Legends of Magic Issue 4

My Little Pony: Legends of Magic #4 is the fourth issue of IDW Publishing's My Little Pony: Legends of Magic comic series. In the issue, Sunburst reads to Starlight Glimmer about the legend of Flash Magnus and the Cloudsdale Royal Legion.

Summary
At Sunburst's castle suite in Canterlot, Starlight Glimmer angrily knocks on the door, threatening to break it down if Sunburst doesn't answer. When Sunburst opens the door, Starlight explains that she sent him a message several days earlier saying she and Twilight Sparkle were going to be in Canterlot and she wanted him to meet him for lunch. However, not only did Starlight never receive a reply, but she's been in Canterlot for two days and hasn't seen him once in that time.

Sunburst tells Starlight that he's been reading about the untold stories of legendary ponies written by Star Swirl the Bearded; the most recent one he's been reading is about Flash Magnus of the Royal Legion. Intrigued by the never-before-heard legends and wanting to spend time with her old friend, Starlight gets comfortable on Sunburst's bed and has him read the legend to her.

Flash Magnus' story begins during his time with the Royal Legion of Cloudsdale. One day, the Legion is assembled by its leader Captain Ironhead, and he explains that an accident at the weather factory has caused a batch of storm clouds to quadruple in volume. Those storm clouds subsequently hit a warm front and grew to immense size, and the storm is now on a collision course with Cloudsdale. With the storm currently making its way through griffon territory, Ironhead recruits four of the Legion's fastest Pegasi to stop it: Flash Magnus, Nimbus Dash, Bella Breeze, and Grimhoof.

Ironhead and the four legionnaires fly out to challenge the superstorm, but they are stopped by Blackbeak and the Royal Griffon Defense Force. Blackbeak believes the Pegasi created the storm intentionally and forbids the Cloudsdale Legion from going near the storm as long as it's in griffon territory. Not wanting to incite war between the Pegasi and griffons, Ironhead decides to wait until the storm crosses into Pegasus territory, despite Flash Magnus' objections.

The Royal Griffon Defense Force tries to break up the storm clouds, but they are pelted by rain, tornados, snowstorms, hail, gale force winds, and lightning. Meanwhile, the Royal Legion waits for the storm to cross the border between the griffon and Pegasus kingdoms. Flash notices a small town of griffons right in the storm's path and wants to help them evacuate, but Ironhead forbids him from doing anything that might agitate Blackbeak and instigate a war. Even as the village starts to get swept by the storm and the griffons are unable to fly away, Ironhead refuses to take action. Flash, unwilling to stand by any longer, renounces his position in the Royal Legion to save the griffons.

Unfortunately, Flash is unable to save all the griffons by himself. Luckily, Nimbus Dash, Bella Breeze, and Grimhoof are inspired by Flash's selflessness and bravery and defy Ironhead's orders in order to help him. With the villagers safe, the storm finally crosses the border into Pegasus territory, and the legionnaires offer to help Ironhead break up the storm, which he accepts. Through their teamwork, the superstorm is dispersed, and the Royal Legion is hailed as heroes to the griffons. Flash Magnus and his fellow legionnaires are awarded medals of valor, and the improved relations between Pegasi and griffons eventually lead to the two sides starting to train together at flight school.

The story ends there, and Starlight Glimmer is a little skeptical about its historical accuracy, preferring more realistic tales. She decides to check official records in the Canterlot library for more information, and Sunburst jokes about how much of an impact he and Twilight have had on her. Suddenly feeling hungry, Sunburst takes Starlight up on her invitation for the two of them to have dinner together.

Quotes

 * Starlight Glimmer: So, instead of spending time with your visiting friend, you're cooped up in here reading Pegasi folktales. That makes me feel much better.


 * Starlight Glimmer: Okay, you've convinced me.
 * Sunburst: Convinced you of what?
 * Starlight Glimmer: As your friend, since you refuse to show up to lunch or dinner with me, I will sit here with you and allow you to read me one of these new stories. You may proceed.


 * Legionnaire 1: What's this all about?
 * Legionnaire 2: I heard it was something about chocolate milk rain.
 * Legionnaire 1: That's nonsense. I heard it was dragons again.


 * Nimbus Dash: Oh, come on, old timer. It's just a storm, right? We got this.
 * Ironhead: You take that approach and you're gonna end up headfirst through some pony's house.


 * Blackbeak: By "rogue storm" you mean the weapon you cooked up to take out the griffons?
 * Ironhead: What?!
 * Blackbeak: You tell everyone you're going to help control our weather and then it just so happens that you let loose a storm like this on us.
 * Ironhead: Now see here, it was an accident. The weather factory just—
 * Blackbeak: I don't believe in accidents!


 * Flash Magnus: We're not really going away, right? We're going to sneak to the storm another way, right?
 * Ironhead: You want us to go to war with the griffons the same day we unleash the storm of the century?
 * Flash Magnus: No, but... griffons are going to get hurt.
 * Ironhead: Then that's on Blackbeak's head, not ours.


 * Flash Magnus: Sir, that town there is right in the path of the storm.
 * Ironhead: So it is.
 * Flash Magnus: We have to help them!
 * Ironhead: Do we?
 * Flash Magnus: We have to. There are families down there.
 * Ironhead: Well, it's too bad for them Blackbeak is a jerk. We've been warned not to cross this line and we do not cross this line.


 * Nimbus Dash: Sorry, boss, we got a fellow legionnaire to help!
 * Bella Breeze: Please don't be mad.
 * Grimhoof: Be mad, but please don't kick us out!


 * Flash Magnus: Sir, I know I'm probably not welcome in the Legion anymore. But I hope you don't mind if I still give you a hoof with this storm.
 * Ironhead: Come on, young bucks. We'll sort all this out after Cloudsdale is safe.
 * Legionnaires: Yes, sir!


 * Starlight Glimmer: Boy, Twilight and I are really starting to have an impact on you.
 * Sunburst: Oh please, I knew how to use a library before I met you two.
 * Starlight Glimmer: Knowing and doing are two different things. I'm suddenly very hungry. Are you still up for that dinner you were going on about?
 * Sunburst: I'd like that.