Thunder and Lightning

by UnweptSchlipps

After the Storm...

This is why I live above the clouds. Because it's always sunny, Dash thought as she stared out at the pounding raindrops outside. The storm has finally taken a strangle-hold on Ponyville, leaving the residents huddled in their homes trying to stay warm.

Or in Rainbow's case, huddled in a friend's house. She sat by the window of Fluttershy's cottage, wrapped in a warm cotton blanket. Rainbow's friend had offered her a place to stay since she couldn't fly up to her house in the sky and she definitely didn't want to go back to the dingy hospital. Although Dash missed her own home, she had to admit that Fluttershy's house had a sense of comfort that she enjoyed.

From the kitchen, Fluttershy asked, "Would you like some hot cocoa, Dash? It's nice for a cold day such as this."

"Sure, thanks Flutters," Dash responded, not taking her eyes away from the gloomy scene before her. After almost a week of delay, the weather patrol had finally come back from their mission, gathering enough clouds for a rainstorm. Rainbow should have felt overjoyed that her team had managed to pull off this feat just in time for the Wonderbolts charity event tomorrow afternoon. But that was just it. Dash hoped that the storm would cancel tomorrow's event. Because frankly, she wasn't ready for round two of the Wonderbolts. When she received word that the storm would be over by midnight tonight and everything was going to be nice and dry, well, she had to reply with fake enthusiasm.

Sometime later, Dash turned away from the window to find Fluttershy standing awkwardly with a tray of hot chocolate balanced on her back. "Uhh, how long have you been standing there?" Dash asked.

"Not that long. Just for five…maybe ten minutes," the yellow pony replied quietly. "But you looked like you were thinking about something; I didn't want to interrupt."

After a moment of silence and an awkward shuffling of hooves, Fluttershy finally said, "So, umm, would still like some hot cocoa? It's still warm."

"Sure."

So the pegasi each took a mug and starting sipping. For an undisclosed amount of time, the two friends sat uncomfortably in silence while they each took tiny, awkward sips of their drink. Rainbow tried to break the silence by humming, but she only succeeded in making her friend queasier. This combined with Fluttershy jumping at the sound of thunder made the cottage quite a humorous, albeit uncomfortable scene.

Finally, wanting to drown the scary thunder with conversation, Fluttershy said, "So…how is your wing? Has it been healing well since the last visit?"

Dash shrugged and replied, "Yeah, it's been okay. Doesn't hurt as much to walk around anymore. The pain meds you gave me help a lot though, so thanks for that."

The shy pony politely nodded in response to her friend's kind complement. But the short conversation didn't last as the two ponies fell into another bout of silence. For what seemed to be the hundredth time, Dash took a sip from her cup only to find that it was empty. She continued with the motion however, trying to busy herself while the rain fell outside. Dash hated awkward silences, and she could sense Fluttershy wanting to speak as well. Gotta take the initiative, right?, Dash thought.

"So…how are things?" the rainbow flier asked.

Fluttershy placed her mug delicately on the floor, and Rainbow could see that it was emptied too. "Umm…things?" her quiet friend asked, confused.

Rainbow supposed she could have phrased the question better, but the confident pony didn't skip a beat, answering, "Y'know, what's been going on lately? I've just been resting and waiting for the weather patrol to get back, so I haven't really heard much from Ponyville."

Fluttershy began, "Oh, well nothing much really. I've been a little busy myself. Picking plants, making herbs, planting trees, feeding animals…"

The timid pony continued to list all the tasks she had done the past few days while Rainbow could only just sit and listen. The colorful mare sat back and slowly exhaled, slightly wanting to go back to the peace and quiet. Of course she had to pick today to be a chatterbox, she thought. Her eyes roamed the room absent-mindedly. The lazy flier switched to daydream mode, another thing she had a knack of doing.

Not surprisingly, her mind drifted back to the Wonderbolts and her cousin. After all, she's been inactive for practically five days, what the hell else was she going to think about? Mostly it was about Cloudsdale, her home town. What was it Lightning had said? They resented her for dropping out? But that can't be. She won the Young Flyer Competition for crying out loud, how could they hate her?

Then again, it's been a while since I showed up. Then again, I was one of the only two write-in contestants. And signing my name as "Dash" isn't exactly very specific. And of course, there was the whole switching numbers thing. And then there's…aww screw it,, Rainbow thought.

"Erm…are you okay, Rainbow?"

The cyan flier broke out from her daydreaming state and replied with something intelligent like, "Wha?"

"Well, um, you were shaking your head and scratching your cheek. Well, it wasn't scratching really. More like…smacking yourself. So are you…okay?"

Dash could sense her face heating up from embarrassment. Placing her face in her hooves and trying to look as relaxed as possible, she lied, "Oh yeah, I'm totally fine. Just a…a fly! Just a fly, y'know."

The look of disbelief was obvious on Fluttershy's face, but being the kind soul she was, she decided not to press her friend. Instead, the yellow pegasus smiled politely, "Yes, so that's about it from me. Oh! And of course there's the charity event tomorrow! You know about that, right?"

Of course she knew! How she not? It was the only thing the ponies of Ponyville were talking about for the past two days. It was going to be one of the hugest charity events of the decade, or at least that's what it had been advertised as. Celebrities upon celebrities were going to be there. Hoity Toity, Fancy Pants, Vinyl Scratch. And, perhaps the most important ones for Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts. However, for the first time in her life, she wasn't excited for the appearance of her former idols. Getting brushed off by your heroes is one thing, but the whole argument with Lightning was another matter entirely.

The cyan mare rolled her eyes at mention of the event. After the confusion and frustration of the past week, Dash was not in the mood for another dramatic meeting with her cousin. Perhaps she could pretend she was sick. Her friends would understand. Sure, Rarity would probably rant on her for missing the "most important social event of the year".

Whatever, I'm still not gonna show up, the mare thought.

"Why ever not?"

Fluttershy's modest question broke Rainbow Dash out of her planning. With eyebrows raised, the rainbow flier asked, "What was that?"

"Oh, I asked you if you were going to see the Wonderbolts at the charity event tomorrow. Then you said you weren't going to show up. So I was just wondering why. I mean…if you feel comfortable telling me of course."

Buck me, Dash mentally scolded herself, realizing she had said her thoughts out loud. She began to nervously scratch the back of her neck, softly groaning as she tried to make up an excuse.

Finally she decided to just stick with her plan, and making a big show of rubbing her wings she replied, "Well, my wing has been acting up lately and it's been pretty hard getting around."

But Fluttershy was no fool. She could see through Dash's ruse. But the timid pony had no hint of accusation in her eyes, and with the temperament of a butterfly, she said, "Dash, this isn't about your wing is it? This is about...you know who."

Dash didn't know was it was about her timid friend that made her want to spill everything. Maybe it was Fluttershy's quiet, undemanding demeanor. Her soothing, gentle voice that harbored no hostility whatsoever. Or of course, maybe it was The Stare (she never could tell). But whatever it was, after all these days of thinking, she needed somepony to vent to anyway.

With a quiet voice uncommon from the injured mare, she began to recount the secret of the argument. "That night, I said some things. Really bad things, Shy. I told him that I hated him, and that I never wanted to see him again. He…he probably doesn't want to see me anymore either.

"Why did you fight?" Fluttershy inquired.

"I guess it was because…because of you guys. I don't know…it just that you guys looked so happy with him while I was sorta left out to dry. He was, like…like stealing you guys almost!"

"Oh Dash, that's not true. First of all, nopony could ever replace you. We are your friends, and that is something that will never change. If that's was how you felt, then let me be the first to say 'I'm sorry'. We never meant to hurt your feelings." The sincere apology brightened Dash's face a little bit.

"Second, I've seen enough of your cousin to know that he loves you more than anything. When it comes down to it, he'd be willing to sacrifice his life for you." This brought the cyan pegasus back to her cousin's story. Of how, after all the insults and lies, he had still tried to defend her. And how he was forced out of his home because if it. With a grim frown, she thought, I guess he kinda already did sacrifice his life for me.

Fluttershy continued, "And let's not forget all the stories about the fun times you two had together. Why, while he was helping me garden, all he could talk about was how you were the best cousin in the world."

Dash's eyes widened, and for a moment her mask of apathy broke down. "He-he really said that?" she asked, her voice wavering just a tad bit.

"Of course, Rainbow! You mean a lot to him, and he couldn't hate you, even if he tried."

Dash bit her lip doubtfully. Was what Fluttershy had said true? The cyan pegasus couldn't help but believe otherwise, and reasonably so. After all, how could Lightning forgive somepony who told him to stay out of their life; to "go to hell"? Dash most certainly wouldn't; why would her cousin?

Fluttershy could sense the reluctance in her friend's expression. With utmost sincerity, the peaceful pegasus said, "Dash, I want you know that, no matter what you two say, no matter what you two fight over, at the end of the day, you'll still be family. Nothing can ever change that. It's a bond so strong that nothing can ever break it. Especially not little fights like this.

"From what I saw, you two were like siblings. You have to make a choice, Rainbow. Do you really want to keep hiding from your problem, and lose a family member? Not just a family member either, but somepony who loves you whole-heartedly and unconditionally? Is that something worth losing? Or are you going to try to fix it?"

Dash didn't answer, instead letting the thunder speak for her. As much as she wanted to respond, she just couldn't find the words. Fluttershy could sense this, and putting her hooves on her friend's shoulder, she delivered tenderly, "Lightning would do anything to make you happy Dash. Maybe it's time you did the same for him."

The final statement had struck home. Dash wrapped the blanket tighter around her body, having heard enough. She whispered, "I…I think I need to be alone for a while, Shy."

"Of course Dash, but just remember what I said," the placid pony responded. She then took the used mugs and quietly tip-toed out of the room, leaving the addled, rainbow pegasus to her own muddled thoughts.

It was only her nature to be prideful. And she tried to tell herself that everything Lightning and Fluttershy had said was false. That her cousin was just an ignorant, self-absorbed ass. Dash searched for some kind of validation for her outburst and insults she had thrown at her cousin. Some kind of indication of her cousin's supposed sinister ways. And unfortunately for her, this search came up empty.

Her ears began to droop, and her eyes were as downcast as the weather outside. Her features were distraught, and her hooves busily tapping the floor. She pondered more and more about Fluttershy's question, and more and more she found herself doubting. Was her pride worth losing her cousin? For the billionth time, she looked out at the rainstorm, hoping for some kind of answer. And for the billionth time, her request was denied.

It was a good thing Fluttershy had left, because Dash didn't want her friend to see her in a nervous wreck. Dash was worried, but she couldn't let her friends know. She was supposed to be confident, proud, and completely awesome in every way possible. But when it came down to family…it was different.

I don't know 'Shy. I don't want to run, but the alternative…it's…I don't know. Unthinkable? Impossible? Stupid?

Difficult? That was the word. Difficult. Running away, for once, was the easier thing to do. And to the lazy flier, the easy road was usually the most appealing. All she wanted was to bury it all away, pretend it never happened, and continue her life.

But before she could make up her mind, Fluttershy's question rang in her mind once more. "Is it worth losing a family member?"

Perhaps if it were some other pony, Dash would have chosen the "run away" choice without hesitation. But this was no ordinary pony. This was Lightning Flash. Friend since filly-hood. Her practical sibling. The one she could always lean on when she was in trouble.

"I'd do anything for you, prima. You know that."

Yeah, I know Lightning. I just wish I had to guts to do the same for you, Dash thought. All of a sudden, Dash felt like breaking down. She thought of how she had treated Lightning despite his good-natured (perhaps misguided) intentions. Of how she had forced him away even though he had tried his best to be nice to her. It made Dash want to puke.

Well no more, she decided. The pegasus brushed her colorful mane out of her eyes, which shone with newfound confidence. Although pride was a part of her, she understood that her cousin was a part of her too. And losing somepony over stubbornness was something even Rainbow Dash couldn't do.

Was pride worth losing somepony? She realized the answer was no. It was decided. Tomorrow she was going to the charity event to find Lightning. She was going to try to set things straight between them. After all, somepony like him would be too good to miss.

She glanced up at the clock, which read 11:00. It was time for her to get to bed; there was going to be much work tomorrow. So the flier slowly rose, heading towards her temporary room.

At that moment, Fluttershy entered the living room once more, checking in on her friend. She saw Rainbow beginning to stand up, and a small grin playing on the rainbow-maned pony's lips. "So, have you made up your mind, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.

Dash replied solemnly, "Yeah, I think so. And thanks for the talk Fluttershy. It really helped. Man, I've been thanking you all over the place today."

Fluttershy was relieved to see her friend regain her confidence, and she turned to go to her own room. But before she could leave, she heard Rainbow calling her name. "Yes?" Fluttershy asked, swiveling back to see her rainbow-maned friend grinning mischievously.

"One more question. Do you and Lightning have like…uh. You know…a thing?"

The timid pony began to blush at this statement. Trying to maintain her composure, Fluttershy replied awkwardly, "Oh dear. Um…I can assure you Dash, although your cousin is…um…nice, he and I are strictly friends."

"So, friends with benefits then?"

Fluttershy gave a small, frightened squeak. She could feel her cheeks practically glow with red. But before the timid pony could stammer something out, Rainbow Dash waved her hoof dismissively and said, "Naw, you know I'm just kiddin' Shy. Anyway, we should both get some sleep. It's gonna be a pretty wild day tomorrow."

Rainbow finished with a playful smirk as Fluttershy exited the room. All joking matters aside, the pegasus knew there was still much work to be done. But now, for the first time in a while, she knew what had to be done. Her cousin was a treasure that she had taken for granted and callously thrown away. But tomorrow, she was going to try and set things right.

She knew it was no easy task, and that everything won't ever be the same again. But, for the sake of her happiness and conscience, she had to try. Just as Fluttershy said, family is family. Nothing made Dash happier than family, and she was ashamed that it had taken her thing long to realize it.

With newfound resolve, the pegasus began to formulate a plan for tomorrow. What would she say; what would she do? A small nagging voice pricked the back of her mind. What if he doesn't want to talk?

She looked out at the storm, where streaks of electricity illuminated the landscape. She never had been afraid of lightning, and tonight was no exception. But tonight, those bolts held a different message, one that comforted her and assured her of the noble plight.

He will, she thought as she gazed at the rain. And she was sure of it. Just as sure as the lightning bolts in the cloudy sky.

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Comments

[-Brutus]

Let's see what happens when RD does go up to apologize.

[FlintLock]

594249 I would forgive her then punch her for pay back

[Rainbow87dash]

Your mean FlimLock