Chapter 58 - Rainstorm
Gray clouds hung over all of Ponyville, the pegasi were hard at work completely blotting out the sky. The occasional strong gust of wind that bellowed through the streets gave small previews of what was to come later that day.
“Trixie does not understand,” Trixie said to Fluttershy while they trotted along the trees closest to Fluttershy’s home, seeking out loose or weak branches. “Nopony will be out during the storm, so why pull down the branches?”
“Uhm, because they might fall on somepony if we don’t.” Fluttershy answered, her gaze alternating between Trixie and the trees.
For a whole week Trixie had been confined to her bed again, a safety precaution after Trixie foolishly admitted she got tired quickly. Trixie had not been allowed to help out at all, instead Rainbow Dash would come around to help Fluttershy take care of the chores more quickly. With the chores taken care of, the three of them would spend the day together in various ways.
Sometimes it involved argueing with Rainbow Dash, or watching her practice, show off, and brag. Other times Fluttershy would arrange for something peaceful, like a minor excursion into the edge of the forest to see brand new animal parents and their offspring. Fluttershy checked on them to see if everything was alright apparently, and made small talk with the animals.
Those had been some of Trixie’s favorite trips, once she had been reassured it was just a regular forest, though it was adjacent to the Everfree Forest. The first time they had visited a family of bunnies, the second time badgers, the third time deer. The little creatures were just so endearing that it was easy to see why Fluttershy was so fond of her job, after a gentle introduction Rainbow Dash and Trixie had been brought in to see the animals up close.
Though Trixie had a lot of fun during those trips, she was a bit nervous about the next trip. Rainbow Dash’s complaints about boring animals had been met by Fluttershy with the promise of seeing wolves the next time.
“But nopony will be out here! The branches are going to fall anyway. This is useless work.” Trixie groaned while she rolled her eyes.
It was so annoying. Trixie had not been allowed to help with anything until the weekend, and when it finally arrived the main chore on the agenda was some completely pointless busywork. Somehow the whole town was in on the joke and Trixie just did not get it.
Fluttershy came to a stop, then looked back at Trixie. “Oh, if you want, you can go back inside, Trixie. It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Trixie shook her head. “No, Trixie will help you. It is just she thinks you are better helped by realizing you don’t have to do any of this.”
“Because everypony would be inside?”
“Right!”
“What if somepony is not inside? Maybe there could be an emergency, or a traveler?” Fluttershy continued along the trees, then pointed up at a cracked branch. “Ah, over there.” She spread her wings and flew up to tie a rope around the branch.
While Fluttershy was occupied, Trixie stared up at the ever-dimming sky. She knew that somewhere up there Rainbow Dash was hard at work as well. She had often joked that Rainbow Dash had no real job, but seeing so many pegasi fly to-and-fro, arranging the massive storm, was impressive. Trixie could not make out who was who, but she thought she caught the occasional rainbow-colored glimpse.
“Well, Trixie supposes that in that rare case, maybe it is not a bad idea.” She begrudgingly admitted, then grabbed hold of the rope that dangled from the tree branch. It did not take much effort to pull the loose branch down, just the weight or the rope itself nearly did the job for Trixie.
To the sound of dry snapping and rustling leafs, the branch tumbled down.
Fluttershy untied the rope, then led the way to the next tree. “Oh, that’s right. Trixie, Rainbow Dash will be staying with us tonight.”
Trixie’s ears perked up. “She will? Why is that, is she so tired out from doing actual work, that she doesn’t want to cook?” She laughed, but caught sight of Fluttershy giving her a hurt look that quickly made her change her tune. “Uh, Trixie means, why is she staying?”
“She said the storm was going to be pretty bad, and that her cloud home was not made to withstand heavy winds.” Fluttershy smiled and shook her head. “I think she forgets sometimes that I helped her study for her weather exams. Rainbow’s home is fine, and she knows it. She’s just worried about us.”
“Oh, maybe she’s making up for lost boasting time.” Trixie had not actually seen Rainbow Dash yet today. Usually she showed up fairly quickly, but with the preparation for the storm she’d been too busy to visit. Though Trixie would not say it, she missed the annoying, cute pegasus already.
Fluttershy giggled. “Well hopefully you will be a good influence on her, Trixie.” She spread her wings and flew up to another tree branch with the rope, repeating the process.
Trixie raised a brow, staring at Fluttershy for a moment, who just smiled back innocently. “Subtle, okay here goes.” It took a bit more effort, but another branch gave way under Trixie’s might.
“Very good, Trixie. Are you feeling tired at all?”
“No, not tired, but Trixie is growing bored of this task.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. We can stop here I think, would you like to go back home?”
Trixie nodded. It was only a short trip back to Fluttershy’s cottage, and they even had the good fortune to have the wind at their backs on the return trip. Above them, the skies rumbled while the last few clouds were placed.
Almost seconds after entering the house, the rain began. Gently at first, but soon it came down hard. The first cracks of thunder followed soon after.
Fluttershy stocked the fireplace up to a nice roaring flame while Trixie carried over the kettle.
“Oh, thank you, Trixie.” Fluttershy placed the kettle over the fire and fanned the flames with her wings.
Trixie looked out the window. It was so dark outside she could have easily mistaken the day for the night. A lightning strike streaked across the sky. She trotted up closer to the window, scanning the air for any sign of Rainbow Dash. Even from inside, the windswept heavy rain and darkness made it hard to see anything. She did not like the idea of Rainbow Dash flying through all that in the slightest.
“She should be done right? Where the hay is she? Trixie is bored of waiting.”
A warm feeling spread over Trixie’s back, Fluttershy’s wing rested on top of her. She too stared out the window. “I know, Trixie… I’m bored too.”
The fire crackled behind them as they watched the storm rage outside. The lightning strikes got more frequent and Trixie felt as though the cold was trying to come through the glass. She leaned against Fluttershy, her warmth was comforting.
“Trixie will never let Rainbow Dash live this down. The ‘fastest flier in Equestria’, late.”
“S-she never was particularly punctual. If anything, I’ll bet she just stayed behind to do some extra work and left late. She was diligent like that for big storms in Cloudsdale too. This is the first one for Ponyville I can remember, so maybe she’s the only one with experience.”
“Yes, surely that is why she is late. She has no sense of planning, if she was in charge it’s no wonder the work ran late.” Trixie squinted at what looked like a vague dot in the sky, but it was gone as soon as she tried to get a better look. “So, she worked on the weather in Cloudsdale then, did you too?”
“Oh, no. I was studying for, well this.” She motioned around. “Rainbow Dash already had a part time job managing weather before she graduated, so it was a quick transition for her. I know she’s flown through worse than this, it won’t even slow her down.” Fluttershy sounded a bit stronger than usual.
Trixie briefly followed the gesture before she looked outside again. “Trixie is curious. If she worked for the Cloudsdale weather team, why is she here now? Did something happen?”
Flutterly spared a sideways glance at Trixie, then pulled her a little closer under her wing. “Nothing happened, Rainbow Dash always did great there. I’m sure she’d be captain of the weather team there if she didn’t give it up… I cost her that job.”
“You? But… how?” Trixie could not believe it.
Fluttershy swallowed uncomfortably. “W-well… I’m not a very good flier. This one time I actually fell off Cloudsdale, and I couldn’t even recover in time before I got to the ground.”
Trixie gasped in horror, her attention firmly on Fluttershy from that moment.
“O-oh, I’m sorry! I was caught, don’t worry! Nothing bad happened. A lot of good things happened actually, but my point is I was really bad.” She smiled weakly at Trixie then looked back out the window. “Rainbow Dash, she helped me, but I was still terrible. After I fell to the earth I discovered I really liked it, and wanted to just live down there. Earthponies and unicorns didn’t have wings, so I knew I’d never need to fly again. I wanted to quit flight school, I didn’t think I would ever graduate anyway, but she wouldn’t let me.”
“She wouldn’t let you do what you wanted?” Trixie stared at Fluttershy confused. Another strike of lightning made her wonder if the clouds were fighting some kind of war. Trixie blinked. “Wait. Fighting… You and Rainbow fought over that didn’t you? She said you two compromised.”
Fluttershy looked surprised. “She told you? Uhm, uh, yes. We did fight over it. Rainbow Dash refused to let me give up, and she offered a deal: If I really wanted to live down there, she’d come with me, but only if I could graduate flight school, otherwise she would not even visit me if I moved.”
“Trixie is pretty sure that is not called a deal, but an ultimatum.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Fluttershy just smiled. “If you say so, Trixie. I didn’t think it was fair of her to ask the impossible. It felt like a cheap trick to keep me from moving, but I didn’t want to lose her, even if we had a fight. So I ended up deciding to stay in flight school for a while. What she didn’t tell me at the time was that she would do everything she could to help me. When I showed up to school the next day, I saw Rainbow Dash before she saw me, and she looked so miserable and nervous. Once she saw I came, she was so excited! She supported me at every opportunity, gave me flight tips, pushed me harder, trained with me, and encouraged me.”
Trixie smiled as she listened to the story. “So you passed the exam, didn’t you? Flying colors?”
Fluttershy giggled softly and shook her head. ”Maybe not flying colors… but I did pass it. It took a while, but when I finally moved to Ponyville, no matter how often I told her she didn’t have to, Rainbow Dash came with me. She asked for a transfer to the Ponyville weather team, even though they don’t even have a quarter of her usual work load. She said it was perfect because it gave her more time to practice flying.”
“She really came? Just like that?” Trixie tore her gaze away from Fluttershy, then tried to make out the shapes in the dark sky again. No wonder she never has any work to do, she only took this job to keep her promise…
Nodding, Fluttershy looked out the window as well, a happy smile on her face as she reminisced. “Nothing could convince her otherwise. Rainbow Dash just said she’d stay true to her word no matter what. She’s just that kind of pony, loyal to a fault. Even though I know she gave up her job… I am really glad that she’s here. I-I don’t know what I would do without her by my side.”
It was so dark outside now that the majority of the window was taken up by the reflection of Trixie and Fluttershy, anything going on outside was only visible during the brief flashes of lightning.
Trixie stared at the reflection of Fluttershy while she told the story, all of her anxiety had cleared up. Although it was unclear to Trixie what exactly had possessed Rainbow Dash to go that far. Was it really that important to her that Fluttershy would learn how to fly properly? They both seem very happy with the final outcome.
A content look played on Fluttershy’s face. “At the time, I was really upset with her, but now I’m grateful. Even if I’m still a weak flier, I can actually fly now and it has allowed me to do so many more things even here on the ground. Me and Rainbow Dash can go on actual flights. And it even helped me save a good friend of mine once. I learned to fly, and that I can always count on her.”
“Heh, well. There’s nothing to be ‘bored’ about then is there? If Rainbow Dash said she’d be here, she’ll be here.” Trixie turned her back on the window. “It’s drafty over there, come on lets have something nice and hot ready for her when she gets here.”
Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at Trixie, giving a nod in response. “You’re right. Oh, how about you go up to the bedroom? The chest at the hoof end of the bed has an extra blanket, could you bring that down?” Fluttershy turned her attention on the boiling kettle, pulling it out of the fire.
Between the two of them, preparations were soon complete. The couch had been pulled up closer to the fireplace, and a small table in front held three steaming mugs of hot chocolate. A blanket and two towels were thrown over the arm rest, and two drowsy ponies sat side by side upon the couch, waiting patiently.
With another roar of thunder, the door of the cottage swung open, revealing a completely drenched and shivering pile of feathers and fur that must have once been a pegasus.
“Rainbow Dash!”
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The rainboom?
4479255
Interesting guess, but I don't think the rainboom episodes have storms in them.
4479258 the nature storm?
4479283
Nope.
4479285 a hurricane, and night
4479293
I guess I was a bit too vague.
I meant, which episode is the storm from?
I know so It wouldn't be a guess.
4479301
Your good sportsmanship is appreciated.
So there were two slumber parties this night egh?
4479310
fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/238/7/4/mlp_magic_is_muffin_by_hoyeechun-d5cgukk.png
Double points!
And now to make a Rainbow sandwich. Platonically of course. To warm her up.
4479353
Excellent idea.
Good chapter, it is nice to see what Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were up to that night. Unfortunately, i probably won't be able to read for about two weeks. I have two midterms next week, and finals after that. Sometime during that, I have to pack up for my move back home, and register for fall classses. See you in a couple weeks.
I think I know the episode it's from, a good Rarijack episode
and now i'm reminded of this from friendship is witchcraft
4479502
Ah it is finally happening then? Best of luck to you on your tests! Though given how you are talking, I doubt you are going o need it.
It seems to be a popular month for moving. My condolences for all the effort that goes into that.
See you in a few weeks!
4479637
Heh yes it is. Definitely too good a premise to leave alone.
Oh the bed song.
Maybe I can fit in a drying song.
You and your Cliffhangers, at least you don't take long to update ;P
4480101
Cliffhangers? Whaaat?
I totally could have ended the chapter while it was unknown if RD was okay. I was totally being nice this time.
4480082 Here, I parodied the first part of the sleep song:
♪ I am not messing up floorboards ♪
♪ dry myself, so they don't start to warp ♪
♪ making sure my fur stays nice and clean ♪
♪ have you ever seen a mane so neat? ♪
♪ I'm drying my wet fur ♪
4480274
Hah that's briljant, and now I can't not read it in Rarity's voice.
4480282 and now the second half:
♪ dry, dry, dry, time to go get dry now ♪
♪ it's rain-ing, time to get dry when it rains ♪
♪ I am wet, time to dry, now ♪
♪ wet, wet wet, dry dry dry ♪
♪ I'm drying my wet fur ♪
at some point I have to write a song in one of my stories, just for a laugh
4480325
Yes you should.
Though that can be hard to fit in I think. I don't remember the last time I actually read a written song before today.
I guess maybe it being a parody would help.
4480357 I remember one story on here I read that had a song in it was 'Challenges of Sobriety in a Weekend of Confines' by Ezrienel, have you read that one?
I guess we'll just wait and see if I do make put one in myself, probably make it a parody like you said, course I have to do my other stuff first. Been a bit busy this weekend with TAFE assessments so I wasn't able to write as much as i'd liked
, BUT I almost forget it's WA day on Monday, so I get that off, so hopefully I still be able to get it done soonish 
4480387
I don't think I have read that one.
Too bad you did not have much time this weekend, but a surprise day off is always nice.
I am not actually sure what a WA day is.
4480533 heh heh, It's not a WA day, WA stands for Western Australia, It's to celebrate the founding of the first settlement in our state. In any case, YAY day off
I would recommend the story, it's a humanized appledash about AJ helping RD through her problems and finding their feeling for each other in the process, don't I sound like some kind of ad right now?
4480563
Yes you do.
I'll give it a try sometime.
And yay for WA day.
4480617 so, do they have any special holidays where you're from?
4480635
Had one just last Thursday, Ascension Day.
We get the day off, but I'm not sure if that is just my country.
Other than that we like to add 2nd days to regular holidays like "2nd day of easter" and "2nd day of xmas" which we don't work on. Cause apparently we will take any excuse.
4480661 we have something like a 2nd day of Christmas, it's called boxing day, I don't know what it's for, but it always makes me think of this:
shop.flagshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/l/flag-sports-go-australia.gif
plus it's a day off
This is so good!
4480727
Thank you!
4480245
< that's you.
4480736
static.fjcdn.com/large/pictures/23/52/23523b_3445095.jpg
4480723
Must be it.
4480055
I'm in a college dorm, so moving isn't to bad.
Maybe I'm reading too far into that, but it is interesting to see that Flutter's considers her house Trixie's home now.
I'm in an immature mood so I wanted to point these lines out. Carry on.
Eh, let's do a round up of errors, shall we? Been awhile.
'of'
Might just be a nitpick, but it sounds like you are saying that Flutters and Trixie are watching RD argue. Which it would be funny to see her with a mirror and trying to argue with herself, but I don't think that's what you meant.
'Sometimes that I helped' or 'she forgets that I helped her study for her weather exams'
maybe 'then the rain started', still sounds off though. 'Almost seconds after entering the house, a torrent of rainfall began,' ? You get my drift.
I agree! RD deserves to be done right!
Prolly better to put a question mark there instead.
'to'
'true to her word'
All small little errors, not many huge one's are in your stories anymore for me to whine about.
4492448
Like my professor used to say: A dirty mind is a joy forever.
Thanks for pointing those errors out.
Hurray progress.
Earth ponies
________________
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Look_Before_You_Sleep ... muffins?
5362452
Huh, I guess I didn't put a time limit on that. Alright here you go:
th03.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/330/5/5/mlp_magic_is_muffin_v2_by_hoyeechun-d5m7gxr.png
I'm wondering what the other elements (bar Rarity) think of Rainbow Dash spending so much time at Fluttershy's. 'They're totally doing it' seems likely.
And she's not attacked while being seen by all who help break the branches? I'm surprised. And disappointed.
Comments;
And in various positions.
True, but I suspect the ponies would rather break the branches and remove them while they're dry than have to scoop up drenched branches from the ground.
That's too big a word for Rainbow Dash. No wonder she doesn't know the difference.
LOYALTY
YEAH
Who was that? I've not watched the first season in ages.
Oh, my...
5366331
Pretty much, yes.
The idea was that they only did the branches around Fluttershy's home.
Twilight in the first episode. FS and RD catch her mid fall.
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/6/6c/Fluttershy_and_Rainbow_Dash_catch_Twilight_S01E02.png/revision/20111205163154
Cap. [Organization]
_________________
space between earth and ponies.
______________
Poor Dashie. All soaking wet.
5363683
I bet Trixie's muffins would taste amazing. I bet Ditzy'd be so jealous of Flutters and Dashie.