//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: A Storm of Emotions // by MelodyMori //------------------------------// “Augh! Stupid Creeper!” I whined, watching as the little wooden house I spent so much time on evaporated before my eyes. Annoyingly that blast killed my little pony avatar as well, making me have to start all the way back from wherever I spawned from. Button let out a small chuckle and patted me on the back comfortingly. “Hey, you can always build a new one! This time bigger and stronger!” Sweetie nodded, a smile on her face despite her not moving her eyes from the screen. “Yeah, you’ve figured it out pretty quickly! Just put more torches out when it gets dark.” “Yeah, that’s true...” I hummed in thought for a moment before glancing at the window. A window that showed a swiftly setting sun. “Oh no! Ah’m going to be late for dinner! Gotta head home, sorry guys.” Sweetie and Button both paused the game and gave me a hug goodbye, the latter one making me blush for some reason. Totally just a coincidence. Goodbyes done, I scampered over to the front door and grabbed my hat before heading out. “Have a goodnight Summer Storm!” Cream Heart waved from her doorway, a happy little smile on her face. “Say hi to Dash and Soarin’ for me!” “G’night Ms. Heart! Thanks for lettin’ me hang out with Button!” I waved goodbye to Button’s mom before turning to fly off into the night. Once again I thanked my lucky stars that the hat came with a little string that let it hang off my neck and lay on my back, otherwise it would have flown off as I gained altitude.  As I flew over the town towards Dash’s cloud house, I couldn’t help but sigh in a small bit of relief. The setting sun didn’t shine into my photosensitive eyes as it did during the day, which was a welcome relief after having to hide in the shade of a stetson all day. That and the night air felt comfortingly cool against my rather fluffy body. Down below Ponyville was wrapping up for the day, ponies closing up their stores and heading home for the night. The market was a much more minor buzz of activity, my sensitive ears picking up muted conversations of ponies cleaning up after a busy day of business. A surprising amount of stalls seemed to have had most of their product wiped clean for such a small town, but then again a good chunk of ponies likely knew just how much to bring to market from experience. I flapped my bat wings to give me the last little push I needed to reach the cloud-house. Surprisingly the rainbowfalls were still pouring down the house, although the colors were a lot more muted. Probably so Dash didn’t annoy the neighbors too much. I hope. With a puff of cloud-stuff I landed by the front door, folding my wings by my side. It was still a bit jarring to be able to walk on clouds, something so malleable but also so tough. Probably was specially treated since it was the foundation for a cloud house, but still odd. Looking down from the edge to the faraway ground made the dim echo of my human fear of heights scream in the back of my head. With a wince I shrunk away from the edge, making my way to the door itself.  Thankfully the door wasn’t locked, so getting in was nice and easy. Bar having to stand on my hindlegs to reach the knob but eh. Once my hat was tossed up onto the rack I made my way up the stairs to the house proper. I could smell the sweet scent of cooking veggies and fish wafting through the house, drawing me through a door on the second floor I hadn’t been in previously.   Inside was the kitchen/dining room area, where Rainbow Dash and a blue pegasus stallion were busy cooking what looked like salmon and a few different vegetables. While the stallion wasn’t a mountain like Big Mac, he still stood a head over Dash and so towered over me. Once I pit-pattered my way into the kitchen he turned his head towards the entrance to see who came in.  For a moment he looked slightly confused before Dash also turned and gave me a warm grin. “About time you got home, Squirt. Was about to get Soarin’ here to go find ya.” The pegasus stallion - I assume the Soarin in question - blinked before letting out a small chuckle. “Oh, you must be the thestral filly that Dashie is taking care of.” “Duh, how many other thestral fillies are there in Ponyville?” Dash chided, nudging her coltfriend with one of her wings. Soarin blushed in embarrassment, his ears drooping to the side a bit before snapping back up. He wiped his hooves off with a towel and stepped over to me, making me sit down so I could look up at him without straining my neck. A small bit of me twitched in slight fear for some reason, even though he didn’t look hostile at all. The stallion offered a small smile and held out his hoof toward me. “Pleasure to meet you, Summer Storm. My name is Soarin’, Dashie’s coltfriend.” Soarin tilted his head to the side, a cautious look on his face as I shook his hoof. “Strange question, but are you related to Dashie? I mean, you also are very...” he waved a hoof awkwardly, struggling to find the right word, “...rainbowy?” “Uh, it’s complicated.” I squeaked out, more than a little confused by the question. “Ah mean, aren’t there other ponies that have rainbow manes?” Soarin’ put a hoof on his chin in thought for a moment but eventually shook his head. “No, I think the only two other ponies I know with such a colorful mane are Dash and her father.” He shrugged, waving a hoof dismissively. “Not that it particularly matters, just curious after all. Was wondering what it took to get somepony so stubbornly independent to watch a filly.” “Hey, it's not that weird!” Dash yelled over at the two of us, making us jump a bit in surprise. “Besides, dinner’s almost done cooking, so take a seat you two.” Soarin’ rolled his eyes and chuckled while I just nodded, both of us making our way to the small dining table. My chair was just tall enough that I had to fly up a bit to take a seat. A minute of waiting passed before Dash came over, two plates of fish and mixed veggies balanced on her wings, and one on a hoof. The one on her hoof went in her spot, while she carefully placed the other two in front of Soarin and I. Turns out Dash is a great cook, as the salmon and veggies were absolutely delicious. It still felt a bit weird eating using my mouth instead of utensils but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. Just like most plant food, the veggies taste a lot better with pony tastebuds than they would as a human. Guess that’s the bonus of being a mostly herbivorous race, vegetables have to taste good. Once we were all done eating, Soarin’ went to go wash the dishes while Dash and I stepped away into the living room. There I hopped onto the armchair while Dash lounged on the couch, stretching out with a yawn. Once we both got comfortable, the mare looked at me with an awkward smile. “So, Storm, you ready for, well, the Talk?” Dash rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, a small blush on her face. I let out a small groan of embarrassment. “Do we have to? Ah used to be an adult, Ah know how sex works.” Dash’s ear twitched slightly as she snorted. “That sounds so weird coming from a face like that. But still, you weren’t a pony before so you still have to hear this!” I let out a small sigh, my fluffy thestral ears flicking back a bit. “Okayyyyy.” Rainbow Dash nodded proudly before waving a hoof in the direction of the door. “Well, let’s do this quickly while it’s just us mares. Once a year, mostly in the spring or summer, you’ll go into Estrus. You’ll be super horny and fertile, so stay away from any colts unless you want to be a teen mom.” I groaned and covered my eyes with my hooves. “Gross. Ah don’t even think Ah like dudes anyway, Ah used to be a dude myself, remember?” Part of me couldn’t help but think of Button Mash and...yup gonna shut off my brain now. Dash chuckled from where she lay. “Hey, you’re still young, so who knows? I’m sure the Princess would still love you either way. Besides, other than that just don’t be silly, wrap his willy. Okay?” I grumbled out an ‘okay’, my face probably bright red in embarrassment despite my dark fur. “Any other words of wisdom ya want to share?” “Just one more.” I lowered my hooves just enough to see Dash’s smirk. “Go take a bath before bed, you worked hard today. Tomorrow you have to meet that therapist so get some rest.” I grumbled but relented, heading upstairs to take a bath, and go to bed. I curled up around the plushie that I’d had with me all week, something that I wouldn’t believe I’d do until about a week ago. I let out a small smile and wriggled in a bit deeper into the clouds I lay on, quickly going to sleep. A few hours later. Rainbow Dash woke up with a start, somepony’s cries rousing her from her deep sleep. She wriggled out from where she was snuggled up with Soarin’, thankfully not rousing him from his sleep. With a groggy hop, she left her bed and made her way into the hallway proper. The cries came from Storm’s room so there she went. Sweeping open the door, expecting a murderer or something in the room, Dash saw Storm writhing in her bed, lost in the throes of a nightmare. The mare sighed and trotted over, using one hoof to shake Storm a bit to hopefully wake her. That failing she picked up the filly and set Storm on her back, carrying her back to her shared bed. Thankfully Storm calmed down at Dash’s touch, although her grip on Dash’s neck was a bit tighter than she’d liked. “Dammit Princess Luna, where in Tartarus are you? I mean, at least check on your own daughter’s dreams...” Lyra sighed and rubbed the base of her horn gingerly, the appendage still a little sore after having a letter magically pass through it. Bon Bon sat at her side, reading the message aloud, but still quiet enough that only the two of them could hear it. Thankfully Minuette was not sharing a hotel room with them, instead, the unicorn rested further down the hall. Dear Agents Sweetie Drops and Heartstrings, Your objective is no longer to simply keep an eye on the changeling, but instead to capture it and bring it in for questioning. Midnight Strike’s family has been found petrified in their own home, bar the matriarch herself who is still missing.  With the news of a changeling spotted in the Crystal Empire, and Prince-Consort Shining Armor going missing, you are needed far too much in the Empire to remain to tail a lead. Bring it into the Empire itself, and then speak to Princess Cadance for more instructions. Thank you, Princess Luna “Well, I guess that’s that for your original idea, Lyra.” Bon Bon grumbled, rubbing a hoof on her marefriend’s back. “Time to just grab the bug and be done with it.” Lyra scowled, her ears folding back in sympathy to her frustration. “Nightshade, Bonnie. Her name is Nightshade. Besides, I still think we shouldn’t just jump her. I mean, her eyes looked so tired and sad...” “So you want to ‘redeem’ it.” Bon Bon shook her head, sighing, “Not everypony can be helped. I mean, it killed a filly and a guard! Plus, you know better than most what the changelings did during the Royal Wedding.” Lyra winced but nodded, her head bowing slightly. “I know, I just...I don’t think that she’s another Chrysalis.” “I know what you mean, Lyra, but orders are orders.” Bon Bon slid off the bed and stretched slightly. “Let’s grab the changeling and meet a princess.” Lyra let out another sad sigh but followed Bon Bon out of the room and hotel, heading into the town proper. Our Town. What a weird name. A hooffull of ponies were going around doing their daily business, including a mail-pegasus bringing in news and mail to the town. Next to the pegasus was a blue unicorn mare, or a changeling disguised as one. The false mare was holding a newspaper in her magical grip, her jaw hanging open at whatever she was reading.  Once the two of them got to ‘Minuette’s side, Lyra spoke first, as unwaveringly as possible. “Hey Minnie, you alright? Hanging your jaw open like that is bad, I mean something could fly in if you don’t close it!” The unicorn blinked and set the newspaper down, her eyes wet like she was about to cry. “The paper is saying that Flurry Heart is dead. But that’s...that’s impossible.” The duo blinked and looked at each other nervously. This time Bon Bon took the initiative and stepped forward, a determined look on her face. “Nightshade, you are under arrest for the murder of Flurry Heart. Surrender yourself quietly and I promise you won’t be harmed.” “You lie!” ‘Minuette’ roared, her horn sparking in defiance of the larger mare’s words. “There is no way in Tartarus she could be dead! I saw her walking around in the hospital with that Element Bearer, Rarity.” Bon Bon huffed, a scowl forming on her face. “Flurry Heart is dead and buried because of you, changeling. It doesn’t matter what you think you saw, what matters is the facts.” “Bonnie, take a breath, please.” Lyra stepped beside her partner, bumping the earth pony with her flank. Once Bon Bon settled down a bit, Lyra turned to the changeling wearing her friend’s face with a hopeful look. “Please, just surrender. I don’t want to fight a friend.” ‘Minuette’ stared at Lyra’s pleading eyes, her angry glare softening just a touch. The ‘unicorn’ sighed deeply for a moment, measuring her actions.  “So what’s it going to be?” Bon Bon grunted, her eyes narrowed on the disguised changeling. “...I’m sorry Lyra.” With a blend of dust kicked up from stomping her forehooves, a simple wind spell, and the false-fire from her changing forms, Nightshade was able to whip up a small dust storm. Lyra and Bon Bon were both forced back a few steps giving Nightshade just enough breathing room to fly straight up and away. “Nightshade, don’t!” Lyra yelled, but to no avail. The dust cleared, leaving behind a single solitary black feather drifting to the ground.