//------------------------------// // Chapter Six: Some Day For a Storm // Story: Our Day in Disdain // by Rainb0w Dashie //------------------------------// While Pinkie Pie mashed a banana for Pound Cake a knock came at the door to Sugarcube Corner, and it was the same dark-brown tone from which the door was made. The pink mare pulled off her apron, and as she stepped through the pools of light and shadow the knocking came again, only heavier, and this time with a sense of real urgency.  Opening the door revealed Rarity, standing in the morning rain underneath a rather ornate saddle umbrella with jewels along the length of the skirt and even the shaft of the umbrella itself. She wore a blue and white raincoat with a matching pair of horseshoes, as well as a pair of dangling fringe earrings that looked like little chandeliers hanging from her ears.  Her hair was also done up in a brilliant up-do, and despite the near-constant wind and high humidity from the day-straight rain, not a single hair was frizzed or out of place. She looked rather elegant, and appeared to be paying more attention to her personal appearance than she did the day before. She even wore a little rouge to cover the bags surrounding her eyes, but it did little to hide their puffiness or how heavy they looked. “Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, Darling” Rarity said, motioning to the kitchen where Pinkie had Poundcake’s breakfast warming on the stove. “I just wanted to come by and tell you Twilight’s condition has stabilized and they’re allowing visitors now.”  “Oh… Thats great news!” Pinkie gave a chagrined smile.  Rarity interpreted Pinkie’s distressed countenance to be on account of their friend’s tragic condition  and not the real reason that Pinkie had actually forgotten Twilight was in the hospital.She was too preoccupied with making breakfast for the foals and making extra sure they didn’t make any noise But thinking about it now, however, Pinkie wondered how she could've forgotten, especially since she and Rarity both had to carry Twilight through the rain all the way to the hospital because no taxis were running that late at night.  “Would you like to come visit with me?” Rarity said with a half-smile, slightly amused at Pinkie’s facial reactions as she thought quietly to herself. “I brought you an extra umbrella.” “I don’t know if I can.” Pinkie relented as Rarity floated Pinkie a similarly ornate umbrella  “Mrs Cake isn’t feeling very well today, so I’m in charge of the foals while Mr. Cake is out on deliveries.” After the pregnancy, Mrs. Cake became the victim of frequent migraines that debilitated her for days. Often the nausea alone would be enough to overwhelm her, but mostly the pain would throb so violently around inside of her skull that she was sure it was about to crack. Today was one of those days so she was sequestered inside of her room with all the curtains drawn and the door inflexibly closed.   “I was just trying to use a polite way to get you to accompany me.” Rarity said as the smile ran away from her face.  “The truth is, the doctors have something important they need to discuss with us, so we need to be be there.”  “But, I have to take care of the foals today.” Pinkie looked panicked. If the twin’s fussings were to invade Mrs. Cake’s room, her head would surely explode.  “And I don’t know how long Mr. Cake is going to be on deliveries. He’s going all the way to Hoofington today!” “Not a problem,” Rarity said, rather self-assured. “We can have Sweetie Belle foal-sit them while we’re gone. She has the day off from school because Cherrilee had a medical emergency to deal with, and I wouldn’t imagine the doctors taking more than an hour to talk to us.” “Oh.. yeah... I guess that would work,” Pinkie said rubbing a hoof to her chin. “Just let me grab my raincoat from upstairs and then we can go!” But before Pinkie could even turn around, a matching blue and white raincoat was draped onto her by Rarity’s magic; gently like a mother would dress her own foal.  “Already got you covered.” Rarity said with a chuckle. “ Literally.” *** It was just an hour before nine when the two ponies departed from Sugarcube Corner, leaving Sweetie Belle in charge of the Twins who were cooing peacefully in their cribs. Celestia’s sun was shining, but it was shielded behind a thick layer of rainclouds and a damp wind that cut through their clothes and clung to their skin.  It was pouring outside, so hard in fact that the rain was gushing over the tops of the gutters. The town, absent a sewer system, was filled to capacity; the downpour forming huge puddles that made lakes in the streets.  The town square was deserted, save for a hoof-full of ponies with identities hidden behind umbrellas and raincoats frantically galloping through the puddles; irritated that the Weather Team had disrupted their hurried day.  "Some day for a storm, huh?" Rarity asked with a dark sarcasm as the two walked through the square. "The Pegasus ponies sure have outdone themselves this morning." The storm was actually a continuation of the one that had started the day before, and was scheduled to last well into the afternoon.  Ponyville had just entered it's rainy season and the weather team spent the previous day preparing this storm, double and triple packing the storm clouds to overcompensate for their lack of rain In the previous season. “We’ll be lucky if we make it there without getting our horseshoes stuck in the mud,” Rarity said, shaking some mud off her front hoof. “and I think mine’s already got a pebble in it. " She removed her horseshoe and dislodged a small stone from her hoof with her magic. Instead of dropping it she hovered it close to her face for a moment, turning it over in her magic field and inspecting it like she would one of her own gemstones. The rock wasn’t anything special, unquestionably indistinguishable from every other stone in equestria. It’s tone was a flat grey, accented only by a dull shine as the wetness of the rock reflected the light from the sky. It was a worthless ordinary rock, but as Rarity turned it over in her magic, she noticed small, rust-colored grains running along the curves of the stone.  To any average pony, this would mean nothing, considering the average pony wouldn’t even stop to look at an insignificant pebble, and if they did a few rust colored spots on the rock wouldn’t be enough to arouse any feelings. It wasn’t really enough to arouse a feeling in Rarity either, except for maybe slight discomfort from stepping on it, but Rarity knew from her gem studies of the area that the reddish grains came from the abundant deposits of Hematite, a mineral composed entirely of Iron and Oxygen, that were buried underneath the town.  ‘Just like rusted metal, the iron grains begin to rust when exposed to oxygen in the air and water.’ Rarity recalled from her studies. “Hematite also gets its name from an ancient equestrian word meaning ‘blood-like’ because of the color of its ore. Ancient superstitions held that large deposits of hematite formed from battles that were fought and the subsequent blood that flowed into the ground.” Rarity also remembered from her Magic studies that Hematite was a mineral commonly used to keep one’s self connected to the Equestrian plane during magical rituals. Most strongly used to ground the caster or stabilize them for protection.  However, the Hematite used in these rituals were of the crystal variety, not simply just an unrefined mineral. It was believed that Hematite crystals could be used to bring mental organization and could help with original thinking, logical thinking, or any type of thinking which requires significant mental organization; But this was also during a time when little was understood about Unicorn magic. Because of all the recent extensive studies of Unicorn magic as well as the several schools created expressly for the purpose of teaching it. Everypony knows now that there was never any need for crystals when using magic, and that the usage of crystals in these archaic rituals contribute nothing more than decoration; and the spiritualistic qualities given to them were merely superstitious at best. Rarity herself wasn’t superstitious, but still delighted in the flights of fancy that crystals do hold specific individual benefits. Which is why she sometimes wears a pair of red Hematite earrings while working on her dresses when she needs that little extra flicker of inspiration. She knows the earnings do nothing more than look pretty, but as a designer Rarity knew better than to deny a source of inspiration, so she kept wearing them; almost like her own little ritual.  But the stone she held in front of her face offered no inspiration to her. It’s color was too dull to be used in a dress, there wasn’t enough hematite to be made into a gemstone. It was just a simple ordinary rock.  And with that thought Rarity released it from her magic field, letting it drop into the puddle at her hooves; landing in the water with an indistinguishable splash that blended in with the rest of the rain-drops. “Now then, what were we talking about? Rarity asked Pinkie as she pulled her shoe back on. When she didn’t get an answer she looked up to find Pinkie several blocks ahead jumping from puddle to puddle.  Rarity suddenly realized she had been standing alone the entire time, and could only imagine how strange she must’ve looked. Bare-hooved in the middle of the square looking at a rock. She did a quick look around town, a modest blush burning her cheeks. She didn’t see anypony, not in the streets or looking through their windows, but she could only imagine what they would’ve thought if they were watching.   With her blush burning through her rouge, she quickly galloped ahead before somepony could come out to see her. Up ahead, Pinkie had gotten bored of splashing in the puddles and was now standing in the middle of the street, listening to the rain pelt against her umbrella.   “Sorry to dawdle” Rarity said sheepishly when she finally caught up to Pinkie Pie. “I had a pebble stuck in my horseshoe and I didn’t know you had continued on ahead.” Pinkie didn’t respond, or even really acknowledge Rarity’s presence. “Pinkie?”  Pinkie was mesmerized by the rainfall: The wet sounds, the cold smells, the goosebumps rising on her body. It all reminded her of the many times her and her mother would get caught in the stormy weather on their frequent trips to town. “Pinkie, I’m talking to you...” Pinkie was savoring the sound of the raindrops hitting her umbrella. It was rhythmic and purposeful, like morse code sent down from the clouds. She wished she could decipher it. She got lost in the sound so easily that she didn’t even notice her friend beside her vying for her attention. “Pinkie!” Rarity shouted, pulling pinkie out of her trance.  “Oh, sorry Rarity…” Pinkie said with a dopey smile,. “I had a pebble stuck in my horseshoe too.” Rarity was a little unprepared for the absurdity of her friend’s statement. “Pinkie, you’re not even wearing horseshoes…” “I know!” Pinkie giggled. “I just thought it would sound funny!” But before Rarity could respond properly, Pinkie began bouncing through the puddles again, this time down a dirt path that bridged the town square with Ponyville Hospital.  Rarity began to follow, but hesitated as her hoof sunk several inches into the mud.. “Oooh,” Rarity whined as she felt the mud seep into her shoes. ”these are designer horseshoes!” *** A strange sound brought Dashie out of an unpleasant sleep.  She listened, motionless amidst a nest of dusty pillows and shabby blankets she had constructed in the living room of the abandoned house; but the gentle whirr of the rain against the rafters allowed her to fall back asleep once more… A murmur disturbed the quiet and Dashie roused again. She lay frozen, concentrating; listening. Voices, not her own. Outside, moving closer.  She bolted from her makeshift nest, only to have her body betray her and cause her to drop to her knees a few feet away. She sank down on the floor and felt the aches and pains of a dozen injuries she’d received in the previous day.  She had several painful ribs, her teeth and jaw ached, her right eye was half-swollen shut, and she road rash all along the length of her hooves with bits of stone still stuck in the wounds.  The latter being the most recent. After her altercation with Twilight the night before, Dashie stole away from the library and ran like a frightened deer; speeding past shops and alleyways at a full-gallop fueled by her own frenzied adrenaline.She made it nearly a quarter-mile outside of Ponyville before the lights from the town began to fade. She ran until she could no longer see past the slurry of darkness and rain or even the panicked tears in her own eyes. She ran until she slammed headlong into low-hanging tree branch, smacking into her right eye and sliding across the rough cobbled road in a painful heap. She dragged herself back to the abandoned house and found a collection of spare blankets and pillows in a downstairs closet. Unable to summon the energy to ascend the stairs, she collapsed in the living room, overcome by fatigue.  Dashie picked the bits of gravel out of her wounds and cursed at herself. If only she hadn’t gotten distracted, she could’ve taken the book she needed without Twilight catching her. Better yet, if she had listened to her bad feeling and stayed out of the library then she wouldn’t’ve hurt Twilight at all..At least she had enough sense to grab her saddlebag before she ran out of Twilight's… Dashie’s head shot towards the living room window. The voices were louder now, clear and distinct, and sounded like they were coming from the front yard. Dashie didn’t run and hide like her instincts told her to, she recognized one of the voices. Instead she hobbled her way to the window and peeked out through a slat in the wood. “Pinkie, did we really have to take the dirt roads? My hooves are getting positively muddy,” Rarity whined while trying to dislodge her hoof from a particularly deep section of mud. “I’m ruining one of my best pair of horseshoes, why couldn't we have rented a taxi like I wanted to?” Dashie could see Rarity and Pinkie Pie walking down the road towards the abandoned house, about half a block down road before the tree-line gave way to the front yard. She couldn’t hear what was being exactly was said,  in fact all she could hear through the rain were the cadences of Rarity’s voice, but what she could hear was neither anger or vengeance. Like a conversation you’d have with a good friend on a sunday-morning stroll. Whatever the two ponies were doing outside the house, it wasn’t as sinister as Dashie had originally thought.  “We couldn’t’ve, Rarity.”Pinkie said, bouncing down the road, splashing through the mud with childlike enthusiasm  “The roads are too muddy for the taxis, they’d get stuck in the mud just like your hoofsies there!” Rarity cowered behind her umbrella just in time to deflect a splash of mud from a particularly large puddle Pinkie had just pounced into.    “Well could you as least stop jumping into every puddle we come across?” Rarity said, displeased with the slick of muddy water dripping down her umbrella. “You’re going to ruin the finish on my umbrella!” “Aren’t umbrellas supposed to get wet?” Pinkie said, sticking her tongue out and bouncing from hoof to hoof in the middle of a puddle. Rarity’s face twisted into an angry pout, but at the same time pulled into a giddy smile.  Even though Pinkie Pie was uncouth at times and enjoyed messes more than the dressmaker was comfortable with, Rarity found it hard to stay mad at Pinkie for too long. Even at her worst, when Pinkie’s obnoxiousness seems to know no bounds, she usually pulls it together by making a funny face or saying something completely absurd that Rarity can't help but laugh at. Such is the way when it comes to best friends. it never did take much to influence a smile. A simple silly conversation or just her random idiosyncrasies were enough to bring a smile onto Rarity’s face. However, Rarity found it hard to keep the smile from falling away from her face again as she thought about Twilight, her other good friend, in such a wretched state.  Rarity was wishful, as anypony would be, that Twilight would come away unscathed, but her rational side was holding onto niggling doubts that Rarity just couldn't seem to shake. In the back of her mind, Rarity knew that Twilight was badly hurt, and didn’t know if she would come out ok or not. She knew simply by the fact that she had to carry Twilight to the hospital, that Twilight lay limp like a rag-doll in her hooves. And If it wasn’t for Twilight’s constant coughs and gurgles as she desperately tried to keep her throat clear, Rarity would have thought for sure she was carrying a rag-doll and not a fully grown mare.   Thinking of Twilight in this way made Rarity’s heart turn sideways in her chest, and her anguish was discernible enough to make Pinkie stop splashing around in the mud...   “I’m sorry if I got your umbrella muddy.” Pinkie said after a few moments of watching Rarity’s bothered expression. “I know you’ve told me to be more mindful of your fashion stuff, I was just trying to have a little fun.”  Rarity suddenly realized just how she was acting. The dress-maker prided herself on her ability to control her own emotions, a skill that she found very useful in her more high-pressure business-dealings. As a young dress-maker, Rarity had to learn very early on in her career to be mindful of her emotions and how she expressed them, lest they got the best of her. A wrong slip of the tongue could mean the loss of a contract or a sudden lack of self-confidence could result in a sale falling through. In order to respond to the ongoing demands of her business and social life, Rarity had become a master at controlling her immediate emotional reactions. However, as the events of the current week played out, Rarity found it increasingly difficult to keep her emotions in check. Her smile would disappear too easily or she’d find herself becoming distracted and unable to accomplish her present tasks.  She feared that if she didn’t get her emotions back in check she might become irrational and do something she’d regret.  “Nothing to be sorry about, dear.” Rarity said, donning an expression of cool composure. “Come, let’s keep moving, this wind is cutting right through coat and making my skin all clammy.” The two walked with reticence until the tree-line broke and gave way to a medium sized yard with a two story cottage, stoutly built and blocked off by a gate that spanned the entire property. The silent, almost grim desolation of the house was a curious and striking contrast to the cheerful aspect of all the other cottages in Ponyville, and was enough to make Rarity stop dead in her tracks and study it’s abhorrent features. It was unapologetically modern, a coupling of wooden cubes with a hoof-full of windows and small porch. The stairs were slapped against the porch as if they were an afterthought. They fell too close to the entrance and were uncommonly narrow. The rail was simply a plank of wood supported by three small spindles. It looked like the house was slapped together in less than a day and could come crashing down with even the weight of a child.  The windows were barred up with timber that was giving way in some places. The door, which was solid oak, was the only part of the house that seemed firm and well secured, and over it Rarity noticed a plaque on which some words had been carved, but were almost completely taken over by lichen.  “The  ash fam ly s hous “ The grass had pushed itself high over the threshold of the porch and almost reached the windowsills in some places.  From the house led a pathway through the overgrown yard down to the gate the two ponies were standing before. The gate was hung upon two stone piers covered with moss. On the top of one was a stone globe. The other had been removed, or had fallen off over during the course of time. “I’ve lived in Ponyville all my life,” Rarity said to Pinkie, suddenly. “and I never knew who lived in this house. I passed it all the time on my trips out of town and I never saw a single pony or a family inside.”  Pinkie was silent, looking stone-faced at the house.  “It looks almost sad. “Rarity continued. “Like it wants to weep. I remember once as a filly seeing somepony inside, but that was almost fifteen years ago, and every year since the house has fallen further and further into disrepair.” “This was Dashie’s house.” Pinkie said flatly without looking away from the house. “Dashie’s house?” Rarity said, her inflection souring. “How do you know it’s her house?” Pinkie’s expression didn’t change. Her sudden solemnity seeming completely uncharacteristic to Rarity.  “Dashie was the first pony I met when I came to Ponyville, when I moved here from the rock farm.” Pinkie said sullenly. “She was playing by herself by that window,” Pinkie pointed her hoof at the living room window on the bottom left side of the house. “She looked so sad and lonely, like she needed a friend, so I went to introduce myself but when she saw me she ran inside.” Pinkie turned towards her friend, only to be met with a scowl. “Then when I went to school, she was in my class and all the other foals were making fun of her because she couldn’t fly, so she probably thought I was going to do the same. I wasn’t going to, I just wanted to be her friend…” “Worthless villain.” Rarity spat. “For the way she’s hurt my friends she deserves all the ridicule she gets, and then some.”  Rarity made an obscene gesture towards the house and continued down the road, marching through the mud. Pinkie pie hesitated for a moment, stealing a long glance at the house, and ran to catch up with Rarity.  Inside the house, Dashie sighed in relief from the window, She placed a hoof over her chest in an attempt to calm her rapid heartbeats. Once Pinkie pointed to her window, Dashie almost ran off like a frightened foal. Her body trembled from the panic. All the same, Dashie was awash with relief once she saw Rarity storm off. She limped back to end of the room and resumed her place underneath the nest of blankets. Despite her many injuries, she found herself slipping into unconsciousness once more. She was safe, for now.