This turned out a lot longer than I intended, partly because since I made up my own versions of Fluttershy's parents, I did the same with her brother and used my own version instead of Zephyr Breeze, and wanted to add more and do it right. I'm not one hundred percent sure I did, but here we are

Crashing Wave, or Crash for short, is a big earth pony with facial features similar to Doughnut Joe. He has a similar color scheme to Zephyr Breeze but a different cutie-mark, talent, and aspirations

Baby Belle and Sandow were laughing happily as they sat up against their Grandma Posey's side while their Grandpa Sunsplash played Peekaboo with them, Fluttershy sitting next to her mother as she enjoyed her foals' adorable laughs.

"Wherrrre's Grampa...? Here I am!" Sunsplash would cover his face with his wings before spreading them out and showing his grandfoals his warmest smile, and feeling his heart swell with love when the twins laughed happily and reached up to touch his face with their little hooves.

"Oh, Fluttershy, it's so good to see you and the foals as well," Posey nuzzled her daughter though she was unable to take her eyes off her grandfoals and giggle at how silly her husband was being to make them happy.
"Though I am a little disappointed Macintosh couldn't make the trip here, I understand that he's needed at Sweet Apple Acres."

"He wanted to come, but yes, with spring in the air," Fluttershy shrugged, "the Apple Family have to get their orchard started for this year's harvest. Not to mention it's almost that time of the year again..."

"Well, think of it this way," Posey gave Fluttershy a knowing look, "since you're already a mommy, you won't have to worry about those... needs."

"I really hope so, Mom," Fluttershy looked anxiously at her children, "I don't want for Belle and Sandow to... see or hear their mommy and daddy like that."

"Well, I'm sure you and Mac will have it perfectly covered," Posey assured her daughter. "After all, even if you do get those needs, you have your big strong stallion to-"

"Mother!" Fluttershy was almost as red as her husband, "Not in front of the foals!"

"Who wants pudding?" Sunsplash asked out of the blue, quickly changing the subject before he picked up the foals in his wings and led everyone into the kitchen.
"Honey, we still have a large bowl of that vanilla pudding, don't we?"

"We sure do," Posey went to the fridge and brought out the aforementioned bowl, "We made this a few days ago, when..."

Noticing her mother trailing off and seeing the nervous look on her face, Fluttershy asked, "When what, Mom? Did something happen lately?"

"Oh! Uh, when... I was... feeling in the mood for pudding!" Posey smiled a little too big as she set the big bowl onto the table, the foals looking curiously at it as Sunsplash brought out two baby-sized bowls and some spoons although the look on his face was tiresome.

"Someone was in the mood for pudding, yeah," Sunsplash sighed.

"Am I missing something her- !!" It was then Fluttershy noticed a canvas stashed in the narrow space between the fridge and the counter.

Posey slumped her shoulders while Sunsplash filled the foals' bowls and began spoonfeeding them, Belle and Sandow squealing happily at the yummy treat their grandpa was giving them. Fluttershy pulled out the canvas and her suspicions were confirmed when she saw an unfinished painting of a coconut tree.

The brushstrokes were light and subtle yet gave depth and form to the coconut tree, but the leaves were too faint and there was no background to highlight on it all. Groaning softly, Fluttershy turned to face her parents and bluntly asked, "Where is he?"

"Upstairs in his room," Sunsplash answered flatly, obviously no more pleased about this than his daughter was.

"Well, honey! He's just between jobs, right now," Posey defended.

"And how many times has he been 'between jobs' in the last couple of months, Mother?" Fluttershy raised a brow.

Posey raised a hoof and opened her mouth to answer... but hesitated, looking uncomfortable with answering that question, only for some hooftsteps coming down the stairs to interrupt and all eyes turned to the doorway where in walked an earth pony stallion a couple of years younger than Fluttershy. He was tall, just a few inches taller than Sunsplash, and definitely heavier. He was pudgy around the barrel, had soft cheeks, and his coat was a bright yet pale seagreen, his mane sandy gold tied back in a loose ponytail with some stray locks framing his face, a little blonde stubble along his chin, and his eyes were the same cerise as Posey's. His cutie-mark was a blue ocean wave with white crests being painted on by a paintbrush.

"Crashing Wave..." Fluttershy gazed disapprovingly at her younger brother, "Living with Mom and Dad, I see. Again."

"Oh, wassup, Flutters?" replied the stallion called Crashing Wave as he regarded his older sister with a a reluctantly welcoming smile. "I didn't know you were here! I was just... uh, upstairs! Trying to find a little inspiration for my next painting."

"I can see that," Fluttershy pointed to the unfinished painting she'd pulled out from its hiding place beside the fridge.

"Oh! Uh, you found it, huh? Well, I...!!" Crashing Wave's eyes lit up with joy when they saw the foals, "O - M - F, are those the twins?!"

He came in and sat at the side of the foals opposite Sunsplash (who was giving his son a tired look) and smiled at the foals, who gazed up at this new pony, "Hey there, little colt n' filly! It's me, yer totally sweet n' chill Uncle Crash! Uh..."

He gazed over at Fluttershy, looking sheepish, "What're their names again?"

"Bellflower Apple and Sandow Apple," Fluttershy answered flatly, but with a softer look. "Which you'd know if you'd visited during my pregnancy, or even after the births..."

"Who're the cutest colt n' filly in the whole wide world? You are!" Crash laughed as he began to coochy-coochy-coochy-coo his niece and nephew, who were both laughing, quickly warming up to their uncle.

"So you're... between jobs again, little brother?" Fluttershy brought up not-so-subtly, causing Crash to hunch his shoulders before collecting himself.

"Oh! Uh, you heard about that, huh..." Crash stood up while he held Belle in his hooves, possibly to shield himself from her mother or as a source of self-assurance.
"Yeah, see, my boss? He was being real harsh, y'know? Always on my tail for any and every little thing..."

"Are you sure you weren't just slacking off?" Fluttershy responded while adding in a soft voice, "As usual."

"Well... it's hard being an artist, big sis," Crash shrugged in an offhooved manner, "Inspiration can come anytime, anywhere, and then the mind wanders on how to implement that inspiration into your next project!"

"Really? You mean, like this project?" Fluttershy pointed to the unfinished painted canvas she'd found earlier. "Because, it doesn't look like you're done with it. Just like a lot of your past projects..."

The tone in Fluttershy's voice made Crash cringe as she went on.
"When was the last time you completed a painting, Crash? How long did you keep this job until you were fired? How many jobs have you had in the last year alone? And how many of them were you fired from as well?"

"Uh- Flutters, big sis!" Crash pulled a nervous smile as he stood behind the twins in their high chairs and hugged them sweetly, "Let's not dwell on the past! Let's focus on the now or- I know! Tell me all about these adorable little guys! I wanna get to know my nephew and niece."

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, annoyed that her brother was skirting the subject when Posey stepped up to her and carefully said, "Flutters, honey? Maybe we can have a word?"

Fluttershy looked from her mother to her brother, who was already rubbing his snoot adorably to little Belle, who was giggling at the ticklish gesture. Fluttershy sighed, unable to deny the moment was adorable and followed her mother out into the hallway. Stepping a little further down the hall, Posey turned to her daughter, "Fluttershy, I understand you're a little.... peeved with your brother. But it's been so long since we've all been together, and with you bringing the twins to meet their uncle for the first time..."

"But Mom, you know he always does this," Fluttershy responded sternly, "He gets a job, he gets lazy or he claims to get a new idea for a painting, his work eventually fires him, and then he comes back to you and Dad to house him and he never finishes his latest piece!"

"Well, dear, Crash is just... Well, he's just trying to find his place," said Posey, though she was obviously conflicted.

"Well, it's just this his place always winds up being you and Dad's place," Fluttershy pointed out, "and then he just lays around, letting you do things for him until he gets bored and tries finding another job and this whole thing starts all over again."

For a long moment, Posey said nothing, appearing to be going over the situation in her head and looking rather uncomfortable for it. Fluttershy hated having to put her mother in this position, but she knew unless something happened this problem would never be resolved. She was about to say something, only for her mother to raise a hoof, take a deep breath, and say, "Fluttershy..."

"WHAT?!"

Both mares startled and Fluttershy heard her babies whimpering as she and Posey looked to the doorway into the kitchen as they heard Crash say, "Dad, what do you mean 'rent'?!"

They hurried to the doorway and saw both stallions glaring at each other, but Fluttershy's eyes went right to her foals, the both of them lowering their heads and covering their eyes or ears with their hooves, looking frightened. Neither Crashing Wave nor Sunsplash noticed as they were focused on each other as the older stallion stated, "If you want to keep living under my roof, then it's about time you took responsibility and contributed instead of sitting around on your ass doing nothing!"

"Aw c'mon, Pop! Don't be like that!" Crash sighed wearily.

"I will be like that, because honestly, son? I am sick n' tired of this!" Sunsplash's golden yellow coat was reddening, causing him to turn a noticeable orange-red.
"In the last few months, you've had six jobs and got fired from each of them because you were being lazy, daydreaming, were late for work or missed days of work altogether! I'm done with it! Either you go out there now and come back with a new job and start contributing to this household or else!"

"Sunsplash!" cried the worried and concerned voice of Posey and both stallions looked to see Posey giving them a worried look and both of them felt ashamed, even more as they saw Fluttershy hurry over to pick up and comfort her foals in her wings.

Crash stood there, looking a little stunned and upset at his father, who returned that look with one of uncompromising sternness. While Fluttershy calmed her foals, Posey was about to step in and try to mediate the situation, only for Crash to huff, "You don't want me here? Fine... I'll go get my things and be out of your mane within the hour."

"Uh- Crash, wait!" Posey pleaded as her son walked out of the kitchen, only for him to shrug off her hoof from his withers.

Fluttershy watched as her parents both shared an unreadable look... and then Posey left the kitchen to the living room while Sunsplash sighed and began cleaning up. It wasn't long after that they all heard Crash's hoofsteps descend the stairs, but they kept going to the door and he left without a word.

Fluttershy checked on her parents, each of whom avoided the other's presence, and she wondered, Did I do the right thing...?

The train ride home was long and somewhat depressing. Fluttershy's babies seemed to sense their mommy was sad as they kept fussing and giving her anxious looks. Fluttershy would give them each a bounce in her wings while assuring them 'Mommy's okay' and giving them a smile, but they seemed to know she was fibbing. It was late after noon by the time Fluttershy arrived at Ponyville station and there was her big and warm husband, waiting for his family on the platform.

Big Mac immediately saw Fluttershy was down and offered to carry the foals home and Fluttershy nodded and carefully gave the foals to their daddy, who'd arrived to greet them with the foal carriers strapped to his barrel. As they walked home, Macintosh noticed his wife was depressed. Usually, they preferred to talk about personal matters in the privacy of their home but it seemed his `Shy needed somepony to talk to about whatever was bothering her.

"So... how're th' folks?"

Fluttershy gave her hubby a troubled look but quickly put on a smile, "Oh, it was lovely. Mom and Dad were so happy to see Belle and Sandow and they loved seeing their grandma and grandpa too. We even had pudding!"

Although Fluttershy was obviously trying to appear cheerful, Big Mac saw right through it and he noticed his son and daughter seemed to have noticed too. When foals took notice of something like that, Big Mac knew it had to be something serious.

"`Shy... tell me wha's wrong, sugarcube," Macintosh gently bade his mare as they left the busy neighborhood of Ponyville behind and made their way down the path towards their home.
"Even lil' Belle an' Sandow can tell yer upset."

Fluttershy paused and looked at her family. Her strong and devoted husband, her sweet daughter, her playful son, all of them looking at her with warm concern, and knew she couldn't keep up this charade. Taking a deep breath, she admitted, "My brother was there..."

Big Mac's ears perked and he raised a brow. He'd never met his brother-in-law but Fluttershy had told him some unflattering truths about Crashing Wave. He gestured Fluttershy to walk at his side and they continued on down the path, their house in sight as he gently invited, "Tell me ev'rythang."

They'd made it home shortly before Fluttershy recounted what had happened during her and the foals' visit to Fillydelphia and Big Mac was downright ornery with disapproval and even disgust to hear how his in-laws had acted, especially Crash.

"Ah tell ya, `Shy," Big Mac grumbled as he let Fluttershy take the foals from the carriers around his barrel, "us Apples wouldn' put up wit' tha' kind o' laziness, no-siree."

Sighing, Fluttershy agreed, "I know, Mackie, I just... I just don't understand my brother sometimes. He's so talented but he just doesn't seem motivated to stick to his jobs or even his paintings! I can't remember the last time he finished a piece or even name it."

The foals both took that moment to open their mouths and make the most adorable squeaky yawns and the parents smiled warmly as Fluttershy said, "I think these little ones are due for a nap. It's been a long day, after all."

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed, "Take `em on up t' their room an' put `em t' bed. Ah'll be up in a few."

"Okay, dear," Fluttershy and Mac shared a quick yet tender kiss before she carried their babies upstairs.

Meanwhile, Mac went to the kitchen and got started making a late lunch as he wondered if perhaps there was a way he could help Fluttershy with her brother. It still baffled him that he hadn't even met Crashing Wave yet. The stallion hadn't even come to his and Fluttershy's wedding or visited during Fluttershy's pregnancy. The first Mac had heard of Crashing Wave was when he and Fluttershy were dating.

According to his `Shy, Crash came and went on a whim, often coming back home to Fillydelphia when he got fired from a job and then leave a month or two later to find work elsewhere, and the cycle continued over and over. Supposedly, the longest Crash had ever held employment was three months, and that was five years ago. If he wasn't employed, he got by on assisted living programs that he barely qualified for.

It disgusted Big Mac that his wife's brother was so lazy and unmotivated, and that he constantly leaned on their parents on a periodic basis. A real stallion earns a living with a devotion to hard work and a goal.

Big Mac's own goal was to be a provider for his family, to one day expand the business of Sweet Apple Acres, and to raise his son and daughter into good, smart, and capable ponies who would one day stand on their own hooves and work towards their own dreams.

So wha' is this guy's problem where he keeps bein' a burden on his folks? Big Mac wondered resentfully.

*Knock-knock-knock*

Big Mac set the kitchen knife down and looked to the front door. He wasn't expecting guests and he doubted his `Shy was either. She'd just gotten home with the twins, after all. He moseyed on over and opened the door-

"Wazzzup! My brother from another mother, you've totally gotta be Big Macintosh!" exclaimed the obnoxiously loud voice of a certain seagreen earth pony stallion, whose picture Big Mac had seen before and he was certain enough of who this was.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" came the cries of the foals from upstairs and Big Mac glared at this uninvited visitor as he realized what he'd just done.

"Uh- Heheh, whoops?" Crash smiled sheepishly.

It took a few long lullabies, but eventually Fluttershy and Big Mac got their son and daughter to finally calm down for their nap and were relieved when the twins began snoozing peacefully. Afterwards, they went downstairs to find Crashing Wave lounging on the couch so relaxed he hadn't even noticed them come down.

"Crash..."

"Huh- Wha-?!" Crash startled out of his dozing and nearly fell off of the couch when he noticed Fluttershy and Big Macintosh staring at him as though he were an inconvenient stain on the wall.
"Oh hey, sis! Bro! So, uh... the foals okay?"

"They're finally asleep, no thanks to you," Fluttershy answered with soft reproach. "And speaking of you, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Well, big sis, you're gonna laugh," Crash explained sheepishly, "So after... what happened back home in Fillydelphia with the folks, I was gonna ask an old work buddy if the Crash could crash with `em for a while, only..."

"Only what...?" Fluttershy pressed, already having an idea of where this was going.

"Yeah, my buddy was having some home improvement done and said it just wouldn't work for the time being," Crash went on lamely as he already began to make himself comfortable, putting his easel to one side, his paint stuff on the coffee table, and a blank canvas to the side of the couch.
"So.... I thought, if it was okay, I'd come stay with you here in Ponyville a while! Get to know my bro-in-law's side of the family, see what kind of awesome stuff you do for fun around here!"

"And let me guess," Fluttershy sighed, "because you have nowhere else to go."

"Well..." Crash let the response hang in the air awkwardly.

"Fine, you can stay here-" Fluttershy said, only for Crash to interrupt with a hug.

"Aw, thanks so much, sis!" Crash was ecstatic, "Oh, I'm looking forward to having a good time here in Ponyville-"

"On one condition," Fluttershy pushed Crash gently back.

"Totally, anything you say," Crash said coolly.

"You have to get a job," Fluttershy said with a subtle tone of finality while poking her hoof into her brother's snoot as he felt his excitement quickly deflate, especially when Big Mac agreed.

"Eeyup," Big Mac nodded, "An' it jus' so happens Sweet Apple Acres could use another-"

"Er, Mackie? A quick word," Fluttershy gently pushed her husband back into the hallway while giving her brother a look that meant 'stay put'. Once they have privacy, Fluttershy softly said, "I understand what you're getting at, but unfortunately, Crash isn't one for... hard labor."

"Yeah, Ah can see that..." Big Mac said contemptuously as he peered around the corner, seeing Crash already lazing back on the couch... with that noticeable paunch of his.

Crash was around Mac's size but he was not so much bulky that came from years of dedicated hard work on a farm as he was a husky couch potato.

"Which is why," Fluttershy went on, "I will find a job that i think Crash is capable of doing well enough that it gets him out of the house and contributing. Because, and no offense, sweetheart, but I think putting him to work on the farm will just send him running for the hills."

Big Mac gave it a thought and sighed, figuring his `Shy was probably right.
"Aw'right, fine, but if he don' get his act t'gether, you tell him his tail's mahn!"

"Hmm, I think that just might be the motivation he needs," Fluttershy responded with a rare devious look.

"Heheh, so rare t' see ya lookin' so wicked, `Shy," Big Mac complimented in a flirty way that it made his wife giggle before they shared a kiss.

The next morning, Mac n `Shy roused a weary Crash from bed, and surprise-surprise he complained. Until Fluttershy had informed him she was holding him to his word from yesterday about getting a job, which caused him to groan like a foal until Big Mac "offered" him work on the farm, saying he could always use an extra hoof moving heavy loads, which spurred Crash to tell Fluttershy to hurry up so he could find a job in town.

Big Mac took the twins to the house over at Sweet Apple Acres and entrusted them to Faerie Tail's care while he and Applejack got to work around the farm. After hours of good backbreaking labor, they both ambled off to take their lunch breaks and Mac made his way to Pepper Pony's for his weekly pizza pie meet-up with his friends.

"The usual, Auntie Spice," Midnight ordered from Auntie Spice and the mare nodded as she left the six stallions to get cooking. "So Mac, I take it things are... different with your brother-in-law living with you?"

"Ugh, tha' guy'd better bust his ass wherever `Shy's got him workin'," Big Mac grumbled as he took a swig of colt cola and let out a belch. "Otherwise, he can expect some mighty hard chores on th' farm."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to get in line, Mac, my friend," commented an irate Blueblood as he propped his head up on his hoof, leaning onto the table.
"Fluttershy asked Rarity to give Crashing Wave some work, dyeing fabrics, at the boutique. My wife later informed me that Wave tried to hoof off the task she gave him to some local critters and they made a real mess of Rarity's work space."

Mac furrowed his brows and was about to say something, but Midnight beat him to the punch.
"Yeah... Fluttershy asked me and Twilight if Crash could do some work in the castle. So, we tasked him with cleaning the castle windows... only for Crash to con Spike into 'showing him how it's done so he gets it right', which Spike didn't catch onto until after he'd done all the work Crash was supposed to do."

Big Mac was starting to get steamed, but then Soarin spoke up.
"Oh, that's nothing. Fluttershy asked me to have Crash be my assistant over at the Weather Office? He mixed up some paperwork and now Ponyville's due for a heatwave this weekend! And I can't find the forms to tell the Weather Factory in Cloudsdale that they got the wrong order because Crash ruined my system! I had everything exactly the way I like it and now I'm gonna have to put in extra hours to sort it all out!"

Big Mac groaned as he facehooved before asking, "Where are they? Y'know?"

"I think they went to Fluttershy's cottage," Thunderlane answered and Big Mac left right as Cheese Sandwich and little Pepper Flake were coming with their order.

"Uh, trouble?" Cheese asked.

"For somepony, yes," Midnight shook his head, almost feeling sorry for Crashing Wave.

Almost.

Big Mac made his way straight for Fluttershy;s cottage near the Everfree Forest. She didn't live there anymore apart from night she spent there to be close to animal patients that needed her to be close by, but she still visited everyday to check on her animals, make sure they were fed and healthy, spending about a few hours a day with them.

She'd considered moving some of her animals to their house but Mac had to put his hoof down, especially back when he figured out Fluttershy had been pregnant with the twins. Though he allowed for Fluttershy to bring a critter or two over to visit, especially for Belle and Sandow to play with.

As he approached however, he could already hear there was trouble going on as he heard Fluttershy raising her voice, "Keep trying? Finish something for once? Maybe that way, you'd find a job you actually like or finish one of your paintings!"

"How many times I gotta yell ya, Flutters," snapped the disrespectful voice of Crash, "You can't rush art, and I can't spend my time doing work that stifles my creative process..."

The door flew open, startling both Fluttershy and Crash and they saw an ornery-looking Macintosh as he threw such a stink eye at the lazy stallion that Crash briefly considered running for his life.

"Sweet Apple Acres. Now..." Big Mac ordered with a deep tone that would stand for no argument.

"Mackie-" Fluttershy tried to say, only for her husband to shake his head.

"Ah warned ya, both o' ya..." Macintosh kept his stern and piercing gaze upon Crash, who was beginning to shake on Fluttershy's sofa. "He don' get his act t'gether, his tail's mahn. Now move yer ass unless ya want mah hoofprints on it."

Crash got the picture and whimpered as he followed Big Mac out the door though he couldn't help giving a pleading look to his sister. Fluttershy could only shrug and shake her head for even though there was sympathy in her eyes the look on her face read 'you brought this on yourself'.

Unfortunately, Big Mac's approach didn't work out any better. He marched Crash to Sweet Apple Acres and assigned him chores, but no matter what chore Crash wound up with, he made a mess or hurt himself. He hurt his tail when he tried applebucking, he kept dropping haybales that he was supposed to be stacking and causing them to come loose, he got the tools in the barn mixed up when he'd been tasked with cleaning the hayloft, he got the feed for the animals wrong and caused the pigs and chickens some bad tummy aches, and he kept bruising or ruining apples he tried sorting or collecting, making them no good.

Needless to say, it was driving Big Mac up the wall with frustration. He allowed Crash to take a break after a few more mishaps and while Crash bellyached about his sore legs and the unfairness of it all in the living room, Mac sat in the kitchen with Fluttershy, the both of them coming towards the end of their proverbial rope.

"He's hopeless!" Macintosh exasperated as he gently bounced baby Belle on his lap, the filly giggling sweetly at her father.

"I just don't understand how he got to be this way..." Fluttershy responded while she fed little Sandow his bottle, the colt happily sucking away as he had his fill. "He was such an active colt when he was little, going outside to play in the sunshine."

"Well, perhaps that's something you need to talk to Crash about, Fluttershy," spoke up Faerie Tail, who was taking a break from foalsitting while having her favorite tea. "If not, you could have him talk to me down at Town Hall. I'm still working there as a therapist."

"I might just take you up on that offer, Faerie Tail," Fluttershy then gave Sandow a light pat on the back (*Burp*) before placing him back in his baby chair, as did Mac put Belle into hers, next to her brother.
"And thanks again for foalsitting, it's a great relief to me and Mackie."

"Well..." Faerie Tail hesitated before explaining, "I'm afraid I can't foalsit any longer. I received a notice from Doctor Stable that he would like to speak with me at the hospital."

"Is sumpin' wrong?" asked Macintosh, looking concerned.

"Oh, not at all, Mac," Faerie Tail assured, "The doctor is still insisting on periodical check-ups, given my... unique case. Which of course means I can't watch the twins until I get back, and I could be gone for a few hours. I actually should have left a few minutes ago."

"Well, then don't worry, Faerie Tail," Fluttershy assured as she got Faerie Tail's shawl from the coat rack by the door, "Mackie and I will manage or figure something out in the meantime."

"Thank you, dear," Faerie Tail then stepped over to give the twins each a kiss, "I've had a lovely time foalsitting these two darlings, takes me back to when Midnight was their age."

"Hmm, got any baby stories o' Midnight you'd mind sharin'?" Macintosh gave Faerie Tail an interested smirk.

"Maybe... See you all later this evening," Faerie Tail stepped out, leaving the parents a little deflated.

"Now wha're we gonna do...?" Macintosh sighed, "Ah still got a lotta chores t' tackle, AJ's out runnin' errands, an' Granny went t' visit Goldie Delicious."

"And I have some baby badgers back at my cottage who need a check-up," fretted Fluttershy, "who could we get to watch the foals for the afternoon on such short notice?"

Belle and Sandow didn't notice their mommy and daddy as they were too busy hugging their favorite stuffies, Belle's Wissa robin bird and Sandow's Uffy wolf pup.Then they all heard a toilet flushing and noticed Crash pass the doorway and moan in relaxed content after he collapsed onto the couch. Fluttershy looked to her husband but Big Mac quickly figured out what she was thinking and firmly stated, "Nnope!"

"I know Crash hasn't been very... productive today, Mackie," Fluttershy acknowledged, "but what other choice do we have? Those baby badgers are counting on me and you can't watch the twins and do your farmwork at the same time."

"...Maybe we could get `Bloom an' Twinken t-" Big Mac tried to say, only for Fluttershy to shake her head.

"The Crusaders are good foals, but they're not ready for foalsitting, even if it's just for the afternoon," Fluttershy disagreed. "Macintosh, maybe this time Crash will surprise us. He cares for his niece and nephew and I'm sure he'd come through for them."

"Ah jus' dunno, `Shy," Macintosh sighed into his hoof, "he ain't done a good job o' anythang we tried t' get him t' do all day! Either he tried gettin' someone else t' do his work or he kept messin' up an' complainin'."

"Well, this time he'll have to do the work, Macintosh," Fluttershy assured, "and I think this time Crash will come through."

Seeing the faith his `Shy had in her brother, despite all evidence to the contrary, Macintosh sighed, knowing they didn't really have much other choice.

"Alrighty, sis and bro-in-law!" Crash was, in a jokey way, gently pushing Fluttershy and Big Mac towards the door, "No need to worry, I've totally got this."

"Now, Crash, we're counting on you to watch Belle and Sandow for a few hours," Fluttershy side-stepped just before she and her husband passed the threshold and gave her brother a firm look.
"Just keep them safe and happy, they've already had their lunch but just in case we don't make it back in time, the diapers are right there beside the couch in the living room. You can change a diaper, right...?"

Although the idea of diaper-duty was... unappealing to Crash, he nodded his head and solemnly swore, "I promise, big sis, Uncle Crash is all over this and won't let you down."

Seeing the look in Crash's eyes, Fluttershy felt some of her apprehension lift before sighing, "Okay. The twins will probably just play with their stuffies or, if they're feeling satisfied from their milk earlier, they may take an early nap. We'll try to return as soon as we can- Oh! And I wrote down some tips and other helpful notes here."

She held out a list that had some simple instructions and tips on what to do in several situations regarding the foals, which Crash accepted and then said, "Thanks, Flutters, I won't let you down."

"Good luck, just let me give the twins a quick hug and kiss," Fluttershy walked past Crash to the living room while Mac gave Crash an unreadable look.

It began to bother Crash when Fluttershy returned and said, "If you have trouble, just call out to Macintosh. He'll be busy with chores but the moment you call, he'll hurry over. Good luck!"

Fluttershy gave Crash a quick hug before stepping outside and flying off towards her cottage while Mac continued to stare at his brother-in-law, slowly but surely unnerving him. Crash was about to say something only for Mac to speak first, "Take good care o' mah son n' daughter. Otherwise..."

As Big Mac let the word hang in the air, Crash hesitantly asked, "...otherwise what?"

Big Mac raised his hoof, his stare becoming a stink eye, as he mimicked slitting his throat while making a "KKKTTTTTCCcchhh!!"

Mac stepped out the door, his glare never leaving Crash's disturbed eyes until the door closed... and Crash's ears perked as he began to hear sniffles. He turned around to see his nephew and niece, the little ones standing in the doorway from the kitchen to the living room, both looking upset at the door their father had just stepped through... and then both began bawling their eyes out.

"Uh-oh..." Crash gulped.

Fluttershy hummed merrily as she glided down to the path leading up to Sweet Apple Acres, and could already see her big strong husband phewing as he wiped off the sweat from a few hours of backbreaking progress. His tired demeanour quickly brightened up the moment his eyes sighted his sweet and beautiful wife, and the two trotted up to each other to share a mutual nose-nuzzle.

"Get plenty of work done?"
"Eeyup."
"Tired?"
“Eeyup.”
“Wanna take a break?”
“Eeyup…”
“Shalle we have a snack inside?”
“Eeyup!”
“Any trouble with Crash?”
“Nnope.”
“He's doing a good job?”
“Eeyup…”
“You're annoyed?”
“Eeyup.”
“Think he could foalsit again?”
“Eeyup…”
“Want to end this conversation?”
“Eeyup!”
“And would you like some of our... special time tonight before we go to bed?”
“Eeyup?”

Fluttershy giggled at the hopeful smile on her Mackie's face and she said, "Then c'mon, Mommy wants to see her little gifts from above."

Macintosh chuckled as he followed Fluttershy to the kitchen door of the house... and they gasped!

To say it was a mess would have been understating it. Even saying it was a disaster's area wouldn't have been quite enough to perfectly describe the kitchen and, from what they could see through the doorway, the living room. The dinnertable was splattered with applesauce, as were the twins' high-chairs, the chairs of the table were thrown over haphazardly, dried baby formula staiend the walls, refrigerator, and the window while the baby bottles were left dripping on the countertop. On the hardwood floors were tiny hoofprints of what looked to be congealed pudding tracking all over and two tiny bowls and spoons were strewn about on the floor.

The little pudding hoofprints led into the living room and there they found a sleeping Crash snoring on the sofa...!!!!

And the twins were both pulling on the electric cord of a lamp set upon the mantlepiece of the fireplace!

Before the lamp tipped over, Fluttershy quickly flew over and snatched up her babies, saving them from the heavy ceramic lamp as it shattered upon the space of the floor where they had just been! The loud noise startled the foals and they began to cry while Crash jolted awake, "I'm awake! I'm up! I'm..."

He noticed his sister and brother-in-law glaring furiously at him as Belle and Sandow cried in their mommy's wings, causing Crash to gulp, "...in big trouble..."

"Yer damn right, big trouble!" snorted Macintosh, feeling angrier than he'd ever felt in his life! More than when the FlimFlam Brothers tried to take his family farm, more than when his stained-glass wedding present for Fluttershy got shattered-

But then Fluttershy surprised him by standing in front of him and holding the foals to him, and he accepted them into his protective hold, annoyed that his wife was interupting him... when he noticed a demeanor in her he'd never seen before. Crash apparently sensed it too, cringing as Fluttershy slowly turned around, her long mane framing her face and partly concealing her eyes, as she looked in his general direction... before she raised her face up, her eyes expressing a cold and reproachful contempt.

"Crashing Wave Dawn... I trusted you."

"Uh- Flutters, wait! Just let me ex-" Crash tried to say, only for Fluttershy to hold up her wing in a silencing motion.

"I. Trusted. You..." Fluttershy spoke with deliebrate emphasis, her fury as piercing as the cold blue flame of a cutting torch. "I trusted you to watch my foals. My foals! My daughter, my son! I entrusted to you those most cherished in my heart because I wanted to believe I could trust you, that you were trustworthy enough, as my little brother, to be a responsible uncle, to foalsit your niece and nephew for just a few hours!

"And what do I find when I get back?"

"Fl-Flutters, I..." Crash was shaking, with hurt, with remorse, with anxiety, but he could no longer meet his sister's condemning gaze- No. It wasn't a gaze, nor even her infamous Stare.

This was a Glare.

A Glare expressing the purest contempt, the most condemning blame, and outright digust.

"The kitchen and the living room are a mess. The foals were unsupervised as they were pulling on an electric cord that would have toppeld a heavy ceramic lamp onto them, and you were asleep!!"

The full scope of his error dawned in Crash's mind as he began to shake with the realization of what had almost happened. Because he'd been asleep on the job! He began to shake and whimper as guilt slowly but surely overwhelmed him, and a tear ran down his face. Despite her warring emotions, the tear on her little brother's cheek caused Fluttershy to sympathize with him, but only a little. Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy spoke once more.

"Crash. I want you to leave. And this time?"

She waited, knowing her pause would eventually cause Crash to look her in the eye, and when he did, she stated, "Don't come back."

She turned to her husband and gingerly took her foals back from his embrace and stepped past her guilt-ridden brother, who sat there, slumped and feeling lower than dirt. Macintosh didn't know what to do or what to say in that moment. Never once in his life could he have imagined his wife could be so cold. Crash deserved every word and though he agreed with his `Shy, Macintosh couldn't help but feel just a little sorry for Crash. But reminding himself of what had almost happened quashed his sympathies and he followed his family to the stairs, leaving Crash alone.

Several days had passed after Fluttershy told her brother to leave. Since then, Fluttershy had fallen into a depression though she tried to hide it from her family and friends, but they weren't fooled. As much as she tried to act as though she were fine, it took only a good look into her eyes and the way she carried herself. She was in pain, for despite the way Crash had let her down Fluttershy felt the weight of it all on her heart.

"Aw'right, tha's it."

"Hm?" Fluttershy looked up and saw everypony at the table giving her looks of concern though Applejack's showed she'd had enough. Like they did so often, Fluttershy, Macintosh, and the twins were having lunch over at Sweet Apple Acres with Applejack, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, Twinken, and Faerie Tail.

"Um- What's wrong, everypony?" asked Fluttershy, trying to play dumb.

"Sugarcube, yer hurtin' an' it ain't gettin' better fer you," Applejack answered, sounding firm. "Ah no Crash let ya down an' all, an' there's no excuse fer leavin' th' twins unsupervised, but ya gotta stop this mopin' an' deal with it!"

"Applejack is right, Fluttershy," Faerie Tail agreed though in a more motherly tone. "As I understand it, you wanted to help Crash to be more independent and stop relying so much on others. Yes, he disappointed you and I can't blame the way you feel for how his irresponsibility almost got your foals hurt, but if you don't mend your bond as sister and brother you'll carry that regret for the rest of your life."

Fluttershy couldn't hold back the tears as she finally let it out and quietly began to sob into her hooves, when she felt her husband come over and embrace her with his comforting warmth and strength. She lifted her face and quietly whispered she was okay, and Macintosh went back to his seat. She took a few moments to regain composure before taking a deep breath and saying, "You're right... I am still very angry with Crash. But you're right! If I don't do something, I- I could... I could lose him forever.

"But I don't know where he is! Rainbow Dash told me Crash isn't anywhere in Ponyville and Twilight told me a stallion matching Crash's description left Ponyville Station the same day that... well, I don't know where he's gone or where to look for him."

"Maybe he went back to your parents back in Fillydelphia?" suggested Twinken.

"If he did, I know my father would have contacted me..." sighed Fluttershy woefully, when there was a knock at the front door.

"I'll get it!" Apple Bloom went to answer it, and returned a couple moments later with Midnight.

"Hey there, Flutters," Midnight forced a smile as he levitated an envelope, "I met Ditzy Doo on the way here and, uh... Well, you got some mail and I offered to bring it to you for her. I think it's from your parents."

Fluttershy eagerly accepted the letter with a hopeful look in her eyes and everyone waited for her to read it... only for Fluttershy to utter an upset whimper and tear up even more.

"Oh, wha's wrong, child?" asked Granny Smith. "Yer ma n' pa okay?"

"No, it's- It's not my parents, Granny Smith!" Fluttershy struggled to keep herself together as she pushed the letter away, Applejack picking it up.

"Um, Fluttershy? Do yam ind if Ah...?" Applejack trailed the question but when she got neither permission or otherwise from Fluttershy, Applejack took a deep breath and read aloud, "'Dear Fluttershy,

'Wer' worried about yer brother. Crashin' Wave sent us a letter th' other day, sayin' a lot o' apologies an' promises t' be better, but also said we won' see or hear from `im fer a while. He didn' say much else except he's feelin' really bad about lettin' you down. We don' know where he is an' wer' hopin' you can talk t' him an' make sure he's aw'right. Please let us know if ya do an' tha' he's okay.

'Love you always'
Mom an' Dad'."

The way Fluttershy let out another distressed whimper caused her babies to look over to her, the both of them upset and concerned for their mama, that they fussed and reached out to her. Macintosh picked up his foals and brought them over to their mother, and his family coming together in this one simple hug did wonders for Fluttershy, calming her down even though she still continued to tear up with worry.

"Fluttershy..."

Fluttershy held her head up after burying her face into her babies' manes and looked to Faerie Tail, who asked, "What exactly happened after you and Macintosh returned from your errands? I know that Crash was asleep and the twins were nearly injured, but what else? Did Crash say anything?"

Fluttershy thought for a moment, then looked to Macintosh, who shrugged, and then Fluttershy remembered.
"No... I didn't really give him a chance to say anything. I was so angry with him that I wasn't interested in hearing his excuses, and I just... admonished him before I told him to leave."

"So, in other words..." Faerie Tail sighed, knowing this was going to be a little prickly, "you didn't give him a chance to explain himself or give his side of the story. Not that that excuses his negligence, but it appears you had a failure to communicate."

Fluttershy's eyes widened with realization as Faerie Tail went on, "Communication is vital for any and every relationship. Whether it's friends, family, coworkers, associates, it all boils down to proper communication. In a relationship, both sides need to be heard and both sides have to listen. I understand why you didn't want to hear what Crash had to say, and I can't blame you for feeling that way. Nevertheless, you made it cear you weren't interested in hearing what Crash had to say, and here we are.

"I'm not saying this is your fault, only that while you had every right to admonish Crash, perhaps you could have handled the situation a tad more... carefully."

Fluttershy whimpered as her foals touched her face with their little hooves, cooing with worry for their mama. She gave them a smile and nuzzled them each warmly, making them giggle so that their worries would go away. She then had Macintosh take them and then stood up, taking a deep breath before saying to everypony, "I have to find my brother. I'm not quite... ready to forgive him for what happened, but I have to make sure he's okay. I... I would appreciate it if-"

"Say no more, Flutters," Midnight smiled kindly, "I think I can help you figure out where Crash might have gone, or at least get a better idea of what happened before."

"Huh?" Fluttershy tilted her head at Midnight, not understanding.

"Everypony, please stay in the kitchen," Midnight requested, "Feel free to watch through the doorway, but it'd be easier for what i'm abotu to do if it's just me and Fluttershy in the living room. Fluttershy?"

Midnight walked to the living room without waiting for Fluttershy's response and she got the idea and followed him, as Mac, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Twinken, Granny Smith, and Faerie Tail gathered around the doorway connecting the dining room to the living room, and Midnight asked Fluttershy to stand close to the wall after he'd closed the shutters and curtains to leave the liivng room shadowy and without light. Midnight stood by the front door and then said, "I'll need everyone to be very quiet and not to move much. Just relax... and watch."

Everypony looked on in wonder of what Midnight was about to do, as he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and gently focused his mana to his horn, which began to glow a gentle turquoise blue.

The light of his horn spread throughout the living room, casting everything in it in the glow of Midnight's turquoise blue mana. Then... they noticed images of light, fully three-dimensional yet transparent, and when they became clearer and more distinct, Fluttershy gasped as she recognized the larger image was Crash! The smaller images were her foals, Belle and Sandow. The images of the foals were all over the place, Belle flittering around like a hummingbird and Sandow scampering, all the while Crash was trying to round up his niece and nephew, looking frantic.

The twins weren't crying but they didn't seem to be having much fun either. If anything, they looked grumpy, even as they were making a mess of their surroundings.

"What is this...?" whispered Fluttershy as she watched the scene unfold before her.

"It's an Illusion spell," Faerie Tail answered softly, "an advanced one. It allows the caster to watch a past event in the form of an illusion, somewhat similar to replaying a scene in a movie. You can't interact with it, but you can see an event you didn't personally witness come to life before you, and perhaps learn from it."

Indeed, and things slowed down when crash finally got the foals in his forelegs and they fussed and struggled to get loose, sounding distressed...

Fluttershy gasped softly as she heard that lullaby, coming from the image of her brother as he gently rocked the foals in his embrace, his soft singing and the familiar words reaching his niece and nephew, as they gazed up at their uncle in surprised wonder.

They watched the illusion as Crash carefully set the twins down on the sofa, the foals starting to look tired, and Crash very carefully laid out a baby blanket and baby pillows on the floor, making sure it was all set out of the way. He then carefully pickedu p his niece and nephew again...

...and he laid the foals down for a nap, making sure they were comfortable as he laid another baby blanket over them to keep them warm.

The illusion of Crash looked upon his niece and nephew, hearing their adorably soft little snores, and he smiled so warmly as he leaned down and gave them each a light kiss on their heads.

Then the illusion of Crash carefully tip-hooved back to the sofa and sat down, whispering a tired 'Whoo!' before he softly said, "I had a feeling you'd sing Mom's lullaby to your own foals, sis... Never imagined I'd use it."

Crash looked to the foals, smiling at how Belle was resting her head on Sandow's back, "You and your husband... You made a couple of truly amazing bundles of joy. They're not even mine and I can't help but feel happy every time I look at them. Heh, they sure gave their uncle a bit of a workout just now, but looking at them sleep, I can't see anything but something truly special and pure."

Then, Crash's eyes seemed to glimmer as something appeared to come to him as he lightly chuckled to himself and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling, "Say... Maybe I can do something for my next painting that I can dedicate to the twins. Yeah, I know Flutters, I haven't finished or even named an artpiece in like forever, but... this time feels different. This time I feel... an inspiration."

Fluttershy felt her heart swell so that it was starting hurt a bit in her breast, but the illusion of Crash continued to talk. This time however, his demeanor changed, as his eyes gazed downward and appeared melancholy.
"I'm a loser... A pot-bellied, lazy-ass, talent-wasting quitter who keeps losing his nerve and being a burden on everyone..."

Crash gazed at the sleeping foals, "I hope you kids don't ever become like me. Heh, who am I kidding- Of course you'll never be like me! With your wonderful mom and your awesome dad, I know you two will grow up to be the kind of ponies that'll leave an impact on the lives of those around you and make them better for it."

Fluttershy's heart swelled again, tears running down her face.

"So you listen to your folks," Crash advised his sleeping niece and nephew with a tender smile, not at all caring they were asleep and that they were still babies and couldn't understand him anyway.
"And whatever dreams you have, I'm sure with your parents and all the friends you'll make, you'll find the strength you need to make them come true. As for me..."

Crash looked nowhere in particular yet appeared to be looking towards forever, "If I could fulfill just one of my dreams, I think it'd be me having a home of my own, one next to the awesome beaches of Horseshoe Bay. Has your mom ever told you guys about our family trip to Horsehoe Bay?"

Fluttershy gasped as she remembered that trip, and the illusion of Crash fondly recounted.
"This was a long while back. Your mom hadn't gotten her cutie-mark yet, and I was a little stinker... in more ways than one, but let's not get into that. Anyway... your Grandpa Sunsplash, he... he got hurt during a fire rescue. He had to take some time off work to get better, but your Mom and I couldn't be around because your Gramma Posey had to work really hard taking care of your Grandpa.

"So... they sent your mom to Cloudsdale to live with our grandparents there a while. I was sent to live with our other grandparents. It was a little over a month, but in that time I really missed my big sis and our mom and dad. My grandparents were nice and did their best to make me feel comfortable, but I was small back then. Not as small as you two, but still. I made a fuss about wanting to go home and... I wouldn't play with my grandma or my granddad. It made them sad, but I was being a bratty little colt at that time, so I didn't notice, or... maybe I just didn't care.

"Then... my grandma gave me a surprise. It was a paint-by-numbers canvas- Uh... that's a kind of painting where the picture's already there but you gotta finish it by painting certain colors in certains spaces marked by numbers. At the time, I thought it was stupid, but then I saw my grandma looked really sad and I felt awful! I said I was sorry and asked my grandma to show me the canvas and ow it worked. She showed me how to mix different colors and paint them where they had to go. It was a little hard and even frustrating at first... but then, little by little, I was painting something I thought was really neat. It took me the rest of my stay to finish, but I managed to do it the day before I was finally gonna go home to my mom and dad. My painting was of a mermare swimming through an ocean wave. I thought it was so pretty and I couldn't believe that I was the one who'd painted it!"

Fluttershy remembered that painting, and how her little brother had been so proud of it when he'd showed it to her and their parents back then. That painting... and something more.

"I asked my grandma to show me more about painting, and she got me new paints and brushes and even canvasses. She promised to get me an easel for my next birthday, and I was totally bummed when it was time to go home. I wanted to stay a little longer, but then I remembered how much I missed my mom, my dad, and my big sis. When I finally got back home, I was so happy to see them all, and I was nervous about showing them my painting. But when they saw it, they lit up with the biggest smiles and told me it was wonderful, that i was talented, and hoped to see me paint more.

"I felt so proud i didn't even notice when my cutie-mark appeared! Heh, your mom still got me beat though. She got her cutie-mark two weeks before I did. Apparently, our grandfolks in Cloudsdale sent her to Junior Speedsters Flight Camp, hoping it'd toughen her up and make her a better flier. Didn't go quite as they hoped, but I think it went the way it was supposed to."

Fluttershy smiled, feeling so touched by those words.

"As for me... the moment I saw these epic waves on my butt, somehow... the name of my first painting just came... crashing down on me, heheheh! And I called that first painting... 'Making a Splash'. It's still at your grandparents' house in Fillydelphia, but... I think it's packed away now. I've been there so many times lately and I can't even remember the last time I saw it....

"I don't know what's wrong with me... I don't like quitting or-or starting new paintings but never finishing them, I- I just... I guess I feel like nothing I make or do will ever... measure up, or..." Crash sighed and was looking drowzy, "Huh, here I am whining in self-pity again, but I was gonna tell you... about... Horseshoe... zzzzz..."

Then Crash just drifted away, and Fluttershy understood as Midnight dispelled the illusion and the pegasus mare felt awful.
"He was taking care of my foals. He just... got ran a little ragged and fell asleep. I suppose he thought, since the twins were already napping..."

Fluttershy moaned despondently into her hooves and felt her husband embrace her from behind, and then felt more and more of their family join in on the hug. When the moment passed, Fluttershy said, "They wanted to celebrate us..."

All eyes and ears were hers as Fluttershy held her babies warmly as she reminisced, "Mom and Dad felt a little sad they'd missed out on being there when we'd each gotten our cutie-marks. So... after Dad got better and some things were taken care of, when we came home from our grandparents, Mom and Dad surprised us by announcing we were going on a family trip to Horseshoe Bay.

"I'll never forget that trip. A long and wonderful week on those beaches, having fun in the sun. But I remember Crash sometimes just sitting on the beach and staring at the waves. Whenever we asked him if something was wrong, he'd say everything was fine and then join us for swimming, playing with our beachball, or building sandcastles. Every day of that week we'd be there practically from morning until the sun was going down.

"Then, on the last day, I saw Crash watching the waves again as the sun was setting... It was really beautiful, the way the sunset reflected across the surface of the sea as night began to fall. I went over to sit beside my little brother as he kept watching the waves. Then, it hit me! It made perfect sense that I asked him 'Thinking of your next painting, little brother?' Hm-hm, and Crash nodded and answered me back, 'Yeah... and I think one day I'd like to live here'."

...

...

...

!!!

That's when it struck Fluttershy as she lightly gasped! She knew where Crash had gone!

A couple of days later, she found him. On that same beach, in the same position, staring out to the waves as the sun was just beginning to go down, reflecting its fading light onto the surface of the sea while the waves crested and crashed onto the beach of Horseshoe Bay. The cries of gulls, the sounds of the waves, and the breeze in her ears composed a melody from Fluttershy's distant memory, that trip from a long time ago replaying in her mind's eye. Her heart swelled and ached at the same time as she approached Crash, who sat there in the sand alone, gazing out at the waves as though he were in a trance.

She anted to say something to him, but at the moment it felt like it would have been an intrusion. Sitting beside him, Fluttershy looked at her brother, who made no sign that he acknowledged her presence, and she saw a depressed stallion who was deep in thought. He'd gotten a little five o'clock shadow and his eyes looked a little red and certainly tired, like he hadn't been sleeping well. His ponytail mane was undone, so his sandy gold hair spilled all over his shoulders, making him look something of a beach bum.

Seeing her brother however still stirred some feelings of contempt in her, but Fluttershy knew she had to make this right. Taking a deep breath through her snoot, she began.
"I should have let you tell your side of things. Granted, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't still angry at you... but I can't in good conscience leave my little brother alone, or else... I lose you. I'm sorry, Crash. What I said was cruel and I know now that you weren't neglecting your niece and nephew. You didn't mean for those things to happen, I just..."

Fluttershy sniffled, a tear running down her face as she struggled not to choke up when she felt her brother's forelegs pull her into a tight and warm embrace. She was a little surprised by this reaction; she'd thought Crash wouldn't want to talk to her or something, but then he pulled back and looked his sister in the eyes and she saw a confusing mix of love, shame, uncertainty, and something else, something... deep.

He sat back down and gazed out to the ocean again, confusing Fluttershy until he spoke, "Do you know what I remember most about that trip we took here back when we were foals?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fluttershy look stumped a moment before shrugging, causing him to chuckle lightly as he answered, "The waves!"

"The waves?" echoed Fluttershy.

"Yeah... After I got my cutie-mark," Crash explained, "I wanted to paint something special, but I wasn't sure what. Then, Mom and Dad brought us here, so proud of us... and everyday we were here, I couldn't help watching the waves. The way they move, the way they sound, the way they look, even the way they smell and felt whenever I was in the water. Heh, wasn't too crazy about the way they tasted.

"Remember that?"

Fluttershy did remember: That first day of their trip, she and Crash had run straight into the water... only to hurry out, spitting because the seawater was so salty, which they hadn't known beforehoof. She giggled at the memory as well, and saw Crash had more to say.

“The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defies all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say about it, there is always that which you can't.” Fluttershy was awed by her brother's words, when he sighed.

"It was that last day of our trip, I knew what I wanted to paint. So, after I took art classes and got a little more experienced, I made my first attempt to paint the ocean waves, but... It didn't turn out well. So I tried again. And again. And again... But no matter how many times I painted the ocean waves, it just never looked right! The colors, the shapes, the lighting... I just couldn't make my waves come out right no matter how many times I tried!"

Crash sighed woefully, "So... I never finished the subject I really wanted to paint. I kept quitting with each attempt, and... I dunno, I guess I just started not caring about my paintings entirely, and somehow that transferred over to my work ethic."

"Crash... I think you're being too hard on yourself," said Fluttershy. "I remember some of the paintings you made during your art classes, and they were really nice! They weren't ocean waves, but other things, like... That painting you did for me, the one of a tree with a robin and her nest on the branch. I still have it in my cottage!"

"Thanks, Flutters, but this!" Crash gestured to the waves, "This is the subject I've wanted to paint since practically forever! It's on my cutie-mark, for Faust's sake! I just can't help but feel that if I could get even one painting of the waves right... I dunno, I'd come into my own as a painter."

"Didn't you ever try painting something other than ocean waves?" asked Fluttershy.

"I did..." Crash hung his head, "but all other subjects I tried to paint? They came out... lifeless, boring. Because nothing captured my inspiration so like this one simple wonder of nature."

"Crash, maybe you're being too hard on yourself," Fluttershy suggested, "Maybe there's something that's bothering you, and it's kept you from completing the painting that you absolutely want to complete. Did you ever think of it that way?"

Crash paused to consider Fluttershy's words... and his eyes widened just a little and Fluttershy knew she got it. Now, they had to figure out what was the issue that was holding Crash back.
"Crash, forget your painting, forget your past jobs, forget everything else, and think: What is it that really bothers you? What is it that's troubling you underneath all the problems you've been having? Talk to your big sister."

"Yeah, big sister..." Crash responded just a little dryly, but then he looked apologetic. He groaned as he hung his head, "Look, Fluttershy, it's... I dunno, it feels stupid and selfish."

"It might feel that way to you, but I promise I won't judge as long as you're honest," assured Fluttershy. When Crash appeared reluctant to be forthcoming, Fluttershy tried a different tactic, "Crash, you're smarter than you think and you're very talented! Even though you haven't finished most of your paintings, I've seen the work and technique in them and often thought 'He's going to have his work in art museums all over Equestria one day'. You could be a famous artist if you truly tried your best!"

"...What if I give it my all and it's still not enough?" Crash sulked. "Sometimes, it just feels like I shouldn't even bother trying."

"But then you'll never finish the painting you want to make, or anything else!" pressed Fluttershy.

"Well, how could you know?" Crash sighed petulantly, "You and your friends have saved Equestria, like... a dozen times or something? I've heard Mom and Dad talk about how proud they are of you, and even though they don't say much to me about it, I know they're disappointed in me. I have for a long time! ...How could anything I paint or work on ever measure up to your accomplishments?"

There it was, and Fluttershy now understood. It wasn't just that Crash was so hard on himself; he felt overshadowed by her and that had an effect on his own self-confidence and dampened his drive.

"And I was worried I'd fail each and every time!" Fluttershy responded earnestly, that Crash gave her a bewildered look. "I didn't save Equestria all by myself! I did so alongside my friends, whom I was afraid of letting down! I was afraid of letting Equestria down. But I stood by my friends and my husband, knowing they stood by me too, and their presence along with my own determination to do what had to be done is what carried me through those harrowing moments. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and plenty of other terrible threats to Equestria?

"I didn't face them by myself and tell them off! I faced them alongside my friends, who gave me the courage to rise above my own self-doubts and to do my part. And one more thing, Crash."

Crash was paying his sister close attention as Fluttershy went on, "Those kinds of moments where I was there to help during these emergencies? I couldn't afford to try, because in those sorts of situations, you do or you don't; you succeed or you fail; there is no try."

"You mean... you went into the thick of it, knowing there was a chance you'd fail and what that could have meant for all of Equestria?" Crash was blown. "I... I don't think I could have faced those kinds of odds."

"Well, quitting isn't much better, is it?" Fluttershy pointed out.

Crash thought about it and deflated as he sighed, "No..."

"Crash... Forget the unfinished paintings, forget the quitting, forget the fears and doubts of failing and disappointing," Fluttershy said with gentle firmness, holding her little brother's face to look her square in the eyes.
"Think! Think about that trip, not just the waves, but everything else that happened. The fun we had, the good times we shared, with each other and with our parents, how each and every day of that week-long trip ended on such a wonderful note we didn't want any of them to end. Use that to help you paint, and don't worry so much about the waves!

"For that matter, didn't you ever add anything else to those paintings apart from the waves? Didn't you ever add ponies on the beach? Seagulls in the sky? Crabs in the sand? Dolphins in the water?"

Crash's eyes widened with each and every word his sister conveyed to him, as he realized, It was staring at me the whole time...!

Seeing it dawn on her brother, Fluttershy released Crash from her grasp as he stared out towards the ocean. Only this time, he wasn't looking at the waves, but seeing what he had been missing all along.

"Crash, I'm still rather angry with you for what happened, even though I know exactly what happened," Fluttershy sighed, "Just the same, I don't mind you coming back to live with us, if you want to, or even with our parents back in Fillydelphia. But now, this time, I'm hoping this whole thing has taught you something or helped you somehow.

"Whatever that is, it's up to you. I'm not going to tell you what to do, other than what you need to hear: Don't be afraid to try and don't be afraid of failure. Find work that you can enjoy and stick with it. You're still going to make mistakes, and you'll probably fail a little more, but keep moving forward. You'll find your way, little brother."

Fluttershy leaned over and gave Crash a kiss on the cheek, making him blush just a bit and then chuckle softly, "Thanks, Flutters. I think I got exactly what I needed. I've found..."

Crash gazed not just at the ocean or the distant horizon, but at the beach and every living detail within it as he smiled, "...an inspiration!"

"Mail call!" Midnight announced as he stepped into the Sweet Apple Acres homestead.

Once again, Fluttershy, Macintosh, and their baby twins had come over for a family breakfast, and Midnight leafed through the postage, "Bill, coupons, junk mail... Fluttershy! I think this is for you!"

Fluttershy accepted the envelope Midnight levitated to her and she smiled brightly to see it was from Horseshoe Bay. Tearing it open, she read it aloud to everypony.

"'Dear Fluttershy,

'A lots happened since our talk on the beach. I'm glad you came looking for me, and that you spoke with me, because I'd have never found what I was looking for when it'd been right in front of me the whole time, without you to point it out. The next morning after you went back to Ponyville, I couldn't let the inspiration you helped me find go to waste. I used what money I had saved to rent a studio apartment and buy some fresh art supplies, and immediately got to work.

'I'm so very happy and proud to say, I've finally completed the painting I've always dreamed of. I call it 'Fun in the Wavy Sun', and I can't wait for you to see it. Not only that, but I painted this artwork on the beach, where beachgoers noticed me painting and kept stopping to see the work in progress. I actually got some bits from some of them admiring my work. It took me nine days to finish it, but on the day I made the last stroke of my brush, some bigwig celebrity stopped to give it a look and was very impressed with it, not to toot my own horn. She's some famous kitesurfer and beach model, Amber Sands, and she wanted to buy my painting. I respectfully told her this one was not for sale but offered to paint her something else, and she immediately hired me and got me in contact with some artists in Horseshoe Bay!

'I sold my first commission for a pretty bit, and I've finally achieved one of my lifelong dreams - I look forward to having you and your family visit me in my beachhouse here in Horseshoe Bay. I'm gonna invite our folks first, but if you want to come and make it a big family get-together, lemme know.

'Fluttershy, I can't thank you enough, for everything you said and did for me. It was a swift kick in my caboose I never knew I needed. I guess everypony needs a little tough love every now and then. If you accept my invite, I hope you'll bring the twins. I know I disappointed you, but I hope I can still be a part of their lives. Who knows? Maybe one day, I'll find the right mare and you'll get to be an aunt for foals of my own.

'But not any time soon!

'Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks for not giving up on me, big sister. I've still got a ways to go, I'm technically not employed right now, but I'll look for a job I can enjoy doing, in case my art commissions don't hold up. Hope to hear from you soon.

'Love from your totally rad baby bro,
'Crash

'P.S.

'Tell Macintosh I wanna hoof-wrassle him some time.'"

Fluttershy beamed warmly, feeling so proud and happy for her little brother, so lost in herself she was almost deaf to the words of her family around her as they expressed good wishes for Crash. Until she felt her husband's embrace from behind and she felt thr rumble in his chest as he chuckled into her ear, "He's gonna regret callin' me out."

"Oh I'm sure he will, Mackie," giggled Fluttershy as she hugged her brother's letter to her chest, "I'm sure he will."