Episode 4: Plucky Season

It not even been 3 days since Amy said no to Clover and the earth pony was moping about in his house. He'd only come out of his room to eat and get a drink and there was one colt that was growing tired of his antics. Groaning in annoyance, Zapper pushed open his brother's bedroom door and there he was laying face down in his pillow, trash scattered the floor and the blinds to his windows were closed, making the room pitch black. Zapper looked at his lying brother, sighing as he trotted over to the window, pulling the blinds open as Celestia's heavenly rays washed over his light purple coat. Smiling, Zapper turned to his brother, "Rise and shine Plucky! Time to get a move on! Just because you ain't got work don't mean you can lounge around all day long!" shouted Zapper, smiling as he began poking his brother. But still he wouldn't budge. Flapping his wings, Zapper blew gusts after gusts of wind at the green earth pony. But still, nothing. Zapper was growing tired of this pathetic wounded warrior manure. "So a single mare said no to you? So what? That doesn't mean your life is over! Just take some other mare with you or go alone? But for Celestia's sake stop it with this manure!" shouted Zapper, his face contorted into anger. But just like all the other times he had tried to get his brother out of his funk, the colt just laid there, completely ignoring him. Zapper had had enough. Groaning as he trotted out of his brother's room, slamming the door shut. "Fine. Stay in there! See if I care!" shouted Zapper as he trotted outside, stretching his wings as he took off into the sky. Maybe his weather teammates would have an idea as to why his brother was acting this way.

If there was one thing that always made Zapper happy, it was flying. Flying was the one thing he was good at and it always made him feel free. He was glad he wasn't born an earth pony or a unicorn. Sure, the earth ponies were stronger and unicorns could perform magic but to be a pegasus meant freedom. Free from the earth, free from gravity, free from all the pain. Whenever Zapper flew, he didn't have a care in the world, the wind rushing through his mane, the feeling of being weightless, as if he could go anywhere and do anything. There was no other feeling in the world and even when he'd feel down, flying always seemed to perk him up again. But as Zapper was lost in thought, he hadn't realized that he was nearing his destination, Cloudsdale, the town of the high flying pegasi. Cloudsdale wasn't like any normal town, sure you could trot along its streets and whatnot but only if you could walk on air. You see Cloudsdale was just as its name implied, a town made out the very sky's own clouds. And as Zapper landed on the very thing any normal pony would fall through, Zapper couldn't help but smile as his eyes wandered the town of clouds. Everypony who lived in Cloudsdale, save for a few earth ponies and unicorns, were pegasi. And as Zapper trotted down the cloudy roads, he smiled and waved at the other ponies. It had been a while since he'd visit Cloudsdale, the last time he visited was for a weather's team meeting. Soon enough, Zapper found himself standing in front of cloud-white house with a purple door and purple window shutters. Trotting up to the purple door, Zapper took a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a few minutes and a few more knocks, the door swung open and there in the doorway was a bright orange pegasus stallion, his eyes were bright blue, and his mane and tail were a mix of blue and yellow. His cutie mark seemed to be a lightning bolt within a tornado. The stallion smiled at Zapper, extending his hoof out towards him, a smile on his face. "Well well, if it isn't ole Bolt. What brings you all the way to Cloudsdale?" asked the stallion. Pressing his hoof against the stallion's, Zapper smiled at him, "Just visiting some old friends, Gusty." he said, smiling at his old friend. They had met back during flight school where they were constant rivals, everything was a competition to them, whether it was a race or getting a filly. Back then Zapper went by the name Zapper "The Lightning Bolt" Bolt, while Gusty went by Gusty "The Hurricane" Charge, though his full name was Gusty Geraldo Charge. "Visiting eh? Figured you'd be escaping some crazed mare, asking you to marry her." said Gusty, chuckling to himself. "Oh trust me, that still happens from time to time." he said, smiling at his friend.

Stepping aside, Gusty smiled as Zapper trotted inside. The house looked a lot different from the last time Zapper was here. Back then the whole house was made for a bachelor, a flat screen tv and game station, a waterbed, and trash, everywhere. Gusty was always one for parties and raves. So of course Zapper would invite him to Ponyville every once in a while to enjoy the ragers. But now the house was orderly and neat. The tv and game station was still there but the house looked as if there were two ponies living here. Maybe Gusty had finally gotten himself a mare? Just then Zapper glanced at a fireplace and there on top were four picture frames. Each one showing Gusty and another pegasus stallion. This stallion had a brown coat, a few freckles, and bright green eyes. His mane was light brown with an even lighter purple highlight. He wore dark blue glasses and his cutie mark was a guitar. Everything about this stallion just screamed nerd. Maybe he was Gusty's new roommate. he had heard his last roommate had moved out to take care of his brother. His old roommate being Zapper. Just then, Zapper heard the door close and Gusty trot right past him, "Sorry about the mess." he said, picking up a few loose pieces of paper. "What mess? This isn't a mess, the mess I know of is the mess only "The Hurricane" could whip up. Gusty blushed, feeling embarrassed, "Sadly, those days are behind me." said Gusty as he took a seat on the couch. Zapper just stared at the once-proud bachelor party pony. "Who are you and what have you done with Gusty?" said Zapper. Gusty smiled as he began to chuckle, "A lot has changed since you left 6 months ago." said Gusty smiling at one of the pictures. "Yeah, I noticed. You got yourself another roommate. He looks like a total egghead." said Zapper, looking at the picture. It was then that Gusty sighed happily, still looking at the picture as a blush slowly crawled onto his face. Looking back between Gusty and the picture, Zapper's mind began to connect the dots. His eyes widened as the truth came out of his mouth, "Gusty, you're a-" "Coltcuddler?" said Gusty, smiling as he finished his sentence. "Yes, I'm gay." said Gusty, smiling in triumph. "H-how long?" asked Zapper, hardly believing that his own best friend since flight school liked colts. "I'd have to say, over 2 and a half years." he said, thinking. Over two years ago? That was during the time when Zapper had lived there, then did that mean? And as Zapper kept thinking, a blush slowly crawled onto his face. "Heh, yes. Back then I did have a massive crush on you. I think I actually started liking you on back in Flight School. Though at the time, I didn't think much of it. But after you moved out, I was really lonely until I met Autumn Strum. We met while I was in Ponyville and at one of DJ PON-3's raves no doubt. He was reading a book and a few mares were trying to chat him up and along I came and we just clicked. You don't have a problem with me being gay, do you?" asked Gusty, staring at his friend. Zapper thought about this for a moment, sure it surprised him to know that his friend was a coltcuddler and even more surprised that he had had a crush on him. But that didn't him any less of his friend. Smiling, Zapper shook his head, "Nope, no problem at all. Love is love no matter what form it comes in. Just because you like colts doesn't make you any less of my best friend." said Zapper, smiling. Gusty looked down as he smiled, blushing. "Thank you, Zapper. Phew, now that that's out of the way. Why don't you tell the REAL reason as why you're here." said Gusty, smiling at his old crush.

After a few minutes of explaining the situation, Zapper was finally done. Gusty placed his head on his hooves, his mind in deep thought. "Well, I must say that's quite the predicament." said Gusty as he took a sip of his soda. "I can't say I'm not surprised though. For somepony to be shot down, especially after falling for them, it's tough. It took me a long time after you moved and it took a very special somepony to help me put the pieces back together." said Gusty, smiling softly. Zapper, however, felt guilt. He had no idea that his best friend felt that way about him. Sure he wasn't into colts or anything but still they were friends. Gusty, noticing Zapper's sad appearance, placed his hoof on Zapper's shoulder, smiling at him. "Please, don't blame yourself." said Gusty, hoping to bring his friend back to the way he was. "But the best way to help your brother is to just give him time. Time heals all wounds and a friend helps in anyway they can." said Gusty, smiling. Zapper thought about this for a moment. Maybe he was being a bit harsh on his brother? He did get rejected by a mare he liked. Zapper closed his eyes as he sighed, "You're right. Oh Celestia, I've been a real manure head." said Zapper, looking up at the cloudy ceiling. "Guess I should head back and apologize." said Zapper as he stood back up, stretching his hooves. "Thanks for having me over Gusty and thanks for helping me out." said Zapper, holding his hoof out. Taking it, Gusty smiled as he shook his hoof, "Anytime Zapper. Remember my door is always open to my friends." said Gusty, smiling. Zapper simply nodded as he trotted towards the door and just as he was about to grasp the handle, the door swung open to reveal the stallion from the pictures, Autumn Strum.

At first, neither spoke a word towards one another, just stared at each other. "Hello." said Autumn Strum, looking at the strange colt that was in his house. "Hey." said Zapper, also looking at the strange colt. Just then Gusty trotted up to Autumn Strum and gave him a peck on the cheek, this causing both stallions to blush from embarrassment. "Autumn, you remember Zapper, don't you? He's the stallion I was telling you about." said Gusty, smiling at the brown pegasus. "Oh yes, I do remember. So you're the famous "Lightning Bolt" eh?" asked Autumn, smirking. Zapper simply smiled and nodded, "And you must be the famous coltfriend of Gusty. Nice to meet ya, Names Zapper Gregory Bolt. " said Zapper as he extended his hoof. Taking it, the brown stallion smiled, "Autumn Franklin Strum and yes. I am Gusty's coltfriend. Are you just leaving?" asked Autumn as he glanced at Zapper's satchel. "Yeah, I got a lot of explaining to do back home. Thanks for having me over Gusty, take care." said Zapper as he trotted outside, stretching his wings before he took out into the sky. Leaving the two pegasi behind as they watched, smiling.

Zapper was once again in his own element. The sky was like a canvas and he was the brush, painting the sky with his emotions. And as he flew he took notice of the earth below, there racing through the forest was an orange mare wearing a cowboy hat and in front of her was a clutter of white bunnies. "Huh, guess I'm not the only one that dislikes those furballs." said Zapper, chuckling as he flew through the sky. Zapper didn't think the rest of the way, he knew what he should've done and what he will do once he got back. Zapper smiled to himself as Ponyville came into view. Zapper smiled as his vision was filled by technicolor ponies, each going about their business. Zapper smiled when suddenly his felt a stinging pain in his side as he felt himself thrown off course. The wind rushed through his mane as he fell from the sky, his vision getting blurry as he caught a glimpse of a cyan coat and a rainbow mane.

For one thing Zapper could still feel pain. He had to assume that was a good thing, it meant that he wasn't dead. Or maybe he was dead and he was just stuck feeling pain? Zapper groaned as he opened his bright yellow eyes, Celestia's sun bearing down on him. "Ugh, what in the world happened?" asked Zapper, talking to himself as he looked around. Looking up he was met with a sight only a few colts had ever seen. It was a mare. Blushing deep purple, Zapper scurried out from under the unconscious mare, placing a hoof on his chest as he breathed heavily. "Ok Zapper. You just woke up in a forest with a mare on top of you. Not one of your best days but still." said Zapper, trying to wrap his mind around what just happened. Zapper looked at the sleeping mare, she was a pegasus with a cyan coat and a rainbowed mane. Wait, rainbowed mane? Cyan coat? Pegasus? Mare? Zapper's eyes widened as the realization struck him, this mare was Rainbow Dash! Zapper turned away from the mare, "Ok Zapper, you just found out that that cute mare on top of you is none other than Rainbow Dash. What do you do?" asked Zapper, still talking to himself. He'd seriously have to break that habit of his but now was not the time to think on that. Should he just trot away and pretend nothing happened? Or should he wait for her to wake up?But who knew how long that would take? Zapper pounded on his head with his hooves, trying to think of what to do. Just then the cyan mare groaned in pain. Turning back, Zapper sighed as he knew what Plucky would do in this situation. "Plucky, you SO owe me one." said Zapper as he scooted over to the unconscious mare. Hesitant, Zapper poked his hoof into the mare's stomach, getting a slight groan in return. Zapper sighed once more as he leaned over the mare, his face growing redder and redder. "U-um. Miss Dash? Are you okay?" asked Zapper. Miss Dash? Why in tartarus was he being timid? He'd been with several mares, he kicked a magical being's flank and helped save an immortal princess and practically a goddess. He should NOT be timid in front of this mare! But as Zapper continued to stare at her, he blush only grew more, he quickly patted his face and gritted his teeth. "Miss Dash wake up. WAKE UP!" shouted Zapper. Just then Rainbow Dash's eyes popped open, revealing dark maroon eyes. She quickly search around her until they laid on the stallion that was dangerously close to her. Upon instinct, Rainbow Dash quickly thrusted her hoof upward, making contact on the stallion's chin. The force pushing the stallion into the air as if he was nothing but a feather. As quick as lightning, she shot up, leaping into the air as she kicked the stallion into a tree. A few branches breaking in the aftermath. "Who the heck are you!? Where am I!? And what in the world were you planning!?" shouted an enraged Rainbow Dash. She stared at the random stallion, pure anger on her face. "Are you one of those stalkers from my fan club!?" shouted Rainbow Dash.

But the random stallion didn't speak up. Rainbow Dash inched herself closer to the stallion, "Hey. You alright?" she asked, looking at the stallion. Upon closer inspection Rainbow Dash noticed a strange red liquid trailing down the stallion's muzzle. It was blood! "Oh manure! Not again! Hey! Hey buddy wake up!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she violently shook the stallion. "Wake up! Wake up! Do you realize how much trouble I'll be in!? I'll never join the Wonderbolts now!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she slapped the stallion several times. "Oh, this is just perfect! First AJ is out of whack and now I've just knocked out a random colt!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she ran her hooves through her mane before pressing them against the colt's shoulders. "Listen buddy, if I don't get to be on the Wonderbolts because of you. Then by the power in all of equestria I will make your life so bad it'll make tartarus look like a day at the beach! So for the sake of your own life! WAKE! UP!" screamed the overly anger mare. But soon all of that anger disappeared when the colt said 3 words, "You look pretty." And soon Rainbow Dash's blushing face was even redder than the red in her mane. "W-W-W-W-What are y-y-y-you talking about? M-M-M-Me? P-P-P-P-Pretty?" asked Rainbow Dash as her face became redder and redder. Here she was with a random stallion and he had just called her pretty. Her? Pretty? There was no way. "T-There's no w-way. H-He's probably just woozy from the lack of blood. Yeah. Yeah, that's it. Wait. Blood? Woozy? Blood? Blood? BLOOD! "Oh manure! That's right! I've gotta get you to the hospital!"shouted Rainbow Dash as she picked up the stallion in her hooves and took into the sky. Racing as fast as she could to Ponyville hospital.

What would've taken any normal pegasus a few minutes to get to Ponyville Hospital, only took a few seconds for Rainbow Dash. She would've skinned off a few seconds if not for the heavy stallion she was carrying. Trotting inside the pure white and clean hospital area, she set the random stallion on a row of chairs and trotted up to the counter. Behind it was a pure white mare with a light pink mane and crystal blue eyes. Her cutie mark was in the form of a red plus. Looking up, the white mare noticed a still red faced Rainbow Dash. "Why hello Miss Dash. What brings you here? In for another check up?" asked the mare, smiling. Rainbow Dash just turned away, "Uh, no no Nurse Redheart. Um, I'm here to get my friend checked out. He's over there." said Rainbow Dash as she pointed to the still knocked out stallion. "Oh my. What happened to young stallion?" asked Nurse Redheart. Rainbow Dash felt herself blushing again, she needed to get out of there, "Uh work incident. Yeah, he got hurt at work and being as awesome as I am, decided to bring him here." said Rainbow Dash, turning towards the stallion. "Aww well isn't that sweet? He must be a very special somepony." said Nurse Redheart, smiling at the daredevil pegasus, who, at the mentioning of special somepony, began blushing even redder than before. If that was physically possible. Rainbow Dash turned back toward the nurse pony and began waving her hooves wildly, "N-N-N-No way! There's no way I'd be with somepony like that! I barely even know him!" shouted an embarrassed Rainbow Dash. Nurse Redheart simply smiled as she giggled lightheartedly, "I was only joking deary. Just sign for him here and we'll take great care of him." said Nurse Redheart, pushing a clipboard in front of the mare. Rainbow Dash glanced down at the clipboard then at the strange stallion, shaking her head as she turned back and signed her name in. "Great. Now get going Rainbow Dash. And don't worry about your coltfriend, we'll take good care of him." said Nurse Redheart as she motioned for 2 fellow nurse ponies to take the stallion away. Rainbow Dash watched as the 2 nurses wheeled the knocked out stallion away. "Well, that's good. I guess. Anyway gotta go. Take care Nurse Redheart." said the daredevil mare as she took off, flying out of the hospital, the compliment still ringing through her head.

Nurse Redheart smiled softly to herself as she looked over the stallion's information, "Hmm. Name: Zapper G. Bolt. Residence: Honey Drop Rd. Ponyville, Equestria. Relatives: Clover J. Pluck. Status: Single. Medical Records: Slight allergy to garlic. Hmm, there don't appear to be any serious damage." said Nurse Redheart as she placed the clipboard back down when suddenly the twin glass paned doors slid open and standing between them was a blue-green stallion. His eyes were dark blue and his mane was dark green with light green highlights. He wore a pair of glasses and a blue necklace. His cutie mark in the shape of 3 four leaf clovers. The stallion charged up to the front desk, trying to catch his breath. "W-Where….Is….He?" asked the exhausted stallion. "I'm assuming you're Clover J. Pluck, brother to Zapper G. Bolt?" asked Nurse Redheart. Clover simply nodded in reply, Nurse Redheart smiled at the stallion and handed him a small sheet of notebook paper, "He's in room 4-B." she said, smiling as Clover took the sheet and raced to where his brother was being held.

Clover looked down as Zapper laid unconscious on the hospital bed. Was all this his fault? If he hadn't have been sulking then his brother wouldn't have gotten hurt. He was at fault. Clover just looked at as his brother laid there, sleeping. He felt his cheeks start to moisten as tears flowed down his cheeks. Clover leaned close to Zapper's lying head and whispered, "I'm so sorry Zapper. You were right. I shouldn't have acted like that. I swear when you wake up I'll do whatever it is you want." Just then Zapper's eyes popped open and his whole body shot upright. Zapper's face had a look of smugness, cockiness, and all around assholeness. Zapper smirked a toothy grin as he crossed his hooves, "Damn straight!" shouted Zapper. Freaking out from both confusion and anger, punched the stallion clear in the jaw, the force of the punch pushing the stallion out of his hospital bed and into the green wall. The force of the impact causing the very wall to all around him and clear into the next room. And as Zapper's legs twitched and the dust/smoke began to clear, Zapper sat back up and saw a sight even scarier than Night Mare Moon. There was his brother, Clover, a shadow cast across his upper body as he stood on his hind legs, his eyes seemed to change into that of a demon. "ZAPPER!" shouted the enraged earth pony. Zapper smiled nervously as he backed away slowly, "N-Now, now Plucky. I-It was just a joke. Y-You know how I love to joke. Heh, heh, heh…" But still the demon-turned stallion continued walking towards him, the shadows of the dust seemed to cast a set of bat wings behind the stallion's shadow covered body, adding to the already menacing appearance. "ZAPPER! YOU'RE DEADMEAT!" shouted demonic Clover. "Eeek!" squealed a terrified Zapper as he turned and hightailed it out of there followed quickly by an enraged Clover. Just then Nurse Redheart charged out of her office and saw the damage, the hallway was littered with rubble from the wall as well as the cloud of dust that covered the hallway. She said nothing as she sighed softly and rubbed her temples, "I need a vacation."