The Elements of Unity

by Wolfe and WindSilver

Empathy

“Hey Rumble, shake a leg will you?” I yelled, hurriedly packing my bag with his lunch, then his bag with mine. I brought my hoof to my forehead and sighed.

“You’re gonna be late if you don’t get a move on,” I tried again while switching the lunches around. Still no answer.

I walked to his room and knocked on the door. I heard him groan from the other side. I pushed the door open cautiously,

Even this little bit of light upset him. He groaned again, grabbed the covers, and pulled them over his head. No doubt about it, he was definitely sick. Rumble was usually up a good hour before me, and would just lie in bed until I came to get him. He had so much energy usually, but lately, he did seem to be slowing down. I couldn't tell for sure but it seemed like he was hiding something from me.

“Definitely no school today,” I said. Then I groaned inwardly. Every pegasus I knew would have to be on hand to work blizzard duty. Rarity had to take Sweetie Bell to school, and would probably be busy for the rest of the day. That just left one pony who might be willing to watch him.

“C’mon, Buddy.” I nudged him with my nose. He whimpered, but I didn't let up until he stood on shaky hooves. I lowered myself enough so he could climb onto my back. He got a good grip on my my mane and pulled himself up. I winced a bit, kids never seemed to learn that mane pulling really, really, hurt. I bit my tongue though, grabbed his bag from the kitchen, and headed out the door.

---

"Thanks you so much, Twilight," I said, leaving Rumble's bag on a nearby table. "You are a lifesaver."

"Of course, Thunderlane. I'd hate for anypony to be alone during the blizzard. And I'd hate for you to miss work to watch him.”

“You sure it’s not too much trouble?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No trouble at all. Besides Spike needs someone his own age that he can relate to. Now that he’s a teenager, by dragon standards anyway, it’s a bit harder to just sit and talk with him.” She sighed, then giggled. “Besides, Spike sleeps until about noon anyway. Those two should be fine."

I looked at the purple dragon who was busy pulling out a few extra pillows and blankets and setting them up in his room.

“I just hope he doesn’t get sick too.”

“Don’t worry, dragon immune systems are much stronger than the ones in ponies.” She looked up, as if she could see text floating above her.
“The worst things they have to worry about are: wing rot, spike fractures, frill flops, scale molts, and claw dislocations. Unless of course they live in the desert. Then they also have to keep there hides moisturized or they risk scale chipping. And if they live further north, then they worry about keeping their internal body temperatures above 106°.”

“Okay… Anyway, I’ll be off work at about five.” I thought for a moment. “So I’ll pick him up at five fifteen?”

She nodded. “Sounds great.”

“I owe you one!” I shouted over my shoulder as I took to the air. I sped home, grabbed my work bag, and set off again towards the weather factory.

---

“Come on, Thunderlane,” Blossomforth called. “Break time.”

I shook my head. “I wanna get the last of the clouds out there before Rainbow gets on my case about being late.”

She nodded and turned back towards the cafeteria. “I’ll save you a seat.”

I nodded, though she couldn’t see me, and turned my attention back to the clouds. I shoved one forward, pushing it into the freezer beside the others. There was a certain art to making clouds, which was exactly why I didn’t make them. We had the more artistic pegasi work on those. Then the workers, like Hoops, Score, and Dumbell, fill the clouds with different levels of water vapor.

After that, you take certain clouds to the different stations modify them to fit certain weather conditions. It seemed complicated to anyone who hadn't spent their entire life around clouds. Storm clouds were made to be the heaviest, and filled with electricity over in the charging room. Snow and hail clouds were put in the freezer, the only difference was how much water was in each. Normal clouds were taken to be shaped into different types of stratus, cirrus, cumulus, etc.

I had most fun with the storm clouds, and was the only pony willing to get close enough to them to move them. Every other pony had gotten zapped so many times that they afraid to get anywhere near a storm cloud, even Raibow Dash. Though they had no problem punching and kicking through them. Very rarely did I actually get hurt when they shocked me. I was really good at picking up on the signs and discharging the excess electricity.

“Thunderlane!”

I cringed. Rainbow may be a bit of a show off, and act lazy, but there was one thing she wouldn’t accept. Tardiness.

I turned around her and found her hovering just behind me, nearly muzzle to muzzle. I jumped back, nearly sliding through the open frozen door. I righted myself just in time, using my wings, and looked back up. I could tell she was trying to hold back her laughter.

“Sorry, Laney.” She quieted her snickers. “Didn’t realize you were so jumpy.”

“I told you not to call me Laney,” I growled back.

“I know, I know. But—”

“Thunderlane just takes forever to say.” I rolled my eyes.

“Exactly,” she affirmed. There was an awkward pause, where we stared at each other for a good minute.

“I finished up with the snow clouds for later,” I said, moving out of the doorway. She peered past me, into the freezer.

“Look, Dash. I’m—”

“Not bad, Thunderlane,” She cut me off. “These should be ready just in time for that blizzard later today.” She wouldn’t look at me, her gaze staying on the slowly freezing clouds.

“Rainbow, about being late…”

She didn’t turn around. “I’ll talk to you about that later,” she said. “Go get some lunch Thunderlane.”

I wanted to stay, to argue that I had to take care of Rumble before anything. That she of all people should understand. But it wouldn’t do me any good. I flapped my wings and headed for the cafeteria.

---

“Good luck,” Blossomforth whispered.

“Thanks,” I replied, nervously. I hadn’t seen Rainbow since that morning, but she sent me a message to meet her down in Ponyville. I sighed and forced myself to go get the tongue lashing over with. Besides, I had Twilight waiting with Rumble. I packed my locker with my helmet and work-issued saddle bag, then headed out to meet Rainbow Dash.

As I flew, the snow clouds started to release their payload over the town.

Ponyville really was pretty like this.

“Thunderlane!” I looked down, Rainbow Dash waved up to me. “Down here.”

I flapped once to stop my forward momentum, and once more to change my direction. I pulled up just before the ground and landed on my hooves.

"Glad you could make it,” Rainbow Dash said.

I shifted from hoof to hoof nervously.

“You did good work today,” she continued.

“L–look, Boss,” I hesitated, nearly tripping over my words, “I’m sorry about being late. But Rumble got sick, and I had to take him to Twilight. Then I had to go back for my bag, and fly—"

Rainbow let out a snicker, and that released the floodgates of laughter. I failed to see what exactly was so funny.

"O-okay. Okay. I'm sorry Lane, but I didn't call you down here about that."

"What?"

"Twilight came to see me earlier, she told me about Rumble and all. So, you’re off the hook. For now at least.”

That’s another one I owe Twilight, I thought to myself.

“So...” She flapped her wings nervously. “Are you doing anything tomorrow night?”

"No?" What was she getting at.

"Ah," she said. Not explaining herself. We were both silent for a moment. Her, just gazing at me. Me, trying to understand what was happening. It took me a full minute before I realized what she was trying to ask me. Or, at least, what she wanted me to ask.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow night?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"Did you have something in mind?"

"Well..." She pulled out two slips of paper. "I did have an extra ticket to the Wonderbolt's show in Canterlot tomorrow. I was gonna offer it to Fluttershy, but she has to help with some salmon migration thing." She held out one of the tickets. "If you want it..."

I was more than sold. I was as big a fan of the Wonderbolts as Rainbow Dash. The only reason I say only is because she's on a first name basis with them. And she's saved them. And on top of that. She's one of the Elements of Harmony. All of that put her just a little bit ahead of me in the #1 fan race.

I reached for the ticket just as she snatched it back.

"...there's a catch," She continued.

I squinted at her. "What kind of catch?" I asked.

"Maybe a little dinner. A little dancing."

"Wait," I held up a hoof. "Like a, date?"

She nodded.

"Aren't I supposed to ask you for that?"

"Well you were taking you're sweet time getting to it."

I'll admit it. I've had a crush on Rainbow Dash since preschool. She was always the fastest, bravest, and most die-hard of the mares out there. But she seemed to only have eyes for the Wonderbolts. Namely she had eyes for Soarin. I just assumed I'd have no chance with her. Now she was asking me out on a date. I realized she was staring at me. Her ears starting to droop. Crud, I hadn't answered her.

"S-sure. I'd love to." I must have said it a little too quickly because she suddenly glared at me.

"You're not just saying that to get a free ticket are you?" She growled, getting close to me. I stepped back, and forced my wings to stay locked to my sides. The last thing I needed right now were them to spring open like that.

"No! No. I'm serious. I think it'll be fun. Just you, me, some good food. Which I assume I'm paying for?"

She put the ticket in my mouth and patted me on the cheek. "That's the idea of a date, Laney." She laughed and took off. Leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.

I couldn't help it. My wings burst from my sides and stiffened.

Author's Note:

I know what you're thinking and NO, there will not be any Spike/Rumble shipping in this story. Maybe not. Probably not anyway. Okay fine, there is a possibility. But don't bombard me with comments about that

Comments

[SageBrony07]

I was thinking thunderDash shipping. Nice chapter. I can't wait for the next one. I'm glad you're back.

[Omegafr]

Oh du ThunderDash !!!