Song of Thunder

by Zodiacspear

Chapter Two

It wasn’t one of those pleasant days at work, Thunderlane thought to himself as he moved another cloud into place. It was a day that had been scheduled for a rainstorm, and he found his down time to be absent. He could see many ponies below rushing to and fro to prepare for the upcoming squall. Rain barrels were set, outdoor furniture was put away, and foals moaned their disappointment as they were told to come inside.

He zipped over to move another of the collected rain clouds, and started pushing it to its destined place, when he saw Blossomforth fly towards him.

“Hey, Blossomforth,” he said, flapping his wings to move the stubborn cloud.

“Good morning, Thunderlane. Did you sleep okay?” she asked as she helped him move the larger cloud into its place.

A snort escaped through his nose. “I slept well enough.” He rubbed at the back of his head. “Sorry for skipping out on the party, guess my nap took longer than I thought it would.”

She grimaced. “It’s all right. The party didn’t turn out that well anyway.”

He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow at her. “What happened?”

The two grunted as they worked with the stubborn cloud. “Let’s just say it was accidentally ruined by a friend of mine. She didn’t mean too, but…” She trailed off with a sigh. “It wasn’t pretty.”

“Sorry to hear that,” he said as they moved the cloud into place.

They looked up as they saw Rainbow give the hooves up for the clouds to start raining.

Together the weather team hopped on the clouds, bouncing in place as the water-soaked nimbuses let fall their stored moisture. Thunderlane jumped and skipped cloud to cloud as the team started the weekly rain.

He turned back as Blossomforth yelled after him. “Hey! The rest of us are going to go grab a bite to eat at the fast food joint in town. You wanna go with us?”

He shrugged after a second’s thought. “I brought my lunch today, but I’ll eat with you.” He looked at the cloud where his lunchbox waited for him. “I’ll get my stuff and catch up.”

The cerise maned pegasus smiled wider. “Okay, I’ll let the others know.” She waved and took off towards the other pegasi who waited on her.

Thunderlane watched her go for a moment before flying over to collect his lunchbox. As he gathered it, he paused for a second before sitting down on his haunches with a huff. He rubbed at his face as he stared ahead, giving a soft groan. For some reason, he couldn’t focus. Every time he tried to focus on his work or on anything, his mind seemed to stray. Always his thoughts were pulled back to the events of last night. That unicorn, sitting on the tree stump playing her lyre and the music she played haunted his thoughts even in waking. It wasn’t just the music, it was her. The moment she had opened her eyes from her playing to smile at the animals around her, he saw what had to have been her heart in those gold irises. She had been truly happy, until her eyes turned to panic when he had said something. That fear he saw unsettled him more than he cared for. Was he really responsible for causing her distress?

He growled. Why was it bugging him so much? He didn’t even know this unicorn. He had seen her walking around town before, but he never actually spoke to her. She always seemed to be in her own little world when going about her business. Why did he feel so guilty about ruining what might have been something special for her?

He muttered to himself at the obviousness of his own question.

With a sigh, he collected his lunch box and flew below the clouds towards the restaurant. As he flew, he watched the streets below him, and his eyes settled on a hooded pony who was darting through the rain-slicked streets.

“Who is that?”

-0-

With the rain pouring down in rivets, and knowing that few others would be out in the weather, Lyra pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and dashed into the streets. Now was the perfect opportunity to do her errands with as few ponies seeing her as possible. The heavy rain pounded on the material of her cloak as she ran, causing a steady droning in her ears.

Cantering through the streets, her hooves splashed puddles and sprayed the water all over her legs and belly. She ignored the dampness as she arrived at her destination. The entry bell rang as she pushed open the door. The smell of fresh daisies and other flowers calmed her as she pushed her hood back. She saw Daisy and Roseluck setting their wares on the shelves, happily chatting with each other. Both turned their heads as they heard the entry bell ring overhead.

“My goodness, we certainly didn’t expect anyone in this rain,” Roseluck said as she got to her hooves. “Hello and welcome to Flowers and Things, anything we can help you with?” Roseluck’s eyes widened a bit as she spotted her customer. “Lyra? What are you doing out in this rainstorm?”

Lyra sighed. “I… need my groceries.”

“But in this weather?” The red-maned mare looked at her with a tilt of her head. “Is everything all right? You don’t look so well.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just…” She gave a half-hearted shrug. “Can I buy some daisies and clover? I’m thinking about a nice salad for tonight.”

Roseluck smiled and nodded. “We can get you taken care of.”

As Lyra paid for her food, she couldn’t help but smile a bit at Roseluck. “How is Post Haste?”

Her cheeks turned a red that rivaled her mane. “He’s doing fine. We’re just settling in.” She passed the bag over to Lyra.

Lyra giggled and used her magic to place the bag in her saddlebags. “Married life suits you, Rose.”

Rose gave a long, happy sigh. “It does.”

Lyra’s sigh was anything but. “I doubt I’ll ever be as lucky.”

“Now, Lyra, don’t say that.” Rose gave her an encouraging smile. “You never know when a stallion will fall out of the sky, and fall head over fetlocks for you.”

Lyra snorted and turned for the door. “Tell Post Haste I said ‘hi’.”

“I will.” She pushed the drawer to the register closed. “Be careful in the rain.”

Lyra smiled a wan smile and pulled her hood over her face again. She took in a breath and ran out into the storm, pausing long enough to close the shopkeeper’s door. The rain hadn’t let up in the slightest and her hooves threatened to slide out from under her. Not wanting to risk hurting herself, she slowed to a walk.

The sounds of the falling rain as it struck homes and trees alike sent soothing thoughts through her. The rain had always been a sound she used to calm her nerves after a stressful day. She even went so far to open her windows just so she could listen to it fall. It had often served as inspiration for her music, that which she had always kept hidden to herself.

A blush crept on her face and she lowered her eyes. What used to be hidden, she corrected. That stallion had heard her playing, had seen her when she was alone to where she could let the feelings of her heart out. He had seen her during one of her most private moments. It was worse than the time she went hiking and had to use a tree when nature called only to be spotted by a picnicking family.

Her blush grew fiercer and she picked up her pace to a trot. The sooner she got home, and the less ponies that saw her, the better. After the party, she couldn’t even—

“Kind of wet out for running, ain’t it?”

She reared back with a scream, sending both her cloak and saddlebags to the wet pavement. Her mane stood on end until she looked above her. Her irises shrunk to mere pinpoints and her jaw fell open as she saw the pegasus from last night. He stared down at her with much the same expression.

“Wait… You’re the mare I saw playing at the watering hole.”

She closed her eyes and dashed away before he could say another word.

“Hey! Wait!”

She lowered her head and ran through the slick streets of Ponyville, not daring to look back to see if she was pursued or not. Noticing a stack of barrels, she swerved and dove behind them. Daring a peek past the barrels, she looked around warily for any sign of him. When she didn’t see anypony else moving around, and with nothing in the air, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Lost him.”

“You forgot your things back there.” She heard his voice from behind her.

With a squeak, she took off again. Her legs worked in a blur to carry her away. She ran until she found the marketplace, which she was thankful was bare of anyone besides herself. Without a thought, she dove into a stall with tall ceramic vases and hid behind them.

“How does he keep up with me?” she whispered to herself.

“How much longer are you going to keep running? I just—“

Again, she took off in a mint-colored blur. Rather than try to hide, she fled flat out for her home. She turned down the lane that would lead her there when she heard his voice above her.

“Please! Just stop! I only want to talk to you!”

She looked over her shoulder to see him beating his wings hard to keep up with her. “Just leave me alone!” she screamed.

“I’m not stalking you, I swear!.. Despite what this might look like. I only want to talk.”

“I don’t—“ A startled gasp escaped her as her hooves slipped out from under her. She skidded across the wet pavement to crash into a shrub with a loud, “Oomph!”

He winced as he landed by the shrub. “That looked like it hurt.” He looked around the plant for the unicorn. “Are you all right?”

“Go away,” the shrub said.

He rolled his eyes, a smirk crossing his face. “I’d rather not talk to a shrub. Please come out.”

“No."

He sighed, lowering his head. “Look, I want to apologize. I didn’t mean to scare you last night. I swear it.”

The shrub didn’t move.

“When I heard your playing… Well… it was amazing. I just—“ he groaned. “I am no good at this.” He looked back at the shrub. “Let me start again, I’m Thunderlane, part of the weather team. Will you please come out of that shrub so I can talk to you?”

“No,” the shrub said again, though not with the harshness from earlier.

He wiped the rainwater out of his eyes. “Why not?”

“…Because you’ll laugh at me, or make fun of me.”

His head snapped back,eyes widening at the response. “Why would I do something like that? I only want to talk. I swear by Celestia’s name I won’t laugh at you.”

The silence was cut only by the falling rain.

Just before he was to turn away, he heard the shrub speak again. “..You-You promise?”

He smiled some. “I promise, I won’t laugh.”

After some hesitation, she climbed out of the shrub, her golden eyes downcast. Bits of shrubbery, twigs and mud clung to her coat in places. When she finally looked up at him, he saw a smear of mud run alongside her cheek. For some reason, this made him smile.

She looked away. “You are going to laugh at me.”

His eyes widened and he shook his head, waving his forelegs at her. “No nononono. I wasn’t going to laugh, I swear. It’s just…”

She looked back at him, the sad expression touching his heart. “Just?”

He let a soft smile cross his face. “You have something there.” He pointed towards his own cheek for emphasis.

Her eyes widen and she rubs at her face, only smearing the mud further. “If I knew you were going to make fun of me, I wouldn’t have bothered!” She started walking towards her house, her nose held up high.

“No! Wait!” He flew up next to her. “That is not what I was saying. I am serious when I said I wanted to apologize, I really mean it.”

She harrumphed and stomped towards her house, the pegasus following after her. She glanced over her shoulder at him and frowned. “You can leave now.”

He shook his head. “Not until I get a chance to apologize.”

She looked away and climbed the stairs to her home. “Then stay in the rain.” She closed her door in his face and turned away. The knock at her door caused her hackles to stand on end. She whirled and opened the door curtly.

“What?!”

He sheepishly held up her saddlebags, all of her bought food held within.

Blinking, she felt her ire melt away faster than ice in the summer. She looked away as she took hold of her saddlebags with her magic. “…Thank you.” She closed her door, eager to be left alone, and no one to see her.

“Please… I really just want to say I’m sorry,” she heard his voice say from the door. “I realize I might have found you when you didn’t want to be, and I’m sorry for that.” She closed her eyes and slumped against her door.

“Can I at least get your name?” She lowered her head at the question, and the subtle plea in his tone. She sat there for a minute, shame and embarrassment running through her mind. Was she really being fair, or was she just being stubborn? What had he really done for her to be so mean to him? It could have been an accident, but what if— she closed her eyes, not wanting to think any more.

She heard him turn away from the door, but not before he uttered one last time. “I’m sorry.”

The way he said it, she knew without a doubt that he meant it. She lifted her face and took in a deep breath. “I’m Lyra.”

She heard his hoofsteps stop and turn back towards her door. “What?”

Standing up ,she used her magic to open her door again. She peeked around the corner to find him staring back at her, his expression holding the faintest tinge of hope. “Lyra—“ she continued. “—Lyra Heartstrings.”

His smile grew. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lyra.” He looked away sheepishly. “I really am sorry for stumbling over you last night—if I upset you, I didn’t mean to.”

A slow smile crossed her face as she watched him stand in the rain, the falling water soaking his mane and fur to the skin. “It’s… all right. Nopony had ever been there before so… I thought that…” She looked away, a blush creeping up her face.

“You were all alone?” he supplied.

She nodded.

“Why would you waAhh—“ a sneeze interrupted him, and he wiped at his face. “S-Sorry.”

His sheepish smile and the sight of him in the rain caused her to giggle. She looked back in her home for a second before looking back at him. “You’re getting soaked. You can come in… to dry off. If you want.”

His smile grew and he nodded. “Thank you.”

She stepped aside and let him into the house. She closed the door with a charge of her horn and saw that he still waited in the tiled foyer.

“I didn’t want to drip all over your home,” he explained to her curious look.

Her smile grew at his thoughtfulness. “I’ll get you a towel, hold on.”

She walked into her bathroom to collect one of her mint-green towels before looking at her reflection in the mirror. The sight almost caused a whine to escape her. She was filthy! She had a guest in her house—a stallion of all things—and here she was covered in mud and twigs! As badly as she wanted to at least wash her face, she knew he was still waiting in the foyer for her.

After a drying himself, and returning the soaked towel to dry—as well as a quick clean up herself—Lyra returned from the bathroom to see him looking around her home.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked, privately wishing she had a chance to have cleaned up some before inviting another in to her home.

He looked back at her. “Oh, no. I was… just liking what you did with your place.” He muttered to himself. “Hope that didn’t sound creepy?”

She smiled a bit. “T-Thank you.”

They stood there for an awkward moment before Lyra spoke up. “Thank you for picking up my groceries. I wouldn’t want them to go bad in the rain.”

A grin grew across his face. “It’s not a problem. Like I said, I didn’t mean to scare you, I only wanted to talk. I was actually heading to—” His eyes widened and he looked out the nearby window. “Oh dang, I was supposed to meet the guys for lunch.” He sighed. “And I left my lunch back on the clouds.”

Lyra was about to apologize but was cut off by a sudden, loud growl that emanated from the pegasus’s stomach.

His dark fur took on a deep red hue and he rubbed at the back of his head. “Sorry about that.”

It took some effort but she managed to swallow back her laugh. As she watched him, a sudden idea came to her. “How about I make something to eat? I was going to make myself something when I got home and…” She lowered her head, a flush creeping up on her cheeks. “If you want to eat something that I cook that is.”

Before he could utter another word, his stomach settled the dispute for him with another loud growl. He a gave a nervous chuckle. “Actually, I’d love something to eat. Something warm would be better than a cold daisy sandwich.”

A small chuckle escaped her this time as she turned for her kitchen. “Come sit down and I’ll get started.”

-0-

As she and Thunderlane finished up a midday meal, Lyra concluded that she wouldn’t have to worry about leftovers. The stallion easily ate his food and just about all the extra she made. Still, she couldn’t help but smile when he gave a content sigh after finishing his third plate of food.

“Wow, that was really good,” he said as he smacked his lips. “I’ve never had clover and asparagus like that before.”

She smiled faintly, a small blush creeping up on her face. “You haven’t had sauteed greens before? It’s not that hard to make, really.”

He put a hoof to his muzzle and belched softly. “‘Scuse me.” He shook his head to her question. “I haven’t. Usually when I make myself something to eat, it’s something fast like sandwiches or soups. I… really don’t cook often.” He tilted his head. “Except when my brother comes to visit, but that’s about it.”

Lyra blinked. “You live alone?”

He shrugged a bit. “Yeah.” An eyebrow raised faintly as he asked, “Why?”

Her eyes widened and she was quick to avert her gaze. “N-no reason. I was just curious.”

He hummed and looked around her home again. “What about you? There isn’t a coltfriend who is going to pulverize me for having lunch with you, is there?”

Her face turned a brighter shade of red, and she squinted her eyes shut to try to control it. “N-n-no. I-I don’t have a c-coltfriend.” She took in a deep breath to calm herself. “I live alone too.”

He genuinely looked surprised. “Really? I wouldn’t have thought that. As good as you cook, I’m—” He stopped himself with a mutter. “Sorry, that wasn’t going to come out well.”

She snorted a quick laugh, looking back at him. “No, thank you for the compliment. I just…” She sighed again. “I’m just not used to talking to stallions, especially in my home.”

He smiled wide. “Well, it’s not everyday a mare invites me to a meal.” He again covered his muzzle as a belch escaped him. “Thank you, really.”

A smile slowly made its way across her face. “...You’re welcome.”

Thunderlane looked towards the window as the sunlight started to stream through and his eyes widened in panic. “Oh man! I’m supposed to be out helping clear the clouds with the storm over!” He stood and bumped his front, left knee on the table—bouncing it around with a loud clatter.

“Are you okay?” she asked as he held his knee, grimacing.

He stretched his leg and nodded. “I’m fine, but I gotta go!” He ran out the door but stopped at the base of the stairs to the home.

“Lyra,” he said, turning back towards the house.

He stood at the door and tilted his head at him. “Yes?”

He rubbed at his head again, a faint blush creeping up on him again. “I’d… like to take you to lunch one day soon. You know… to return the favor for lunch today.”

She stared at him for a long moment, before she felt a light headed for a moment. She smiled at him and nodded. “I-I think I’d like that.”

His smile was wide and instantaneous. “All right!” His eyes widened and he grinned sheepishly. “I’ll see you soon, gotta go!” He flared his wings and took off into the sky.

Lyra stood in her door frame, watching him fly away. She took in a deep breath through her nose and swore the smell of freshly fallen rain had never been more pleasant.

-0-

He wasn’t sure what it was. The way the air seemed to ruffle his feathers and fur as he flew, or coolness after a rain, but whatever it was, he liked it. Thunderlane flapped his wings idly towards the cluster of clouds where his co-workers were already hard at work. His earlier rush faded to the back of his mind as he flew.

Not only was she a great music player, but she was a fantastic cook! He shook his head as he wondered how somepony as amazing as Lyra could go unnoticed. Despite his awkwardness in asking her to lunch, the knot he had formed in his stomach had unraveled the moment she said yes. He had asked other mares to lunch before, but when she said yes, it felt different. It felt… good.

“Hey, Thunderlane! Where’d you get to?” he heard Rainbow Dash yell as he caught up to the weather team.

"Sorry, Boss. I lost track of time,” he said as he immediately got to work pushing the clouds away from Ponyville.

“You mean you were napping!” she accused. “I should totally dock your pay for slacking.”

He looked at her and saw the teasing smile on her face and he knew the threat was a hollow one. “If you did that, Boss, who’d pay for the drinks tonight?” he said with a mocking smile.

She glowered at him as the others of the team had a laugh. “Don’t tempt me, Thunderlane.” She turned to the others of the team. “All right, team. Let’s get this rain to the fields so the wind can carry it towards Canterlot. Let’s go, double time!”

Thunderlane soon found Blossomforth helping him with a cloud that stubbornly refused to move. “Were you really napping, Thunderlane? We were wondering why you didn’t show up for lunch.”

He grunted as the cloud finally moved from their combined pushing. “Nah, I went and had my lunch under a tree. Just wanted to enjoy hearing the rain fall, that’s all.”

She frowned but nodded. “Oh… Well, maybe another time? It’s been a bit since we did something together.”

He looked at her, tilting his head. “What do you mean?”

Her face turned red for a moment. “I meant with the team. We haven’t done anything together as a team in a while.”

He smiled at her and nodded. “Right, we’ll have to go bowling again. It’s been forever since we last did that.”

She smiled weakly. “Yeah... bowling sounds like fun.”

As their work day ended, Thunderlane gathered his lunch box from the cloud he had left it on. He opened the box to find his daisy sandwich and potato chips still waiting for him. He sighed as he closed the box. “Guess I have supper tonight.”

He tied his lunch box to his saddlebag and flew for home, completely unaware of the eyes that watched him.

"I thought he said he ate his lunch?” Blossomforth said to herself. “Why did he lie to me?”

Comments

[Zodiacspear]

6139258 Thanks for that. When it came to the title I think I was most of the way done before it hit me. I like to think it will prove a very fitting one for this story.

Let us see where the newest revelations take the two.

[Evowizard25]

You know, I really loved the lunch scene. I don't often get to see nice and calm scenes like this in a lot of fics. It was a great spot to start their relationship and I can't wait to see more of this cute pair.

[Yoshifan30]

"I thought he said he ate his lunch?” Blossomforth said to herself. “Why did he lie to me?”

Uh oh this is going to lead up to a love triangle

[Yoshifan30]

Well that was a pretty adorable chapter so it looks like thunder Lane could not get over about that unicorn at the park but then Blossomforth ask him if he wants to have lunch together with the others which he agrees to he just needs to get it and he'll catch up and he was about to get his lunch box he saw her again and it looks like she was walking during the rain Gathering up some stuff for lunch but then she's saw him and she got frightened and ran away and he tried to stop her that he wasn't going to hurt her anything but she just keep on running until she hit a bush he tried to convince her that he's not going to do anything bad the only she was worried about is he's going to laugh at her which he will never do that after getting out of the bush she just walk home and tell him to go away he said he was sorry that he never meant to scare her like that yesterday after that he was about to leave until Lyra said her name and it looks like she accepted his apology and even offering him to come inside because it's still raining so both of them kind of dried off from the rain and even having a lunch together which it's pretty nice to see they actually get the chance to talk to each other and getting to know each other as well but as time goes Thunder Lane has to get back to work and he was wondering that he would like to have a second date and Lyra said yeah he was pretty happy to hear that and it looks like Lyra was also happy as well when he got to work Blossomforth ask him where is he been and he told her that he just ate lunch underneath the tree which unfortunately she discovered that he was lying and something tells me things are going to get ugly