Group Precipitation

by FanOfMostEverything

Mountaintop Storm, by FoME

Cloudsdale was a strange town, a trading post and rest stop on the western edge of the mountains that had decided it was going to stick around long after most of its kind withered and died when the railroads stitched the country together. Denvertigo might have billed itself as the Mile-High City, but as number two, Cloudsdale tried harder.

"And if any of you understand that reference," Coach Wind Rider would say at the start of every season, "I am both surprised and impressed."

Still, strange town or no, some things were universal. That included locker room gossip, especially between two of the soccer team's stars. "It's funny," said Rolling Thunder.

Lightning Dust quirked an eyebrow. "What? The fact that you're still forcing that Hosstralian accent after living here for three years?"

"I don't tell you how to live your life, Dusty. And no. I was thinkin' about how every football team worth a damn in this county basically has the same girl playin' on it."

Lightning Dust found herself trying to follow Rolling's thoughts and, well wary of making that mistake again, just said, "What do you mean?"

"Proper football, mind you, not Amareican handegg."

"I got that, Rolling. What do you mean 'the same girl'?"

Rolling snorted. "You should know. Yer one of 'em."

"What?"

"Aw, you know. Short little spunky type, feathers comin' out 'er neck, runs circles 'round the whole other team."

Lightning glared up at Rolling. "Don't think I missed the jab at my height, you freakin' Llamazon."

"Didn't think y' would. But think about it. We've got you, obviously. Crystal Prep's got the blue-haired bitch."

Lightning smirked at that. "It's Crystal Prep. You'd need to be more specific than that, but I know who you're talking about. Her name's Indigo Zap."

"Don't suppose you got 'er number, too?" Rolling said with a smirk.

"Really?"

"Can't blame a girl for tryin'. But yeah, you and her practically look like twins. Then Ravnica's got that girl with all the piercin's who turns every game into a gymnastics routine."

"Judith something. You know, one of those weird Stirropean last names that's not even a word anymore."

"Right, her."

Lightning shook her head. "I'll give you Indigo, but that girl's a real stretch. I haven't done cartwheels on a soccer field since I was six."

"Ah, yer just jealous you can't pass the ball to yourself."

That got a noncommittal grunt. "What about Hoofington?"

"What about Hoofington? I said every soccer team worth a damn. Might as well ask about Everton."

"Point. So that leaves... Oh." Lightning glared. "Her."

Rolling nodded. "Yup. Canterlot an' yer middle school sweetheart."

Lightning took a deep breath before she trusted herself to speak. "Rolling, you're my best friend. You're out, you're proud, and I'm happy for you. I was there for you when you realized it and had your back when you told your parents."

"Big fat anticlimax that, wasn't it?"

"My point is not all of us are in the closet. I like guys. I literally have a date with Cirrus Curl tomorrow. Rainbow Dash was not and will never be my girlfriend. Knock it off."

Rolling shrugged. "But you do agree she's their spunky li'l pegasus aspect on th' pitch."

Lightning just scowled and started shoving her feet back in her sneakers.

After a few moments of heavy silence, Rolling said, "Dusty? Don't tell me yer still mad at her for movin' to Canterlot."

"That's not why I'm mad at her," Lightning said, staring at her shoelaces.

"Uh huh. When's the last time you even talked to each other?"

"If she's not going to reach out, I don't see why I should."

"You do know she'd prob'ly say the same thing if I asked her, right?"

"So?" Lightning still didn't look up.

"Right." They finished changing in silence.

Three weeks later, when Lightning found herself at a "Happy Cloudsdale Middle School BFFs Reunion Party!" she knew exactly who to blame. Especially when she walked up to her and said, "For th' record, you can rib me about th' accent now."

"Damn right I can."

Comments

[Thought Prism]

Home games at Ravnica High are probably miserable for all involved. Azorius referees would call foul on something every fifteen seconds.

[PiMan]

If she has a natural Hosstralian accent, she probably wouldn't call soccer, football. We have Aussie Rules football to call football (or more commonly, footy).

[Neece]

This was hilariously cute at the end

I wonder, how was that anticlimax? One parent paying the other for the lost bet? A "we know" followed by "wait, that's it?" Or was it a "you mean Dusty ain't your girlfriend?"?

[Eroraf86]

Rolling Thunder spilled the beans to Pinkie, didn't she?

[FanOfMostEverything]

9425191
Given that the typical Ravnica High Amareican football offense is a Boros quarterback herding ten Gruul like so many cats, the referees quickly learn to pick their battles. And given the Rakdos-rich soccer teams, they know when you're faking an injury. They're much better actors than you, and they're probably drawing from experience.

9425200
Darn it, I knew I should've done a bit of research. Proper term for the non-Aussie-rules variant?

9425684
Deliberately left to the reader's imagination. This is one of those cases where whatever you think of will be funnier than anything I could.

9426068
Rolling was a few months late to coin the term "friendship emergency," but she definitely reported one to the proper authorities.

[kitkataddel]

As a brit, I find this fucking hilarious:
"Proper football, mind you, not Amareican handegg."
Handegg. I am never using another word for American football other than that again.

[PiMan]

9426455
I'm not sure I understand the question.

Depending on a few factors, here are some of the names people here use for various sports known as football.
Australian rules football = Footy, football, Aussie rules, AFL (the biggest league)
American football = Gridiron
Association football = Soccer, football (mostly by immigrants, but there are some local born Australians who say it too, especially if it is their favourite type of football)
Rugby = (I'm not from New South Wales or Queensland, so I can't say for sure, I think it is just Rugby or footy when referring to the sport generally and league or union when referring to a particular variant.)

Really, unless it is vital that the character is Australian, I think you're better off picking a European country and having the character be from there.

[BenRG]

Nothing worse than a friend who thinks that they know what you want more than you do!

[A.P.O.N.I.]

Does this make Rolling Thunder their Applejack?

[NoLongerBreathedIn]

Judith?

[TheKableGuy]

9429626
Judith the Scourge Diva probably

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