Lightning illuminated the sky as the crack of thunder resounded across the land. The storm was increasing in intensity by the minute with little sign of stopping any time soon. Twilight Sparkle gazed out of the window at the cloud blackened sky. Even in the middle of the day, Ponyville was blanketed by darkness.
"Wow, some storm. I hope Rainbow Dash will be all right." she muttered to herself. Just then, a knock at her front door sounded, barely heard over the staccato pelting of the rain drops.
"I'll get it!" Spike yelled from downstairs. Twilight rushed to the library to see her other friends piling into the room, soaking wet from the torrential downpour. All of them except for Rarity.
"My goodness, and here I thought the pegasi couldn't create such a force after last year's celebrity storm." She was covered with a light blue rain coat with a hat perched atop her head and boots to match on her hooves. "I do believe this is the second time I've said this, but they have certainly out done them selves again."
"Well, if any of 'em are anythin' like Rainbow Dash, they'll out do themselves again next year." Applejack retorted pushing past Rarity towards Twilight's cozy fire to dry her hat. "At least it'll be good for the farm. We needed the rain somethin' fierce. Just hope the crops'll be okay."
"Aaw, cheer up Applejack. Just think of all the juicy apples for this year's harvest. Oh, we could make apple pies and apple turnovers and apple sauce and-" Pinky Pie continued listing all the delicious goodies she would make with apples, practically bouncing off the walls with giddyness while Twilight brought out fresh towels for her friends. "-and apple cake and candy apples and apple juice and apple fritters and apple cupcakes-"
"I hope all the little creatures will be alright in this storm." Fluttershy peeped up from next to the door.
Outside, streaks of liquid silver lit by lightning's piercing dagger fell from the heavens as thunder's boom was heard once again through the door. Fluttershy squeaked and bolted to hide behind Twilight.
"Oh don't worry Fluttershy, we got them all tucked away before this storm hit, safe and sound. It's a good thing Rainbow Dash told us about this storm before the pegasi brought it in." Twilight said.
"And speaking of Rainbow, she's coming in for a landing! Clear the deck!" Spike called from the open door, ducking just in time as a rainbow colored streak shot through and almost collided with Pinkie Pie before skidding to a halt at the back of the room. Rainbow Dash was panting harder than she was at the Iron Pony competition, her wings, normally held high and proud, drooped towards the floor as her shaking knees threatened to buckle under her weight.
"Hey guys. I made it." she barely managed to whisper the words between gasp for breath. Turning around, the other ponies gasped in shock at her face. Dark bags hung under her eyes and lines of stress covered her visage.
"Rainbow, what happened to you? You look as if you've been working for hours straight!" Twilight shouted, pulling her exhausted friend towards a chair.
“Hehe, yeah. About twenty-seven." Rainbow said as the collapsed into the chair.
"Twenty-seven? Surely you must be joking. It can't take that long to start up a storm, even one as violent as this." Rarity exclaimed. She had just trotted out of the kitchen bringing a steaming mug of oats tea and offering it to Rainbow. "I thought you said It might take a couple hours, at most, to start the storm and bring it to full strength."
"That's the thing." Rainbow said before sipping the tea. "It did take two hours. Not even that long. All the weather ponies gathered up yesterday morning to go over the plan for this season's big storm. It was a simple little plan. We had all the clouds in storage, ready to be brought out and set up." She took a larger gulp of tea and her knees stopped shaking.
"But some pony from high up the the chain of command told us the storm needed to be bigger, after we were almost done. He said 'Don't question it, just make it bigger, much bigger. In fact, turn on all the cloud makers.' So we did. We almost couldn't keep up with how many clouds were pouring out of the place. It took another hour before we were almost done, but something went hay-wire with the cloud making machines and they were churning out dozens of clouds a minute. We can't stop it. I volunteered to stay after my shift to try and keep the storm in check, before it got out of hoof." Rainbow took another sip of tea and put the cup on the table beside her chain. The others were gazing at her intently, waiting for her to continue.
"I've spent the last day, at least, knocking out clouds with the others. But they keep coming." Rainbow sighed and dropped her head in defeat.
"But can't they call in more pegasi to help?" Twilight asked throwing a blanket over Rainbow.
"They did. The higher-ups called in every last winged pony they could find from all over Equestria. Even the Wonder Bolts offered to help us. They even called in other pegasi that didn't work the weather and taught them how to do it. I mean, even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna came out to help! But nothing is working! Every time we called in backup, the cloud makers increase production. Cloudsdale was evacuated in case it was something seriously wrong with the machines." She sighed a weak little sign and raised her heads to look at her friends. "One thing is for sure: There's something very wrong with all of this."
"You're quite right, Rainbow Dash." Every pony turned their head towards the door, only to see Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing inside the home, both soaked to the bone. Princess Celestia's normally flowing hair was wrapped and tied around her neck to keep it out of the way.
"The Princesses." The six friends whispered kneeling in respect before their ruler. Rainbow Dash slipped out of the chair and collapsed on the floor in an attempt to kneel.
"My friends, you do not need to bow before me." She shuffled into the room looking almost as tired as Rainbow, Princess Luna staying right next to her. "I'm sorry to intrude Twilight, But I'd like to have a word with your friend, Rainbow Dash."
"Me? What can I do?" Rainbow said pulling her self back into the chair, her knees still to weak to support her weight.
"I Just have some questions about the pegasus that ordered this storm's enhancement. I believe you were the supervisor for the second wing of cloud movers? You must have gotten the message fairly fresh form the pony's mouth."
"Well, yeah. But it was through my supervisor. I never saw the guy who made the call, just his messenger."
"What do you know about the one who made this decision?"
"Not much at all. He's suppose to be head of the whole weather order. If the call really did come from him, it had to be for a reason."
"Do you happen to remember his name?"
"Uuh, Night something. Uh. Oh yeah, Night Clash!"
"Ah, I had hoped you heard a different name."
"What do you mean?"
"When I asked the other wing supervisors, they gave me the same name. However, there is no pony by the name of Night Clash that works at the weather institute. There isn't even one with that name who attended Junior Flight Camp, as all weather ponies are required to do. I believe we may be dealing with something more serious then a simple miscommunication. Something much more serious.”