//------------------------------// // The Storm // Story: An Orange Dosn't Fall Far From the Tree // by seatiger19 //------------------------------// The filly is running through the darkness. She sees the light a little bit away from her. But the shadow was getting closer. The smoke raping around the trees as it followed her. The Trees waved in fire, the deepest blood red fire. The little orange filly couldn't run out the shadow. So close to the edge of the forest, but one of trees in front of her caught fire. She tripped barely missing the bloodied flames. "You can't run from fate" the shadow whispered as it swallowed the filly in its vast shadow. *** Tangerine woke with a start sweat dripping all over her. The same dream this week Tangerine thought shaking the far out of her. "You all right, up there" her Aunt called hearing all the ruckus. "Nothing Auntie" Tangerine yelled down the stairs. She through on a green jacket and a cute hat that matched. She grabbed an orange and ran out the door. I need fresh air Tangerine thought running to the central park. The birds chirped and the pink peonies sparkling with morning dew. Tangerine loved the park, with the trees and the freedom of the big city even if you could here the bustling streets. She loved the cute animals, the colourful plants, and different birds. Tangerine tried making friends but she scared everyone away. She would be as kind and generous as possible but they would never talk back. Until that one morning. "Hello" Tangerine said to a blue unicorn. "Oh hello" the mare said back. She looked like one of the more rich folk. "Hi my name is Tangerine" Tangerine held out her hoof. The blue pony shook it gracefully, "I'm Shooting Star, the mayor's daughter" she chatted. "Oh wow, you must have a gorgeous house" Tangerine said. "Yea, more like a prison" Shooting Star replied. "Do you ummm want to walk" Tangerine asked the pony. The mare was a medium blue with white mane and tail. She kept her mane in a messy bun and her tail looked well brushed. Her cutie mark was a shooting star, weird that. "So how'd you get your cutie mark" Tangerine asked looking at the mares flank. "Oh that, I looked through a telescope and saw the planets and stars" she sighed, "If only I were as free as a star, they can wonder space wherever they want" Shooting Star said. "You know I never thought of it like that, I always thought that stars were organized and always in line and how much I would rather be a tree" Tangerine said looking up at the sky. "A tree?" Shooting Star gave her a confused look. "Yea they grow and grow and look down on all the good things-" Tangerine started "But what about the bad things" Shooting Star interrupted her. "Well see thats were the good part would be, you wouldn't have to make mistakes, you would wait and watch and learn, you wouldn't be the one making the mistakes, you would just be free and live a long life" Tangerine said looking at the other pony. "But what about movement you would have to stay in that spot and watch the world go by" Shooting Star looked at Tangerine waiting for a response. "Well sometimes change is a good thing" Tangerine replied. "I guess" Shooting Star said. "Well I got to go, bye" Shooting Star said leaving Tangerine and heading towards town hall. Tangerine was so happy she ran home not noticing the storm behind her. "Hey Auntie I'm home, guess what I just-" Tangerine was cut short when she saw her Aunt running around boarding up windows and wrapping the indoor plants in blankets. "Uhhh Auntie what are you doing" Tangerine asked her panicked Aunt. "Oh Tangerine didn't see you there" her Aunt replied totally ignoring Tangerine's question. The only other time her Aunt did this was when she was a filly and a hurricane hit... a hurricane. Tangerine looked outside and saw the raging storm in the horizon. "Auntie did you call Uncle?" Tangerine breathed worried. "Oh oh dear no I didn't" her Aunt says rushing out of the room. Tangerine looked outside and saw no pony getting ready for the storm. "Mom I'll be right back" Tangerine called as she ran out the door. She ran so fast she could have fainted but she couldn't let any pony be hurt. She bustled past all kinds of ponies when she reached the bell. The giant silver bell was only used twice in history. The time of the Hurricane and the first time it was built. She asked the pony at the desk if she could use it and that it was a dire emergency, but the pony said no. She told them that a storm was coming and that it was a giant storm, but the pony still said no. So she grabbed the megaphone and ran up the stairs to the bell. The desk pony screaming security the whole time. Once Tangerine got to the top she hit the bell and raised the megaphone. "Every Pony, A great storm is coming, go home board up your windows. If you don't believe me then look for yourselves" Tangerine yells through the megaphone pointing west towards the giant storm. Every pony looked then panicked. There were ponies running everywhere to there houses, or just to shelter. Orange saw a homeless pony hiding under a box. She ran to the colt and took him to the orphanage, she said "this colt was found in the street keep him until some pony takes him" Tangerine commanded. Tangerine started for the door when she saw all the windows were open and all the little fillies and colts were endangered. In record time she bolted all the windows and locked the door. She then ran out into the streets, the desolated quiet streets. No pony was on the streets, but random items flew in the strong wind. "Ha, them ponies think some storms coming" an old scavenger pony walked the streets. Tangerine ran at that pony with her head down. Hitting him with a thud as he fell on her back. Tangerine remembered the old abandoned house and ran full speed towards it. She opened the door and bucked the old pony in boarding all the windows and back door. Tangerine covered the unconscious pony with a blanket she found in the attic and ran out of the building. She was on the other side of town and the storm was almost overhead. Knowing she wasn't going to make it she sat down and rested for a sec. When she got up and started walking to her apartment. She felt a bolt of energy and started gaining breath. She started running and then sprinting. I can make it she thought turning onto her street. She felt the adrenaline and the rain drops hitting her back. They fell calmly and carefully down her body. She felt it down her face the wet water splashing everywhere. She ran up the steps and her door she knocked with the energy she had left. The lightning and thunder rang across the city lighting it up. It would be a miracle if her Aunt and Uncle heard her knocking. So she sat on the porch admitting defeat to the storm. But just as she plopped down the door opened and her Aunts face looked down at her he tears rushing down her face. "Tangerine" she whispered as she pulled Tangerine inside. "I thought I lost you" her Aunt teared up, "You helped save everyone, your a hero..." her Aunt stuttered. "Nah its nothing" Tangerine turned on the radio. "Tangerine...we...I" her Uncle came down the stairs. "I know, turn off all the electricity" Tangerine told her worried uncle who was still in his work clothes. Tangerine went to grab a blanket, I'm safe Tangerine thought as she sat down next to the radio listening to the thunder pound and the pitter patter of the rain on the windows. "There is a big storm hitting Manehatten and the streets are deserted. The ponies were saved by a mare who told them to 'go home and protect themselves" the weather man said on the radio. I guess I am a hero Tangerine thought as she slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.