The filly was filled with nothing but joy and excitement as she went down the stairs. While she almost could've walked with a skip in her step, she stayed as quiet as she possibly could. Her mother was upstairs and so was her father. The filly just needed to get into the kitchen while the two of them got ready to take on the day. It had only been a few minutes since she had woken up from a good night's sleep. It was a wonderful morning outside, that much was clear. The birds were singing, the sun shining, not a cloud on the sky. It was a really a nice day, not much more needed to be said. Her eyes didn't focus on the sights outside the window, however. Instead they were drawn to atop the fridge, or rather on the jar on top of it. At first, the filly had been tired, she had just wanted to stay in bed, it had been so soft, so very soft, but something in the air had convinced her to get up. She could still smell it, the aroma was strongest in the kitchen, her mother had baked cookies. Chocolate chip, the family's favorite.
"Sunny! Have you seen my tie?" asked a male voice from upstairs. Normally that voice was relaxed, but this morning it was rather stressed.
"I think it might be under the bed, sweetie," responded the mother to the filly's father.
"Hang on a minute, Raindrop. We'll leave soon," said Raindrop's father down to her. Raindrop Day didn't care about that at the moment. She was busy trying to get to the jar on top of the fridge. She had jumped up on the dinner table and was trying to reach the jar with a broom. She knew she needed to be sneaky, and not break it as it fell. She knew she would get grounded for sure if she was found out.
"Raindrop, I baked cookies for this afternoon for my friends, don't touch any of them!" said her mother from upstairs.
"Okay, mom!" responded Raindrop. She knew that Sunny didn't know, she had just said it by chance. Raindrop could still take one, her mother wouldn't notice...if Raindrop could just catch the jar when it tipped over the edge.
"Sorry that I have to walk you to school so early today. I just really need to meet with my boss today. It's inspection, and all that," said Raindrop's father from upstairs. Raindrop didn't even turn around when she answered.
"It's okay, dad!"
"I'll make it up to you, promise," said her father. Raindrop was almost there, she just needed to get the broom's handle a bit behind the jar, then pushing it off would be a snap. She reached from the table, almost there.... Then she slipped. She fell off the rounded edge, but before she could hit the floor something grabbed hold of her in mid-air. "Heh, I made that up to you pretty quickly," said her father while holding his daughter upside down. Raindrop blushed as she looked up at her father's face. He had very clearly defined features, his face might have been a bit long, but otherwise he looked like a very pleasant pony. That yellow coat and green mane always made Raindrop feel safe, but right now she was just so embarrassed, she was sure she would get in trouble when he put her down. He quickly looked behind himself to see if the coast was clear, then he reached up and got a cookie from the jar and gave it to his daughter.
"Thanks, dad," said Raindrop surprised.
"Hey, not a word to your mother," said her father and gave her a little nudge with a wink. Raindrop suddenly heard her mother walking down the stairs. Raindrop had to scoff down the cookie as fast as she could.
"I hope you'll have a great day at school, Raindrop dear," said Sunny to her daughter when she saw her. Sunny had a gray coat with a purple mane. She was wearing her usual glasses. She wasn't really boring, except when it came to her work, but otherwise she was a lot of fun to be around, even if she could be very strict. Sunny had to leave in a hurry, but stopped by to give both of them a kiss on the cheek before leaving.
"Do your best at the train station, Cloudy," said Sunny and left for the door. Raindrop and her father Cloudy waved goodbye through the window as she left.
"Raindrop, come on. We can't be late for the first day of school," said her father and gently pushed her towards the door. He helped her to get her saddlebag on. "Third year already. Time sure flies. Not long until you're no longer my little girl, but my really big girl," said her father with a certain pride in his voice. Raindrop stopped for just a moment by the mirror to make sure her mane was alright. It turned out it was just fine. She had gotten her mother's color in her mane but her father's coat color.
"Dad, do you think I look nice?"
"You'll be the prettiest girl in school today. Come on, let's go. I have to be at the train station in less than an hour," said her father. They went outside into the warm sunlight and locked the door to their house. It was a wonderful day.
Raindrop's father had walked her to the school and then went on his way to the train station. They waved goodbye to each other. She was one of the last young ponies who had arrived at the school this morning. The old great red building was just as well kept as it had been before the summer's start. Seeing her friends and schoolmates play on the grounds, talking about their summer and showing mementos to each other gave her a wonderful sense of familiarity.
"Hey, Rainy, how was your summer?" asked a colt her her class. She had never even heard that nickname before.
"It was nice. How about yours?" asked Raindrop.
"Oh, I did so much cool stuff! Greatest summer ever!" said the colt.
"My summer was better," said a filly who walked past him. The colt followed the filly.
"Not a chance! I went to the beach like twenty times!" said the colt. They walked into the school together, leaving Raindrop to herself. She walked past the playground and into the school. She followed the hall towards the classroom she would spend the rest of the school year learning everything she could, so that she one day could be something that would make her parents proud. She had always wanted to be someone important, somepony who could make big decisions, somepony who could affect many lives in a good way, so that she could be appreciated. Raindrop couldn't remember when her dreams didn't involve something along those lines. When she had been younger she had dreamed of being a princess, but not because of something as shallow like being pretty, or having a lot of nice things like dresses, tea and meeting a prince. It was because she wanted to guide ponies, making their lives better. Eventually that dream had evolved into being some sort of ambassador. And as time had went on, her dreams had shifted constantly to something more realistic, something that could actually happen. If she could be an accountant like her mother, that would be an accomplishment all in itself. She didn't have any plans however, she would have to just do her best where she was, and see where she would go. She was at least a couple of years younger than the usual age for a pony to get her cutie mark, so it didn't really matter to her whenever adults would inevitably ask her 'what do you want to be when you grow up?'
After just a little while Raindrop got to the classroom. Her first teacher of the day would be a familiar one. She could through the door window see her talking to the principal.
"What do you mean we're understaffed?" asked a soft female voice as Raindrop opened the door.
"Miss Cheerilee, I know you are a very capable teacher, but the fact of the matter is that sometimes I get the impression you're the only teacher we have here. I'm just saying we're going to hire more teachers," said the principal.
"Fine, I suppose. Would you kindly excuse me, sir? I have a class in less than ten minutes and I need to prepare the blackboard," said Miss Cheerilee quite politely. Raindrop left her saddlebag on a hook by the door and then walked over to a bench right up front in the classroom. She always sat up front, even if she didn't always like the teachers. She didn't want to miss anything important by accident if she sat in the back. where she would undoubtedly lose focus and chat with the nearest pony. Miss Cheerilee was going through some papers when she noticed Raindrop entering.
"Raindrop Day, oh, it is so nice to see you here again. How was your summer?" asked Miss Cheerilee with that same old caring, kind voice. Raindrop looked up at her and gave her a smile.
"It was really nice, Miss Cheerilee."
"I'm glad. I've been doing all kinds of things. It really has been a nice summer, hasn't it? So warm."
"Yeah. It's my favorite time of year," said Raindrop.
"Mine too."
"What's the first subject today?" asked Raindrop as the first few ponies from her class started to enter the classroom.
"Math!" said Miss Cheerilee with her usual glee. Raindrop was not very happy with that. She did not enjoy math. It was so dull and it wasn't her strength. The last of her classmates entered the classroom as the school bell rang. Her third school year had started, not on a high note, but it had started.
Luckily, that class had gone by quickly. Miss Cheerilee had a knack for making even the worsts subjects feel bearable. Besides, a lot of the first class had been dedicated to just talking about the summer and welcoming everyone back to the school. The next subject was something Raindrop enjoyed much, much more: history. Some in her class didn't enjoy history, but Raindrop was one of those few who loved the subject. To them history was a subject of remembering dates and names, but to Raindrop this was story time. Great wars in mystical lands, explorations, long dramatic development over several generations. Maybe it was just the way her teacher was telling it, maybe Raindrop just had a vivid imagination, but she always saw herself in those stories. She always felt the courage those ponies had felt when they thought for justice and love, she shared the fear they had felt when things were grim. She sympathized with them despite that they were long gone. The only thing left of them were artifacts, memories and the written word. Today, the story in question was about a prince and a princess whose citizens had risen up in a revolution against them. Raindrop found it thrilling. It was political intrigue, yet accessible to somepony of her young age. Sadly, just like the conflict had gotten to an end, so did the class. It wasn't very long until Raindrop found herself out in the hallway again during a recess. She walked outside, out into the playground. Many colts and fillies were already there, playing and laughing. The next subject would be music, a subject Raindrop didn't enjoy. She liked music just fine, but not when she had to participate like that. She wasn't even a good singer. Still, for the moment she just needed to find a way to make twenty minutes pass. She walked over to a few of her classmates playing tag. They gladly accepted her into their game. Despite the fact that Raindrop would have to be in a couple of dull classes today, she was still having a good first day of her third year. Unfortunately, that was about to change.
"Hey, Raindrop! Miss Cheerilee told me to tell you she needed to talk to you!" said one of the somewhat older fillies there. It was the filly from the Apple family. Raindrop didn't know her very well other than that she was a really nice pony.
"She does? Do you know what, Applebloom?" asked Raindrop. She just shrugged. Some of the other ponies started to gather around.
"I dunno. She didn't tell me when I asked, she just said it was mighty important," said Applebloom.
"Sounds like somepony is in trouble," whispered a colt behind Raindrop with a little bit of malicious childish glee.
"Well, alright. I'll go find her. Thanks, Applebloom," said Raindrop and went inside the building again. While Raindrop had to do a little searching at first, she eventaully found Cheerilee in the teachers' lounge. To Raindrop's surprise a big orange stallion was in there with them. It was Tripper Track, one of her father's close work friends.
"There you are, Raindrop. I came here as soon as I could," said the stallion, he had a really deep gruff voice. It didn't sound friendly but it was very misleading. He was as gentle and kind as a pony could be.
"Hey Tripper...is something wrong?" asked Raindrop. Tripper and Miss Cheerilee exchanged a quick glance. Miss Cheerilee sighed and walked up to Raindrop.
"Mr. Track here just informed me that your father seemed to have... collapsed during his work. He's down at Ponyville Hospital right now. Your mother is already there with him." Raindrop was speechless and in slight shock. No matter what age one is, a pony just can't hear such troubling news without feeling fear. Questions such as why, how and when were just the tip of the iceberg of what was going on inside Raindrop's mind at the moment. Miss Cheerilee continued, "Mr. Track here was sent to tell you about it at your father's request."
"His request? So daddy's alright? Is he going to be okay?" asked Raindrop, terrified.
"We just don't know. He just said he wanted you to be there for some reason," said Tripper. Raindrop was so unsure, but eventually she just nodded and let Tripper Track help her on her way to the local hospital. She could almost feel ponies on the playground looking at her while she walked away from the school grounds and onto the way to the hospital.
"What's wrong with my dad?" asked Raindrop.
"I don't know. Sorry. I was on the other side of the station when I it happened. By the time I was told about it he was already at the hospital."
"But what happened to him?"
"As far as I know, he just fainted. You'll have to ask your old man yourself when you see him," said Tripper.
"Is it bad? He'll be alright, right?" asked Raindrop. Tripper looked a bit hesitantly at the road.
"I'm sure he will. It's probably not, not... I bet he'll be alright," said Tripper.
"You don't sound so sure," said Raindrop. Tripper looked like he was panicking, no doubt at the prospect of making a young daughter fear for her father's health.
"No, no, look, he's a calm guy, and he was really calm when I talked to him at the hospital, so it's probably nothing," said Tripper.
"I hope so."
"Me too."
Hospitals were never outright unpleasant to her but Raindrop didn't actually enjoy being in them. No matter how many green plants or large paintings would decorate the hallways they would always feel lifeless, sterile, to her. A place about healing should feel more alive. She was walking with Tripper towards the room her father was staying in. When they entered, however, it was empty.
"Where is he?" asked Tripper.
"Are you sure this is where he was?" asked Raindrop.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Raindrop walked up to a nearby nurse that was just passing them.
"Excuse me, do you know where the pony who stayed in that room is?" asked Raindrop. The nurse gave Tripper a confused look.
"She's his daughter," said Tripper.
"Oh, yes, that's right. Mr. Day was discharged a few minutes ago by Doctor Heart. It was clearly just a case of exhaustion according to him," said the nurse.
"So Cloudy is safe?" asked Tripper.
"He's probably on his way home. Which is good because Doctor Heart was not in a very happy mood while he was here."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, Mr. Day insisted that we wouldn't perform some tests. It means more work for Doctor Heart but he's usually thorough, even with trivial cases like this, and he's had a very hard week. The doctor was not in a good mood when Day said no."
"Well, whatever. Come on, Raindrop. Let's go home to your old man," said Tripper. It was with relief that Raindrop followed Tripper out of the hospital. If she could hurry home to see Cloudy, then maybe she could even get back to school in time, maybe this would be a great day after all.
The trip from the hospital all the way back to Raindrop's home was longer than she remembered it to be, but the trip was worth it when Raindrop saw her father walking down the stairs. She hugged him as soon as she possibly could.
"Daddy, I was so worried!"
"Good thing at least one of the mares in this house are happy to see me. Your mother was furious. She was upset about me getting her to leave work over nothing."
"That's just mean."
"She's been going through a lot at work lately. You know how she is. She was really relieved to see me, I'm sure." Cloudy looked up from his daughter and instead faced his friend. "Thanks a lot for looking after my little girl, Tripper. You're a real pal." Tripper just seemed extremely relieved. Raindrop was almost sure the big pony was going to start weeping at the sight of his friend.
"No, no, no problem," said Tripper. He quickly said goodbye and went outside.
"How was school, sweetie?" asked Cloudy.
"It was okay, I guess. Really, really short, though," said Raindrop. Cloudy's eyes widened.
"That's right! School is still in session. Come on, I'll walk you back. Or, would you rather stay at home with me today?"
"I think I'll go back to school, please," said Raindrop.
"That's my girl," said Cloudy. The little filly was certain she could hear the faintest little hint of pride in her father's voice.