//------------------------------// // Love is in bloom- Part 2 // Story: PONY // by Deathsia //------------------------------// LOVE IS IN BLOOM PART 2 A day later the four returned to the spot the storm had once raged and the cyan blue Pegasus looked as if she was ready to faint as she looked at what remained of her home. “Well, at least nopony was-” CRUMBLE,CLATTER!!! “-Hurt...” Twilight began to say only for the sound of part of the cyan blue Pegasus's house to collapse on itself to ring out which caused the purple unicorn to flinch and say the final word of her sentence a moment later while at the same moment Rainbow Dash's eyes rolled into the back of her head and passed out with a thud. The following days were spent by Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Ericka fixing up the cyan Pegasus's home. At first Ericka thought: “They're clouds, how hard can it be?” but was soon proven very wrong. Apparently the material needed to Rainbow Dash's cloud home wasn't your everyday cloud and what's more, the cloud based material wasn't easy to mold to any shape. “Whoa!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed panicked as she lost her balance against the side of the cloud home and would have fallen backward if not for Ericka reaching out on impulse and putting a hoof on her back, yanking her forward and unintentionally pulling the cyan blue Pegasus close to her so that their faces were mere inches from one another. The two spent a brief moment exchanging an equal blush and blinking before the cyan blue Pegasus spoke up. “Heh, thanks.” Rainbow Dash said with a slightly nervous expression and resumed working on the side of her home. Time continued to pass by, each day bearing fruit to the ponies labors as Rainbow Dash's house slowly was being returned to it's former glory. “Oh come on! Mold you stupid thing!” Ericka exclaimed frustrated by the cloud material's refusal to mold properly. “You gotta use a gentle hoof with it. Watch me.” Rainbow Dash remarked as she reached in to take the cloud material from the dark blue Pegasus at which point their hooves touched, the two looked at one another for a brief moment blushing, and Rainbow Dash quickly grabbed the cloud material and resumed showing her how to properly mold it. ----------------------------------------- “Somepony's got a special somepony on their mind!” The pink mare exclaimed with a grin which caused Ericka to snap out of her daydreaming state and stare at the pink mare. “Oh? Who?” Ericka asked honestly not aware of what she was talking about. “You, silly filly! You had that; Oh I wish he would just sweep me off my hooves and take me away to some far off castle! Look about you until I spoke up!” Pinkie Pie replied with a smirk which caused Ericka to blush. “Oh come off it Pinkie, I was just thinking of how I was going to help Rainbow Dash get her chimney set up. It's not as easy as it looks ya know.” Ericka replied as she stood up, stretched her wings, and walked past the pink mare. “Oh? Huh, I guess my Pinkie sense was off. Oh well there's a first time for everything!” Pinkie Pie replied with a smirk and hummed a chipper tune as she resumed walking past her to the back of the library. To be honest though, Ericka wasn't exactly sure what she was thinking about before the pink mare snapped her from her thoughts. It started out as helping Rainbow Dash with her chimney sure enough but it soon drifted to...no, that's stupid! She couldn't honestly be thinking of that! “I need to get some fresh air.” Ericka remarked aloud with a sigh as she walked to the door of Twilight's home and walked outside. Ericka once again took a deep inhale and exhaled with a smile on her face. “Much better.” Ericka remarked with a smile as she walked around town now and soon she found herself at the door of the carousel boutique. “Why hello there darling! What brings you over here on this glorious spring day?” Rarity asked as Ericka stepped in and looked about. “Oh, nothing really.” Ericka replied honestly. “Well you are welcome to stay and watch me work dear. I'm in the mist of working on several orders at the moment though, with spring time and all, so many colts are placing orders for their wives and fillyfriends it's almost overwhelming, but business is business!” Rarity replied in a chipper tone as she resumed working on her current dress. “Do you draw the dress designs too or does somepony else do that?” Ericka asked curiously. “Oh no dear, I drawn the design from the ground up and work from there.” Rarity replied as she placed a few gemstones on the dress she was working on. “I used to draw myself, but that was before I lost my little sister.” Ericka replied without thinking then bit her lower lip realizing she had shot off some delegate information that could possibly hurt her amnesia ploy. “Oh? What happened to her darling? That is, if you don't mind tell me.” Rarity replied as she turned from her current dress and looked at her with the utmost attention now. “Well, it's still foggy, but I think she was killed.” Ericka replied and sighed heavily. “Oh you poor dear! That must have been horrible for you.” Rarity replied as she walked over to the dark blue Pegasus and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Do ponies get, well, murdered here too?” Ericka asked curiously to which Rarity frowned. “Sadly yes, no pony is perfect you know. But that's just how life goes. That's what we have police ponies for though.” Rarity replied then her eyes lit up though they lit up in a worried sense. “You don't suppose, and forgive me for suggesting this, but, do you think your sister's death has anything to do with your amnesia darling?” Rarity asked curiously. “I don't know, maybe.” Ericka replied and gave another sigh. This ploy of hers was causing her to feel more and more guilty these days. Part of her wanted to come outright and tell them the truth, but she was afraid that they would shun her if they knew the truth. Well, except for Pinkie Pie of course. “Did you enjoy drawing darling?” Rarity asked curiously. “Yes, I loved to do it.” Ericka replied looking at the white unicorn whom smiled at her now, channeled magic into her horn and levitated her painting easel over to her. “Well darling, why not give it another go? I know it may seem painful, but would your sister want you to stop what was once your passion?” Rarity asked curiously. “I...” Ericka began to say but trailed off as she stared at the painting easel. “I won't force you darling, but I would love to see your work sometime.” Rarity replied with a warm smile, turned around, and resumed working on her dress. Hours seemed to pass to the dark blue Pegasus now as she stared at the painting easel but in reality, a mere ten minutes had past. FLASHBACK “Can you draw it from memory?” The pink mare asked curiously. “Sure, if I had hands.” Ericka replied mellowly as she rose her front hooves up, shook them slightly, and placed them on the floor again. “Most earth ponies use their mouths to draw stuff. If you were a unicorn it would be a whole lot easier since you could use magic to draw everything with a brush.” Pinkie Pie replied just before she popped the lid off the milk jug with her mouth, picked the jug up and began to pour it carefully into the mixing bowl. END FLASHBACK “Using my mouth huh?” Ericka thought to herself curiously as she opened her mouth and attempted to pick up the paint brush only for it to slip out of her mouth and fall to the floor. A few attempts later to pick up the brush and Ericka gave an irritated sigh. “I should have asked her how they do it while I was at it.” Ericka thought to herself dismally. Several tries later however, she had managed to adjust her mouth and teeth in a fashion that allowed her to hold the brush steady. “Here goes nothing...” Ericka thought to herself with a sigh, dipped the brush in one of the colors and began to run it along the canvas. ONE HOUR LATER.... “That's...interesting, yes very interesting!” Rarity exclaimed with a nervous smile as she looked at the canvas now. Ericka however seemed to have a dark cloud hovering above her with a scowl. “That sucks! I can't draw worth a shit with my mouth!” Ericka thought to herself dismally.  “Just say it looks horrid already.” Ericka remarked aloud depressingly. “Well, practice makes perfect darling. I'm sure you'll remember your skills as time passes!” Rarity replied in a reassuring tone. “Remember my flank, if I want to draw again, I’m going to have to learn from scratch!” Ericka thought to herself as she left the white unicorn's home and headed towards Twilight's library. ---------------------------------- “What are ya reading egghead?” Rainbow Dash jeered as she hovered over Ericka whom was sitting outside now with a book entitled: “Drawing for foals, A beginners guide to drawing for earth ponies and Pegasus!” “I'm trying to remember how to draw.” Ericka replied annoyed thanks to the “egghead” comment. “You were an artist?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously as she landed next to her and sat down. “I think so at least.” the dark blue Pegasus replied though she honestly didn't know if was capable of drawing anywhere near as well as she could as a human. That and it had been years since she had drawn anything as a human anyways so even if she tried back in her human body she would be completely rusty. “Well if your busy reading I guess I won't be able to give you any flying lessons today, but after how you navigated that storm so awesomely, I'm starting to think you don't need anymore.” Rainbow Dash replied to which Ericka looked away from her book and smiled at her. “Thanks but to be honest, I wasn't even sure I could have done it if it wasn't for you.” Ericka replied with a warm smile. “Me? What did I do?” The cyan blue Pegasus replied confused. “Well, you're my friend and if you hadn't told me about that fear of yours, I most likely would have assumed you got out in time.” Ericka replied honestly. “Really?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously. “Well that and I guess it was a gut feeling that told me you were still in there. I can't explain it really. It was like something was just nagging at me saying; she's in there, she's in there!” Ericka replied doing her best to recall the gut feeling she had. “Well then I guess your gut is as cool as you are.” The cyan blue Pegasus replied enthusiastically. “I'm not cool, I'm just your average mare who risked her life for a friend. I'm sure anypony would do the same.” Ericka replied modestly. “Maybe, but it was still awesome how you got me to move like that. Where did you learn to be so assertive? Were you in the royal army or something?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously. “Royal army? You mean Celestia and Luna have an army?” Ericka asked in shock of this new set of information. “Well yeah, who else protects them? There were plenty of epic pony wars before my time that I heard about from my mom when I was little.” The cyan blue Pegasus replied in a matter of fact tone. “Well at least I know they have a military power now.” Ericka thought to herself knowing this was at least something she could report to Stillborn and the others when she went back for her next report. “Well I'm gonna take off now, enjoy your book Cloudkicker!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she stood up and took off from the ground. “H-Hey, wait up!” Ericka called out as she closed the book, threw it into her saddle-packs and took off after the cyan blue Pegasus. -------------------------------------- “Wow, that must have been tough, losing your sister like that.” Rainbow Dash replied as she two lay next to one another on a cloud. “Yeah, but it's still foggy as to what exactly happened to her. Rarity thinks her death may have something to do with my amnesia.” Ericka replied and gave a heavy sigh. “Well I'm an only foal, so I don't know what it's like to lose a sibling, but if I ever lost any of you guys, it would crush me.” Rainbow Dash replied as she continued to look up towards the sky. “Even me?” Ericka asked curiously as she turned her head to look at the cyan blue Pegasus. “Especially you, who else would I have to fly around with? Fluttershy?” The cyan blue Pegasus replied with a smirk to which the two burst out laughing. “That wasn't very nice you know.” Ericka remarked after she had managed to stop laughing. “I know, don't get me wrong though, she's a wonderful friend and I’ve known her since we were fillies, but she just doesn't like to fly as much as I do. Sometimes I wonder if she was given the choice to get rid of her wings if she would.” Rainbow Dash remarked aloud and sighed. “I don't think any Pegasus would get rid of their wings. A least I know I wouldn't. It's apart of who we are. That's like asking a unicorn to cut off their horn.” Ericka replied. “Can you image Twilight without a horn?” The cyan blue Pegasus asked with a smirk. “Oh yeah, she'd go crazy in a week!” Ericka exclaimed with a giggle. “A week? You give her way too much credit! I give her five hours, tops!” Rainbow Dash replied with a giggle of her own. “What about Rarity?” Ericka asked at which point the cyan blue Pegasus made a dramatic expression. “Oh, how will I finish these dresses in time, how will I keep my beautiful mane well kept! Of all the things that could happen.” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in false horror as she slapped both hooves on her cheeks. “This. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!” The cyan blue Pegasus exclaimed with false dramatic expression, shifted her eyes, and spoke. “What? I really mean it this time!” Rainbow Dash finished at which point the two mares cracked up laughing once again. “That is so Rarity! Oh gosh, my sides! They hurt! Bwhahaha!!!” Ericka exclaimed between hysterical laughs. It took a full two minutes for the mares to stop laughing at which point they huffed and puffed breathlessly. “That was just too funny.” Rainbow Dash remarked aloud between huffs and puffs. “You know, you're not like other ponies Cloudkicker.” The cyan blue Pegasus remarked after a few more moments. “What makes you say that?” Ericka asked curiously. “I don't know, there's just something about you that makes you different from others, but I can't place my hoof on it.” Rainbow Dash replied with a sense of wonder in her voice now. “Maybe it's just my crazy personalty.” Ericka suggested with a giggle. “Nah, that's not it. Well, not totally anyways.” The cyan blue Pegasus replied with a giggle of her own as she turned her head to look at her now. “Then what is it?” The dark blue Pegasus asked curiously with a hint of nervousness in her voice now. Had she figured it out? Did she give herself away at some point? “I don't know. It's...” The cyan blue Pegasus began to say only to trail off now as her face slowly leaned in. “Like there's something...” She continued leaning in even more so now. “Mysterious about you that...” She continued but trailed off again as her face grew even closer to Ericka's now. “I just can't-” In what seemed like a split second, Ericka and Rainbow Dash's lips were locked in none other than a passionate kiss, that is until Ericka ripped away from her with a shocked expression. “Oh geez, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a panicked tone. “Neither did I...” Ericka replied stunned at her very own actions at the moment. ------------------------------------- “You two whaaat?!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed shocked with a jaw dropping gesture. “Hey, don't look at me like that. I didn't even know it was going to happen!” Ericka exclaimed defensively with a crimson red blush. “I didn't pin you or Rainbow Dash to be lesbians, heh, wonders never cease!” The pink mare exclaimed with a giggle as Ericka waved her hooves frantically at her. “Hey, I didn't say I was attracted to her! It just happened!” Ericka exclaimed blushing so red right now her normally dark blue face looked as if it was turning purple. “So what happened next?” Pinkie Pie asked curiously as she looked at her with the utmost attention now. “Nothing. We just sort of sat there silently for a little while before we said our goodbyes and I came back here.” Ericka replied simply and sighed though this sigh had an unintentional sense of bliss in it. “Ooh, you've got it bad!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a smirk. “Got what what?” Ericka asked confused by what the pink mare was hinting at. “The love bug of course!” Pinkie Pie replied with a giggle, stood up, and walked out of the room. “You're being even crazier than usual, Pinkie! I'm not in love with her, geez!” Ericka called out to the pink mare with a deep blush and sighed moments afterward. “I'm not in love with her...right?” Ericka asked herself out loud. She had never dated a single day in her life and with all things considered, she wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling right now towards the cyan blue Pegasus. ------------------------------------------- Ericka now sat on a cloud just above Twilight house looking at the skies as the sun slowly set and sighed. “It was just a innocent kiss right?” Ericka asked herself aloud as the memory shot to the front of her mind.   “I wonder if she knew that was my first kiss?” Ericka asked herself aloud thoughtfully before she groaned in annoyance. “Ugh! Get it out of your head Ericka! It was just a fluke!” The dark blue Pegasus exclaimed aloud to herself as she ruffled up her mane in frustration and sighed moments afterword as she flopped her head back onto the cloud with a soft plomphing sound. It was at this point and time she saw the cyan blue Pegasus flying above her who saw her as well, stopped, and landed next to her on the cloud. “Can't get it out of your head either huh?” Rainbow Dash asked in a soft tone. “Get what out of my head?” Ericka asked feigning ignorance to what the cyan blue Pegasus was asking. “The kiss. It's been bugging me all day.” Rainbow Dash replied followed by a sigh. “Oh that? Nope, hadn't crossed my mind.” Ericka lied doing her best to keep a strait face as she spoke now. “Oh.” The cyan blue Pegasus replied as her ears flattened and a frown formed on her face. “It was just a fluke Rainbow, don't get your tail in knot over it.” Ericka replied nonchalantly. “A fluke, right.” The cyan blue Pegasus replied looking positively crestfallen now. Ericka looked at Rainbow Dash now and felt her poker face nearly shatter on the spot. Did that kiss really mean more to the cyan blue Pegasus than she thought it had? “Rainbow, listen I-”  “Well, I'll see you around then Cloudkicker.”  Rainbow Dash said cutting her off and took of from the cloud without another word. Ericka sat up and watched the cyan blue Pegasus fly away and groaned loudly in frustration. “Oh for the love of peat! It was just an innocent kiss, a fluke, nothing more!” Ericka exclaimed as she slammed both hooves to her sides onto the cloud which gave an audible “poof!” and disappeared from under her. “I hate you so much right now...” Ericka remarked glaring skyward just before she plummeted to the ground and hit it with a thud. Luckily for her, she wasn't that high up to begin with so the most she got was a couple bruises from the fall. Regardless, she stood up to all four hooves and brushed herself off and sighed. “All that over a blasted fluke. It was nothing and Rainbow Dash needs to figure that out.” Ericka remarked aloud as she walked along the road however just as she said this, a rain cloud seemingly appeared over her head from no where and down poured on the dark blue Pegasus. “You can't be serious...” Ericka remarked with a glare looking up now at the rain cloud that had mysteriously popped out of nowhere. “It was nothing!” Ericka exclaimed up at the cloud and as if to answer her more clouds formed and poured even more rain on her. “Okay! Fine! I get the hint! I'll go talk to her, geez!” Ericka exclaimed aloud and sighed. Once she had said this, just as mysteriously as the clouds had appeared, they dissipated and disappeared. Ericka then took off from the ground and flew over towards the cyan blue Pegasus's house unknown of a certain dark blue Alicorn whom was watching from afar. Aren't we a stinker? ----------------------------------------------------- Ericka landed on cyan blue Pegasus's landing cloud just before her door. The majority of her home had been rebuilt by now so it was livable now but there was a whole lot more work that needed to be done. That wasn't why she was here now. Ericka had spent the entire flight trying to think of something to say yet no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't figure out anything. The dark blue Pegasus gave a heavy sigh and placed a hoof on the door. “Here goes nothing hot dog...” Rainbow Dash at the present time seemed to be making herself dinner as noises seemed to be coming from the kitchen so she walked in at which point the cyan blue Pegasus turned around and looked at her in shock. “Oh, Cloudkicker, I didn't expect you to stop by. What's up?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously before she resumed working on her dinner. “About earlier, I wasn't entirely honest with you.” Ericka began and seemed to trail off now. “Oh? Like what?” The cyan blue Pegasus replied nonchalantly as she continued to work on fixing her dinner. “And I thought I had one hell of a poker face...” Ericka thought to herself knowing that the cyan blue Pegasus was putting on an act at this point. “That kiss we shared, it was my first and all and-” SHATTER! “Y-Your first?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously as she scrambled to clean up the fragments from the plate she had suddenly dropped. “Y-Yeah. I've never been on a date in my life you see and it sort of took me by surprise you know.” Ericka replied blushing now as she subconsciously kicked her left hind leg back and forth without realizing it as the cyan blue Pegasus continued to clean up the mess she made. “Well, you know, heh, first time for everything.” Rainbow dash replied though her voice sounded nervous now. “Why did you kiss me in the first place?” Ericka asked curiously at which point what ever the cyan blue Pegasus had managed to pick up with the broom and dustpan fell to the floor once again with a loud clatter. “Well, yeah know, spur of the moment kind of thing, not thinking things through, you know, that kind of thing.” Rainbow Dash replied sounding even more nervous now as she scrambled to clean up the mess once again. “Ugh, here. Let me help you clean that up.” Ericka remarked as she walked forward and reached a hoof out to help the cyan blue Pegasus and unintentionally placed her hoof on top of the cyan blue Pegasus's at which point the two just stared at one another for a few moments. Without thinking the two once again locked lips but this time they did not stop and continued to make out in the middle of the kitchen leaving the mess the cyan blue Pegasus had made to nothing more than a memory for now...