This Is Not How I Expected My Week To Go

by TheKing2001

Return of darkness part two

Twilight stepped over a overturned root as she idly listened to the mares around her making casual small talk. How they could be friendly at a time like this was beyond her.

“So where’s this alleged castle at?” High Winds asked as Watermelody ducked under a branch with a grin, holding it up for Wallflower.

Wallflower was silent the entire way and it made Twilight uncomfortable slightly. She could occasionally feel the mare staring at her but whenever she looked back, Wallflower was staring at the ground.

“Good question. I don’t know,” Sunset admitted and Twilight gave her a flat look.

“So you’re telling me you just had us run into a forest without even checking where it is? It might not even be in here!” Twilight flung her forelegs up.

“Excuse me for not getting the chance to do so,” Sunset shot back as the others looked back and forth between the mares.

“How about we take a break?” High Winds suggested and sat down on a log. “We’ve been walking for a bit. Wallflower here looks exhausted and we can use this opportunity to learn about each other!”

“We really don’t have time for this,” Twilight interjected but the others were already sitting down.

Clearly defeated by a majority vote, Twilight sat down against a tree and closed her eyes for a moment.

“How’s the side?” Spitfire eyed Sunset and Watermelody. “That seemed like a nasty shot you two took earlier.”

“Hurts,” Watermelody admitted and Sunset nodded. “I’ve never been shot by a unicorn or an alicorn before. It was pretty painful, especially crashing on top of Sunset.”

“Agreed. Kinda sore and not in the fun way,” Sunset sighed and shook her head, Watermelody blushing slightly. “So Wallflower. Any hobbies?”

“Gardening,” Wallflower said softly and looked up finally. “I like to garden. It makes me feel safe.”

“Uh safe from what?” Spitfire asked after a moment and Wallflower shrugged.

“I uh really don’t like interaction. I’m not good at it. I shut down pretty fast and gardening is easy. Makes me forget about the outside world for a few hours, if not all day.”

High Winds found herself nodding to that. She was pretty shy at times herself. It used to be way worse before she became a Bolt at Soarin’s encouragement. She and him had known each other since college.

There was that very brief moment they were asked if they were siblings and they both had to admit, they looked very similar. They had never really thought about that before and were glad that wasn’t the case. That would have been awkward, having very briefly dated in college before they both agreed they liked being friends better.

It had originally been her idea to see if anything more could come from it and well, it was nice for a month. Nothing against him, but she really didn’t do relationships often. Her last one was in kindergarten with the colt next door.

“Anyway,” Wallflower brushed aside some of her curly mane. “You?”

“I’m a Wonderbolt so flying is my main hobby. But if I had to say a different one, I’d say helping out at orphanages. All the fillies and colts get so excited to see me. The smiles on their faces make me happier than any stunt or show I could do with the Bolts,” High Winds answered with a fond smile and stretched her forelegs. “It’s a fulfilling thing. Fleetfoot sometimes comes, Soarin does, Surprise once and a while. They really like Surprise.”

“I don’t have any real hobbies,” Spitfire shrugged once the others looked at her. “Being a captain takes all my time away from other activities. But I guess before my big promotion, I used to go skiing a lot. I took Blaze and Sunset with me up to the Maralachians up north for a week as a sisters trip. That was a good time.”

Sunset smiled fondly and shifted on her log. She had been the one who sucked the most at skiing, falling off her skis more than her sisters. Blaze and Spitfire had found it quite amusing and reminded her all week about.

But that was back when Spitfire was still a sergeant in the Wonderbolts and Blaze was just a rookie. They hadn’t done anything like that as siblings in a good few years.

“Yeah that was fun,” Sunset agreed and stretched out her hind legs.

“I guess I’ll go next. Sunset already knows a good amount about me, but you all don’t. I’m from Manehatten and attended an art school for about two years and got my degree in art and acting. Moved out here for the scenery. I just spend a lot of time painting or attending plays. I go to a lot of art shows and festivals around Equestria occasionally,” Watermelody said and the others eyed her minus Twilight who still had her eyes closed.

Silence fell over the group and Twilight opened her eyes in confusion to find everypony staring at her expectantly, even Wallflower.

“Why are you all staring at me?” Twilight asked and High Winds shrugged in response. “What does that mean?”

“We all went around the group. It’s your turn. Where are you from and what’s your hobbbies?” High Winds explained.

“Like High Winds is from Cloudsdale, Watermelody is from Manehatten. Blaze, Sunset and myself all three come from Cloudsdale,” Spitfire continued and Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“Sunset is a unicorn,” Twilight pointed out in confusion. “How is she from Cloudsdale? I thought she was from Canterlot.”

“Stormy Flare’s labor started in Cloudsdale. Ended in Canterlot which Cloudsdale was conveniently over at the time. So due to boundaries, I’m from both legally. But we all just say Canterlot because I grew up on the ground. I tend to stay away from Cloudsdale,” Sunset explained with a shrug. “Easier that way. From the moment I came out to now, I’ve been on the ground.”

“I don’t really have any hobbies except studying, experimenting and taking Spike to his comic book stores he likes,” Twilight shrugged. “I just stay in the house all day and read. No real point to go out unless there’s a need for more books, which there always is in my eyes.”

The others all sat there and stared at her for a moment before Spitfire coughed into her hoof.

“You really need a life,” Spitfire broke the silence and everypony excluding Twilight laughed.

“I have a life,” Twilight shot back with a scowl. “Says you. You just stay in your office doing paperwork.”

“Actually not really,” Spitfire corrected with a frown. “I’m up leading the Wonderbolts all the time along with training recruits, breaking up the occasional fight between Fleetfoot and Misty.”

“Those two go at it a lot,” High Winds commented as she settled down and started to preen a few of her out of place feathers. “I don’t even think they really like each other all that much.”

“I don’t know,” Spitfire admitted after a moment. “They respect each other and fly well. Their personal problems only become my problem when it affects the team or working together. They’re big mares and can solve their own issues.”

“I suppose but I wish they wouldn’t be so well, aggressive to each other. The amount of times I’ve heard Fleetfoot call Misty a bitch is insane,” High Winds shook her mane.

“Can we get a move on?” Twilight asked finally and everypony looked at her. “No offense, but I highly doubt us sitting around will- where’s Wallflower?”

They all paused and froze, looking around for the mare.

“Split up,” Spitfire ordered after a moment. “High Winds, go with Twilight. Watermelody, with Sunset. Find Wallflower.”

“Yes Captain!” High Winds snapped off a salute before she took off with a slightly worried Twilight.

“Let’s go,” Watermelody jerked her head to the opposite direction and Sunset agreed with a frown. The two started trotting further away from the group as Spitfire searched alone. “Wallflower!”

“Where do you think she could be?” Sunset wondered aloud, crushing a stick under her hoof. “I pray she didn’t get taken away by a monster without us noticing.”

“You’d have heard the screams,” Watermelody commented dryly. “And the sounds of her being eaten.”

Sunset’s stomach turned over in disgust as her face turned green. She really didn’t want to think about her new friend being killed, especially without her knowing. She didn’t know what was worse, hearing Wallflowers screams or her being eaten.

“Found her!” High Winds shouted distantly. “Come on back!”

High Winds wrapped a wing around Wallflower and leaned against her as Wallflower turned red. Twilight followed behind with a frustrated expression on her face. They had found Wallflower sitting around tall trees and flowers with a peaceful smile, occasionally resting a hoof with a worried expression against a tree.

“Next time, don’t run off when you decide to check out a tree, k?” High Winds smiled slightly at the blushing earth pony next to her.

“I understand,” Wallflower mumbled. “Sorry.”

“You’re good. Let’s just keep moving when the others get back. No time like the present!” High Winds announced and examined Wallflower. “I’ll let you borrow some of my books when we get back once we win. Got a few tree books but not many.”

“You’d actually let a stranger just borrow your things?” Twilight interjected with a startled expression. “I do occasionally but I always worry they will be destroyed or something.”

“Of course!” High Winds chirped and smiled. “I always like sharing with my friends.”

Twilight recoiled at the word friends but decided to not argue. There’s no time for that she mused internally.

She would be lying if she didn’t entirely hate the idea.

Author's Note:

https://derpibooru.org/images/1278986

Name: Silverspeed.

Nickname: Silv, Silvy, Archer, Speedy.

Age: 26.

Motto: There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is all the same.

Bio: (From Sunset's diary.)

Silverspeed is probably one of the best ponies I've ever met, outside my family. She's helped me out a lot with sorting out drama with Stormy Flare, especially when Blaze and I got disowned by her in favor of Spitfire. She's super friendly and hard working. She's got these gorgeous purple eyes that I can't help but get lost in. And don't even get me started on her wings or her flanks. She's got a super athletic body that exploring is pretty fun. Don't even get me started on how soft her hooves can be and believe me, i know very well from experience from late nights in bed. Anyway, before I get too far and accidentally make this entry a bit R Rated, my favorite thing about her is her personality. She's just got this way about that's hard to describe. She's pretty damn forgiving considering how we first met I accidentally spilled coffee on her five years ago in Canterlot. Silverspeed has a daughter named Silver Spoon. Silver Spoon is a product of Silverspeed’s last relationship. That filly is well, complicated to say the least. Some days she hates me, others she loves me. She's all over the place and has an attitude problem. I blame Diamond Tiara for that. She was only four when I came into her life and somehow remembered her dad. It's a whole fucking mess man. Anyway, Silverspeed is pretty impressive and I'm not saying that because she's my girlfriend. She's hardworking and is a talented flyer. Super laid back too. Most of our dates are just us cuddling on the couch with candles and a movie after Silver Spoon is asleep. Occasionally sneaking upstairs after and me using my soundproofing spell but eh, no biggie. I'm running out of space on this page but I'll finish this with she definitely made me a better pony. I'd probably have ran away and been a power hungry bitch without her. I'm the lucky one here.

Abilities: Silverspeed is a strong flyer, coming out with a wing speed of twelve point five. She's got an bow and arrow for a cutie mark. She is impressive with a bow, able to hit her target from a long distance. Twilight hasn't exactly figured out how far she can't reach but I'm certain we will find out one day. Silverspeed is a very talented flyer and good at math, boasting an impressive wing power of twelve point five. Even Spitfire said it was impressive after she watched Silverspeed blow past Lightning Streak.

Weakness: Honestly, her only weakness is Silver Spoon. Not saying that's a bad thing but it's hard for Silverspeed occasionally to punish her only daughter and occasionally spoils her. I get it though, she's her only kid and all. Silverspeed has bouts of depression about her but I have my ways of making her forget about it. Mainly just hugs. I love her wing hugs. Anyway, weaknesses. When she has to lay down the law with her daughter, believe me she does. Silver Spoon goes quiet quick when Silverspeed gets angry enough. Even I stay silent.

Allies: Myself(obviously), Silver Spoon(again, obviously), Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Spitfire, Blaze, Wave Chill, Misty, Fleetfoot, Soarin, High Winds, Wallflower, Watermelody, Spike, all the Wonderbolts.

Enemies: Nightmare Moon(Formerly), Lightning Bug, Hard Hat, Speed Trap, Cinnamon Swirl, Music Bluegrass, Walnut Cherry, some unnamed stallions from an incident I'm not entirely comfortable speaking about yet and yeah, I think that's about it.

Comments

[Comickook]

Another great chapter. Really love the work going into the dialogue, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Definitely appreciated the discussion about the castle that none of them know how to find, certain efforts being made and the group's hobbies (or lack thereof in one or two cases). Silverspeed's bio at the end was excellent too.

VERY MUCH looking forward to more of this.