S2 E22 everypony! Ponyville Confidential is up next!

....

Malibu one day was just sitting on a bench in Ponyville, enjoying the sun, wishing the other gargoyles at home could be in the sun like him.

But then he yelped when a piece of paper fell on his head, using his magic to read it. "Mandatory meeting for all Ponyville Pegasi?" Malibu read to himself in interest, looking up towards the sky now to see his marefriend Rainbow Dash throwing out some more papers for the other pegasi around town.

"Library, tonight! Be cool or be mule!" She flew down to a mule nearby. "No offense," Dash apologized, making Malibu laugh a little.

"None taken," The mule said, still smiling. Malibu figured it couldn't hurt tos see what this meeting was, especially if it involved every pegasus here in his hometown. Maybe he could offer to help as well.

.....

Later in the evening he stepped into the Golden Oaks library with every other pegasus, Twilight and Spike having set up a projection reel. He sat down in the front row next to another mare named Flitter.

"You know what's going on?" He asked her who shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe the reel will explain," She whispered back as the film started. Malibu watched with rapt attention, old timey music playing with the reel.

"Every living thing depends on the life-giving nourishment of rainwater, and it is up to Cloudsdale to provide rain-filled clouds to every corner of Equestria. But how, one pony might ask, does Cloudsdale gather all this extra water? Tornado power! That's right, Pegasi-driven tornado power. A team of Pegasi combine their wing power to create a jumbo tornado, powerful enough to pull water out of the local reservoir and funnel it all the way up to Cloudsdale. Remember, Pegasi, your jumbo tornado must reach a minimum of eight hundred wing power to lift that water up to Cloudsdale. So, the next time you're wondering "Where does all that extra rainwater come from?", just remem–."

Malibu blinked, seeing the picture being broken up as the crowd chattered in confusion, which revealed to be Spike's doing from him messing with the video reel. He laughed nervously. "Uh, intermission?" He asked jokingly, making Malibu roll his eyes.

But inside he was interested in this 'tornado power' deal if it meant Equestria would have more rain soon. It really needed it too. He looked to see Rainbow Dash fly up above the crowd.

"So here's the scoop: Cloudsdale has chosen our highland reservoir as a source of the rain water they need for all of Equestria. And you know what that means. It means it's up to Ponyville's Pegasi to bring that water up to Cloudsdale!" She revealed.

Malibu felt excitement from that idea, hoping his marefriend will let him participate. He could hear the others chattering excitedly. Dash continued. "Not only that, but Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts, will be here to oversee the water transfer and record our top tornado windspeed!" Dash said, pulling down a poster of Spitfire.

She pulled out more papers. "Now last year, Fillydelphia broke the windspeed record with a top speed of nine hundred and ten wing power. But I think we can do better. I think we can get a top speed over a thousand!" Rainbow Dash said with a confident smile, Malibu's heart thumping with his love for her confidence.

He heard other ponies cheer besides one who was sitting behind him, which was Fluttershy. Malibu glanced around, spotting her there looking nervous.

"...if, each and everypony trains, and trains hard to get their wing power numbers up!" Rainbow added in next, until she and Malibu heard coughing that came from a stallion named Thunderlane. "That coughing better be from a popcorn kernel, Thunderlane! Nopony's getting sick on my watch!" Malibu saw Thunderlane grin nervously from her words.

"So, are we gonna train hard?" Rainbow called out, everypony but Fluttershy cheering. "Are we gonna be strong?" More cheers. "Are we gonna be fast? Record smashing fast?"

Malibu jumped when a huge bulky muscled stallion known in town as Bulk Biceps suddenly come out of nowhere. "YEAH!" He roared. Malibu noted his really tiny wings, wondering how he could fly at all.

"Who's with me?!" Rainbow shouted, the crowd doing its final cheers, Malibu flying up into the air, grinning at Dash who smiled back at him. "Was I too much?" Malibu shook his head. "Not at all. But... where's Fluttershy?"

The young couple turned to see the empty spot where Fluttershy used to be, Rainbow groaning, knowing it would take some coaxing this time more than ever since they needed all of the pegasi for the tornado.

....

In the morning showed the pegasi working hard and excersising their wing muscles for the big event, Malibu and Rainbow Dash watching it all. "Stretch those glutes, Flitter! Nice flexibility, Cloud Chaser!"

The teal alicorn noticed a mare struggling in her stretching. "A little too much flexibility, Blossomforth. Uh, Malibu, can you help her out?"

Malibu nodded, quickly going over and using his magic to help her back up again. Blossomforth smiled back at him in thanks.

"Keep it up! We're gonna need all the wing power we need to break that record!" Rainbow Dash encouraged.

"YEAH!" Roared Bulk Biceps again, Malibu's ears lowering from how loud he was. Rainbow looked quite proud of everypony. "Good work everypony!" But she sighed then, and Malibu knew. "Everypony except Fluttershy."

Malibu nudged her. "How about we go talk to her? Give her encouragement?" He asked. The cyan blue pegasus nodded, the two flying over to her cottage.

The two knocked on the door, "Fluttershy? I know you're in there! You're avoiding tornado duty and I want to know why!" Dash demanded, knocking more. "Fluttershy, open—!"

The door suddenly opened up, revealing Fluttershy in her bathrobe and to Malibu's shock; covered in polka dots. "Achoo... hi, Rainbow Dash and Malibu..." She said in a quiet voice, trying to fake being sick. But in Malibu's opinion didn't sound too convincing. She fake coughed as well.

"Fluttershy? Are... you doing alright?" Malibu asked. Rainbow Dash agreed. "Yeah, what happened to you?"

Fluttershy coughed again. "Oh, I-." She gave a sniff faking a clogged nose. "-I think I have... the pony pox. I'm sorry. I really, really wanted to come to training today...." She slumped against the doorway. "But this pony pox has really knocked me through a loop. Achoo..."

Rainbow Dash pretended to look sorry for her, Malibu giving Fluttershy a look that told her he didn't believe her. "Really?" He pondered. "Oh, you poor thing!" Said Dash in a pretend way. "You know, there's only one cure for pony pox."

Fluttershy agreed, smiling. "I know, plenty of bed—." She shrieked when Rainbow suddenly poured water all over her, even startling Malibu to jump into the air.

"Cold water!" She declared with a smirk. "Those pony pox are clearing right up!" Malibu now could see that Fluttershy had drawn spots onto her pelt, wondering why she pretended to be sick at all. Being sick was no fun. He remembered his alicorn flu with a strong memory.

The yellow pegasus laughed nervously. "Oh, y'know, all of a sudden, I'm, I'm starting to feel better." She began to back up. "I'll just get out of these robes and—." She stumbled, falling down. "Ow! Oh, my wing! Oh, ow, it's hurt. I guess I can't fly after all—." Fluttershy said, until she shrieked again when Dash blew her whistle, causing her to fly into the air.

"Messed up wing? Really?" Malibu said suspiciously, eyeing her perfectly working wings, Fluttershy flushing. She landed next to them.

"Stop horsing around, Fluttershy. We've got a lot of training to do. Come on now, what's going on?" Dash asked now sounding concerned.

Malibu watched Fluttershy hesitate before she answers. "Well, y-you see, uh, well... oh, Rainbow Dash, Malibu, I just can't do it! I can't fly!" She sobbed openly, cowering down.

The special someponies glanced at each other in surprise. "What do you mean by that, Fluttershy? Last week me and Rainbow saw you do that sweet nose dive to save a falling baby bird before it hit the ground!" He stated.

Fluttershy trembled. "But that was different, that was an emergency! This whole tornado thing, it's more like a performance, and you know how I hate performing in front of others. Don't you remember flight camp? I couldn't gallop hard or fly fast, not with everypony looking at me!"

Rainbow scoffed. "It wasn't that bad," She tried to encourage since Malibu wasn't at that flight camp, Rainbow had to be the one to remember it. Flutter nodded. "You're right, Rainbow Dash, it wasn't bad. It was horrible! The other foals used to tease me about my weak wings, a lot!" She cried, cowering. "I just can't risk that sort of humiliation again!"

Fluttershy jumped as Rainbow yelled. "Suck it up, Fluttershy! This is no time for—!" Malibu bumped her in the side sharply, shaking his head no, having her tone down a little. "I mean... confidence or no confidence, I'm gonna need every pegasus to break that record. Including you. I need every ounce of wing power I can get."

But that didn't convince her yet. "Oh, I-I don't think so, Rainbow Dash..." She responded. Malibu didn't see any other way they could, the two turning to leave. "Thanks anyways," He said to her sadly.

It was only a few minutes until her voice spoke up. "Wait, I'll do it," Fluttershy said, causing the two to look about again in excitement.

"You will?" Dash gasped.

"I will." Fluttershy replied.

"You're game?"

"I'm... game."

Rainbow took Fluttershy into a hug, flying into the air. "Alright!" She cheered. Malibu smiled at her. "Don't worry, we'll be right there for you," He assured, making Fluttershy's worried face soften just a little.

.....

Back at the track field Twilight was now there to help out with the event, having set up some kind of wind machine. Malibu tilted his head at it. "What does this do exactly?" He asked Twilight who replied with a smile. "This is an anemometer. It measures your accelerative velocity and translates it into wing power, thus gauging your cumulative H2O anti-gravitational potential!" She said in her bookworm voice, greatly confusing him.

"Any other questions?" Twilight asked, Malibu nodding. "Uhuh!" He turned to Spike. "What exactly does this machine do?" He whispered. Spike sighed. "It tells you how fast you're flying and how strong your wings are." He replied, the other pegasi finally getting the understanding, Malibu as well while Twilight frowned that nobody could understand her science language.

More coughing came again from Thunderlane, Twilight pulling out a germ spray. "Is that you again, Thunderlane? Please, we need to have a germ-free environment!" She sprayed him, Thunderlane glaring. "It wasn't me, it was Blossomforth!" He pointed. Malibu himself hoped he would catch whatever those two had.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Twilight. Thunderlane's just cooking up an excuse to spend tornado day in bed. Why don't you get over here and be our first test flier, Thunderlane?"

That made the stallion swallow, Blossomforth laughing silently at him while he flew to the starting line. He raised his wings, flapping quite hard, soaring around the track and back again. "We have 9.3 wing power!" Twilight announced. The crowd cheered for him along with that muscled guy Bulk Biceps, Malibu still wondering where this guy even came from.

Rainbow nodded. "Not bad, not bad." She then had her go at it, cracking her neck and wings, before taking off even faster than Thunderlane, making a gust of wind nearly blow Malibu off of his hooves, his belly fluttering from loving how fast she was.

"16.5 wing power!" Cheered Twilight, Malibu doing some jumps in the air. "Yeah! Go Dash!" He cheered, almost forgetting Fluttershy was there. Rainbow suddenly gave him a challenging look. "Think you can beat that if you really do love me?" She said with a grin and a wink.

Malibu's ears fell slightly, but he was willing now to see how fast his wings, seeing the other ponies watching but turned to focus on the track. Narrowing his eyes, Malibu took off, flying as fast as possible, managing to cross the finish line.

"13.4 wing power!" Twilight proclaimed, much to Malibu's shock. He expected less but supposing that since he was an alicorn there wasn't really any reason why he wouldn't be fast. Rainbow herself was impressed with his speed. "Pretty sweet," She said with her classic grin before turning to the audience. "So there! If you can get your wing power up to either of these two speeds by the end of the week, we'll no doubt set a new tornado speed record! We'll be number one!"

Every pegasi gave an even bigger cheer, though Malibu saw Fluttershy still kneeling down, flapping her wings weakly but not flying with the others, wishing there was a way to snap her out of her stage fright.

....

The training soon began, where Spike listed down each of the pegasi's wing powers after Twilight announces them, Rainbow and Malibu watching from the sidelines. One stallion at one point managed to fly nearly as fast as Malibu from those days ago, which was 11.9 wing power.

"Whoa, almost as good as me," he complimented, the stallion grinning back. "Fluttershy, your turn," Rainbow Dash called out, blowing her whistle.

Malibu looked on at his friend as she flew to the starting line, shaking. She raised her wings, taking a deep breath, then flying. But she hardly looked like she was flying. He winced slightly from it. That would hardly make a tornado. But he heard laughter from the two mares Flitter and Cloud Chaser, and Fluttershy instantly halted in her speed, slower than when she started.

She passed the anemometer that weakly squeaked and spun. Twilight flinched from how not so fast Fluttershy was, the three whispering.

"We gotta tell her," Malibu whispered.

"No, you tell her!" Rainbow hissed to Twilight, who shook her head. "No, you!" Twilight hissed back while they smiled, trying to look cheerful for Fluttershy.

"Um.... great job, Fluttershy! You measured, uh, uh, .5." She revealed, Fluttershy smiling just a bit.

Spike scratched his head. ".5? Isn't that like... less than one?" Malibu glared, smacking Spike with his wing. "Ow!" Spike yelped.

His words didn't help Fluttershy at all, who began to get a stagefright breakdown, eyes popping out, gasping repeatedly, mouth dropped open before starting to run away, sobbing greatly. Rainbow Dash and Malibu flew after her instantly.

"Fluttershy, wait!" They caught up to her. "So, some bullies made fun of you. Are you really going to quit from that?" Malibu asked, before realizing his error choice of words, Fluttershy turning, her face a mess.

"Ye-e-es!" She wailed. "But I need you!" Rainbow Dash pleaded. Fluttershy disagreed. "I'm-I'm sorry, guys. I-I just don't have the courage right now!" The shy pegasus wept, running off to be with her animal friends.

Malibu groaned a bit from what had happened, kicking the dirt. Rainbow though had that look in her eyes, gesturing to go after Fluttershy. "You... you sure?" Malibu asked.

"You're the element of Love. Give her some of it to help her come back!" Rainbow pleaded, showing off bambi eyes. Malibu as usual couldn't resist them, sighing a little, knowing Fluttershy deserved this.

He flew off to find Fluttershy talking to her animals, supposedly having stopped cryng. He turned around the tree, startling her.

"Wait, Flutter, I didn't mean to scare you. Just wanted to make sure you are ok," He begged. Fluttershy whimpered before taking a breath. "I'm... glad you came for me Malibu. Because I need your help to get me to fly better. I want to prove that I can do something!" She determined.

Malibu felt a smile from her words that Fluttershy was willing to face her fear, before nodding. "Alright. Let's do this," He said, eventually going to set up the training.

It was rather tedious work with a whole bunch of exercises that he and the animals both set up for her. Fluttershy however kept on improving every little bit, until soon she can cause a whole field of dandelion seeds to blow off into the air. Malibu's face burst with pride for Fluttershy, the two hugging each other.

"Come on, Dash is waiting for us now," He told her. Fluttershy gulped but nodded, following him in his wake. They returned to the track where the other pegasi were also improving, one of the squirrels going up to tell the three others about what was happening.

"What's that?" Spike asked, seeing Fluttershy now having a brave face, Malibu alongside her, as Fluttershy landed near the starting line. She glared out at the track, raising her wings, and flying in the speed she used earlier.

But when the anemometer spun and Spike wrote down the numbers, Fluttershy's face fell from the results. "2.3? 2.3?! That... that has to be some mistake! I worked so hard..." She gasped aloud. Twilight held up her head. "Fluttershy, that's a huge improvement. And it is thanks to Malibu that you could even get that high a number," She added with a smile towards him.

Rainbow agreed. "You both did awesome!" She cheered though Fluttershy disagreed. "No, I didn't! I thought I'd gotten over my nerves, but they still got the best of me! There's no way I'll fly with 10.0 wing power by tomorrow!"

Malibu shook his head. "But... if we keep up with our practicing, I know I can help—." Fluttershy cut him off. "Thanks, but I'm just not up for it now. And how would you and Dash feel if everypony else was flying with 10.0 wing power and you were only flying with 2.5?" She snapped, getting the percentage wrong.

Spike scratched his head. "Actually, it was only 2.3 and— ow!" Malibu smacked him upside again with his wing, Twilight making a zipping sound with her closed mouth.

Rainbow Dash shuffled her hooves. "Well, uh... I'd feel... um...."

Fluttershy interrupted. "Exactly! Humiliated!" She began to cry again. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash and Malibu! I just can't do it!" She once again ran off, Malibu wanting to go after her again but Rainbow shook her head.

"We can't put off the tornado anymore, Malibu. It's just gotta happen, with or without Fluttershy. I do hope you're ready."

Malibu felt a swallow in his throat but nodded. He would do it for Equestria as their prince. "It's ok, guys. You've still got plenty of wing power for your tornado. You'll be able to lift tons of water up to Cloudsdale!" Spike said, Twilight lifting him away.

The two special someponies down inside wished they could get Fluttershy out of her phobia for performing though.

...

It was now the big day for the tornado drill, everypony lined up at the reservoir with Dash and Malibu up in front. He looked into the sky to see Spitfire come for a landing. It had been a while since he'd seen her.

Rainbow turned to the crowd. "Are you ready to do this?!" She yelled before Spike tapped on her shoulder. "Look!" They looked at the paper, seeing that Thunderlane was out.

"Lazy Thunderlane!" Growled Rainbow Dash. "He's been trying to get out of tornado duty the whole time with his fake coughing and all. Rumble, where's your lazy brother?" She asked another younger pegasus there, his eyes shifting. "He's got the feather flu. He's down at the Ponyville hospital."

Malibu's face went pale. That was bad. "Oh dear," He mumbled. "But he's not the only one," Spike said in a dreaded tone, showing 7 more pegasus out for the count. Malibu felt his face grow more pale. Now it was a huge disaster.

Twilight counted the numbers. "Let's see, with those eight sick pegasi out with the feather flu..." She gasped. "Oh no!"

Rainbow Dash looked terrified. "Don't tell me we won't be able to break the windspeed record!" She pleaded, shaking.

Twilight Sparkle shook her head. "No..." It caused the cyan blue pegasus to sigh in relief. "You might not have enough wing power to create a tornado powerful enough to lift the water to Cloudsdale even with an alicorn here!" She suddenly revealed.

Both Malibu and Dash's eyes twitched. This couldn't be happening! Spike sighed. "Well, should we pack up?" He asked, defeated. Rainbow however had her face change. "No! Of course not! Forget the record! Cloudsdale still needs water!" She put on her goggles, Malibu putting on his own and flying up with her. "Ok, everypony! Let's give it all we've got! On the sound of the horn we take off!"

Spike soon blew the horn; signaling the group to take off into the air. Malibu felt terribly nervous about it more than ever, hoping they really can do it, flapping his wings as much as possible, all of them flying around very fast, starting to make it.

But while down below Fluttershy was able to make it there, to offer moral support at least for her two friends up in the tornado.

Malibu gritted his teeth, wincing when feeling a prick of pain in his wings, water starting to distract him from concentrating, causing him and others to stumble, yelping out and crashing into two other pegasi, breaking up the tornado. He fell smack into the dirt of the reservoir, eyes widening in fear when the water fell right onto him.

He struggled to swim up to the surface hence feeling quite tired but managed to break the surface, gasping for breath, starting to dog paddle to the shore, climbing out shakily, slipping slightly until soon he felt somepony pull him out, which happened to be Bulk Biceps.

Malibu shook the water off. "Uh, thanks," He thanked the tough muscled stallion who grinned, before going to sit down. He ran over to Twilight, wincing a little while running.

"...You should quit! It's not safe!" He heard Twilight yell as Rainbow suddenly spotted him. "Are you alright?" She asked in in worry, Malibu cringing but smiling weakly. "Think so. We can do this again, I know we can."

Twilight pushed him down but gently. "I don't think you should, Malibu. You took quite a hit more than the rest." Malibu growled, trying to fly.

"I can do it—ahh!" He gasped aloud when one of his wings pinched up, making Malibu shake. Rainbow Dash didn't like the look of this, her ears flat.

"Twilight... is right. You sit it out this time, Malibu." The teal alicorn stared in despair. "What? But... you need me!" He begged while Spike wrapped a bandage around his wing.

"You might break a wing next time. We can still do this even without an alicorn," Rainbow Dash said as gently as we could, causing Malibu to feel tears in his eyes before nodding. Rainbow Dash turned to the audience. "Come on, ponies! Let's make this our all!" She yelled out, flying up again and Malibu this time watched them remake the tornado. Twilight counted the wing power.

"Seven hundred! Seven hundred and fifty wing power!" Twilgiht called out, Malibu shielding himself from the wind. "They fell apart right after this!" Spike yelled out, Malibu remembering that.

Fluttershy whimpered. "Oh, I'm too nervous to look!" Malibu's ears remained quite flat on his forehead. "C'mon, C'mon," He begged softly.

"Seven nintey five! We are so close! Fluttershy, they need you up there!" Shouted Twilight, Malibu nodding at her. Fluttershy would do better than he did. Fluttershy covered her eyes. "I won't make a difference! And what if I get hurt like he did?!"

Malibu glared. "No, you won't! And you can! You're the only one to replace me!"

Fluttershy trembled. "My measly 2.3 wing power is still too little!"

Spike studied the wind anemometer. "It's sticking at seven ninety five! I don't know if they've got any more in 'em!" He yelled to the three.

Twilight glared. "Do it for Equestria! Do it for Rainbow Dash! Do it for Malibu! Do it for yourself!" She bellowed.

Fluttershy's eyes flickered with tears for a moment before soon, she gulped, getting the goggles from Malibu and putting them on, flying up and disappearing inside the tornado, Malibu smiling at her finally facing her fear, the tornado now spinning even faster.

"It's moving! She's doing it!" Twilight yelled in happiness. Malibu gestured a hoof into the air. "Go Fluttershy!" He cheered loudly, the water funneling through the tornado, hearing the anemometer beep one more time at 800 wing power, sending the water zooming up into the nearby Cloudsdale at last, causing him to cheer again and jump causing Malibu to flinch in pain again.

Funnily enough; Fluttershy was still flying fast in a circle while the others were all done, having Rainbow Dash fly up with a cloud to halt her. "Whoa, girl, take it easy!" She said with a grin, guiding her down to the ground. "What? Did we do it?" Fluttershy gasped.

"Yeah! We did it! You did it!" Dash responded, wing bumping with Fluttershy, before joining Twilight and Malibu. Malibu instantly hugged his friend, unable to express how happy he was, the others praising Fluttershy for her accomplishment.

Spitfire even congratulated them. "Nice job, Rainbow Dash. You may not have set a new record, but you showed a lot of guts," She praised, causing Dash to grin awkwardly but feel happy to get recognition from her hero. "Thanks. But if you wanna talk guts, then you've gotta give it to my number one flyer, Fluttershy! Let's hear it for Fluttershy!"

The crowd began to bounce Fluttershy into the air, doing a chant. "Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy can really fly!" They all ended with a nice parade, Malibu telling his mom about the events in his journal, and Fluttershy doing out her letter as well:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

Sometimes you can feel like what you have to offer is too little to make a difference, but today, I learned that everypony's contribution is important, no matter how small. If you just keep your head high, do your best, and believe in yourself, anything can happen!"

Malibu while lying in bed resting his wings saw some of the clouds from Cloudsdale float above him, smiling tiredly. Even if he couldn't do the final tornado, he was happy to help other pegasi to achieve it. Especially Fluttershy.

....

Episode was more fun to write than I expected. but the next four are gonna be awesome! Especially the finale that brought Pony fans together for the first time!