A haunting melody resonated all throughout the city of clouds. The tune echoed everywhere, letting its ominous sound crawl through houses, through the streets, through every structure in the city so that it reached every stallion, mare, and foal. Not a single pegasus didn't hear its eerie call seeping through the air. Slowly, as if answering the beckoning freedom of the sky, the patrons rose from their seats in the restaurant and began trotting outside, accompanied by all the other restaurant-goers. The song seemed to call to them and they responded on autopilot, letting its ill-boding call direct them. It spoke to them on some sort of instinctual level. Some ancient ingrained desire to heed the call of the music.

As they stepped out onto the street, their unfocused eyes seemed to ignore every other pegasus doing the same, leaving their homes and businesses and walking onto the cloudy streets, enraptured by the mysterious tune. It played for several minutes, the resonance changing from fast to slow as the tune played on and on until suddenly, it drifted away, gone like a whisper on the wind, until there was nothing but silence in the sky.

The pegasi all stood still for a few more minutes, until the autopilot seemed to switch off and everypony realized just how enthralled they'd been by the music.

"Whoa... what the heck was that?" Rumble asked the question on all of Cloudsdale’s minds, giving himself a little shake to trying to understand what ad happened.

Nopony stepped forward with an answer. Wherever that ominous music had come from, or whomever had been playing it, was a mystery to them all, but those thoughts were furthest from everypony’s minds. They were more concerned about the effect the music had had on them all.

They hadn't been completely subdued by the mysterious tones, for they had all been fully aware of what was going on around them. They just didn't seem to care, too entranced by the sounds encircling them. It had reached them all on some deep level they couldn't understand, and yet they could all feel in their blood that it was important.

"Whatever it was, I have a bad feeling about this..." Thunderlane mumbled with worry.

The sharp piercing scream of a bird seemed to prove him right.

In the center of the park just across from the restaurant, the clouds over the open area began to rumble and break, until with another ear-splitting screech, a huge avian predator burst up from below, its vast size momentarily blotting the sun.

The bird was huge, almost the size of a fully-grown dragon, though it didn't seem to have the same level of intelligence. However like a dragon was different from a lizard, this monster was far different from the average bird. Ponies had seen many different species of great birds in Equestria, from phoenixes of the fire plains to the eagle-like Rocs that roosted in the mountainous regions. This bird however, was one that all pegasi feared for their lives. This was an elemental predator that was a danger to all winged equines.

A Thunderbird.

The creature’s massive wings stretched wide, revealing that its dark brown feathers hid beneath streaks of electricity that seemed to flow and crackle all around it. Its sharp talons were a deep black and the claws upon them could grasp a pony with ease and shred them to ribbons. Its long tail feathers looked like several whips made from pure lightning, and the twin crests above its eyes were shaped like bolts. Its avian eyes as dark as a stormy night glared sharply at the ponies below, assessing them as prey and preparing itself for the hunt. It had heard the music and it was filled with rage and a desire to kill. It could sense its deepest desire within this city, and these small horse-birds would not stop it.

With one final shriek of rage from its sharp black beak, the Thunderbird swooped down towards the now terrified pegasi, it's talons outstretched and bloodlust in its eyes. ponies screamed and flew or ran in every direction, scattering as fast as they could to escape the enormous predator. The predator would not be deterred and it swooped along the streets, its mighty wings destroying homes and business alike in its blind fury.

As it swooped down o’er the city, Rainbolt, Rainbow and Thunderlane grabbed a hold of Scootaloo and Rumble and flew them from the scene as fast as they could. They had no idea what was going on or why this giant bird had come to Cloudsdale, but they sure as heck weren't about to let Scoots and Rumble get hurt.

As Thunderlane held tight to his little brother, flapping his wings at full strength to distance themselves from the mighty beast, with his sharp pegasus eyes, he caught a glimpse of something that confused him. Pegasi were flying all about in complete panic, but sitting calmly, watching the whole scene with a slight smile, was a fit young pony, wearing a purple flight suit with black markings and sharp jagged yellow lightning patterns, and a pair of sinister-looking golden goggles covering her eyes.

He only got a split-second look, before a fleeing mare bumped into Thunderlane and knocked him slightly off course. He righted himself instantly, but when he turned his gaze back to the cloud in the sky, the suited pegasus mare was gone.

"Hurry up, Thunder we need to get these kids to safety, then figure out a way to stop that giant thing!" Rainbow called back as she saw him lagging behind. Her urgent call immediately snapped him out of his query and he continued forwards, wondering if he'd just been imagining things.

The five pegasi all stopped on the other side of the park, taking cover behind an overturned fruit cart. Rainbolt stuck his head over the edge watching as the bird continued to swoop down, trying to attack the pegasi below. Structures and supports didn't seem to deter the massive avian, however the older stallion did notice that while it attacked at random, it seemed to keep flying in vaguely the same direction, getting further and further from the park. He wasn't sure why, but he knew there was something in that direction, something important, but he was too panicked and filled with adrenaline to think straight about it.

He took a deep breath to calm down before looking to his daughter and her friends,

"Okay, we're safe for now, but we need to do something about that bird. Try and lure it away from Cloudsdale or something until the Royal Guard or something can arrive to subdue it."

“That could take a while,” Thunderlane debated. “Since Cloudsdale is always moving all over Equestria, it doesn’t have the best military presence except for the Wonderbolts, and they’re in Baltimare right now.”

“That’s halfway across the country!” Rumble worried. “Even if somepony could alert them in time, it’d still take them too long to get here, and by then that big bird could cause so much damage, or somepony could get really hurt!”

“Rumble’s right, we gotta get it out of here now!” Scootaloo declared with a stamp of her hoof.

"Well I know how to do that easy. I'll just show it who’s the better flyer and get it angry enough to follow me. Then I'll just fly circles around it until the Guard or whoever’s prepared to deal with the bird arrive. Nothing I can't handle!" Rainbow stated with confidence, putting a hoof to her chest in pride.

"That is a terrible idea."

Rainbow blinked in shock before turning a glare to the speaker behind her. While the group had stayed perched behind the fruit stand, Lightning Dust and Hotshot had flown over seeking cover.

"Hey it is so not a terrible idea! I'm way fast enough to keep that thing distracted!" the rainbow mare growled. While she had pushed away most of her anger for Lightning, the stress of the situation was certainly not a good time for reconciliation, and Dash did not need a pony as reckless as Lightning criticizing her ideas.

"It's not about speed! Thunderbirds are damn fast creatures but that's not what you need to worry about! They have the ability to...!" Lightning started before Rainbow shoved her and dived out of cover, to everypony presents shock, and trepidation.

"I'm not taking advice from you about this, Lightning! We’ll settle things later, but right now the city is in danger and your recklessness is the last thing we need right now, so just stay out of my way!"

Before anypony could stop her, she was off in a rainbow blur, zooming towards the giant bird in the sky.

"She’s flying off towards possibly the most dangerous creature known to pegasi with a half-baked plan and I’m the reckless one?!” Lightning’s tone was frustrated and incredulous as she glared after her former rival and spread open her own wings to follow.
“She has no idea what a Thunderbird can do- She doesn't even realize why it's going that way! If she's not careful she could endanger more than Cloudsdale!"

"What are you talking about, Lightning? Do you understand what's happening right now?" Thunderlane asked urgently as he held tight to Rumble. Behind him Rainbolt listened in, hooves clamped securely over Scootaloo's shoulders.

The golden-orange maned mare just gave a growl then sighed in frustration before turning to the group.
"Look, when I was a filly my dad took me on a trip through a mountain range where we saw a flock of those things nesting. When we got home, I read books about them, and learned not only are those things strong, fast and deadly, but that lightning surrounding them isn't just for show. It can use it as a weapon! But that's not even the worst thing!"

"What's worse than that?!” Hotshot gulped, stepping close to his big sister, his cool guy attitude gone in the face of all this danger. Lightning wrapped a wing around him protectively, but she continued facing Thunderlane and Rainbolt, who were not liking what they were hearing.

"The worst part is that a fully-grown Thunderbird absorb lightning. It's drawn to it, like ants to sugar. That thing is undoubtedly trying to find the weather factory, and when it does, it will destroy the whole place to get to the lightning storage!” Lightning clarified, much to Rainbotl’s shock. “Not only will it become immensely strong from the lightning absorption-”

“The destruction of the weather factory could be disastrous for all of Equestria!!!" Rainbolt interrupted with a dawning look of horror that certainly helped spell out the danger forthcoming.

Rainbow zoomed through the airspace above Cloudsdale, trying to banish Lightning from her thoughts. She had been prepared to apologise to the mare, and then she comes over and tries to tell Rainbow how to deal with the situation, the nerve of her! Lightning wasn't the bearer of Loyalty or a savior of Equestria! She had no idea how to deal with this! Her reckless ideas would just put ponies in danger and Rainbow was not about to let that happen. She'd deal with this her way.

She saw the Thunderbird screeching as it zoomed toward an older stallion whose wings weren't fast enough to get him to safety. Rainbow could see the terror in his eyes as the massive predator swooped toward him, and she knew she had to act.

Just as the giant bird's talons swung forward to rip the elder pegasus into chunks of meat, a rainbow trail burst forward and snatched the prey away from the monstrous bird’s claws. The Thunderbird looked up to see a rainbow horsebird drop the older horsebird off in a nearby house. Those cloud walls would do nothing to protect it from the Thunderbird, but it wasn't overly interested in hunting right now anyway. It was enraged and ready to kill, but its goal was still to find the massive source of its favorite nourishment in this pegasus city.

The Thunderbird turned its gaze skyward again, seeking to find the source of lightning present in the city. The fact that it paid her no mind made Rainbow snort in annoyance.

"Hey! Nopony ignores the utter awesomeness that is the one n’ only Rainbow Dash! For that, I'm taking you down, you overgrown buzzard!"

Using her amazing speed, the rainbow mare zoomed toward the flapping bird and shoulder-checked it in the chest. Her speed was impressive, but even speed could only do so much against a creature so much larger than her, for her attack only knocked it slightly off-course. The bird steadied itself and gave a cry of annoyance, but it still deemed the young horsebird more trouble than it was worth to attack and kill. This didn't go over well with Rainbow.

"What did I just say about ignoring me?! Fine then! Prepare for a hell of a butt-whoopin’, birdbrain!"

Seeing that the attack to the bird’s chest hadn't done much, Rainbow utilized a combination of her speed and her black belt in karate to try and kick at the bird’s head. Despite its size, the Thunderbird moved its head away from the strike, causing her to hit its collarbone instead, which seemed to hurt her leg far more then the bird. However her attack did accomplish something.

She had the Thunderbird’s attention now.

"Yes I did it!"

The loud screech in her face and the glare of the predator immediately paled her face and drained away her excitement.

"Okay, so what was step two again…?"

It seemed step two was get the freakin’ heck out of there as a sharp black talon sliced through the air at her. Rainbow quickly dodged it (but she felt the wind on that one, which made her inwardly ‘eep’) and took high to the sky, her rainbow trail billowing behind. She turned her head to see that the Thunderbird’s angry focus was still on her, and it was accelerating towards her rapidly in pursuit.

Realizing that the bird’s wings gave it an immediate advantage at speeding up in a vertical climb, Rainbow swerved around and took off like an arrow. While she didn't have the room needed to pull off a sonic rainboom, she did have the speed and space to pull off an old classic of hers.

"Get ready for my sonic rainnuke!" With a warrior scream she dove at the bird, rainbow contrails spiraling from her body and a determined glare on her muzzle. The Thunderbird was extremely surprised to see its quarry zooming straight at it and didn't have time to swerve to the side.

With a tremendous slam, Rainbow bashed straight into the bird, letting out a burst of magical energy in a rainbow mushroom cloud. The Thunderbird was knocked back with force, completely unprepared for the force from the small horsebird. Losing control of its flight, the bird slammed into the cloud layer, destroying an empty office building in the process.

"Oh yeah” - Pant - “nopony messes with” - Wheeze! - “Rainbow Dash! I knew Lightning was all hot air!" Rainbow panted, exhausted from the strain of the attack. Using that much speed and force wasn't easy, even for a pro flyer like her. But at least the Thunderbird was down for the count…

...Or not, as a bolt of lightning slashed through the air and hit her full force!

Caught unaware and exhausted from her earlier attack, she convulsed in agony from the attack, glowing like an X-ray. After the lightning fizzled out, a charred pegasus floated in the air before plummeting. Hitting the side of a building and skidding across the cloud layer.

Rainbow groaned and gave a cough letting out a lungful of smoke. Her natural pegasus resistance to lightning had saved her there. Had it been an earth pony or a unicorn, they'd be dead right now. Her joy of being alive didn't last long as the massive Thunderbird rose from the destroyed cloud buildings remains, screaming is fury as it took to the sky. Its wings sizzled with electricity and the crests above its head were glowing an ominous yellow.

"I... did not know it could do that..." Rainbow mumbled before diving to the side in a panic as a blast of lightning fired from the crests of the bird’s head, vaporizing the clouds she had just been standing on. Despite the crispy state of her wings, Rainbow knew she had no chance to in stopping that giant bird when it was in a frenzy now. She quickly leapt to her hooves, thinking, Hooves don’t fail me now! as she sprinted to get airborne again. She did a quick run for momentum then took off, swiftly dodging another lightning strike as the Thunderbird roared in anger, its patience with this infuriating little prey at its limit. The enormous avian took wing again, its mass, size, and power easily letting it catch up to Rainbow, who was now desperately trying to gain some distance.

Their scuffle had caused the pair to double back and as Rainbow continued dodging lightning blasts, she looked down in horror to see Scootaloo, out in the open street, making a run to cover with the rest of the group. The momentary lapse in concentration was all the Thunderbird needed and with a screech of victory it fired another lightning blast, scoring a direct hit on Rainbow Dash.

Down below, everypony watched in horror as Rainbow plummeted to the cloud streets, barely conscious. Without thinking, Scootaloo raced from cover, ignoring the warnings from Thunderlane and Rainbolt. Her sister was in trouble, nothing else mattered.

"Rainbow, no! Please be okay, please be okay!!" the little orange pony fretted as she bolted across the street to the prone mare. Rainbow was slowly starting to pull herself up, her lightning resistance protecting her from the worst of the blast, but she doubted she'd be walking away from another shot like that. She suddenly felt hooves wrap around her barrel and all the blood rushed from her face when she saw Scootaloo grabbing a hold of her, attempting to drag her from the street and back to cover.

"Come on, Rainbow! Get up before it attacks again!" Scoots cried, desperate and scared. Rainbow attempted to do just that, more to get Scootaloo back into cover then to save herself, but a crashing thud made them both freeze in terror.

Staring down at them from the opposite end of the street was the monstrous predator. Its avian eyes locked onto Rainbow in range and the murderous glow from its crests growing. The glow turned from a yellow to a frightening white, the most intense and dangerous lightning a pegasus could produce. Rainbow felt her eyes turn to pinpricks as her pegasus senses picked up the building energy. She knew that level of power would overcome any pegasus lightning resistance and completely vaporize them in an instant.

The Thunderbird seemed to know it too, because Rainbow could swear its deadly beak was almost smirking at them as the white glow built up above its eyes. Rainbow realised she couldn't pull herself up in time, so she did the only thing she could. Using her remaining strength she ripped Scootaloo from her waist and tossed her away, closing her eyes for the end. Scootaloo shrieked in terror for Rainbow as the Thunderbird gave a mighty cry and swung its head to fire.

"BACK OFF, UGLY!"

Just as the Thunderbird fired, a blur of turquoise and gold slammed into the side of its head at full force. The massive white lightning bolt exploded, streaking down the street adjacent of the surprised avian, thankfully towards an edge of the city, and striking only trailing clouds, zapping them into vapor. The cloud beneath the Thunderbird was destroyed and it fell through, unable to right itself from sheer confusion. The steamy cloud residue blew all over the street, burning from the residual charge left behind from the overpowered lightning bolt.

Rainbow stared in shock, only for the turquoise blur to zoom back and grab her, zipping her further up the street and into an alley. Seconds later, Scootaloo, now once again held firmly in Rainbolt's grasp, along with Thunderlane, Rumble and Hotshot all sprinted into the alley to find that Rainbow’s savior was none other than Lightning Dust herself, as she gave Rainbow an annoyed look.

"If you hadn't flown off in a rush I could have explained that Thunderbirds can discharge lightning powerful enough to kill a pegasus!" the golden-orange maned mare growled in annoyance, as she helped Rainbow to her hooves, her strength slowly returning. Rainbow just blinked in shocked for a moment before getting a hold of herself and turning to the other mare, whose glare lessened as she looked over Rainbow's crispy and blackened fur.
“Although you almost learned that for yourself.”

Rainbolt stepped forward to speak before his daughter could start something. Again.

"Well Lightning, it’s obvious you know more about Thunderbirds than us, so please, if you have any ideas, lets hear them." Rainbolt asked, stepping closer to make sure his daughter was all right, refusing to let go of Scootaloo again.

Lightning looked at them all for a moment then gave a nod. "All right, look, you've seen what that thing can do, and that wasn't even full power. A Thunderbird that charges itself from the lightning of storm clouds could do enough damage that even Princess Celestia would have a rough time dealing with it, at least until it burned itself out. I don't know how it got past Cloudsdale's defences, but regardless, it’s here now and it’s going to be drawn to the biggest source of lightning in the city - weather factory!

Rainbolt sighed as he spoke up.
“If it manages to gets to the lightning refinery or the storm cloud generators, not only will it super-charge itself, but the damage to the factory will cause massive ecological damage to Equestria along with widespread drought. We need to stop it now."

Lightning nodded in agreement as she looked at the ponies before her. Her little brother, looking scared, but prepared to do anything to help his big sister. Thunderlane, determined and ready to fight. Rumble, looking unsure, but trying to stay brave. Scootaloo, held tightly in Rainbolt's hooves and looking like the only thing she wanted to was to hold on to Rainbow and never let go. Rainbolt, who didn’t have quite the stamina he used to have, as he was breathing a little heavier now. Still he looked ready to do whatever it took to protect his home and his family.

"I have a plan to stop that thing, but it's going to take all of us to pull it off. Rainbolt, I'll need you and the foals to make for the weather factory. Once you get there, get everypony who hasn't to evacuate ,then head for the..." her plan was interrupted by a growl from Rainbow Dash, who had seemed to have recovered, mostly, from her earlier struggle.

"I am not listening to whatever reckless plan you have right now, Lightning Dust. I am not about to let you put my family and friends in danger fighting against that bird just for your ego..."

"RAINBOW WOULD YOU JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Rainbow was shocked into silence as she saw Thunderlane angrily advancing towards her. The large charcoal-black stallion jabbed a hoof into her charred chest, but made sure her eyes stayed locked on his.

"Right now, I do NOT care about your issues with Lightning! Because right now she knows more about that bird then YOU! So shut up, shape up, or ship out! We don’t need your over-sized ego getting in the way or getting you or anyone of us KILLED!! We need all the help we can get right now and your plan, which was every bit as reckless as Lightning might have been, failed. We are going to listen to her, and then we are going to work together, as a team, to stop that thing from endangering all of Cloudsdale and Equestria!"

Thunderlane gave a snort of anger and held her gaze for a moment to make sure his message sunk in. It made Rainbow feel like a scolded filly, and the parental glare from Rainbolt and the worried looks from Rumble and Scootaloo didn't help.

With her ears held low, Rainbow bowed her head in acceptance and stepped back, letting focus fall back on Lightning, who looked at Thunderlane with surprise, and a small underlining of gratitude as he said to her, “Go ahead, Dust.”

"...Okay! So from what I know about Thunderbirds, they’re very susceptible to extremely cold temperatures and ice. It damages the elemental bonds that generate their lightning and cause their wings to lock up. Rainbolt, Rumble, Scootaloo and Hotshot, I want you four to get to the weather factory and gather as much snow clouds and ice shards as possible. It might end up delaying Winter by a few weeks, but I'd say it’s worth it. With enough winter-cloud, snow, and ice rammed into the Thunderbird's wings, its lightning will stop generating and its wings will lock up, which will enable those prepared to take care of it to get in to tranquilize it."

Seeing the four addressed ponies nodding in understanding, Lightning turned to Thunderlane and Rainbow dash, her expression growing grave.

"As for the three of us. we're going to keep that thing busy. Thunderlane, I want you to keep its primary focus. Don’t attack it directly to avoid the electrical charge it gives off, just focus on flying fast and keeping its attention off me and Rainbow."

The stallion gave a nod while Rainbow listened intently as Dust looked to her, "Rainbow, you and I are going to do a repeat of the Wonderbolt Academy."

Rainbow spread her wings in shock and stared right at the ex-cadet. "Wait, you want to..."

Lightning gave a determined nod, an old fire seeming to relight in her eyes. A fire that brought a slight grin to Thunderlane's face.

"That's right Rainbow, we're going to make a tornado!"

The cloud vapor around the hole in the street settled momentarily until the raptor cry of the Thunderbird sent it scattering about. The bird burst back into the Cloudsdale skyline, electricity crackling over its wings and murderous intent in its eyes. It looked about until it spotted three ponies in the street in front of it. A black male horsebird with a funny mane, a turquoise horsebird that was probably what had attack it earlier, and the infuriating rainbow horsebird that had been annoying it before. These little nuisances had the Thunderbird ready to dive in and rip them to shreds, when it calmed itself.

Those annoyances could wait, finding the source of that lightning pile up needed to take priority right now. So, with one last glare at the ponies below, the Thunderbird turned to continue its search. Down below, the three ponies turned to face each other.

"Okay, Thunder, are you sure you're up for this? That thing is fast and deadly." Lightning asked, concerned despite her determination. The stallion turned to her, a confident smirk on his face.

"You’re talking to one of the co-captains of the Ponyville Weather Team!” Thunderlane boasted as he stepped past her, looking up at his target. “You and Rainbow just concentrate on your part. And Lightning..."

Lightning gave Thunderlane a confused look when he looked back at her with an unreadable expression.

"You could have flown away with your brother earlier and left Rainbow for dead, but you didn't. Whatever our history might be, I just want you to know, you have earned my trust, and my respect."

Rainbow looked at her friend in surprise, a feeling of guilt and shame inside her for her earlier dismissal of Lightning eating at her. The mare in question didn't seem to know how to respond, settling on a nod, though the look in her eyes was all Thunderlane needed to know just how grateful she truly was.

The group all gave each other a hoof bump, then took to the skies, ready to fight.

The Thunderbird flapped its mighty wings, flying forwards until finally, its search bore fruit. The weather factory loomed in front of it, the lightning inside calling out to the electrified avian. All that energy to be consumed and empowered by, to allow the atrocious avian to claim the title of King of the Skies!

The bird eagerly increased its speed, zooming towards the cloud structure. Unfortunately, its eagerness left it wide open. Thunderlane took full advantage of this fact by headbutting the bird’s belly at full force!

While his vertical assault didn't largely shift the bird off-course, it did cause it to let out a painful wheeze as it lost its breath for a moment. Large as it was, the Thunderbird was still a bird, and thus had much less mass than it appeared to have. Angrily, it tore its gaze from the weather factory to its aggressor. The black horsebird from early gave a glare as he zipped about mockingly.

This prey would pay.

The Thunderbird gave an ear-splitting screech and let lose a charge of lightning at Thunderlane, who nimbly dodged it and flew down low, using the cloud structures for cover. Without a line of sight, the Thunderbird cried out in rage and took off after it, destroying the cloud buildings in its path.

Thunderlane used all his speed and agility, but the Thunderbird was always behind him, catching up, ready to kill.

Thunderlane zoomed past the building that had been where he, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Gilda had all gone to Junior Speedsters Flight Camp, wincing as a deadly lightning strike missed and destroyed a set of bleachers he, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Gilda had used to play around. The training ground proved a great choice for avoiding lightning strikes, as the abundance of wayward clouds for pegasus foals to lounge about on, greatly hindered the giant bird’s line of sight.

The Thunderbird let out a another screech and put on a burst of speed, smashing through the clouds to tear into Thunderlane with its sharp beak, only for the stallion to flip over its head and start doubling back towards the city.

Rage filled the avian's mind, unrelenting rage!

Lightning streaks shot forward trying to clip Thunderlane, but he remained ever-focused, dodging blast after blast. However the Thunderbird noticed something. The stallion was growing tired, unable to keep up his great speed and maintain the level of agility needed to swerve around or over buildings and dodge lightning strikes.

The bird roared with glee, keeping up the attacks and bursting forward, its momentum not being slightly halted by the cloud buildings. The electrifying wings and tail of the beast sliced through clouds and destroyed structures with every beat, but the great killer never let its focus drift from Thunderlane.

Then with one final strike, a bolt managed to clip Thunderlane's left wing and he spiraled through an abandoned apartment and into an open street with no cover in sight. He swung his gaze around to see the giant bird bearing down on him, its crests charging, ready for the killing blow, blood lust clouding its eyes.

"Okay girls, NOW!" Thunderlane cried out, immediately covering his head and wrapping into a ball. The Thunderbird smirked, ready to kill when the sound of whipping winds filled its ears and it looked up in horror. Rainbow and Lightning burst forth from the tornado they had generated which rocketed forward, ripping apart clouds in its wake. The Thunderbird turned to flee, but the huge swirling vortex held strong and sucked the shrieking beast inside.

Around and around it spun, its wings being buffeted endlessly by the unyielding wind and caught debris. It couldn't focus, its balance thrown for a loop and its senses scrambled. Around and around it spun until finally, the winds died down and the bird was slammed hard into the cloud streets below. The Thunderbird groaned in pain, its wings aching from the winds strains, and its head completely disorientated. However a sensation forced it to focus passed the pain and it slowly raised its head. The beast had crashed directly next to the weather factory. It could feel the lightning inside calling to it, begging to be absorbed. Groaning the bird started to rise when the sight in front of it made its heart stop. A large tube was hanging from one of the factory's balconies, held by Rainbolt and aimed straight at the giant bird.

"Alright kids, let er' rip!"

Scootaloo, Rumble and Hotshot all worked in tandem to spin the giant wheel mechanism and unleash their weapon. A torrent of snow and ice gushed from the tube, slamming into the Thunderbird at full force, knocking it onto its back. It screamed in pain, feeling the elemental bonds inside it freezing over. The lightning covering its wings disappeared and its tail vanished, leaving it looking like a large Roc bird with an odd crest on its head. It continued to screech and struggle, but it was no use.

In moments, the great beast that had torn through Cloudsdale with unstoppable force was now subdued and weakened, unable to rise from the snow covering its wings and body, Moments later, a rush of guards and monster hunters finally arrived on scene, tranquilizers ready and magical transport gear in place to remove this threat from Cloudsdale once and for all.

In the factory, Rainbolt gave a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow, thankful the whole incident was over. Next to him, Rumble, Scootaloo and Hotshot all laughed and danced with glee, hooves joined and their animosity postponed in the joy of victory. Suddenly they each found themselves swept into the hooves of their siblings, hugs of happiness between them all.

Once again, the day had been saved

Once again, my partner, Pontiac56, amazes me

He did most of this, I handled the editing, and I am so pleased with how well he did!