//------------------------------//
// Heart of the Storm 
// Story: The Voice of the Sun 
// by Lev the Lurker 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 9: Heart of the Storm
“What was that about?” asked Lyra angrily once she and Raindrops had returned to their room.
“What?” said Raindrops, not meeting her gaze.
“It’s our duty as knights” she parroted, “you just want to stay here because you might get a booty call from Kindle!”
“It’s not like that!” exclaimed Raindrops angrily. “It’s just... well... ok, I want to make sure we can stay in touch. I don’t want to lose him! He’s special!”
“More special than our safety? Maybe Quizzing is right and the griffin won't come here but I don’t know if we can take that risk. It’s not like us being here is actually doing much about the situation.”
“You managed to turn that crowd against Terror Wing! And only half an hour ago you were talking about us staying here!”
“Yeah but that was before...”
“Before what?”
“...Before I got that message from Bonnie,” said Lyra looking down at the ground.
“What, and now you want to have happy sexy times with her?” she snorted.
“No! Well yes, but it reminded me that I miss her, and she’d miss me if anything happened to us...” Lyra trailed off.
“Oh,” said Raindrops deflating a little, “look I’m sure things are going to be fine. I know you really care about Bon Bon but the way you feel about her, that’s the way I feel about Kindle! I don’t want to lose him just by accident.”
Despite herself Lyra gave a snort. “Like me and Bonnie? You’ve only known this guy for what, two days now!”
“But it seems like an eternity! I’m sure he’s the one!” sighed Raindrops.
“He’s the one,” parroted Lyra, “Do you know how much like a teenager you sound right now?”
“Lyra, I am a teenager,” growled Raindrops. “And I’m sorry if my age means that my feelings don’t count.” She rolled over on the bed turning away from her friend. 
“Raindrops, I’m sorry I--” began Lyra guiltily reaching out for the pegasus.
“No, I’m sure all your extra experience means you really know how these things are. There’s no possible way I could lo... like Kindle. Is there!” said Raindrops bitterly shrugging off her friend’s hoof. 
Lyra sighed, she’d really messed up here. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--”
“Of course you didn’t, I’m just stupid angry Raindrops. I don’t get to have emotions because I might hurt ponies. I should just keep everything inside all the time, go and smash some rocks or something.”
“Please Raindrops, I really am sorry, I’m sure what you have with Kindle feels very real but maybe you should take a few steps back. What do you actually know about him?”
“Enough. I know that he likes me for who I am! That he cares how I feel.”
“I do too,” said Lyra reaching out a hoof again, this time Raindrops didn’t push it aside. “I really do want you to be happy, to have a special somepony. I know how good it feels, but you shouldn’t put yourself in danger just for that. If it’s meant to be you’ll find a way.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” mumbled Raindrops. 
“Look, I think we should check up on the Ambassador,” said Lyra trying to distract her friend. “Lightning made some good points about him. He might be really dodgy.”
“You don’t need me for that,” said Raindrops turning towards her friend with a wan smile. “I’m not all that sneaky, I’m more of the break down the door type. You’re probably better off by yourself without me to get in the way.”
“Raindrops, don’t be like that,” said Lyra hopping off the bed, “I’m sorry about what I said.”
“I know, I... I just need some time to myself to think things over, you know.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, just be careful, if you do find anything strange come straight back here, and even if there’s nothing wrong, we probably should get going tomorrow.” She sighed, “Like you said it’s not safe. Just be careful. I can probably leave a message for Kindle when we have to leave, I’m sure he’ll get it.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to keep you away from Bon Bon,” she said with a weak smile.
“Thank you,” said Lyra as she headed to the door.  

*        	*        	*

Raindrops growled to herself in frustration as her friend slipped away. Lyra probably meant well, thought that she was protecting her younger friend, but she wasn’t a child! She knew her own mind and that her feelings for Kindle were real. It wasn’t just some hormonal infatuation. Certainly he was attractive, very much so with his silky mane and his long pinions just right to wrap around her body keeping her warm and protected. She idly wondered if it was true what they said about stallions with big wings, then she cut off that line of thinking. As intriguing as it was, it wasn’t helping her argument. 
She sighed and rolled off the bed before starting to pace up and down the room. Maybe Lyra was right, maybe she was taking things too quickly, but she hated the thought of possibly never seeing Kindle again. Ok, maybe that was unlikely, even if she had to return to Equestria tomorrow she could leave a letter or something. They could keep in touch, but how would she feel if their situations were reversed? If Kindle just vanished suddenly and only left a letter. She didn’t want to ruin things that way. 
If only she could talk to him one more time! Explain why things had to be the way they were, to tell him that it wasn’t safe for her to stay, to say that she’d be back and that she wanted them to be together. 
There was a knock at the window and Raindrops spun around in surprise. There, just outside, hovered Kindle, a bouquet of flowers held in the crook of his arm. Raindrops felt her jaw drop, was she dreaming? Had her thoughts in some way summoned him?
“My lady,” called Kindle. “My Storm Cloud, may I come in?”
“Oh, right um, yes, of course,” she tried to gather her wits while at the same time running a hoof through her mane trying to get the errant strands to stay down. Finally deciding that she looked as good as she could in the few moments available to her she trotted over to the window and opened it. Kindle carefully climbed in and presented her with the flowers and a glowing smile. Raindrops found herself grinning in kind and accepted the gift. She hugged the flowers to herself and nibbled gently at one of them, they tasted fresh. “Thank you! They’re great,” feeling that maybe she should reward him for the present she leaned forwards and kissed him on the lips, there was no reason she couldn’t reward herself at the same time. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon!”
“Yes, well,” the stallion looked bashfully down at the floor, “I hadn’t planned to, but I found I could not get you out of my mind my Storm Cloud. My work is important but,” he looked her straight in the eyes. “I’ve found that you, and what you represent, is far more dear to me than my previous plans.”
Raindrops felt her legs weaken and her tail rise under his gaze. She shyly turned away blushing, she’d never thought that a stallion would make her feel like this. Kindle seemed to always know just what to say to light a fire in her, to make her want to abandon her inhibitions. His was a dangerous, heady presence. 
“You were all that I could think about these last few hours. I have prepared a surprise for you, I think you will enjoy it.”
“You really didn’t need to,” said Raindrops trying to get her body back under control. Her mind swam at the idea of what surprise he could have for her given they were alone together in her bedroom. “You’ve done so much for me over the last few days. I should treat you in some way.” She found her bush re-intensifying at the imagined implications of her words. 
“Your presence is reward enough for me. Now if it pleases you, come with me,” he gestured to the window. 
“Where are we going?” she asked, taking his hoof in her own. 
“It is a surprise, but not all that far.”
A nagging thought tugged at her mind. “Wait, I-I really shouldn’t, Lyra will be expecting me to be here.” Maybe she should tell Kindle of her friend’s suspicions about the ambassador, he worked here, so maybe he knew more, but it really wasn’t the sort of thing she wanted to discuss right now. Besides, what were the odds that her friend would need her help in the next few hours? Lyra’s little spy game probably wouldn’t turn up anything, and while she was with Kindle she could tell him about her having to go... the thought drove a spear of ice into her heart, she’d have to tell him, but maybe not right now. She could wait until he’d shown her his surprise, she didn’t want to ruin their evening. That sounded like a reasonable excuse, she meant plan, a reasonable plan.
“My lady?” asked Kindle.
“Sorry,” Raindrops shook herself out of her thoughts. “I’ll leave a note in case she gets back and wonders where I am.” She reluctantly pulled away from him and quickly took a pad and pencil from a bedside table before scribbling a few words about being out with her stallion and throwing the paper back on the table. “Right, I’m ready!” she exclaimed. 
He grinned and held out a hoof for her and the two of them climbed out of the window together.
Unseen, the breeze caused by their exit caught the discarded note by the bed and sent it floating. It swooped around for a moment before it was dragged out of the window and into the sky beyond, leaving no trace.

*        	*        	*

“Our transport awaits!” announced Kindle holding out his hoof towards the sky.
Raindrops smiled at the sight of a small platform made of cloud positioned near to the embassy. It would be a little snug for the two of them, but she imagined that neither of them would be all that worried about that. With a flap of her wings she carefully positioned herself on one side of the cloud and watched with a little amusement as Kindle tried to push her seat away from the embassy. It was clear that he didn’t have all that much experience working with clouds.
“Do you need a hoof?” she asked after watching his hooves slip for the fourth time.
“I can manage this, my lady,” he said with a grunt of frustration. 
She couldn’t help but grin at his mumbled swearing before he finally managed to get the cloud moving at a fair clip. She decided to reward him with one of the flowers he’d gotten her and he chewed thoughtfully as he climbed onto the platform with her. As she’d thought, he was forced to sit pressed against her side by the size of the platform. She shivered despite the heat of his body as she felt their wings folding around each other. 
“So,” she said, giving him a kiss as a further reward for his work on their transport, “where are we going?”
“As I said that is a surprise, but I think you will enjoy it.”
Reluctantly looking away from Kindle’s face Raindrops looked around. The sun was hovering not far above the horizon and it was casting its fading light over the scenery around them. She noticed a thick cloud bank a few miles ahead of them sitting over a lightly wooded patch of rocky ground. It was certainly picturesque but nothing out of the ordinary. In a way she didn’t want to get to wherever they were going, the sooner they got there the sooner things would be over, the sooner she’d have to tell him she was leaving. 
“Storm Cloud,” whispered Kindle in her ear, “you seem distracted my lady.”
“Sorry,” she said shaking herself, “I’m thinking.” She took a breath, maybe it would be fairer to tell him now. “I’m probably going to have to return to Equestria tomorrow, Captain Lightning thinks it’s too dangerous for me and Lyra to stay here.”
Kindle’s brow furrowed. “Already? I hoped you would stay longer, that the ambassador could persuade you.”
“I want to stay, really I do. These last few days with you have been magical but Lightning’s right, I don’t think we can do much more here. It looks like Corona might get the Griffins on her side.”
Kindle nodded. “I hadn’t heard about that, it’s an... interesting development, but I can see why you’d be thinking of leaving. I might have to change some of my plans, but I’m sure things can work out properly.” 
Raindrops sighed, it didn’t look like her announcement had shocked him that much, which in a way was worrying, wasn’t he upset she was leaving? “I’ll give you my address in Ponyville. We even have telegraph now, we can keep in touch.”
“I understand my lady, separating would be torture for me, but maybe it will not be for that long. I may be able to work something out, maybe you will not have to leave after all.”
It doesn't seem that likely, thought Raindrops, but maybe things would change, maybe the griffin king would come to his senses about the tyrant sun. “Maybe... You know, sometimes I hate being an element bearer, being a dame. If none of that had ever happened I wouldn’t be a target for Corona. I wouldn’t have to leave!”
“We all have our destinies, my lady. If you had not become an element bearer you would never have had a reason to come here, we would never have met, and we would both be poorer for it.”
“I guess so, but couldn’t we have met as just two ponies,” she ran a hoof down his face, “none of the danger or worry, just a mare and a stallion.”
He leaned forwards and rested his lips on hers. “We are just a mare and a stallion, regardless of what else we might be, tonight we are just us, together.” She opened her lips to allow him entry as her hoof ran down his back. 
She wasn’t sure how long it was before they separated but it seemed far too short a time. “This is a very pleasant way to pass our time,” mumbled Kindle panting a little. “But look,” he gestured with his hoof, “we are here!”
Raindrops tore her gaze from his and looked around. The sky was full of dark, heavily laden clouds blotting out both the rapidly sinking sun and the moon as it struggled to rise. Here and there large feathered shapes could be seen pushing the last of the storm into place. 
“What! This... how did you?” she blinked in surprise. 
“I have a few allies among the locals,” he explained. “I managed to pull a few strings and get the help of the Griffin equivalent of a weather team.” He lowered his voice. “I doubt they’re a scratch on a proper Equestrian team but they try their best. You mentioned you enjoyed the rain, Little Storm Cloud, so I thought you’d like it if I gave you some.” He waved towards the griffins who saluted and began to fly away. “Plus a little privacy, the two of us should be the only ones for a few miles around. No need to play any role but yourself, not an element bearer, not a representative of Equestria, just Raindrops.”
“I’m... You didn’t... wow!” exclaimed Raindrops once she could speak again, staring out into the banks of rolling clouds. “Thank you! You didn’t have to do this, nopony has ever...”
“Then that is their fault, I think you deserve all the clouds in the sky.” He stood and held out a hoof. “Shall we?” he asked.
Raindrops stood and impulsively leant forwards and kissed Kindle on the cheek before her excitement overcame her and she leapt from the cloud spreading her wings and swooping over towards the edge of the storm. 
“So what do you think?” asked Kindle as he followed her.
Raindrops wanted to squeal out in excitement, a whole storm all of her own! Put together just for her! A small dark part of her wondered why anypony would ever do this for her, what was Kindle expecting from her for all of this? She forced back that crawling thought, she deserved good things to happen to her now and then, she deserved it. She deserved somepony to care for her, and she suspected she would enjoy paying any price he intended to name. She forced down all her emotions and tried to look professional. “Well, it’s not perfect,” she said running a hoof through the cloudbank. “A bit rough, they’ve mixed up some cloud types here, in Equestria you’d be using better product.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve got it wrong,” came Kindle’s mournful voice from behind her. “I don’t have much experience with weather work. I’m sorry, I’ll try harder next time.”
“No, no, I was joking, this is really nice, I’m sorry,” Raindrops spun around in a panic, she couldn’t mess this up now! She was greeted by Kindle’s smiling face. 
“I was joking!” he said with a laugh. Raindrops scowled and gently thumped him on the shoulder but she couldn’t help but giggle as well. “Although maybe we could try this again in Equestria, during better times, when things are back to how they should be. Anyway, would you like to kick things off?”
“Can I?” asked Raindrops looking back at the blanket of pregnant clouds. Her trained eye told her they were positioned so that minimal effort would start off the entire storm. It was a tribute to the skills of the weather griffin, regardless of the shoddiness of their materials. 
“It was made for you, go on,” urged Kindle. Tentatively, Raindrops reached out a hoof towards the mass of cloud as if she thought it might prove to be an illusion. “Not like that,” said Kindle, “be youself Storm Cloud, let it out!” She let her hoof drop and floated still in the air for a moment before spinning and lashing out with a loud yell at the cloud bank with her hind legs. She flipped in the air, spinning and flailing out with her limbs, each blow punctuated with another cry. Waves of force rushed through the clouds spreading out in wider and wider patterns as Raindrops exerted her magic on them. She stopped, panting from the effort, and for a moment all was silent, then...
*plink*
A single drop of water condensed from the dark mass and plummeted towards the ground far below.
*plink*
Then another, and another, and another until a gentle drizzle filled the air below, growing stronger and stronger as the moments went by. Raindrops hovered there entranced by the sight until, with a single flap of her wings, she dove through the cloudbank and into the rain. She stopped and raised her head to the sky, stretching all six limbs wide to catch as much of the life giving liquid on her body as possible. The water dribbled down her face plastering her mane to her head. Slowly all the tension flowed from her body washed away in the downpour, her neck relaxed letting her head flop against her chest as a wide smile of contentment grew across her face. She breathed out long and loud, letting the last of the stress bleed from her. 
From above and outside the storm Kindle watched as the mare enjoyed the rain flowing over her. After a brief hesitation he swooped forwards to join her. After only a moment his coat and mane were sodden, but he forced his way through the rain and hovered just a little above Raindrops. His eyes ran appreciatively up and down her wet coat as she twisted and cavorted in the rain giggling gently, then he opened his mouth and began to sing: -
I can give you this storm, he began, his velvet tones filling the empty air around the two of them. Raindrops’ eyes flicked open and she stared up at the stallion hovering above her. 
Drizzling, glittering, pouring. He flew down and ran a hoof gently across Raindrops’ face, flattening a trail down her coat. 
Tell me Raindrops, now when did you last let your heart decide? He broke away again, gaining height and slowly drifting towards the clouds.
I can open your eyes
Bring you into the sunshine He tore open the cloud bank above, letting the last few rays of the sun shine through and surrounding him with a burning aura for a moment. He held out a hoof to Raindrops. 
Free yourself and be equine
As we fly on through the skies She paused for a moment, then with a flap of her wings she powered up towards her stallion. The two of them flashed through the cloud bank and broke clear of the storm for a moment, twisting around each other as they went. They hovered in the sky just as the sun sunk away and the moon rose, sharing the sky in balance for a moment.
A whole new world! They cried together. 
Just see things from my point of view continued Kindle
Please Storm Cloud don’t say no
Just let us go
And we can stop pretending
The two hovered there above the clouds for a moment. Eyes locked on each other, Raindrops drew her wings tight into her sides and slowly let herself drop through the cloudbank and back into the torrent. A wake of water flowed off her as she shot forwards through the rain, her tail held high. With a smile Kindle twisted in the air and chased behind her. 
A whole new world, she cried
A freedom from just being me
But from the heart of this storm
This seems the norm
And now I can share a whole new world with you! Kindle drew up alongside Raindrops and held out a hoof, without hesitation she reached out and took it. As one they spread their wings and swooped down towards the mountains below them.
Now we’re in a whole new world together!
Unbelievable sights, gasped Raindrops, the ground blurred past as they jinxed from side to side avoiding the jagged teeth of rock sticking up from the earth.
Indescribable feelings
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, she wasn’t sure if she was talking about her flight or her heart. 
Through an peaceful raining sky
A whole new world! They chorused as they split apart to avoid a tower of rock, Kindle began to pull ahead with Raindrops a tail length behind him.  
I will lead you to the sun rise he called back
I want to stay like this forever
Follow me -- it gets better! 
I'm like the rising moon,
This ends too soon she added mournfully, noting that the sky above was clearer and the rain was starting to die down. 
I don’t want to go back to being me!
A whole new world! Cried Kindle as the two of them danced in the air, their forms twisting around each other and wings blurring.
I don’t want the sun to rise admitted Raindrops
With new horizons to pursue
Can this last for forever?
Despite pushing her wings to the limit Kindle started to pull ahead of her, the ground flashing by below them. She desperately reached out a leg towards him wanting to feel his touch. Glancing back he noticed the gap growing between them and pulled up, swooping around in a large loop coming up behind her. Raindrops flipped upside down and their forelegs locked together holding each other belly to belly. Their wings synchronized, pushing them onwards faster than either of them could singularly through the thinning rain. 
We’re perfect together
Pegasus of a feather, they cried clutching each other close, Raindrops could feel Kindle’s heart pounding in his chest so fast, it mirrored her own. The heat of his body seemed to seep into her own to drive away the chill of the water they were drenched in. 
Let me share this whole
New world with you
A whole new world 
Together we'll be
They powered up through the few remaining clouds and hovered there silhouetted against the full moon, their limbs still entwined and muzzles only inches from each other.
A burning flame, he breathed.
No longer a dame, she sighed.
Just you and me!, they froze in place staring into each other under the moonlight then, as if on a shared signal, they dove forwards, their lips meeting and tongues struggling against each other as the last of the rain poured around them. 
After an eternity which ended far too soon they broke apart and still keeping in contact with each other flew towards the last perch left in the sky, the cloud that had originally brought them here. Raindrops thought she could no less not feel his coat against hers than she could cut off her own wings. They touched down gently and looked up at the now clear sky. Millions of stars glittered, their light overshadowed only by the huge full moon staring down at them. 
Raindrops settled herself against her stallion, her head seeming to fit naturally alongside his. She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of the pure adrenaline still flashing through her veins like liquid lightning and the warmth of his body which seemed to be evaporating the remaining water in her coat. Just the two of them together under the stars, on a cloud, it was like a scene from one of her books. A scene she realised she wanted to continue to its climax.
“What do you want to do now?” rumbled Kindle after a moment, the sound seeming to travel through Raindrops’ whole body rather than entering via her ears. 
She shook her mane, droplets of water flying in all directions. “I want to sing, I want to cry, I want to shout, I want... I want... I want you!” she looked aside shyly for a moment.
“Now Raindrops, don’t you think we should...”
“I don’t want to think, I don’t want to be Raindrops,” she cried passionately, “I don’t want to be an element bearer, or the angry one, or a dutiful daughter.” She pushed forwards nuzzling against his chest. “I just want to be your Storm Cloud,” she whispered. 
He faltered for a moment, the first time she hadn’t seen him anything but certain about anything. A shock of panic made her shiver, was she doing this wrong? Did he think of her as nothing but a filly? Second thoughts started to bubble up through her mind, this was a big step... her first time... did she really want to... what would her family say... but she didn’t listen to them. She wanted this, she wanted to be spontaneous, she wanted to live.
“There is something I need to talk to you about first, I didn’t mean for...” 
“I don’t want to talk, I want to do!” She dove forwards again, pressing her lips to his hard enough to bruise. He struggled for a moment then relaxed and returned her ferocity as their hooves started to move over each other’s bodies.  
“Very well my Storm Cloud,” he panted with a lustful smile when they finally broke apart. “It’ll keep for later.”
Then there was no more talking as she drove him down into the fluffy mass of cloud beneath them and the rest of the world melted away, leaving only the two of them alone in a sky shared only with the moon which glared down upon them like a disapproving eye.