//------------------------------// // Return of the Green. // Story: Equestrian Eeveelution. // by Symphonicdysonince //------------------------------// A moon had passed since the blizzard. Today, Rainbow had picked me up after my Sunday run. She flew me over to Sweet Apple Acres with a large grin on her face. She landed in a flattened area where Applejack and the Duo were waiting. There were also three sleds. "Hey Rainbow, y'all made it!" Applejack waved. <> I deadpanned to the Duo. Cy shrugged as Vince replied. <> The two ponies lined us up and had us sit still. They began putting harnesses onto us. <> I asked <> Cy began <> He shook his head. <> <> I chuckled. "It's okay." Applejack cooed. "We're just gonna hook ya up ta these here sleds." Rainbow nodded. "As you guys get used to the sled's weight, we'll slowly increase it." "It'll only be a couple o' days a week." Applejack patted me on the head. "Fluttershy's gotten Conner ta agree ta watch th' eggs on Wednesdays so ya can get another day of workin' out with us." <> I stood up. "C'mon, Leo." Rainbow smirked. "For me?" <> I watched as the mares hooked the empty sleds to our harnesses. With their command, we began to pull our sleds back and forth across the farm's back forty. We spent the full day running. Thankfully, they didn't add anything that day. I had to glare at the Duo as Rainbow and I left. The bastards weren't as winded as I was. We spent the rest of the winter working on our endurance. To my chagrin, the Duo could pull more weight than I could. Soon, though, my winter prayers were answered. A few days before Winter Wrap Up, Rainbow and I were picking our way through the edge of Whitetail Woods. We kept our eyes on the bases of the trees. Eventually, Rainbow spotted the mark we had left. At her command, I began to dig. Soon, I was pushing Tank out of his napping hollow. Rainbow carried him back to her home. I jumped my way up to see her strapping Tank's helipack onto him. "Now we just got to wait for him to wake up." Rainbow sighed as she picked me up. "Fluttershy said he probably won't until after things warm up. Which won't be until after Winter Wrap Up." She shifted me around so that we were face to face. "Speaking of Wrap Up, Twilight was wondering if you can clear the skies for us. She said that that would free up pegasi for other needed tasks." I licked her muzzle. <> I spent the next few days alternating between watching the eggs and watching Tank. On the dawn of Wrap up, I got up early and began building power. I could feel the power building, and I could see a faint glow on Rainbow's cloud floor. Rainbow woke up an hour later and carried me to the town square, where the townponies were already beginning to gather. By that time, my throat was starting to get sore from the energy I was nursing. We waited and listened to Twilight's speech, part of which explaining why my Sunny Day doesn't count as magic, which outlined the scheduled plan for the day. Near the end, I stopped listening to the lavender mare, only watching her through my watering eyes for my signal. It felt like the power was starting to overflow my throat. I couldn't see it, but Yomega told me later that something had begun leaking from the corner of my mouth. It looked like molten glass. Finally, Twilight shut up, and pointed at me. I tilted my head back, and launched... What should have been a spark. Instead, I had launched a large white hot ball of energy. Everyone watched in awe as it pierced the clouds. Then, with a thunderous boom, every cloud was obliterated. Yet the ball was still visible. Then it exploded. Like a firework, it burst into countless sparkles that rained down and winked out with a pleasant crackle. With a cheer, the ponies separated to their tasks. The rest of the pack gathered around me. "That. Was. Awesome!" Zann crowed. "How'd you do it?!" "I-" I began coughing. "You okay?" Conner asked. I waggled my paw. "Throat's sore." I whispered. "I'll be fine in a bit." I looked back at Zann. "And I had been building that Sunny Day since I got up." "Well," Yomega smiled. "we've got the rest of the day off. Let's go help Zecora with her work." With a round of nods, we bolted towards the witchdoctor of the Everfree. That evening, I was watching Tank, laying on the desk top beside him. Fluttershy had informed Rainbow and I that Tank should be awake before nightfall. I took it upon myself to let Rainbow now the moment he woke up. I almost missed his first stirrings due to how subtle they were. <> I called out, bolting through the cloud house. <> I found the prismatic mare putting the finishing touches to our dinner. I danced around her hooves barking up at her. <> I chanted. "Yeah, yeah." Rainbow grunted as she stepped around me. "Dinner's coming." I rolled my eyes before clamping down on her tail. I began to pull her towards the stairs. She raised an eyebrow at me. "You're not hungry?" I spat her tail out. I glared at her before booking up and down the stairs, barking the whole time. Eventually, Rainbow caught on. Leaving the food to cool, she raced my back up the stairs to Tank. Seeing that both of us were there to greet him, and be his first sight of the new year, brought a smile to his weathered face.