//------------------------------// // Unconventional Weather // Story: The Art Of Falling // by Fire-Dash //------------------------------// Rainbow's Journal May 1st When I woke up this morning, the sky was falling. Bits of clouds hung and swung haphazardly in the wind. Birds and pegasai dodged this way, then that, trying to get away. The sky was a puzzle with missing pieces. Terrifying black gaps opened high above me, like rips in the sky. They spread across a grey horizon, deep black abysses swallowing up the torrent around them. I dove into the air and veered out of the way as a petrified mare tumbled down from above. The cloud I'd been resting on burst to vapour as another pony fell through it. Pegasai plummeted to the ground like changelings on pursuit of destruction, their wings locked and paralysed. Snow fell from nowhere. Hail pelted my back. Everything was a blur. I sped across the sky, weaving around falling, too-heavy rainclouds and dodging hail. Rain splattered against my face, stinging my eyes. I banked left, then right. Twisting, turning, stopping suddenly, dropping down, lifting back up. A tree appeared in my vision below and I dove without thinking. I crashed into its branches, sending bits of twigs and leaves spraying into the air. I curled up in a ball, shivering, trying to ignore the wind that made the branches sway. The sleet that broke through the canopy. I didn't think to get up and look for better cover, I didn't even think to move deeper into the branches. I just laid there. In fact, I probably wouldn't have gotten up at all if a certain thought hadn't crossed my mind—my friends. I took a deep breath, shifted my position, and bolted from the tree. I quickly glanced around, trying to get a bearing on where I was. I could just make out a few misty outlines ahead, blotted out by sheets of rain and hail. Buildings, I assumed. At closer inspection, I recognized the one nearest to me to be the Carousel. Thank Celestia. I started to head over when I caught Rarity's faint outline racing inside, her royal purple tail disappearing behind the door. I sighed with relief. She was safe. One down. I quickly spun around and bolted down the path, calling out my friends' names as loudly as I could. I tore through the air, rain splattering my face and clinging to my coat. The wind tugged at my mane, whipping it around every which-way. I didn't have time to wonder what was going on. No time to think about the black gaps in the sky above, the bi-polar weather shifts, the clouds throwing temper-tantrums in all directions. I just flew as fast as I could, as hard as I could, forcing my way through rain turned to heavy slush as it mixed with hail and snow. It settled on my back and wings, weighing me down. My movements became clumsy and stiff, I had to struggle for every flap. My wings felt like lead. But I had to find my friends. It didn't matter if my wings broke off, I was going to find them. No matter what. I arrived at Sugarcube Corner first, nearly ramming into a wall when I tried to turn too sharply. I recovered fast and pounded on the door, calling for Pinkie at the top of my lungs. In response, a window shutter flew open. I pushed myself off the door with my back hooves, wings held outright, catching a wind-current and riding it over. I struggled to grab a hold of the windowpane but Pinkie reached out and pulled me in before I could be torn away. I tumbled head-first into the room, slamming down on the floor. I laid there dazed, my ears ringing, head pounding, world going topsy-turvy all around me. When I finally managed to pick myself up, I watched Pinkie hammer a wooden board to the window and draw the blinds. The door had been barricaded as well, sealed shut with three long planks, several chairs and two tables propped up against it. Behind me, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were struggling to comfort their wailing foals while trapped customers asked stupid questions like, “when will the storm end?” and, “do you think it was a pegasus that caused all this?” No, the sky just decided to throw a hissy fit for no reason, all on its own. It does things like that all the time, duh. I hate stupid questions. Who else could control the weather? It had to be a pegasus, or maybe a really freakishly powerful unicorn or something. But at the time, I wasn't really thinking about that. I was a lot more preoccupied with the whereabouts of my other friends. “Pinkie!” I called when I found my voice. “Do you know where the others are? Are they safe?” She tilted her head, wrinkling her forehead in thought. “Oh!” she exclaimed, giving a little jump. “Twilight said she had to study something really-really important this weekend so she wasn't going to be able to party with me. I bet she's still at the library. She never moves when she has to study something serious like that.” I nodded. She was right. When Twilight had to study, she had to study. That was that. Nothing would get her out of that library. “Okay,” I said, satisfied with that answer. “What about Applejack and Fluttershy?” Pinkie hesitated. “Um, well I know Fluttershy's at her cottage. I saw her this morning. She said she had to stay home and take care of Angel because he's sick.” I let out a long, shaky breath. Four were safe. I was starting to calm down then. My heart finally stopped pounding, my legs stopped wobbling. “And Applejack?” I asked, leaning forward. Dear Celestia, you have no idea how much I wanted her to be safe. I just wanted to relax knowing my friends would be okay. Pinkie didn't answer for a long time. Then, finally, she shook her head. “I don't know. I didn't see her today.” And then it was a blur. I remember heading for the window and tearing off the board. I felt Pinkie grab me from behind. There was kicking and yelling and crying and other ponies joining in and I was doing everything in my power to get away. I had to find Applejack. I had to make absolutely sure that all of my friends were safe. I know Pinkie was just worried I'd get hurt but I wasn't thinking of that then, all I was thinking about was that I had to get to Sweet Apple Acres. I had to make sure AJ didn't get pinned under a tree or struck by lightening or something horrible like that. I wasn't thinking about whether going back out into the storm was a good idea or not. I just didn't care. At some point, I felt Pinkie's grip loosen and I didn't hesitate to take the opportunity. I threw the window open and bolted outside. I was drenched instantly but I didn't let it slow me down. I flapped my wings as hard as I could and burst through clouds, dodging hail and avoiding powerful wind-currents. I wasn't thinking at that point. Just fly, fly, fly! Faster, faster, faster! I banked left—then right, dropped down, rose up, zigzagged and whirled, struggling to follow the path. I kept getting blown in the wrong direction, spun around and even flipped upside-down. I was at the mercy of the wind. Nothing I could do was going to be powerful enough to get me to that farm— Unless.... Now, everypony's had a stupid-crazy idea before, right? An absolutely insane idea that you'd never dream of under normal circumstances. The kind of idea that only ever seems logical at the time and never, ever, ever again. Well, I had one of those this morning. All I was thinking was how much I needed to get to Applejack. Nothing else mattered. So I rose up into the air, straight through the rain and sleet and hail. Up, up, up until I couldn't do it anymore. The wind was warning me with growls and roars but I wasn't listening. I gave the ground one last glance before I dove, flapping as hard as I could. Rain slapped at my face and hail stung like giant wasps. But I couldn't stop then. I could feel the friction start to build, that invisible wall separating me from the barrier. I flew harder, slicing through the wind, hooves outstretched, trying to get through and— BOOM! I broke through and tore past the angry air. Everything was zooming by so fast I lost track of where I was. I kept going straight, holding the speed for as long as I could. My body was going numb. I could feel a strange tingling in my limbs. I couldn't see where I was going. Everything was so confusing and blurry. My head ached, my face was numb. A flash of fiery pain blazed through my wings. I don't remember what happened next very well. I think I—well, I'm pretty sure I lost control. Trees were rising up out of nowhere. Everything was spiraling around me. Rain fell backwards into the sky. Colours blended, vision blurred, the ground launched itself at at me and— Nothing. The next thing I remember is waking up here in the hospital, my friends looking over me. The storm is over. Apparently, it ended just a few minutes after I crashed (I still stand by my actions, though, as crazy-stupid as they were. I was trying to make sure my friends were safe. I'd say that's worth a few broken bones). Applejack said she found me in the orchard when she went out to survey the damage. She said I was lying crumpled in the mud, half-dead with my limbs twisted in cringe-worthy positions. After a moment of panic, she had Big Mac help her get me to the hospital. After they assured her I was going to be fine, she raced to get the others. None of them were hurt. Thank Celestia, they weren't hurt. I managed to break both wings, fracture my left foreleg, dislocate the right one and crack my back hoof. I also have a mild concussion and a couple broken ribs but other than that, I'm okay. My memory's fine as far as I know so that's a plus. “What in Celestia's name were you thinkin'?” Applejack cried when I finished telling them what happened. Pinkie shifted her hooves uneasily and I bit my lip. “I, um... well, I needed to see if you were okay,” I said simply. “Ah was fine,” she informed me. “Ya didn't have t' go riskin' yer life t' find that out. All ya had t' do was wait a few cotton-pickin' minutes.” (At least, that's what it sounded like she said. I'm pretty sure I got it right, but when AJ's angry it can be a little harder to understand her.) I rolled my eyes. “Well I know you're fine now, but I didn't know it then. I freaked out, okay? Give me a break. The sky was falling.” She didn't try to argue after that. “You're okay, right, Dashie?” Pinkie asked after a moment's silence. She stepped up closer to the head of my bed. “I'm fine, Pinkie," I said, "don't worry.” She reached out suddenly, leaning over and giving me the most spine-crushing hug I've ever received. “I told you not to go out!” “I—erk! I know, P-Pink-eee—“ I managed to choke out before she loosened her grip. “I didn't think that would happen.” “It's okay, Dashie,” she said, letting go of me. “Just don't do that again! I thought you... I thought....” I sighed. “I know, I know. Jeez. I won't do it again.” “Um, Rainbow,” it was Twilight talking then. She looked concerned but it wasn't just for me. She seemed... preoccupied with something. I sat up, wincing when I put too much weight on my broken foreleg. I met her eyes. “Yeah?” “Did you happen to see who started that storm? I need to make a report to Celestia about what happened.” I shook my head. I had no idea. I still have no idea. Of course it had to have been a pegasus but who could cause all that so suddenly? Who would want to? It's pretty hard to just screw up that badly. The controls for cloud-making and producing storms and all that are pretty straight-forward. The only way to make something like that happen would be to do it on purpose. “Nope. Didn't see a thing. I was sleeping when it started.” She sighed. “Well, I'm really glad you're okay. If you hear anything, could you tell me?” I nodded. “Of course, Twilight. You can count on me.” But right then thinking was not something I wanted to be doing. My head was pounding like crazy. After plenty of hugs and more reassurance from the doctors that I was okay, the others finally left. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but all I wanted to do then was rest. I'd have to wait for that, though, because Twilight stayed behind. She trotted up to my pillow and held out a book. One I recognized instantly. “I know you don't want the others knowing you have this, but I thought it might come in handy. Sometimes it helps to recall events when you write them down.” It was my journal and Twilight is the only other pony in the world who knows I have it. Of course, that's only because she gave it to me in the first place. For my birthday one year. I don't know why I started writing in it. I guess it just helped sometimes when I needed to get something off my chest or if I had a weird dream or something. My writing's gotten better, too. Twilight gave me tips and taught me some words. Hey, if reading wasn't as bad as I thought it was, why should writing be? It's kind of calming sometimes. Though I'm still not letting anypony else know about it. “Actually, I really do want to write down what happened today,” I told her, taking the book. “I don't think anything like this has ever happened before. At least, not in my lifetime.” She nodded. “It could help me too. I just can't understand why anypony would want to start something like that. What would it accomplish?” “Chaos?” I suggested, then I laughed. “Maybe it was Discord.” Twilight shook her head. “Discord likes to make himself known when he does things like that. And besides, he's on Celestia's side now... for the most part.” I shook my head. “Then I don't know." Twilight sighed, looking exhausted. “I'll keep thinking. I'll come back and visit you tomorrow, I promise. Try to get some rest, alright?” “I'm planning on it,” I told her, leaning back against my pillow. She smiled and headed for the door, closing it softly behind her. I didn't sleep then, though. I had to make sure I got everything written down before I forgot it. But now I'm going to sleep. My head is throbbing. There is one more thing that happened, though, but I'll write about it in the morning. For now, I need rest.