//------------------------------// // Rain Check (Prompt #177) // Story: Thirty-ish Minute Pony Stories // by Abecedarian //------------------------------// TMP Prompt #177 - “Not According to Plan” Prompt: Things were supposed to be different. - Rain Check The yellow-orange pegasus stallion, clad head-to-hoof in thick black rain gear, jumped back slightly as the bleat of a bugle sounded the all-clear and the shutter over his head pulled back into its building, leaving him exposed to the clear blue sky above. He turned at the sound of hooves hitting the walkway behind him, and tilted his head at his supervisor, “Captain” Nimbus Hooves, who nodded. “You can stand down, Sunburst. Word from below is Ponyville blew it.” Behind the older pegasus, the shape of more and more of Cloudsdale’s buildings were becoming clear as their shutters, designed to protect the city’s inhabitants and channel any stray drops of water downward into the hyper-absorbent pink clouds temporarily composing the “ground“, retracted back inside. “That’s too bad. Say, doesn’t your daughter live down there, Cap?” “Heh! ’Least I know it’s not her fault for a change.” Cap chuckled and shook his head. “I thought Ponyville was too small to pull it off. Damn shame, but there‘s always tomorrow and Fillydelphia, I guess.” “Actually,” Sunburst admitted as he shucked off his rain suit. “I’m pretty glad this happened. Starsong and I had to push back a date for this. Looks like it’s back on.” “Whatcha got planned, if y’don’t mind my askin’?” “Well, I’ve been saving up for a few months now. I was thinking I’d take her to Canterlot, watch the races, see a play or an opera if there’s any good ones, have a late dinner at The High-Stepper—” Cap let out a low whistle. “Swank!” “—And then I’ll give her this.” He fumbled with his work uniform a bit and pulled out a small box, opening it and holding it before his boss. “A ring!? Ain’t that a bit sudden?” Cap’s golden eyes narrowed. “Unless you need ta give it to her.” “Oh, no, Cap. It‘s not like that at all! It‘s not a ring ring. Just a ring.” He didn’t know the whole story, but Cap’s daughter had apparently run afoul of a smooth-talking unicorn when she was a teenager. He’d been a bit …touchy…about certain topics since, but he was easily the most doting grandfather Sunburst had ever met. “I know it’s only like our eighth date, but I saw it in a shop window and thought about how cute Starsong would look with this—What? It’s not that weird a gift…is it?” Cap was staring above his head, jaw slack. Suddenly with a burst of speed that Sunburst had thought quite beyond him, the gray pegasus turned and flew for cover, bellowing at the top of his lungs. “SOMEPONY GET THE SHUTTERS BACK UP NOW! NOW!! HURRY! EVERYPONY FIND COVER! FLY, KID! FLY!” All around him, Sunburst suddenly noticed a growing shadow. He looked up to see a wall of shimmering water rushing down at him. Y’know, it’s actually kind of…pretty, was his last thought before it hit. *** On the upside, Starsong visited him every day while he was in the hospital. And she loved the ring.