It had taken all afternoon to get up to the clouds, since Derpy Hooves wasn’t a great flier herself. Twilight hadn’t been able to come along (no matter how much she wanted too) since she herself doubted her own skills with her wings. In fact, she was so worried about Mild Glow’s ability to fly being hindered by their ineptitude she was about ready to get Rainbow Dash to teach their kid for them. But then she remembered all the crashes, collisions, and collateral damage that her friend had been causing all of her life and thought better of it. Although Derpy could technically fall in the same boat, she had noticed her lovely wife’s newfound carefulness around their child.

“Alright, kiddo, it’s your turn!” Derpy spread her wings and jumped off of their cloud to flap in midair. “It’s not that hard, huh? And if you feel yourself start to fall, don’t worry, I’ve gotcha!” She showed a genuine smile back up to her kid….who was quivering like they were in a snowstorm. “…Glow?”

The filly in question was taking refuge on the cloud higher up. Although her wings were open and ready, were paper bags in the wind. Her mane just about obscured her face as always, since she would run away at the sight of shears, but even Derpy Hooves could see the fear in her face. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch you! You’ve just gotta at least try,” she encouraged and outstretched her hooves. “Just flutter on down, Glowy…”

Mild Glow gulped hard and stepped back. “W…what if you don’t catch me?” she whispered hoarsely and retreated even further into the cloud’s fluff. “That’s what your wings are for, silly!” Derpy joked lightly and edged closer. “But I’ll catch you even if they don’t work. I promise.” She sent another assuring smile her daughter’s way in hopes it would coax her down.

“…Okay. I…I’m coming,” Mild Glow replied, her terrified voice barely above a whisper in the wind. A moment of hesitance was followed by a deep breath. Then what was supposed to be a jump off the cloud turned into a slip accompanied by a yelp. She haphazardly tumbled through the air about as gracefully as a penguin being thrown from a skyscraper, and the cry she let out was just as bad.

Regardless, Derpy swooped in and did well on her promise to catch her little chick. Mild Glow was breathing shakily, but felt the comfort of her mother’s nose nuzzling hers to snap her out of it. “You did great you little egg muffin, you!” Derpy promised sweetly and tightened her hold on her. Despite the initial dread from the little girl, she actually broke out into a smile and started giggling. “Mommy, let’s do it again!” she laughed and clapped her hooves together.

Derpy blinked her crossed eyes, flabbergasted. “..Really?”

“Yeah! Come on let’s go!”

“…Well, alright! Let’s do it!“

——

im. this. this is my life now i guess ASDFJkl

Art © mylittlegami

Derpy Hooves belongs to Lauren Faust