Let it Rain

by Metool Bard

Confirmation Bias

"Just you wait, Thunderlane. Once this is over, you're gonna see a whole new Cloudchaser."

Cloudchaser was having the time of her life at the spa. Not only was the treatment relaxing, but she couldn't stop thinking about how Thunderlane would react once he saw her. True, the makeover she requested was costing her a pretty penny, but if it meant getting Thunderlane back, it was worth every bit. As Lotus Blossom worked on her hooves and Aloe finished applying her mud mask, Cloudchaser couldn't help but drift off into la-la land.

"I can just picture it now," Cloudchaser said to nopony in particular while Aloe placed cucumber slices over her eyes. "I'll get the tickets from Flitter and wait for Thunderlane to relieve us of foal-sitting duty. But instead of the Cloudchaser he knows and loves, he'll see the most beautiful mare in Ponyville whom he knows and loves. And after that, Raindrops can kiss her chances of stealing him from me goodbye. And our date to see the Wonderbolts tomorrow is just the icing on the cake. Yessiree. This day is gonna be just perfect."

Just then, the bell at the front door rang as somepony walked in. Cloudchaser shrugged, unconcerned about who it was before she heard a voice.

"Just a massage for me today, thank you."

Cloudchaser's ear twitched. She recognized who it was.

Raindrops? she thought, becoming quite confused. What the hay is she doing here? I thought she was training with Thunderlane.

Before she could ponder any further, she heard Aloe lead Raindrops to an unoccupied table right next to her.

"Oh, hi Cloudchaser!" said Raindrops pleasantly.

"Raindrops," Cloudchaser grumbled in reply as Lotus prepared her hooves for painting.

Raindrops raised an eyebrow. "You alright, Cloudchaser? You sound a bit grumpy."

"It's nothing," Cloudchaser lied. "So, um, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Well, I just finished my training with Thunderlane, and I thought I might as well treat myself," said Raindrops with a shrug. "You know how vigorous Wonderbolt training can be."

"Yeah, sure," said Cloudchaser irritably. "And, how exactly did your training go?"

"Oh, much better than last time, let me tell you," said Raindrops as Aloe got to work on her back. "Actually, he said I might not need the extra training after all."

"Hmm. You don't say," said Cloudchaser in a passive-aggressive manner.

"Yeah, he thinks I'm stressing myself out over staying in top form," said Raindrops.

Translation: You faked those mistakes so that you could spend more time with him, Cloudchaser thought. Don't be coy with me, Raindrops. I can read you like a book.

"So, what about you?" asked Raindrops. "Why are you here?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm just getting a makeover," said Cloudchaser.

"A makeover?" parroted Raindrops. "Cloudchaser, why would you of all ponies need a makeover? I think you're fine the way you are. Heck, that mane alone should be sacred ground that nopony should ever even consider changing."

Cloudchaser snorted. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Rainy," she growled. "Besides, I'm keeping the mane."

"As well you *mmm* should," Raindrops grunted as Aloe rubbed her shoulders. "So, I'll ask again. Why the *ahh* makeover?"

"What business is it of yours?" asked Cloudchaser curtly.

"Just curious," said Raindrops as she began to feel her stress melting away. "Mmm~. A little lower, please."

"Hmmph," huffed Cloudchaser. "Well, if you really must know, I'm going to see the Wonderbolts show tomorrow."

"Really? Oh, what a coincidence," said Raindrops. "So am I."

Cloudchaser's wings flared up, hitting Lotus Blossom in the face. "What?"

"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot," said Raindrops. "Thunderlane told me that ever since the Academy session, you've been taking it easy so that you didn't exhaust yourself. He said I should try that, and so I am. I didn't know it would be that formal, though. Maybe I should get a makeover, too."

Over my dead body, you copycat! Cloudchaser fumed. "I-I wouldn't bother with that, Raindrops. A-after all, this treatment is already costing me two legs. I don't think you'd be able to afford this and the ticket."

"Oh, I don't need to worry about paying for the ticket," said Raindrops. "Thunderlane said he'd buy it for me."

Cloudchaser's entire body became tense. "H-he's buying it for you?"

"Yeah. He said he was planning on going with Rumble anyway, and he invited me to come with," said Raindrops. "He even said he'd save a seat for me."

Cloudchaser bit her lip in an effort to keep her temper in check, but found it was a bad idea when the taste of mud mask hit her tongue. After spitting out the mud, she took a deep breath.

"Well! That's very nice of him!" she said in an incredibly forced tone. "I'm sure the two of you will have a great time!"

"The, three of us, you mean," Raindrops corrected. "He's bringing Rumble, too."

"Oh, right! Yes! Rumble!" said Cloudchaser as her eye twitched, causing the cucumber slice to fall out. "Well, you know what they say! The more the merrier!"

Raindrops tilted her head. "Um, Cloudchaser? You okay?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy, Raindrops!" said Cloudchaser, trying desperately to keep herself from exploding. "I just have to, change a few plans is all! No biggie!"

"Uh-huh," said Raindrops, still a bit skeptical. "Oh well, it probably isn't my business. But, if I were you, I'd probably get a massage, too. You look kinda tense."

It is your business, you vile temptress! Cloudchaser wanted to scream. You're stealing Thunderlane from me and acting like I won't notice! I thought you didn't even like stallions!

"Well, enjoy the rest of your makeover," said Raindrops as she hopped off of the table and gave Aloe a tip. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the Cloudosseum."

"Yep, you can sure count on that!" said Cloudchaser. "Buh-bye~!"

With that, Raindrops left. Cloudchaser took another deep breath.

"Throw in a mineral bath and a deep massage to my treatment," she told Lotus Blossom. "I'm not taking any chances."

***

"Well, that took longer than expected," said Flitter as she greeted Cloudchaser. "Enjoy your time at the spa?"

"No," Cloudchaser said bitterly.

Flitter groaned. "Oh dear sweet Celestia. What now?"

"Thunderlane is taking Raindrops to see the Wonderbolts show tomorrow."

"Really? And how'd you become privy to this information?" inquired Flitter.

"Straight from the horse's mouth, if you can believe it," said Cloudchaser. "Raindrops decided to go to the spa and rub it right in my face."

Flitter raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's what happened? Raindrops isn't the type to gloat."

"Yeah, well, we thought she preferred mares, too. Guess there's a lot about Rainy we don't know," said Cloudchaser.

"Hey, here's a novel idea," said Flitter. "Why don't you just, I don't know, ask her?"

Cloudchaser scoffed and shook her head. "Oh, Flitter, Flitter, Flitter. You truly are a love newbie," she said. "You don't just ask about a pony's love life. It's rude. Not to mention she wouldn't tell me the truth, anyway."

"Or if she did tell you the truth, you wouldn't believe her because you're completely out of your mind," mused Flitter. "Alright, we'll nix that idea."

Cloudchaser's expression became deadpan. "You're, mocking me, aren't you?"

"Me? Mock you? Never~!" said Flitter sarcastically.

Cloudchaser sighed. "Flit, I wish you'd take this seriously. The stallion of my dreams is being taken away from me here!"

"Cloudy, calm down," said Flitter. "You're probably worrying over nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing?!" Cloudchaser shrieked. "Losing Thunderlane is not nothing, Flitter!"

"Look, just because he bought Raindrops a ticket to a Wonderbolts show doesn't mean they're dating," said Flitter. "Maybe he just wanted to do something nice for her. He's allowed to do that, right?"

"Of course he is," said Cloudchaser. "I mean sheesh, Flit. I'm not an overly-possessive stalker girlfriend or anything."

"You sure are acting like one right now," said Flitter bluntly.

"Th-that's because of Raindrops. She's trying to steal Thunderlane from me, and it's driving me crazy," said Cloudchaser.

"Okay, fine. Whatever," said Flitter, rolling her eyes. "So, what now? I got the tickets like you asked, but it seems your entire plan is a bust."

"Not yet, Flit," said Cloudchaser. "'Cause we're using those tickets to go to the Wonderbolts show ourselves."

Flitter gave Cloudchaser a blank stare. "I thought you just said you weren't an overly-possessive stalker girlfriend."

"I am not stalking him," said Cloudchaser, flattening her ears and letting out a dejected sigh. "I just, want to see what he does with Raindrops."

"Translation: You're stalking him," said Flitter, giving her sister a bemused look. "Besides, what about Rumble? I don't think Thunderlane's gonna be happy if we leave him home alone."

"Oh, he's going to the Wonderbolts show, too."

"But, I only got two tickets."

"No, Thunderlane's taking him."

"Really? Well, that's news to me. Wow, this really does sound like a big misunderstanding."

"That's why you're still a love newbie," said Cloudchaser. "Don't worry, you'll understand everything once I win Thunderlane back."

"The only thing I understand as of this moment is that you should get your head examined," said Flitter, folding her forelegs. "And I only say that 'cause I'm worried about you. Cloudy, don't you think you're taking this just a little too far?"

Cloudchaser sighed and placed a foreleg around Flitter's shoulder. "Flitter, there's no such thing as going too far when it comes to love," she said. "If you learn nothing else from this experience, at least learn that."

With that, she patted Flitter on the back and walked off. Flitter sighed.

Cloudy, I know you have a brain, she thought. For Celestia's sake, use it before you do something you'll regret...

Comments

[Mr Munch2]

Yeeeesss excellent, EXCELLENT!!! Another great chapter deserving of a mustache

I require MOAR!!! .....please?

[Mr Munch2]

3062486 Tank you, tank you very much

[JimboTex]

"I can just picture it now." Cloudchaser said to nopony in particular while Aloe placed cucumber slices over her eyes. "I'll get the tickets from Flitter and wait for Thunderlane to relieve us of foal-sitting duty. But instead of the Cloudchaser he knows and loves, he'll see the most beautiful mare in Ponyville whom he knows and loves. And after that, Raindrops can kiss her chances of stealing him from me goodbye. And our date to see the Wonderbolts tomorrow is just the icing on the cake. Yessiree. This day is gonna be just perfect."

Some time later, "Cloudchaser" was revealed to actually be Chrysalis in disguise because she's been blocked from access to more prominent ponies like Shining Armor, and has had to resort to sucking off draining the love from background ponies like a two-bit whorse.

"Straight from the horse's mouth, if you can believe it." said Cloudchaser.

She would've added a "w" onto the front of "horse," but she couldn't be certain that Rumble was out of earshot.

Cloudchaser sighed and placed a foreleg around Flitter's shoulder. "Flitter, there's no such thing as going too far when it comes to love." she said. "If you learn nothing else from this experience, at least learn that."

YANDERE ALERT! YANDERE ALERT! EVERYPONY HEAD FOR THE HILLS!!!

[ShadowLDrago]

This day is gonna be just perfect.

Chrysalis said the same thing, and she just ended up getting blasted by Love.

"Of course he is," said Cloudchaser. "I mean sheesh, Flit. I'm not an overly-possessive stalker girlfriend or anything."

Oh no?