//------------------------------// // 03 // Story: Raising a Storm // by WonderboltWing //------------------------------// 03 Hail Storm let out a gentle, relaxed sigh and shifted a little closer to the stallion next to her, glancing to him for a moment then to the colt on the other side of her. After finalising everything with the adoption of Cloudburst, the three had gone to the park to spend a little time together. Currently, said foal was curled up against her side, napping peacefully after running amok both in the park and castle. His hind left leg twitched a few times, causing Hail to smile. She turned her gaze back to the park, admiring the view. Dusk let out a gentle snore, his head resting softly on his hooves. He had been running amok with Cloudburst while she watched and had tired himself out as well. She smiled and copied Dusk's pose, but not before wiggling a little closer to him. She looked around once more before resting her own head on her hooves, closing her eyes soon after. A soft pressure against Hail's left cheek brought her out of her nap. She opened her eyes blearily, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind. "Evening, sleepyhead," Dusk said from next to her. She blinked, then looked to him, their muzzles centimetres apart. "Oh," she murmured, looking away quickly to hid the fact that her cheeks were now a nice scarlet color. He let out a quiet laugh and stood up gently, stretching out. Cloudburst was still sleeping peacefully next to her, so she gently poked him with a wing, causing him to let out a tired mumble and curl up tighter. She smiled faintly. "Cloudburst, wake up," She said softly, an ear flicking to register Dusk getting up and off the seat. He let out a whine and slowly opened his eyes. "There we are," she said with an encouraging smile. Cloudburst looked up at her and smiled back, then standing up, stretching, and hopping off the seat. "You too, Storm," Dusk said from beside her, startling her. She yelped in surprise, jumping off the seat and doing a half turn in mid air to face him. He laughed, Cloudburst joining in with his own giggles. "Sh-shush," she mumbled, blushing in embarrassment. "You're funny," Cloudburst said, setting his flank down on the ground for the moment. Hail simply blew a raspberry at him in response. "I thought he was supposed to be the one acting like a foal," Dusk commented, amused. "We should probably head home, it's getting dark." Hail looked up and only then noticed the fading skies. "Huh," she said simply, before looking at the other two. "Let's go then." Dusk nodded and began following after her, the foal falling instep a few paces in front of him. The journey back to the apartment complex was rather quick one, with no pocket watch giving stallions. As Hail began to go up the stairs, she let out a soft sigh. Dusk made a questioning noise, looking at her. She glanced back down at him, a somewhat tired smile on her face. "Hmm? Oh, I'm just tired," she said with a gentle wing shrug. He nodded, glancing up towards Cloudburst, who had continued traversing up the stairs while the other two had stopped. Cloud looked down at them with a small grin on his face, before poking his tongue out at the other two and darting up the stairs. Dusk narrowed his eyes playfully and took chase after him, Hail following behind quickly. The two came to halt at seeing Cloud waiting in front of the door to Hail's apartment, his tail flicking idly behind him. The two adults slowed down to a halt in front of him, Hail however taking a few extra steps in order to unlock the door. It swung open slowly and soundlessly, allowing Cloudburst to trot in through the door. Hail Storm looked to Dusk, tucking a stray bit of mane behind her ear. "Um, you haven't had dinner yet, yeah?" She asked tentatively, looking to the side somewhat nervously. He raised an eyebrow. "I've been with you all day, Storm," Dusk deadpanned, "So no." A soft blush tinged her cheeks. "Hush and get inside so I can cook you dinner," She said, her ears flicking back. He took a moment to chuckle at her before walking into her apartment, flicking Hail's nose with his tail as he passed. She blinked then sneezed, glaring at the back of his head before walking into the apartment, pushing the door shut with a wing as she trotted into the kitchen. The three were sitting in various places around the living room, Dusk on the couch next to Hail, who was, for whatever reason, sitting on the armrest of said couch, while Cloud was practically inhaling his salad on the floor. She glanced at Dusk, then down at the ravenous beast on her floor, then back to the stallion, giggling quietly. The giggle caught the foal's attention, causing him to look up, his head cocked. "What?" Dusk laughed softly, a small smile on his face. "You are a strange foal," he answered simply, mirth in his voice. He shrugged in response, returning to consuming his meal, Dusk doing the same but savouring the taste a little while longer. Hail, having finished her meal but moments before the exchange had ended, gently slid off the armrest of the couch and onto the cushions and into Dusk's side, her fur brushing into his. He froze for a moment, then giving her a slightly wary look. "Comfy there?" He asked, sarcasm lacing his voice. "Mmhhmm," came the answer he wasn't expecting at all, A blush rose on his face as a content sigh escaped her lips, a wing extending to cover his back lightly. He turned his head towards her, his emerald eyes looking into her own ones. The two began to lean in, Hail's eyes widening in, what he assumed to be, anticipation and nervousness. "Can I have his food?" Cloudburst's request sent a crack running through the moment, ruining it. They both blushed heavily, looking away, glancing back at the other several times. Cloud coughed once to gain their attention, sitting up and looking towards Dusk's half empty plate. "U-um, yeah, sure, go ahead buddy," the owner of said plate said, glad for the small distraction. He quickly snagged the plate and began eating it's contents rapidly. "...he certainly is something," Hail murmured, covering up a yawn a moment later. "Eeyup," Dusk agreed. Meanwhile, in an orchid outside of Ponyville. A large, strong looking stallion sneezed. He glared in the direction of Canterlot. "Somepony's usin' mah catchphrase." Dusk suddenly shivered. The mare next to him looked at him strangely. "Surely you aren't cold." He shook his head. "Just... A strange feeling," he murmured. "...You're weird." He poked his tongue out at him. Hail returned the raspberry in kind, then shifting on the couch, making a sound of annoyance. "Stupid cushions," she mumbled. Dusk laughed quietly at her, then flinched back from her whack on the back of the head, laughing harder a moment after. The foal looked at the two strangely, his head cocked. "Strange ponies," he commented dryly, jumping up on the couch next to Dusk, curling up against him. Both Dusk and Hail turned to look at him for a moment, before Dusk shrugged slightly, turning back to face forward. Hail raised an eyebrow at the almost sleeping foal, shifting in place slightly as she thought. "...you know," the mare began slowly, "that the bed is more spacious and comfy, right?" Dusk blinked. "Dusk's a good pillow though," Cloudburst mumbled. "But okay." Hail smothered a grin as he hopped off of the couch and wandered towards the bedroom tiredly. "...c'mon, pillow pony, you are needed," Hail grinned at Dusk, sliding off the couch and following after Cloud quickly to avoid his glare. She laughed softly to herself as she trotted down the hall, a click from behind her catching her attention. At the same time, the lights in the lounge went off, a faint green glow fading away. She "ah'd" in understanding a moment later, resuming trotting down the hall, turning into her room with Dusk entering aswell a few seconds later. Cloud was already standing on the bed impatiently, repeatedly doing little jumps on top of it. "Really now?" Hail asked, a soft laugh escaping her. "Seems so," Dusk murmured, his tail flicking behind him as he walked over to the bouncy foal. Hail trotted past the two and to the window, looking out it. The sun was setting slowly, already halfway down the horizon, casting orange rays of light all over the land as well as the sky. She let out a sigh and sat herself down in front of the window, a faint smile on her face. Dusk sat down next to her silently, the two meeting glances for a moment before turning their attention back to the sunset. "...beautiful, isn't it?" Hail asked softly, looking to him. He pulled his eyes away from the sun after a moment, looking into her eyes. "Yeah," he said equally quietly, a faint smile on his face. "It is." She blinked out of surprise, then looked away, her muzzle now a pinkish reddish instead of the usual dark grey. He chuckled softly, shifting slightly closer to her. Hail bit her lip, then closed the distance and wrapped a wing around him gently, still looking away. Then, out of nowhere in a rather Cloudburst-like fashion, Cloudburst wriggled his way between the two and sat down, joining them in looking out the window. Both Hail and Dusk looked down at him for a few moments, before looking up at each other. At was at this point that they, once again, noticed how close their muzzles were, causing a blush to flare up on both. Dusk coughed and looked away, Hail doing the same but without the cough. "Ma's right, bed more comfy," Cloud said, then walked around the two and back onto the bed, causing Hail to giggle, then freeze up after a second. Dusk looked over to her with a look of minor concern, his left ear flicking a few times. A moment passed, then he blinked, properly registering what Cloud had said. "Ah," he said simply. Dusk glanced over his shoulder to Cloud, who was curled up on the bed in such a way that was he looking at the two, then back to Hail, who was back to normal now, abet more giddy. She grinned widely at him, then, after a moment of mental deliberation, pulled him close and hugged him tightly for a few seconds, letting go and coughing to regain her composure afterwards. "A-anyway," she said, folding her wing back to her side and getting up, Celestia's sun now having set to make room for Luna's moon. "Agreed," Dusk said, standing up himself. Hail bit her lip gently in thought, before hopping on top of her bed, then waving Dusk up with a wing. A blush flared up on his face as he took a half step forward, his most frontal left hoof staying in the air. "M-mind out of the gutter Dusk," she grumbled, turning and laying in the middle of the bed on her stomach. He mumbled something sounding like "hush you" as he joined her, facing towards the window with his back to her. Cloudburst immediately claimed the crook of Dusk's neck as his spot, quickly burying himself into his fur. Hail smiled, then stopped and frowned. The light was still on. With a silent sigh, she got up and flittered over to the light switch, turned it off, then carefully walked back, not wanting to trip. She slide back onto the bed next to Dusk silently, her front softly pressing against his back. After a moment, she wrapped an arm around him and rested her head on his neck in a fashion similar to Cloud. Dusk, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up. "Apparently I've been degraded to pillow," he mused out loud. She giggled quietly. "Mmmhhmm," she confirmed, spreading a wing over the three over them gently. "Now shush and be a pillow." He shifted in his place slightly but not in a way that disturbed the other two. "If I must," he sighed in a somewhat mocking manner. And thus, Hail fell asleep with a small smile on her face.