Baby Glory and the Hurricane

"But Mama, it’s so bright outside,” pouted Baby Glory as she stared dejectedly out one of the front windows of Paradise Estate. True, the sky was its normal electric blue, with only a few fluffy white clouds drifting by; however, the placid conditions would be reversing themselves soon enough. Ponyland was awaiting the arrival of a hurricane. It was to be the biggest storm in years, and the ponies had taken careful precautions against it.

“I know, dearest,” Glory replied as she trotted up next to her daughter. “But look, already the winds are beginning to pick up. That’s how hurricanes work. The weather always looks beautiful just before the arrival of a storm as huge as this one, but it’s a very dangerous time to be outside. You never know when the weather might turn.”

Just then, the double front doors of Paradise Estate swung open and a wind-blown, rain-soaked Wind Whistler cantered in. She, along with Firefly and Surprise, had been out on a reconnasance flight into the storm. From the look on her face, the news she brought back was not too good.

While Minty and Bubbles ran up with a pile of towels for Wind Whistler, Glory asked, “What’s going on? Is the hurricane still coming?”

“Yes,” said Wind Whistler after she had caught her breath. “And it’s moving very quickly. I’ve never seen such a storm! It’ll be here before we know it. Have all the preparations been completed?”

“Tex and Four Speed are outside, boarding up the windows,” Glory replied. “They’re almost finished; they only have the front of the Estate to go.” As if her words were a cue, the two Big Brothers suddenly appeared outside and slapped a huge board over the window Baby Glory had been staring out of. “Hey!” Baby Glory yelled.

“Other than that, everything’s set,” Glory continued over the Brothers’ hammering. “Where are Surprise and Firefly?”

“I sent Surprise to Dream Castle to warn Majesty and the princesses of the storm’s proximity, and Firefly is stopping by the nursery then going on to stay with Lemon Drop in the stable. You know how Lemon hates storms! It’s good for her to have as much company as possible.” Wind Whistler glanced around. “Have the flutter ponies arrived yet?”

“They got here about an hour ago,” Minty volunteered.

“Wonderful,” Wind Whistler said. “This storm is too powerful for them - they’d all just get swept away!” She walked off to find her friend Morning Glory. Then Tex and Four Speed, finished with the windows, came inside, and Minty and Bubbles followed them into the kitchen. Glory and Baby Glory were alone in the front hall again.

“But Mama, I’m bored!” Baby Glory whined.

“I’m sorry, dearest,” Glory murmured as she listened to the increasingly loud howling of the wind outside. “Why don’t you practice your magic?” she suggested.

“But Mama, practicing magic is boring! Why couldn’t I stay in the nursery with the other babies? I miss my friends!”

“Because I wanted you here with me,” Glory said through clenched teeth. Her normally infinite patience was wearing thin. “I wanted to be sure you were safe.”

“But Mama, why couldn’t we both stay in the nursery? That’s what Baby Blossom and her mother are doing.”

Glory groaned and rolled her eyes at the thought of being surrounded by dozens of babies, all as bored and stir-crazy as her daughter. Poor Blossom! “I want to stay in the Paradise Estate for the storm, all right, dear?”

“But Mama-”

The last of Glory’s patience snapped. “That’s enough, Baby Glory! No more ‘But Mamas’, do you understand?”

Baby Glory began to dance around her exasperated mother, singing “But Mama, but Mama, but Mama!” at the top of her voice.

Just then, Baby Countdown and Baby Noddins bounded into the front hall, giggling and screeching. Glory was surprised to see them; she had assumed that all of the other children had been taken to the nursery. But here were two playmates for Baby Glory; perhaps she would use up some of her energy playing with them.

Glory’s hope for relief did not last long, however. Baby Countdown ran up to Baby Glory and touched her shoulder with his hoof. “Tag, you’re it!” he hollared. “We’re going down to the nursery!” With that, he and Baby Noddins pulled open the doors and scampered out into the graying afternoon. Baby Glory quickly followed them before her mother could stop her.

“Baby Glory!” Glory cried as she stood in the doorway watching the three babies running down the hill toward the distant nursery. “Oh, dear!”

Wind Whistler had come back into the hall in time to see what had occurred. “She’ll be fine,” she assured the worried mother.

“But the storm...” Glory began.

“It’s getting close, but the children have enough time to get to the nursery before it hits. She’ll be fine,” Wind Whistler said once more.

Glory stood in the doorway until the three galloping shapes got too far away to see; then she shut the front doors and went slowly into the kitchen to wait... For the storm, for her daughter, for whatever came.

* * * * *

Baby Glory stopped short at the bottom of the hill and stared up into the gathering storm clouds. They were black and angry and rumbling with thunder. The wind was howling through the valley and was whipping her mane and tail about crazily. “Um, Countdown?” she called, a nervous tremor in her voice. “Noddins?”

The two babies were already far ahead of her, galloping in the direction of the nursery, and neither heard her. Baby Glory began to follow them, but suddenly a huge bolt of lightening lit up the clouds like a firecracker. The lightning, and the following burst of thunder, startled her so badly that she took off running in the opposite direction, toward the Sea Ponies’ river and the waterfall. She wasn’t quite sure where she was headed; her only thought was that if she kept running as fast as she could, then maybe the storm wouldn’t be able to catch her.

There was no sign of the sea ponies at the river. The water was frothy and its surface was broken by dozens of whitecaps stirred up by the wind. The water level was also higher than usual; the waves were lapping up over the riverbank. Out of breath, Baby Glory stopped and glanced around for somewhere to hide. She spotted a small cave where she and some of the other baby ponies sometimes liked to play. It was hollowed out of the hill nearest the river. It was cramped and dark, but it would have to do.

At the mouth of the cave, Baby Glory thought back on the magic her mother had been teaching her. After concentrating for a moment, she managed to get her horn to begin to weakly glow. If only she had tried harder to learn to wink herself in and out of places... If only she could just wink herself back to Paradise Estate! If only she had practiced her magic as her mother always told her to. As she stepped hesitantly into the cave she vowed to herself that she would practice her magic more from now on.

She had only taken a couple of steps when she heard a squeal, and it scared her so much she almost turned and ran again. But instead she summoned all of her bravery and said, “Who’s there?” in her most courageous voice.

“Baby Glory?” cried the tiny voice from the dark shadows in the rear of the cave. “Is that you?”

“Squirmy?” Baby Glory was sure she recognised the newborn’s voice. “Yes, it’s me.” She walked on and soon the light from her horn illuminated the little yellow baby huddled against the cave wall. “What are you doing here?” Baby Glory asked. “You should be in the nursery.”

“I was playing,” Squirmy whimpered. “I got lost. I’m afraid.” Her big turquoise eyes were brimming with frightened tears. “I don’t like storms.”

“Neither do I,” agreed Baby Glory. “Listen, I think we’re both stuck here. We can’t go anywhere in this weather.” At that moment the sky seemed to open up, and rain began to pour down by the bucketful. Baby Glory sat down next to Squirmy. “At least we’re not alone,” she said to the newborn. “We’ve got each other for company.”

For several minutes they both sat, watching the rain fall and the lightening flash outside the cave. Then Baby Glory noticed that the ground was feeling oddly damp. She looked down. “Oh, no!” The floor of the cave was covered with a thin puddle of water, and more water was running in through the mouth of the cave. The river must have overflowed, she thought. The cave is going to flood!

Quickly she thought about what they should do. Since she couldn’t wink them back to the higher ground of the nursery or Paradise Estate, they would have to run for it.

“Baby Glory!” Squirmy yelped. “My feet are all wet!”

“I know, Squirmy,” Baby Glory said, trying to sound more sure of herself than she was. “Now, we’re going to have to go back to Paradise Estate, all right?”

“Right now?” Squirmy sound none too fond of the plan. “Through the storm?”

“Yep. Now, stay right next to me.” Baby Glory trotted to the mouth of the cave and waited for Squirmy to join her. “ I know the way. Are you ready?”

“I guess so.” Squirmy’s voice was even softer and higher than usual.

“Okay, then let’s go!” With that, the two of them went out into the storm.

Baby Glory was shocked at the strength of the wind. She tried to shield Squrimy from its full force as they ran in the direction of Paradise Estate. Suddenly, however, a particularly powerful gust travelled through the valley, and Baby Glory realized her hooves were no longer touching the ground. She heard Squirmy squeal as she, too, was picked up by the wind, and she turned her head and clamped her teeth onto a section of the newborn’s tail so that they wouldn’t get seperated. Together, the two babies tumbled about in the storm.

Baby Glory knew that they wouldn’t make it back this way. The hurricane would carry them far away, and they’d never see Paradise Estate or Dream Castle or the nursery or any of the other ponies again. There was only one chance left - maybe if she tried very hard she could wink them both somewhere safe. She had never been able to wink even just herself anywhere before. But it was their only chance.

Still keeping hold of Squimry’s tail, Baby Glory closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She heard her mother’s voice in her head, instructing her on how to wink in and out, and she did just what she had been taught. And suddenly, she realized that she was standing on firm, hard ground again and that there was no more wind and rain around her. She let go of Squirmy’s tail and slowly opened her eyes.

She was in the front hall of Paradise Estate! She had done it! She had winked them both there! She and Squirmy began to hollar and dance about in relief.

Glory heard the commotion and ran in from the kitchen. She was followed by several other ponies, including Minty and Bubbles, who had more towels for the dripping-wet babies. “Baby Glory!” Glory cried. “You’re back! What happened? And why is Squirmy here?”

While she dried off, Baby Glory explained the entire story to her mother. Then Glory said that, just before the storm had hit, Twilight had winked in from the nursery for a moment looking for Squirmy. “No one knew where she was. Everyone was so worried,” Glory explained. “I’ll have to wink over there and tell them she’s been found.”

“No, Mama, let me!” Baby Glory insisted. “I can do it now, remember?”

Glory laughed. “That’s right! Okay, you go then, dearest, but come right back.”

Baby Glory nodded and did as she was told.

* * * * *

The next day, happily, was bright and clear and full of warm sunshine. The hurricane had passed, and the only signs that it had been there at all were a few branches that had been ripped from the trees and thrown about by the wind. Tex and Four Speed were wandering about now, picking them up. Glory and Baby Glory were in the valley, with mother instructing daughter on how to use her power to levitate things. Baby Glory was working on making a small stone float several feet above the grass when Baby Moondancer and Baby Bouncy galloped up. “Hey, Baby Glory!” Baby Moondancer exclaimed. “We’re going to the nursery to run some races! Want to come?”

Glory watched her daughter. This type of interruption always seemed to happen when Baby Glory was learning her magic, and she always gave her mother the same excuse - “But, Mama, this magic is boring! I want to play!” Glory waited to hear the familiar whine.

But it never came. Instead, Baby Glory looked at her friends and shook her head. “Nope, sorry, but I have to practice my magic. It’s very important, you know.”

Baby Bouncy shrugged. “Okay. See you later!” She and Baby Moondancer cantered away, and Baby Glory turned back to the floating stone.

Glory watched her daughter concentrate on her magic. How proud she was of Baby Glory that day!

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