History Fanfic / EarthAndSky

* TheStoic: While subtly threatening to [[IfYouEverDoAnythingToHurtHer crush Soarin's and Pipsqueak's skulls is they break his sisters' hearts]], Big Mac just stares at them completely stone-faced.

* PapaWolf: During his [[IfYouDoAnythingToHurtHer talk]] with Soarin and Pipsqueak, Big mac mentions that the only thing that would anger him more than somepony breaking his sisters' hearts would be somepony upsetting his wife and kids.

** The settle their differences in chapter 10, and shift into UnresolvedSexualTension instead.

** Diamond Tiara's VillainousBreakdown mostly consists of her screaming out of sheer frustration and hatred. She has another one, muffled by her pillow, when she realizes that since ThePowerOfHate [[spoiler:was the only thing keeping her alive in the badlands]], she owes her life to [[spoiler:Apple Bloom. In a way, the pony she hated her entire life had been protecting her in her hour of need]]. Diamond Tiara's mind nearly shuts down from the sheer irony.

* HumiliationConga: After [[spoiler: Chrysalis is exposed and arrested]], Blueblood looks like he's in the clear... only for Fancypants to end up forcing him to hand over majority shareholding in his own company at risk of his involvement being uncovered, followed by Diamond Tiara's lawyers blocking his access to her money. And then on top of that, [[spoiler: his airship gets blown up by the Wrong Brothers' errant rockets.]]

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: [[InvertedTrope Inverted.]] Rainbow Dash uses this in the second person in Chapter 4 [[spoiler:after Spitfire had to cut a fading Soarin' from the Wonderbolts. The decision clearly tore Spitfire up:]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Shootin' Star, who keeps mocking Soarin' about his weight and even asks him if he'll have a heart attack before the Pegathalon starts. Even when Lulong the kirin is shot down by a Flim Flam Brothers trap he refuses to stop along with Spitfire and Rainbow Dash, instead flying on ahead of them.

* NeverLiveItDown: InUniverse, Twilight refuses to let Trixie forget about the ursa incident.

* NoIndoorVoice: Fluttershy's dad, Hurricane, who shows up in Chapter 43 to congratulate Harmony Aeronautics on winning the royal charter and to apologize for the behavior of his fellow Cloudsdale citizens towards the non-pegasus contestants in the Pegathalon.

* PaintingTheMedium – the story uses a lot of tropes from cartoon animation, even though they aren’t necessary in a written work. See the list of uses in [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=3eyv2n9gasw90gzjdg226rfh this discarded YKTTW]], which includes “[Soarin’s] eyes faded out to X's”, description of “a grin, accompanied by a deep bass squeaky noise”, a PersonalRaincloud, and CirclingBirdies.

* SequelHook: [[spoiler:Chrysalis is still on the loose and has embarked on a scheme to replenish her strength by becoming a beloved foal actress.]]

* ShutUpHannibal: When the Wrong Brothers are in Cloudsdale, Professor Destiny starts giving a rant about how their flight harness makes them superior to the pegasi... only for an angry mob to start pelting them with pies.

* ThemeNaming: So far, all griffons introduced in the story have names that start with G. This is based on the fact that they only two to show up so far in canon (Gilda and Gustave Le Grand) are named likewise.

** Then after Otto engineers a miraculous escape from the Royal Guard, Flam manages to convince Flim to keep competing even though they are ''disqualified fugitives''. [[spoiler:This is the final straw for Otto, and he leaves the brothers to run for the border.]]

** In the end, [[spoiler:Diamond resolves to fix this and find somepony who will truly love her and whom she can truly love in return.]]

[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/34622 Earth and Sky]] is the sequel to the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Windfall}}'', and takes place about three years after the events of that story.

* ShoutOut:
** Sweetie Belle is apparently playing Princess Celestia in Wagoner's ''[[Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung The Ring of the Neighbelung]]''.
** Twilight's test flights are right out of ''Film/IronMan''.
*** For another ''Iron Man'' shout out (this time for the [[Comicbook/IronMan comics]]), Diamond Tiara's secretary misstates Flim's full name (Flim Flim Flam) as "Fing Fang Foom".
** Two of Tootsie Pie's middle names are [[Discworld/CarpeJugulum Margaret and Esmeralda]].
** Pip Squeak's introduction in chapter 7 reveals he's living with his parents on [[Music/TheBeatles Pony Lane, between the barber shop and the fire station.]]
** We find that Flam Flim-Flam has dyed his mane and mustache black and changed his name to Professor Destiny, a nod to Professor Fate from ''TheGreatRace''. His sidekick Otto Bomb is pretty much a pony version of Professor Fate's flunky Max.
** Pip's compliment to Apple Bloom on her opera dress is a reference to Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science".
** According to chapter 19, Diamond Tiara employs the legal services of [[MarxBrothers Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel]].
** With flying creatures of all types vying to join the Grand Pegathalon as of chapter 22, the story ends up turning into an homage to ''ThoseMagnificentMenInTheirFlyingMachines'' and/or ''TheGreatRace''.
** At the end of chapter 29, Blueblood tells [[spoiler: Chrysalis]], who he's discovered has [[spoiler: replaced his wife]], that it looks like "[[Film/{{Casablanca}} the start of a beautiful relationship]]".
*** And not too long before, in Chapter 28, Rarity raises surprise that Fancy Pants isn't getting in on the betting action. His response? "Why my dear Rarity, I'm shocked... shocked that you would insinuate such a thing."
** Applejack and Soarin' [[spoiler: get engaged]] in the middle of a fight, ala ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd At World's End]]''.
** Strongheart has to convince one of her fellow buffalo that Flies Like Thunder isn't really a legendary buffalo messiah: "He's not the White Buffalo, [[Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian he's a very naughty boy!]]"
** Apple Bloom remarks in Chapter 32 "[[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 I'm an engineer. I solve practical problems.]]"
** Flies Like Thunder and his companion Long Range are obviously based on Franchise/TheLoneRanger and his Native American companion Tonto, with the roles reversed.
** In Chapter 33, Destiny and Insanity accidentally set the Appleloosan jail-house on fire, and Austrian-accented Negasi Fleidermaus is tasked with escorting some of the prisoners out through the smoke. He tells his charges "[[Franchise/{{Terminator}} Come vith me if you vant to liff.]]"
** Also in Chapter 33, Sheriff Silver Star's deputies are Trigger and Nutmeg, AKA Nutsy. Nutsy and Trigger were two of the vulture {{mooks}} from Disney's ''Disney/RobinHood''.
** During their argument in chapter 35, [[spoiler: Chrysalis]] silences Blueblood by threatening to "[[Franchise/{{Alien}} crawl down [his] throat and burst out of [his] chest]]".
*** Alternately, it's a reference to a similarly graphic riff from ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 The Movie''.
** Sir Concord is turned into a [[Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory blueberry]] (or [[StealthPun a grape, at least]]) by Poison Joke.
** In chapter 38 we encounter Sergeant Skyway of the Los Pegasus Police Department, whose cutie mark is a [[Franchise/{{Dragnet}} police badge with the number 714]].
** This [[Film/TheBluesBrothers familiar]] exchange between Insanity and Destiny in chapter 39:
-->'''Insanity''': It's several hundred miles to Canterlot. We've got two days worth of food and water, a dozen rocket engines, and when it gets dark, we'll be wearing sunglasses.
-->'''Destiny''': Hit it.
** In chapter 41, after all the mares give Soarin' good luck kisses for his duel with Redtail, Shootin' Star drolly comments "[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger I ain't kissing ya.]]"
** Chapter 42, after slamming into a rainbow in Cloudsdale, Professor Destiny screams "[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons The goggles, they do nothing!]]".
*** Later in the same chapter, Celestia comments on how the Wrong Brothers' B.A.T. 20 was [[Film/IronMan built in a cave, with a bunch of scraps]].
** Chapter 44 features [[WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance an adorable filly actress named "Lollipop Dimples" who's secretly evil]] (in this case, it's because [[spoiler: she's Queen Chrysalis in disguise]]).
** Lulong the kirin has apparently spent his time since getting grounded in the Pegathalon "wandering the land meeting its ponies, doing good deeds, and [[Series/KungFu getting in the occasional kung fu battle with bandits]]."
** In Diamond Tiara's nightmare, it's pretty much clarified that the horrible prank she pulled on Silver Spoon at the prom consisted of [[Literature/{{Carrie}} dumping a bucket of spaghetti and marinara sauce on Silver Spoon's head from the rafters]].

* LuckyBastard: Pretty much the only reason the Flim-Flam brothers are still in the race. Every time the authorities try to punish them for their blatant cheating and lawbreaking, something happens that lets them escape. [[spoiler: Finally runs out when they reach Canterlot.]]

** In Chapter 33, Destiny and Insanity accidentally set the Appleloosan jail-house on fire, and Austrian-accented Negasi Fleidermaus is tasked with escorting some of the prisoners out through the smoke. He tells his charges "[[Film/{{Terminator}} Come vith me if you vant to liff.]]"

** In chapter 12, [[spoiler: Luna makes reference to a joke about a changeling trying to infiltrate Blueblood and Diamond Tiara's household, and turning itself in to the authorities after it nearly starved to death. In Chapter 29, Diamond Tiara ''does'' get replaced by a changeling…Queen Chrysalis herself, who has been starved for love ever since her expulsion from Canterlot, to the point of physically shrinking down to Tiara's size. She complains that since Diamond Tiara is, at best, tolerated, she's STILL starving.]]

* DraggedOffToHell: Princess Luna plays with this as she gives Diamond Tiara a nightmare that has the RichBitch [[YourWorstNightmare face her sins and the consequences.]] Diamond Tiara is sinking in a sinkhole in the desert as limbs pull her further down.

* SelfInflictedHell: Diamond Tiara's guilt-ridden nightmares in Chapter 43. On seeing them, Princess Luna decides that [[ThePunishmentIsTheCrime the spoiled princess has learned her lesson]] and lets her off with a firm warning.

** And things just get worse for him in the final chapter, as [[spoiler: Diamond returns, divorces him, and leaves him with so little that he'll have to move back in with his mother (an apparent FateWorseThanDeath)]]

** In chapter 42, after an epic crash landing, Professor Destiny mutters "I don' wanna be Perfezzer Desdummy anymore..." before losing consciousness.

* PunchClockVillain: The [=LaFish=] brothers, who attack Pip and Soarin' during the Pegathalon but claim it's NothingPersonal, were paid off to do it by Diamond Tiara.

* CryForTheDevil: The Flim-Flam brothers are jerks, yes, but it's hard not to feel sorry for Flam when they get separated during the sandstorm in the San Palomino and he thinks Flim might be dead.

*** Same chapter: Chrysalis's threat to ram her ovipositor up Blueblood's nose and lay eggs in his head is a reference to a similarly graphic riff from ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 The Movie''.

** In Diamond Tiara's nightmare, it's pretty much clarified that the horrible prank she pulled on Silver Spoon at the prom consisted of [[Literature/Carrie dumping a bucket of spaghetti and marinara sauce on Silver Spoon's head from the rafters]].

* DoggedNiceGuy: Soarin to Applejack, before the relationship shifts to full {{BelligerentSexualTension}} territory.

* DraggedOffIntoHell: Princess Luna plays with this as she gives Diamond Tiara a nightmare that has the RichBitch [[YourWorstNightmare face her sins and the consequences.]] Diamond Tiara is sinking in a sinkhole in the desert as limbs pull her further down.

** Soarin' spends most of the Pegalathon ignoring Shooting Star's insults and attempts to rile him up, until Shooting Star blindsides Applejack during the BarBrawl. This pisses Soarin' off enough that he snaps and kicks Shooting Star's ass.

** Celestia has another one when she hears about the Appleloosa jail burning down while almost all the Pegalathon contestants were locked up in it.

** Professor Destiny's first attempt to destroy the Harmony Harness involves a magic-seeking missile. He uses a bunch more as the first booby trap during the Pegalathon, but manages to avoid the mistake he made the first time (see below).

** Harmony Aeronautics ends up in fifth place, the same place [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E13FallWeatherFriends Twilight finished in the Running of the Leaves]]. For bonus points, the chapter where the Pegalathon ends in is chapter 42, the same number Twilight was listed as in that episode.

* TheCameo: Wisteria (from G3) and an aged [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends Firefly]] both show up at the Pegalathon contestants' party in chapter 24.

*** This finally hits its boiling point during the party for the contestants in the Pegalathon, as Pip is hit on by every mare there, and he goes along with it obliviously. Then he gets asked to dance by Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom just [[FreakOut blows her top.]]

* DickDastardlyStopsToCheat: Given the B.A.T.'s jet design, it's entirely likely that Destiny and Insanity could have won the Pegalathon fair and square by outrunning everyone else. Instead, their insistence on booby-trapping the race behind them leads to [[spoiler: Celestia disqualifying them, ordering their arrest, and granting Harmony Aeronautics the royal charter by default]]. Twilight even tells them that they could have won fair and square in the final chapter, and the brothers can't help but agree.

* DiscOneFinalBoss: Diamond Tiara starts out looking like the BigBad, but by the time the Pegalathon starts has lost complete control of the Flim-Flams and is stuck pulling what strings she can for her benefit. [[spoiler: And then she gets replaced by Chrysalis, beginning her road to a potential HeelFaceTurn.]]

** Spitfire similarly blows her top at the thought of non-Pegasi entering the Pegalathon, but Soarin manages to talk her down in chapter 23.

* InSeriesNickname: By the time the Pegalathon competitors reach Vanhoover, they've taken to calling Professor Destiny and Doctor Insanity the "[[IncrediblyLamePun Wrong Brothers]]".

** Rarity and Twilight's reactions to Soarin offering to work for them and help Pip in the Pegalathon. Followed by a joint BigYes.

* [[TheManBehindTheMan The Mare Behind the Stallions]]: Diamond Tiara to the Flim-Flams. She has next to no control over them, but she's the one who sent them after Harmony Aeronautics in the first place, and she's covering for them the best she can during the Pegalathon, all to insure she gets away with her petty schemes.

* NothingPersonal: The [=LaFish=] brothers claim this right before attacking Pip and Soarin' during the Pegalathon.

* OutOfFocus: Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, once the Pegalathon starts up. Pinkie [[BreakingTheFourthWall comments on this]] during their cameo in chapter 37.

** Apple Bloom gets one at the Pegalathon contestants' party as Pip obliviously flirts with every mare there, and it only gets bigger the more it happens.

* PunchClockVillain: The [=LaFish=] brothers, who attack Pip and Soarin' during the Pegalathon but claim it's NothingPersonal, were paid off to do it by Diamond Tiara.

** Since the Pegalathon started up, we've had one of the BlackComedy variety; Celestia assigns one of her Royal Guards to escort (read: keep an eye on) Doctor Insanity and Professor Destiny, only for them to suffer some AmusingInjury as a result of something the brothers did.

* SurferDude: The Los Pegasus team in the Pegathalon, in contrast to the Cloudsdale team, who are members of an elite flying club and act more like polo players (meaning sophisticated and stuck-up).

* TitleDrop: In the final chapter, after Applejack and Soarin's wedding: "'''Earth and Sky''' were joined together in love, joy, and harmony."

* FreudianExcuse: It's eventually revealed that the real reason Soarin's so upset about [[spoiler: being kicked off the Wonderbolts]] is because they're the closet he's ever had to a family (see ParentalAbandonment).

*** When she sees the damage they caused to Cloudsdale, she gets so angry she slips in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe. And then subverted when Spike accidentally teleports a bunch of thrown pies from the resulting riot right into her face; everyone expects her to have another big one, but she just has Shining Armor put up a force field and locks herself in the kitchens.

* DoggedNiceGuy: Soarin to Applejack, before the relationship shifts to full {{BST}} territory.

** Celestia has another one when she hears about the Appleloosa jail burning down while all the Pegalathon contestants were locked up in it.

* EasilyForgiven: [[spoiler: Silver Spoon accepts Diamond Tiara's apology almost instantly, after seeing how emotionally broken she's become. Apple Bloom likewise forgives her once Silver Spoon vouches for her.]]

* PaintingTheMedium – the story uses a lot of tropes from cartoon animation, even though they aren’t necessary in a written work. See the list of uses in [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=3eyv2n9gasw90gzjdg226rfh this discarded YKTTW]], which includes “[Soarin’s] eyes faded out to X's”, description of “a grin, accompanied by a deep bass squeaky noise”, and CirclingBirdies.

* PaintingTheMedium – the story uses a lot of tropes from cartoon animation, even though they aren’t necessary in a written work. See [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=3eyv2n9gasw90gzjdg226rfh this discarded YKTTW]].