It was a particularly dark and cloudy day in Ponyville. A good storm was overdue and now the Weather Brigade in Cloudsdale was busy conjuring one up. Gray clouds rolled in and thunder rumbled in the distance. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were at Town Hall planning the Nightmare Night festivities. Lightning flashed in the window. One… Two… Three… Boom! The storm was drawing near.

“Looks like we’re in for nasty weather,” Rarity observed.

“Ponyville is in need of rain,” said Rainbow Dash. “A storm this big is to make up for the heatwave.”

“I suppose you’re right, though I’d prefer it to come in light sprinkles.”

“If it came in light sprinkles,” Pinkie Pie began, “it would take so-o-o long to make puddles big enough to splash in. Ooh! Speaking of sprinkles, I have ones shaped like bats and some shaped like spiders for my super spooky, but absolutely delicious, Nightmare Night cupcakes!”

There was another flash of lightning. One… Boom! The storm was practically on top of them. The storm clouds grew angrier. The wind moaned and howled outside. O-o-O-o-O-o… It was an eerie sound.

“Listen,” said Apple Bloom. “Y’all hear that?”

The wind picked up. As it began to blow harder, the windows began to rattle. The boards began to creek, the shingles began to shutter. The sky darkened. Mayor Mare lit the chandelier.

“You sure weren’t kidding around about this storm making up for the heat,” said Mayor Mare.

“There’s harmony even in the weather,” explained Rainbow Dash. “Ponyville is no desert. It can’t be too dry.”

Lightning flashed once more. A silhouette of a pirate ship was cast on the floor.

“W-what was that?” Scootaloo asked in a quivering voice.

Rainbow Dash looked out the window. “It’s just a kite somepony left outside,” she reported.

Scootaloo saw the kite. “Phew! For a minute there, I thought it was a ghost.”

Sweetie Belle observed, “If you look carefully, it looks like it’s sailing on the clouds.”

She was right. As the kite bobbed on the wind, it looked like it was sailing on the stormy sea of clouds.

The wind grew stronger. The rumble of thunder sounded nearly in sync with another flash of lightning. The rain began to fall as the floodgates of the storm opened. The bronco of the storm was now free to buck.

“The six of you should stay here until the storm passes,” said Mayor Mare. “I’ll make you some hot tea.”

“Thank you, Mayor Mare,” said Rarity.

“This is just like a sleepover!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Does anypony know a sca-a-ary story?”

Rainbow Dash looked out at the kite. “I’ve got one!” she announced. “Have you ever heard the legend of the Flying Pegasus?” Everypony shook their heads. “The Flying Pegasus was one of the best airship pilots Cloudsdale – maybe all of Equestria! – has ever known! And it all began on a stormy day. Just. Like. This.”

Everypony drew close as the awesome all-star flyer began to tell The Legend of the Flying Pegasus.

It happened long, long ago. The Flying Pegasus was a brave and bold captain, famous for weathering even the most vicious of storms. He could sail through tornadoes and hurricanes with no doubts that he couldn’t make it out alive. He was also a super-fast flyer! Boy, he would’ve made an awesome Wonderbolt! Once, he and his crew were sailing a storm when the first mate fell overboard. Not even thinking twice, the Flying Pegasus jumped after him. He swooped down in a nose dive, going faster and faster and faster against the wind and rain. When he caught the first mate, he unfurled his wings, and jettisoned back up to the airship!

As his reputation grew, he became cocky. Then he had an idea. It was an unspeakable idea. It was an idea no Pegasus had ever dared to dream of. He challenged Commander Hurricane and the Weather Brigade to conjure up the worst storm imaginable for him to sail through. Commander Hurricane was as tough as they come, and he took no lip from anypony, but even he drew the line somewhere. “Have you gone mad?” Commander Hurricane asked. There was no way he was going to allow this. “I’m the best airship captain that’s ever been. I can ride whatever storm your Weather Brigade brews,” the Flying Pegasus assured. Though hesitant at first, Commander Hurricane eventually allowed it.

It took some time to whip up the storm of storms. It had to have the right amount of wind, the right amount of rain, snow, and hail. The Flying Pegasus grew impatient and demanded the Weather Brigade to give it everything they had, not letting little details impede.

There was never a storm like it before, nor has there been one since. It was so big, ponies say they could see it all across Equestria. Some say they could even hear the thunder. The Flying Pegasus and his brave crew set sail, straight for the storm. “I will ride this storm to the other side even if it’s the last thing I do,” the Flying Pegasus declared. The storm grew way out of hoof. The Weather Brigade lost all control of it. Despite his crew’s requests to turn back around, the Flying Pegasus sailed on. The storm, and his reputation, had gotten the best of him. The whole crew was swallowed up by the storm. Remember, this was a huge storm, so it took some time before it finally cleared. But after one hundred and fifty days, the skies were clear. The Flying Pegasus and his crew were nowhere to be found. All that remained were broken planks of his airship, a bell, a cannon, and the ship’s wheel.

Today, whenever there is a mighty wicked storm, much like this one, some ponies say that if you look closely enough, you will see the Flying Pegasus as he tries to sail through.

As a bolt of lightning flashed outside the window, Rainbow Dash finished her story. “And that, my friends, is The Legend of the Flying Pegasus.”

“I’ve got shivers,” said Sweetie Belle.

“That wasn’t too scary,” Scootaloo added.

“It kinda reminds me of those old Phantom Cowpony stories Granny Smith would tell us,” Apple Bloom commented.

“A fine ghost story, indeed,” said Rarity. “Thank you for sharing, Rainbow Dash.”

Mayor Mare returned with tea for her guests. “Here you are! Hot tea for everypony!”

The lightning flashed brightly. The shadow of the pirate ship kite was cast on the floor.

“Look!” Pinkie Pie pointed out. “It’s the Flying Pegasus!”

Everypony laughed it off, pretending they had seen the ghostly airborne vessel.

“It’s just a pirate ship kite, Pinkie Pie,” said Rainbow Dash. “Remember?”

“And a lovely kite it is,” added Mayor Mare. “Just look at it. Such fine craftsmanship.” She gestured to the kite as it leaned against the wall. “I’m certainly lucky I brought it in before the storm. It might’ve just blown away.”

“If that’s your kite,” Apple Bloom began, “then…”

“Uh, you guys,” Rainbow Dash started. “You might wanna see this.”

Everypony went to the window. Up in the storm clouds, between the streaks of lightning, the silhouette of an airship appeared for just a sliver of a second.

“Did anypony else see that?” asked Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle feigned a yawn. “Would you look at the time? It’s getting late. I guess it’s time for bed.”

“I’m right behind you, Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity. “These decorations aren’t going anywhere.” She mumbled to herself, “At least I hope they don’t.”

Before she called it a night herself, Rainbow Dash took one last look out the window. Nothing. She shrugged her shoulders and went to bed. There’s no such things as ghosts after all. And it was just a story. Wasn’t it?