//------------------------------// // Shit Hits the Fan // Story: The Not so Average Life of a Fillydelphian Weather Pony // by Rain Twister //------------------------------// Thunderclap, Lightningbolt, and I burst through the doors into Captain Breezy’s Office. Inside we see the Captain and Featherfall frantically going over weather charts and emergency protocols. “What’s going on? What happened in Cloudsdale?” I ask Captain Breezy looks at me, barely hiding the fear in her eyes. “There was an accident at the weather factory in Cloudsdale. Some pipes had become clogged without them noticing and the backed up pressure caused an explosion that has created a hurricane.” She says, her voice trembling. “And it’s heading our way!” “Aw, shit!” Lightningbolt exclaims. “What are we gonna do?” I ask, trying to stay calm. Featherfall takes a deep breath, looks towards Breezy, then back at me. “Captain Breezy, Thunderclap, and I will take the night crew and try to slow down the storm. We’ve sent messages north to Manehattan and south to Baltimare requesting aid from their weather teams.” “Wait, we have a night crew? I ask, dumbfounded. “Sigh. Yes, we have a night crew. We were going to introduce you in a few days, but right now that is not important.” Breezy says. “Rain Twister, I need you and Lightningbolt to go tell the mayor what is going on. She’ll likely call for an evacuation of the city. If she does, I need you to help coordinate that. I give her a wing salute. “Yes, Captain. We’ll head that way now. “Alright. Featherfall, Thunderclap, It’s time for us to go.” We hear Captain Breezy say as we hurried out of the room. We make the short flight to City Hall and land outside. We trot through the large marble columns and make our way into the lobby where we see the receptionist behind a desk in the middle of the room. “We need to speak with the Mayor immediately!” Lightningbolt says, almost shouting. The mare behind the desk looks up at us with a bored expression. “She’s in a meeting. You’ll have to come back later.” She blows a bubble with her chewing gum. I reach a hoof over the desk and popped the bubble. I look straight into her shocked eyes and say, “Listen, this is an emergency, we were sent by Captain Breezy. We need to speak to the mayor NOW!” With a scared look, the receptionist reaches for her intercom and presses a button. “Mayor Ties, I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but I have two members of the weather crew that need to speak to you. They claim it’s an emergency.” Over the intercom speaker we hear a voice respond. “Fine, send them in.” Lightningbolt and I make our way up the stairs to the second floor. I follow Lightningbolt since she seems to know where we’re going. After walking down a long hallway, we come upon a large oak door with shiny brass inlays. I knock. “Come in!” An agitated mare’s voice says through the door. Inside the office, there is a middle aged unicorn mare with a greying mane and an orange coat sitting behind a large wooden desk covered in paperwork and a nameplate that read “Mayor Diplomatic Ties”. The wall behind her is a giant window with a beautiful view of the city looking towards the ocean. Sitting on a chair in front of the desk is an earth pony stallion with a blue mane and a red coat wearing a police uniform. “Now, what’s SO important that you needed to interrupt my meeting with Chief Gold Star, hmm? With a shaky voice, I reply. “There was an accident in Cloudsdale, Ma’am. It unleashed a hurricane, that is, at this moment, heading this way. Captain Breezy and Lieutenant Featherfall, along with our night crew, are heading to the storm to try to slow it down. We were sent here to make you aware of the situation.” The Mayor and Chief Gold star look at us with fear in their eyes. “Are you sure this storm is heading here? Mayor Ties asks. “Yes, Ma’am.” Lightningbolt replies. “Captain Breezy has sent messages to Manehattan and Baltimare asking for the help of their weather ponies.” “What are your names?” The mayor asks. “I am Rain Twister.” I reply “And I am Lightningbolt.” My friend adds. “Rain Twister, Lightningbolt, I need you to help Chief Gold Star evacuate the city. Thank you for letting me know. Dismissed.” The mayor say authoritatively. ………………. Featherfall’s Perspective: As we fly over the countryside west of Fillydelphia we see a massive wall of dark black clouds. Lightning is striking all around it. “I’ve never seen anything like this before! What are we gonna do?” Snowflake, one of our night crew members, says with worry. “Listen up team.” Captain Breezy shouts. “We’ll start by busting the clouds in the outer layer and try to make our way into the eye of the storm. Once we make it there Featherfall, Thunderclap, and I will try to disrupt the core of the storm by busting the clouds from the inside. The rest of you will continue to work on the outside. Hopefully that will slow it down enough for reinforcements arrive.” The wind howling around us and the cacophonous sound of thunder was very disorienting. To my right I see Thunderclap, bucking the clouds and struggling to stay in the air. To my left I see Captain Breezy, doing the same, trying in vain to push towards the eye of the storm. The wind is getting so strong that my feathers are being ripped from my wings. “Captain! We need to pull back! We can’t fly in this!” I shouted to her. Captain Breezy shouts back. “We need to hold out for as long as we can, Feather! We have to….” KRA-POW!!! I watch in horror as I see her get struck by lightning, her body smoking and falling out of sight though the clouds below me. “NOOOO!!!! BREEZY!!!!!” I scream. Thunderclap sees this happen and races after Captain Breezy. I race after them, tears streaming from my eyes. Thunderclap and I burst out of the bottom of the cloud layer chasing after the unconscious pegasus, 1,000 feet from the ground, 800 feet, 500 feet, we’re almost to her. 300 feet from the ground, 200 feet, just out of reach. 150 feet, we catch her. We try to slow down but we crash into the mud. My head is spinning, as I try to get up, pain shoots from my right wing. I turn to look at it, but when I do I see that my wing is broken, I try to ignore the pain and make my way to Breezy. I put my ear to her chest. Badum….badum….badum. “She’s still alive!” I say with unbridled joy through the tears streaming down my face. I turn around to find Thunderclap laying on his back in the mud. “Thunderclap, are you alright?” “Yeah, just bruised up.” He replies with a groan. “I need you to send word back to Fillydelphia that Captain Breezy is hurt and I’m grounded. We need reinforcements.” I say through the pain. “I will, but first we need to get you two out of this rain.” He replies with a groan. ………… Rain Twister’s Perspective. I turn towards the west of the city a wall of black clouds about 30 miles away darkens the horizon. Chief Gold Star, Lightningbolt and I have successfully evacuated the western outskirts of the city and are about to start the northern and southern evacuations when I see Solar Flare flying towards us. As he lands on the street, he approaches me. “The Captain and lieutenant are out of commission and are in desperate need for reinforcements!” He says. “What happened?” I demand. “Breezy was struck by lightning and Featherfall has a broken wing.” He replies. Thunderclap took them to safety and flew back here to tell me.” “Where is he?” I ask “He’s back at HQ getting some much needed rest. He was barely able to fly back given the state of his wings. That storm must have some pretty powerful winds.” He says somberly. “The night crew are still trying to disperse the outer cloud layer.” “Thank you, Solar Flare.” I reply. I turn to address Chief Gold Star. “I need to speak to the Mayor.” “Yeah, you need to give her an update on the situation.” He replies. I make my way back to City hall and find the Mayor in her office and tell the mayor everything that Solar Flare said. The mayor puts her front hooves together, deep in thought. After a moment she turns to me and says, “There is something that I think we should do.” “What is it?” I ask “We need to use the Emergency Broadcast that is sitting in the corner over there.” She says while pointing a hoof at a table. “We need to request the pegasi of this city to volunteer to help disperse the storm. The ponies of this city are proud and would very likely aid us in dispersing this horrible storm. You need to be the one to make the announcement.” “Are you sure that I should be the one to do it?” I ask nervously. “Yes, I do. I’m just a unicorn politician, you are one of their Weather Pegasi. If you are asking for their aid, I’m sure they will come.” She says with a hopeful smile. “A-alright. Sigh. I’ll do it.” I say nervously I trot over to the table with the Emergency Broadcaster on it. I click it on, hearing the sound that signals an emergency broadcast. I take a deep breath. I begin to speak in to the microphone. “Hello, my name is Rain Twister. I am one of the several weather ponies that serve the ponies of Fillydelphia. There is a massive storm heading towards our great city and we need help to stop it. We cannot stop this storm alone. I am calling on all pegasi that are willing to fly beside me and my comrades to assist us in dispersing this storm. I also request aid from any unicorn that has weather magic to assist as well. Help us save the glorious city of Fillydelphia, my friends! Those brave ponies that wish to help, please come to the headquarters of the Fillydelphian Weather Ponies. Your city needs you. Thank you.” Mayor Ties looks at me as I click off the broadcaster. “That was an excellent speech! You made me wish that I could grow wings so that I could help too!” “Thanks!” I say with a grin. “I hope it worked”