's attention, as he suddenly jumped a few feet into the air, a small yelp escaping him, "AAhh!"

Thunderlane landed on the clouds again, panting lightly. You and the others chuckled at the antic of Lucky. "Never do that, Lucky! By Celestia, that felt odd as hay..." Thunderlane said as he rubbed his right ear with his hoof.

Lucky stuck her tongue out at him and winked, "That's what you get for paying to much attention to your feathers."

"But that was not necessary!" Thunderlane said annoyed. He sighed before continuing, "Anyhoof, I heard what you guys were talking about, and, no, I'm not coming along. My parents and I are going to Saddle Arabia. If you couldn't tell, we are not so fond of the snow."

You snorted at Thunderlane, "Oh come on Thunder, it is only a bit of snow. It is not like you're going to be living in an igloo during the winter."

"Shut up, Static. If we would be living in an igloo, your feather brain would still get stuck at the front door." Thunderlane retorted.

Sky Edge gave his wings a few flaps before turning to Thunderlane, "Snow is cool," Lucky threw one her hooves in the air and her mouth opened. "No lucky, not cool as in 'cold cool'," Lucky's foreleg dangled back to the ground, the slightest hint of disappointment on her muzzle. You chuckled lightly.

"Hey, Edge?" Sky Edge turned to you. "How is your mother doing? I heard from my parents that you are expecting a sibling?" 

Sky Edge began to beam at your question, "She's doing great, thanks for asking. Yes, I'm expecting a little brother, I cannot wait to see him."

You nodded at Edge with a smile of your own, recalling the excitement you had when you were told that you would become a big brother. "I know how it feels, only, you'll get a little brother, while I have two sisters."

Sky Edge chuckled, "Heh, I still don't know how you can tell them apart." His ears drooped to the side, but his smile didn't fade in the slightest, "Say, Static? Is it though?"

You raised an eyebrow in question at Edge, "What is though?"

"You know... being a big brother? Is it though?"

You perked up, "Ooohh, if it is though? Not in the slightest," you said while shaking your head from side to side. "Well, sometimes it is a bit though, but nothing bad. I say, it is one of the best things that can happen to you," you finished with a genuine smile.

Sky Edge seemed more at ease as he let out a small sigh. "Do you got any tips for me? You know, about being a big brother?" he asked while leaning his head a bit to the right.

You chuckled lightly at him, "I'm sorry, Edge. I think my advice would only help if you would have a little sister. I don't know if the same helps with a little brother."

Edge's face fell a bit, "Okay, but how do you know that they like you? I mean, what if he sees me, and he doesn't like me?" 

You walked closer to Edge and brought your right hoof to his left shoulder, "He will. And if you're still not certain by my words, you will see it when you hold him for the first time." You said gently.

Edge looked to you, "How can I tell if he likes me when I hold him for the first time?"

"Simple, if he cries, he doesn't know you yet. If he doesn't do anything, except for looking at you, he's curious about you."

"And how can I tell if he likes me?" he asked, a bit saddened.

"He does from the beginning. It is purely because you and everything is new to him. The only thing he knows, is his mother. But you'll see, that after a while, he will love you." You said in sincere.

Edge's ears perked up at your words and he began to smile again. "You had the same with your sisters, no?" 

You brought your hoof back to the ground, "With Summer and Gloom, it was a bit different. You asked me before how I could tell them apart, well, I could already from the beginning," you chuckled lightly. "See, when they were born, I got to hold them for only a few seconds, but in that time, I noticed straight away who was who. When I first held Summer, and I got to admit, I was scared to hold them, but when I held her in my hooves, clothed in a soft layer of towels, she was, let's say, energetic. She flailed her hooves around while she was crying, so I gave her rather quick to my mother, to which Summer seemed to calm down. 

"Gloom, However, was different. My dad held her before he gave her to me, in my father's hooves, she cried a little, but when she was given to me, she became calm. she stopped crying and looked at me, simply looking at me. I cannot fully describe the feeling, but I felt happy. I brought my hoof down to gently rub her belly, and she grabbed it while smiling and began to make bubbles with her muzzle. From that point, I knew that Gloom liked me. When my dad tried to separate her from me, and give Gloom to my mother, that is when she began to cry a little again."

"D'aaawww... I wish I could have a little brother or sister." Lucky coed in from your left while rapidly tapping her hooves on the clouds in excitement.

You nodded to Lucky in understanding before turning your muzzle back to Edge. Edge extended his right hoof to you, and you bumped it with your own. "Thanks, Static. I hope it goes with my brother as good as it went with Gloom and you."

"Don't worry, Edge. Even of he doesn't like you straight away, he will over time. You're his big brother after all." You said with a grin.

Sky Edge nodded as he putted his hoof back to the ground, his mood now seemingly much better. "What has further happened to you in the summer, Edge?" you asked as you brought your own hoof back to the ground as well.

"Mostly helping my mother with household. As well as helping my dad with forming the new room for my little brother, it is almost finished, my mother only needs to decide what kind of decoration she wants on the walls and what the crib needs to look like. Knowing her, that will take a while, just like every mare." You, Sky Edge, Thunderlane and Blazing Beats chuckled.

"Hey!" Lucky yelped, giving all 4 of you a fierce punch to the shoulder to which you all rubbed the soft spot with your hooves and letted out a synchronized 'ow'.

"Sheeze, Lucky. Don't get all heated on us," you said with a light grin as you took a few steps back from her.

"You all should watch out with what you guys say to mares," she said looking around the four of you. "Especially your 'heated-joke', Static," Lucky said as she fixed her slightly narrowed eyes on you. "You know that this school year, almost every mare will reach 'maturity', and you know what
comes to them two times a year, with the first one coming in the middle of Autumn," she grinned while looking at you. 

You glanced around and noted that the other 3 had the same look of incoming 'horror' on their muzzle, as well as the same thought, "'The Heat' ..."

"Okay, okay, forget that I said anything." Wanting to change the subject, you turned to Blazing beats, "Hey, Blaze? What have you been up to this summer?" you asked him as he stood next to Lucky and Sky Edge.

Blazing removed his ear pad from his ear and placed his headphones gently around his neck, "Nothing special, really. I've not been out of Cloudsdale this summer. I've been mostly listening to music or hanging around with the other stallions. I tried to get a new mix table to work with at home, but I didn't have enough bits to buy one. It sucks, but yeah, life goes on," Blaze finished with tilting his head a bit to the right and doing a casual shrug.

"Say, Static," Lucky said from your left. "How has your summer been?" she asked, back to her happy attitude.

"What can I say," you said with a slight shrug. "I have mostly spend my time around the house, playing with Summer and Gloom, helping my parents a bit, and mostly, napped. Like, seriously, I'm pretty sure I napped through most of the vacation." 

"Oh, for Celestia's sake, Static."
"Goddammit, Static..."
"You never change..."
"Lazy colt!"

They all commented after one another, while rolling their eyes or shaking their heads. "Thank you all for your ever-so loving support in my daily endeavors," you said while dipping your head in a small bow.

You felt a bit of weight land closely behind you as the clouds you were standing on shifted a bit. Looking to your left and over your shoulder, you noticed a mare was folding her wings to her side and began to make her way to your group. She had a pink coat, her mane and tail consisting of multiple tints of blue with a strand of her mane covering her left green eye. 

Lucky noticed that you were looking over your shoulder and glanced into the same direction, she squeed and shot straight towards the upcoming mare, who's ears drooped down at noticing the incoming threat. You heard a shriek coming from the pink mare as Lucky dived to her while loudly outing, "Berry Petal!"

You chuckled as Berry Petal became flattened by Lucky, her wings outstretched and her head turned away from you in a failed attempt to get away from Lucky, who was laying on top of her and hugged her around her torso. "Hey, Petal. How are you doing?" Sky Edge asked a bit teasingly from his spot.

"Well, I have been worse, thanks for asking though. Lucky, it is good to see you too, but please, get off of me. My wing is still not completely recovered." Berry Petal said with a bit struggle in her voice. 

"Hihi, sorry Petty. I'm just so happy to see you again!" Lucky said as she got off from Petal and helped her up to her hooves. "Your wing is still recovering from last year?" Lucky asked as she tilted her head to the side.

Berry Petal gave her pink wings a few gentle flaps and looked her left wing over quickly before folding them slowly back to her sides. Glancing to Lucky, Berry Petal gave a nod, "Yeah, although my doctor said that my wing is fine, he advised me to not put them both through to much physical stress. Anyhoof, how have you been Lucky?" Petal asked as she gave Lucky a hug.

"I've been doing good!" Lucky chirped as the mares released each other. "Static has come up with the idea to make a trip through Equestria in winter break! We are all planning to go, except for 'Mockinglane' over there," Lucky said as she made her way back to the group with Petal in tow and pointed to Thunderlane.

"Why do you all keep calling me 'Mockinglane'? I don't mock that much!" Thunderlane said annoyed.

You and everypony in the group turned to him, "YES, YOU DO!"

Thunderlane's ears flattened to the side of his head by the sudden volume, "Okay, okay. Featherbrains."

Although you heard the last, you decide to ignore him. Turning your muzzle back to Petal, she greeted you with a hug which you returned. "How have you been, Static? And how was your summer?" Petal asked as she released you.

Smiling to her, you began with, "Good actually, most of the vacation I have..."

"NAPPED!"

Now it was your turn to flatten your ears at the sudden volume. You noticed Petal was a bit surprised at the sudden outburst, but began to chuckle as she saw your unamused expression. "Yeah, pretty much that," you said as you glanced to the others.

Petal shook her head gently and walked over to Tunderlane, "I didn't expect much else to be honest." 

Petal gave Thunderlane a hug as well, asking how he has been, before doing the same to everypony in the group. She ended at your side again, and began over how she needed to ask her parents first if she could come along before deciding anything. You gave her a nod, it was a long way until winter, so there was enough time for changes and decisions.

You thought back on what Lucky and Petal were talking about before, "Petal has had a wing injury?" You didn't exactly want to ask about it, but you were curious as to what it was about, "Hey, Petal?"

Berry Petal turned her attention to you, "Yeah? What is it, Static?"

"Well, it may sound a bit rude, but... what happened to your wing?" you asked with a bit uneasiness. Your question got the attention from the others as well, especially Lucky's.

Berry Petal looked a bit uneasy as well at your question, she letted out a small sigh. Lucky grabbed her shoulder gently, "You don't have to tell it yet if you don't want to, you know that right?"

"I know, Lucky." Petal letted out another sigh, "You all know my coltfriend?" 

"I know him." Blazing Beats began. "Not the nicest stallion around from how I know him."

Petal gave a nod and turned to you and the rest again, "Well, he was nice. But that was in the beginning."

You were still confused as to who this stallion was, "So... who is he?"

Petal faced you, "His name, I don't want to speak off. But he is a pegasus from a school in Trotingham. He... well... he is the reason why my wing needed to recover." Petal cast her eyes to the clouds you stood on and letted out a sigh before continuing, "I met him last spring, he was visiting Cloudsdale in his vacation. I was working at the 'Slammed Pegasus' during that time."

"The 'Slammed Pegasus'? You mean that café near the weather factory? With that quite ugly architecture?" Sky Edge questioned as he scratched his neck.

Petal nodded to Edge, "Yeah. It was only a vacation job, but I met him there. He came to the café when I was serving costumers, when I came to him to ask what he would like, he... well... he looked at me and, somehow, I liked him straight away."

"You liked him just like that? How does that work?" Thunderlane asked.

Before Petal could answer, Lucky spoke up, "It was during spring, mares go in heat during that time. Petal was in heat when she worked, not so bad that it was noticeable for stallions, but during heat, mares are... lets say, more 'driven' to find a mate. And because of that, some mares that haven't experienced heat that good, don't know the difference between love, and the 'need' for a mate."

Petal pawed the cloud with her left hoof, "Yeah... it was stupid of me that I didn't know the difference."

Lucky hugged Petal with her right wing, "You couldn't have know, Petal."

Petal smiled gently at Lucky, "Thanks, Lucky. " Lucky removed her wing from Petal, allowing her to continue with her explanation, "As I said, I liked him from the moment I saw him, back then I did't know it was my heat that caused it. So I began to talk with him when I got my break at the café, he was really nice, funny, open. He was very welcoming, which made me feel like I really loved him," Petal sighed. "We talked for quite a while, after that, he said to me that he was staying the whole week in Cloudsdale, and that, if I wanted to, we could hang out together. And so I did that, I kept seeing him everyday for the whole week, doing different things with him. Hanging about, flying, sightseeing, me showing him Cloudsdale..."

"To make a long story short," Lucky began. "When Petal's heat was over, she lost interest in him. And when she realized what happened and why, she wanted to explain it to him and break up. But 'he' was not happy with that." Lucky said with an audible voice of disgust. "They got in a fight, which ended in him stomping on the base of her wing, and she almost broke it because of that."

"Because of that tiny misunderstanding, that bucker almost broke your wing!?" you said out loud towards Petal. Petal seemed to take a few steps back from you with her head a bit lowered and ears to the side of her head. You realized how you made it sound, "No... I'm sorry, Petal. I didn't mean to scare you." Petal looked up to you, a bit of the fear still visible. You took a step towards her with your own ears to the side of your head, "I'm just angry at that stallion. That he could break your wing because of a misunderstanding... it is something I just don't understand."

"It is okay, Static. I appreciate that you worry for me, but it is not necessary." Petal said with her mood seemingly lifted.

You sighed gently. "Don't worry, Petal. We are all here for you. We'll make sure that that bucket of gryphon feathers doesn't hurt you again, right guys?" Sky Edge said as he looked determined to you and the rest of the group. You and your friends all nodded in agreement.

"You guys are amazing." Petal aid with a small twinkle in her eye.

You perked up at the sudden sound of chiming bells. "I guess break time is over, already..." Thunderlane said with a deep sigh.

Sighing yourself, you looked around the schoolyard, and noticed that most students began to make their way back into the school. Turning back to the group, you asked," Do you guys know what we have?"

Blazing Beats craned his head to his saddlebags and buried his muzzle in it. After a few seconds, Blaze turned back to you with a paper between his teeth. Grabbing the paper in his right hoof, he began to look over it, "Eeuuhhmm... We have... Okay, does anypony know, what the hay, 'P.E.T.' means?"

"Yeah, they changed the name. To put it simply, it's gymnastics." Sky Edge elaborated.

"What does it stand for then?" Blazing asked, turning his head to Edge.

"I don't know... something like, 'Pegasus-Excersise-Term'. Something along those lines."

"Why the sudden 'expensive' word play?" Thunderlane asked.

"Who gives a dwindling feather about that? We know what it is. Let's go, before we must do thirty laps around the field." Sky Edge said as turned towards the entrance.

You decide that it was better to go with them, you didn't want to angry coach 'Iron Wing', who was famous around the school to put every student through enough exercise to make them an instant Wonderbolt.
> Ch. 13 Feelings that never change.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I do hope we don't have to run, nor fly those thirty laps..." Thunderlane said as he, Sky Edge, Blazing beats, Lucky, Berry Petal and you closed in on the entrance of the school. Most of your fellow students were already inside, so there was no 'too big' traffic delay at the entrance. Some ponies were still making their way towards the entrance from the courtyard, or from the sky and landing close by.

"Oh come on guys! It is not that bad!" Lucky chirped from behind you. 

You turned your head and looked over your shoulder towards Lucky, "For you maybe, Lucky. But you have enough energy for three pegasi."

Lucky simply smiled and did a tiny, happy skip while giving her wings a few flaps, almost hitting the stallion that was to her right, "HEY! Watch it, Lucky. I don't need more smacks to my muzzle from your wings," the stallion said as he ducked to his right and away from Lucky, her wings missing him by only a feather length

Lucky blushed lightly as she looked to the stallion and folded her wings back to her sides, "Oops. Sorry Astral..."

You shook your head gently with a smile and looked to your left to Sky Edge, "Edge, gymnastics, or this, P.E.T. thing, it is still at the same place right?" you asked.

Edge turned to you and gave a nod in confirmation, "Yeah, but we need to meet the coach in the courtyard behind the school though. When we are all there, we go to the colosseum. Since it is all 'first day' and 'introductions', we need to go to him there first."

Raising an eyebrow, you asked, "How do you know all that, what we have and what we must do?"

"If you would read the bucking school info-papers you get a week before school starts, instead of napping your flank off, you would know this. Hay, I think even Dust knows this, and he is the laziest of the whole damn school," Sky Edge said as he rolled his eyes.

You narrowed your eyes slightly at Edge, "I bet Dust doesn't know this."

"I say for five bits that he does," Sky Edge dared you as he narrowed his eyes back.

"Oh, your on!" you said as you stuck your hoof toward him.

Sky Edge smirked and did the same, hoof bumping your hoof with his.

You and your friends walked up the two steps of the school entrance and made your way straight into the lobby where ponies were going on about their own business, some were talking in pairs or in groups. Some were already making way to their next class by walking, or in some cases, casual flying. While flying through the school was strongly discouraged, it was allowed, as long as it didn't bother your fellow students to much.

Looking about the lobby, a thought popped up, "Where are Dust, Lightning and Rainbow Dash?" 

You glanced around, but you couldn't spot Dust or 1 of the other mares. You turned your muzzle to Blazing Beats who walked in front of you, his headphones still around his neck as he was talking to Thunderlane. "Hey, Blaze. Where is Dust?" you asked.

Blazing Beats craned his neck, and glanced over his left shoulder to you, "I don't know, Static. Last time I saw him was when we were let out of the class. As soon as we were out of it, he shot passed us all, and out of the lobby. Celestia knows where he is."

"Oh, well that is not a real surprise actually, being in school is not his favorite part..." you said doing an eye roll. "And what about Lightning?" you asked as you tilted your head a bit to the left.

"Lightning was one of the first inside the school after the bell rang, she's probably already at the meeting point in the courtyard." Blaze said. He turned his head forward for a few seconds before glancing to you again, "Why?" he asked you with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhm, it's just that I haven't seen them during break time. Mostly they are around, apparently not today."

"Now that we are talking about where the others are... Where is that rainbow maned mare? Rainbow... Rainbow...  what was her name again?" Blazing asked as he glanced to you and the others.

"I believe she was going to the Headmistress with Mr. Slate before the break started," Berry Petal said from Lucky's left.

"Ohh yeah, that's true," Sky Edge said as your group walked out of the lobby, going underneath an arch that supported the second floor with a banner attached to it showing the logo of High Altitude, and into the corridor leading towards the courtyard behind the school.  

"Her name is Rainbow Dash," you said with an eyebrow raised, finding it odd how your classmates could forget her name just like that.

The group stopped in the middle of the hallway as you finished your sentence and everypony turned their muzzle to you with questioning looks.

You glanced to everypony and asked, "What? What did I say?"

"Since when do YOU remember the names of ponies that 'just' joined the class?" Thunderlane questioned with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "When Petal joined our class in the second year, it took you almost a week to remember her name..."

"Thunderlane is right you know. It was the same with me in the first year, you didn't know my name for three days," Sky Edge said as he held up his hoof and did a casual shrug.

"Hey, in my defense," you said, putting a hoof to your chest. "I didn't met her in class. I've met her before school started."

"Forget this miracle for now, guys. We need to get to the courtyard," Blazing interrupted the questioning. He made a motion with his head to continue down the hall, while in thought, you silently thanked him for interrupting.

"Yeah! You guys kept complaining about doing more laps!" Lucky chuckled. "Get your flanks MOVING!!" she yelled.

"Geez, sergeant Lucky, get off my flank, were going already," you said, turning your head away from her and beginning to continue your way to the courtyard.

Your ear flicked into the direction behind you as you heard wings flapping, curious of the sound, you tried to turn around. But was unable to do so as a sudden weight landed on your back. You almost buckled through your legs, but you managed to stay standing. Now a bit annoyed, you slowly glanced over your left shoulder, and was greeted by a pair of gold eyes. "Luckyyyy, why are you on my back?"

Lucky grinned, "I'm your sergeant now, aren't I? So I'm here to give you a bit of extra exercise! To get your nice flanks into shape!"

Your cheeks became warm, "M-my what now?"

"Your nice flanks! DUH! Of course they can become even nicer to look at, that's why you've me! To get some more weight to train with!" Lucky said with a grin and eye roll. She smacked your left flank lightly, making a slight echoing sound through the empty becoming hallway, which got the attention of a few ponies.

"That is also why you were the first one to grab my flank and help me out of the clouds?" you said as you extended your left wing and brushed over the spot Lucky had smacked. You hoped Lucky would back down a bit with you mentioning of her grabbing your flank, but to your disappointment, she closed her eyes and gave a happy nod instead.

"Of course! On the flank-scale rate, you're definitely an eight! I'm not gonna miss an opportunity to grab that!" Lucky said cheerfully. "You could become a nine or maybe even a ten! If you would train those hip muscles more..." she said as she half opened her eyes and patted your right flank.

You groaned with a faint blush on your cheeks as Lucky caressed your flank like it was the most normal thing in Equestria. "Okay, first off, stop touching my flank!" you said as you glared at her, which did close to nothing to stop her. "Second, since when do we have a 'flank-scale'? And how am I a number eight!?" you asked in disbelief and slight annoyance.

"Well, concerning your first thing, I'll stop, for now," Lucky said as she gave a last tap to your right flank. "You really have never heard of the 'flank-scale'? not even among the other stallions?" she asked with her head tilted to the right. You shook your head to her question, which made her giggle. "You're so innocent!"

"Why the pluck... am I still carrying her...?" you thought to yourself.

Looking back, you saw Lucky swinging from side to side with her eyes closed. Narrowing your eyes with a grin, you glanced behind you and Lucky to see if nopony was there, seeing nopony, you gave a powerful buck with your hind legs and tried to get her off of you. Trying this, however, had the opposite effect, Lucky began to laugh, and instead of releasing you, she swung her right front leg around your neck and began to hold onto you like she was doing a rodeo, "WOOOHHHOOO! That is what I'm talking about, Static! Move those hips!" she said as she gave your left flank another tap with her hoof.

Your eye twitched, "Get off of me! I'm not a chariot! Nor the pony who pulls it!!" You tried to buck her off a few times, with the same result of Lucky laughing in joy while she held onto you. You stopped bucking and spread your wings instead, "Lets see if you can still hold on when I'm in the air!"

The sudden unfurling made Petal jump to the side, "Wha..? Static what are yo..."

You didn't hear what she wanted to say further, you launched yourself into the air and through the hallway, and felt that Lucky released your neck and began to hold onto your torso instead, wrapping her arms fully around you while screaming in glee, "WOOHHHOOO!!"

You started to fly faster as you heard Lucky only laugh in pure joy. You shot through the corridor, passing by a few of your fellow students who jumped aside in surprise and sometimes yelled un-pleasantly things after you. Nearing the end, you zipped past your fellow classmates, "Watch out guys! Coming through!"

Sky Edge, Blazing Beats and Thunderlane turned around by your sudden shout. "What the... HOLY BU... DUCK!!!!" Sky Edge yelled in surprise as he grabbed Thunderlane and Blaze and dived with them out of the way.

As you passed by them, you heard Lucky yell to them, "Bye, guys!!! See you at the meeting point!!!"

"STATIC! YOU FEATHERBRAIN!!" was being shouted after you.

And with that, you shot towards the open standing door, leading to the courtyard, where a stallion and a mare where about to kiss. "Oh, ponyfeathers..." You angled yourself to the side, letting your belly and your backside to face the walls and your sides the ground and the ceiling. 

The couple in front of you began to bring their muzzles together, and were violently brought out of their moment as you just barely shot passed them. "This is a sign to back out now you still can!!" Lucky screamed at them.

You zipped into the air as soon as you passed the two unfortunate love birds, and entered the air of the courtyard, still slightly annoyed that Lucky was having the time of her life. You growled as you went higher and higher, "LUCKY GET OFF OF ME!"

"Are you kidding me!? This way better than walking! WWWWEEEEE!"

"Alright, that is it!" you said with your eyes narrowed. Climbing higher and higher, you shot passed clouds and birds, reaching far up into the sky. You cleaved through the wind, making it form a cone around you. Glancing shortly over your shoulder, you saw Lucky clinging onto you with a what looked to be a smile, your tail color was left behind you as you kept climbing in altitude. Turning your muzzle up again, you wanted to go higher.

The laughing from Lucky slowly died away into an awkward chuckle, "Hehe... Static... you're going a little high..."

Taking that as your cue, you smirked lightly, and out of nowhere, you stopped flying, and folded your wings back to your sides. You felt the air coming slower and slower towards your muzzle, and noticed gravity taking a hold off you once more, trying to pull you back to the ground. You let the force of nature do its thing as the last bit of force from your flying ended with you barely touching the upper cloud layer. 

You let yourself dangle and felt your muzzle being toppled over towards the ground. "Static! What are you doing!?" Lucky asked with concern and fear. You said nothing. You simply angled yourself back to the small patch of clouds that was resembling Cloudsdale from this high up. With your muzzle now aimed down to the city, your wings to your sides and your hooves loosely resting in the air, you let gravity do the rest for you.

You felt yourself accelerate towards the ground, and with every second that passed, you went faster. Looking over your shoulder again, you saw that Lucky now was looking with wide eyes towards the floating city that was approaching fast. She held onto you much more than before, keeping her front legs tightly around your torso, "S-S-Static! please! slow down!!"

You shook your head, "I will, if you let go of me. Will you?" Lucky shook her head quickly. Closing her eyes, she buried her face into your neck and under your mane. 

In the split second she did that, her form changed into a small filly that you knew all to well. She had a yellow coat and orange mane and tail with two red streaks going through them, her mane pulled up into a ponytail. The filly kept hiding under your mane, "Brother, please... slow down... I'm scared..." Gloom's voice went with fear through your head.

Time seemed to slow down as your eyes widened at the sudden view of your sister and her with fear filled voice that went through your head. Not a moment later, you fanned out your wings to their full span and angled yourself so that your belly faced down to Cloudsdale. The sudden unfurling of your wings caused heavy force to build up under them, causing pain to your wing bases as you struggled to hold your wings in place. You gritted your teeth tightly as the pain on your wing bases only increased, and your speed decreased a lot slower than you thought.

Suddenly, you felt like you began to become lighter. Not really paying attention to it, you shrugged it off due to the force on you was decreasing together with your speed. You felt something brushing past your fanned out right wing, glancing over it with your eyes narrowed in slight pain, they shot open as you saw the mare that was holding you not so long ago, sliding off of you and began to fall to Cloudsdale with her eyes closed, her wings tucked to her sides and her hooves dangling aimlessly, "NO! LUCKY!!" you screamed after the falling mare.

You brought your wings to your sides and aimed your muzzle towards the falling mare. Narrowing your eyes, you sliced through the air as you dived through it. You could feel the intense pressure built up in front of you again, your eyes began to tear up at the high wind speeds that passed by them. "COME ON!! I NEED TO GO FASTER!" you growled inwardly. You outstretched your hooves and made yourself as flat as possible, trying to get the most speed possible. Lucky was still falling away from you, although you were closing in on her, you feared that she would hit the clouds before you would reach her. Even with clouds being the ground she would hit, at this speed, it would still have VERY bad consequences.

You felt your coat and wings began to tingle, as if something was building up, some sort of charge. The cone around you began to turn a dark shade of grey, and you could feel little particles hit your coat. "COME ON! I ALMOST HAVE HER!" Your eyes were still locked on Lucky, but in a what seemed to be the smallest of a second, her form changed again to that of your little sister, "NOOO!! GLOOMY!!"

The cone around you broke.

You fanned out your wings and the tension that was building up was released. You shot down to the falling mare faster than you went before, small yellow string-like things were going passed your eyes as you kept speeding up. You were inches away from her, flapping your wings even faster, you extended your front hooves as far as you could, noticing the slightest of what looked to be small thunder shocks appearing over them. You grabbed her and pulled her towards you. Now next to her, you grabbed her around her torso and hugged her close to you, her fore head protectively under your chin.

You let go a sigh of relief, and glanced towards Cloudsdale, which was very fast closing in on you. Realizing there was in no way enough time to slow down, you nodded to yourself, and prioritized the mare that was now in your care. You seized flapping your wings and held them out again, more pressure and pain than ever before building up on your wings. You focused on other things than the burning pain that now was not only on your wings, but could be felt on different places around your body. Glancing quickly over the schoolyard that was now very close, you sought and found the best place to crash, a pile of clouds that was not far from the meeting point, so that if you crashed, the class would be close by.

Accepting what was about to come with your speed, you closed your wings and turned your back to the clouds. Curling into a ball, you held Lucky tightly against you and unfurled your wings around her as much as you could. You sighed inwardly, a bit with fear, but more sort of happy that you were able to grab Lucky. 

Closing your eyes, you prepared yourself for the impact.

"STATIC!!"
> Ch. 14 Feels good.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your eyes opened up groggily and slowly, blinking a few times at the sudden light that entered them. Greeting you was a white-grey, cloudy ceiling. Turning your head to the left, you could feel the soft cloud pillow adjust to your movement, brining you back to sleep almost instantly. A window with a white curtain greeted you, wind that breezed through it made the curtains sway into your direction. The air that blew through the window was a good temperature due to the spring time, making you only more drowsier. You fidgeted a bit under the blankets as you tried to turn your whole body to the window side, towards the air that felt good on your muzzle.

As you turned your body, you could truly feel how sour every muscle was. Each muscle in your body was protesting against moving, but something was ushering you to turn against your aching muscles' choice. "Damn it mare... 5 rounds... is to much for me..."  you groaned inwardly as you struggled to get your right hoof above the covers. Your right ear flicked into the direction of the door that was in front of the double bed you were resting in. It sounded to you as if a shower was running, "I guess I could use one as well when she is done. If I can get up that is..." You got your right hoof out from under the covers and grabbed the blankets edge, you threw it groggily off of you, the corner of it landing in the middle of the bed, exposing your coat and everything that was hidden under the blankets.

You gritted your teeth a bit as you pushed your body to get moving.  "Please... Let me have a bit of rest today..."  you prayed inwardly. You got your hind legs off of the bed and brought them to the cloudy floor next to the bed. Pushing yourself with your front hooves, you got into a sitting position. Sighing at your tiny victory, you putted your hind hooves firmly onto the floor and angled your upper body forwards. You letted yourself fall forward at the same time that you brought your front hooves in front and underneath you. Standing now on all four, your ears twitched again as the shower was turned off. 

Ignoring it for now, you glanced to your left, to a little nightstand that was almost directly next to the bed. Your eyes fixed onto a small silver necklace with half a heart on it, depicting 3 colors horizontally, the top color was blue, with yellow underneath it and red gracing the underside of it. In the middle of the colors and, what was supposed to be the middle of the heart, was half a cloud.

You extended your hoof towards it and grabbed the necklace, glancing at it with half lidded eyes before laying it back on top of your nightstand, seeing as it was not the best idea to shower with your precious necklace around your neck. Your ears flicked to the direction of the door at the sound of soft clip-clopping hooves. "well, well. Look who 'finally' recovered..." Came the all to familiar, pride filled, scratchy voice.

You chuckled weakly, "Hehe, yeah. 'Recovered' is the right word for that." Turning your muzzle towards the door, you saw your mare standing there with a white towel hanging loosely around her neck. Her cyan fur was still damp from the shower, with here and there a splotch of fur standing up by the drying of her towel. You didn't really care that much about the out-sticking parts of her coat, if you would try to tell her about it, she would just shrug it off, telling you it would ruin her image if she were to keep her coat all brushed, anyway.

Your eyes climbed the cyan mare's legs and met her magenta eyes, which were both a little bit covered by her still wet and dripping rainbow mane. "Seeing something you like, Sparky?" she said as her muzzle turned into a cocky grin and she began to walk slowly towards you.

Your ears drooped to the side of your head, "W-wait... I just woke up! I'm still getting my air back from last night! My wings hurt in places I didn't even know that could hurt! My muscles are aching all over!" you said as you began to walk backwards with every step your mare made towards you.

"Well... there is an easy solution to that," she said as she closed in on you. Giving a swing with her neck, she swung the towel onto the cloudy floor, her wings slightly rising, and her eyes half closing as she came closer.

Gulping lightly, you asked, "An-and that is..?"

She stood now barely a hoof away from your muzzle. A faint, but nice smell began to enter your nose, a scent which made your wings rise on their own and caused your cheeks to blush, the same smell she had last night, only last night it was WAY stronger. "The solution is... 'Practice'... We need to build up your endurance so you can keep up with me..." she said alluringly as she began to nuzzle your right cheek.

You took a step back and your wings began to 'thump' unwillingly as they became stiff by her actions and the scent that began to get stronger the longer you stood in it. Your flank bumped against the cloudy wall and you covered your nose with your right hoof, trying to stop the stronger getting scent form clouding your senses even more. The rainbow maned mare slowly crept up to you, her wet tail swishing behind her and her beautiful ruffled wings rising the closer she got to you.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Came a tiny voice from the doorway. Your ears instantly perked up towards the sound, slight worry filling you.

The advancing mare stopped in her tracks as her ears perked up to the source of the voice as well. Her wings folded gently back to her sides and her grin melted away into a soft smile. She lost her focus on you and turned around to the doorway. You brought your hoof back to the ground, the scent that your mare left behind fading away as she walked to the door. Sighing in relief, you gently began to walk after her. Upon reaching the door, you saw the rainbow maned mare kneeling down and nuzzling a small filly, also with a rainbow mane and tail, "Morning, sweetie. I take it you slept well?"

The filly nuzzled her back, "Of course, Mom! I always sleep well! If I have nightmare, you always kick their flanks!" she chirped.

"You bet I'll kick their flanks! Even if they dared to look at you, I would kick them straight to the moon!" the mare boasted as she stood back up and put a hoof to her chest.

The filly squeed in delight and ran underneath her mother and towards you, "You hear that, Dad!? Mommy would kick them to the moon!" 

You chuckled as the rainbow filly trotted over to you, once she reached you, she stood up on her hind legs and pushed her front legs up against your left leg. Falling back onto your haunches, you brought your free hoof towards the filly and hugged her gently. Bringing her to your torso, you nuzzled her cheek softly, making her giggle. You stopped nuzzling her and locked eyes with her, noting your own reflection in her big eyes that looked like yours.

"Hey there, princess," you said with a grin.

The filly narrowed her eyes a bit and pouted her lips, "I am not a princess..." Her face turned into determination, "I want to be a Wonderbolt!" she said while fluttering her wings rapidly.

Chuckling lightly, you said, "You're still my princess. Don't worry, mommy will kick those nightmares further than the moon." You smiled softly at her while brushing a bit of her mane to the side. "I'm so lucky to have those two. It feels all too good to be true..." you slowly frowned at your own words. "Wait... this IS too good to be true..."

"Mommy? Daddy doesn't look so good."

"Static... are you okay? You look so... pale."

You ignored them and brought the filly absentmindedly back to her own hooves, to which she ran to her mother who was approaching you with worry. "This... this all..." Your head began to hurt, first it was a small pain. But it grew fast to a nagging pain which made you clutch your head between your hooves and groan.

"Static!" your mare rushed to your side and lay her right hoof on your forehead.

"AAaahhhh... my head hurts..." you managed to say through your gritting teeth.

"Static, hold on! I'll get medicine for the headache! Daze, stay with your father! I'll be right back!" your mare said as she zipped up into the air and shot out of the open window.

You shut your eyes in pain as your head began to thump like you just had hit a marble pillar. You felt yourself slowly falling to the left, your body weighing less and less as the pain increased to the point that your head could split open any moment.

As you landed with your torso onto the cloudy floor, you felt yourself drifting away, your headache fading like it was never there to begin with.

"DADDY!" 

"Too good to be true..."







Your head thumped like there was a drum being played by an over-energetic, salt and sugar cube licking stallion who stored his energy through his whole life, just to drum in your head. You groaned as your head felt like it was being hit by a brick over and over. Opening your eyes, you were greeted by a grey-white ceiling, again...

"What the plucking feather... " you managed to groggily say as you brought your right hoof to rub your head. You expected to feel your coat and mane as you began to brush your head gently, but you felt something wrapped around your head, it felt like multiple layers of soft cloth. You wanted to fan out your wings, but felt that they were bound to your sides with the same substance that was wrapped around your head. Taking hold of the white blankets that were covering you, you gently folded them a bit back so you could examine your own body.

You glanced yourself over, only to be greeted by multiple bandages. Both of your wings were wrapped into bandages, with a bigger one holding them folded against your sides, not uncomfortable, but it went against your nature to just be unable to move them which felt strange. Looking at your right front leg which was still partially holding the blanket, you saw that the ankle and the elbow were lightly bandaged as well. 

Further than that, nothing seemed to be bandaged. Although, a few spots on your fur were a bit different from their normal color, some were darker shaded, while some were lighter. In slight curiosity, you brought your left hoof down towards one of the out-of-color spots and brushed through it, only to yank your hoof away as your fur burned in pain, "Owh! dear, Celestia! What the hay, that hurt."

"Ah, Mr. Static. Good to see you awake," a voice said with a slight accent that sounded as if he was from Fillydelphia. Glancing away from your own coat, and towards the source of the voice, you saw a pegasi with round glasses, wearing a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck. His eyes were dark-brown just like his mane, while his neck fur showed a tan color. The stallion strode up to you with professionalism, while also carrying a friendly smile with him, "This is your first time coming into my infirmary, and you're a special case straight away." 

The doctor made his way to your right side of the bed. Taking a clipboard that was on the little cabinet that was next to your bed, he glanced it over shortly, his face turning into a thoughtful expression before turning his attention to you and began to smile gently again. "A special case indeed. And not only because it is the first day."

You pondered over what he meant with 'a special case'. You wanted to ask about it, but became distracted as an itch that was starting to nag at you, begged you to scratch it. You glanced to the spot of fur that you touched before and brought your hoof to it, only to be stopped by the hoof of the doctor, "Mr. Static, I know this will be annoying, in more ways than one, but trust me when I say it is for the best if you don't scratch, nor touch it."

You narrowed your eyes a bit in annoyance as you could do nothing to the damn itch. But your itch was quickly forgotten as your head began hurting again, reminding you that it was also still there. Retracting your hoof away from your itching spot, and out of the doctors hold, you brought it to your head and held it against the side. You dropped back onto the cloud pillow, closed your eyes and groaned, "Aaarrggg..."

"Take it easy, kid," the doctor said as he went to inspect your wing bandages. "You crashed into the clouds very hard. It is a good thing your friend wasn't as badly injured as you."

Your eyes shot open, your headache went from annoying to nothing as you remembered 'who' you crashed with. You shot up and sat straight on the bed, "LUCKY!! Where is she!? Is she alright!? Is she hurt!? How bad!? Can I help her!? Is she unconscious!? When will she wake up!? When will she..bblllrrgg." 

Your voice of concern was harshly cut off when the doctor pushed a red apple into your mouth. Looking at the apple in your mouth and then to the doctor, you saw him looking at you, half annoyed, but on the other half, he looked glad. With hesitation, you brought your hooves slowly to the apple and held it while taking a big bite out of it and slowly munched on it. "Calm down, Mr. Static. Your friend is okay and well, a bit in shock, but she is fine."

Gulping down your bite from the apple, you fell back onto the bed and felt as if a huge weight had fallen from your shoulder. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, you mouthed, "Thank, Celestia..."

The doctor chuckled gently at you, "You know, your friends from your class all had the same reaction, but then towards you, except for the mare you fell down with."

You focused onto the doctor with your eyes, and raised your eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well..." the doctor hesitated as he was petting his gyroscope. "Let's say she hasn't said anything since she woke up."

"Lucky? And she hasn't spoken since she woke up? Are we talking about the same mare?" you asked as you brought yourself slowly back into a sitting position, wincing a bit as the itching spot now felt as if it was burned by your movement. "By Celestia, Doc. Why does my skin hurt so bad? It feels like it has been burned..."

The doctor began looking through the cabinet next to your bed, and turned to you with a tiny white bottle with a label. Squinting your eyes at it, you read it as 'Cooling-Aid'. "What the buck is that?"

"This, Mr. Static, Is Cooling-Aid," the doctor said as he moved closer to you and hooved the bottle over to you, and taking the apple core out of your hooves and dropping it in the garbage can next to your bed. "It is a liquid substance that can be applied to the area of burn, or pain. Doctors around Equestria have came up with this a few years ago, due to the increasing stupidity of ponies who kept burning themselves on almost everything..." he said, his eyes half closing as he, in what seemed to be annoyance, without a doubt, thought back on the wagon-load of ponies that he needed to treat on their burns. 

"Heh. No wonder they made this, if indeed that many ponies burned themselves as much as he claims, they will need this stuff... " you thought to yourself with a slight grin. "Wait a second... he just gave me 1... does he think that I'm stupid like the others and burned myself...?" your grind faded and turned into a slight unamused look.

Glancing back to the doctor, you saw him taking an identical bottle out of the cabinet. Out of slight curiosity, you craned your head a bit over the bed so you could see into the cabinet. Your eyes widened slightly as you were greeted with at least 40 bottles of Cooling-Aid. "Why would you ever need to have so many of those here!? It's not like everyday a burned pegasus comes by... Wait, how am I burned?"

Your thoughts were interrupted as you heard a squeezing noise. Looking back to the doctor, you saw him putting some of the seemingly, light-grey, slimy liquid onto his left hoof. Your brain immediately associated the goo with something that looked similar to that, but that didn't come out of a bottle, but out of you.

"Dammit, brain! That is gross!"

A  tiny shiver ran down your spine as the doctor brought the bottle back in the cabinet, and on 3 hooves came walking towards you, the slimy liquid moving like it was a jelly pudding.

Now standing next you, the doctor brought his hoof with the 'jelly' over to the spot on your fur that still itched and burned a bit at the same time. As soon as it was being applied, a small chill ran through your body. Not a second later, you moaned a bit in pure relaxation and closed your eyes as the burn was gently cooled and instantly felt way better than before. The itching feeling disappeared as well, as if it had been the best scratching of an itch that you had ever experienced.

"Uhm... It seems that you're... quite enjoying yourself..."

Your ears perked up and your eyes shot open. Glancing to your right, you saw the doctor now a few paces away from you, sitting on his haunches and wiping his left hoof with a cloth, he looked at you with an sort of awkward smile.

You chuckled awkwardly and scratched your neck with your right hoof, "Eh... he he... Sorry, it felt... well... good."

"I...uhm... noticed that."

Silence fell between you and the doctor, an awkward silence, a silence so thick that you could cut it with a horseshoe.

"Okayyyy..." the doctor said as he threw the used cleaning cloth into a basket in the corner of the room. "Seeing that you're awake, and don't need any medical care right now, I'll let a visitor in."

You glanced quizzically at him, "Huh? A visitor?"

The doctor nodded before turning towards the door, opening it, he went to the right of the hall and disappeared. A moment later, soft hoofsteps could be heard coming closer towards you. The pony emerging from around the corner both filled you with slight surprise, but also with relief. "Lucky..." you said. You wanted to look happily towards her, but found yourself unable to at the sight of her.

Your eyes never left the down cast mare as she made her way into the room. Her ears were down to the side, and her head was hanging low towards the cloudy floor. Her wings weakly folded against her sides. Her steps were slow and soft, her eyes seemed half closed behind the cheery-red and white streak of her mane, with small dried up tear streaks going down her cheeks. She slowly made her way to the left side of your bed and sat down close to it.

You had never seen Lucky like this before. The mare you knew for a long time, her always happy attitude and her ability to make others feel better too, it was not the same mare you saw now.

You glanced her over worriedly, "Lucky?" 

Lucky didn't respond. Although, she looked at you for a second before turning her gaze away, and looked out of the window that was to your right.

You couldn't stand to see her like this. You began to sit straight up again, wincing a bit as your muscles ached a bit by the movement. This however, seemed to attract the attention of Lucky. For as soon as you winced, her ears perked up and her muzzle shot straight into your direction, her eyes wide and her mouth a bit open.

She rapidly stood up and closed the distance between her and the bed. Brining her front hooves onto the edge of your bed, she looked you over worriedly. She lay her right hoof gently onto your shoulder, keeping you from getting up, and looked into your eyes, "Please..." her voice confused you. Her normal happy tone was replaced with one of slight fear and worry.

You said nothing as you gazed into Lucky's pleading gold eyes. You simply let her push you down onto the bed again. She removed her hoof from your shoulder and brought it back next to her other hoof which was still on the side of the bed. Lucky began to look you over once again, this time looking at all your bandages and treated burn spots.

As she looked at everything you had been treated for, her ears drooped down to the side of her head again. Her eyes began to water and she looked back into your eyes, "I... I'm s-so s-sorry..."

Your eyes widened a bit as she forced her eyes shut and tears began to stream down her cheek. "I'm so sorry!" Lucky wailed as she threw her hooves gently around your neck and placed her mane under your chin, resting her head on your torso. 

You stared at her dumbfounded, "Where is she sorry for? Is she sorry that I'm now in the infirmary?" you thought to yourself as Lucky continued to hold you. 

And then it hit you, "She thinks I'm here because of her..."

Your eyes half closed, and your brought your left hoof to her mane and began to stroke it gently, "It's okay, Lucky."

Lucky seemed to calm down a bit as her sniffing stopped. She moved her head to look you in the eye, her chin resting gently on your belly. "H-how is it okay?" she asked with sorrow as her eyes darted slightly from side to side. "You're here because of me..."

"No, I'm not here because of you, I'm here because I was being... well... me," you said with a slight chuckle.

Lucky, simply raised an eyebrow at you, "W-what do you mean by that?"

"Think about it," you said, while raising your right hoof into the air and making a circle with it. "If I never would've taken off into the air, we wouldn't be here now would we?" you said while tapping the side of your head with a grin.

Lucky's tears stopped coming and she wiped the few that were still on her cheeks away with her left hoof, "But you did that because of me."

"Oh, c'mon Lucky. We both know I could've saddled up with you until we were at the meeting point, if I weren't so stupid to try and fly off with you on top of me," you said as you continued to stroke her mane softly.

Lucky closed her eyes as you continued to brush her mane, a familiar smile returning onto her muzzle. "You were indeed pretty stupid," Lucky said without opening her eyes.

"Is that such a big surprise then? After all, it was not my first stupid action today. And it will definitely not be the last one."

Lucky chuckled lightly. Oh how good it was to hear that in her voice again, you couldn't help but smile. Although, it was good to see her smiling again, you still wondered if she was actually okay, "How about you, Lucky?"

Lucky opened her eyes and glanced quizzical at you, "Huh? What about me?"

"Are you okay? You are not hurt or anything?" you asked with concern while looking her over quickly, noting nothing out of the ordinary.

Lucky sighed, "I'm fine. Really. Thanks to you that is. Berry Petal told me they saw you crashing into the clouds with dangerous high speeds, with me in your arms. When they all rushed towards us, I was laying on the clouds not that far from you. I was unconscious, but further than that I was okay. Iron Wing brought us both with haste towards the infirmary. Not long after, I woke up again to the doctor speaking with Iron Wing, Berry Petal was with them as well, who told me what she saw. Berry Petal told me that you were in a very bad condition, soon after, I made my way to here, but I was not allowed to enter, that was one and half an hour ago. Since then I've been waiting in the waiting room until the doctor said that I could."

You, in turn, sighed as well. "I'm glad to hear that you're alright Lucky."

"Are you kidding me?" Lucky said slightly annoyed. "I'm glad that you're still ALIVE!!" she almost yelled, catching you by surprise. "Do you know that you could've died by that fall!?"

Although she sounded mad, you knew that was because she was concerned. "But I'm still alive now, aren't I? If I'm gone, who is gonna keep Dust from setting the school on fire? Again."

Lucky groaned and rolled her eyes, "You always look at these things so positive, even when it happens to you."

"Of course!" you said happily. "I'm still alive, and you're unharmed. I'ld say that is something to be positive about."

Lucky groaned, but let out a chuckle after that, "You're right."

There was a knock on the door. Looking away from Lucky and to the door, you saw the doctor standing there with a clipboard in his hooves. "My apologies for interrupting, but I'm here to make the final checks on you, Mr.Static," the doctor said as he strode into the room. "Miss Lucky, please wait outside until I'm done with the check up."

Lucky nodded at the doctor and got off of you, "Okay, but I cannot wait outside. I need to get back to coach Iron Wing, and tell him that Static is awake." The doctor nodded at Lucky as she began to move towards the door.

You followed Lucky with your eyes as she made her way, only to raise an eyebrow when she hesitantly stopped. Lucky turned around and walked back to you.

She stopped right next to you. "Lucky? What's wro..."

Your voice got caught in your throat as Lucky placed a soft and warm kiss on your cheek. "Thank you," she said as she moved her head back. She  gave you a quick wink and turned towards the door, this time not stopping and heading right, into the hallway, and disappearing out of sight, leaving you with a warm feeling of appreciation and a smile on your muzzle.
> Ch. 15 What you should know already.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, let me just take this off, aaannnddd... there! As good as new," the doctor said as he removed the last bandage from your right wing.

Standing once more onto the cloudy floor, you felt a fresh and welcoming breeze going through your feathers as they were released from their prison. Looking to your wing which had just been released, you saw your wing folded gently to your side, everything intact, except for the missing feather that Gloom pulled out this morning.

Extending your wing to its fullest, you glanced over it while angling it a few times to different poses so you could inspect every feather. You craned your neck towards your extended wing and brought your wing more to your muzzle, making it easier to reach. You nuzzled your wing lightly, brushing through your feathers as you realized how much you missed them in the few minutes you had to live with them chained up to your sides.
Folding your wing back to your side, you went to inspect your left wing the same as your right, also brushing through it in relief that your left wing was free once more as well.

Extending both of your wings, you began to beat them up and down, taking you gently from the ground and letting you hover in the air for a few seconds before landing softly on the ground again. As you did, you felt that the muscles in your wings and your back were still aching a bit. Nothing a few good hours of napping wouldn't fix.

"Alright, Mr. Static. Your wings are no doubt still aching a bit, but that will go away," the doctor said as he brought the used bandages to the garbage can and dropped them in there. He went to the cabinet, taking a bottle of Cooling-Aid, and walked back to you, "However, it may take a day or two before the itching from your burn spots disappear completely."

He hoofed you the bottle which you took with your right hoof and glanced at it, "Okay, but nothing itches, so... I think it's over?" you said questionably. Since nothing itched after the liquid was last applied, you thought it was not 'really' needed to have a bottle of the substance.

"It may seem that way, but this liquid only helps for a time. You may experience that, later in the day, the itching, or, slight warm sensation, can come back. When it happens, you take a little bit out of the bottle, and apply it to the area you feel that needs it."

"Apply it to the area you feel that needs it... What happens when I...  Yep. Definitely going to try that."

Looking back to the doctor when you came out of your thoughts, you saw him glancing at you with a raised eyebrow, "Euhm... Everything alright, doc?" you asked with a raised eyebrow of your own.

"Quite so," the doctor said as he looked down to the floor and brushed his chin. "But I keep wondering how you got those burns in the first place. You weren't around any thunderclouds since those are not scheduled here until next week... and there aren't any burnable objects, or anything hot in the sky just like that. And burns from the impact is also a 'no', since you impacted straight onto a cloud which caught you and stopped you right there, so friction from skidding along the ground is also impossible."

You glanced at the various darkened spots on your fur as the doctor explained, wondering as well how those spots could actually get there. But wasting time on this would bring you nowhere, so you decided to give the thoughts a rest, and bring it up to somepony who had a better chance of answering this. And, as with every question you didn't know the answer to, you knew the 1 pony who would know it; Mom.

You also made a tiny note to tell mom a thunderstorm was scheduled next week. She always wanted to know whenever a weather change would occur so she could prepare your dad, you and your sisters for it. "I think the thunderstorm will not be such a big thing, but I know she would like it if I told her about it anyway."

"Now, Mr. Static. You've your prescriptions, if you can call it that, I think you need to tell your coach, Iron Wing, that you're up and about again," the doctor said as he strode to your left and grabbed, what appeared to be, your saddle bag. "This is the bag you had on you when you were brought in, so I kept it here, there was no reason to keep it stashed away."

The doctor came back to you with your saddle bag in his left hoof. He swung it gently over your back, taking extra care when he made the fabric of the belt touch your back. You angled your wings up slowly and stretched them a bit out so that the doctor could hang the bags carefully to your sides without your wings being in the way.

Craning your head and looking over your left shoulder, you saw the doctor tightening the belt on your back with his hooves, making you yelp as a little bit of your coat was being gripped between the belt, "Oowh! Easy back there, Doc!" You startled the doctor with your sudden yelp, he shot is muzzle towards yours with a slight fearful expression, his ears drooped slightly down and his eyebrows raised in slight shock.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Static! Did I hit one of your burn spots?!" the doctor asked with concern.

You gently shook your head, "No." You gritted your teeth lightly and closed one eye as the full weight of the bags began pulling on your fur, "But if you could remove the splotch of my coat that is between the belt, that would be appreciated!"

The doctor sighed with relief before he went back to your saddlebags' belt and loosed it up a bit, releasing your coat before carefully tightening it again. Without your fur between the belt, and the doctor creating distance between the two of you, you folded your wings back carefully, slowly brining them back to your sides. You gave your hip a few light swings, making your tale wag and your saddle bags hop against your sides. You felt no pain nor anything irritating when your bags moved, so they were not able to hit any burn marks that were on your coat.

Satisfied with the result, you looked over to the doctor who looked glad as well, "Well, you're good to go."

You gave a nod at the doctor before opening your bags' flap, putting your bottle of Cooling-Aid in your saddle bag and closing the flap again. Glancing over to the doctor, you saw him walking to the door, opening it and pointing his right hoof towards the hallway, "Out you go, Mr. Static. I've other duties to attend to."

You nodded again and walked towards the door. You stopped next to the doctor, "Thanks again, Doc. I hope I won't see you again, in these kinds of situations at least."

The doctor chuckled, "He-he, lets hope indeed."

You walked away from the doctor and into the hallway, hearing the sound of the infirmary room closing behind you and the doctor walking in the opposite direction of you. Your ears perked up as you heard the doc's voice calling you out, "Oh, one last thing Mr. Static."

You craned your neck back around into the direction of the voice, noticing the doctor glancing towards you. "Yeah?"

"Please preen your feathers, they're a mess," the doctor said as he turned back around and walked off and further into the hallway.

Your eyebrow twitched slightly. "Why... is everypony telling me to preen my bucking wings!? They're fine!" you thought as you glanced at your wings, now actually looking at how the feathers were, instead of only looking if they were still there. You sighed lightly at the sight, "Dear Celestia... He's right. I do need to preen them... that is going to take a while."

Your turned your muzzle forwards and continued to make your way down the infirmary hall, and towards the door opening at the far end. You passed by empty rooms, all clean and unused. "Why the hay, did they put me in a room so far from the outside?"

Growling a bit about the fact that you now needed to walk all the way, which was maybe less than twenty meters, but still, it was a bunch of horseapples to you.

You placed your front hooves in the opening of the doorway, and was welcomed with a fine breeze going through your coat and the sun shining on your muzzle. Inhaling deeply and letting it out through your mouth, you took the first step outside of the infirmary-wing of the school, and walked down the two small steps that separated the infirmary with the courtyard of the school. Looking to your right, you saw three pegasi in blue uniforms working on a cloud that was in multiple pieces, trying to shape it in what you expected to be its normal shape. "I probably crashed over there... poor cloud..."

Tearing your gaze away from the working pegasi, and the poor cloud that was utterly destroyed by your crash. You turned your muzzle to were the meeting point would have been, right in front of you, with four cloud, marble shaped, pillars. With in the center a cloud shaped into a statue of 'The Commander Hurricane', wearing armor, posing on his two hind legs while in his right front hoof a sword was held and his left hoof pointing towards the school, his wings flared out and his face was sporting a victorious grin.

You smiled a bit with pride at seeing the statue, even though the statue was not all that special, it did resemble 1 of the most important ponies in the history of your race. Walking further towards the statue, you noticed something in the left corner of your eyes, looking to whatever caught your eye, you raised an eyebrow as you saw that all the stallions from your class were laying on the clouds, all panting. By exercising no doubt.

Walking towards your stallion classmates, you looked at all of them, "Guys, what the hay happened to all of you?"

"Iron...Wing..." Sky Edge was able to mutter through his heavy breathing as he lay on his back, wings spread out loosely.

"Yeah... he really...  wanted us to...  shape up..." Blazing Beats said as he lay on his tummy, his left wing unfurled and the other half extended.

"I wished... that I crashed..." Thunderlane said as he was sitting on his haunches, before falling back over and slump onto the clouds, wings spread out and his front and hind legs sprawled over the ground.

You looked at the rest, all of them panting and unable to mutter anything that made sense. "By Celestia... it couldn't have been that bad," you said almost questionably.  "What did you guys needed to do?" 

"It was worse than we thought..." Sky Edge said as he managed to slowly get up and sit on his haunches, occasionally panting. "We started with...  thirty-five laps around the outer ring of the Colosseum.  After that, we needed to do twenty wing-ups followed by twenty push-ups. ...And after that, the coach had the good idea to do 'Capture the Flag'.  With the stallions against the mares."

"Okay. I see why you're all out of it then, doing all those exercises. But you did win 'Capture the Flag' right?" you said with a slight grin, knowing that your fellow stallions would beat the mares.

But your grin dropped as every stallion looked at you with uncertain and hesitant expressions. "Wait... don't tell me you lost..."

"HA! You bet they lost!" Your ears picked up the familiar scratchy voice.

"They didn't even succeeded in scoring one point!" came the voice of Lightning Dust behind you.

"Those two mares...  They are impossible..." Thunderlane said as he too got up again, and managed to point his left hoof behind you.

Turning around slowly, you were greeted with all the mares from your class standing there, looking at you with only tiny bits of exhaustion. Some of them wearing their goggles still over their eyes or having them resting on their forehead. And the worst part off all, they all had massive grins on their muzzles. And to make it even worse than that, the two mares in front of the group, were nopony else than Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. Both showing the least of exhaustion from the whole group.

You gulped a bit as you were stared down by them. But as you glanced at Rainbow Dash, you took in her form as she slightly panted, small clouds forming as she breathed out, her wings slightly extended and looking ruffled, her fur matted by the exercise, her mane unchanged since you last saw her. 

You began to bite lightly on the inside off your lower lip, trying to stop your thoughts from going to places they 'definitely' shouldn't go at this moment. "They look so... damn good... Especially Dashie... Wait... did I just call her Dashie?"

"Alright, mares. How about we do a victory lap around the school!?" Rainbow Dash said as she flared her wings out and jumped into the sky, looking at her fellow classmates. Every mare shot their hoof up into the sky and yelled, "YEAH!"

The whole team took off after Rainbow Dash, she and Lightning forming the tip of the arrow point the group began to form as they flew a giant circle around the school. All of them adjusting to the leaders movements like hey were all members of the Wonderbolts.

"By Celestia, since when do the have so much vigor? The years before, we could beat them with not 'too' much effort. But even now they still look as energetic," you said to yourself as you followed the arrow head of mares as they began their second round around the school.

"That is because most of them are maturing, Mr. Static."

Slightly startled by the voice, you glanced behind you, and there he stood; Iron Wing. one of the biggest and most muscular build pegasi you've ever seen. He stood in front of you, one and half a head higher than you, his muscles slightly visible through his coat. His mane was black, spiked and back-waving. His coat was grey shaded and his eyes were brown, his right eye wearing a slight scar vertically over it. All in all, a pony you didn't want get on the bad side of.

Luckily, he was among one of the most friendly ponies you could ever meet. "I see you're up again, Lucky told me as much. But I'm glad to see it myself," Iron Wing said with a tiny sigh of relief. "You had me worried when I brought you to the infirmary and I fully saw in what state you were in. How are you feeling? Nothing serious?"

You shook your head, "No. A few burn marks, but I've been given a prescription for that. Further, only aching muscles, but nothing serious."

"Thank Celestia." He coughed lightly into his right hoof, "Now, regarding your question as to why the mares beat your fellow stallions," Iron Wing began as he looked at the slowly, to their hooves crawling stallions, that were your classmates. "You've been told, no doubt, by your parents that most mares are maturing in the final year of school, right?" 

You shook your head, which seemed to take your coach a bit by surprise. "Lucky mentioned something like that, but my parents never really said anything about that, actually. I've heard from a few older stallions, when they were in their last year, and I was still in third year, that 'The Heat' would come when mares would mature. But not exactly what that does to the mares, except making them really... yeah... making them looking for a partner with more... enthusiasm...?" you finished with a slight brushing of your chin with your left hoof as you tried to recall everything that mares would experience and happen when they were maturing. "At least, I was told that I should be afraid of it."

Iron Wing 'hmm'd' lightly, "Well, what you say is true. But you miss a few things. This is rather odd for me to explain, since it is officially the parents duty to inform their foals about these kinds of things when they enter the second year of this school, preparing them for what is to come." Iron Wing dragged his left  hoof slowly over his face before turning to the rest of your stallion classmates. "Alright, stallions! Or should I say, COLTS. By the looks of it, you're all trying to relearn how to walk again!!" Iron Wing said with a massive change in his tone, from concerning and gentle, to the very reason he was the coach. His voice boomed as he spoke with an energy and respect demanding strength.

You glanced from Iron Wing over to your classmates, only to figure that, again, Dust wasn't there. "Uhm, coach?"

Iron Wing turned around he looked at you with a raised eyebrow. You opened your mouth, but became distracted as the coach's eyes went to look over and behind you. Before you could turn around, Iron Wing commanded at loudest you've ever heard him,  "FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA!! EVERYPONY! DUCK, DAMMIT, DUCK!!"

You buried your hooves onto your ears as your ears' insides were blown out by the booming voice, but before you could recover, you were thrown to the ground as the coach took hold of you and jumped with you to the side. Not a moment later, the arrow head shaped group of mares of doom came soaring by, flying very close to the ground, so close that they could have scooped your right off of your hooves. The mares left their colors as well as a wind surge in their wake as they passed by, leaving trench shapes in the clouds.

After the mares storm passed, the coach jumped to his hooves and followed the attitude climbing mares with his eyes, "DAMMIT, LADIES! WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE WON! CALM THE BUCK DOWN!"

You slowly scrambled to your hooves, following the mares with your eyes as they didn't seem to care what the coach yelled at them, and continued in flying their formation over the school. The coach growled, before sighing and turning back to you, "Are you okay, Static?" he asked in a more gentle tone.

You flapped your wings a few times before turning to the coach, "A bit startled at the sudden hawk dive." You left ear flicked, and you heard a small ringing come from it, "And... maybe a bit deaf," you said as you brought your left hoof to your ear and rubbed it a bit.

"I'm sorry, Static. But there was not really much time to tell it gently, everypony needed to duck, right there and then."

"It's okay. My ears have had worse days. I think. Those mares could have scooped me straight off of my hooves if we didn't dive to safety."

"Yeah, they certainly would have." Iron Wing looked to his right towards your classmates that were crawling back to their hooves, again, and raised his voice, "Alright, COLTS. Grab whatever 'dignity' you've left from the exercise, and take it with you to the showers!"

Your classmates all got to their hooves and groaned as they slowly made their way back into the school, some heads hanging a bit down, undoubtedly their pride hurt more than anything else.

The coach turned back to you, his tone shifting back to gentle, "Now, I'll explain you a bit about the 'Physical' changes that mares go through when they reach maturity. You've noticed that their wigs become more elegant and slightly bigger than the year before?"

You thought back to last year, although, Berry Petal seemed to keep her wings' size and elegance, Lucky... her wings haven't gone unnoticed by you, they seemed to be more...well... alluring, as well that they have gotten bigger. But you thought it was just your mind playing tricks on you, so you sought nothing behind the reason. "Well, I've noticed Luckys wings have gotten a bit bigger, but I just shrugged it off as normal grow," you said as you looked at your own wings and extended them before folding them back and turning your gaze back to Iron Wing.

"Hhmm, so you 'do' pay attention to that," Iron Wing said as he narrowed his eyes slightly and scanned you over, making you feel uneasy.

"Euhm... is that a bad thing?" you asked a bit worried .

"That depends, really. If you notice those small changes on your friend Lucky, then you've matured earlier than most stallions."

"Matured earlier?" you asked, now a bit intrigued by the subject. "How does that happen? Do I go through any noticeable changes?"

"You do go through changes, yes. But very close to unnoticeable by yourself. The same as you noticed the difference in Lucky her wings, the mares notice the small changes on a stallion."

You could only imagine what those changes would be, since your parents never talked about what could change when a colt reaches maturity, and you've never noticed any changes regarding your own body. "What are those changes for stallions then, coach?"

Iron Wing glanced up shortly in the sky, noting that the mares were descending towards the courtyard, a few meters away from where you two were standing. Looking back to you, Iron Wing continued, "That is different with every stallion, Mr. Static. It might be ones wings growing in width and length, it can be ones muscles that develop more, it might be their body height that increases, it might be their manes and tail that grow to be more rough and wild."

You scanned your own body over for those changes, but noted nothing out of the ordinary since last year, "But... I don't seem to have changed since last year."

"It doesn't have to be physically, necessarily. Some mares are attracted to a stallions sense of consideration, their sense of being able to take care of others."

Your eyes widened a bit and a bell rang through your head as he said that, "Wait... My Mom always tells me I'm a great father figure. Because of how I am around my little sisters."

Iron Wing raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know you had little sisters. That might explain it then why you matured earlier than most."

"Huh...?"

"Well, mares, when reaching maturity, have more sense and drive in finding a suitable partner. So they look for certain points in a stallion, those points I just listed, and yours would be that of a caring father figure, a point that a lot of mares find the most important. That must have developed in you over the years because of your sisters. Most stallions don't have sisters, or any siblings at all, that's why they mature later than mares, mostly. If in a family are two foals, the older one is close to always be a mare. In your case, however, you've two little sisters, which must have accelerated your sense for care taking of foals."

You took everything in what the coach told you, and suddenly it became clear why your mom always told you that you were a father figure. But you wanted to know a bit more about it, "Okay, but, how do mares know about my sense of care taking?"

The coach closed his eyes as a small grin crept up on his muzzle, "They simply know." He opened his eyes and looked at you, "They just feel that around a stallion. I can't explain that, nor can anypony else in Equestria. It is their instinct that tells them that."

"So instinct tells them that..." The coach gave a nod. "But why is it so important to them?" you asked.

The coach now looked at you with an expression that could be read as; 'really? I need to explain that?' The coach sighed as he recomposed himself, "Well, mares see that as 1 of the most important feats, because of what 'MIGHT' happen with 'THEM'."

You raised your eyebrow slightly, "What might happen with them?"

"It is more of a primal instinct. They search this in stallions in case the mare comes to an early demise, leaving the foal with the father alone. If this were to happen, and the father is not good in taking care of the foal, the foal would most likely not make it."

Your ears lowered at hearing that a foal would not make it if the father would not have the appropriated care taking sense in him. It made you slightly sad at the image that popped up in your head if something similar happened to one of your sisters. With a bit of hope, you asked, "But... there are many stallions who have this sense, right?"

To your dismay, the coach shook his head slowly, "Unfortunately, no. As I said, most stallions mature later, mostly something around two or three years AFTER they leave this school. And even then, most stallions don't have this sense as strong as you have already. The sense you probably have, could be matched with a father who has had a foal for three years."

Your eyes widened a bit as your heard the coach, "B-but... How do you know that I have as much sense as a father of three years would have?"

"I don't. This is purely an assumption. How old are your sisters?" the coach asked.

"They both turned nine this summer," you said, puffing up your chest with pride.

"And you're eighteen, correct?" You gave a nod to Iron Wing. "Then I'm not that far with my assumption. Of course, an actual father creates this sense much faster than you, but I know for certain that you've taken care of your sisters enough times to get the same."

Your memories flashed back to all the times you took care of Summer and Gloom whenever your parents were away and trusted you in looking after them, or that you cared for them when they injured themselves or were even a little bit sick. You flared your wings out with your eyes closed as you thought back at those moments.

"Uhm, Static. It is not the best time to show off..." Iron Wing said in a hushed tone.

You opened your eyes questionably, "Showing off?" you asked, not getting why he would say that.

"The whole time, whenever I say something regarding you and your sense of care taking and about your sisters, you take a more prideful stance. Not really the best thing to do right now... especially with this subject."

You raised an eyebrow, "I-I did? Why is that bad?"

Iron Wing raised his left hoof halfway up and pointed to your left without looking there himself. Glancing to your left, you saw the mares who touched down, standing quite close to you and the coach. Some of them were looking towards you two, while a few turned their muzzles in different direction as you looked towards them.

Turing back to Iron Wing, you asked, "What about them?"

"Already forgotten were we just talked about?" 

"No, but I don't..." you stopped in your sentence as the words of Iron Wing echoed in your head; "Well, mares, when reaching maturity, have more sense and drive in finding a suitable partner. So they look for certain points in a stallion, those points I just listed, and yours would be that of a caring father figure, a point that a lot of mares find the most important."

You looked again towards the mares, a faint blush on your cheeks as you knew 'why' they were looking in your direction and standing so close by. "They were interested in this subject... Ponyfeathers..."

"I wish you good luck in Autumn when it arrives. For sure, as off now, you'll have the eye of at least a few mares on you." the coach almost whispered.

You glanced at the group of mares as they were looking back at you with interest, one of them, was the mare you didn't mind to much; Rainbow Dash. Although, she was standing quite far behind in the group, surprisingly, it looked as if she was among one of the most listening ponies, together with one you were still not certain about; Lightning Dust.

A bell chimed three times through the air, signaling that the school day was ending. The mares were broken out of their looking at you, and you breathed a slight sigh of relief. Glancing back at Iron Wing, you saw him extending his hoof and patted you firmly, while also gently, on your right shoulder, "Time is up, Static. I hope I have helped you with this a bit. Have a nice day and," the coach came closer to your ear and whispered, "Good luck. You'll need it."

And with that Iron Wing flew up into the sky, and disappeared over the school, leaving you standing there with a few questions still lingering in your head. Looking around the courtyard, and to where the mares were standing, most already had flown away, and some were now talking with their friends. Rainbow Dash and Lightning were also gone.

As the bell chimed again three times, you remembered that now came one of the hardest parts of today; get over to the fountain, and give Lightning Dust your answer. Sighing to yourself, you knew that she was not going to like what you were going to tell her.
> Ch. 16 Everything went better than expected!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How am I going to say that I don't like her like that? How will she react to it? Will we still be friends after this?" you questioned yourself as you walked absentmindedly through the hallway of the school and into the main lobby, not paying much attention to your fellow students as they all were busy with their own things. "I think I'll just need to be direct about it... there is not really a point to talk around it, it would only hurt her more over time..."

You sighed as you stepped into the main entrance of the school, and looked outside to the fountain where you told Lightning to meet you. You didn't know if you were lucky or not when you noticed that Lightning wasn't there yet. Scrapping courage together as much as you could before descending the steps and into the courtyard, you decided that you were lucky to be able to have some time to down your nerves a bit for the upcoming talk. 

You reached the fountain with gentle steps and went to sit down next to it, your eyes looking at the sparkling water streams that were flowing out of the fountain sculpture, and into the little water pool below it. You found your thoughts drifting off to other things, including how Rainbow Dash looked when she stood in front of you a few minutes ago, "She looked so... free... competitive, so driven, so energetic. There's something about her that grabs me, something that Lightning does not have. I don't know what that is... and I probably won't find out for a while. But that doesn't change the fact that something about her just attracts me towards her. Maybe it is just because she is so free? Maybe..." 

Your thoughts were interrupted when you felt the clouds formed differently by somepony landing on it behind you. You didn't need to guess who that was, "Static?" Yep, no doubt who she was.

You slowly stood up and turned your gaze away from the fountain and towards the voice behind you, "Hey Lightning," you said.

Lightning looked at you with uncertainty, "Uhm... hey. You, uhm, wanted to talk here?" she said as she brushed her left hoof gently with her right.

You gave a small nod, "Yes. I have been thinking..." you found yourself struggling a bit to say what you wanted. You took a gentle inhale and looked directly into her ember eyes, "Lightning, I'm sorry. But I just don't see you in the same way. I like you, but truly only like a friend. You've been my friend almost as long as I've been friends with Dust." Lightning's face and her ears fell when you said it, twisting your hearth and making you feel guilty already for saying it.

Your ears drooped a bit to the side as well as you saw Lightning turning her muzzle away from you. You knew that talking to her was going to be hard, but even so, it didn't prepare you for the feelings that would come with it when you saw Lightning like this. Sighing to yourself, you continued, "Look, Lightning, I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but I just don't feel attracted to you. You're a kind mare and a dear friend of mine, I don't want you to change. I... I hope that my choice doesn't change our friendship..." you finished with hope in your voice, hoping that this indeed would not change your friendship between the two of you.

Lightning sighed and closed her eyes, "I expected that you would say that." You were a bit confused by what she said. She turned her gaze to you, her expression slightly sad, but her mouth carried a small smile, "I hoped you would like me back, but I expected that you wouldn't, Dust said as much." Now you were even more confused.

"Dust said as much? When?" you asked Lightning.

"I told him last year that I thought that I was beginning to like you, he told me then already that there was a very slim chance that you would like me back. He knew you saw me just as a friend, even when I told him last week I wanted to tell you that I liked you, he said the same. Although, he hoped for me that you would like me back, but he said that you would most likely say no. Apparently, he was right," Lightning sighed an air of disappointment. But her face perked up as she stepped a bit closer to you, "Even if you don't like me back, I thank you for being honest to me. And no, this will not change our friendship, I'm happy that I finally got an answer to my question that had been swirling around my head for too long."

You felt a rock falling from your shoulders as you saw Lightning smiling a bit again. Returning her smile, you closed the distance between the two of you and gave her a gentle hug, making her faintly blush. She returned your hug by softly brining her right hoof around your neck.

A long drowned out slurp killed the moment and Lightning promptly released you, "Oh guess, oh guess, who EVER that would be..." You annoyingly turned your muzzle to your right where the slurping sound came from, not to your surprise, you saw Dust drinking a hay shake, sitting on his haunches as he casually slurped his drink out of a straw not that far away from you.

You narrowed your eyes a bit at him, because of all moments he could turn up, it had to be now. "What? Did I do something wrong?" he asked while giving a shrug. 

You opened your mouth to say something, but Lightning beat you to it, "DUST! Why are you here!? You said you were going home!" Lightning said as she rushed to Dust, who didn't seem fazed by his sister in the slightest and simply took another sip.

You raised an eyebrow, "You were supposed to go home? When was that?" you asked, not getting where Lightning was going on about.

Lightning facehooved and letted out an annoyed groan before addressing you, "He managed to convince Iron Wing that he hurt his hind leg so bad that he was unable to exercise... And Iron Wing believed him and said he could go home if he could."

You glanced at Dust, "How the hay did you mange that?"

Dust stood slowly up and turned to his left, lifting his right hind leg a bit, you saw a big bruise on his coat, a really big one. "Remember when that rainbow mare kicked me this morning?" 

You couldn't believe what you were hearing, "There is no way that that giant bruise is from her hind kick..."

Dust turned fully to you again and sat back down, taking another sip while nodding, "You bet it is. It still hurts like a bale, though. I'll be feeling this tomorrow I think."

"Good. That's what you get for being so damn annoying form time to time," Lightning said with a smirk.

Dust shrugged again, releasing his straw from between his lips, "Maybe so, but in the end, it worked out for me. I got to skip P.E.T. or however they call it now, I got early leave, and I got three of the best shakes I've ever had."

Lightning's facehoof could be heard from where you were standing, making your forehead tingle by only seeing it. Walking up to Dust, you asked, "Okay, first off, where did you get them? Because I want one, too."

"There is a new shake shop just around the corner, it's called; 'Hay's shakes barn'."

"Okay, second, how did you pay for three of them?" you asked, since you knew Dust almost never took any Bits to school with him.

"I didn't, they were free samples, since it was the first hour that they were open."

Your eye twitched, "You've got to be feathering me... you get 1 bad thing today, and it ends up to benefit you in more than one... what a wagonload of ponyfeathers..."

"STATIC SPARK!!"

"Aaah!!" you almost jumped a few feet in the air as you heard your mom yell your name. Landing on the clouds again, you gulped and slowly turned your head around. You saw your mom standing a few hoofsteps away from you, looking at you disapprovingly. You chuckled innocently, "Hehe, uhm. Hey, Mom."

Your mom's wings were slightly flared in annoyance, and you knew why; she never approved of you cursing out loud like that in public, or any other place, really. "Static! You know how I think about cursing like that!" 

Your mom came walking over to you with her eyes dangerously narrowed. Step for step, you walked slowly backwards, trying to get distance from your mom while you putted on your most awkward and innocent smile you could muster. You passed by Dust, who was now slurping on his shake as if he was watching a show. Only to drop his shake as he was being pushed aside by your mom's right hoof, dropping his shake and falling flat onto the clouds, muttering a small 'ouch'.

You would have laughed at that, if it were not for the fuming mare. You walked so far back, that your tail and flank bumped into the sides of the school building. Realizing all hope was lost, you sat down onto your haunches and clapped your two front hooves together as if you were praying, "MOM, I'm sorry! It just flew out!"

Your mom, however, would have none of it, "Oh, no, mister. You're not going to get out of it this time!" You closed your eyes and prayed silently to Princess Luna to wake you up. Only to be answered by silence. Not only from Luna, but from your mom as well; no approaching hoofsteps, no lecture, no yelling, no wing flaps, nothing.

Opening your right eye just a bit to peek through, you saw your mother frozen in her tracks. Gazing up to her eyes, you opened yours fully with a raised eyebrow as you saw her looking you up and down. "Why did she stop?" Glancing down to your front hooves, you saw the varies of burn spots on your coat. "Aaww, hay. If she finds one thing worse than me being bad-mouthed, it is when I show any sign of pain, or anything that I normally don't have..."

"Static... Why does your coat have darker colored spots on it?" your mom asked, her tone shifting to concerning.

You chuckled weakly as you began standing up on all four of your hooves again, "Hehe, it's nothing, Mom. Really, I'm fine."

Your mom now narrowed her eyes again, but this time in suspicion, "Static. Tell me. What happened? And don't lie to me, young colt. Because I know when you do."

You kept your fake smile up, but began to falter under her narrowing gaze. Finally relenting, you sighed, "Okay. I've just come out of the infirmary a few minutes ago..."

Your mom's ears drooped to the side of her head as she walked closer to you. Her stern gaze melting away into concern, "Static, why where you in the infirmary? What happened to you? Are you okay?" your mom asked as she went to nuzzle your right cheek gently.

You leaned into your mothers affectionate nuzzle, and softly returned it to soothe her concerns, "I'm fine now, Mom. I'll tell you everything at home, okay? We need to get Summer and Gloom from Ponyville."

Your mom stopped nuzzling you and stepped a bit back from you, giving you space, "Okay, but when we get home, I want the full story, you hear me?"

You reassured her with another nuzzle on her left cheek, "Mom. I promise you that I'll tell everything when we're home. But lets first pick up Summer and Gloom, they probably wonder where we are."

You ended the nuzzling of your mother and craned your neck back. Looking into your mom's eyes, you saw her looking you over one more time before sighing and nodding, "Only if you feel good enough to fly, because else I want you to get home right now and rest."

"And miss how my little sisters have been enjoying their day? And miss to see if they managed to set off Miss Cheerilee? Heh, no way," you said as you shook your head slowly, a grin plastered on your face as you imagined Miss Cheerilee begging you and your mom to pick up the two devils.

Your mom let out a sweet chuckle, "You know that she had her hooves full on you as well a couple of times. I believe it will be the same with your sisters." Your mom sighed happily," Alright, but we now really have to go, your sisters will be waiting."

You gave a nod and unfurled your wings. Your mom doing the same, flapping her wings and taking off of the ground and into the sky. You followed her lead and followed her into the sky. "OH! Mom, hold on a second!" you said as you remembered that you hadn't asked the 'Dusties' if they would want to go with your group on the vacation trip. 

Your mom nodded at you and hovered in the air, her eyes following you as you turned around towards the cloudy ground and landed near Lightning and Dust. "Hey, Lightning? Hey, Dust?"

The siblings turned to you, both with their eyebrow raised, "Yeah?" they said at the same time.

You smiled at them, "What do you two think of going with me, Berry Petal, Lucky, Sky Edge and Blazing Beats on a trip through Equestria this winter vacation?"

"Will there be food?"

"Really, Dust? That is the first thing you want to know? We are planning a trip through Equestria, you know, with clubs, restaurants, café's. And you wonder if there will be food?" you said unamused. "Lightning, would you be so kind?" Lightning nodded and raised her hoof.

*swoof*

"HA! You missed, sis!" Dust laughed as he blew a raspberry at his sister.

*WACK*

"And now I didn't," Lightning said with satisfaction. "Anyhoof, Static, I would love to join in on your trip. I would like to see Rainbow Falls again!" Lightning did a hoof pump in exclamation.

You smiled at her, "Great! I always wanted to go there myself as well!" you said as you extended your right hoof to Lightning which she bumped with her left. "How about you, Dust?"

"Imblurg..." 

You sighed and pinched your nose with your hoof, "Dust, you know we cannot hear you when your muzzle is buried in the clouds."

Dust wiggled his flank and pushed his front hooves into the clouds, trying to push himself out of the cloud he was stuck in somehow. Not you could really blame him, you had the same problem today.

With a 'plop' sound his head was released by the cloud and he fell onto his haunches, "Bleh, that cloud was really puffy," he patted his tongue with his right hoof. "BUT, I'll happily join in with you guys! Anything better than spending my winter vacation alone with my parents... With sis it is bearable, but without..."

"I'll simply count that as a yes," you said matter of factly. "Very well, I'll let the others know tomorrow that you'll come with us. We still have time to plan and see how we are going to organize the trip, but the ponies are in on it!" you said with enthusiasm. You've never been on a real trip through Equestria, except a few times with your parents before your sister were born, after that, your parents would rather spend time with you and your sisters in Cloudsdale, as to be able to keep an eye on you and your little sisters. And even then, it was only three days every time when you went on vacation, and every time it was to your aunt and uncle in Canterlot.

"Static, are you done talking down there? We need to get your sisters!" your mom called from out of the air.

You brought your gaze to the sky, towards your mother who was still hovering on her spot, "I"m coming, Mom!" Turning your eyes back to the dust siblings, you bit them farewell, "Alright, Dust," you walked to him and held out your hoof to him.

"You got it, bro! I'll see you tomorrow," Dust said as he got to his hooves and bumped your hoof with his.

"Lightning," you said gently. Lightning looked into your eyes, Her's expanding as you hugged her once more. "We'll always stay friends, right?" you asked her softly.

Lightning hugged you gently back, "Of course we will, featherbrain," she whispered into your ear.

Chuckling, you released her and she did the same. Turning away from them, you unfurled your wings with grace and flapped them up and down, launching you into the air and brining you next your mother, "Where were you three talking about? Something about winter vacation? Is there something that I must know?" she asked right away as you came to hover next to her.

Smiling at her, you said, "I'll tell you and Dad at dinner. Although, if I know you, you'll probably not like it too much, nor will Summer and Gloom. Dad would probably be with me on it."

Your mom now raised an eyebrow at you, "I would rather have you to tell me now. You know I can't stand waiting on such things."

You stuck your tongue out to her, "I know!" 

You zipped away towards Ponyville with your mother quickly chasing after you, "YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME RIGHT NOW, MISTER!"

"YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST!!"
> Ch. 17 Not as planned.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't believe she actually caught me..." 

You recited to yourself over and over for the past few minutes, your thoughts still on the unbelievable fact that your mother caught you within five minutes of flying... "She never showed so much speed before, this puts Dad even lower on the 'boss in the house' list than I already proclaimed him to be."

"Now tell me! What did you wanted to tell us at dinner that I and your sisters didn't like to hear!?" your mom asked sternly as you walked through the outskirts of Ponyville were you had landed a minute ago.

Sighing in defeat, you began to explain your mother who was walking next to you, "Me and a group of friends want to go on a trip though Equestria this winter vacation." 

You expected your mom to forbid it almost straight away, regarding how protective she is of you. It surprised you really when she smiled at you, "That's it? You're planning on a trip with your friends?" she asked with her head cocked a bit to the left. 

You gave an unsure nod, "Uhm... yeah?"

"If that is everything you wanted to tell us, and you were so sure of that I wouldn't like it, then you are gravely mistaken," you mom said with a slight chuckle before turning her gaze to the school of Miss Cheerilee that was coming into view. "I honestly expected something much worse. But this is good to hear. Maybe not as much for your sisters, but I enjoy it that you want to see Equestria."

"Wow. I really expected her to blow up and ground me in my room just for brining it up."

"Tell me, with who are you planning this trip?" she asked as she turned her gaze back to you.

"So far, I'll be going with; Sky Edge, Lucky, Blaze, Lightning and Dust. Berry Petal needs to ask her parents first, but I'm sure she'll come along."

"Okay. Will your new friend, Rainbow Dash, join you as well?"

You felt your cheeks grow warm as you thought about her, "N-no. I haven't asked her yet." You shyly looked away, "Why do you ask?"

You could feel without looking to your mother, that a slight grin was forming on her muzzle, "Why not? she is your 'friend', right? So why shouldn't I ask? She seems to be a very kind mare," she said with an innocent sounding voice. "If you wait with asking her, I would say; ask her in Autumn. I'm sure she'll say yes."

You now narrowed your eyes in slight suspicion and looked at your mom, "Mom, why should I ask her in Autumn of all times?"

Your mom smiled and looked ahead, "Oh, nothing. It is just that you'll have more chance that she'll say yes, that's all."

"Mom. Now that we are on the subject of Autumn. You and Dad have some explaining to do yourself when we get home," you said as you gave your wings a few flaps in slight annoyance.

Now it was your mom's turn to look away with a slight blush, "U-uhm... whatever do you mean, Static?"

"I've had a little 'talk' with my coach about mares maturing this year. Why haven't you and Dad explained me about this?" you asked with your muzzle coming closer to your mom, her eyes still avoiding yours.

"Well... me and your Dad... We... Uhm... OH LOOK! We're at the school! Sorry, Static, but the explanation will need to wait!"

Your mother began trotting at a fast pace towards the school, but you were not so easily distracted, so you flared out your wings and zipped ahead of your mom. Landing abruptly in front of her made her stop in her tracks with an 'eep'. With your wings still flared out, you stared your mom down who was giving you an innocent smile, "Mom, care to explain?"

Her eyes were darting all around you, most probably trying to find something to distract you. Her eyes fixated onto yours and she sighed, "Okay, you win, Static. I'll talk with your Dad. And after that I'll explain after dinner."

You flared your nostrils and folded your wings back to your sides, "I can wait until then. But you better have good reason why to 'not' tell me."

Your mother sat down on her haunches, "well... I kind of do... " your mother said as she clapped her front hooves softly together a few times. Sighing once more, she stood up on all four hooves again, "Lets first get your sisters. We'll talk later this evening."

You gave a nod and turned around towards the school. Although, you were satisfied that your mom said that she would talk about it with you, you couldn't help but linger on the part were she said that she had her 'reason' to not tell you.

You closed in on the school with your thoughts swirling about everything she was supposed to 'should' have told you, as Iron Wing said she should've. Your ear flicked as you heard flapping wings behind you, brining you out of your thoughts and making you turn your head in curiosity. Looking over your shoulder you saw your mom standing still and her muzzle buried in her left wing. "Mom? What are you doing?"

Your mom said nothing as she was still busy with her wing. "Hello, Equestria to Mom..."

Your mother finally turned her muzzle to you with a small feather between her teeth, "Yewsh, Sthatic?" 

Your eyebrow twitched slightly in disbelief, "Mom, the feather...?"

Your mom's eyes fixed on the feather and she promptly spitted it out, "Pft! Sorry, Static. I felt a small feather that was broken thanks to our little 'chase and catch'. I needed to get it out, so I preened my wing quickly before we need to fly again." Your mother narrowed her eyes at you, "Something you could do as well."

"I know! Dear, Celestia!" you said loudly. "Everypony is judging my wings today... grrrr..."

"That's because..." your mom stopped in the middle of her sentence as her right ear flicked. "Static, do you hear that?"

You perked your ears in the same direction as your mothers, and you heard small buzzing sound coming towards you. You had heard that sound before today, "That buzzing sounds familiar... almost like..." Your eyes expanded as you remembered what caused the buzzing, "Please... Don't let it be Scoots! She had hurt her hoof this morning! She can't... 'buzz'?... on her thing already!" 

Your eyes darted around as you began to search for the filly with increasing worry. "Static? You know what that sound is? Static?" your mom tried to get your attention.

You ignored her calling as your focus was fully onto finding out where the buzzing was coming from. Your ears flicked into the direction of the street that was to your right, going into Ponyville. You didn't hesitate for a second, you spread your wings wide and took off with speed.

"Static! Where are you going!?" your mom yelled after you.

Zipping passed various ponies who jumped aside as you flew through the street, you noticed the buzzing becoming louder, and coming from your left. Making a sharp left turn, you stopped flying as the buzzing was now very close to you, looking around while hovering in the air, you noticed that you ended up in a park.

The buzzing stopped and you feared the worst. That was, until you heard laughing coming from a pond that was not that far to your right, what also seemed to be the center of the park. Your fear was washed away as curiosity took over, flying gently over to the pond,  you began to smile as, of everypony you expected to see, you saw your twin sisters playing with Scootaloo and two other fillies. One filly had a yellow coat, red mane with a red bow tie. The second filly, she had a white coat with a two shaded mane and tail, one streak was light purple, while the other was also purple shaded.

You smiled widely as you saw Scootaloo with a tiny bandage around her right front hoof, sitting near the pond as she watched your sisters setting her... thing... straight up again as it seemed that it had toppled over.

"How was that, Scootaloo?" Summer asked.

"It was pretty good, but it could've been cooler!" Scootaloo commented as she buzzed her wings.

"It was pretty cool if you ask me, but it did look a little dangerous," the white coated filly voiced her concern.

"Ah'm sure our newest members will be buzzing like Scootaloo faster than you could say; applebucking!" the filly with big bow tie said as she glanced over to her white-coated friend.

You flew quietly to the tree that was next to them, and landed between the leafs that were on top of it. Now resting between the leafs, you silently watched with a small smile over the fillies as they continued to play without knowing that you were there. You looked back to the yellow filly with curiosity, "How she said 'I'm'... her accent sounds familiar. It almost sounded like the orange coated mare's accent with the cowpony hat this morning."

You were almost lost in thought, again. But you were interrupted as your shoulder was lightly tapped, "Static?" You craned your neck and glanced over your shoulder to find your mom silently landing next to you. "Sweetie, it is not so nice to sneak up on them like this," your mom said with a small grin.

You chuckled softly, "I don't want to interrupt them. It looks like they're having fun, so why spoil that?" 

Your mom gave you an approving nod, "I'm not going to stay here, I need to do some grocery shopping for tonight's dinner. I'm not able to do that if your sisters will stay longer." You turned your head away from the fillies and to your mother. "Static, are you willing to watch your sisters and bring them home?"

You puffed up your chest in pride and confidence and closed your eyes, "Do you even have to ask?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Your mom nuzzled you gently and gave a kiss on your cheek, "Be careful, Static. I want all three of you home before dinner... unharmed."

You nuzzled your mom back, "Of course, Mom." You gave a winged salute to her with your right wing to your forehead, "I'll be at home before dinner, with Summer and Gloom safely with me."

Your mom smiled at you, "I'm proud of you, Static," and with that, your mother silently unfurled her wings and took off into the sky, heading for Cloudsdale. 

Your eyes followed her until she disappeared on the horizon. Your right ear flicked as you heard laughter coming from below you. Craning your head just so that you could look over the leafs and down to the ground, you saw your sisters standing next to Scootaloo, "Your scooter is fun! Where did you get it?" Summer asked with glee.

"I built it myself!" Scootaloo said with pride. "And... I rebuilt it also a couple of times... hehe"

"Why do you use your scooter and don't you fly?" Gloom asked with curiosity. This peeked your interest, your sisters could not be that much older or younger than Scootaloo, and they flew everyday, so why wouldn't she? Flying came to you as simple as breathing. Being bound by those bandages in the infirmary reminded you of how much you missed your wings, not being able to fly was stuff you wouldn't wish to your worst enemy.

Scootaloo fidgeted with her hooves, "Well... I..." she casted her eyes down to the ground, "I can't fly..."

"Say what now?"

"Why can't you fly, Scootaloo?" Gloom asked.

"I... I can't... I don't know how..."

"Why not?" Summer asked as she stepped closer to Scootaloo with curiosity.

"She'll learn that from me! Don't you worry, squirt! You'll fly."

Your ears perked up at the voice, and you knew right away who it was, "Rainbow Dash..."

Glancing away from the fillies and to where the voice came from, you saw Rainbow Dash landing casually next to your sisters. Folding her wings to her sides, she walked over to Scootaloo and ruffled her mane, "I'll teach you how to fly, Scoots. I promised you now, didn't I?"

"That's sweet of her, helping Scoots to learn how to fly... Maybe I can help her with that as well?"

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Summer called. 

Rainbow Dash turned to Summer and looked down at her, "Yeah?"

"Now that you're here, is my brother here too?" Summer asked, flapping her wings happily and wagging her tail.

"Yeah, is Static here? He and mommy where coming to pick us up. I wonder why they are late, maybe something happened to them?" Gloom asked with worry as she casted her eyes down.

"Don't worry, sis! Our brother can handle himself! Mom could take on an Ursa!" Summer said as she jumped into the air and spun around her axis while throwing out her hooves as if she were fighting. Landing back onto the ground, she nuzzled her twin gently, "I'm sure they're fine, don't worry, Static and Mom will be here any second."

"Heh, you bet he'll be here any second," Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle.

"Why did she say that..."

You were harshly brought out of your thoughts as the tree began to shake, making you topple fore-over and fall through the leafs, making you scream like a filly as you fell down with your back onto the ground with an 'oomf'.

"I told you your brother would be here any second," Rainbow Dash said as she walked over to you and looked into your eyes.

Your eyes gazed back into hers. Although, from how you could see her, her head seemed to be upside down. "uhm... hehe... Hi, Rainbow Dash," you said with an awkward chuckle.

"Heya, Static. Nice of you to 'drop in'," Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle of her own. "Get up, you've been laying down enough for today," Rainbow Dash offered your her right hoof.

You looked at her hoof and then back into her eyes which were still gazing friendly back to you. Slowly, you extend your own right hoof and grasped hers. She took your hoof firmly, you could feel her soft fur brushing over yours. "Ready?" Rainbow Dash asked you.

You looked questionably at her, "Ready?"

Before you could do anything, Rainbow Dash gave you a grin and zipped into the air with you holding onto her hoof, not a second later she released your hoof, letting you drop to the ground. Feeling the sudden drop, you closed your eyes and screamed, "AAAHHH!"

"Stop being such a scared filly, Static." 

Opening your eyes again at the voice of Rainbow Dash, you noted that you were standing on the grass with all four of your hooves, "B-but... What?"

"I released your hoof only an inch off of the ground, just enough so you would fall onto your hooves," Rainbow Dash said as she slowly landed with grace in front of you. 

You couldn't help but gaze at her wings as she slowly landed and folded them to her sides with care, "Her wings... they look so... beautiful..." You shook your head as you noticed that Rainbow Dash was looking at you as well, "Uhm, yeah, right! I was scared there for a moment..."

"Hehe, I noticed. You didn't need to be, I would never let you fall if I wasn't certain that you would be fine," Rainbow Dash said with a wink. The last thing she said, it made your hearth beat faster, only a little bit, but you could feel that it did. It made your smile grow bigger as well.

"STATIC!" Your ears flattened to the side of your head as you heard your two sisters scream your name. Looking to your left where the voices came from, your eyes widened as two yellow blurs zipped towards you.

"NO! Girls, wait!" you tried to stop them. But it was too late, your sister hugged your front legs, making you yell as a few of your burn spots letted themselves known, "AAHH!"

You shot up onto your hind legs and fell onto your back and your sisters jumped up into the air in fright, they landed a bit away from you, looking at you with worry. Everypony looked at you in shock at your sudden yell, but they made their way to you as you recollected your breath and calmed down, "Dear Celestia... that could have gone better... ouch."

"Static! Are you okay!?" the twins both yelled as they rushed to your side, this time stopping right next to you.

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Hold your feathers, Summy and Gloomy. Your brother has had worse." Rainbow Dash turned to you and took a step closer. 

To your surprise, your sisters flew up in Rainbow Dash's muzzle, making her stop in her tracks. They said nothing, nor could you see what they were doing, but they did something that made Rainbow Dash take a few hoofsteps back, her face looking like she was unsure. Summer landed in front of her, her wings spread out and her back turned to you. Gloom turned around and landed to the right of your muzzle, "Brother... are you okay? Did we hurt you?" Gloom asked with an upcoming tear in her eye as she locked eyes with you.

Your ears drooped to the side of your head at seeing your little sister like this, "She's so sweet." You slowly began to sit onto your haunches. Looking down at Gloom, who was still looking at you with her own ears drooped down to the side of her head and the tear lingering in her eye. You extended your right wing slowly, and with a gentle brush of your wing, you wiped her tear away with a primary feather, "Don't cry, Gloomy. You know I don't want to see you like that." Gloom began to smile a bit again, but still looked a bit sad.

Summer came standing to your left, turning your muzzle to her, you saw she had the same sad expression as her twin had. You extended both of your wings and curled your right wing around Gloom and your left around Summer. You gently carried them to you and held them close to your sides. They both nuzzled softly in your neck and you nuzzled their manes gently to reassure them, "I'm fine, girls. Don't worry."

"Ahm, Mr. Static, sir?"

Your ears flicked to the filly voice to your left and you raised your head while keeping your sisters nestled between you feathers. You glanced to the left and saw the yellow filly standing there with Scoots to her left and the white filly to her right. "Uhm... yeah?" you responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah don't want to be rude or anything, but what were you doing in that tree?" the filly asked with her head lightly cocked to the side.

"Oh... uhm... well.. I.." 

"He was watching his sisters, Apple Bloom," Scoots said from her left. "Isn't that right, Static?" Scoots said as she turned to you, smiling.

You chuckled and nodded, "Well, yeah. That's about right."

"Why didn't you let us know that you were here? It is not ape-apro..." the white filly found herself stuck mid sentence and brought a hoof to her chin in thought.

"Ah' think you mean 'appropriate', Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom corrected her.

"That is it yeah, my sister uses that to describe ponies who do not behave politely with other ponies nearby."

Rainbow Dash groaned, "She says that about, like, almost anypony..." Looking to the rainbow maned mare, you saw her slightly frustrated muzzle as she rolled her eyes.

You raised an eyebrow at her, "It can't be that bad, Rainbow Dash. I'm sure you're overreacting a bit."

She looked to you, "Just wait until she meets you, and you'll know how bad it is..."

You didn't know if you should take that serious or not. You've never met anypony who would say something like that on occasion, which you were quite thankful for. You had an older neighbor mare living down the street of your house who would every few days talk to you about how to behave correctly. She was a sweet and caring mare, but could get annoying when she went to correct everything about you; your stance, the way you folded your wings, how you stood, how you walked, how your mane was combed on the few times you actually did, even how your tail was hanging, which you didn't even know that you could do wrong... How does ones tail hang correctly?

You shivered a bit as you thought back on that mare, and hoped that Sweetie Bells' sister wasn't the same, "She better not be the same... Or Celestia help me, I'll leave this town with my sisters faster than you could say 'Buck'..."

You rolled your eyes, banishing your thoughts and getting back to your sisters that were still curled in your feathers and held against your sides. Unfurling your wings so that you could see from above and down at them, you saw their eyes closed, their hooves thrown carefully around your side and they breathed softly.

"Wait... are they sleeping? Ponyfeathers... I hoped I didn't had to carry them back to Cloudsdale... Well, I can't wake them now... Maybe I will take a bit of rest here next to the tree? Gives me time to preen my bucking feathers everypony keeps telling me about..."
> Ch. 18 Like a walk in the park.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You sighed gently as you carefully began to stand on all four of your hooves, your wings curled around your sisters, holding them softly to your sides where they were snoring happily. "Well, lets try to make it over to the tree and lay down next to it without waking them." Your wings were still aching from your visit to the infirmary, but even so you tried your best to not let out any noise while carrying your sisters. You turned to the tree you fell out off not so long ago.

"Static? Where are you going with Summer and Gloom?" Scootaloo asked as she came walking next to you, her bandaged hoof making her limp a bit.

You bended your head down to Scootaloo, and in a gentle voice, you said, "I'm going to lay down next to that tree with my sisters. I can not fly to Cloudsdale right now."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at you, "Why not? Can't you lay them on your back and fly home?" her head cocked a bit to the side as she looked passed your wings and at Gloom who was snuggling further into your feathers.

"Well... honestly, I don't want to wake them, I don't have the hearth for that." You glanced at Gloom with a smile, then you brought your muzzle to your left side, looking at Summer as she snored lightly and rolled on her side, her legs tugged in front of her belly and her tummy towards your side. "How can I ever wake them up when they are like this?" you said to nopony in particular.

Raising your head up and away from your sisters, you continued your walking to the tree, "I'm going to lay down with them so they can sleep until the sun starts to go down, then I'll have to wake them up. But I hope it won't come to that," you said with a gentle chuckle. "They've grown to big to lay on my back at the same time." Reaching a curled root from the tree, you decided it was a good spot to lay down. You slowly bended your front legs and brought your torso to the ground before bending your hind legs as well and tugging them under you. 

You gently brought both of your wings to the ground and uncurled them from Summer and Gloom, laying them softly on the grass and against your sides where they snuggled into, nuzzling your sides sleepily. "Now, lets get to preening. Or, try to at least."

"So what now, Static? Are you also going to nap?" Rainbow Dash asked as she came walking towards you with Scootaloo next to her. "Because you've been napping enough if you ask me."

You looked at her and shook your head, "No, I'm going to preen my wings." You unfurled your wings over your sisters. "A few ponies mentioned that I should do that... so... I guess I should then," you said with an unsure glance at your stretched out wings.

"Guess?" Rainbow Dash facehooved and slowly dragged her hoof down her muzzle," Static... preening your wings is a must! Like, every day! I preen almost after every flight!" Rainbow Dash pointed her right hoof to your wings, "Look at your wings, when was the last time you preened them?"

You looked once more at your wings and thought back to when was the last time you preened them properly, "Hhmm... that would be... what? a week? maybe more..." Glancing to Rainbow Dash, you saw her mouth halfway open with her eyes looking at you up and down in disbelieve. "I... hehe... I think that was a week ago? Maybe more...?"

"What? Don't you know that preening is one of the most important things a pegasi must know and do?" Scootaloo jumped in. "Even I preen my wings daily, and I can't fly... yet..." Scootaloo's voice faded a bit as she finished her sentence, something that sparked slight worry inside of you.

"Ignore Static's preening behavior, Scoots," Rainbow Dash said as she unfurled her right wing and hugged the little filly to her side. "Remember what I've told you, preening is the best and most important way to keep your wings healthy and flyable! I'll teach you how to fly, and when you fly, I'm sure you'll even beat me in a race!" Rainbow Dash said with a wink to Scootaloo, who was looking up at Rainbow Dash with big sparkling eyes.

Again, how she treated Scootaloo like that, it made your hearth beat faster. It made you feel warm as you heard how much she cared about her 'adopted' little sister, "She's so caring and protective of that filly... if she's like that with an adopted little sister... how would she be when we have foals...? Wait..." You mentally slapped yourself for thinking like that. You barely knew her and you were already plucking the feathers.

"Uhm... Mr. Static... sir?" You shook your head a bit and glanced to your left where the little white filly stood looking at you with curiosity and slight worry, "Are you okay? You seemed to be dreaming."

You chuckled weakly, "You could say that... uhm... what was your name again? And you can call me Static, 'Mr' and 'sir' make me feel old, and I'm not that old. Only older ponies may say that, or ponies who are just formal."

The white filly nodded and gained a small smile on her muzzle, probably happy thats she could drop the formalities, "Okay, Static. My name is Sweetie Belle. I live here in Ponyville together with my sister; Rarity!"

"Nice to meet you, Sweetie Belle," you said with a smile. "My name is Static Spark. But you can call me Static. Rarity, your sister, she is that posh mare Rainbow Dash mentioned?"

Sweetie Belle gave a nod and 'hummed', "Yup. That is her."

"Okay. Warn me when she is around."

Sweetie Belle raised her eyebrow, "Uhm... okay. But why?"

"Because then I'm taking off! Not to be rude to you or your sister, but I'm not so fond of 'overly posh' mares, and how your sister is described, I would rather not be around her for any longer than 5 minutes."

You expected Sweetie Belle to be slightly offended, but she began to chuckle, "At least you're honest about that. More ponies aren't so fond of her politeness here in Ponyville, like Rainbow Dash," she said as she pointed her left hoof to the rainbow maned mare who gave a nod in return. "But she is really nice! As long as you don't mess up her mane... or make her coat dirty... or behave inappropriately. Hehe... but she is really nice besides that," she brought her hoof back to the ground and gave you an unsure grin.

"Don't worry Sweetie Belle, I will try to not do any of the things you listed. Although, behaving appropriately, that is going to be hard probably, but I'll try," you said with a salute which made her giggle lightly.

The red maned filly came standing next to Sweetie Belle, "Ah guess I'll introduce myself too then! My name is Applebloom, I live on the farm just outside of Ponyville. I live there with my grandma; Granny Smith. My big brother; Big Mac. And my sister;.."

"Applejack?" you interrupted the filly.

The filly looked at you with slight surprise, "...yeah... how'd yah know that?"

You gave a stupid grin, for interrupting, as well as remembering under which circumstance you've met her, "Well... I've met her this morning when me and my parents were brining Summer and Gloom to school, that is when I met her." You could feel Rainbow Dash grinning towards you, as she most definitely remembered what happened this morning as well. "And when I heard you talk, I noticed you had the same accent as her, which made me guess you two were sisters."

Applebloom rubbed her chin with her right hoof and began to chuckle, "That is pretty good guessing... uhm, Static!"

You gave a small bow with your head, "Thank you, Applebloom. It is a gift."

"Is that what your cutie mark means?" Scootaloo asked as she limped next to the other two fillies.

"Yeah, Static. I'm curious too now. You haven't mentioned what your cutie mark is about and how you got it," Rainbow Dash joined the crew of curious ponies as she came standing behind the three fillies, all starring at your flank where your cutie mark was displayed in all its glory. 

You didn't mind the curiosity of the little fillies as they were gazing at your cutie mark. It was the gazing of Rainbow Dash which gave you an embarrassing feeling which made you blush a bit.

You coughed lightly to get their attention, and draw it away from your flank, "Euhm... fillies? My eyes are up here." The three little fillies turned their eyes to your muzzle with innocence, not knowing what you really implied. But even so, the rainbow maned mare kept her eyes on your flank, her head cocked a bit to the side as if she was in deep thought. "Rainbow Dash, my eyes are not there."

"I know. I'm just curious about your cutie mark," Rainbow Dash said as she broke her gaze away and looked into your eyes. She gave you a quick wink which went unnoticed by anypony but you.

You stumbled a bit, trying to find words, "Uhm... okay. Right. I'll try to explain a bit then how I got it I suppose...hehe."

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom came sitting close to you with their ears perked up in curiosity. Rainbow Dash sat down onto her haunches as well and looked at you while unfurling one wing around Scootaloo and hugged her against her front legs.

You smiled at the sight, but remembering that you would tell them how you got your cutie mark, you sighed and began your little story, "It all happened a few years ago..."





"...And that is how I got my cutie mark," you said as you closed your eyes in self pride.

"That is all you needed to do to get your mark?" Rainbow Dash asked sarcastically, making you open your eyes and look at her.

"Well... yeah? What about it?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Oh, nothing. Just that it wasn't so special if you ask me. For example, my cutie mark, I got it doing something awesome!"

You snorted lightly at her ego, "My mark might be nothing special, I got it by doing what I like. You got your mark by napping on a cloud most probably. Since that is what you're good at."

Rainbow Dash shot you a nasty glare. "Hit a nerve now, did I?" You gave a grin which seemed to set Rainbow off even more.

"What!? I should buc..."

"Rainbow Dash! Not here!" you interrupted her with a stern voice and harsh glare.

"What do you mean 'not here'?" Rainbow Dash asked with an irritated and questionable look.

"Because we have company," you said matter of factly.

"Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo said as she looked up to the rainbow maned mare. "What is a 'buc'?"

"Maybe she meant; bucking apples? Like you do Appelbloom," Sweetie Belle said uncertainly.

You decided it was better not to let Rainbow Dash answer that, for that would not end well if you knew her like this, "It is nothing, Scootaloo. Forget about it." Scootaloo turned to you with a raised eyebrow and gave a slow nod. "Rainbow Dash is going to get it when the fillies are going to ask other ponies what she meant... Not my problem though!"

You heard two little yawns coming from your sides which perked your ears. Raising your wings and glancing under them to your left side and then to your right, you noticed your little sisters' eyes fluttering open sleepily. You smiled at them and gave them both a little nuzzle, "Hey there sleepyheads. Wakey-wakey."

Summer stretched her back and got to her hooves, her wings fluttering a bit as she got from under your wing, "Thanks, big brother." she said with a yawn. "We need to do this more!" Summer nuzzled you with her happy attitude she always had.

"Maybe, Summy, maybe." You turned to your right side where Gloom was, and not entirely surprising to you, she had somehow managed to get your wing curled around her again and had snuggled into your side with only her mane visible from under your wings. You sighed happily, "C'mon Gloomy, I can't carry you home. My wings need to rest."

The only response you got was a soft snoring. "...Really? Asleep again just like that?" you chuckled gently and shook your head, "Please, never change." You curled your wing a bit more around Gloom, holding her gently against your side. Turning your muzzle to Summer, you said, "Summer, you can play with your friends and Rainbow Dash for now. I'm going to stay here with Gloom and preen my wings, if you need anything, you know where I am."

Summer gave a smile and a nod before turning around to the three other little fillies, "Can we try your scooter again, Scootaloo?" Scootaloo gave a confident nod and the fillies made their way to the small pond where the scooter was laying on the grass, Scootaloo limping after them which tugged at your hearth slightly to see her like that.

"I'll keep a close eye on them, Static. Don't you worry, nothing will happen to them, not when I'm around," Rainbow Dash said to you in confidence with a smile before walking after the fillies herself. While you were still worried about them a bit, you were also slightly relieved that Rainbow Dash would look out for them, especially Summer. You had seen her looking out for Scootaloo this morning, and how ever so slightly, protective she was of her.

Your eyes followed the fillies to the pond with your eyes, your thoughts roaming about that they would stay safe with the rainbow mare looking over them. Sighing, you stretched out your left wing and glanced over it... it was in dire need of preening, and it would get it now. While keeping your right wing curled around Gloom, keeping her warm and close to you, you brought your wing closer to your muzzle and began preening.

> Ch. 19 A sensation in the park.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A bit to the left... Turn it gently... and put it back. There! All done! Finally... This is why I don't do it daily... takes forever..." you said to yourself as you released the last feather from your right wing and glanced it over. "Hmm. I don't like to do it... but it looks four times better than when I don't preen it. Maybe I should preen it more? Nah. There must be a very good reason if I would be going to do it daily." You murmured to yourself. 

"Done preening, Static?" Rainbow Dash asked as she landed in front of you.

You curled your right wing around Gloom and nuzzled her, Gloom sighed happily as she buried her muzzle into your feathers. Turning your head to the rainbow maned mare, you nodded, "Yeah, I'm done preening. Finally. It felt like I was busy for two hours or longer." Rainbow Dash walked closer to you and glanced over your wings, almost as if she was a wing inspector. "Uhm... Rainbow Dash? Can you like... not look at my wings?"

Rainbow Dash kept looking over your wings, but gave you a short glance with a reply, "Why? They look much better now. This will making flying a lot easier, and it is healthier for your wings." Rainbow Dash gave your wings another look before giving you a quick wink, "Besides, they're much nicer to look at."

"Preening daily it is then!"

Your cheeks felt warm, "Y-your wings are also nice to look at..."

"What was that, Static? I didn't hear you good," Rainbow Dash said with a slight grin as she stepped closer to you with her muzzle turned a bit to her left and her right ear perked into your direction.

Your eyes expanded as you realized what you said, instead of thought, "Uhm.. I... Nothing."

"Are you sure? Because I'm certain you said something about my wings."

"I... I..."

"Brother said your wings are also nice to look at."

Your cheeks caught fire as Gloom casually spoke from your right side. "Glooommmm... I love you, but this is the WORST time of all to drop in!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Gloom, "Does he now? I know my wings are awesome, but to get admires just for their looks is something new." Rainbow Dash gave you another grin, "So... how much do you like my wings?" Rainbow Dash spread her wings all the way, giving you a grand and close up view of her primary feathers and how beautiful they looked. Your mouth hang open to the point you were uncertain if it was still attached to your muzzle, making Rainbow Dash smile broadly, "Well that answers that."

She folded her wings back to her sides, your eyes following her wings' smooth motions until they were completely against her sides. "...Oh my... those wings... And she showed me them just like that!" You closed your mouth and fought the silent throbbing that was starting to happen in your wings. You bit on your inner lip, sending your thoughts to something that wasn't alluring.

"Static..? What is happening to your wings? They are twitching or something... Is everything okay?" Gloom asked innocently as she crawled out from under your wing and looked at you.

With a drawn-back voice, you said, "Uhm... yeah. Everything is fine, Gloom. Don't worry, I'm just... uhm... stretching them and relaxing them repeatedly... yeah, that's it."

Gloom looked unsure as you tried your best fake smile while fighting the slight wing throbbing off. All the while, behind Gloom, it was unmistakeable that Rainbow Dash was grinning evilly. "This mare! I swear... I'm going to get her back one of these days! ...or this is my karma for leaving her to explain to Scootaloo what she meant with 'buc'..."

"If you are sure that you're okay, can I play with my friends and Summer then?" Gloom asked with a toothy smile. 

You looked thoughtfully, "I guess she can play with her friends for a while, as long as she and Summer don't get tired again." You glanced shortly over the rooftops of Ponyville, noting that the sun was already closing in on the horizon, meaning that you would have to go in a few minutes, half an hour tops. You looked back to Gloom and gave her a smile and nod, "You can go play for now, Gloom. But don't tire yourself out, I don't think I can carry you home."

Gloom did a little skip and fluttered her wings, "Thanks brother! I won't do too much, I promise!" 

Gloom spun around and trotted underneath Rainbow Dash and passed her legs towards her sister and friends that were playing with the scooter. You quickly glanced at the fillies as to what they were doing. You saw Scootaloo standing on the scooter with Summer in front of her, her hooves on the steering handles while Scootaloo held Summer at the shoulders. Your eyes wandered to the back end of the scooter, noting that a little cart was attached to it with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom sitting in it...  "Hey, Glo...*oof*" ...And now Gloom as well, poor Sweetie Belle didn't even get to finish her sentence before Gloom jumped into the cart, and pilled onto the other two fillies.

You rolled your eyes with a chuckle at the sight. "Owh... That could've gone better, Gloom..." You heard Apple Bloom groan slightly as the fillies sat straight up again.

"Hold on, girls! We're off to crusading!" Scootaloo announced as she and Summer began buzzing their wings and... scooted..? off to ponies know where.

You sighed as you lay your head gently down onto the soft grass, the warm rays of the sun basking you pleasantly. "Maybe a quick nap... just five minutes..." 

"Are you really going to nap?" 

Grumpily, you said, "Only for five minutes or so, Rainbow Dash. Is that to much?"

"To much!? You've been napping half of the..." Rainbow Dash did a quick look around the area, "...bucking day! Of course it is to much!"

You shrugged with your wings and closed your eyes, "That's to bad then. Because I feel like a quick nap." Your eyes blinked open as a spot below your left wing base began to itch, "Ah ponyfeathers... It is time to use my cream..." 

Rainbow Dash snickered with her mouth closed and a hoof in front of it.

Raising an eyebrow at her, you asked, "What? What is so funny?"

She chuckled, "...What you said. Hehe. 'Time to use my cream'."

Your eyebrow twitched, "...Really? Grow up, Rainbow Dash."

"I'm more grown up than you," she puffed out her chest a bit and raised her head.

"I doubt that, big time. Anyway." You proceeded with craning your head to your left saddlebag and nudged it open with your muzzle, taking out a small white bottle, you brought it down in front of you and released it from between your teeth. 

Rainbow Dash got closer and looked at it curiously, "Cooling-aid? huh?" she craned her head back and looked at you, "Is that for your wounds? From the crash?"

"Yeah. Or... for my burn spots, really. I still don't know how I got 'em, and they itch terribly, it is like a swarm of Parasprites is tickling it." You brought your hooves to the bottle and took the cap off with your right hoof. Putting the cap on the grass, you held the bottle with your left hoof and squeezed a little bit of it on your right hoof, all the while Rainbow Dash was looking at what you were doing. Considering how foalish she appeared to be, there was no doubt in your mind that she would picture this stuff with what you associated it with as well... you were a bit unsure if that was a good thing.

"That almost looks like jelly frosting that Pinkie uses on her blueberry cup cakes. Those things are so gooooddd!" Rainbow Dash said as she sat back onto her haunches, closed her eyes and rubbed her belly with her two front hooves.

"By Celestia... that sounds so wrong... ssssoooo wrong." Your wings gave a quick throb as she said that. "My wings are not arguing though..." You shuddered lightly as you thought about what Rainbow Dash said... similar jelly onto a cupcake... You decided that, from this moment, you were never going to try those things. Ever.

The itching below your wing base brought you back to the task at hoof, so you forced your right wing to your side, while raising your left wing so you could reach the spot below the base. You turned your muzzle to look at your left wing and brought your hoof along with it, brining the jelly closer to the terrible itch that was starting to get worse. As you brought your hoof close, your muscles in your shoulder refused to go further. "Oh... buck. My muscles are to sore..."

"What are you waiting for? Apply the stuff already!" Rainbow Dash said impatiently as she walked to your left wing.

Annoyed, you said, "I... am trying to. My muscles are to sore... I can't move my arm that far..."

"You big foal. Here, let me do it."

Before you could object or register what she said, Rainbow Dash walked next to you and firmly planted her right hoof onto yours. The jelly made a *squish* as her hoof touched yours, raising her hoof off yours, a string of the cooling-aid attached your hoof with that of Rainbow Dash.

"Yuck. This stuff is sticky," Rainbow Dash said as she pulled her hoof back. She brought her hoof close to her muzzle and smelled the cooling-aid, "It doesn't smell... at all. This stuff is weird."

"Why... on Equestria... would anypony randomly smell this kind of stuff? Although... Now I'm curious myself..." Your curiosity getting the better of you, you brought your own hoof to your muzzle and gave it a hesitant sniff, noting that Rainbow Dash was right, it didn't smell like anything.

"The itching was just below your wing base, right Static?"

"Uhm... yeah," you said abscentmindly, still pondering over why the cooling-aid didn't smell.

A cold touch reached beneath your wing, making you moan in sudden pleasure, "Oooohhhhh..." your wings flared out widely as you felt the itch fade away and the cooling-aid began to do its magic, relaxing and massaging the area it was applied to. Your wings fell numb down to the ground and stayed there. You sighed happily with your eyes closed, pretty sure that this was one of the best feelings anypony could ever feel.

"... Static... what the hay? Did you just..."

While you would normally feel quite embarrassed by this display, you were feeling so content that you didn't care at the display you just made, as it was one of the best things you've ever felt. "Hehe... I think I did."

"..."

Looking to Rainbow Dash with a satisfied look on your muzzle, you saw her glancing at you with a mixture of surprise and... excitement? If her half raised wings were any indication, you could say she was somewhat pleased with your reaction, while it was not fully what she had expected.

"..."

"..."

"Oh my goodness! I never would have thought to see you with a coltfriend, dear Rainbow Dash. Even less with showing such... 'passion' in public." A feminine voice with a Canterlot accent called out of nowhere.

Your ears drooped to the side of your head and your eyes half closed in slight annoyance, "Please... tell me that is not Sweetie Belle's sister... isn't she?" 

Rainbow Dash got the same facial expression as you and folded her wings to her side, "Eeuuuggghhh... I wish I could tell you that..."

"Celestia save us..."
> Ch. 20 (Un)pleasant meeting and surprises.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This... This is just un-plucking-believeable..." you said while standing under the tree with an expression that matched your words. The posh, Canterlot sounding accent, was coming from a white coated unicorn mare with a styled shining purple mane and tail. She strode up the grass towards you with her head held up high like a noble. She wore a yellow dress that covered her almost completely form her neck to her tail.

You closed your eyes in protection as they started to get burned by the strong, light reflecting fabric that had been used in the dress, sending the sunlight that was hitting it straight into your direction. "Celestia is trying really hard to fry my eyes today..." you almost whispered as you unfurled your wing and held it above your eyes. 

"No kidding. What the hay is she doing here?" Rainbow said as she too shielded her eyes with her wings, annoyance clear in her tone.

"She's probably here for Sweetie Belle," you said as the mare came standing under the tree, making you able to fold your wing back to your side.

"Well hello there, Rainbow Dash. How has your day been so far? And who might this handsome coltfriend of yours be?" the mare asked as she swung her mane around and adjusted it with her hoof.

You and Rainbow Dash looked at each other, and then back at the white coated mare.

"HE IS NOT MY COLTFRIEND!"
"I AM NOT HER COLTFRIEND!"

You and Rainbow both looked at each other with a raised eyebrow.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Very well then... you both didn't have to yell at me. A simple 'no' would have sufficed. Although, I must be honest, form where I was viewing this... 'situation'... you two looked to be close. Not to mention that... I'm sorry, what was your name again?" she asked as she turned her gaze to you.

"Uhm, my name is Static Spark."

"Well, Mr. Static Spark. My name is Rarity. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she held out her hoof limply to you and closed her eyes.

You glanced confused at her. Not getting the hint, you looked to Rainbow Dash who used hoof signs, with her right hoof she held her left hoof and then kissed the hoof she cradled. You looked at her with an expression that everypony could read as; 'are you serious?'. Rainbow Dash got the hint and nodded her head while stifling a chuckle. You were not one for formalities, never was, never will be. Except on VERY special occasions. But this wasn't one of those.

"It is nice meeting you, Rarity. You may lower your hoof now. I'm not a pegasus that flies like that."

Rarity opened her eyes and lowered her hoof with a slight huff, "That's a shame. But I suppose everypony has their own way of greeting new ponies."

"Yeah, but at least my greeting doesn't get all smoochy and sappy."

While Rarity didn't hear it, you heard Rainbow snickering next to you at your subtle comment, making you feel a bit proud as you managed to make her laugh.

"Well then, would you two explain me what you were doing then and where Sweetie Belle is? She said she would be here after school."

"I will explain it if you keep it a secret," you said with a slight grin.

"Huh? What is so secret about me getting that cream of yours and use it on you?"

"..."

"..."

"That is... well... highly inappropriate... to do in public, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said as she had a light blush, easily noticeable by her white coat, and she averted her gaze.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that!" The damage was already done. You were laughing at Rainbow and she was glaring at you, "Tell her, Static! I didn't mean it like that!"

You snickered, "But Rainbow, why hide it? You enjoyed it just as much as I did, didn't you? It would be rude to lie, would't it, Rarity?" Rarity muttered a small 'yes', at your question.

"Static!"

"Okay, okay. Calm your feathers Rainbow Dash. It was a joke, Rarity. Rainbow Dash helped me with placing a cream called 'cooling-aid' below my wing base. I needed it due to a burn wound being there, and I couldn't reach it on my own. Unfortunately, or not, depends on who uses it, it has a very relaxing side affect which... well... made me... express it."

"I told you it was not true, Rarity! Static made up the story on the spot!"

"I'm sure that it was," Rarity said with a voice that you noted down as; 'I'm still going to share that story with everypony I meet and make it more juicy than it was'. 

"Anyhoof... Where is my sister and her friends?

You sighed and rubbed with your left hoof between your eyes, because you where certain that this story would haunt you for some time. Brining your hoof back to the ground, you glanced around, quite unsure yourself where the fillies went. Since you didn't knew Ponyville, you were probably going to be lost yourself, let alone find somepony here. "They were off to... crusading? I believe they called it? They went off on that small thing with wheels and a cart attached to it."

"By Celestia... I hope those fillies are not going to do any dangerous cutie mark crusading again."

Your ears perked up at the word of 'dangerous'. Immediate concern boiling up within you as your head started to play some scenarios where your little sisters would be jumping rivers and ponies know what, anything that could harm them in their crusading. "Wait. Dangerous crusading? What do you mean by that?!" you asked with anger and worry clear in your voice. You narrowed your eyes at Rarity as she didn't respond to your concerns, "Rarity. Tell me, what do you classify as 'dangerous' among their crusading?"

Rarity looked uneasy around her as she noticed your stern gaze, "Well... I... maybe dangerous is a to big of a word to use..." Rarity gave you a weak smile, which only aggravated you as you still had no answer, while every second you stood here waiting, your little sisters could possibly get hurt.

"Calm down, Static. The fillies have just some 'random' idea's for what they can try to get their cutie marks," Rainbow said as she walked into your vision and stood closer to Rarity.

You turned your attention to Rainbow Dash, "And what the buck are those so called idea's then? If Rarity here needs to say," you changed your voice into a noble sounding accent, "I hope those fillies are not going to do any dangerous cutie mark crusading again," you went to your normal voice as you looked at both of them with annoyance, "If Rarity here, says it like that, those random idea's as you called it, are things I don't want my little sisters to be any part of! So tell me... what are those idea's!?" you yelled the last bit, your wings fanned out in frustration and your nostrils flaring.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know your sisters would be crusading with them!" Rarity said in slight fear, her ears drooped to the side and she took a few steps back.

"Calm the buck down, Static! Their crusading is not that dangerous." Rainbow Dash waved her hoof casually through the air, "They have done rock climbing, parasailing, potion making, exploring in Ghastly Gorge and the Everfree forest, catapulting over the town..." Rainbow Dash continued the list with many more activities the fillies had done in the past, which only served into dislodging your jaw and your right eye spasming in disbelieve.

Some of the most extreme things and places that you never wanted Summer and Gloom to do or even get near to, and these fillies have done almost everything, and they were going to pull your sisters into these situations? Not if you could help it.

"...And they also tried once to... Static? Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash asked you as she saw your face scrunching up into pure anger. Your nostrils flaring rapidly, your wings outstretched in utter rage of what you heard. And in an instant, you launched yourself from the ground with neck breaking speed, leaving a large cloud of dirt behind.

"STATIC! WAIT!" Rainbow Dash yelled after you which you ignored.

You flew up into the air high above the town, hoping to find a clue as to where your sisters might be, "By Celestia! How stupid are these mares to let fillies do activities like this!? I swear to Luna, if those three fillies helped my sisters into any kind of dangerous activity, they are never allowed to play with each other again!"

You stopped with flying up and hovered in the air high above the town, searching franticly in every direction for the smallest sign that would give your sisters location away. Looking all over, you couldn't find the smallest trace of them.

"Static! Wait up!" You heard Rainbow Dash yell at you as she came flying up.

You ignored her again, more out of concentration to find your sisters, but also because you did't know how you felt towards her after hearing what the fillies did while she knew about those activities. It made you see her differently, especially since she was the 'adopted sister' of Scootaloo. 

Rainbow Dash came hovering next to you, a mild annoyed look on her muzzle, "Static, I..." You stopped her in the middle of her sentence with a sharp glare, taking her by surprise for a second. Rainbow Dash recovered herself and spoke up, "Static. I know you're concerned about your sisters, but the crusaders know what they are allowed to do and what not."

Your eyebrow twitched, "They know what they're allowed to do? So you allow them to go into the Everfree forest and explore Ghastly Gorge?"

Rainbow Dash stammered a bit, "Well... n-no. But..." you cut her off by holding up your hoof.

"No. I've heard enough." You closed your eyes and sighed, losing a great deal of what you thought was 'interest' in her, "You're to careless. How can you let them out of your sight if you know they do things like this?" you asked as you looked at Rainbow Dash. You didn't give her time to say anything back, "I don't want my sisters near ponies who are so careless. What if something happens to them?!" you almost yelled.

You started to flap your wings again, trying to gain lift and get up higher into the air. "Static, wait. I think I know where they are." Rainbow said with slight defeat clear in her voice. Your ears perked up and you lowered back down to her eye level.

You hovered in front of her, waiting for her to take the lead or tell you. "Well? Lead the way," you said with slight annoyance.

Rainbow Dash nodded with a look of guilt and something else that you couldn't place at that moment. She turned towards a large farm that was at the outskirts of the town, and started to fly towards it. You didn't waste any time into following her, trailing closely after her as you two flew towards, what appeared to be an orchard. You could see from far off the red glisters from apples that where hanging in the tree. You looked quizzically at the farm, unsure why the fillies would be there, or why Rainbow Dash would lead you there, "Why are we heading to that orchard?"

"The crusaders have a small clubhouse there. And since your sisters are new members from the club, they will without a doubt be officially welcomed into their club, which they always do. So I'm pretty sure they are busy with that right now," Rainbow Dash said without looking at you. However, what she said, it re-sparked a bit of the flame inside of you for her, because she 'did' know where the fillies were. But you were still saddened by what you heard in the park, the mare that caught your eye, she was so careless as to let the fillies do all of these things, it tugged your heartstrings. 

You looked up at the sound of wings flapping closer to you, noticing that Rainbow Dash flew slower so she could get next to you. She glanced at you with a slight saddened look that was accompanied with that other look you couldn't place before, "Static, look... I know you're angry that the fillies are able to do these things. But you've to believe me that we try to keep an eye on them, and we try to keep them out of dangerous crusading... we even ground them for one week at a time. But how do you expect us to keep an eye on them when we need to be elsewhere? You know yourself that you can't watch over your sisters the whole time."

You thought about what she said and realized that she had a good point. You sighed in acceptance and looked at Rainbow Dash, "I... I know what you mean... But you've to understand how it sounded to me... My sisters mean the world to me, I don't know what I would do if one of them would do something like that and would get hurt." Your ears drooped halfway down to the side as you thought about your little sisters.

"Hey..." you glanced to your right, seeing Rainbow Dash looking at you with a gentle smile. "...your sisters are lucky to have a big brother like you."

You felt the corners of your mouth lift a bit at her kind words, "Thank you... Rainbow Dash. I appreciate you saying that."

Rainbow Dash gave you a quick wing and angled her self to the right while starting to descend towards a more open spot in the orchard. Glancing down to where she was going to, you spied a small construction of wooden planks in the tree that was in the open part of the orchard. Figuring that that would be the clubhouse that Rainbow Dash mentioned, you started following her down to the ground. Angling your wings, you flew after her and glided towards the front of the clubhouse where Rainbow Dash had already landed.

Landing next to her and folding your wings to your side, you glanced at the clubhouse that was build in the tree. "This is where they are, Rainbow Dash?"

"They should be," Rainbow Dash said, turning to you. "I can be wrong but... wait... do you hear that?" Her ears perked up in to the direction of the clubhouse and so did yours, hearing what sounded like a pair drums.

You cocked your head to the side in confusion, "Are... are those drums I hear?"
> Ch. 21 The start of something?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You and Rainbow Dash stood beside each other in front of the clubhouse as you both listened to the rhythmic drums that came out of it. "You know...  whoever plays those... at least they have a feel for dramatic rhythm." You said as the drumming continued.

Suddenly, the rhythm sped up and was replaced by harsh random drum beating which made the area around you shake before it abruptly stopped. You flicked your ears and chuckled as the drums halted. Ruffling your feathers a bit, you glanced to Rainbow Dash on your left, "Well that was energetic."

Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Meh... It could have been cooler."

You rolled your eyes at her response, "Oh as if you could do it better."

She narrowed her eyes at you with a smirk, "Better than you at least."

You looked unamused back at her, "Really? You want to be better than me at drumming?"

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and puffed up her chest, "I know I'm better than you."

"You know what? I'll just let you have that." Rainbow Dash almost looked a bit disappointed as you said that but you shrugged it off. Focusing on why you flew to the orchard in the first place, you turned your muzzle to the clubhouse of the crusaders, "Well, lets see if that was indeed the crusaders that where drumming so loudly." You began walking to the small wooden ramp that would lead up to the door of the club, Rainbow Dash following close behind you.

The ramp squeaked a bit as you made your way up. Even when you were a pegasi, and because of that lighter than other ponies, the ramp was still not build for your size. "You make the ramp screech in pain, Static. You need to shape up!" Rainbow Dash commented from behind you.

Thinking quickly, you thought back at what Lucky said about your flank. Smirking lightly and taking on an innocent tone, you said, "Oh? Lucky said that my flank was definitely an 8 on the flank scale." You swayed your hips a bit and waggled your tale in Rainbow Dash's direction who chuckled lightly.

She followed your hips with her eyes, "Well, she's quite right about that." Looking to your muzzle, she smirked and said, "But still, you need to shape up to get higher in my books."

You stopped with the swaying of your hips and looked at Rainbow Dash, "Lucky said the same thing..."

Rainbow Dash chuckled and started to walk up the ramp with you following her with your muzzle. "I know she did. We talked about it when she came to the Colosseum and told us that you were awake."

You glanced quizzically at her, "How did it come to that?"

Rainbow Dash stopped next to you, "Simple, she told us how you got into that state in the first place. Which went all the way back to the point of her mounting you." 

"S-she told you that?" you asked, your ears drooping down at the thought of what Rainbow Dash and Lucky would have discussed about you.

Rainbow Dash smirked again, "Not only me." 

"What?"

"You don't understand much about mares, do you?" she asked as she cocked her head a bit to the side.

"Well... I think I do. But what has that to do with anything?" you said while craning your head a bit back.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "Never mind about that. If you knew a little bit about mares, you would know we share our thoughts about stallions... and their features. And we do that mostly in groups."

Your ears drooped to the side, "A-are you serious..?" Rainbow Dash gave you a grin and a small nod. Now wanting to know what they were saying about you, you asked, "What was being said about me?"

Rainbow Dash smirked at you and began walking up the ramp again, "I'm not going to tell you, except for what I already said. These are mare things, you're not supposed to know."

"Oh come on... Now you just make me curious." 

As Rainbow Dash walked further in front of you, you couldn't help but spare a glance at her cyan colored beautiful wings that were folded sweetly against her sides. Her feathers reflecting just the smallest bit of sunlight as the wind made her primaries wave a tiny bit, making your eyes glued to her wings. "Her wings are so... gorgeous..."

"Come on Static. You can ponder later over what we have been talking about you." Rainbow Dash spoke up, breaking you out of your gazing and slight drooling over her wings.

"Uhm, right." Walking up the ramp yourself, you closed in on the door of the clubhouse with Rainbow Dash standing next to it waiting for you. Nearing the door, you heard giggling coming from inside. A familiar giggle that you knew only one pony had; Summer. Your ears perked up and you started to smile instantly as you heard one of your littles sisters, instantly soothing most of your worries.

"By the look on your muzzle, I would say you heard what you wanted to hear." Rainbow Dash said with a smile as you put your hoof onto the knob of the door.

You didn't say anything, you simply glanced at her and showed her the smile you were carrying, which made the corners of her mouth lift up as well. Turning your muzzle back to the door, you noticed how small the doorway actually was. The clubhouse was truly meant to be used by foals only... As you tried to twist the knob, you heard the loud giggling again. But this time, you heard more giggles, probably from the other fillies as well. Curious by all the laughing, you planted your left ear against the door.

"Uhm... Static?" You hushed Rainbow Dash as you tried to listen to what the fillies were talking about. You motioned with your hoof that she had to keep her voice down. Rainbow Dash instead came standing next to you and put her ear against the door as well.

"He was very nice to us today wasn't he, Gloom?" You heard the distinct voice of Summer through the door.

"Uhm... I-I... yeah. He was very nice to me.. uhm... I mean... 'us', today." Gloom muttered with what sounded to you as slight embarrassment and uncertainty.

"Rumble is a good friend of us!" the voice of Scootaloo came through the door.

"Rumble? As in Thunderlane's little brother Rumble?" You thought to yourself. "I forgot almost that Summy and Gloomy were now in the same class as him."

A pink color appeared between you and Rainbow Dash.

"HEY DASHIE! HEY STATIC!"

"AAAAAHHHH!!"
"AAAAAHHHH!!"

You and Rainbow Dash both screamed and jumped into the air as suddenly the pink pony appeared next to you with a giant smile on her face. "What's up?" the pink mare asked as you and Rainbow Dash landed on the wooden boards of the clubhouse with your wings spread out widely.

"Pinkie Pie!?" you screamed in surprise as you recovered from the shock. "What are you doing here?!" you asked as your hearth pounded in your chest.

The door of the clubhouse opened up and the crusaders stepped out of it, "Static? Rainbow Dash? Pinkie Pie? What are you all doing here?" Scootaloo asked, the rest of the fillies glancing at you and the two mares that were now occupying the balcony of their clubhouse.

You opened your mouth to respond, but Pinkie beat you to it, "Hey there, crusaders!" Pinkie said happily. "I baked you all some cupcakes for your 'new members party'!" 

You glanced her over, not spotting a basket that could carry the cakes or any cupcakes she was talking about in the first place. "Uhm... Pinkie Pie? What cupcakes? You haven't..." You were interrupted by a sight you had never seen before, Pinkie Pie brought her right hoof into her poofy mane and pulled out a basket that was the same size as her mane, "...I-I... But... HOW!?" you asked loudly as you witnessed the act.

"I told you already Static, it is best to not question her." Rainbow Dash said as she watched Pinkie set the basket with cupcakes down near the crusaders.

You looked at Rainbow Dash and sighed in defeat, "I wonder how anypony can get used to that..."

"Thanks Pinkie!" You heard the crusaders as they jumped the cupcakes. 

You ruffled your feathers as you saw the crusaders digging into the basket and munching the sugary goods. But you noticed one filly was not assaulting the basket. "Gloom? Aren't you hungry?" you asked as you saw her sitting back in the doorway, fumbling with a small cupcake that only had one bite out of it.

Gloom fumbled around with her hooves and put the cupcake down. "No... I'm not hungry." You looked at her dumbfounded. Your little sisters always loved to eat a quick snack when they could. So why wouldn't she now?

You grew a bit worried about her. Walking passed the munching crusaders and Pinkie, you craned your head down to Gloom's eye level. "Is something wrong Gloom? You always like a sugary treat." you said with your ears halfway down. 

Gloom sighed and glanced back into your eyes. "I don't know... I'm just not hungry. My tummy does feel a bit strange..."

Your ears drooped down the side of your head and brought your body down onto the wooden floor of the clubhouse, "Maybe it is better if we go home now. Mom will know what is wrong with your tummy." Gloom gave a small nod as she covered her tummy with her hooves, making your heart twist to see your baby sister like that. You stood up gently and brought your muzzle down to Gloom, giving her a reassuring nuzzle before gently scooping her up by moving your head underneath her. She crawled over your mane and onto your neck before making her way over to your shoulders and laying between your wing bases.

You raised your head up again and glanced back to Gloom. She was curled up like a small yellow furred ball, her muzzle buried in her own wing while you could see that her front hooves where still curled around her tummy. You folded your wings over her, feeling bad yourself to see her in such a way. "I hope I can fly home with her on my back..."

You turned around to the crusaders that were swallowing down the last pieces of the cupcakes, together with Pinkie, who was swallowing a big chocolate cake... in one bite... that she didn't carry with her before... as far as you knew. You shook your head a bit as you heard Rainbow Dash's voice echoes through your head about not questioning her.

You gently stepped behind Summer and nudged her mane softly to get her attention. Summer turned around with puffed up cheeks that were seemingly holding the last bits of cupcake she just ate. She swallowed down the last bit of sugary goods and cocked her head sideways, looking at you with a quizzical expression, "Is something wrong, brother?" Summer asked you, seemingly not knowing that Gloom wasn't feeling well.

You sighed softly and glanced into your little sister's violet eyes, "Your sister isn't feeling to well," you spoke gently. "I'm taking her home." 

Summer's ears instantly went down to the side of her head and her look saddened when you mentioned Gloom's condition. She stood up and walked to your right side. Flapping her wings, she slowly flew above your back. Landing gently on top of your flank, she got close to Gloom and nuzzled her mane lightly, "Gloomy?"

You looked over your shoulder to Gloom and Summer. Summer looking worried as Gloom didn't respond beside letting out a small groan, which tugged your hearth. "She'll be getting better, right?" Summer asked you when she glanced at you. You craned your head back and nuzzled her cheek, reassuring her that everything will be fine. Summer smiled faintly and nuzzled her twin again before flapping her wings and gliding down to the floor. "I think it'll be better if we go to Mommy then." You nodded at her in agreement.

Summer trotted away from you and to the crusaders who turned around as she approached. You headed for the door, your wings folding softly over Gloom in the hopes that you could somehow ease the pain she had. You felt her tremble lightly underneath your feathers, making your ears drop down the side of your head again.

"I'm sorry Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle... But I have to go home." You heard Summer say with discomfort, something that sounded strange to you coming from her. "My sister is not feeling well... so my brother will take us home," Summer glanced shortly at you before looking back to the crusaders. 

"She is going to be better again, Right?" Apple Bloom asked with concern, the other crusaders looking to you for an answer.

"Gloomy will be fine, girls. My little sisters are though, they are not beaten this easy." You said with pride. The crusaders' ears perked up at the reassurance you gave them. All the while, you felt uneasy yourself, but you tried to keep that hidden from the fillies. You had to be the strong pony they would look up to when in doubt. Especially with Summer, who was making her way back to you with her ears down.

"She is going to get better, right big brother?" she asked as she stood on her hind legs and put her front legs against you, her eyes glistering as she darted them between your eyes. You brought a hoof around her and hugged her gently, giving her a soft squeeze in attempt to remove her doubts. 

It worked for a bit, she lay her chin for a few seconds against your leg she was leaning on. You brought your muzzle down and nuzzled her mane. "I promise you Summer, everything will be fine with Gloomy." She nuzzled you back and went to stand on her own legs.

Raising your head, you noticed Rainbow Dash walking to you with a concerned expression, "Is your sister unwell, Static?"

You lowered your head a bit, "Yeah, she is not feeling well. She told me her tummy hurts. I will try to take her home."

"I need to prepare for her a 'GET WELL SOON' party!" Pinkie Pie chirped suddenly in from above Rainbow Dash, making you jump back in surprise. 

You almost wanted to yell at her for scaring you like that while Gloom was on your back, but you realized she only meant it to cheer her up. You took a deep breath as you recollected your thoughts from the shock. "Thanks Pinkie Pie. But I think it would be for the best to not throw her straight into overwhelming situations right after she gets better," you spoke your concern as you glanced briefly over your shoulder to Gloom and then back to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash who now stood beside each other facing you.

"I agree with Static. Scootaloo had a few times where she fell a bit ill or was injured when doing stunts on her scooter." Rainbow Dash said to Pinkie Pie. She glanced to Scootaloo who looked back with big sparkling eyes, "I didn't let her do any major activities during those days. When she felt better, I still went with her to most places to make sure she stayed away from harm." 

You smiled at Rainbow Dash and your hearth fluttered as she said that she agreed with you and how much she looked out for Scootaloo. It made you feel warm inside, and the negativity that you felt earlier washed away into nothingness.

"It is true though..." Scootaloo spoke up with hesitation. "Rainbow Dash has cared more and better for me than all of my foalsitters." She looked away from you all and to the wooden floor, her ears drooping to the side of her head, "Even more than my parents..."

"Aaawww. You are always welcome to stay at Sugarcube Corner, Scootaloo." Pinkie Pie said with care.

Scootaloo perked up and turned her muzzle to the pink mare, "Thank you, Pinkie," the corners of her mouth lifting as she said that.

"Thanks for wanting to help out Scoots, Pinkie. But she stays with me if she really needs somewhere to stay. Or with one of the crusaders." Rainbow Dash said as she walked to Scootaloo and draped her left wing over Scootaloo's back. "She's my little sister. I'll take care of her when she needs it." Rainbow Dash puffed her chest up in pride and Scootaloo's eyes were pretty much beaming towards the rainbow mare.

And once again, your hearth fluttered when you heard how much Rainbow Dash cared for the little filly. "She shows so much care for Scootaloo. And Scoots surely trusts Rainbow Dash with her life. I wonder how it would be when we..." You mentally slapped yourself, "Dammit, Static! What is wrong with me!? I really need to know why I keep thinking about us being together and having... foals... I'm not even looking for a fillyfriend!"

Your attention was pulled to your left front leg as you felt that some weight was put against it. Looking down to it, you saw Summer looking up at you with her ears down, "Brother? Can we go? I want to see Mommy. She can make Gloom better."

You craned your head down and nuzzle the top of her head gently, "We are going, Summy." Your little sister pressed lightly into your nuzzling before turning around and heading for the door. You shortly checked if Gloom was still comfortable on your back by glancing over your shoulder. Gloom hadn't moved much, but she seemed as comfortable as she was going to be until you got her home, hoping that the weather wasn't scheduled to become worse of course.

You folded your wings a bit more over Gloom and craned your head back to the crusaders and the two mares. "Girls, I'm taking my sisters home. It has been nice meeting you Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, I'm happy to see my sisters have made some good friends here in Ponyville."

"Hey!" Scootaloo shouted at you, grabbing your attention and making you look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Wasn't it nice meeting me!?"

You chuckled lightly at her, "Scoots, we already met earlier today. I thought it was clear that meeting you was nice."

Scootaloo's expression went thoughtful for a second before doing a shrug, "Meh, if you put it like that, it could have been cooler." You were sure that you heard Rainbow Dash let out a very light and hidden girlish giggle, something that made your ears ring with gentle tones that made you want to hear more of it. You let out a gentle breath of air, somehow feeling a bit more satisfied after hearing her giggle like that.

"Static! Come on! We need to go home!" Summer yelled impatiently at you.

Your ears perked up and slurred you back to the job at hoof. "I'm coming Summer!" You yelled back. "Alright girls, I have to go." You said to the two mares and the crusaders.

The crusaders nodded and waved, "Bye Static! Bye Summer and Gloom! We hope you feel better quickly!" The crusaders, ironically, said that all at the same time.

You spared a glance with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, when something crossed your mind, "Oh... Uhm... Pinkie?"

"What's up?" she responded with cheer.

"I... forgot to... say 'Hi' to Dust for you..." you gave her an awkward smile.

Pinkie Pie smiled, "It is okay, Static. You can say 'hi' tomorrow to him." She said jus as cheery.

"I'll... I'll try to do that tomorrow." Pinkie gave a happy nod with her head.

You looked to Rainbow Dash, her deep magenta eyes catching your eyes for a brief moment.

"STATIC! HURRY UP!" You slightly jumped as Summer was suddenly flying next to you and was yelling into your ear.

You recovered and shook your head from side to side, "Alright, alright. We are going now." Summer huffed and flew out the door again, this time with you in tow as you followed her out the door. Exiting the clubhouse, you saw Summer waiting for you down on the ground, staring up at you with her ears halfway down. You sighed and walked down the ramp, balancing yourself in the same way as you did in the morning when you carried Gloom down the stairs at home.

You heard the ramp squeaking as you put your hooves onto the grass of the orchard. Glancing up and over your shoulder to the ramp, you saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie coming down as well. Although, Pinkie was more bouncing than walking... But considering what you had witnessed with her so far, you chalked it up as one of the things you shouldn't question about her.

"C'mon big brother, we need to get home for Gloom." Summer whined lightly.

You glanced shortly at her and nodded. Turning your head back at the approaching mares, you said your quick goodbye before unfurling your wings and tried to flap them. While usually this wouldn't be a problem, you found yourself unable to get off of the ground, your wings feeling very sore with the extra weight on your back. Your wings protested heavily against your tries to get yourself into the air, making you actually pant from exhaustion.

"What's wrong Static?" Pinkie Pie asked as she came standing next to you.

You panted lightly, "I... I can't fly with Gloom on my back. My wings can't carry us both... they are still to weak from my injuries..."

"How are we going to get Gloom home, Static?" Summer asked as she landed on your flank and glanced at her sister that was still curled up between your wing bases.

"I can help you with that." Rainbow Dash offered as she walked right next to you. "If you like Static, I can carry her to your house for you."

Your heart responded to her on its own accord by thumping warmly in your chest, "She... she offers to help me and my sister just like that... She's so sweet. And that while I even got her in trouble today..." You glanced into the magenta eyes of Rainbow Dash who looked back at you, awaiting your answer. "I would really appreciate it if you will carry Gloom home for me." You said with a smile.

"Thank you Rainbow Dash! You're awesome!" Summer said energetically as she zipped from you back and to the rainbow mare and hugged the side of her muzzle, which resulted in Summer being covered a bit by Rainbow Dash's mane, what looked uttermost adorable.

Rainbow Dash patted Summer lightly on her back, "I know I'm awesome, Summer." Summer released the rainbow mare and landed on the ground, glancing up at her with hopeful eyes and her tail wagging happily. 

"You think you can carry Gloom over to your back without hurting her, Rainbow Dash?" You asked with slight worry.

Rainbow Dash gave you a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Static. I've lifted Scootaloo multiple times when she needed it."

You breathed through your nose in relief. "She knows how to handle foals," your thoughts flashed through your mind.

Rainbow Dash came standing right next to you, your right wing softly brushing against her left wing, sending a warm feeling through you. She craned her neck over your back and nudged Gloom gently, making her turn slightly so that her neck became more exposed. Rainbow Dash opened her muzzle and closed in on Gloom. You focused on how Rainbow Dash gently took the coat of Gloom's neck in her muzzle and began to lift her slowly up from your back, Gloom giving a little murmur as she was lifted off from her spot but further made no motion that Rainbow Dash did something bad.

It somehow made you smile broadly as Rainbow Dash lifted Gloom with great care and gently moved her to her own back. "She lifts Gloomy up as if she is her own..." 

As soon as Rainbow Dash brought Gloom onto her back Gloom nuzzled into her coat and got comfortable between her wing bases while being slightly covered by the rainbow mane. You heard Gloom sigh a bit in content as she resumed what she was doing on your back. You could' help but look to Rainbow Dash as she looked at your little sister with her head a bit to the side before turning to face you, her magenta eyes once again locking with your own eyes, the two of you staring at each other for a few seconds.

"Well? Are you ready Static?" Rainbow Dash asked you as she unfurled her wings and gave a few flaps.

You gave a nod and spread your own wings, "You know where to go?"

"Only that we need to go to Cloudsdale. When we're there, I'll follow you."

"Sounds good to me." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and gently flew into the air, Summer zipping after her as she tried to stay close to her twin.

And for a moment, you simply watched after her, how she flew away with your sisters and how the setting sun casted an almost dreamy hue over the horizon. You sighed happily and started to flap your own wings, lifting you up into the air with more ease than when you had Gloom on your back. You gently flew up into the air and went to follow the rainbow mare towards Cloudsdale.



"HEY! YOU FORGOT TO SAY GOODBYE TO ME!!" You heard Pinkie yelling from the place you just left. 

You lowered your ears and quickly turned around mid-air and waved at the pink mare who waved happily back, as if she never yelled at you in the first place. You resumed your flight behind the cyan coated mare, "I think I'll never understand Pinkie Pie... Oh well. At least Dashie and I... Dammit Static! Keep your feathers together!"


> Ch. 22 The flight home.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wind brushed through your mane and feathers as you flew up into the sky, Rainbow Dash flying further in front of you with Gloom carefully balanced on her back and Summer flying close to the rainbow mare while talking excitedly. Taking in a deep breath, you let it out slowly through your nose as you slowly flew after them, not wanting to put more stress on your muscles than they already had. 

While your muscles still felt sore, you knew that if you took your time flying and didn't rush to get home, you would get there without problems. Taking a glance to the position of the sun, you noticed its edge was beginning to touch the horizon, starting to bask the sky in a gentle and warm orange hue. Your coat turned a warmer shade thanks to the setting sun, warming your feathers ever so slightly as the rays touched them. 

You relaxed your four legs and let them dangle underneath as you relaxed more and began to glide more through the air than actually flying. Occasionally you flew past a cloud where your hooves would slide over it without effort, the soft cloud brushing your hooves comfortably. 

Looking up to where your sisters were, you noticed Rainbow Dash flying almost the same as you. She almost glided through the air with beauty, her cyan coat looking warmer thanks to the sun's rays. Her mane and tail reflecting a small bit of sunlight as she gently flew from left to right in small swinging motions.

It was almost hypnotizing for your eyes to follow her like that, your thoughts doing their own thing as you simply followed Rainbow Dash flying through the air with your sisters around her. Summer seemed to take a liking in the rainbow mare as she kept flying around her while sometimes flying right in front of her and talk excitedly. While they were to far away for you to hear anything besides Summer's giggles that came from her every now and then, you couldn't help yourself but smile fondly at the display.

"Summer seems to take a liking towards Rainbow Dash. Even after she hit me this morning, Summer and Gloom weren't happy with her, but now they both seem to trust her like they trust Mom." You visioned Rainbow Dash as she was flying now, only then with two other foals that were from her... and you. The foal on her back having your mane style and colour while her coat was the mirror image of the mare she was resting on. The foal flying in front had the typical free style of her mother with the rainbow colours but had the back of her mane pulled into a ponytail. "What if... we could be like that? I... I think I want to be like that with her..."

Your thoughts were cut short as you heard Summer's giggles louder than before. Blinking a few times, your vision faded and Summer came into view as she giggled while flying. "Static! Did you know that Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt!?" Summer asked you excitedly as she kept a bit of distance in front of you.

Your eyebrow raised up and your mouth opened slightly, "She has to be joking. I know Rainbow Dash said she was going to be the next Wonderbolt captain when I met her... But there is NO WAY that that could be true. I know the Wonderbolts take only the best of the best. And even so, their training is very strict and hard. Not that I doubt Rainbow Dash's abilities, but to me, this seems to be out of her league if today's performing of her was any indication. Although, she does fly fast..."

"Uhm... Summy?" you said as you brushed your cheek for a second. "Who told you that?" Summer smiled broadly and pointed her right hoof behind her to the cyan mare who was still flying with care and ease, Gloom still laying on her back, seemingly sound asleep. You glanced back to Summer, "I am not saying that she's lying or anything... But I don't think that she is a Wonderbolt... And you know that I follow the Wonderbolts' activities, including when they're introducing new members, and Rainbow Dash was never announced..."

Summer looked thoughtful for a second, "Uhm... well you do keep track of the Wonderbolts because you like them so much... " Summer looked at you a bit saddened, her ears drooping halfway, "But... Why would Rainbow Dash lie to me about being a Wonderbolt? Do you know why she would lie brother?"

You couldn't give her an answer. Maybe it was best to ask Rainbow Dash yourself about it before making assumptions... "I'll ask her myself, Summy. But I don't think she is lying... it is just... hard to believe." Summer nodded gently and flew back to Rainbow Dash, hovering above her before landing gently on her back and nuzzling Gloom lightly. 

You waited a few moments, thinking back about the few Wonderbolts magazines you had read if anything about Rainbow Dash becoming a member of the group would pop-up. Thinking back the best you could, you couldn't recall any mentions of a rainbow maned mare becoming a Wonderbolt. The last one you recalled was Wind Lash, and she made it by only a mane hair during the final tryouts... the others that entered simply didn't met the requirements to become a Wonderbolt or failed.

"Mmhh... I wonder... Could she be let into the Wonderbolts without it being announced?" Your memories flashed shortly back to earlier in school when you were listening through the door of Miss Firefly. "Miss Firefly mentioned something about 'secret missions'... Maybe that had something to do with the Wonderbolts? Seems unlikely. I'll just ask her."

Flapping your wings slightly faster, and flinching a bit as your muscles voiced their protest in the form of you feeling pain coming from your wing muscles, you closed in on Rainbow Dash who hadn't changed her flying speed, so it was not hard to catch up with her. Getting close to her, you spared a glance at your little sister who was still laying between the wing bases of Rainbow Dash. Gloom was still lightly hugging her own tummy with her hooves while Summer lay close to her, giving an occasional nuzzle to comfort her twin, "I really hope it is nothing serious..."

"Hey Static. Coming to check up on Gloom?" Rainbow Dash asked as she noticed you flying slightly behind her. You looked from the twins over to Rainbow Dash, her muzzle looking back to you from over her shoulder. "She's doing okay. At least, as okay as a little filly with tummy ache can be." Rainbow Dash looked away from you and gave a glance at the twins before turning back to you with a concerned look, "I hope your little sister will get better soon."

The corners of your mouth raised at her concern for your sister's well being, "Thank you Rainbow Dash. I hope so too." Glancing shortly to Gloom, your ears drooped a bit sideways and you said, "I just hope it is nothing to bad and Mom will be able to help her." You sighed in defeat, "I feel bad for not being able to help her in any way, you know? The only thing I can do is assure her that everything will be fine and take her home..."

"Don't feel bad Static." You looked back to Rainbow Dash who smiled warmly at you. "You're doing everything you can. What more could a little filly ask from her big brother who puts their well being before anything else?"

Your ears perked up at her kind words, lifting your spirit slightly as she did, "Thanks. That means a lot to me." She smiled at you with a nod and went to look ahead again towards the city of Cloudsdale which was floating in the distance. Glancing towards the city yourself, you saw that it was still quite a distance away. You bit your lip lightly as you reminded yourself to ask her if she truly was a Wonderbolt, "Hey, Rainbow Dash?"

The rainbow maned mare looked to you again over her shoulder, "What's up?"

You looked away for a second before looking back at her, "Summer told me you said to her that you are a Wonderbolt. Is that true?"

Rainbow Dash smiled confidently with closed eyes, "Yup."

You were a bit stunned by her answer, not because of what she said, but the way how she said it. And maybe... because you could possibly be flying next to one of the Wonderbolts... "You're truly a Wonderbolt?" You asked with remaining disbelief.

She raised an eyebrow, "Yeah. Is it so hard to believe?"

Scratching your mane lightly, you said, "Well... I like the Wonderbolts... And I've never heard or seen that they announced you as a new member... So it is actually kinda hard to believe." You realized what you just said and looked to Rainbow Dash, who was narrowing her eyes. "Wait! I didn't mean it like that!" You said quickly. "I just meant that it is hard to believe that at first hoof!"

Rainbow Dash slowed down until she was flying next to you. Narrowing her eyes further, she stared straight into your eyes, "And what do you exactly mean by that then? Don't you trust me?"

You gulped lightly under her gaze, "I simply mean that the Wonderbolts always announce their new members, but of all the magazines I've read about them, they never mentioned you becoming part of their team. That is why I find it hard to believe that you're a Wonderbolt..." You looked away from Rainbow Dash, not wanting to look in her angry eyes longer than you had to.

Surprisingly, you heard her sigh gently, "Look Static, I truly am a member of the Wonderbolts. I can even show you proof later if you want to." You looked back at her, seeing her ears halfway down as she stared ahead. "A lot of ponies don't believe me when I say it. So that is why I reacted a bit... harsh. But it is the truth. I would never lie to you if it was about something serious... and the Wonderbolts are a serious thing for me." Rainbow Dash lowered her head a bit and she let her hoof pass through a cloud where you both flew over.

Your ears perked up, "She would never lie to me..." 

"It's just that..." Rainbow Dash sighed again, "I just don't feel that comfortable when I'm put on covers and all that. I love being a Wonderbolt, it is the thing I've always wanted. But the attention that comes along with it... it is just not me. At least, the big audiences are not for me. I can handle small crowds, but that's it." 

You nodded at her in understanding, knowing that you yourself were not comfortable when many ponies were focused on you, especially when you had to showcase a few times in the previous years during school. You hesitated for a moment, but slowly, you extended your left hoof and touched her shoulder in what you hoped to be a reassuring gesture. Rainbow Dash looked up at your touch. "It is okay, Rainbow Dash. I understand. I don't like the bigger crowds either. Hay, I begin to sweat when I need to stand in front of my own class and tell about a certain subject. Let alone perform in front of hundreds of ponies from all over Equestria."

You words managed to lift her spirits up like she did for you before, "Thanks Static." Her smile turned into a slight grin, "You can't even speak in front of your own class, heh. That makes my discomfort look like heroism!" she said while raising her head up in pride.

You retracted your hoof and rolled your eyes, "There is the Rainbow Dash I met."

"The Rainbow Dash you met will never go away! Nor will she change!"

"I hope so. It would be a shame if you changed who you were."

Rainbow Dash grinned slightly and turned to you with a knowing look, "And why would it be a shame if I changed who I was?"

You were oblivious to where she hinted at and answered with what you always thought when ponies wanted to change themselves, "You may change who you are, sure. But never change into something that you are not from within." Rainbow Dash's expression changed into slight confusion, her ears turning your way. "You see, there are ponies who change as they get older, which is naturally when they age." Your ear flicked briefly and you looked forward, "But you also have ponies who change into somepony who they aren't from within. I think staying who you truly are... is something that everypony should do. There is nothing better than to be yourself," you finished as you turned to Rainbow Dash with a smile. 

"Mommy and Daddy say the same!" Summer chirped in with a happy tone, making Rainbow Dash look over her shoulder. "My brother is right; ponies should always be who they truly are." 

You glanced to Summer with pride, "Well said Summy." Your sister looked back at you with a smile and wagged her tail a bit before laying her head gently over Gloom again.

"Hhmm... I wish more ponies would follow that," Rainbow Dash said as she turned her muzzle to you and brushed a few red hairs of her mane out of her eye. 

You cocked your head a bit to the side and raised an eyebrow, "Why is that? Somepony you know changed the way he or she was?"

Rainbow Dash sighed and waved her right hoof nonchalantly, "Never mind that. Lets just say that I've seen certain ponies that I know change themselves into something they were not. It never ended good..." She sighed again, "I'm glad to know that you won't do such a thing. I also hope other ponies will take your words to hearth."

You chuckled lightly, "Well, honestly, they are not my words. They are from my parents."

Rainbow Dash cocked her head sideways in curiosity, "From your parents?"

"Yeah. They have said it multiple times to me and my sisters. Whenever we felt a bit down or had troubles with other ponies, they would always comfort us and repeat those words, telling us that everything would always be okay, as long as we stayed true to who we really are." You smiled as you thought back at the times where you would come home and felt down from what happened throughout the day. Your mother would almost instantly be by your side, asking you what happened when she saw your demeanor. She and your Dad were always able to lift you and your sisters' spirits, putting all fears to rest with their simple quote; "...And remember, whatever happens, whenever it happens, always be yourself. You'll be able to get through anything if you stay true to who you're deep within. There is no obstacle in life you will not be able to overcome as yourself." You briefly thought back at the time your mother said those words when she sat on the side of your bed when you had a bad dream all those years back. 

Glancing back to Summer on Rainbow Dash's back, you saw her smiling at you. Turning your gaze to that of Rainbow Dash, you saw her smiling warmly at you with a faint glimmer in her eye. For a moment, you kept looking into her eyes, her magenta irises reflecting the orange hue of the sun that was lowering to your right. Rainbow Dash held your gaze locked with her own, you nor her trying to break the contact.

"Hey Static! Rainbow Dash! Stop mushing over each other!" You and Rainbow Dash shook your heads a bit as Summer voiced herself. "We are already at Cloudsdale and you two are going to pass over it if you continue!" Summer said half annoyed and half happy.

"Huh? We are at Cloudsdale already?" Rainbow Dash asked to nopony in particular. You and Rainbow looked down and noticed that Summer was right. You were already flying over the Colosseum, that was the middle of the large floating city. "How did we get all the way here without noticing?"

You shrugged the best you could, "I don't really know... Anyway, I'll take the lead from here," you said as you gently raised your right wing and lowered your left wing while turning your body to the left.  You shot a quick glance over your left shoulder and saw Rainbow Dash mimicking your movements, although she took a wider arc as to not let your sisters slide off of her back. You thanked her inwardly for the small, but meaningful gesture.

Straightening yourself again, you flew over the market center of Cloudsdale. Many pegasi walking or hovering as they got their groceries while they still had sunlight left. You smiled as you saw the various ponies in the street. You even noticed Sky Edge walking through the market with his father beside him, his father holding a piece of paper in his right hoof while Sky was putting some groceries away in his saddle bags. Waving towards the both of them, you felt awkward as multiple ponies started waving back at you, but none of them were Sky or his dad. You slowly lowered your hoof until it was dangling below you again.

"Hehe, it seems you know a lot of ponies Static." Rainbow Dash said as she came flying to your right with a teasing smile on her muzzle.

You lifted your left hoof and scratched your mane awkwardly as you looked to Rainbow Dash, "Hehe... I guess I do... Dear Celestia... that felt odd as I don't know what." You lowered your hoof down again and gave a toothy smile to Rainbow Dash.

The mare next to you rolled her eyes playfully. "To who were you waving? Or trying to..." She asked as she went to looking down and to the many ponies on the clouds below.

You also looked back down again but noticed that the market was already disappearing behind the both of you as you flew over it. "I was trying to wave at Sky Edge and his father." 

Rainbow Dash hummed to herself, sounding to be in thought. You glanced at her as she tapped her chin with her right hoof, "Sky Edge... That is the pony from your... I mean... our class, right? The stallion with the white mane, tail and blue coat?" Rainbow Dash looked at you for confirmation with a raised eyebrow.

You gave her a pleased nod, "That's him." You looked ahead and saw a playground in the distance, meaning that home wasn't much further.

"Hhmm... He would be a good match with her..."

You turned again to Rainbow Dash as you heard her mumble something, "What did you say Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes expanded slightly and she chuckled weakly, "Uhm, nothing!"

You raised your eyebrow at her reaction but shrugged it off. "Alright. We are close now to my home now." Passing over the playground, you angled your wings so you could descent, Rainbow Dash following your motions as you glided down into the street below.

Landing on the clouds, you folded your wings weakly to your sides, your wing muscles letting you know they had enough for today by aching with every motion until they were fully rested against your sides. "By Celestia... I hope my wings feel better tomorrow." You said to yourself. You brought your chest to the ground and unfurled your wings upward, stretching your body as you straightened your hind legs and held your flank in the air while wagging your tail a bit. "Aahh-" you groaned out softly as you felt a few muscles in your back pop. "That's better."

The clouds shifted under your hooves as you stood up normal again. "So, how much further is your home?" Rainbow Dash said as she landed next to you and folded her wings against her sides. 

You glanced at her as she went to look about the rows of houses along the street, "We're close by." Summer got up from Rainbow Dash's back and fluttered down to the ground. "Summer, can you get home and tell Mom what happened to Gloomy?" Summer looked briefly at you before unfurling her wings and zipping down the road. She stopped in front of a house and flew inside.

"You live there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yeah. C'mon, the sooner we get my sister home the better."

"Right."

You started walking down the road to the house Summer went into with Rainbow Dash keeping pace next to you. Not a moment later, the door to your house flew open and your mother dashed out of the house, stopping at the end of the small yard and looking around franticly. She saw you walking with Rainbow Dash and closed the distance fast between you and her. "Static! What happened?! Where is she!?" your mother asked as she flew up to you and squeezed your face between her hooves, her eyes the size of pinpricks with her mane in a mess.

"She is on Rainbow Dash's back, Mom." Your mother released you and zipped over to the mare next to you. "I couldn't carry her home because of my wings. But Rainbow Dash offered to take her back home for me."

As if on cue, Rainbow Dash stepped sideways so that her wings were looking down the street, her rainbow tail brushing slightly past your hind leg, making you slightly and pleasantly shiver. "She has tummy ache, Miss Spark."

Your mother sighed in slight relief as Rainbow Dash told her about the tummy ache. "By the princesses... Summy made it sound much worse when she told me about Gloomy." Your mother looked visibly relieved, her features relaxing more as she took a deep breath and let it out again. She landed on the clouds and folded her ruffled wings to her sides. She walked to Rainbow Dash and craned her neck over her back so she could see Gloomy who curled up under her own small wings. "Gloomy, dear? Does your tummy hurt so much?" your mother asked full of concern as she gently nuzzled your little sister's mane.

Gloom let out a small murmur and swayed her tail around herself. Your Mom looked with sadness at your little sister but her muzzle wore a gentle smile, "I don't think it is anything bad." Your mom unfurled her wings and lifted herself into the air, hovering closer to Rainbow Dash before lowering her fore hooves and carefully grabbing Gloom under her withers. Lifting up Gloom, your mother gently moved her with her hooves so she was cradling your sister. She glanced briefly at Gloom and nuzzled her, "Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash cocked her head sideways in curiosity, "Yes?"

Before Rainbow Dash could say anything else, your mother flew to the mare and threw her left fore leg around the rainbow mare, hugging her while she still cradled Gloom in her other fore leg, "Thank you. For bringing my little filly home." Rainbow Dash stood perplexed as she was hugged warmly by your mother. "Maybe you don't know it yet, but my foals are everything to me," your mother said as she released Rainbow Dash and put her free hoof to cradle Gloom as well.

Rainbow Dash smiled at your mother and turned a bit so she stood next to you again, "Well I didn't expect to get a hug right away, so I take it they indeed mean a lot to you."

You mother gave a warm smile while hovering and spun around, "They do. You'll know what I mean when you've foals of your own." Your mother flew slowly back to your house, taking Gloom inside with her and disappearing from view, leaving you with Rainbow Dash standing on the sidewalk.

All the while you smiled as you saw your mother interact with Rainbow Dash, you noticed the rainbow mare lift her hoof in uncertainty as your mother mentioned about foals. Glancing to the mare next to you, you saw just the tiniest amount of red gracing her cheeks through her blue coat.
"...is your mother always so... direct?" Rainbow Dash asked as she lowered her hoof to the ground and shook her head from side to side.

"Only to ponies that she likes. But then again, you need to be really trying to get her to not like you." You said with a chuckle. Ruffling your feathers a bit, you began stepping forward to your own house. You stopped shortly after, "Oh!" craning your neck over your shoulder, you looked at Rainbow Dash who stood still where she had been standing on for the last few minutes. "Hey Rainbow Dash, would you like to join us for dinner? My Mom could make Princess Celestia jealous with her cooking."

Rainbow Dash looked taken back by your question but recovered, "No thank you, Static. I have dinner at home myself." She brushed her left hoof lightly with her right, "Static I... uhm..." 

You turned to her and walked back over to her. "Yeah? It is okay if you've dinner at home yourself, Rainbow Dash. You don't have to stay and eat with my family if you don't want to," you said as you cocked your head a bit to the side, a slight confused expression on your muzzle

Rainbow Dash seemed to be in some conflict as her eyes darted over the clouds, leaving you with questions as to what was wrong. "No... it is not that I don't want to or anything..." she said as she finally looked up to meet your eyes. "I'm just... Ugh!" Rainbow Dash sighed deeply and walked over to you.

"What's...!" 

You froze as out of nowhere you were being hugged by Rainbow Dash. Her right fore leg thrown around your neck, hugging you against her while her head rested next to yours, her mane slightly tracing over your face as a bit of wind blew it over your muzzle. You stood there, simply frozen by the sudden hug of the rainbow mare. After a moment, she calmly spoke up, "I'm glad I met you today. Also, I never really thanked you for getting me out of trouble with the headmistress."

You chuckled gently and found yourself hugging her back, "Think nothing of it. I got you into trouble in the first place. It only felt right to at least try and get you out of there. Even if it meant getting myself into trouble." You felt her give you a soft squeeze. "Besides, I'm the one to be glad to have met you." Rainbow Dash released you and looked quizzically at you. Smiling warmly at her, you closed your eyes and lowered your head a bit, "You've helped me bring my sisters home when I couldn't. If anything, I should be thanking you."

Rainbow Dash took a small step back, creating some distance between the two of you. "Just like my Mom said, my sisters also mean the world to me." Rainbow Dash moved her head sideways while she kept her eyes locked with yours. "It is hard to explain to somepony who doesn't have foals or younger siblings..."

"I... I guess it is a bit similar that is between me and Scootaloo...?" Rainbow Dash questioned as she raised her head up and flicked her tail.

You pondered for a moment, "Well... I guess it can be the same." You thought back on the moments you've had with your sisters, going as far back as to their very birth where you held them for the first time. "Although, it will never be completely the same."

Rainbow Dash gave a 'hum' in thought, "I wonder what it will feel like... you know..." You cocked her head to the side in curiosity of what she was going to say. A small blush grazed her cheeks, barely visible, but you could see it. Rainbow Dash ruffled her wings nervously, "...To have a foal... or two..."

Your wings twitched and you felt your cheeks become warm, "...You... you do...?"

Rainbow Dash looked to the ground and pawed at it, "...Well... In truth, ever since I got close with Scootaloo I've sometimes wondered about it and..." Rainbow Dash opened her mouth and closed it again. She raised her right hoof up a bit and froze, "...wait..." her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, "Did I just all say that to you...?" You gave a hesitant nod. Rainbow Dash took a few steps back while her eyes darted around, "I... I need to... I need to go..."

You took a step forward without knowing why you did so, "Rainbow Dash it is..."

"I"MSORRYIREALLYNEEDTOGOSEEYOUTOMORROWATSCHOOL!" Rainbow Dash blurted out as she unfurled her wings and shot off into the sky, leaving you stunned behind on the clouds.

"Where did Rainbow Dash go?" Summer's voice helped you out of your staring. "She didn't say goodbye..." she said with a sad tone and fluttered onto your back, her hind legs on your withers and her fore hooves on your mane.

You didn't know exactly either. Looking up, you saw Summer glancing down to you, her violet eyes sparkling with her head a bit sideways. "I don't really know, Summy. Maybe she forgot the time and needed to be home for dinner?" Summer 'hummed' her agreement. You shortly glanced back to where the rainbow mare had zipped off to, only to see the sun dangling on the horizon. "Lets get back inside. Maybe we can help Mom with Gloom or make dinner." 

Summer 'hummed' her approval again as she lay her muzzle onto your mane. Ruffling your feathers for a bit, you gave a quick yawn and spun softly around to face your home. Walking through the front yard, you entered through the doorway and closed the door behind you with a soft 'click'.

"Don't help Mommy with cooking though, you are just like Daddy when it comes to making food." Summer said with a gentle chuckle from above your mane.

"Thank you for the compliment Summy. Just like Mom, you always bring it subtle." you said with a roll of your eyes.

> Ch. 23 Finally home.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You put your hoof down as you released the knob of the door and gently spun around into the hallway of your home. Summer removed her hooves from your mane and glided off of your back and landed a bit down the hall, just as Mom came hovering down the stairs which was to your left with an empty bowl in her hooves. "Hey Sweeties," your mother said to you and your little sister as she landed at the bottom of the steps and folded her wings to her sides. "Rainbow Dash left already? I actually hoped she would stay for dinner, I would have liked to know her better."

You chuckled lightly at how you unknowingly had asked Rainbow Dash the very thing your Mom would've wanted to ask as well, "Hehe, well, I did ask if she wanted but she declined."

Your mother's ears drooped a bit sideways, "Oh... that's to bad." She flicked her ears up again, "Oh well, maybe she'll want to join us next time when she's around." Your mother got her signature smile back as she ruffled her feathers and took a left and turned into the hallway down towards the kitchen.

Summer pranced after your mother, trying to keep pace with her shorter legs, "Mommy, is Gloom going to be okay?" 

She asked the question you had been having ever since the clubhouse where Gloom started to feel her tummy ache. Wanting to know the answer eagerly yourself, you trotted lightly towards your mother and Summer as the latter stopped in her tracks. Your Mom looked to her right and down to the little filly that stopped next to her, Summer's tail flicking in curiosity with her ears down in slight fear of the answer. Her fears where quickly to be pushed aside, however, as your mother smiled warmly at her and craned her neck down to your sister and nuzzled her cheek affectionately, "Don't you worry sweetie. Gloomy is going to be fine." Summer's ears flicked up again and she pushed her head into her mother's nuzzle.

You halted next to your mother as she brought her head back up, "Mom?" 

Your mother glanced over her shoulder and looked at you with her head sideways, "Yes, Static?"

"Do you know why she has tummy ache?" you asked as you drooped your ears to the side of your head, wanting to know if you could do anything to help her yourself the next time she would have tummy ache.

"I cannot say for certain right now, but I think it might be because of nervousness." Your mother turned her head back around and walked further into the kitchen with your sister keeping pace next to her and you following close behind.

Entering the kitchen, you noticed there was a pan on the small cooking pits with some left-over soup in it. Further there were several vegetables put down in an orderly fashion over the kitchen counter with a sharp cutting knife laying close by, which upon entering, your Mom swiftly put further onto the counter and away from the edge of it where it lay a bit close to, most likely to keep your little sister at a distant from it. Your mother put the empty bowl onto one of the empty cooking pits. She grabbed a ladle which was laying next to the pan and on a piece of cloth against getting the soup all over the counter. She picked it up and tilted it a bit sideways before lowering it into the pan and taking scoop of soup out of it.

You looked down as you heard Summer put her hooves on the edge of the kitchen counter, her muzzle just able to get above the edge. "What did you make Mommy?" Summer asked as she looked over all the different food that was laying about before noticing the pan your mother was stirring in. She wagged her tail and looked up to you as you came standing behind her, "Eep!" making her almost fall backwards as she craned her head to much back and swayed her hooves in a failed attempt to grab the edge of the kitchen. You swiftly held her with your left hoof and pushed her gently back to how she was standing before. "Thanks big brother." she said with a small embarrassed blush.

You chuckled at her and glanced down to meet her eyes, "You know I'm always there to catch you or your sister, Summy," you said while giving her a quick nuzzle on her mane. Summer smiled broadly at you and gave your right fore leg a quick nuzzle before turning her muzzle to her right where your mother was pouring some of the soup into the empty bowl.

"But what have you made for Gloom, Mommy?" Summer asked again in curiosity. Your mother turned to you and Summer before brining the ladle in front of your sister's muzzle. Summer glanced it over skeptically before sniffing the contents and made a small 'hum' with her mouth closed. Opening her muzzle slightly, she put her lips on the side of the ladle which your mother gently tilted in to Summer's direction, making her able to taste the soup that was in it. Sipping a bit of the soup, she swallowed it and licked her lips, "Hhmm! It tastes very good!" Summer said with a smile as she looked up to your mother. "Can I have some too?" 

Your mother chuckled lightly, "I figured you would ask." She turned her muzzle to you as you stood beside her, "Static, do you also want some?" You politely shook your head, knowing that you'll likely have dinner in the next hour or so. Your mother smiled gently and shrugged with her wings, "Suit yourself. You don't know what you are missing." She stood up onto her hind legs and grabbed a clean bowl out of one of the cabinets that were hanging above the counter. Putting the bowl down onto one of the free cooking pits your mother closed the cabinet and stood back on all four. "Static?" your mother called as she turned her muzzle to face you.

"Yeah? What is it Mom?" you asked while Summer let go of the counter and went to go to the left of the kitchen.

Your mother filled the empty bowl she brought down with her from the stairs and held it in one hoof in front of you. "Would you please give this to your little sister upstairs? She might be sleeping, though. If she is, just put it on her nightstand where also her spoon should be, I'll go check on her later if she wants to eat something."

Reaching out with your left hoof, you took the bowl from your mother, "Of course." Your mother smiled in gratitude as she went to fill the clean bowl with soup as well. 

In curiosity, you brought the bowl up to your muzzle and sniffed the soup. You 'hummed' as you smelled the fresh ingredients of tomato, some herbs, and a mix of well combined spices, actively making your tastebuds tingle. Lowering the bowl again, you turned to your left with the bowl in hoof and went to walk out of the kitchen. Summer walked past you and back to your mother with a bit to big of a spoon in her mouth, making her cheeks look like a squirrel that was carrying nuts, earning a chuckle from your mother behind you at the sight of it, "Summer, sweetie, that's a to big of a spoon to eat soup with." Summer tried to respond but only gibberish came out of her thanks to the large spoon she refused to carry in her hooves.

You rolled your eyes at your sister's action and made way to the staircase and ascended it until you were on the first floor. Taking a right, you turned into the small corridor to your sisters' room. You stopped in front of your own door first, putting the bowl carefully onto the floor, you craned your neck to your back and loosened the buckle of your saddle bags. With the bags now loosened, you bended your hind legs and wiggled your flank from side to side, making the bag slide off of your back and onto the cloudy floor. However, you hissed silently as it managed to rub slightly over a burn spot which was below your left cutie mark, more irritating you than actually hurting.

You sighed as the irritation faded away. You were also slightly relieved that you didn't have to put any of the 'jelly' onto your butt. Picking up the bowl with your left hoof, you made your way further down the hallway, passing a small cabinet in the middle of the hall with a few pictures on it of you, your sisters, and your parents, with above it a painting of Canterlot Mountain. Passing it by, you saw the door to your parents room at the very end of the hall swung open inwards, letting in fresh air as you could see that the window in their room was also open, the curtains swaying with small breezes of wind.

You glanced to the door which was left of your parents', the door was opened, but only on a small bit, enough for you to see that the room behind it was dark. Walking up to it, you softly pushed it further open. "Gloomy, are you awake?" you asked silently before going further. 

You waited for a bit but got no response. Deciding that your little sister would likely be sleeping, you tip-hooved into the room as silently as you could. As you got into the room, your eyes adjusted to the darker surrounding, showing you the room's contents. The room was verily large, makes sense since there are two ponies sleeping here. There was one bed placed against the wall on either side of the room, on the right side you had Summer's bed, and on the left, where you could hear light breathing come from, was Gloom's bed. Either bed had its own nightstand next to it with small items on it. Gloom's nightstand had two small plushes standing on it, one was a small phoenix while the other was an slightly bigger owl. You knew that Gloom had three plushes however, so it was likely she was sleeping with the one missing. Next to the two plushes was a small lamp with underneath it a fillet and a spoon, likely the one that your mother mentioned. 

Silently and carefully you moved to the nightstand, making sure as to not make any noise for your sister. You gently placed the bowl next to the spoon and placed your hoof back onto the ground. However, you did not feel the cloud, you felt something else, something soft. Looking down and lifting your left hoof up, you saw a small pegasus pony plush laying on the ground. "She must have dropped it in her sleep." Picking up the plush with your hoof, you took a look at it and, just like the other times you had seen the plush, you felt a smile grow on your muzzle. For whatever reason Gloom wanted this plush, you always felt happy she did. The plush looked very much like yourself in miniature form.

Glancing to your left, you saw Gloom laying soundly asleep, her hooves aimlessly moving over the cover as if they searched for something. Bringing the plush to the bed, you gently placed it by her hooves. As soon as her hooves touched it, she got a small smile and grabbed the plush with both her hooves and pulled it against her chest. She snuggled with it and breathed happily. You couldn't help it but smile fondly at seeing her so content. You lifted your hoof and brushed a bit of her untied mane out of her face and over her ear. Lowering your muzzle to your sister's, you gently nuzzled her cheek which earned a small 'hum' from her and a brief ear flick. Raising your head back up, you started to walk away and leave your little sister to her rest, "Get well soon Gloomy. Don't scare your brother like that again."

You thought you could hear her 'hum' something but was interrupted as your mother walked silently into the room, "I take it your little sister is sleeping soundly?"

You turned your muzzle to your mother, seeing her standing in the door opening with her ears slightly lowered. "Yeah. I think it is for the best to let her sleep, she seems to be fine besides being a bit tuckered out."

Your mother nodded with a saddened expression, "I think so too. Come, Summer is waiting downstairs and your father should be home any minute now." She turned around on the spot, briefly leaving you alone with Gloom. You spared her one last look of concern before silently walking out of the room yourself, leaving your sister to her dreams. 

Stepping out of the room, you gently pulled to door closed until there was a small gap left. Putting your hoof back down, you breathed outward in disappointment of yourself. "Something bothering you, sweetie?" your mother asked as she looked at you with her right hoof raised a bit from the ground. Your ears drooped down as you looked away, not really knowing how you could explain the helpless feeling you had regarding your little sister. "...You're feeling bad because you can't do anything to help her, don't you?"

Your ears flicked straight up as you glanced towards your mother with surprise, "H-how do you know...?"

Your mother got a warm smile on her muzzle as she flicked her tail while her ears drooped halfway down, "Because I know that look that shows on your muzzle every time you can't do anything to help your sisters... You have it ever since you helped bottle feeding them." You looked away again. "Static... look at me." You raised your head again to meet your mother's eyes as she stepped closer. "You're really just like your Dad, you know that?"

You gave a weak reply, "You say that more."

"And you know why?" she asked as she brought her hoof around your neck and hugged you closely. "Because it is true." you mother said with a gentle and soothing voice. "Did you think your father was never concerned about you or your sisters? He had, and still has from time to time, that same expression as yours. That expression of being powerless to help his foals. The inability to do something... anything at all, but wait. You share that same look."

You lay your chin on your mother's shoulder, leaning in to her as the feeling of being powerless surfaced, "Is it so obvious?"

"Don't feel bad about it. Remember the last time you were feeling unwell for a couple of days?" You gave a gentle nod as you kept your chin resting beside her neck. "Your father was very concerned about you, more so than I was. Since you are very rarely ill, let alone ill for more than two days, it was noticeable on his muzzle every day. That expression... the utter concern for his foal... for you. He even went out of bed one time during the night, purely to check on you, if he could do anything to help you, even when he clearly knew you were sleeping and couldn't do anything, he still did so."

You gave a weak chuckle, "I never knew he could be so emotional and caring."

Your mother nuzzled your cheek in return, "You have no idea. Sure, he acts all though and tries to lighten up the mood whenever he can. But deep down? Deep down he's one of the most caring, gentlest and caring stallions you'll ever get to know. That is the very reason why I married him."

You pulled your head back to look into her eyes. Your mother held her hoof to your shoulder before putting it gently back down. "Mom, why are you telling me this now?"

Your mother sighed with her eyes closed, "Because, after all that has happened today, as well as what you're going through, I think it is indeed time I talk to you together with your father about maturing. After what I've seen today, it is clear to me that you're reaching the point where you'll start making your own decisions, deciding the road you want to take." Your mother sniffed lightly as you noticed, just like this morning, that faint glimmer in her eye. She quickly brushed her hoof over it and turned around, "Come. Your little sister will be wondering why we are staying away for so long."

You followed in step, but noticed the uneasiness and nervousness she was trying to hide; her wings were shifting slightly and were not resting silently against her sides. Her right ear was halfway down as well, sometimes flicking as she started to go downstairs. "Mom... What is worrying you so much...?"

You stopped at the top of the stairs as your mother was already downstairs, she stood there for a second or two, just looking to the door. Going down the steps yourself, you saw her raising her right hoof to her chest and took in a deep breath. You waited on the middle of the staircase as she slowly let out her held in breath. To your slight confusion, her features seemed to visibly relax, "You coming, Static?" she asked as she turned her muzzle around to look at you, her signature smile back as if it never left.

You gave a hesitant nod, your mother smiling like everything was fine as always. You stepped down into the hallway, following your mother back into the kitchen just when Summer stood on her hind legs and put an empty bowl on the counter. Your little sister looked to you and your mother as the both of you came walking into the kitchen, "Hey Mom, hey big brother." She walked up to the both of you, her tail wagging in excitement, "Is Gloom feeling better?" she asked with hope and joy, clearly hoping that her twin would be okay after resting a bit and eating some warm soup.

"Your sister is sleeping, sweetie. Best if you let her rest. We'll see how she's doing tomorrow."

Summer's ears drooped sideways and her tail hung down, "Aawww... She'll be better tomorrow, right?"

"We can only wait and see, Summy," your mother said as she nuzzled your little sister affectionately. "Now, will you both help me prepare dinner until your father gets home?" You nodded together with Summer, "Alright then, lets get started. Summer, if you want to place the dishes onto the table, then you can help me prepare the vegetables Static."

Summer went to her assigned duty as you started to help your mother with preparing the ingredients. All the while, your thoughts stayed with your little sister upstairs, as well at your mother. But at the same time, a certain rainbow mare was never far from your thoughts.
> Ch. 24 Dinner time.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Guess who's home~?" 

You heard your Dad call in a sing-a-long tone as you brought the last piece of silverware to the table. Summer was hopping onto her chair where she always sat but looked up as she heard your dad.

"Santa Hooves?" Your mother said sarcastically as she brought a steaming pan of vegetables to the table and sat it down on a coaster while she hummed a little tune.

You heard your father chuckle has he walked into the room, "If I would be Santa Hooves, all the foals would be mad at me, because I'ld keep all the presents to myself!"

"Don't be a mean Santa, Daddy!" Summer whined as she got off of her chair and trotted to your father, giving him a small pat on his right hoof with her own. Your father chuckled and grabbed Summer with his right hoof, bringing her up to his muzzle. Summer began to giggle uncontrollably as your father started to blew a raspberry on her tummy, "Hahahaha! Daddy! Stop!"

Your father briefly stopped, "You don't call your father a mean Santa, young filly!" 

Your dad resumed his raspberries, your little sister wailing her hooves in all directions with her wings fluttering like a humming bee. Summer squealed in delight and joy with tears in her eyes, unable to stop your dad's barrage. "S-stop! You're a friendly Santa!" your sister managed to squeak out through her laughing.

Your father stopped his assault and looked with a grin towards Summer as she breathed heavily, "That's my little filly. Don't worry, you know I would share the presents with you and your sister." Your father looked away from Summer, his eyes looking throughout the rooms if he was looking for something, "Say, speaking of your sister, where's Gloom?" 

Your mother came standing next to your dad, taking the still heavy breathing filly out his arms, "She's upstairs, dear." Your mother gently sat Summer down on her own hooves who shook her coat and ruffled her wings. "Gloom is not feeling well. Her tummy hurt when Rainbow Dash brought her home together with Static. She's now sleeping, so don't worry. I think her tummy hurt because of the nervousness from the first day at her new school."

You watched as your dad's expression changed, it was just a tiny bit, but you noticed it. His ears went a little sideways, his smile remained, although it was not as joyful as before. "Oh. It will be the nerves of the first day... She'll be okay, she is a strong filly."

"Don't you worry sweetie, tomorrow Gloom will be okay again." Your mom got close to your dad and she gave him a passionate kiss on the lips which he returned. Your mother parted from your dad and brought a hoof to your dad's cheek and held it while she looked into his eyes, "You worry too much. Our foals are as healthy as they can be." 

Your father nodded and grasped your mom's hoof, "I know... I know." He sighed briefly, "Is it alright if I check on her after dinner? She was sleeping now, wasn't she?"

"Yes she is. Our little colt has already checked on her a few minutes ago."

Your father looked to you and gave an approving nod. "You brought her home together with Rainbow Dash, Static?" Your dad asked you as he walked to you with a smile. Not wanting to give your dad anything to go on, you simply gave a nod, hoping he'll not prod for answers. "Nothing to add? Smart move. I wish I had done that with my parents." Your dad chuckled as he walked past you and gave a brief and firm pat on your left shoulder with his hoof.

Your dad walked past you and grabbed his flight goggles that were dangling on his neck. Raising them up and over his head, he gently put his goggles on a cabinet beneath his medals that were hanging from the wall. The goggles rested next to multiple picture frames, all filled with a photo your dad wanted to preserve. Some were from you, your sisters and your mother. Some were also filled with older photos, photos that had your dad in them with other ponies. One picture of those, stood directly under his medals, it was a photo of his old flight team. Your dad had often told you about the shenanigans he and his friends would pull on other ponies, some the shenanigans he noted as being 'legendary'.

"So... how was your first day of school, Summer? Made any new friends?" Your dad asked your sister as he went to sit on his chair. 

Summer pounced on her chair. She right away stood with her hind legs on the chair while putting her hooves on the table. Her tale swished as she began to tell your dad how her day went, "It was great, Dad! Me and Gloom have a very friendly class!" 

Your mother nudged your shoulder softly, making you look at her, "Take your seat, Static. Dinner is ready." You nodded back in response and went to take your seat next to your dad while your mother took her seat next to Summer, leaving one empty seat between you and Summer. Your ears lowered a bit as you pushed the empty chair gently to the side, allowing you to make it easier onto your assigned chair.

You wagged your tail to the side of the chair and sat down on it. "Gloom and I spent time in Ponyville after school! Ponyville is a really nice town with many friendly ponies!" Summer told your dad in excitement. "They even have a house that sells all kinds of cake and candies! It is called 'Sugarcube Corner'!"

"Sugarcube Corner?" Your dad asked with a raised eyebrow. He turned to your mother at the other end of the table, "Honey, didn't you buy there those cinnamon cupcakes once, those that burned my tongue?"

Your mother chewed her piece of salad and swallowed it before answering, twisting her fork around in her hoof while she hummed, "Uuhhmmm... Yes. I believe it was on the same day I went there to get some quills at that odd shop called 'Quills and Sofas'. Celestia knows why that store is like that... anyhoof. I believe it indeed was the place." Your mother chuckled with a hoof in front of her muzzle, "Your tongue burned for hours! The mare at the counter told me it was spicy, and you always said that you could handle some spice."

Your dad pointed an accusing hoof to your mother with a chuckle, "Hey, I CAN stand quite some spiciness! But what was in that cake came out of the pits of Tartarus!"

You couldn't help yourself but at least try to mock your father a bit, "You just couldn't handle the heat, Dad. But that's okay, we have Mom for the though things." You grinned and used your fork to put some salad in your mouth and started to chew it.

"I survived the heat!" your dad chuckled. "But indeed, it was too much, even for me." Your dad started on his own plate of food while occasionally letting out a small chuckle.

"Oh, uhm... dear?" Your dad looked up from his eating to his wife. "We... uhm... Need to talk with Static about the 'heat' after dinner..." your mother smiled uncomfortable.

"Why would we need to talk about cinnamon spice? It is just hot, nothing special." Your father shrugged and dipped his fork into his food. However, he didn't raise it up again as he narrowed his eyes and you could almost hear the grinding of gears in his head. "Wait... you mean 'the heat' heat...?"

Your mother nodded with her eyes closed, "Uh-mmhh. That heat."

Your dad left his fork in his food and raised his hooves to his face and dragged them down slowly, "About time... We should've explained him that four years ago."

You choked a bit on your food. Did you hear him correct? "Wait, what?! You were gonna tell me four years ago?!" you asked quickly as you dropped your fork onto the plate.

Your father shrugged, "Yup. At least, I wanted to. But your mother had different plans."

"Mommy, what is 'the heat'?" Summer asked, being completely left out in the dark about the subject.

Your mother collected herself quickly, "The 'heat' is something fillies go through when they get older, Summer. Don't worry, we'll explain you when you're older." Summer nodded with remaining curiosity on her muzzle, but seemingly satisfied enough with the answer as she began eating again. 

You noticed your mother sighing in relief before turning her muzzle to you and your dad, "Can we first have dinner without the subject?" You and your father nodded in sync. "Good. Now, Static," she turned her attention fully to you as she began to eat again. "What happened at school today that earned you a visit to the school infirmary?"

"You've been in the infirmary?" Your dad asked, worry and surprise noticeable in his voice. Summer turned also to you in curiosity, eager to hear what you had to say.

You shuffled uncomfortably on your chair, "I... I was. I had a flight accident at school." Now you peaked your father's interest as he gave you his full attention with his hooves clapped together on the table, his chin leaning on his hooves. Your mother continued eating, but her attention was also on you. "It is kind of an... odd story."

"Don't be afraid to share it, brother." Summer said encouragingly. "We all know Dad as some strange tales from when he was young." Your father fake-coughed in his hooves, trying to turn the attention away from him.

You sighed and recalled what happened today; "Well, it all started very normal. Me and my friends were making our way to class after break. We had gymnastics and were supposed to meet-up with coach Iron Wing in the courtyard. Making our way through the hall that led to it, we joked around a bit. One of my friends, however, thought it was a good idea to sit on my back and ride me like a chariot."

"Well I don't see how that is bad." Your father commented. "There are worse things that could happen, and I know about that."

You ignored his commented and continued where you left off with an eye roll, "Anyway, my friend got on my nerves just a tiny bit, so I tried few things to get her off of me, without success..." You could hear the distinct muffled and badly hidden chuckles of your dad and mom which made you groan. "...ugh, so without much choice left, I took off with her on my back while we were still inside the school and..."

Your mom interrupted you abruptly, "You know you're not allowed to fly inside the school!"

Your eyebrow twitched as you were interrupted again. Slowly dragging your hooves down your muzzle, you sighed. "No, Mom. It is allowed!" You clapped your hooves together and lowered your ears in slight shame as you remembered what happened inside the school, "...At least... hehe... as long as you don't annoy your fellow students with it... hehe."

Your mom narrowed her eyes, "...And? Did you annoy them?"

You chuckled weakly, "hehe, well... while I was flying towards the exit of the school, I flew by... or rather... flew through a couple that was about to kiss while they stood in the doorway..." You saw in the corner of your eye your mother looking at you with big eyes and her ears down in disbelieve. On the other side, hidden by his hooves, you swore you saw your dad having trouble to keep his laughter in.

"Eeewww! They were about to kiss? Good you flew through them." Summer said as she stuck out her tongue like she tasted something foul.

"Summer!" Your mom called your sister in a disapproving tone. "Love is something beautiful!"

"Yuck..."

"Hehehe. Alright, please continue, Static." Your father said with a raised hoof.

You looked to your mother who resigned and shook her head. Summer simply smiled and looked at you, waiting for you to continue. "Well... after I, by pure accident, interrupted the moment between the two, I flew out into the courtyard with high speed. However, Lucky still didn't want to let go, she actually enjoyed till that point..." You sighed briefly to yourself as you thought back to that particular point where everything went wrong, "...I was irritated that she didn't release me and even enjoyed it. I flew up into the air as fast as I could, in the hopes to get her off of me or release me."

Your father lowered his hooves while wearing a thoughtful expression and he briefly glanced to your mother who looked thoughtful as well. "I went up all the way to cloud layer twelve bu..." 

You stopped in your sentence as your mother stood up forcibly, slamming her hooves a bit on the table, "YOU DID WHAT!?" You lowered yourself in your chair as your mother looked furiously at you. "I TOLD YOU MANY TIMES NOT TO GO UP THERE!"

"Uhm... Mommy? What is cloud l-layer twelve?" Summer asked timidly with her ears a bit down at you mother's sudden outburst.

Your dad sighed calmly and glanced to you sister, his hooves laying flat on the table, "Cloud later twelve, Summy, is the highest and last cloud layer there is. I will not explain you the details, but going over it is very bad. Pegasi get very ill if they go over it for longer than ten minutes." Summer nodded gently and curled her tail around her flank.

You turned to your mother who sight in disappointment and sat slowly down again, "You know I don't like it that you go there... By Celestia..."

Your ears dipped to the side of your head and you looked down in shame, "I know, Mom. I was not thinking about it at the moment... it was only for a few seconds... I'm sorry."

Your mom looked to you with her own ears down, but with a small smile, "At least you're okay from that. It could've been worse. Just promise me to not do it again." You nodded to her with your left hoof over your hearth. Your mother nodded back in approval, "Good enough. Please continue."

"Okay, well, after I flew up there..." You thought back at the sight you beheld above the clouds, smiling inwardly at the beauty of it, "...It was a gorgeous view... the clouds drifting below you like a river of softness, the nice air flow of warm and cold was perfect. The sky up was crystal clear with the sun shining down onto the world." Your father coughed to get you back on track. "...Oh, right. Well, after I reached above the clouds, I closed my wings and let gravity pull me down back towards Cloudsdale, in the hopes that Lucky would let go off me and fly on her own."

You briefly glanced to your dad, who wore a big frown with a disapproving expression. You didn't look to your left, fully expecting your mother to  be giving you a death glare. Gulping, you decided to get to the worst part, "After I let gravity pull me down, Lucky finally released me. Only... she didn't release me by herself... she was unconscious."

"By Celestia..." You looked to your mother who had her right hoof in front of her muzzle and looked shocked as you mentioned Lucky's condition at the time. Your father seemed in thought as he had his eyes closed and breathed heavily through his nose.

"I noticed that she was unconscious and didn't waste time to try and grab her..." You left out the details of how Lucky changed into your sister when she fell, not wanting to make the story more complicated than it had to be. "...I succeeded in doing so, but I went too fast and couldn't slow down enough to make a good landing. I managed to curl myself around Lucky before hitting the clouds, in the hope of protecting her from the impact. After that, I woke up in the infirmary with these out-of-colour spots on my fur. These burn marks are nothing too bad, I got a cream for it from the doctor. The doctor informed me that Lucky was, thank Celestia and Luna, unharmed besides a minor state of shock." You sighed and awaited the judgement of your parents. Your ears flicking down in fear of what they might say.

Your dad was the first to speak up, "Static... That was incredibly dangerous and irresponsible of you." His voice was not angry, it was something worse, it was the voice of disappointment. "You did all that, with ending up in the infirmary yourself, with the possibility of having severely injured a close friend, just because you couldn't handle her on your back for a few minutes. Not to mention that you also went up to cloud layer twelve while you know very well your mother and I had forbidden you of ever going there."

You sank back into your seat with your head looking down in shame, your fathers words stinging you. "But..." Surprisingly, the voice of your mother broke the silence, "...While I agree with your father that what you did was very irresponsible, you did try, and managed, to save the very friend you got in that dangerous position while risking your own safety. Don't think that I praise you for doing what you did, you still did wrong. But you did good for thinking about her safety before your own and not hesitating to try grab when you saw her being unconscious." You looked briefly to your mother, her face nor angry nor happy, just an expression of disappointment and slight relief.

You suddenly felt a small pain in your left front leg, looking to your left you saw Summer looking at you disapprovingly while she retracted her left hoof, "That was stupid, Static. What if that was me or Gloom?" That question hurt you more than a hoof to the stomach.

"Summer... I would never..." You sighed and looked away from Summer, your ears glued to the side of your head.

You felt a pair of hooves wrapping themselves around your torso in a strong hug, "Don't ever do something so stupid again. I don't want you to get hurt big brother." You glanced to your left and down to Summer, her front legs firmly flung around you. She looked up at you with a small pout and big eyes.

You extended your left wing and softly curled it around Summer, "I'm sorry Summy. I promise I won't do it again." Your sister nuzzled into your coat and you nuzzled her mane in return. Meanwhile your parents had already started with cleaning the table while leaving you and your sister together.

As your mother brought the last piece of silverware away, your dad tapped your shoulder. You looked up at him and he motioned with his head to come with him to the living room, "I hope you learned from it. But now, we have to talk about maturing. And don't think you're getting away without consequences from what you did."

"Summer, Mommy and Daddy need to have a little private chat with your big brother. Can you go upstairs and stay with Gloom for the time being?" your mom asked as she began to make tea.

"Okay Mommy." Summer replied. She gave you a last nuzzle before releasing you and hopped down to the ground. Summer walked out of the kitchen and disappeared from sight, leaving you alone with your parents.

"Come Static. We have quite some things to talk about." Your mom said while she carried a plate with three cups of tea towards the table that was in the middle of the living room. Getting out of your chair, you followed her. The living room was nothing fancy, it had your everyday furniture in it, a simple rectangle brown, wooden table with four support legs in below each corner of the table. there stood two white couches made of clouds facing each other, separated by the table in between them. There also stood one big chair that was facing away from the kitchen and words the window at the front of the house.

Walking past the big chair, you took a seat on the right side couch with your parents taking their seats on the opposite. Your mother gently lowered the plate with the cups of tea onto the table with her mouth and took a seat next to your dad who was already sitting.

Taking your own seat on the couch, you ruffled your wings uncomfortably while waiting for your parents to get started.

"Well..." your mother said as she glanced t your dad who looked back with a small smile. "...Where do we start?"

Your dad chuckled lightly and sighed, "Lets start when colts start to mature. I'll begin with it, and when we get to the mare side of maturing, you continue. Sounds good?" Your mother hummed in approval and turned back to you. "It was about time we had this talk, but it is still difficult to start it. Are you sure you want to know?" Your dad asked teasingly.

You rolled your eyes and sighed, "Yes. Yes I want to know."

"Hehehe, alright then."
> Ch. 25 The birds and the bees.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well then, I'll start at when signs of maturing start to show." Your father said as he adjusted his sitting on the couch. You nodded in understanding, the talk your coach had with you about maturing remaining in your head. "A colt, when starting to mature, will have a few slight, close to, unnoticeable urges. Maybe you haven't noticed yourself, but we, as your parents, have seen the small urges in you a few years ago."

Your ear flicked and you cocked your head sideways in confusion of where your dad was going with this, "A few years ago? What did I do then what I don't do now?" 

Your mother chuckled to herself and looked up to your dad who grinned lightly, "Well, the urges are still there." He looked at you with a knowing look, "For example, we know of your playcolt stash in your drawer underneath the Daring Do series."

Your cheeks became burning hot as your parents casual called out your secret stash. Trying to hold onto your dignity, you tried to dismiss it, "I... I don't know what you're talking about..." Your eyes darted around the room, trying to avoid the smug grin your father was sporting while your mother simply chuckled behind a hoof.

"Don't try to fool me, young colt." Your dad said with a chuckle. "Your mother found your secret stash years ago." Your mouth dropped on the couch and your wings fell limply to your side. "Your mother was cleaning your room because she found it dirty. So she also went to clean the inside of your drawer since you never did it. While taking out your, by that time, one or two Daring books out of the drawer, she found one play colt magazine which felt... sticky."

You lowered yourself into the couch and covered your eyes, "Uuugghhhh..."

"Oh come now, sweetie. Don't be embarrassed." Your mother said gently, making you drag your hooves down your face. "All colts go through this. Although, I was a bit surprised that you reached this stage so early. But it is not a bad thing in any way." Your mother grabbed her cup of tea that was on the table with her hooves and brought it to her muzzle, blowing gently over it to get the temperature down. "I wished though that the magazine wasn't so sticky... I needed to wash my hooves after it..."

Your cheeks were burning red as tomatoes, "MOM!" 

Your mother shrugged her wings and took a sip from her tea as if nothing was wrong. "Hey, don't be angry at me. I just tell you what would've been better." Your mother sat her cup down on the table again and chuckled, "At least I'm glad everything is made out of clouds. I pity the mothers on the ground who need to clean and wash their colt's sheets."

This made your ears fall down the side of your head as you thought about what your mother just said, "Yuck..."

Your father took his cup and raised it up with his right hoof, "Cheers to being a pegasi." He took a small sip form the tea and hummed his approval. "Anyway, lets get back on track." You nodded your head rapidly, eager to steer away from this personal part. "These urges, that makes you use these magazines to destress yourself, are part of it. You use them and your imagination to your wanting, which all comes down to the fact that you're ready to mate and have foals. It is nothing bad. It is a primal instinct that everypony has and something that will never go away." 

Your mother adjusted herself on the couch and lay down next to your dad, tucking her legs underneath her and laying her chin on the couch. "You know... mares have these urges too. All be these urges slightly different, they are not far away from that of a colt."

Your dad took another sip before putting his cup of tea back on the table and brushed your mother's mane gently, "That is about it for the urges. Further, there are changes that happen to colts and mares when they start maturing on bases of physical and mental."

You nodded at your dad, remembering what your coach told you, "A colt can develop more muscles, become taller, their wings bigger and their mane and tail become rougher, right?" Your father hummed in confirmation.

"In the way of physical changes, indeed." You extended your hoof and took your own cup of tea from the plate on the table, holding it in both of your hooves that warmed up nicely thanks to the temperature. "But there is more to physical changes, and don't forget the mental changes." Keeping your eyes on your dad, you softly blew over your tea to get it to a more desirable temperature before taking a sip from it. "Colts, when reaching maturity, also may experience a change in their smell senses, we'll go further in that later." You raised an eyebrow at your dad but nodded anyway. 

Your mother nuzzled your father's chest from her laying position, "Don't forget to tell him about his scent, sweetie. I think it is better if he knows that too."

Your dad nuzzled your mother's mane, "I will. I'll explain him when we get to his smell sense." Your mother hummed and lay her head back on the couch with her eyes closed, leaving your dad to continue, "Tell me Static, have you noticed any changes about your female classmates in the last few years? I mean in the way of how they look, or how you feel towards them." 

You took another sip from your tea and looked to your dad, "I did not really pay attention to the changes of my friends... they just looked to me like they always did; like my friends." You looked down in thought about the last few years. Thinking back carefully to see if you noticed the changes from your filly classmates, a few things began to surface in your head that did stand out. One thing that you noticed, for most by Lucky and Berry Petal, was that their wings were looking more elegant and were slightly bigger than two years ago. Not to mention that their appearance all-round was more pleasant to look at, their mane and tails had also grown longer and were somehow getting your eyes' attention form time to time, and so did their wings. 

Glancing back up to your dad, you saw him waiting patiently with a smile and a... puffed out chest? "Well... Now that you mention it, Lucky and Berry Petal have certainly grown a bit taller than last year. Their wings look more elegant and have also grown a small amount. And their mane and tail both look more... I don't know how to word it... but all-round they lo..."

"Their mane, tail and wings catch your eye, don't they? And I think the word you were looking for is alluring."Your dad interrupted you gently.

You held your cup of tea in one hoof and used your free hoof to brush your neck, "I think alluring is big word for it..."

Your dad chuckled and shook his head from side to side, "Hehe. No, it is the perfect word for it. Don't think I haven't been through the same thing. And I know why your eyes get glued on them." Your dad leaned down and nuzzled your mother, who was listening with her ears perked but had her eyes closed and was breathing gently in her laying position. "You see, stallions look for certain points in a mare, the same way that mares look for a few things in stallions. I'll give you an example, like your mother and me." You sat your cup down on the table and brought your hooves between your hind hooves on the couch. "Your mother and I saw and sensed things in each other which, eventually, lead us to where we are now," your father said as he used his right hoof to gesture all around you. "What I saw in your mother was, at first, beauty. Which sparked my curiosity in her."

"Oh, hush." Your mother interrupted suddenly. "You keep telling yourself that, but there was, and still is more than what you say." Your mom opened her eyes and glanced up to your dad with a knowing look.

Your dad began to blush and coughed in his right hoof, "Well... of course." You cocked your head to the side in question to what your mother hinted at. "I... Alright..." your father seemingly gave in to what your mother wanted. "I saw your mother play with a couple of foals on a playground... That really sparked my interest in her..." Your ears perked up at that. "Your mother was playing with a few foals from around her neighborhood she lived in. I was on my way to do grocery shopping for my parents when I noticed her. I remembered her from my school, but never had something a mare did ever gotten my interest like she did. I didn't know why it grabbed me, and up to this point, I couldn't be happier that it did."

Your mother hummed and lay her head back on the couch, "That is what I meant. Your father had, and still has, a weakness for it." Your mother opened one eye and looked at you, "And so do you, Static."

Your dad's ears perked up and he glanced to your mother, "He does? Are you sure?"

Your mother chuckled softly and raised herself up into a sitting position, "I'm sure of it."

You felt a small drop of sweat run down the fur on your neck, "Uhm... I don't think I..."

Your mother shot you down with one stern look, "Don't you deny it." Her expression softened again, "I know you have a thing for it. You cannot lie to an older and married mare about what you like, especially if she's your mother," she said while puffing out her chest and raising her head.

You sighed in defeat, accepting the fact that she would not let you tell her otherwise. "Alright, lets get back on topic," your father brought you and your mother back to the subject. "Now, about your change of smell and your scent. Your smell doesn't really change. Your nose, when maturing, starts to pick up a certain scent in the air that mares that have matured already start to spread."

You looked confused to your parents, "Huh? Since when do mares spread a scent? Is it bad?"

Your mother chuckled while your dad grinned, "Bad? Not all." Your dad said with a roll of his eyes. "At least, that depends on the mare. And mares have been spreading their scents since the dawn of ponykind."

"I still don't understand..." You said with uncertainty.

You mother looked at you with care, "If your dad doesn't make sense, I'll explain it to you. Although, I cannot say I'm correct when it comes to stallions about the scent."

"Hey, easy. I cannot overload our foal with this information from the get-go." Your father coughed in his right hoof again. "Anyway, every mare has their very own scent. They spread it two times a year, in Spring, and in Autumn to be precise."

"The heat..." you said to nopony in particular.

Your dad nodded, "Exactly. These times of the year have been woven into us as being the optimal times of the year to mate with a partner. The scent mares release helps with finding a suitable partner."

"How does a scent help with finding a partner?" you asked with curiosity.

"Simple; your nose catches a scent, and you instantly know if you like it or not. If you don't like it, then you have your answer. If the mare's scent you smelled is not catching you, she's unsuitable to be your partner." Your dad explained with certainty in his voice.

"Mares have this too." Your mother joined in on the topic. "Mares also smell the scent of a stallion which you release during the heat. Funny enough, a mare can't smell the scent of another mare, nor their own. They can only pick up on the other gender, yet they know themselves that they are spreading it."

"The same goes for stallions; we can't smell each other or ourselves." Your dad took his tea cup back in his hooves and began to drink it empty before putting it back on the table. "But..." Your father said with a brief stop in his sentence. "...Here is the oddity that you have and over ninety percent of all colts don't, you are already maturing for some time while those other stallions still need to start maturing. This puts you in a difficult situation."

You were confused why you would be in a difficult spot, ruffling your wings and raising your eyebrow at your dad, "Puts me in a difficult situation? Huh? Why?"

Your dad sighed and shuffled on the couch, "When colts start to mature, they start to leave their scent when the time of mating comes around to attract potential partners. And since you're maturing, you're also susceptible to a mare's scent. And that puts you in a difficult spot, since you're one of the very few that will stand out to the mares as a partner that is ready to mate, they'll try, without knowing it themselves, to... euhm... attract you."

"But I can refuse them, right?" you asked with a hint of confidence. 

Your father, however, lightly scratched the back of his neck, "Well... you can try. But you must understand that your scent, and that of a mare, is full of pheromones. These pheromones will very easily overpower your will to refuse them..."

You stared at your dad with disbelieve, "I think you're overreacting a bit Dad... I don't think pheromones are that strong during the heat."

Your father sighed and tapped your mother lightly with his left hoof, "Honey, can you explain him?"

Your mother chuckled, "Sure." You were unsure if the way your mother said that was good. Your mother grabbed her own cup of tea and brought it to her muzzle, "Mares have their way to...coax the stallion they want into the state of mind if the mare really wants. Hormones and pheromones play a huge part in this." Your mom took a sip of her cup and sighed happily. "It is, in fact, how we got you."

"...What?"

Your mother rolled her eyes, "I said, that that was how we got you." You looked from your mother to your father and back. "Your father was at the time close to me during heat season. Everyday I coaxed him just a bit to push him over the edge."

"That is... evil, Mom." You pulled your head a bit back and shuffled on the couch to get a better sitting position. But what she said made you wonder; how does a mare get a stallion to that point? "Mom... what did you do to... uhm... get Dad that far? I doubt you only winked at him and he toppled over..."

Your father whistled innocently as he looked away. You looked back at your mother who took another sip of her tea, "Well, it was close. But indeed, there are some subtle things a mare does for coaxing their stallion. A few things that I did were; brushing his hind legs gently with my tail on occasion, nuzzling him on various moments I found it fitting, preening next to him, or helping him preen his feathers, the small talks in between. That all slowly pushed him over the edge." Your mother glanced with corner of her eyes and a smug grin to your dad who wore a slight blush and refused to look at your mother.

Your ears were now perked up to their full extend, somehow, this was something you really wanted to know. "What did you do to push him over... the edge?"

"Simple," your mother said with a chuckle. "I whipped my tail in his face during the heat." Her tail whipped and hit your dad in his left side, making him jump a bit from the sudden touch.

"You weren't really subtle about it either, honey." Your dad said as he brushed the side your mother whipped with his right hoof. "You brushed your tail more times against my legs and my muzzle than I cared to count."

"Oh dearie," your mother said innocently as she put her head under your dad's chin. "Don't act like you didn't enjoyed it... or wanted it."

All the while you simply sat there, watching your parents forgetting about you for a minute as they fumbled a bit with each other. In the mean time, you thought about the way your mother said she coaxed your father. But why the tail whipping? "Why did you whip your tail in Dad's face, Mom?" you asked with a flick of your ear.

Your mom nuzzled your father for a bit before sitting upright again, "I said that pheromones played a huge role in finding mates and coaxing a mate, right?"

You nodded, "Yeah."

"A mare's tail is hanging continuously during heat in the scent, holding back about... lets say about eighty precent of the pheromones. All those 
pheromones a mare's tail holds have a huge impact on a stallion when a mare whips her tail in his direction, or hit his muzzle. When that happens, all the pheromones that had build up in the mare's tail are released in an instant." Your mother explained as she wagged her tail behind her to emphasize her point. "If the mare is lucky enough, her mate doesn't give it much thought, or inhales at the exact moment, taking in all the pheromones right away. When that happens, the stallion's brain reacts to the scent and sets his thoughts on one thing; mating."

"Trust me, Static. It may sound like you can easily evade it, but you can't." Your father said with a sigh of defeat. "As your mother said, she coaxed me everyday slightly to the point I was almost continuously at her side, not wanting to leave her for some reason I still haven't figured out. Back then, in my high spirits, her touching and brushing simply seemed like she wanted to be close to me, so I didn't mind it." Your father looked in the corner of his eyes to your mother, who sat on the couch with her chest puffed out. "Anyway, as she said, when the middle of the heat came around, I was almost inseparable from her. We spent every day with each other, during school and outside. And as you know, we both wanted foals. Although, in my rational state of mind, I wanted to wait until we were older. But your mother wouldn't had any of it. And that's when she toppled me over the edge and... well... a few weeks after that, she told me she was pregnant with you..."

"And I couldn't be happier." Your mother said with a happy long sigh, her eyes looking up to the ceiling with a faraway stare.

You sat there with your mouth open, "Y-you mean that... that one time she toppled you over... you got me?"

"I never said that it was one time." Your dad said with an amused smile. "Remember, the heat duration various for every mare, but the time they go into heat is centered around the same time. I guess I was lucky to some degree that your mother's heat lasted for two-feathering-weeks, or else we wouldn't have had you." Your dad was whacked lightly on the head by the wing of your mother.

"But how many times did you... mate... until you got me...?" You asked with a creeping sensation of disgust and a feeling that you didn't really want to know.

"I cannot say." Your dad said with a shrug of his wings.

You looked confused at him, "Huh? Why not?"

"I lost count, honestly."

Your mother let out a giggle with a hoof in front of her muzzle. "All those pheromones, the scent of both the mare and a stallion, sends a ripple through the minds of both partners. Their bodies becomes way more energetic and alive. Your endurance increases greatly together with the will to mate. This is especially the case when said partner is close and the mare has a high fertility."

You shuffled uncomfortably and lowered your body fully onto the couch, tucking your legs underneath you to get a more comfortable position. "What do you mean with high 'fertility', Mom?" you asked as you wagged your tail around your flank to keep your sides warm.

"Oh." Your mother said as her eyes widened. "I haven't told you that yet? I meant with that, that if a mare has a higher fertility that she is even more driven to mate than other mares with a lower fertility." Your mother put her right hoof to her chin and tapped it in thought, "I believe my fertility is... about... eighty-seven percent, which is quite high." You cocked your head sideways, not really getting what she was going on about. "You don't really understand it... but that's okay. I'll explain you; you see, when fillies are born, like any other pony, they are physically examined. The doctors give the parents a small stack of medical papers with all kinds of info about their foal. Including their expected fertility percentage. The higher the fertility percentage, the more likely the mare is to get pregnant." You opened your mouth silently with an 'o' form in understanding.

"...And that bring us back to the point where I said that I lost count." Your father said when your mother finished speaking. "A couple, during heat season, can mate a lot of times. This is also woven into us. This way, even the mares with a low fertility rate have a high chance of getting pregnant during the heat. Which is what happened between your mother and me. There was no way she wouldn't get pregnant, and she knew that."

Your father was suddenly slapped in the muzzle by your mother's wing. Glancing to her, you saw her wings spread out wide with a slight twitch every now and then. With eyebrows raised, you looked to your mother who had a blush on her cheeks and looked to her left and away from your dad, who chuckled and ducked below your mother's stretched-out wings. "Hehehe. Honey, not in front of our foal," Your dad extended his right hoof and brushed it underneath her primary feathers, making the feathers bend gently and flopping straight again.

"EEP!" your mother squeed with a high pitched tone, making you pull your head back in surprise as your dad brushed her feathers.

...your mom just squeed... Unbelievable... the last time you remembered her squee like that was when... actually... this was the first time you heard her squee like that.

"Uhm... Mom? You okay?" You asked with raised eyebrows.

Your mother nodded with a hoof plastered against her mouth, her cheeks carrying a light blush. She looked sideways with narrowed eyes to your dad who wore a big grin, "Sorry hun, couldn't resist it." Your mother turned her body to the right and turned quickly back to the left, making her fanned out right wing wack your dad in the back of the head, "Ow... Okay, I deserved that one." Your father moved a bit further away from your mother, sitting down at the edge of the couch and leaning with his right hoof on the arm rest. Your father chuckled lightly and glanced over to you, "I don't need to explain you what just happened, do I?" You quickly shook your head, knowing very well what your dad did with your mother and what her fanned out wings meant.


Your mother visibly calmed down, her hoof going back on the couch between her hind legs while letting out a deep sigh, her wings slowly folding against her sides with a light ruffle of her feathers. "Phew, well that was something. I'll get you back later..." Your mother looked to your dad with narrowed eyes and a smug grin, her voice changing to something you couldn't place, "...Blizzy." In an instant your dad's cheeks became redder than you had ever seen them, his tail wagging behind him on the couch and his wings ruffling uncomfortably.

"Uhm... I... I think we should get back on topic!" your father said quickly while looking away.

"I thought as much." Your mother said with a victorious grin. She focused her attention back to you and smiled her signature smile again. "Well, what more is there to tell?" she said as she tapped her hoof against her chin in thought while looking down.

"I believe we haven't told him about the behavior matured ponies have during heat season?" your father brought up as he looked unsure to your mother.

"Hhhmmm... Doesn't that go with the pheromones at the same time? We did talk about that and what it does during heat." She said, still looking down with a thoughtful expression. 

"Hhhmmm... Well..." your father hummed in thought. "I don't think I've explained about a stallion's behavior during heat season." He looked sideways to your mother who looked back to him with her head to the side, her left ear giving a light flick. You looked curiously to your dad, "If I have told it already, too bad, I'll tell it again, hehe." You let out a sigh with a roll of your eyes. You extended your wings quickly to stretch from the long sitting and folded them back again. "A stallion, during heat, as I already mentioned when having a mate, will be quite clingy to his partner. This is even worse when his partner is coaxing him." Your dad gave a quick look to your mother who went to lay on het belly again, tucking her legs underneath her and ruffling her feathers briefly.

"Stallions only get clingy, and the mares push them over the edge... and that's it?" you asked while raising an eyebrow, expecting more.

"Of course not." Your dad said with a chuckle. "A stallion can get very protective of his partner, this gets worse tenfold when his partner is expecting a foal. In fact, we stallions will let other stallions know if a mare is our partner; more often than not by staying close to our partner throughout the day, and of course, showing pride in various ways, raising our wings is the most common sign. There have been incidents where a mare's partner even attacked other stallions because they didn't want the other stallions around their partner." Your dad visibly puffed out his chest and spread his wings out widely while looking determent. Not a moment later, your mother was watching your dad up and down with her eyes, her wings flapping a few times before resting at her sides again.

Your mother turned to you, "And proud and protective he was. It was ridiculous when I was expecting you, Static."

Your ear flicked and you looked to your mother with your head sideways, "Ridiculous? How so? What did he do?"

Your mother half-rolled her eyes, "Well... Lets say that... he didn't like it when any other stallions came near me." She looked at your dad and gave him a wink, "He still doesn't like it." Your father gave a snort. "See? Still doesn't like it," your mother said while turning to you. "He never left my side whenever I went somewhere, never let me lift anything, and I mean anything, it was quite annoying at the time, honestly," your mother said with a deep sigh, lowering her head with her eyes closed. "But..." she said as she raised her head again and began to smile. "It was so sweet of him. He really wanted me to take it easy and do everything in his power to keep me and you safe and sound from anything that he thought that could be dangerous or stressing on us both." 

Your mother lifted herself up from her laying position and walked over to your dad's side and snuggled up next to him, laying her head on his shoulder while your father nuzzled her mane and wrapped his left wing around her. "I would do it all again, anytime, anywhere, if it means you and our foals stay strong and healthy." Your dad said soothingly to your mother, who hummed and nuzzled your dad's cheek.

"I know you will, Blizzy, I know." Your mother said gently.

You smiled at the both of them, hoping there would be a future for you like that with a mare you loved. And maybe, you knew who you loved, and hoped to be with her like your parents were right now someday.
> Ch. 26 After talk.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

You kept your eyes on your parents, taking in the affection they had for each other. They sat there on the couch across from you, their eyes closed, entirely in their own world, occasionally taking in a deep breath through their nose and letting it out gently in pure content. While your eyes were on them, your vision imagined yourself with a mare in the same spot. Your father sat straight up, his left wing curled around your mother's side, hugging her close. Your mother had put her head under your father's chin, her right ear against his chest. Your father nuzzled her mane gently, his lips whispering something to her that you couldn't hear but made your mother 'hum'.

Your left ear briefly flicked as you heard the distinct sound of a door opening gently. Curiosity getting the better of you, you broke your gaze away from your mom and dad. Looking to the left and into the dinning area, you saw the door being swung open slowly. The set of small hoofsteps reached your ears, making you crane your head to try and see who the owner of the sound was. You expected who it could be, and sure enough, you saw an orange mane with blue streaks coming into view.

You watched her silently as she made her way to the kitchen counter with a small empty glass in her muzzle. She wagged her tail as she looked up to the kitchen counter, which was too high for to reach unless she used her wings to fly, which your parents forbid to do inside the house. You slowly got up from the couch when you saw Summer's ears droop down the sides of her head. Making your way gently into the kitchen, you watched her as she struggled to reach the counter while standing on he hind legs, making you wonder why she didn't ask for any help.

"Need help, Summy?" you kindly asked as you stood behind her, making Summer land on her hooves again. She turned to you, still carrying the glass, and gave a slow nod, her ears still down. You smiled encouragingly and lowered your head to her, "Why didn't you ask for help?" You wanted to facehoof as Summer let out only gibberish words as she answered with the glass between her teeth. You cupped your left hoof and lowered it underneath the glass.

Summer carefully put the glass into the cup of your hoof and smacked her lips a few times, "I'm sorry brother, I didn't want to interrupt the talk you had with Mommy and Daddy." She flicked her ears halfway up and looked apologetically to you, "...And I wanted to try and do it myself..." You looked fondly at her, the fact the she wanted to try it herself and without your help, it made you slightly proud of her.

"You're still too small, Summy. When you're older you'll get taller and be able to do this and more without my help, or that of Mom and Dad." You walked to the counter with the glass in your hoof and put it down on the kitchen, "So, what did you want to put in the glass? Water, lemonade, milk?" Summer smiled up to you and pranced to the fridge on your right side. She nudged it open with her nose, the door swinging open with ease and stopping not much further, but enough for you and Summer to get whatever she wanted.

Summer stood on her hind legs as her eyes traveled through the filled fridge, in search of what she wanted. You stepped towards the fridge yourself and looked about, trying to find what Summer was looking for. "This one!" Summer said energetically, pointing to a small blue colored carton pack that was out of her reach. You cocked your head to the side in question, because you knew what Summer liked to drink, but this was not it. This was the drink that Gloom liked the most; Blueberry juice.

You glanced to Summer underneath you who looked happily back up to you, her tail wagging behind her, "Summer, are you getting this for Gloomy?" Summer nodded her head once. "Is she awake then?" Summer nodded again, albeit a bit less energetic, probably due to her thinking about her twin that resided upstairs. You extended your right hoof and grabbed the carton pack from its spot, quickly taking a glance at the expiration date, "23-3-1004. Still good for the next seven months."

You took the pack towards the counter and Summer gently closed the fridge behind you. As you sat the pack down, a thought ran through your mind, "Mmhh... don't we have those little packs? Where you can put a straw in? It would be better and easier for Gloom to drink out of." You let the pack of blueberry juice stay on the counter and walked back to the fridge. You opened up the lower second door that was underneath the large one where you took the big carton pack out of. As you opened it, your eyes went over three cooled drawers where the smaller packs could be.

Reaching out with your left hoof, you pulled open the highest drawer, only to be met with a multitude of cooled vegetables and fruit. Gently shutting the drawer again, you opened up the middle drawer, and sure enough, you were greeted by two small six-packs of blueberry juice. You smiled as you found what you were looking for, grabbing one of the packs, you lifted it up and out of the drawer and closed the fridge again. Putting the small pack on the kitchen, you pulled open a cabinet which had glasses of many shapes and sizes in it, with a small cup standing at the front with straws in it from all colors of the rainbow. You took a straw out of the cup which you thought Gloom would like the most and closed the cabinet.

Stretching out your hoof with the straw, you offered it to Summer who sat on her haunches, waiting patiently for you. She took the straw gently in her muzzle. Next you took the small carton of juice from the kitchen and gave it to your sister who grabbed it with her right hoof. She looked up to you gratefully, "Whanks Watic." You sighed happily and rolled your eyes as your sister thanked you with her mouth full. Summer spun around and silently made her way back to her twin, leaving you with your parents again.

"Static? is Gloom awake?" You turned to your left as you heard your dad's voice. Your dad's face seemed curious, but also concerned.

Nodding, "Yeah. Summer was just here to get Gloom something to drink. She said Gloom was awake."

Your dad let out a gentle sigh through his nose, "I'll check up on her, won't take long." He turned to the hallway but craned his neck over his shoulder to look at you, "When I get back, you and I are gonna talk about a few things."

You flicked your right ear, "Talk about what?"

"Your punishment." Your dad turned his head back and walked into the hallway, "And about those burn spots you have all over your coat. Because I might know how you got those."

Looking after your dad, all you could do is wonder what your dad will have to say about the burns you carried. And the punishment that would come...

You jumped slightly as you suddenly heard the fridge close behind you. Turning your head around quickly, you saw your mother standing there. "Sorry sweetie, didn't want to scare you like that." You sighed with a roll of your eyes. Your mom could be somewhat sneaky if she wanted to be. "Well, I think that is about it for today. I'll head up and tuck in early for today." Your mom said as she stifled a yawn and ruffled her wings.

You wanted to wish her goodnight, that was, until you remembered that your mom still had to answer something, "Mom, you still have to answer me something." Your mother froze as she stood half in the kitchen and half in the hallway. "Why didn't you tell me about the maturing earlier?" You asked as you walked closer to your mother who ruffled her wings uncomfortably.

Your mother sighed and turned around, "I guess there is no escape from this." She took a deep breath and looked you straight in the eyes, "This is going to sound selfish of me, and I'm sorry that I told you about it this late. But the truth is..." She scraped the the cloudy floor lightly with her right hoof, "I... I somewhat hoped you would get a foal yourself early on... hehe..."

You looked dumbfounded at your mother, "What? You hoped I would get a foal early on? That's why you told me this late?"

Your mother nodded and lowered her head and ears in shame, "I know it was wrong of me... And it probably sounds even worse to you like that... But I always wanted to be a grandmare... visioning my own colt having foals of his own is something I've imagined ever since you were small, and seeing you caring for your little sisters like you did encouraged me for that. I let the want of being a grandmare get the better of me... But I always wanted you to experience the joy of having foals of your own, as well. "

You looked her up and down in disbelief, trying to find out if she was joking. "You... you mean that..?"

Your mother slowly nodded and turned around, walking into the hallway and up the stairs, her ears still lowered, "I meant every word."

You didn't say anything else as your mother disappeared out of sight. You stood in the kitchen, running her reasoning through your mind, "Why would she want me to have foals so early on? Is that really something she wants? I can see why she didn't tell me earlier then... I wouldn't be prepared for the heat... Am I actually prepared for that..?"

"Static?" Focusing your eyes and leaving your own thoughts, you saw your dad standing in front of you. "Something bothering you?"

You looked to the floor with your ears a bit down, "A small bit... Its what Mom said about why she told me so late about maturing."

"Oohh. I know, her reasoning seems a bit off, but hey, she likes foals, and loves you and your sisters. It is only natural that she tries to give you the happiest times she can. Even if it is not what you want yourself." Your dad said with an apologetic smile. "To be honest, she pleaded to me that I wouldn't bring maturing up to you and wouldn't talk to you about it. At least, not until she felt that it was necessary to tell you about it, it seemed that the day finally had arrived. I wanted to talk to you about it a few years ago, because I noticed you were having maturing 'tweaks' left and right. But your mother pleaded again to me that I waited longer, so I did. In hindsight, I should've told you anyway." Your dad finished with an soft chuckle and made his way past you and into the living room.

Raising your head up, you looked after your dad, "So you were in on this the whole time?"

Your father shrugged his wings and jumped onto the couch were he sat before, "As we explained you, a mare can coax their stallion." He lay down on the couch with his legs tucked under neath him, motioning with his left wing for you to sit on the opposite side again. "But to put it simply, I wanted to see you and your mother happy. Having a foal of your will put your whole world upside-down. For me it was a surprise, but it was, and still is, the best surprise I could've wished for to this day." Your father said with a puffed out chest.

You made your way to your previous spot on the couch and sat down on your haunches, your tail flicking around your flank. "Is having foals of your own such a great thing then?"

The stallion on the opposite side of the living room took in a deep breath with his eyes closed and let it out slowly though his mouth, "It is indescribable." Your dad opened his eyes and looked at you with a far-away stare, "Parents can only share the joy with other parents. Unless you've a foal of your own, you'll never truly understand the joy it brings."

You soaked in what your dad said, making you only more curious to what having a foal of your own would feel like. "I hope I'll know the feeling someday..." you said under your breath as you lowered your head a bit and ruffled your wings.

"You will someday, Static. Maybe even sooner than you think." Your dad coughed in his hoof, "Alright, now the very reason why I wanted to talk to you." You flicked your ears up and looked at you dad as he also went to sit straight up, his expression turning serious. "First off, your punishment. As your mother and I said before; you did good by saving your friend the way you did, but you brought in her in that situation in the first place, which is one of your dumbest actions to date." You lowered your head in shame and your ears flicked down at your father's words. "Static, look at me." Solemnly you looked to your dad without raising your head. His eyes were narrowed and stern, but there was a sense of pain behind them. "You'll come home after school right away for this entire month, unless being told otherwise by me or your mother. You'll not stay or go to any of your friends and they are not to come here. Once you are home, you'll help your mother around the house with whatever she needs done. If she has nothing to do for you, you'll go to your room and study. You're allowed to read your Daring Do series, however. But you're not allowed to leave your room unless we say so or when it is dinner time."

Your ears flicked up and your mouth fell open, raising your hoof, you wanted to argue with your dad, "Dad... but..."

Your dad fanned out his wings and glared at you, "End of discussion! You'll follow these rules as I've set them out for you." He snorted through his nose and folded his wings as he closed his eyes. You lowered your own hoof and remained silent. "I'm sorry Static, this hurts me more than you might think. But you need to learn from this." You only gave a small growl in response. While a part of you wanted to argue, you felt the punishment from their point of view was somewhat justified.

You sighed, "Fine. Was that all?"

"As far as your punishment goes, yes." He opened his eyes and looked you over, "Now, about those burn spots." Your ears flicked in your father's direction, your full attention now focused on the topic. "Do you know why you carry the name we gave you?" Your father said with a light chuckle.

"No, I don't?" You said confused.

"The thing is, we had a different name for you when you were born. Although, that changed when your mother and I held you in our hooves for the first time." Your father ruffled his wings a bit and shook his coat. "When you were born, the nurses wrapped you in soft cloths after examining you. When you were hoofed to your mother, you 'shocked' her. Not in the way of scaring her or anything, you simply 'shocked' her with 'static electricity' that was build up between your coat and the cloths where you were wrapped in. When you were handed to her, your coat discharged the power it had, it was minor and didn't do damage of any kind, it just made your mother jump."

You chuckled at the image that appeared in your head of the scenario, your dad did the same at recalling the moment. "When you shocked your mother, she uttered that you were 'static' before she hoofed you to me. I didn't take her all to serious, so I took you with a grin, until you gave me a shock as well. After that, I muttered; 'a static spark'. Your mother and I looked at each other and said again what I said; 'Static Spark'. And that is how you got your name. Hehe."

"I don't think I'll share that with anypony. Not really a story to be somewhat proud of," you said with a light chuckle of your own, a small warm feeling creeping in your cheeks. "But how would you have called me otherwise? And what has it to do with my burn spots?" you said as you cocked your head to the side.

Your father smiled and leaned back in to the couch, "Your mother thought of your name. She wanted you to have a 'daring' and 'exciting' name, a name that would stick in all mares heads." He chuckled to himself and looked to you, "Your mother wanted to call you 'Vortex Storm', quite the name she came up with. But I think the name you have now suits you." 

"Vortex Storm," you said to nopony, your head tilting a bit sideways. "I can see why Mom liked that name."  You looked to your dad who gave a shrug with his wings and his eyes shut, a small grin on his muzzle. "And what about my burn spots?" you asked as you went to lay on the couch.

"I think it went as the following; you dived to save your friend from falling. During that, you probably went through a part of the sky that was filled with particles. These small particles are not noticeable by us, but we see the effects in everyday life. The dense patch of particles must have come in contact with your coat as you dived towards your friend. The particles all rub over your coat like an invisible cloth. Thanks to your rougher coat, it build up a charge along your fur."

"I don't see how I get burn marks from that..." you said with doubt as you glanced at a darker patch of your coat.

"I'm getting to that." Your father adjusted his sitting and continued, "When the charge kept building up, it probably released a few strings of electrical discharges on several places along your body. When you got out of the dense particle area, the charge it had build up along was probably released swiftly and suddenly, likely giving you a sudden boost of speed as well which helped you saving your friend. My guess is; that you got those burn marks this way, during the release of energy." Your father breathed through his nostrils as he looked you over, "I think I'm not that far from what happened."

You hummed to yourself and let your father's words go through your head while remembering what happened and what you saw. "I think you're right, too." You sighed, "I almost thought I had a special talent in making lightning or something." 

"Thank Celestia that it isn't the case though, you would have likely shocked me with lightning more times than I can count by now!" Your father said with relief clear in his voice and a chuckle.

You grinned back at him, "Would have come in handy on a few occasions." You rubbed your chin as a thought popped up, "But how do you know this? I mean... about the particles and that it reacted to my coat the way it did?" you asked as you raised your head up and looked back at your father.

"I work at the weather factory. I need to know physics to be able to do my job. It doesn't look like much, but there is more behind making the weather than just spewing out clouds." He said with a weak chuckle. Your father took a quick glance at the clock, "Ponyfeathers... already eight-thirty. Static, I'm heading up, I need to be awake earlier tomorrow than usual for work."

You nodded, "Okay. I'll be getting to bed too then."

Your father rose from the couch and stretched, "A wise decision." He walked towards the kitchen as you rose from the couch as well and stood on the cloudy floor again. He glanced over his shoulder to you, "I hope I gave you the answers you were looking for." His eyes narrowed slightly, "And remember, your punishment starts tomorrow. And again, I take no pleasure in punishing you. I hope you learn form this."

You sighed with lowered ears and nodded solemnly, "I understand, Dad. I'm sorry to have worried you and Mom so much with what I did."

"Good." Your dad craned his neck forward and walked into the hallway, "Goodnight, Static. Oh, and good luck by the way, you'll need it." Your dad let out a soft chuckle as he disappeared around the corner, leaving you standing confused why he wished you good luck.

"Where was that for?"

 
> Ch. 27 Its that time again.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"UUggghhhh..." you groaned with a sore throat, your eye lids feeling like they weight a ton each, refusing to open at the sound of your beeping alarm clock. Smacking your lips a few times and swirling your tongue around you managed to get some moisture around your mouth, helping only a little to help the dry feeling that was in there and in your throat.

With your ears flicking at the repeating sound of the alarm, you managed to get your right hoof moving and aimlessly swung it at the clock, managing to hit the snooze button with the first try. Everything felt heavy, and last night was a fuzzy memory to you. With a bit of stress and pain, you succeeded in opening your eyes a bit, thanking Faust that your curtains were properly closed, saving you from the sun's rays. 

Opening and closing your eyes forcefully a few times, you got them to relax and easy to open. Pulling your head up with a stiff neck, you looked down your bed, noticing your blankets were half thrown of the bed, with only your hind legs covered till your knees. "...What did I do last night...?" you asked yourself, noticing your voice was all scratchy thanks to your dry throat. "Ugh, I must have slept with my mouth open..."

Letting your head fall down on the pillow again, you sighed, "What did I do last night..." Looking to your nightstand on your right, you saw a bottle standing that was still open, squinting your eyes at it, you read the label, "'Cooling-aid'." Processing the information, you suddenly remembered what happened, " Oooohhhh yeah... that had happened..." You grinned to yourself as you flopped your head down on the pillow, "By Celestia, that cream feels good on my burn spots when they irritate, but damn... never thought it would feel so fine down there."

"STATIC! Get up or you'll be late for school!" your Mom yelled from downstairs. "You have missed your alarm three times already!" Your eyes went wide as you actually looked at the time the clock was displaying; 

 '08:04'



Startled by the sudden leap in time you scrambled to your hooves, almost falling out of bed and to the floor because your left wing wasn't folded. Managing to just keep your balance, you hastily made your way out of your room, slamming the door open inwards and taking a sharp right into the bathroom. Jumping into the shower, you turned the knobs to your preferred temperature and opened the three shower heads above you. 

"AAAAHHHHHHH! COLDCOLDCOLDCOLDCOLDCOLD- COLD!" you screamed out at the sudden icy rains of water that hit your coat. The water then warmed up and got comfortable just the way you wanted it and you grabbed a bottle of shampoo and emptied a hoofull of it over your mane, tail and coat. Quickly washing it the best you could, you took care when rubbing a hoof over the burn marks that had started to fade back to their normal colors of your coat but were still sensitive.

Spreading your wings you took care to wash every feather so they looked in pristine condition and healthy. Angling them in different poses, you inspected them both over if they were looking good. Satisfied with them, you folded them to your sides, the water clinging to it slapping against your sides. Lifting up your right hind leg and resting it on the small elevated pedestal that was build in it, you made sure to wash between your hind legs, wanting the stallion parts to be clean, after last night's event especially.

Rinsing the last bit of soap from your body, your turned of the shower heads and jumped out of the shower and shook your coat, getting water everywhere. Grabbing a towel to quickly dry yourself for the few wet parts, you dumped the towel into the hamper and grabbed your toothbrush. Putting on it some Colgate you swiftly brushed your teeth.

Spitting into the sink you put your brush back in cup with four other brushes and zipped out of the bathroom. Quickly grabbing your saddlebags and rushing down the stairs, you stopped at the front door where your sisters jumped at your sudden arrival, "AH!" Summer and Gloom both landed again and looked angrily at you, "Static!" Gloom said with her ears down and eyes narrowed.

"You scared us!" Summer said, trying to puff out her chest to look intimidating.

"Sorry girls!" you said with apologetic smile as you went to the kitchen. "But I'm already later than normal!" 

"Don't scare your sisters like that again Static. You know they easily get on edge." Your Mom said as she walked in the opposite direction of you. She stopped in front of you and looked you once over, "Huh, you look all fresh and clean, what is the occasion? Expecting to do something with somepony?~"  your mother teased with a knowing grin.

Blushing lightly at her remark, you answered her truthfully, "No Mom, I'm not expecting to do something with somepony today, I'm grounded remember? I just felt dirty." 

Your mother chuckled and resumed to the front door, "Alright, if you just felt dirty I'm sure there is nothing wrong with washing yourself to look as good as you can." She pulled her scarf from between the mountain of clothes and swung it around her neck, your sisters themselves wearing a scarf matching the streak color in their mane. "I've made you something to eat and drink on the way to school, since you are late you didn't have time for breakfast."

You ruffled your feathers and looked over your shoulder to your mother who was softly nudging your sisters with her muzzle out the door, "Thanks Mom. You are the best." 

Your mom glanced over to you and winked, "No need to tell me Static, I know I am the best." You rolled your eyes as she made her way out of the house, "Have a nice day at school sweetie."

Your sisters popped their heads around the edge of the door and waved at you, "Bye Static!" they happily said in unison.

You waved quickly back to them before they took off, leaving the door open for you as you would be exiting the house yourself right after them anyway. Darting your muzzle back to the front you quickly made your way into the kitchen, noticing your mother had prepared your saddle bag as it was standing on the kitchen counter with a note it;



Have a good day at school sweetie!
I made your favorite sandwich with a pack of blueberry juice.
Loves, Mom.

PS: Clean your room when you get home.
You made a mess last night and I'm not going to clean that up.



"..." You felt your ears lightly thumping from the embarrassment at her knowing that. "It is about time I buy a lock for my door..." you said to yourself as you picked up your saddlebag and threw it over your back, swiftly buckling it tight as soon as it was in place. "Everypony just comes into my room without knocking, they could have at least knocked on the door and ask if they could enter or something, but nnnooooooo."  With a sigh you turned around and trotted to the door, closing it behind you as you exited the house.

Unfurling your wings you gave them a few test flaps, feeling that the wind went over and under them with ease. Shaking your coat from the colder wind that washed over you, you started to trot and took off for High Altitude.







The wind brushed over and underneath your feathers as you flew over Cloudsdale, the chilly air, sining that Autumn was around the corner, made you occasionally shiver a bit. The Earth ponies and unicorns on the ground would not feel as much of the cold, but up here among the clouds, it could be felt easily.

"Bbbrrrr, I should have taken my scarf as well. Living high up and flying makes the wind feel a lot colder than that it is." Flying over the coliseum, you saw your school a little bit away from it, the schoolyard starting to empty with all students entering the school. "Oh thank Celestia... I'm not too late yet." Angling your wings, you glided down to the schoolyard. 

As you descended onto the clouds and folded your wings to your side, you just noticed the last pony disappearing in to the main entrance. Starting a trot, you made your way to the doors. Walking up the steps, you entered the school hall, your fellow students walking or flying about to their lockers or to their class rooms.

Taking a right in to the second hallway along the side before the stairs you made your way to where your locker has been standing since you started on High Altitude. Keeping up your trot, you stopped alongside the wall with rows of lockers stretching out through the corridors. As you twisted the code on the lock, you noticed that your locker was actually not that far from Firefly's office.

You furrowed your eyebrows, "How come that I've never noticed that?" You mentally shrugged a bit, having more important things on your mind, like knowing what class you had and where. Opening your locker you took out one paper laying on top of the small stack you had on the upper shelf.

"You are not very bright, are you?"

"Ah!" Your wings shot out from your sides in surprise, dropping your lesson planning on the floor. Bowing down to pick the paper up, you heard your locker being closed with a 'thud'. Folding your wings back to your side, you looked up from your lowered stance as you grabbed the paper with your right hoof. You didn't expect to that pony again so soon, especially this early.

Looking back at you with a friendly smile was the rainbow maned mare as she leaned against the lockers with her right hoof dangling over her left hoof. "Morning Sparky."

You blushed lightly as you looked into her magenta eyes and slowly stood straight again, "H-hey Dash. Morning to you, too." Looking her over quickly, you noticed her mane was not as wild as it was yesterday, it looked more... done with more care.

Rainbow giggled and gave her mane a flick with a shake of her head, revealing her in a ponytail pulled mane as it swung over her left shoulder and into view. Your mouth opened a bit at her display, she looked good, and it seemed she knew that too, if her cocky grin was anything to go by. "Weren't you gonna check our planning, Static? I don't mind it, but if you keep gaping at me you will be late."

"I... right." Shaking your head a bit you looked at the planning, asking her a question as you looked through your week planning, "what did you mean with that 'I' would be late? Wouldn't you be late too?" You raised your eyes from the paper and looked at her.

Rainbow chuckled, "That is because the teacher has seen me already, but I was allowed to use the bathroom, so I am on time already. You on the other hoof, are not- yet." She stepped around you, her tail flicking as she walked past you and your locker, your eyes following her.

"So you know where we need to be?" you asked.

"Yup." Looking over her right shoulder, she flashed you a grin, "But I"m not gonna tell you."

You raised your eyebrows, "Huh? Why not?"

Rainbow opened her folded wings, "See it as a... little payback for not letting me in yesterday through the window." Before you could say anything she shot into the air and through the corridors, disappearing in a flash of rainbow colors, leaving you stunned for a few seconds.

"Tha... That mare..." You wanted to be mad at her for leaving you like this, but couldn't really blame her since you somewhat deserved it. Until you noticed that your planning was gone too. Your ears perked up and your wings shot out, "buck... buckbuckbuckbuckbuckbuck!" You looked on the floor, in your locker again, under the lockers, it was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, there clicked something in your head, "Dash has to have taken my planning while she walked around me... ponyfeathers..."

"Hey Sparky, are you coming or what?!" Rainbow suddenly yelled to you from the end of the corridor where she disappeared, hovering in the air while showing a piece of paper in her hoof to you. Your ears perked up as you saw her hovering there, waiting for you. Not wasting time, you quickly shut your locker and trotted towards her.

She smirked and slowly flew backwards as you got closer, flapping your planning mockingly with her hoof. Opening your wings yourself, you flapped them and flew up to Rainbow as she turned around and zipped into the hallway on the second floor of the school. You shot after her, determined to not lose sight of her.

As you chased her through many corridors and corners, passing by the occasional student that had to duck out of the way if they didn't want to either get hit by the speeding mare or you. As the chase went on, you found yourself enjoying chasing her, as if you two were playing a game of catch.

She rounded corner after corner, often checking over her shoulder if you were still there, grinning and speeding up slightly when she saw you were keeping up with her. You kept your eyes focused on her, finding yourself admiring the elegance and smoothness of her turns and how easy she maneuvered past students or objects that were in her way. After trailing her for at least five minutes straight, you rounded another corner, where you and Rainbow ended up in a long hallway with a dead end. Rainbow slowed down with you following her example. She landed at the end with her back against the wall, watching you as you landed, your nostrils flaring from the chase and exercise. Your hearth was thumping in your dry throat with your wings fully flared.

You caught your breath a bit  before addressing the mare in front of you, who was only slightly panting, her chest expanding and falling with each breath, puffing out her chest with unknown grace. Besides her panting, she didn't look to be all too tired, no way near as close as you were. "Well-... are we there-...?" you asked between your heavy breaths for air.

She flashed you a cocky grin with a flick of her tail, "Heh, maybe we do." She held your planning paper in front of her, "Why don't you come and try to find out?"

You cocked your head back in surprise, "W-what?"

She kept her gaze on you, "You heard me. Come and get it. If you dare," she waved the paper to you.

She was right there, challenging you, with no ways to escape. So why were you so reluctant to get it? You took a hesitant step closer, a small voice in the back of your head urging you to pounce her and grab your paper. But then there was the bigger voice in your head who didn't want you to give in to her. If you would pounce her she could get hurt, and that was the least that you wanted.

"What are you thinking about Sparky? Afraid of a filly like me?" Rainbow said with a mocking pout. She grinned, "You better be, because this filly would kick your flank to next Friday." She flung her mane over her right shoulder again.

You narrowed your eyes at her, that little voice in the back of your head growing louder with each passing second. You bend your front legs and flapped your wings a few times, making yourself ready to pounce her. If she wanted you to come and get it that badly, you were happily to oblige and get that smug grin from her muzzle. She would surely apologize if you would loom over her with your paper in hoof with her underneath you. You would grin victoriously with her gazing wide eyed at you in shock.

You felt confidence swell within you. Rainbow on the other hoof, didn't look discouraged in the slightest. "Dare Sparky... Dare."

That was all you needed. With a powerful flap of your wings you jumped and pounced towards the mare. As soon as you did, time seemed to slow down, your gaze focused on that gorgeous mare in front of you. Suddenly, her expression changed from cocky to slight fear as you got closer and closer, the voice in your head that was afraid of hurting her becoming louder again.

You spread your wings wide, trying to slow down and hopefully miss her. Successfully you managed to stop a short mane-length away from her muzzle. You could feel her warm breath on your muzzle as you suddenly found yourself staring into those magenta orbs. For a moment time seemed to stand still, until she flashed you a grin, "Well, it seems you've got more primaries than I thought, but not enough to actually take your planning back from me."

You snorted at her remark, "I didn't want you to get hurt. I could've taken it easily if I really wanted to." Rainbow pulled her head a bit back and chuckled. "What's so funny?" you asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Heh, nothing. Just that you try to be gentle with the toughest filly in Equestria." She puffed out her chest and held the paper in her hoof towards you. "I suppose you have at least earned that back." Huffing you took the paper from her hoof. Giving Rainbow one more glance as she looked with a smug grin to you before you went to look at the paper. "Don't be lame Static. You should be proud, not many pegasi can keep up with my flying." Rainbow said as she walked past you, your eyes following her for a few seconds before you read the paper aloud.

"HHmm... F2B. Why don't we get a map from the school with these planning..?"

"That's because all the doors are labeled, dummy. With at every corner a board saying what is down that hallway." Turning around to the voice of Rainbow Dash, you saw her standing in front of a door with written on it 'F2B' in big golden letters. She nudged her muzzle from you to the door, "Told you I knew where it was."

You chuckled and walked over to her, putting the paper away in your saddlebag, "And there I was thinking you were just fooling around to get me late and lost." 

Stopping next to her, she chuckled lightly and punched your shoulder gently, "Nah, I like fooling around and teasing my friends, but I'll never let them down on or get them into trouble on purpose." She raised her hoof and knocked on the door of the class. "Today we only have one class; History and Legends. Should be an easy day."

You smiled at her as she kept her eyes on the door, finding yourself being thankful of her being so friendly to you instead of getting you late. She was a cheeky mare for sure, but besides that, she proved in just two days to be a friendly and fun mare to be around with. Hopefully this would be a great start of an amazing friendship.

The door opened, an older stallion way in is old age appearing with an intrigued look, "Ah, Rainbow Dash. I was afraid you had gotten lost in the school." The older stallion turned his gaze to you, "And you brought somepony with you as well."

"Sorry Mr. Quill. I came across Static when I was finished using the little filly's room, he didn't know where the class room was so I showed him." Rainbow said with a sly look to you.

Scratching the back of your mane, you agreed, "Hehe... yeah. I'm having difficulty with learning the new lay-out of the school. Sorry about that." Looking back to Rainbow she gave you a quick wink with a smile. 

Turning back to Mr. Quill he gave a small nod in understanding, "That's alright Static. More students have it a bit difficult with learning the new lay-out of the school. I had some trouble with it myself earlier today." He gave a quiet laugh to his own misfortune before stepping aside and letting you and Rainbow into the class. "Take a seat anywhere you like. Today we will be re-discussing the topic we ended with last year; The Rise of the Griffon Empire in 600 B-NMM."

Rainbow walked into the class room with you following after her, Mr. Quill shutting the door behind to continue the class for the day. All in all, this day could've started worse in many ways.
> Ch. 28 A passage of time.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passed by quickly that day. While history wasn't your favorite part of school, it did had its interesting times, like the day Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon, the reign of the mythical creature Discord, and legend of the Crystal Empire that was frozen in time and vanished from the face of Equestria by an evil unicorn tyrant.

It was always intriguing to hear how the Mr.Quill would explain a part of history from how he saw it, he somehow made it sound much more interesting than that it would normally be in these times of peace and unity in Equestria. He would delve into it with charts, discussions, sharing opinions and views from all students in the class, often going even deeper in to the history about the how and why.

Because of the deep discussions and the gentle atmosphere the class emitted, time seemed to go by faster than any other school subject. Faster than you realized, the bell of the school sounded through the air. Angling your body forward, you let the chair fall onto its four legs, having been on two legs the whole time as you were leaning with your chair against the table behind you. You ear twitched at the second time the bell rang three times.

Picking up your bag from the ground, you lay it on your desk and put your notebook full of small notes and random drawings in it together with your still broken quill. Closing the flap, you looked around the class quick, seeing your class mates doing the same. Turning your head to the back of the class, you saw Rainbow stretching in the far back, having sat there together with two other mares.

"Alright class, please read page 294 about the dangerous creatures that have made their home in the Everfree forest for the next lesson on Friday. We will discuss their living habits and how they came to be like they are today." Mr.Quill walked over to the classroom door and opened it gently, "All of you have a pleasant day. And don't forget; page 294."

Students began to leave their benches and made their way to the door, often wishing Mr.Quill a good day. It was understandable why almost everypony did that, he was one of the friendliest and most laid-back teachers you could think of, often not even giving homework. Reading page 294 was his homework, but it would be thoroughly discussed the next time you had class with him, so most of the time it was not really mandatory to do the homework he gave, he even mentioned it one time. It was more for those that were interested in history so that they could dive deeper into the details.

You stood up from your chair and stretched your wings wide from being still for so long, your wing and shoulder joints popping pleasantly. Giving your coat a little shake you swung your saddlebag over your head and onto your back. "Hey Static," looking to the other end of the desk you had been seated at, you saw Dust and Sky Edge, both about ready to leave. "Are you coming with us to that new shake shop Dust was yesterday? He says it is a must try," Sky said while nudging Dust with his hoof.

Dust grinned, "I'm telling you guys, it is one of the better shake shops near the school. Prefect to start our free afternoon!" Flapping his wings two times, he made his way to the door, "Well Static, you coming or what?"

Sighing, you declined reluctantly. You actually looked forward to go to the shop, and you would have, if it was not for your parents grounding you, "Sorry guys. I have to go home directly after school... my parents have grounded me after what happened yesterday."

Both of your friends raised their eyebrows, "Dude, they grounded you for saving Lucky from falling?"

An audible smack to the face could be heard from Sky Edge, "Dust... you can't be that stupid." He dragged his hoof slowly down his face and pointed with it towards you, "He got grounded for getting Lucky into trouble in the first place, featherbrain"

"Oooohhhh... sorry, didn't catch that."

"It is beyond me how you have had three fillyfriends in the past year... it really is." Sky turned around and made his way to the door. Turning his head around, he gave you an apologetic look, "Sorry Static. We'll see you tomorrow I guess."

You chuckled lightly and nodded, "See you guys tomorrow."

Dust trotted after Sky and gave you a winged salute, "See ya tomorrow, mate!"

You walked down the steps and made your way to the door, your fellow classmates still filing trough it. Passing by Mr.Quill you wished him a pleasant afternoon which he returned. You waited for a bit, letting the stream of ponies thin-out before stepping through the door yourself. "Hey Static." You looked to your right as you got out of the door, "How are you? Feeling better?" 

You smiled gently as you saw the green mare with the white and cherry red mane, "Hey Lucky. Yes, I'm feeling alright. At least, better than yesterday anyway."

She smiled at that, her right ear flicking, "That's great to hear!" You walked into the hallway, Lucky following by your side. "I wanted to thank you again, and see if you were okay after yesterday," she said with her ears down, her smile remaining.

You gave her a friendly smile back, "Don't you worry about me, a few small bruises aren't gonna hold me back." You gave her a wink to which her ears perked back up again, "How are you, Lucky? Feeling alright yourself?"

She hung her head a bit lower but remained eye contact with you, "Yeah. Somewhat. Still in light shock, but further I'm doing fine."

A moment of somewhat awkward silence hung around you and her as you walked to your locker. It was an somewhat odd feeling, her not energetically talking about random things, it made you think of how much in shock she actually was. The bell chimed through the school and most students made their way to their classes, besides some that had the afternoon off like you and your classmates.

Arriving at your locker, you opened it, Lucky waiting beside you. "Lucky, I have... been wanting to ask," you started with a hint of hesitation, not really wanting to ask her something that might be uncomfortable. Lucky tilts her head while keeping her neck down, her ears flicking in your direction. "Why... How did you pass out when we were flying?"

Lucky sighed and stood straight up, "Well, I guess I have never mentioned it, but I have acrophobia... a fear of heights."

You faced her with a look of surprise, "You... have a fear of heights?" She gave a shameful nod and brushed her right leg with her left hoof. "Why have you never told me?"

She looked away, her hoof still brushing her leg, "I... It was never a big deal. I-I mean, we always fly and all, when we do that it is not a problem." She turned her head to you as you undid your saddlebag and lay it in your locker. "But how we went yesterday... that was way higher than I have ever dared to go by myself."

Your ears folded against the side of your head in shame, "I... I'm sorry. If I had known I wouldn't have gone that far." Closing your locker, you turned fully to her, "I really am sorry that I brought you in danger..."

Lucky chuckled weakly, "It is alright. What I heard in class makes me think you have your punishment already, which means I don't have to slap you with my hoof." Her ears flicked up as you chuckled weakly at her good spirit returning. She walked up to you and threw a hoof around your neck, pulling you in a soft hug, "And besides, you should have know that I had already forgiven you."

You recovered from the surprising hug and threw your hoof around her neck as well, pulling her against you, "I'm just glad that you haven't slapped me yet," you whispered into her ear, making her chuckle. After a few more seconds of hugging you released each other.

"Static, I'm happy to see that you are alright. I need to go now, but maybe after your punishment we can hang out for a bit, if you want?" She asked as she took a step back and flapped her wings a bit.

You smiled at her, "I would like that Lucky. It has been too long since we did something together for fun." Lucky nodded happily.

She turned around to the exit of the school, one hoof still lifted in the air, "Let me know when you are free again from your parents' grasp, I think I know something fun we could do together." She gave you a quick wink before trotting off, leaving you to your thoughts what the mare could possibly had in store for the both of you.

Although for now, you had one month of punishment and school to get through. "It can't be that hard, now can it?" you said to yourself with a confident grin as you made your way to the exit.
> Ch. 29 Something that's better to remember.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Opening the school door, you shook your coat as the fresh air of the outside brushed through your fur and feathers. You let the door fall close behind you as you went down the school steps, taking a look around the schoolyard, you noticed a rainbow maned mare laying on the fountain's edge, reading what seemed to be a comic. Curious to what she was reading you made your way over to her.

She was truly immersed in her comic, she occasionally seemed to move left and right as if she was evading something, her tail swishing with her movements. She didn't notice you walking closer, and you kept closing the gap until you could read the name on the cover with ease, which meant standing right next to her; Daring Do: Sapphire Stone. You distinctively remembered that one, you had the same one back at home in your nightstand drawer with the rest of the Daring series.

Rainbow turned a page when you spoke up, "I didn't know you enjoyed reading Daring Do, Rainbow." Her comic was thrown in the air and a cry of surprise made your ears fold against your head as she jumped from the fountain.

"STATIC! Don't creep up on me like that! You scared my feathers off of me!" Rainbow landed on the side again and folded her wings, one of her hooves on her chest. She took a few breaths to calm down, before grabbing her comic and putting it in her saddlebag. "What are you even doing here?" She asked as she hopped down from the fountain, her mane swishing with in her ponytail style.

"Well, I was about to go home, until I saw you reading Daring Do. From the school entrance I couldn't see that it was Daring at first, but I saw it when I got close... I was curious he-he..." you said with slight embarrassment.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Obviously." She stretched in front of you, her wings spreading fully before folding back again. "Anyway, I need to wait here for a bit, so I was reading to pass the time."

You raised an eyebrow at that, "Waiting here, for what? Wouldn't you rather want to try and wait at the new hayshake store? I heard it was very good, I wanted to try it today but I'm grounded."

"I heard that in class, that sucks." She narrowed her eyes a bit at you and got closer, "That's what you get for endangering your friends like that. If you weren't punished by your parents I would have made you regret doing something to your friend like that."

You took a step back and narrowed your eyes, mimicking her stance. Why did she push it so much? You regretted what happened to Lucky, and you tried your best to save her at the time. "Calm down Rainbow Dash, I told Lucky already that I was sorry! I didn't mean to cause what happened!"

Rainbow got close to your face, going as far as making herself as tall as she could on all four to get at eye level, "Calm down? Lucky could have been seriously injured, or worse, died! You think just by apologizing everything would be fine again?!"

You growled under your breath, "What do you want me to do then! Bowing down on all fours and begging her to forgive me everyday for being a featherbrain that time!?"

The cyan mare huffed heavily and took a step away from you, "That would be a good start." She ruffled her feathers, "I'm not going to argue, I don't want to waste my time that way. Bottomline is, NEVER put your friends in possible danger in any way, for any reason!"

You had your eyes narrowed at her, what did she know about putting friends in dangerous situations? And what made her the pony to lecture you about it? "What do you know of putting friends in danger, huh? Done it yourself a few times probably if you know it so well."

Rainbow only spared you a narrowed gaze and some unnerving words, "More than I should have. And not a day goes by that I don't regret those times." She turned her head away from you, not meeting your eyes.

You were taken aback by her words, your narrowed eyes making place for a questioning gaze, "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Who is this, Rainbow? Is he bothering you?" A deeper voice than yours spoke from behind you. "Is he one of those bullies you told me about?"

You looked over your shoulder to a big pegasi stallion walking to the two of you. He had magenta eyes, a dark blue coat and the same mane and tail color scheme as Rainbow Dash had, except he was missing the yellow streak. He looked well physically trained and wore what looked to be night guard armor but adored no helmet or hoof-guards.

You gulped with lowered ears as he got up and close to your face. He was easily a head bigger than you. "Its alright Bolt. This is Static, he's a friend of mine. We are in the same class. We had a small disagreement, but I think we have the same views in the end, don't we Static?" You slowly nodded while staying pinned under the pegasus' stern and judging gaze, not wanting to provoke the bigger stallion. "See? Its all fine. You can ease up."

The stallion looked you in the eyes for a bit longer before huffing and taking a step back, followed by walking past you and to Rainbow Dash who he gave a nuzzle on the side of her cheek that she returned, a gesture that made your hearth ache. "How was school Rainbow? Besides this disagreement you had with Static over here." He said with a look that promised pain.

You were nervously ruffling your wings the whole time under his gaze. Feeling intimidated by his appearance, you instinctively tucked your tail between your legs. "It was better than your double shift by long, those big bags under your eyes tell me that much." Rainbow said with a smug grin.

Bolt let out a chuckle and rubbed Rainbow's mane with a hoof, "You got me there sis, school is easy compared to my job."

The pain inside your chest faded instantly and you did a double take with the last bit Bolt said, "Wait... did you say 'sis'?"

Bolt immediately turned his head to you, "Yeah I did, got a problem with that?" He started walking over to you, his nostrils flaring, wings half extended. 

Your eyes widened and your ears were pinned against the side of your head. You stepped backwards with every step he took forwards, "W-wait, I didn't mean anything by it! There is nothing wrong with calling her 'sis'!"

He was almost in your face when Rainbow flew directly in between Bolt and you, her back and wings facing you. "Calm down Bolt, he didn't mean anything by it. Besides, we still need to get groceries for tonight." 

That seemed to do the trick, the big pegasus stopped in his tracks and huffed, "Yeah, you are right sis, as always."

"Yup. Now c'mon, lets go." She zipped into the air, briefly turning in the air to look at you, a neutral expression on her muzzle, with a twinge of... was that regret? "See you tomorrow Static."

You gave a small wave and a weak smile, Rainbow flying off shortly after. Bolt didn't follow right away however, he did look at her fly away. "Listen up Static," he said as he faced you, pushing one hoof into your chest with a bit of force that stung, "If I ever, for whatsoever reason, hear from anypony, that you in some bucking way hurt my little sister, I'll make you look at life like tartarus is a bucking vacation resort, got it?" You didn't know how fast you should nod your head so you just did it once with a gulp. "Good. I'll see you again probably, until next time." He flared his wings open and gave a powerful flap, disappearing in the air after the rainbow trail.

As you were left alone for a bit on the schoolyard your hearth calmed down, "Holy buck... for my own health its better to avoid him for like... forever." You ruffled your wings and took a second to collect yourself. "By Celestia, I didn't know she had a brother... especially one like that." Opening your wings you gave them a few flaps to relax the muscles and took off after, flying home to start your first day of punishment, the words of Bolt nagging in your head the whole way home with fear right behind it.
> Ch. 30 It can't be that bad, right?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Static, we're home!" You heard your mom call from down stairs. You had arrived home a little over two hours ago, to pass the time, you started by taking your blanket from your room and brining it to the washing machine. While the washing was busy, you went to re-create your bed, mattress and cushions, making sure the clouds you used were puffy and comfy white ones, and no cold snow or rain clouds, or any other that would be uncomfortable to sleep on.

"Hey Mom! Cleaning room like you wanted!" You yelled down as you formed a second pillow, forming it with your hooves just the way you liked it.

Two pairs of tiny hooves could be heard galloping up the stairs as you lay down the second pillow on the head of your bed. Now you only needed to wait for the blanket to be done in the washing machine, it shouldn't be long now. Satisfied with your re-made bed, you followed your ears' twitch to the hall just as Gloom and Summer came running into your room, "Static!" They both squeed with joy, jumping onto your front legs and hugging you tight. 

A smile instantly formed on you, the two fillies beneath you never failed to made your day good. Such small gestures as being happy to see you and hugging you. It were small things, nut nonetheless, they were priceless. You unfurled your wings and wrapped the two in a hug, nuzzling their manes fondly.

"Static!" Summer said energetically from between your feathers and nuzzles.

"We need to tell you something!" Gloom continued for her twin. "We met a nice librarian today in Ponyville!"

"She lives in a tree!" Summer said with glee, but looked thoughtful not soon after, "Wait, was it a tree, Gloom? The inside looked like a house, but it is not a house, because the house is made of a tree, so she lives in a tree, what should be a house then... but a house is were ponies live, and ponies don't live in trees, we live in houses..."

At this point you just chuckled and was sure a bit of smoke was coming out of Gloom's ears. "Hey, Summer?" you said, trying to get her attention. Summer went silent from her paradox and looked up at you with a flick of her right ear, "In what do we live?" you asked teasingly, hoping she would fall for it.

Summer's eyes sparked with joy, "We live in a house!"

You nodded, "And our house is made of...?" you dragged out the last bit, wanting her to finish it."

"Clouds!" Gloom finished out of nowhere.

"I was about to say that!" Summer said with a small whine, to which Gloom stuck out her tongue teasingly.

You chuckled, "you both are right. Our house is made of clouds, so why can't the nice librarian have her house made out of a tree?" Folding your wings back to your sides, you let both of your sisters release your legs and they fell down on their haunches. You did the same, waiting patiently on the both of them, giving them ample time to think about it. 

Gloom was not even thinking about it, she just sat on the cloudy floor smiling while Summer was obviously pondering about it. She tapped her chin a few time with her hoof, "Hmm... well..." you ears perked up, expecting her to answer you, "That's a silly thought!" Summer said as she started chuckling, making you raise an eyebrow at her. "Clouds are not trees! So we live in a house made of clouds, but she lives in a tree! Because a house can be made of clouds but not out of trees!" She finished confidently with her hooves crossed over her chest.

You was about to tell her no when Gloom went to agree with Summer, "That sounds right to me! So she lives in a tree! And we live in a house!"

"Yeah!" Summer exclaimed, jumping to her hooves and hoof bumping her sister. "Wait..." Your ears perked up, hoping Summer would change her mind, "...Doesn't that make the librarian a critter? Because only critters live in trees." Your hopes were instantly smashed by their innocence, making you chuckle lightly and shake your head.

"Huh, good question." Gloom said, scratching her mane. "Maybe Mom knows!" She said with a little skip, aiming for the door.

Summer instantly mimicked her moves, "Good idea! Lets ask her!" Before you could say anything to stop them they had already bolted down the stairs, making you sigh at their actions. Checking your bed one more time if it was the way you liked it, you went down the stairs, expecting the twins to be giving your mother a headache and to check if the blanket was done.

You glided down the stairs and landed at the foot of it. Going through the small corridor you entered the kitchen where the fillies and your mother were, your sisters seemingly in a small argument while your mother set the last bunch of vegetables away, likely not wanting to settle the twins just yet.

"...She is a critter!" Summer almost yelled to Gloom. Both of them stood next to your mother, Summer on your side of the kitchen, Gloom on the other near the fridge.

"She's a unicorn! We have seen her ourselves!" Gloom wanted to dash underneath your mother's tummy and go for Summer, but your mother, without even sparing a glance, brought her right hind leg in the middle of Gloom's path, "Oof!" Gloom hit the soft fur of your mother and slid down her leg to the ground. "Ouwie..."

"Gloomy!" Summer bolted around your mother and went to her sister's side, all thoughts of arguing gone like snow.  "Are you alright Gloom?" She asked with worry. Gloom 'hummed' with her hooves on her muzzle, probably hurt her nose a bit. "Its okay if she's a unicorn, I don't mind!"

"Now that's settled then girls, the nice mare can be both a pony and a critter while she lives there." Your mother said as she craned her neck down to your two sisters, nuzzling them both on their manes. You sighed inwardly at your mother's way of ending the discussion, but magically it worked again. Your sisters stayed on the ground, idly talking about their day. Your mother, however, looked towards you as she stood back up again, her regular cheerful smile on her muzzle that made your worries fade, "Hey sweetie. How was school?"

Returning the gesture, you walked further into the kitchen, "It was alright. We only had history and legends class today, so it was a pretty easy day." You walked past your mother and towards the laundry room. 

"Static... there is something you aren't telling me, is there?" You stopped right behind her in your tracks, knowing she probably hinted to your encounter with Rainbow and Bolt, but she couldn't possibly know that, could she? "Static, did you have a talk with Lucky? Is that what nags in the back of your head?" 

She was not far from the truth. How does she keep knowing when you or your sisters have something on your minds? You sought for words to answer her, "Well I... I did have a talk with her, yes."

Your mother put the last bit of groceries into the cupboards, "Didn't it go well, Static? I would assume she had forgiven you. Lucky is a really kind filly."

Scratching the back of your mane, "She.. She did forgive me."

Your mother turned her head to look over her shoulder with an raised eyebrow, "What's bothering you then? She has forgiven you... I would say anything would be fine."

You scraped the floor with your hoof, "She wanted to hang out when I'm not grounded anymore." Glancing to your mother, you saw her raise her hoof and seemingly count in the air, mouthing inaudible words. Suddenly, your mother's ears perked straight up and her eyes widened. Your curiosity spiking, "Mom? What's wrong?"

"Uhm, nothing! All is fine! Hehehe..." she laughed awkwardly, signaling red flags in your head to appear. "I just hope you'll have a good time with her!"

"Uh-huh..." you squinted your eyes at her.

"Oh look at the time! Gotta go drop of the girls at Breeze!" 

Your sisters looked up with confused glances. "Huh? But we said that we would be there at five." Summer said as she spared a glance with Gloom who shrugged her wings. They both looked a the clock on the dining wall that read it was only three-fortyfive. "We still have an hour." Summer said to your mother.

Hastily your mother's eyes darted around the room, "He-he, I'm verily sure they said 'four'. C'mon girls, time to go!" Your mother started to nudge your sisters towards the front door, who quickly stood up with utter confused faces. With a raised eyebrow, your eyes trailed behind the three mares as they went out the door, leaving you with big question marks. Gazing at the floor with furrowed eyebrows, you forced your brain to find what was so special about it. Coming up with nothing besides your mom being mom, you shoved the thought away and went into the laundry room, retrieving your blanket that had been sitting for some time.

Hovering back up the stairs with your blanket in hoof, you hummed a little tune to yourself, no one was home to tell you to stop anyhow. You started to sing a part of it, remembering the old song from when you were younger and learned it in basic school, "Hm-hm, my little pony~ we always wondered what friendship could be~." reaching your room, you flew to your window, opened it and hung your blanket out to dry. "Hm-hm until you all shared its magic with me~."

Landing on the cloudy floor, you glanced outside into the beginning days of Autumn, the sun already starting its earlier descent. You sighed and crossed your hooves on the window sill on top of your blanket, looking about as various pagasi flew through the air while you were stuck your room. You would be lying if you said that you didn't want to jump out of the window and fly. But even with the thought in mind, you surrendered to what your parents told you, not wanting to make them even more mad at you then they were with what happened.

Glancing to your nightstand, you saw the bottle of cooling-aid where you left it last night. Your thoughts briefly flashed to the rainbow maned mare and how close she was you your muzzle this morning. A throb could be felt all throughout your wings as they involuntary gave their own thoughts about it. "Hmm... I could take a shower. I need to wait for my blanket to dry anyways, Dad won't be home 'till five-thirty, and Mom just left for at least an hour. I wonder how it feels under the nice warm streams of water." You grinned to yourself as you went over to the bottle and grasped it in your hooves, taking it to the shower for a moment of stress relieve.
> Ch. 31  Recollections and thoughts.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2nd week in to punishment - Wednesday 



You walked up the stairs with your sore wings hanging lose from your sides. Iron Wing hadn't gone easy on you today during school, and you could feel it all throughout your body, but your wings above all, they refused to move or even listen to you, they only gave a small muscle spasm when they felt like it. "By the royal sisters... Why. Like the cold air wasn't enough." You groaned more as you reached the top of the stairs, your legs trembling lightly at the strain of keeping you upright.

Entering your fortress of solitude, darkened by your closed curtains, you bended your legs lightly and gave one final push to lift you of the ground and send you flying towards the bed. Landing at the foot, you decided that it was a far as you were gonna get for the evening, your legs laid lifelessly splayed out wide and your wings mimicked their pose, laying limply over the edges of the bed. Pursing your lips, you made a raspberry to nothing in particular. "'Since you are feeling better now, you can include all of your missed PET lessons you missed from the past two weeks in to this one,'" you said in a mocking voice that was the closest you got to mimicking Iron Wing's. Thank the sun that it was your last lesson today.

You groaned again, feeling nothing else but a boulder weighing you down on the bed. As you lay there unmoving, you recapped to yourself what happened the past few days, not like you could do much else in your current situation.





Not soon after you had arrived at school after meeting Bolt on the previous day, Rainbow had flown to you as soon as you two spotted each other. To your amazement, after greeting each other, she went straight to apologizing for how things went that day, how she reacted to you about what happened with Lucky and how her brother behaved towards you. Apparently, Bolt had always been 'overprotective' of Rainbow and had already threatened several stallions she knew that her brother deemed a 'risk' to her well being. She was hesitant to mention it, but she nevertheless told you about that at one point in her life, when she was younger, she had a relationship with a colt, it didn't last long but Rainbow openly told you she was sad for quite some time after that.

Her 'ex-coltfriend' had 'sprained' both of his wings two days later by 'falling' down the stairs after the break-up. You could imagine how that happened without Rainbow needing to explain it. You accepted her apology and told her she didn't had to worry about it, that you could somewhat understand Bolt's view over his little sister. Although you didn't tell her about it, your mind was restless from that point onward. Being around Rainbow now made you feel slight on edge, her brother's warning in your mind and her story about her ex's 'sprained' wings plaguing your mind like a Windigo. It made you choose every action or word carefully before doing or saying them.

Rainbow noticed that you had begun to be less 'relaxed' around her and told you she expected that, since you were not the first to do so after Bolt had met a stallion she knew. She told you not to worry about it too much, but it only helped the smallest bit of being casual around her.

The following days after that were pretty routine, you would go to school, converse with your friends about life and any other random topic you could think of, attend classes and after that spending the rest of the day in your room. On the brighter note, Berry Petal, having asked her parents, was allowed to go with you and your friends on the Winter vacation! To say she was excited would be an understatement, she was grinning like a young school filly throughout the entire day together with Lucky as they were fantasizing about all the things they would do with you and the group.

You were happy that one more of your friends could join you on your small journey in the Winter. While the actual plans were not yet made, because of 'somepony' being grounded they could not plan without you, they could not start planning without Berry Petal either, with the uncertainty of her coming along, now that she could, everypony was waiting for your punishment to be over so you could come plan the journey with all of them at Lucky's house.

You were ashamed they had to wait for you to join before they could plan the vacation, but they didn't rub it in too much, because they all knew why you had been grounded. It didn't help you feeling less guilty about it, though you did appreciate it that they waited for you, "Of course we wait for you, silly. We are friends, aren't we?" Lucky's voice ringed through your mind at the memory. She was supported by nods from your group of friends, which almost made your eyes tear up were it not for the cliché scene you were all in.

Lucky... she was her old self again. Well, almost. While she was her joyous self as she used to be, she was still reluctant to fly high off of the clouds. You couldn't blame her for that, you were the reason after all for the shock. Your friendship with Lucky hadn't changed in the tiniest bit after the incident, if anything it made your friendship stronger now that you had a bigger understanding about her.

After that the days returned to normal, with you coming right home after school. Rainbow Dash and some of your friends had tried to persuade you in to hanging out after the lessons had ended and have fun a couple of times, and while you really wanted to, you declined every time, not wanting to have your parents be disappointed in you.

To say the first weekend was fun to stay in your room would be a terrible way to use the word 'fun'. For when Sunday came around, you were about ready to buck open your window and dive into the air, spreading your wings after being locked up for more than a day in your room. There was, luckily, one, or rather, two small things that kept your sanity in check. Your two little sisters Summer and Gloom. You were sure that without them, you would've gone nuts already. They visited you every now and then, checking up on you how you were doing or simply because they wanted to see you.

They would come together to you or alone, mostly Gloom would come and ask you something random to talk about or to ask if you could play a little game in your room with her and Summer later. The games only consisted of small and short board games you did multiple times. Of course you let them win most of times, just to see them smile with joy whenever they won. It kept you sane throughout that Sunday and the rest of the days you had to spend in your room after school, it made the first week of punishment manageable to say the least. They kept your spirit up till even now. It made you wonder how other ponies could possibly live without a sibling or more to love like this.

Last Monday, after the first week of grounding, something was different about Sky Edge at school, and everypony in the class noticed it about him. He explained it in one swift sentence which answered all the class' questions; "My little brother could be born anytime now... my Mom yesterday went to the hospital." The class was ecstatic, you included, knowing full well the excitement you had when your sisters were close to arriving. 

Sky Edge had been nervous for an entire week now, constantly checking out the windows for something. You tried to reassure him that everything would be fine, it didn't help however, if anything it made him more nervous to the point his wings' feathers started to point in all directions. All he could do was wait after all, which was a torment in moments like that.





You chuckled weakly at the memories, especially at your poor friend Sky Edge. Poor colt is barely able to sleep as it is with all the nervousness he sports now. You let out a dry cough after your chuckle, not bothering to move your hoof in front of your mouth. The door behind you creaked open and you heard a set of small hooves gently walking into your room. Wanting to see who it was, you tried to lift your head from the bed, but found that you couldn't, your muscles gone completely out of order thanks to the PET lesson you had to endure.

A flap of wings echoed through your further silent room accompanied with the feeling of your bed sinking a bit behind your legs. "Hey." The soft and caring voice of Gloom was easily recognized by your tired ears that weakly flicked into the direction. "Mom said you were tired because of school, so I brought you something." Feeling her hooves stepping carefully over your wings, she came into view in the right corner of your eyes, her mane that was usually pulled in a ponytail was hanging lose on her shoulders, her red streaks draped past her right cheek till her withers.

She held a small carton package in her hoof, you could faintly make out that it was orange juice. Ushering your muscles to move, you wanted to look at her in the eyes, but you weren't able to lift your head more than an inch from the bed. Gloom, upon seeing you struggle, went to lay in front of you. Putting the package on your bed in front of you, she tucked her legs underneath her and wiggled in place to get comfortable.

She lay her head down in front of you, glancing into your tired eyes with a twinkle in her own. After a few moments of just staring at each other, "Don't you want something to drink, Static?" she asked with her head tilting to the left, ears drooping halfway.

You sighed, "Its not that I don't want to, its just that I'm too tired to move anything. My teacher at school didn't go easy on me." Gloom's muzzle formed an 'o' in understanding. She wiggled on the spot and brought her front hooves from underneath her. Brining herself closer to you, she sat on her haunches and grabbed the beverage with her two hooves. Instead of poking the straw in the little hole, she opened the side of it, making a little 'V' shaped opening where you could drink from.

Brining it close to your muzzle, Gloom gently tilted it upwards. Opening your mouth, you could feel the little stream of refreshing orange juice enter past your lips. You drank it slowly, Gloom keeping good pace with how much you drank and lowering the pack when you needed to swallow. "That's a good big brother." Gloom said happily.

As you gulped down the last bit of the package's content, you let out a satisfied breath of air. Sparing your little sister a glimpse, you showed her an appreciating smile, "Thank you Gloomy." She flashed you a cheerful grin and nuzzled you. Picking herself up from the bed, she took the empty carton into her hooves and left you alone in your room.

Snorting to yourself, you couldn't help but think about what kind of big brother you were that you had your little sister get you something to drink just because you were a bit tired. But it also made you think a bit about her, would she really be a good nurse? She showed she was a caring filly, but then again, so were you. But still, you could already picture your little sister all grown up, a cutie mark of a red cross on her flank, helping ponies with injuries, shooing them away from other patients with a broom in her wing, chasing a pony because he or she didn't want to take their medicine.

The idea made you grin from ear to ear. While you had an idea of what Gloom could become when she would be older, you weren't sure about Summer. She enjoyed a lot of things and had no specific trait that stood out where she would be especially good in.

You thought further back about your class and your friends, how far you all had come to enter this final year of school. To think it was the last one already... Time had gone by faster than you would like to admit. It made you wonder, what was it you wanted to do the rest of your life after school? You couldn't simply stay at home with your parents, you were not sure you even wanted that.  

Some part of you wanted to see Equestria, to travel all over the land and go on adventure. Another part wanted to settle down, have a home in Cloudsdale or some city or village close to it. Start a family of your own with the mare you loved.

It dawned to you slowly while your eyes started to gently close on their own accord, that it was really time to think about the future and make decisions about what and how you wanted to grow. One thing was certain, you had your friends and family right by your side to help you make those decisions should you ever be in doubt.
> Ch. 32 Thick love.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


4th and last week into punishment - Friday.




"Look guys! There is our grounded stallion!"  Your ears flicked to the group of friends as you landed in the schoolyard. Trotting over to them you felt your saddlebags lightly bump against your sides, but without the burn spots there, you barely noticed them. You entered the circle of friends and greeted them, hoof bumping the stallions and hugging the mares. You took your spot between Lucky and Dust, Dust giving you a jesting jab to your shoulder. "How's it going Static? Relieved your punishment is nearing its end?" Dust said mockingly.

Rubbing your shoulder where he hit you, you gave him a grin, "Hay yeah I am. If it was another week I would have gone crazy for real that time!"

Dust waved his hoof nonchalantly at you, "Oh hush it couldn't have been that bad."

You scrounged up your face in a joking manner, "Shut up. Just wait until you need to spend an entire month in your room with almost nothing to do."

"Pfftt, my parents never ground me or Lightning." 

You rolled your eyes at him and huffed, "Oh, good for you." Turning your attention to the rest of the group, you noticed one pony missing. The pony that had been missing for three days now, "Hey, does anypony know how Sky Edge is? I haven't spoken to him nor seen him in the past few days." 

Your friends all gave you shrugs or a worrisome shake with their head. While everypony knew his mother was in the hospital and about to give birth, no pony knew in what condition the family was.

"I wonder how he is... I wish we got to hear something about him or his mother." Berry Petal said with uneasiness, Lucky draping a wing over her friend to comfort her.

Lucky glanced to all in the circle, "C'mon guys! Don't be so down, Edge's family will be fine." She squeezed Berry gently and lifted your and your friends' mood thanks to her positive energy.

"HEY!" Everypony looked up in the sky to see a mess of a pegasus diving to you. The pony stopped abruptly in the middle of the group and before any could open their mouth, the pegasus took a deep breath, "HIS NAME IS STAR RIM! He was born yesterday evening!"

It took about three seconds for the group to realize and to start cheering for the tired looking Sky Edge in the middle. Lucky and Berry instantly hugged the stallion and congratulated him, cooing and d'awing as they went . You and the others joined soon after, wishing him and his family the best of health as for the little one that just joined the family. Sky Edge had tears in his eyes, tears of happiness. He didn't say much to you, but what he said told you enough, "You were right... the feeling is indescribable..."






"Alright class, please sit down!" You and your fellow classmates all took your seats. With you, a grey pegasus with a waving blue mane, blue eyes and Sky Edge sitting in the middle row respectively. Flicking your tail through the opening in the seats you sat down and placed your saddle bag open on the desk.

The teacher in front of the class started drawing formulas and trajectories on the board, "Fillies and colts, today, besides the usual schoolwork," the mare turned around and went with her eyes over everypony, a marker in her right hoof with which she was pointing to the class. "I happen to got wind of something special today for all of you in this class." The teacher skipped with glee to the front of her desk. "A pony that you all know, and some of you adore, will be joining you during your lessons today!"

All students in class excitedly began to murmur about who the famous pony could be, you turned in your seat to Sky who was speaking with the pony next to you, "Hey Sky! Do you know who it could be? Maybe Captain Spitfire from the Wonderbolts!" you said while leaning across the desks, an excited grin plastered on your muzzle.

Sky looked at you, "I don't know Static, but it sure would be awesome if one of the Wonderbolts showed up! Fog thought the same, he thinks it might be Fleetfoot or Soarin!"

"What makes him think of that?" you asked as you glanced curiously to the colt next to you. 

"Well, Fleetfoot and Soarin both went to High Altitude before they became Wonderbolts, its not unheard of that ponies go back to their old school and look about." Fog said as he twisted in his seat to look at you. "My dad has visited his old school a few times back in Hollow Shades for example." 

You fell back in your chair, "Ah." Giving a light snort, "Heh, doubt my parents ever went back here to look about." Kicking your stool onto two legs you leaned back, "Does your father still think about going back to Hollow Shades, Fog?" 

Fog sighed, "Yeah..." He glanced saddened at his desk. "We will be moving back to Hollow Shades when I finish school."

Sky lay a hoof on Fog's shoulder,"Sorry to hear that mate." Sky gave the pegasus a little shake, "Well, at least you still have a year to hang around with us."

Fog chuckled, "Heh, as if the distance is gonna hold me back from coming back and hanging out with you guys." He laid a hoof on Sky's shoulder.

"That's my friend." Sky pulled his hoof back, "Fog, we were planning to go on a trip this Winter with our friends, fancy to join us?" He wiggled his eyebrows at the colt. "See it as a last year trip before you leave Cloudsdale."

Fog grinned, "That sounds awesome. I'll ask my parents first though, they tend to be a bit... 'restricted' about were I go alone or with friends, especially at night, as you both know." He looked over his shoulder to you.

Nodding your head, you knew what Fog meant, "When your dad is part of the night guards, he would know what's best when it comes to that."

"Class! Your attention please!" Everypony in the room glanced to your teacher who stood at the door, her wings ruffling in excitement. The class fell silent and the mare opened the door. The next thing you knew, your jaw, together with the rest of the class, dislodged and fell.

A friendly and sweet voice sang from the doorway, "Hello everypony, how are you all?"

"T-that's..."

"...is this a dream?"

"Wow."

"I-I think I'm gonn-"

The teacher firmly tapped her desk to get the class out of their stupor and gazing looks, "Class! That's not the appropriate way to greet Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire!" Realizing what the teacher said, you bowed your head quickly from where you sat, your chair falling onto its four legs again in the process. 

The class was eery silent, besides a pair of hoof steps that were coming closer to you. You felt a droplet of sweat slide down the fur of your neck as the hoof steps stopped in front of you. "You may drop the courtesy, Static." Raising your head slowly at the kind voice, your eyes widened as you stared directly into the warm pools that were the purple eyes of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. "Pretend I'm just one of your classmates for today." You couldn't help it but feel slightly excited at the presence of the Princess this close to you.

"By the sun, The princess of love is right in front of me!" Your eyes glanced over the features of the Princess, her kind smile, gentle eyes, soft pink coat catching your full attention. Instinctively you took a sniff of the air, smelling a strong and pleasant scent that made your hearth thump faster. Your mind grew a tardy bit hazy as your eyes dwelt down to her chest where her golden regalia rested, going further down her legs to her golden hoof-shoes.

"Hehe, Static, my eyes are up here."

Blood rushed to your ears as you stared wide eyed at the princess who looked amused, "I-I'm s-sorry Princess!" You glanced away, ashamed of your eyeing the princess openly like that, "I shoud not have stared like that..."

The princess gave a heartily chuckle, "Don't worry about it, I understand." Your ear flicked at her words and you looked back to her. "As I said, just treat me like another classmate, and call me Cadence." She gave you an honest smile which lifted your mood and send some butterflies lose in your belly.

"Thank you. I'll try to keep it in mind Princ- I mean, Cadence." You gave a smile back and the princess nodded to you before addressing the rest of the class.

"Fillies and colts, please don't mind me. I'll be joining your class for today, so just see me as a fellow student. And as I mentioned to Static over here," she said to you with a wink that made you blush and avert your gaze. "Call me Cadence. And I'll be happy to answer any of the questions you have after class."

Every student's eye was on the Princess as she glanced about the room. Her eyes fixated on a desk where there was a free seat, right next to two fillies that immediately started to giggle and whisper to one another. Cadence spun into their direction and made her way over, showing you her slender frame and pristine looking wings. Your head felt light as the alicorn of love casually made her way to the empty chair, your eyes traveling over her wings with their gorgeous purple primaries.

The princess's wings left your view, and in its place appeared her cutie mark. Your pupils grow bigger as they followed every movement her flank made, her colourful pink, yellow and purple tail swishing once before leaving your sight. Following that, again that same scent entered your nostrils, making your vision go slightly hazy and head feel light.

"Psst! Static! are you okay?" Sky asked from his spot. Blinking your half closed eyes a few times, you hummed vaguely to his voice, not quite understanding what he said. "Yo Fog, tap Static, he looks as if he's high on salt or something." You slightly felt something on your shoulder, but it went past you as your thoughts were traveling to a much more enjoyable fantasy stirred up by the strong smell that was still swirling around your nostrils.

Something stirred between your legs, growing because of the strong odor that didn't fade. You knew it happened, but you could't care less. "Uhm, teacher? Static doesn't seem... well... okay?" The mare in front of the class glanced at you with a raised eyebrow. However, it also got the attention of Cadence. She was about to take her seat when she heard Sky's vague call for help.

"Static, are you alright?" the princess asked as she walked back to you. All the ponies in class turned their attention to you as your head swayed a bit and the lightness in your head increased, your wings slowly unfurling from your sides. 

"What's wrong with Static?" a voice somewhere in class said.

The Princess halted next to you and lit up her horn in a soft blue aura. You felt a tickling sensation that quickly faded again. She raised her golden clad hoof and touched your shoulder, making you shudder at her touch and gave a light moan in response. "Oh my... Miss Trivia, do I have permission to take Static to the infirmary for now?"

The teacher looked surprised but gave consent soon after, "Uhm, yeah of course Princess."

Soon after the teacher gave permission, the world flashed white before your eyes.
> Ch. 33 Only temporally.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The world focused for your eyes again and the haziness that plagued your mind faded away, leaving your eyes to look up at the ceiling you had seen a few weeks prior. Your mouth was dry and hinted at a salty taste, making you cough as your brain started to turn its gears, "W-what happened, where am I?"

"Your school's infirmary, Static." a gentle tone you remembered in the back of your mind said. From your laying position you looked to your right where Cadence stood, levitating an empty potion vial that she was cleaning with a cloth. She briefly paused and glanced in your way. "How are you feeling?" she asked, hovering the vial into the cabinet and walking over to your side.

Your pupils grew larger at her approach, "I-I think I'm alright... what happened?"

Seeing your reaction she took a step back, keeping her distance and sitting down on her haunches, "A mistake is what happened I'm afraid." You raised an eyebrow at her. "What I mean is that I didn't expect any colts to have matured already."

You still didn't know what she was going on about, "Pretend I still don't know what happened."

The Princess let out an amused sigh, "How can I explain it to you..." She paused and looked to the floor for a bit. "Well, do you know what my princess title is?" You nodded in confirmation. "As you know then, my magic is centered around love, and all it entails." Scooting up in bed, you went to sit against the pillow, your ears perked to the princess. "What happened is that you caught my scent, which should have been fine had you not matured this early."

You put your hooves on your face and dragged it down slowly, "Ugh, I hear about that too much... By Celestia." Cadence let out a chuckle. "Why does it affect me so much?" you looked at the Princess, hoping she had the answer.

"As much as I would like to help you with it, I'm afraid nature is what it is. Even I can't change that I'm afraid." She extended a wing and preened herself quick before going back to the subject, "Sorry about that, had a feather bugging me for a while now." You smiled at the Princess, feeling more at ease at seeing her having the same struggle as the average Pegasi. "Where was I? Oh right. Where it comes down to is that heat season is at the doorstep, and you happen to be able to catch the scents of mares in heat."

A bell rang through your head, "Hold up, does it mean that you are in..." Cadence closed her eyes and nodded. You crawled a bit back to the edge of the bed and away from the Princess, "Was that what I smelled?" Again, she nodded. "Buck... that was..." You brought a hoof to your head and let it rest there as realization sank in. 

"Will this be your first heat season you are aware of?" Cadence asked in curiosity as she stood up and walked closer to the bed, looking intrigued at you with her head cocked to the side.

You slowly stepped out of bed, trying to make some distance between you and her, not wanting to experience her heat and have something bad happen in some way. "I-I think so... It was unlike anything else I've smelled in my life." Your flank bumped against the wall, hindering you from going any further. "But what has that to do with you being the Princess of Love?"

Cadence stopped at the foot of the bed and lay her left hoof on it, "As you know, cutie marks either hint to somepony's special talent, or what they like to do." Agreeing with the Princess, she continued, "I am not ashamed to admit I have a special talent in love magic, as well that I enjoy that love to the fullest extend." Your wings spasmed slightly at her words, extending a bit as the the pink mare explained. "But to get to the point, magic, as you know, is not only limited to unicorn's horns, or enchanted items of any kind. Magic is part of our very being and as such it involves in our daily lives and has a chance to impact it in some way."

It began to dawn on you were she was going with this, assuming you were correct, "So, what you are saying is that your magic amplifies your heat..?"

Cadence brought her hoof to the ground and stepped closer, "Somewhat, yes. While not by my doing, but by nature my heat starts earlier than other mares, lasts longer than normal and can have a big impact on stallions, its worse on maturing stallions that have not been with a mare yet."

Feeling a dent in your pride, "I-I have been with a mare before!" You tried to stand proudly, but felt your own shaky back legs giving you away, although it seemed the Princess bought it.

Cadence raised an eyebrow in question, "Oh? What was her name? Surely a mare that was your first would be proud to be the one to take your virginity."

Your eyes darted around the room, wanting to come up with a name she couldn't know, "Buck! What do I say to her!? I... ah-ha!" Raising your head up in confidence, "Rainbow Dash is her name, she was my first." Regret swelled around as you realized how that sounded, but there was no way the Princess could know a random mare like Rainbow Dash, right? You didn't even know her why you supposedly spend four years on the same school together.

Cadence tapped her chin with her hoof, "Rainbow Dash, huh. Her name sounds familiar." Pupils shrinking, you swallowed a lump that was growing in your throat. "Hmm, I can't place her, but her name does ring a bell. Oh well, I'm sure she would be happy to be your first."

You mentally swept the sweat from your forehead, "Yeah, yeah she would be." The Princess smiled knowingly and you thought about what you said, "NO! Wait! I meant that she IS happy to have been my first!"

"Don't lie to me Static, I know that you have not been with a mare before." Your ears went halfway down and you bit your lip, Cadence stepping in front of you, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you smell like that." She said apologetically.

Bending your head a bit down, you looked at her like she had gone mad, "Hehe, what? I smell like a virgin? What the buck?" Cadence's muzzle went to your chest, making you sit down on your haunches to try and increase the distance between her and you, but to no avail. She took another step closer and sniffed the air below your tummy, making your wings throb. "Uhm, Princess??" You heard her take a big inhale through her nostrils a second time before she pulled her head away.

The Princess hummed in satisfaction, her tail swishing behind her. "Without a doubt, you have not been with a mare before." She glanced into your eyes with a knowing look. "You have not been claimed yet. And before you ask, no, I'm not going to explain you what that means, you'll know when you have been claimed."

Sitting on your haunches, the thoughts in your mind went all over the place,"I could feel her warm breath down there~!" Your wings twitched against the wall behind you, sending slight pain through your muscles of not being able to unfold on their own. 

A knock on the door broke the silence between you and Cadence, a small creak sounding right after, "Apologies, Princess. But I've come to bring the moon tea you requested." Your mind focused on the sound you recognized to be the school's doctor, the same pegasus that treated your burn spots. "Ah, Mr. Static. Good to see you again, as good as it can be that is." You gave a shady nod back. 

"Thank you, doctor. I'll take it from here." Cadence lifted the tea from his hooves and the doctor gave a small bow, leaving and closing the door as quickly as he appeared. She inspected the tea bags and lifted an empty cup from the cabinet. She filled it quickly with water from the faucet above the sink next to the cabinet.

following her magic left and right, your curiosity grew, "Princes-I mean-Cadence what are you making?"

The cup with water levitated in front of Cadence, her blue aura increasing in intensity. "I'm making some more moon tea for you. Give me a moment and I'll tell you more."

You sighed to yourself, the idea of maturing as early as you did was not all sunshine and rainbow as you thought it would be, "Sheez, what a buck load of pony feathers..." A sharp pinch pulled your tail, making you jump to your hooves and look at back to see what did it. "What was that?" 

"That was me. I pulled your tail a bit." Cadence said as her aura around the cup dissipated, floating a bag of moon tea to the cup and dipping into the now steaming water. Glancing to Cadence, you furrowed your eyebrows at her. "Don't look at me like that Static, I don't appreciate that kind of language."

"Oh by Luna not you, too..." you said with an almost disappointing expression. "Don't tell my mother I said that please? She'll pluck my primaries till I'm featherless." You feared that if a Princess of all ponies would tell your mother you used bad words, her fury will be the last thing your wings will ever feel.

"Hmm, I could tell her..." Your hope slowly sank to your hooves, your ears drooping to the side of your head. "But that depends." She looked at you, a teasing smirk on her muzzle.

"Depends on what?" you turned your head to the side, giving your wings a small flap.

She floated the hot cup of moon tea in front of your muzzle, "Depends on if you will drink this cup empty, yes or no."

The tea swirled calmly, releasing a calm scent in the air. Sniffing it, you immediately felt the calming effects of the aroma, your ears perking up in the process, "Hm. I think I can do that. But what does it do?" You took the cup with two hooves and sat down on your haunches.

Cadence's magic disappeared and she sat down in front of you, "Let me answer that with a question of my own; haven't you noticed any difference with now compared to when we were in the classroom?"

Stopping your inhale of the tea's scent, you looked up at her question, "Huh? What should be different besides that we are in the infirmary?"

You raised an eyebrow as Cadence was surely close to facehoof. "Colts... Only thinking with their fifth hoof," she took a deep breath, and chuckled lightly. "You don't seem to catch my scent anymore, that's what is different."

Your ears flicked up at the realization, "Wait, what?" smelling around the room, you caught a small hint of musk, but nothing close as it was before. "But... you are right in front of me...?" looking at the alicorn in question, she smiled kindly. Lowering her eyes, she glanced at the tea, your eyes following where she was gazing at. "The... tea?"

"Yup. When you were knocked-out I gave you some tea before you woke up." Cadence explained, your eyes darting between her and the liquid. "While I can do nothing to change what nature does, I was able to create a 'tea' based on Zebra potions to help and ease the heat season for stallions. As you notice now, you aren't smelling my heat anymore, or at least, not as firm as in the class, that's thanks to this brew."

Smelling the air around you one last time, you confirmed in your mind what she said. "Huh, I never heard about this tea. But it does seem to help!" you said with a smile, making her mimic the emotion.

"I do hope it does. The mix is not that long known, so it hasn't been distributed or been advertised yet in any form." Cadence lit up her horn, making another moon teabag appear, "What you have now is a bit that I made myself, I have about twenty, making that eighteen now with the two you have. That's why you haven't heard of it yet, but that will hopefully be different next year."

Looking at the cup again, you hummed, "But, that means I will only have this... What do you call it?"

"I don't have a name for it yet, besides 'moon tea' and calling it a suppressor."

"I'll just name it moon tea, then." The Princess shrugged with her wings. "So after this I won't have any?" The alicorn nodded. "Aww damnit. I hoped I could get more of it, if your heat is that strong that it blasts me off to dreamland or whatever it was I felt, than the heat of all the mares on school are gonna drive me nuts!"

The Princess laughed, "That would be a sight I would like to see. Alas, I'm afraid you'll have to do what all other stallions have been doing for generations." Putting the cup to your lips, you glanced curiously at the princess. "You'll simply have to survive and try to keep level-headed at all times."

Snorting, you took a sip of the tea, the liquid not tasting any different from the regular kind you could find in any shop. "I figured as much. How long does this tea's effect last?" you asked, truly wondering how much protection it would give.

Cadence tapped her chin, "Well, if you finish this one, added with what I already ave you, it should be enough for today. I think."

Taking another sip, you looked at her, slightly confused, "You think? But... you made it, how do you not know what it does?"

Cadence sighed and stood up, leaving you sitting with your room temperature becoming tea, "As I said to you, it is a new recipe, I only have a few of my own and it hasn't been tested a lot on its workings. What is apparent though is that it helps the stallion through heat season by suppressing the scent of the mares that you inhale."

"Oh. Wait... it hasn't been tested? Could I die from this!?" your wings flared out and pupils shrank to pinpricks as you looked at the tartarus cup of liquid. You let the cup drop to the floor, only to be caught in Cadence's magic before it could shatter.

"Tsk." She lifted the cup to your muzzle, "Static, its not going to hurt or kill you. Please just drink it." You scrunched up your muzzle like a foal not wanting to eat their vegetables. The Princess let out a low growl, "You'll drink this whether you like it or not." Her magic enveloped your muzzle and opened it against your will, letting out a little whine as she levitated the cup to your lips.

"HHMBBLL!" 

"Sorry Static, I can't hear you. You first have to swallow..." she said as she threw your head up and poured the left over tea into your mouth. Swallowing out of reflex, the magic faded and released you, leaving you to cough at the salty and sudden aftertaste. "That's a good colt. Now, don't you feel better?"

You zipped your head to look at her with anger, "Better!? You forced me to drink an untested potion you made!" Cadence raised an eyebrow at you, more surprised than anything. "I could die from drinking this!" you spit to the floor, the salty taste not getting any better.

"Relax Static, as I said you are not getting hurt by it nor will it kill you. Do you really think I would give a colt something to drink if I didn't know it was safe to do so?" Cadence said matter of factly, a royal tone making itself known in her voice, demanding respect.

You raised a hoof to argue but realized she was most likely right. After all, one does not become a Princess by doing rash actions. Sighing once more, you sat down onto the floor, "I... I apologize Princess. I should have known that... I just... I was just scared of it."

"None of that 'I'm sorry', Static. You reacted naturally, I just wanted this to be over quickly and make sure you and I could have a normal day of class after this, that's why I sped up the process instead of trying to persuade you."

Sighing, you resigned your argument, "I guess we'll see how the rest of the day goes then?"

Cadence stood up, opening the door with her magic, "We sure will. Now come, your class probably wonders what's taking us so long."

Standing up yourself, you followed the princess out of the door, closing it behind you as you and Cadence made your way back to class, a faint trail of her scent still swirling around your nostrils.
> Ch. 34 Once more free
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Static, I'm clear! Pass the ball!" Diving past and underneath Digit, you threw the ball quickly to Fog and Sky Edge, who zipped away as soon as they caught it. Digit and Lily darted right after the two colts, attempting to cease the ball and stop them from scoring a point through one of the three rings shaped out of clouds that were drifting in the air at one end of the colosseum.

Shifting your wings, you flew back to your own side of the field, keeping an eye on the ball at all times as it was passed from pony to pony on your team. As appointed defender, it was up to you to keep the ball from getting too close to the goals, and after you it was up to Lucky to keep it from going through the rings as goalie.

"So far so good Static!" Lucky called out to you from her spot on the middle ring where she sat. Turning around in the air, you looked at her and raised your hoof to the sky, which earned you a similar salute from the mare. Focusing back on the game, everything went indeed good so far, you had a certain pink alicorn to thank for that. Said mare was sitting on the first row of the view seats, accompanied by Berry Petal, surrounding the playing field of the grand structure, not participating in the hoofball game because she would have by nature an unfair advantage towards the team she would be playing against.

Cadence decided herself it would be for the best, which was accompanied with mixed reactions of the class. Of course, some were happy that she didn't play because of the reasons she gave, on the other hoof, there were some of the stallions that wanted to see her in action, including a part of you, but no pony needed to know that. Neither was told what happened between you and the princess in the infirmary. You were asked about what transpired between you and the alicorn, but the mare gave a swift and easy answer, a simple tea she made with the help of the doctor to ease your symptoms that Cadence described as a sudden headache caused by stress at her unexpected appearance in the class.

The class bought the 'white-lie' almost immediately, clearing you out from the barrage of uncomfortable questions. There was no doubt in your mind though, that once the Princess was gone and back to her own duties, that ponies would come and ask you again.

"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BALL STATIC! YOU LOOK LIKE A DAYDREAMING FOAL!!"

Your ears flattened at the booming voice of Iron Wing, nearly managing to make you lose focus and fall to the ground. Growling inwardly for yelling at you, you flapped your wings harder and made circling motions around your side of the field, as the coach says, keep going is better than stop and start-up again every time. 

The ball was thrown around the enemy goals but had yet to actually go through the rings. Not because a lack of attempts, but because a certain rainbow maned mare was given goal duty, making it very hard for your team to score. To say the teams were unfair was an understatement, the opposing team had most of the better players from your class, leaving only Lucky, Sky and Fog as the 'good' players in your team, with the others, including you, being average.

"One minute left, fillies!" Iron Wing announced loudly.

It only made you sigh it defeat. The score board underneath Cadence and Petal looked grim for your team, with the score being, thanks to Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust, zero to fifteen. "I miss the time where we could at least score something... bucking hay."

"Thirty seconds!"

Looking back to the other side of the colosseum, your eyes widened as Rainbow came out of the goal area with high speed, zipping past her teammates, snagging the ball from Dust Cloud, and headed straight to the three rings of your team. Her speed was ridiculous, as if her life depended on it she managed to shoot past most of your class in an instant. Flapping your wings, you went towards her, trying to make some effort in delaying her or grabbing the payload she was carrying. 

You managed to get in front of her flight path, making yourself as wide as you could to catch her. However, she didn't slow down in the slightest. A droplet of sweat dripped down your neck as the mare made no attempt to break her beeline towards you. Keeping eye contact with the cyan arrow, you could make out a smug grin on her muzzle, making you question if hovering in front of her was the best plan you could have come up with.

The distance between you and her was draining rapidly. Out of instinct, you suddenly flapped your wings and evaded the mare by mere inches by flying upward. Your breathing returned to normal as Rainbow bolted underneath you towards the rings, intending to score through the middle ring where Lucky still sat, happily flapping her wings one by one making the ring roll a few degrees every time.

"Lucky, block her!" Sky yelled from his chase after Rainbow

Lucky only chuckled and put her hooves to her muzzle, amplifying her voice, "Buck that! She almost cut through Static back there! No way I'm gonna fly in her path like that!" Well, she wasn't wrong. You were pretty sure Dash would have slammed into you, and possibly kill you with that speed.

Hovering in the air, you and the whole class watched as Rainbow threw the ball through the middle circle on the last second, Lucky clapping her hooves together with a chuckle. "Alright fillies and colts, time's up! Everypony lower yourself to the ground and line up." All ponies did as they were told, gliding to the ground and forming a line in front of the coach. Folding your wings to your sides, you glanced as Iron Wing walked from one end of the formation to the other. "Well, I have to say I'm surprised. With a score of eighteen to zero, this class has never been as one-sided. And while I know why one team had such a good score, I can't help but still be disappointed that not even one, single, bucking, point was scored, at all by the opposing group."

"They had all the good players on their team!" Sky Edge called out in protest. 

Iron Wing stepped right in front of him, looking down at the younger pegasi, "You mean like Dust Cloud? That colt can't even hold the ball! Let alone do anything with it! The only few actual good players that were against you," Iron poked his hoof lightly against Edge's chest, "were Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust and Angel Wings! Angel Wings can't even kick clouds properly!" Sky Edge grumbled under his breath and took a step back.

"Cheer up Edge, it was a fun game!" Lucky said from next to you, making you roll your eyes. "Next time we'll do better! Right guys?" She looked around to you and the rest of your team while wiggling her hips and flapping her wings, a happy smile plastered on her muzzle.

Everypony on your team groaned.





"Ugh... My wings hurt, buck."

"Well, that's what you get for trying to keep up with Rainbow Dash, or doing any other form of exercise," Dust said as he sat on the fountain, dinking his beverage through a straw, "you should be like me, taking the gym classes more easy."

Edge glared briefly at Dust, "You are not taking it easy, you're just bucking lazy." Edge went back to his wings and looked through them.

Dust shrugged, not caring about Edge's remark, "Meh, if you say so. But it does not change the fact that I'm better off than you are. At the moment at least," he took a long sip from his drink.

You sat on the clouds in front of the fountain, your back leaning against it. Edge and Dust had been going back and forth for the past few minutes, Dust making small jabs to Edge with the latter just getting annoyed and shoving something back. Mostly you just let them be, offering a snicker whenever one of your friends made a good comeback.

Leaning your head a bit back, you let the sun shine fully on your muzzle, its warm rays warming your coat pleasantly. It had been a small two hours after the end of exercise class and you now enjoyed some time off from school. In fact, the only reason why you were still on school proper was because you were waiting for the mares of your group to come out of the building.

Sighing, you straightened your head and looked to the building, "What are the girls doing? Discussing main and tail brushes with the Princess? They take forever, our school day ended more than twenty minutes ago."

A small kick to your shoulder made you look to Dust, "Relax Static, later today we have the whole afternoon and evening to be around the mares," he sucked the last bit of juice through his straw and let out a large belch, which made you flat your ears in mild disgust, "besides, when do they get another chance to talk to a Princess like today? So I say we relax for a bit while we can, soon enough we'll have to be up and about, and I don't think 'Mr. Wing-pain' over here wants to use his wings anytime soon."

"Dust, one of these days I'm gonna punch you in the jaw."

"You know you love me, Edge."

"Shut up."

Rolling your eyes, you stood up and stretched like a cat, "C'mon guys, you two can roll in the hay when I'm not here, so play nice for now."

"Aww, and here I was hoping for a threeway."

"Dust, do something useful and put an apple in your mouth before you spew more distasteful stuff out of there." As soon as you said that he shrugged and took an apple out of his saddle bags next to him and took a bite from it. "I... didn't expect you to have an apple with you."

"I do on occasion, yet you ponies are always surprised." While chewing he looked to the school, following his gaze, you saw  other students coming out of the doors, but not the fillies you were waiting for.

Moving to the school, "I'm gonna look where the mares are, you guys coming with me?" you asked as you looked over your shoulder to the two.

Surprisingly, it was Dust that hopped off the fountain, "I'm coming with you. Edge will pull my feathers out if I stay around him longer like this."

"Not only your feathers..." Edge said as he moved to the spot that Dust left and lied down on it, "you two go ahead, gives me  some time to preen my wings properly. I'll wait here."

"Okay, see you in a bit. With hopefully the mares in tow," giving him a wave, Dust stepped beside you as you both made the way towards the school. "So what do you think the girls will be taking about what takes this long?"

Dust shrugged and swallowed a bite from his apple, "Beats me, it could be anything, really. From brushes, to healthy diet, Princesses stuff, gossip, or love, you know because she is the Princess of it and all."

Glancing at your friend you raised an eyebrow as you stepped up to the entrance of the structure, "You don't seem to be very... interested or excited in the fact she is the Princess of Love. What gives?"

Entering the school, he finished his apple and threw it into the bin that was next to the doors. Looking back at you, "For one, the 'Princess of Love', I mean, c'mon, why would we need a Princess of Love in the first place? What does she do as an alicorn that deserves that title and rank? Love is not something that needs to be tended to as it is natural to all ponies. Not unlike the sun and moon Princess Celestia and Luna need to move in order for us to live our lives." 

Stopping in the middle of the school, you looked about the halls, "You have a point, but I'm sure there is a reason for her title. Now where could they be?" 

"Right here!" Lucky yelled from the hallway to your left, making you and Dust glance curiously in her direction. Lucky cantered with a smile to the both of you, "Hey guys, what are you doing in the school? Didn't we ask you to wait at the fountain?"

Closing the gap, you Dust and Lucky met halfway, "Well yeah, but you girls were taking quite a long time. So we came to see if you hadn't been given detention." you said with a grin.

Lucky scoffed, and waved her hoof casually at you, "Pfft, as if." She looked over her shoulder to the hallway where she came out of, "Y'know, I was actually on my way to tell you Petal was on her way, too." Looking past Lucky you saw the pink mare walking out of the corridor together with the Alicorn. "Ah, speak of Cerbereus and he shall appear." Following behind the two pink mares came a small group of more fillies, a few from your class, including Rainbow, Lightning, Digit, Lilly and some from other classes that happend to come across the Princess.

"Oh, hey Dust and Static, what are you two doing inside the school?" Petal asked with a flick of her ear, looking from Dust to you respectively.

"Obviously they were concerned about you, fillies. Just as I said before, they'll come to you." The pink alicorn said with closed eyes and a small smirk on her muzzle, making some of the mares chuckle. You and Dust glanced at each other, both in confusion.

Glancing back at the mares, "Uhm, okay? Are you girls finished? We were gonna plan the vacation for in the winter, right?"

Lucky nodded her head, "Of course we are. But that doesn't mean we are on a very tight schedule, you need to relax!" She tilted her head sideways and closed her eyes with a toothy grin.

"I on the other hoof am, unfortunately." Cadence said. She walked out from the group of mares, "Fillies and colts, thank you all again for this great day. Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I did."

"I'm pretty sure Static didn't enjoy so much in the morning," Dust said with a punch to your shoulder. Looking to Dust you snorted and attempt to wack him with your wing, which he blocked with his own. "Ah-ah, only my sister can hit me like that."

"Pfft, just you wait Dust, I'm sure Lightning will hit you later today." Turning back to the alicorn, "It was a fun surprise to have you in our class today, Cadence. Will you be coming back this school year?" you asked with genuine curiosity.

Cadence shook her head, "I'm afraid not, my duties call me back to the Empire. I will be visiting some other schools throughout Equestria later this school year, though, just not High Altitude anymore." The fillies behind the Princess slummed a bit down at that. "I'm sorry girls, but it is what it is. Maybe you'll see me around again in the future." She said with a hopeful tone.

"Will you be going to Ponyville Elementary school?" you asked, wondering if she would visit your sisters' in the future."

"In fact I am, around next month I will be visiting them. Don't tell your siblings or any of the foals there though," she said with a wink, "it needs to stay a surprise." 

You gave a firm nod and a light chuckle, "Oh you're mean, now I can't tell my sisters you are coming. I'll have a hard time not to tell them."

"I'm bad aren't I?" she fluttered her wings and batted her eyelashes to you, making you blush lightly. "Anyhow, again, it has been wonderful. Farewell everypony." She turned to the door, walking away from the mares and past you, "Good luck Static, try to keep your mind clear during your first season." And with that, she walked out the door, her light blue aura closing the door behind her.

"What did she say? 'Good luck Static' and something after that, she was almost whispering." Dust said as he, too, watched the Princess leave.

answering him, "With my last year here, that's all."

He grinned, "Heh, true that, you'll need it." 

"Shut your plothole, you are worse off than me."

"Ooookay then, are we good to go guys, or you two wanna continue to discuss your relationship?" Lightning asked, hovering in the air with Rainbow fluttering next to her.

"We are good, but we'll need to do couple therapy some time soon," you said with a chuckle, turning around to the door, the group of friends followed you out to collect Edge and go plan the vacation ahead.