//------------------------------// // Chapter 45 // Story: Raindrops' Wrap Up // by Arkensaw Pinkerton //------------------------------// "Uh, actually-" you slip your saddlebags off and put them just inside the door. As you do, you feel a weird sliding sensation across your face, but you shake it off. "Actually, I should go and talk to her, I think." You point a wing at the unicorn in the park. You're not great with ponies, but she's crying- it'll sit on you all day if you don't try to help out. An idea strikes you. You might not be great with ponies, but this little dude might be able to help. Heck, he might know her! "Do you want to come with me? I think she's upset, and I'm not so great with upset ponies." You wrinkle your nose. You hate admitting that. "She's upset? Who is- is that Lyra? Oh, I hope nothing's gone wrong with Bon Bon, she's been saying-" he claps his claws over his mouth as though he was about to reveal a secret and when he pulls them away he's got a plan. "Alright, I'm not supposed to leave the library unattended but I'll be able to see the door from over there. I'll go get her a cocoa and while I'm doing that you talk to her, okay? I'll only be a couple of minutes." "What am I supposed to talk to her about?" you ask as he disappears into the library. "I dunno, just come up with something! And close the door, it's getting frosty in here!" he shouts back. You close the door and turn to look at the unicorn; Lyra, Spike said her name was. She really does look upset. You swallow hard and walk over in her direction, slowing down as you come up alongside her. "Uh, hi." you say, and you sound really, really loud. Great start, Raindrops. "Hey." Her voice is flat, and she doesn't look up at you. You can see big, fat tears rolling down her snout and dripping onto the ground. "Well, I'm Raindrops. You look pretty upset about something so I thought I would see if you were okay." Alright, that was decent. You've introduced yourself and the facts are laid out! This is simple- "Thanks. 'm fine." Ugh. Ugh! Why would she say that? She's sitting there all teary and stuff and she's fine? She's not fine! Spike probably knows better than you what to do in this situation, and you have no problem passing the buck. "Sure you are. Spike's making you a cocoa. He'll be out in a second." Now that gets a reaction from her- she finally looks up at you, and her hair falls back and away from her face. She's really pretty, you realise, or at least she would be if she hadn't been bawling in the snow for half an hour. Her nose is red raw. "Oh, don't make him do that. I don't want to talk about it and he'll make me talk about it. Can you take me to do something else? I don't mind what. It's supposed to be the Wrap up today, I know I'm late, we could do a job or something." She slumps her head back down. "I don't want to talk about it," she mumbles, and you get the feeling that last one was for her benefit. You hate making decisions like this and Spike's already making the cocoa. You are no freakin' good with ponies, you swear to Luna. Please put requests for Raindrops' actions in the comments below! To go back a step, Click here for Chapter 20.