Through Wind and Rain

by xSirius

Chapter 1: "What does it mean?"

*CRACK*

A flash of lightning enveloped the sky in a web of electricity and illuminated the darkened town below for a mere second. A storm was brewing; one like nopony had ever seen. The storm produced winds that ravaged buildings and howled as it rushed into the Everfree forest. Trees bent at sharp angles; threatening to snap, and sticks and small branches whizzed through the air; taking out garden decorations and ponies alike. Rain hammered the village violently with malicious intent as if to bore into the earth, the buildings, and the ponies themselves.

The storm was very powerful and fierce, the clouds blackened the day and seemed to blanket the night. It had been going on for a couple days now; producing these destructive conditions. There was neither a day nor a night so far that a pony wasn't harmed trying to obtain food from the local market or try to save another. Eventually, ponies resided in the safety of their homes; intent on waiting the storm out.

Twilight was no exception.

She nervously sat in her library of a house, right in front of her fireplace. The constant pattering of rain on glass kept her nerves on edge, and she shakily brought a mug of hot chocolate to her lips. It burned, but it burned good. The warm liquid streaming down her throat seemed to send a surge of comfort through her body, despite the danger that lingered nearby. As she sat, she gazed dreamily into the fire, pondering about something.

Perplexity had hazed her mind. She had no way of figuring out what...that feeling...was, and it distressed her. She took a quick hopeful glance at the immense amount of books that covered the walls, but she flinched and turned away; hurt. Her most trusted source of knowledge seemed to betray her this time. She couldn't find anything in the entire library that gave her a concrete, satisfactory answer. For once, she had to rely on a different source for this knowledge.

After the storm of course.

She wouldn't dare to leave now; it was much too dangerous. With her luck, she'd get creamed by a rock or a branch. The storm was horrible; the worst she'd ever seen. She couldn't tell if it was ever day or night, and not only did that naturally bother her, but she was worried that her sleeping schedule would end up irregular and erratic. Her entire daily schedule had been, and would be, ruined for a while until the storm subsided. She narrowed her eyes at the thought of this and sipped her hot chocolate.

She started to get a bit hot from the fire and she scooted back to a more comfortable position. She continued to stare into the fire and didn't notice Spike walk into the room. He watched her and sighed. He knew that she was probably thinking about...that feeling...again. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. He exposed the bottoms of his feet to the warmth that the fire projected and remained silent for a while. He scratched at the hardwood floor when a thought hit him.

"Hey, Twilight?"

She remained silent and sipped her hot chocolate, obviously in deep thought.

Spike sighed deeply and tried again. "Twilight."

The only sign of recognition was an ear that perked up and turned to listen.

"Um...why doesn't the tree and the hardwood floor catch on fire? You know, because of the...fire...that you made..." he tapered off.

She shook her head. "Wait, what? Were you talking, Spike?"

He frowned. "No, Twilight. Nevermind..."

A small frown appeared on her face as well. "I'm sorry, Spike. I was deep in thought...please do talk," she said as friendly as she could.

"Um...alright. Why aren't the tree and the floor catching from the fire?"

She nodded. "That's simple, Spike," She smiled. "The fire is magical, and doesn't follow the same exact properties that a normal fire would. I made the fire with magic so it continuously burns, but it never catches anything."

"Huh..." He looked at the fire with new perspective. "If it's magical, it still burns you, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, it will definitely burn you if you touch it, so I wouldn't if I were you."

"...Does it burn as bad?"

She chuckled. "Why do you ask? You don't want to touch it, do you?"

He chuckled too. "Nah, I'm just never sure how these things work, that's why I ask you. You're the smartest mare I know, and your talent IS magic."

She smiled and nuzzled him. "You're so nice, Spike."

Spike blushed and looked away. "Thanks Twi."

Twilight, now in a bit better of a mood thanks to a dash of conversation, got up and stretched. Her joints were all stiff from sitting in one place for too long. Normally, she'd tidy up, organize, or make lists, but she already did so three times over. She had nothing to clean, nothing to organize, and she had already made a list of nearly anything and everything she could think of. She even had a list of words she knew. That was probably one of the most time-consuming, yet relaxing things Twilight has ever done. Doing these things calmed her, but now she was left with nothing to do but wait -- the most tedious of tasks.

She chugged the rest of her hot chocolate, walking past Spike and into the kitchen. She put the mug into the sink and ran the water to rinse it out. Once finished, she turned to go back into the library-cum-living room, when there was a hard, loud knock on the door. Her ears perked and she rose a brow. 'Who in their right mind would be outside during a time like this?!' Twilight quickly trotted to the door, telling Spike she'd get it. When she opened the door, a pony stood there, shivering. There was a black cloak covering them; enshrouding their face. Almost as if in a hurry, they rushed in and Twilight managed to catch a glimpse at the tail. It was rainbow colored and Twilight immediately knew who the stranger really was.

"Rainbow? What are you doing here?"

The pony stopped and snapped around. "How did you know it was me?!"

Twilight vaguely gestured to her exposed tail.

"OH! Uh..." She let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, cat's out of the bag now, huh?"

Twilight's ears lowered and she trotted over to her friend, now seeing the cyan coat underneath, but still not able to make out the face. "Why did you come here Rainbow? You know it's dangerous out there. You could've been badly injured!"

Rainbow sighed. "Twilight, seriously? You're not my mom."

She scoffed. "No, but I am your friend, and still means I have a right to be concerned about your safety!"

She was silent for a bit before finally speaking up, a hint of repentance in her voice. "I'm sorry Twi... I didn't mean to seem mean."

She smiled. "It's alright Rainbow, no worries. Now, what are you doing?"

"I..uh...I need to make sure you were safe."

"Safe? What, from the storm?"

"Y-Yeah from the storm! What else?"

Twilight scowled.

"Er, sorry Twilight... Gee, you're not very thankful today..."

She sighed. "Rainbow..." she didn't even know what to say. "I thank you for your concern, but I am concerned for you. You seriously could've been hurt!"

Rainbow Dash scoffed and put a hoof to her chest. "Puhlease. As if the Rainbow Dash would get hurt from a storm."

Twilight groaned. "You're starting to sound like Trixie, Rainbow Dash."

"W-WHAT?! No way! No way am I anything like that no good, egotistical, wanna-be unicorn!"

"Rainbow Dash! That's not very nice!"

"Yeah, well neither is she..."

Twilight frowned. She couldn't argue with that logic. "Anyways, Rainbow, will you just please tell me what you're doing here by yourself when that storm is outside?"

"Like I said, I'm here to keep you safe."

"You said that last time..."

"Yeah, that's because it's the reason I'm here. To keep you safe."

She facehoofed. She wasn't going to get anywhere with her. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate it, but what about the other ponies? Why aren't you helping them?"

She remained silent.

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Um...Y'see, Twilight, that's the funny part...um...I need your help first."

She rose a brow. "You need...my help. Well...alright then, but what do you need help with?" She smiled.

"This..." she pulled back the cloak's hood and Twilight gasped.

"R-Rainbow!"

Rainbow had blood trickling down her face. It matted her mane and fell across her right eye. Rainbow dash gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah...you know when you said I might get hurt? Well...turns out the whole time I-"

"RAINBOW YOU IDIOT!"

Rainbow's eyes widened. Twilight trotted over and picked her up with her magic, carrying her over to the fireplace. "Spike, get me some rags and anti-biodics. Now." Spike got up from the fire and ran off to get what she requested.

"Rainbow, I cannot believe you would do this...actually...I can. You're so stubborn you got yourself hurt!" She floated a blanket over and put it on the floor before laying Rainbow on it. "Stay there, don't move."

Rainbow looked down. "Alright, Twilight..."

Spike came back with the items Twilight requested and she immediately Twilight began to work. She rose Rainbow's mane and examined the wound herself. It was cut, for sure, but it wasn't anything too serious. Twilight took a damp rag and dabbed around the wound; cleaning it up. She then took some peroxide and poured it on there, holding down Rainbow with a strong, violet aura. Rainbow's eyes were strained; trying not to show any sign of pain.

Twilight repeated this process until the wound was completely clean. She then wrapped Rainbow's head in bandages, clipping the end of the bandage with a safety pin. Once finished addressing the wound, she turned her attention to Rainbow's mane and ordered Spike to grab a bucket of water and a sponge. Spike ran off.

"Twilight...I'm not a child, I can wash my own mane."

Twilight nodded. "Yes, but I feel obligated to do it. I know I yelled earlier, and...well I didn't mean it, Rainbow..." She lowered her ears and frowned.

Rainbow looked down. "No, you're right, Twilight. I AM an idiot. I shouldn't have thought to come out here during the storm."

Twilight looked at her friend. "Rainbow, it's only natural you would. I shouldn't have snapped. I just... I couldn't take the thought of you getting seriously hurt... luckily this is all that happened, but it's a matter as to what COULD have happened..."

She looked at her friend, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Gosh, Twi, I knew you worried about a lot of stuff, but you seem particularly upset about this one..."

Twilight gave a small smile back, unsure whether or not to take that as a compliment. When she was about to speak, a thought happened upon her. 'Why AM I so worried? That wound barely constituted as a scratch...'

Spike appeared with both the bucket and the sponge. "Here you go Twilight... but are you seriously going to-"

She snapped her head around and scowled.

Spike threw his hands up and backed away. "Alright, alright!"

She turned and smiled, taking Rainbow's mane and wetting the sponge simultaneously. She started to slowly brush her mane with the sponge and smiled. The blood came off easily enough and after a few minutes work, she cleaned it completely. "There you go, Rainbow." She said happily. Being in Rainbow's company brought a certain warmth to her heart. It made her feel so...safe and content. She didn't know what she'd do if she lost her.

Twilight winced. 'That feeling... she thought. 'It's back... She put a hoof to her chest and frowned.

Rainbow shot up. "Twilight, are you ok?! Are you having a heart attack?! Twilight!" She grabbed her shoulders. "TWILIGHT DON'T DIE!! I'LL GET-"

"RAINBOW CALM DOWN! I'm not dying. I'm going to have a heart attack if you yell like that again, though!"

Rainbow's ears perked and she let go of her shoulders, chuckling nervously. "I..uh..maybe I got a bit carried away?" She rose a hoof and looked away.

Twilight chuckled. "It's alright. I freaked out earlier, too." The feeling was still there, more than ever now.

Rainbow scratched the back of her mane and gave a small smile. "I, uh, guess I should be on my way... I've sort of made things awkward, haven't I?"

Twilight's heart fell. "No! Nonono, you haven't! I've just been distracted and not myself lately, is all. Besides, you're not going back out into that storm."

The cyan pegasus smirked. "I didn't think you'd let me anyways."

Twilight giggled. "You were right. Sit down. I have a surprise for you anyways."

"Oh, cool!" She sat down and smiled wide.

She fittled around the library, trying to find it. She frowned as she realized it wasn't here. "It must be up in my room...hold on, Rainbow."

"That's what I'm doing." She said, smirking.

Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes, teleporting upstairs and looking around. "Where is it?" She asked herself. She looked in her bedside table and sighed in relief. She pulled the book out with her teeth happily. 'Cant believe I found it my first try!' she thought. She teleported right in front of Rainbow, making her jump. Happily, Twilight dropped the book in front of her, smiling wide.

"Um...Twilight?" She said, grinning as she flipped through the book.

"Yeah? What's the matter?"

"This is your diary..."

Her eyes widened. "What?!"

"Oh...juicy..."

"H-Hey! Give it back!" She reached for it, but Rainbow put a hoof to her chest and held her back. Twilight reached for it frantically.

"Oh, the "Dream Section". Wow, even in your diary you've got it sorted out."

"Rainbow!" she cried, reaching harder.

Rainbow closed it and chuckled. "I didn't read anything, honest. I just moved the pages. Here." She handed it, smiling wide.

Twilight took it, frowning. "You swear you didn't read it?"

"Of course I didn't, I was too focused on seeing your reaction," she chuckled.

Twilight scowled and teleported back to her room. She put the book back in the table and looked around for the other one. She cantered around her room, searching thoroughly. As she rounded her bed to look on the other side and noticed something in her peripheral vision. She turned to see Rainbow standing at her door. She shrieked and fell to the floor, hiding her face with her hooves. Rainbow barely managed to fly over to ask if she was okay because she was laughing too hard.

"Tw-Twilight!" She spoke between laughs. "You...are you...are you ok?" She was having trouble breathing.

Twilight looked up, pouting. "I'm fine, thank you very much." She stood up and floated the book to Rainbow Dash. She attempted to change the subject. "This is what I meant to bring you."

Rainbow Dash wiped tears from her eyes and took it. She sighed as she looked at it, but her expression began to fade from happy, to astonished. "Twilight...this...this is..."

"The very last book in the Daring Do series; one month early."

Rainbow's mouth was agape. "T-Twilight..."

"I got it for you. I figured you'd get a kick out of it."

Rainbow Dash was near drooling.

"Um...Rainbow?" She waved a hoof in front of her friend's face.

The pegasus snapped out of her fix and hugged Twilight, dropping the book. "Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She hugged tightly, but Twilight didn't mind. She hugged Rainbow back, not so tight, and smiled. "You're welcome, Rainbow."

"Oh how can I ever repay you?"

'You could never let go...' said a piece of her subconscious she never recognized before. Her eyes widened. She had nearly said that, but why? Why would she want this? In the midst of her thinking, the feeling came back, even stronger than it was previously. This time, she couldn't control it. She acted on impulse. She hugged Rainbow back tightly, unknowingly burying her muzzle into Rainbow's neck.

"Um...T-Twi?" she asked; a bit nervous, but not exactly uncomfortable.

Twilight snapped back into reality and pulled away, chuckling nervously. "I...um...well...it was nothing, I didn't mean to," She gave a sheepish grin. 'Liar.' her mind told her.

"Oh, um, alright then... do you know what I can crash tonight? I'm feeling a bit tired."

"I don't even know if it's night, but I guess it doesn't matter. You can sleep in here or in the library."

Rainbow thought for a moment. "I'll sleep in the library, I don't want to take your bed."

Twilight shook her head. "I insist."

She wasn't sure. "I really don't want to do that to you."

Giggling, Twilight shook her head. "It's alright. You're my guest. Please, make yourself at home."

She frowned. "I don't know..."

"Come on, if it makes you feel better, I'll have the fire so I won't be so bad off."

She thought about this for a second or two. "Hmm...alright. Fine."

Twilight nodded and gestured towards the bed. "Go ahead."

The cyan pegasus fell down on the bed, face first in Twilight's pillow. Almost immediately, snores resonated from her muzzle.

Twilight watched her sleep for a second, then shook her head when she realized how creepy that was. She exited to room, taking careful measure not to make a noise, and shut the door. She trotted down the stairs and by the time she reached the bottom, she was exhausted; emotionally mainly.

The bucket, blanket, sponge, and medical supplies were left in front of the fire. Twilight sighed and yelled for Spike to come clean it up, but noticed he was napping in his bed. She sighed and floated the items up and began the cleaning process. She dumped the bucket out on the sink; watching its soapy contents swirl down the drain. She then turned and threw the bloody sponge in the trash. Now she had to put up the medical supplies which were always kept in the bathroom, because that's where they've always been. Once she'd tidied the place up, she yawned and floated the blanket up and over herself. She lay in front of the fire and closed her eyes. Rainbow's scent was all over the blanket, and for some reason, it made her smile. She fell asleep then; warm and content. She had no idea what the next day would bring, and for more reasons than not, it was a good thing.

Comments

[Kodeake]

Very good start. I normally stay away from anything with the dreaded tragedy tag, but I'll make an exception. Don't make me regret it.

[pendrake72]

@xSirius...

1. Technical critique... You "lost control" of your italics at the tail-end of your chapter (1), I advise correcting that ASAP.

2. Literary critique... You are indeed somewhat "off" for how the characters sound and "feel" of said characters towards the reader-audience, but it is within the forgivable/passable range (so far). Something you probably should work upon to refine as your fan-fiction progresses.

3. You are correct in taking things slow, both for writing out as well as storytelling. Any worthwhile Romance takes development and detail, especially in being vividly descriptive of both action(s) and emotion(s) in order to invest the reader-audience. An often-fatal literary error with Romance fan-fiction writing is "telling" rather than "painting" the scene to the reader-audience. Few things kill reader-interest quicker than a lazy Author shoving character nametags onto the literary stage and saying to the reader-audience, "...and then they kissed. And it was awesome, at least inside my head."

Hope this helps.

[xSirius]

3610785

This helps very much ^.^ I'll be sure to make amends immediately.

[xSirius]

3610785

Also, might I ask, how off do you think I may be? I don't want to over do it or...under do it.

[pendrake72]

3610825...

4. My best advice in finding the most accurate "voice" for both Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle is to go straight to the source materiel and (re-)watch the episodes where the characters are a consistent feature, but not necessarily the central focus. As an non-specific example: Feeling Pinkie Keen (S01, Ep15) is a good example of Twilight "nerding it up," and not just with Pinkie Pie, but with Spike playing lab assistant.

[xSirius]

3610900
Right. Sounds like a plan. Thank you, Pendrake :)

[Stormgnome]

The only think I'm a little hesitant of is the Tragedy tag, but that is no fault of yours.

[xSirius]

I'm getting the "Tragedy" tag isn't a tag to just put down

[Dynasty-Kaine]

This has been on my Read Later List for quite some time, but getting to it at last...I'm not in the least let down! I quite enjoyed the story you have shared so far, and I hope that it continues on it's lovely course.

[NcF]

I haven’t read any of this yet, but I am putting it on my read later list. I found this fic because of another fic (funny enough). Did someone say they wanted the long story of how I did find it? Well sure, here goes nothing. I was reading “A Bluebird’s Song” by Ardensfax (Super good Twidash fic btw, you should read it sometime) and I was on chapter 42 (minor spoilers inbound) and at the end of it, it shows a picture of Twi and Dash on the Canterlot Hospital rooftop. I looked closely and saw a watermark that NyuuChanDianePie created the picture and she even created it specifically for the fic. I went and checked out her deviant art and stumbled across your current title picture. I read the comments and you commented that you were creating this fic and wanted to use that piece of fan art for your story. I was intrigued so I looked it up and found this. Aaaaand that’s how I met your mother. Jk, but seriously, sorry for the wall of text (It’s has been 5 years and I still have the balls to comment so come at me).

[TwiDasherboop]

Rainbow shot up. "Twilight, are you ok?! Are you having a heart attack?! Twilight!" She grabbed her shoulders. "TWILIGHT DON'T DIE!! I'LL GET-"

And I thought Rarity was the drama queen.