//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Summer And Lightning 
// Story: Concerto For A Rainy Day 
// by Closer-To-The-Sun 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3: Summer And Lightning

Making her way though the pouring rain, Twilight was looking over the notes she had taken while observing her friends. The shielding umbrella protected the parchment as she read her work. She made a few mental notes in her mind as she read the sheet. Putting them away, she picked up her pace as she drew closer to the barn of Sweet Apple Acres and the Apple family’s home.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky suddenly, followed by a roar of thunder. This caused the unicorn be frightened slightly and wanting to find shelter quick. Taking the instruction that Big Mac gave earlier, she headed straight toward the barn.

Once inside the barn, she quietly lowered her umbrella and closed it up. The thunder roared again after a flash of lightning occurred. Shaking off the rain on her coat, Twilight set her saddlebag down on the ground. It was then she heard two familiar voices. Keeping silent, the purple mare listened in.

“You’re kidding me, right?” one of the voices spoke in disbelief.

“Hush up, will ya Rainbow? Ah’m not exactly proud of mahself fer this,” the other voice replied, sounding as if it was distressed.

“But it’s just a little thunder and lightning. Nothing to be scared of, AJ,” Rainbow Dash assured.

Peering over a bale of hay, Twilight saw her two friends Rainbow Dash and Applejack sitting amongst the hay. The orange earth pony seemed to be wrapped in a blanket. She then spoke, “Well, tell that to mah phobia. Ah’ve had it fer a long time, alright?”

Dash snickered, “Heh, really?”

“Ah’m serious! Ah’m tellin’ ya this cause I trust ya….”

From behind the hay, Twilight quietly used her magic to retrieve her quill and parchment to continue taking her notes.

Rainbow Dash was puzzled, “And you’re telling me this why?”

“Again, ah trust ya, Rainbow Dash. Ah mean, Big Macintosh knows ‘bout this, but ah really don’t want any other pony to know. Ah can only imagine what would happen if Applebloom found out ah’m this much of a scaredy pony durin’ a lil’ storm.”

Just as Applejack finished her sentence, a crackle of thunder boomed throughout the entire barn. Applejack jumped at the sound and cuddled herself in the blanket that enveloped her. She was trembling from the shock.

The blue pegasus was fighting back her laughter, “Really? That scares ya?”

Applejack tried to be tough with her response despite her shaking, “Y-Yeah, what about it?”

It dawned on Rainbow that it was something that really bothered her friend. With seriousness, she spoke, “Alright, I admit that was mean of me to be like that to you. I just didn’t think a small storm like this, of all things, would be something to bother you.”

“This ain’t small….” Applejack corrected, still shivering in her blanket.

“Well, for a summer storm, it is fairly large. Anyway, I guess I do know where you are coming from though, AJ,” Dash admitted.

“Beg pardon?”

Another burst of thunder echoed through the barn. It was obvious that the earth pony was not enjoying the storm. Ignoring the interruption, Dash continued, “Yeah, I had the same fear when I was a filly. I mean, sure, it scared me. Heh, I even hid under the bed when I was scared of a storm coming in. But I think it was when my parents took me to a Wonderbolt show. When I saw them just jet across the sky without a care in the world, I knew what I wanted to be. And if I was going to be doing that, it’s obvious that I can’t be scared of a little thunder and lightning, right?”

Applejack took in the story and replied, “Ah see where yer comin’ from on that.”

“So yeah, I had to get used to it, ya know?”

“Just ain’t easy ta get over somethin’ so quickly, Rainbo-“ a loud boom of thunder interrupted the orange pony. She jumped up and covered her head with the blanket.

“Oh come on,” Rainbow Dash was very annoyed, “this is something I’d expected from Fluttershy, not you!”

“Ah ain’t gettin’ over it overnight, Dash,” Applejack retorted.

“Whatever, just remember you’re gonna have to get over it sooner or later. Unless, you know, you like to hide out in a barn every time a storm comes in,” Dash commented.

“Ah will,” the orange pony stated, “Just don’t be tellin’ ‘bout this ta anypony.”

“My lips are sealed.”

Twilight, who just finished writing her notes, quickly placed the parchment in her saddlebag. Being quiet, she opened her umbrella and exited the barn undetected by her friends, who seemed to moved on to different topic.

Outside, the rain continued to fall from the sky and the occasional thunder and lightning was enough to cause anypony to be slightly startled if not more. Twilight trotted along the path back to center Ponyville and back to the library.