Memoir of Misery

by Silvak

Chapter IV: Clouds

Thud.

"What the buck‽" cried out Sapphire as she looked at the window where the noise came from, only to see Rainbow's face compressed onto it. "Rainbow Dash?"

"Let me in," Rainbow croaked out as she tapped the window with a hoof, causing Sapphire to sigh as she opened it for her to fly in. "Thanks, though you need to get out more. The only times I spotted you outside lately was when you're out getting more food."

Grunting, Sapphire replied, "Well, I'm still busy trying to catch up to everypony in the educational department. I still have a long ways to go to even reach a basic level," as she recalled what she did for the past week. Nothing much had happened to her during the past week, beyond the occasional rushing past some apparent fans of hers when she went out for groceries. Even recent recovered memories didn't yield anything fruitful, though one particularly embarrassing memory sent Luna into hysterical laughter at Sapphire's expense.

"Yeah yeah, but I have something more important to ask you. Do you want to come to Cloudsdale with the rest of the gang to cheer me on in the Young Flier's Competition?" Rainbow asked, causing Sapphire to blink and scrunch her muzzle in confusion.

"You want me to cheer you on? Why?"

"Cause we're friends of course. It's what friends do," Rainbow answered with a shrug.

"Well, if you put it that way... I might as well come. If you need some support, I'll be there for you if I can," Sapphire said with a mild smile.

"Awesome, the more ponies cheering for me, the better. Besides, it wasn't like you were doing anything else," Rainbow declared as she leaned back while hovering about as Sapphire just scowled at her.

"Jeeze, that's so nice of you to give me something to do."

"I know right? I'm just that awesome," Rainbow replied, as Sapphire's right eye twitched while she resisted the urge to facehoof.

"Just... just let me know when I should show up for the trip to Cloudsdale... and next time, knock on my door instead of crashing into my window," Sapphire berated, causing Rainbow to scratch the back of her head as she let out a mild chuckle.

---

"Umm... why do we need a hot air balloon... and why does Rarity have butterfly wings?" Sapphire asked as she arrived at where Twilight's hot air balloon was set up.

"Huh, I thought you were going to ask what a hot air balloon is first," Rainbow commented, causing Sapphire to narrow her eyes at her.

"I have been making some strides Rainbow," Sapphire responded, a flat look apparent on her face, causing Rainbow to look away for a moment.

"Well, didn't Rainbow mention that the competition was in Cloudsdale?" Twilight asked as she stepped forward.

Tilting her head, Sapphire answered, "Yeah, but that doesn't answer the question. Wouldn't a train be faster than a hot air balloon?" only to receive the stares from the others. "What? Why are you six staring at me like that?"

"Umm... Sapphire, have you happened to look at some geography lately?" Twilight finally uttered out.

"Umm... no? I was more focused on more general knowledge. Why do you ask?" Sapphire replied as she looked at the others in confusion.

Groaning as she threw her hooves into the air, Rainbow answered, "Hello, what does the name Cloudsdale mean to you? It's a city made of clouds for crying out loud!"

Her lips drawn tight against each other, Sapphire simply stared at Rainbow before finally croaking out, "Oh."

Scrunching her face for a moment, Rarity asked, "Sapphire dear, is something the matter?"

Turning her attention to the flying unicorn, Sapphire answered, "Huh? There's nothing wrong... beyond me feeling like a fool... I just thou—"

"Not that dear, for your reaction isn't one of embarrassment."

"She's right there, sugarcube. I never seen you look like that before since I first met you," Applejack added in as the others muttered out their own agreements.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I just didn't think that Cloudsdale would literally be a city made of... clouds," Sapphire responded, her eyes starting to dash about.

"Sapphire... is there something you're hiding from us?" Twilight finally asked as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, which caused Sapphire to gasp.

"Twilight, do you think I'm honestly trying to hide something from you all, my best friends?" Sapphire replied, her expression taking on a look of sorrow.

"Now hold on there, sugarcube, she wasn't tryin' to suggest that you were fibbin'. I admit, I have a feelin' that you're being truthful to us. Yet, I also feel like there is somethin' not right about all this," Applejack said as she laid a hoof on Sapphire's shoulder, causing her to look her in the eye. "Now, you may not be hidin' anythin' from us, but are you certain there isn't anythin' that could be botherin' you?"

"Applejack, I'm truly don't know what is making you all think this, but I'm telling you the truth. I'm only bothered by the fact that I didn't know that Cloudsdale was a city made of clouds, like it’s name suggests," Sapphire answered, while Twilight hummed to herself as she rubbed her chin in thought.

"Wait a minute everypony. I think I have an idea on what's going on here," Twilight declared, bringing everypony's attention to her.

"You do?" all the mares asked at once.

"Yes, I do, but it would involve a little experiment," Twilight explained, causing Rainbow to groan again.

"Twilight, we don't have time for an experiment! The competition is today!" Rainbow complained, causing Twilight to frown at her.

"It doesn't take long, we just need to drop by your place for a quick moment. Though, I will need you to carry Sapphire there yourself," Twilight responded, causing everypony to look at her in confusion.

"Umm... why does she need to carry me Twilight?" Sapphire asked, drawing Twilight to look at her with a sheepish smile.

"Let's just say I have a creeping suspicion, and let's just say it would be best if Rainbow carried you instead of bring you there via the balloon..."

---

"Get me the buck away from here!"

"Whoa, stop that Sapphire!"

"No! You are not bringing me into that death trap!"

"...That's my home you're talking about," Rainbow complained as she held onto a struggling Sapphire, who was waving her legs about in a frenzy as they hovered a few feet away from Rainbow's cloud house.

"No, it's a place of death and despair! We must get away before we come to a fiery end!" Sapphire screamed out as the other elements just stared at the scene from the hot air balloon, except for Rarity who simply hovered nearby.

"...Did anypony see that coming?" Pinkie asked, unable to pry her eyes from the sight before her.

"How the buck is my home death and despair? Are you trying to say something about me?"

"I reckon none of us saw this coming sugarcube," Applejack croaked out while her eyes remained wide with shock.

"Only that you might be insane for choosing to live in a place of eminent doom!"

"I had some suspicions that Sapphire might have a negative reaction, but I didn't expect this," Twilight commented.

"Hey, I'm not insane! You take that back!"

"Umm... shouldn't we get Sapphire away from Rainbow's home? I wouldn't want her to be more uncomfortable than she is right now," Fluttershy added, causing the others to blink in realization that they were simply standing there while Sapphire was freaking out.

"No, because it is insane to even tread upon such a cursed place! Unless somepony is forcing you to live there, than they are the most evil being in existence!"

"Oh co—"

"Rainbow, you can bring Sapphire down now!" Twilight shouted out, causing Rainbow to snap her head.

"About time," Rainbow muttered out as she flew away from her home, which brought an end to Sapphire's struggling, though it was replaced with her teeth chattering and her body shivering in fear. Finally reaching the ground, Rainbow released Sapphire only to watch as she dashed into the nearest bush, her tail sticking out for a mere moment before it was dragged into the bush as well. Looking at her in confusion as the balloon set down nearby, Rainbow declared, "How are you scared of some clouds? I never met a pony that was scared of them!"

"Rainbow! Don't be rude to Sapphire," Twilight chided as she went over to the bush before using her magic to pull Sapphire outside of it. The unicorn mare was huddled up in a ball with her forelegs covering her face as she was slowly levitated out of it. "Sapphire, you don't have to be scared now. We're on the ground now, where you're safe."

Peeking out behind one of her legs, Sapphire whispered, "Are you certain?"

As Twilight resisted the urge to let out a sigh, Fluttershy trotted over to the two before sitting down as she laid a hoof on Sapphire's withers, rubbing it gently as she said, "It's alright, you're away from the scary clouds now. Everything is gonna be okay."

Eyes darting about for a moment, Sapphire slowly started to take her hooves off her head as she looked about in caution before getting on her hooves, though she was still shivering a bit. "Okay... okay... I'm calming down now..."

"Are you sure dear? I have never seen you react like that before," Rarity commented as she hovered over to the trio.

"I... I think so... but I don't know what came over me..." Sapphire replied, before looking over to Rainbow. "I'm sorry about what I said back there..."

"Eh... water underneath the bridge," Rainbow said as she waved a hoof.

"Though, I'm more concerned about why you had such a negative reaction to clouds," Twilight stated. "Do you have any idea why you would react that way?"

"No... it just... happened," Sapphire answered, looking back at Rainbow's home. The very sight caused her to shiver as she looked away. "It's just that... being near them frightens me to no end."

"Hmm... this has to be linked to some event in your past. It’s probably something traumatic enough to root a fear of clouds in you that it is still present even with your amnesia," Twilight commented before looking at the position of the sun. "I would like to figure this out, but with the competition, we don't have the time. Unfortunately, until you recover that memory, Princess Luna is the only pony that can help you right now."

Letting out a sigh, Sapphire nodded as she said, "Yeah... you're right, and you girls need to get to Cloudsdale before it's too late. I'll be fine as long as I keep my hooves on the ground, no need to worry about me."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you hanging just for a competition," Rainbow said, concern evident in her voice.

"Yeah, best you all hurry before it’s too late, but thanks for the concern, Rainbow," Sapphire said as she gave Rainbow a weak smile. "I don't want to be a bummer on your day of glory."

"Hey, I'm Rainbow Dash. Every day is awesome for me," Rainbow declared with a cocky grin, causing Sapphire to struggle to hold her smile.

"Yeah... awesome... just go before it’s too late, and remember that I'm still rooting for you in spirit," Sapphire replied. As the others finally gave their goodbyes before setting off to the competition, Sapphire thought to herself, I may be fine now... but Twilight has a point. What in Equestria made me so terrified of clouds?

Comments

[HoneyBadgerr]

Today's forecast, cloudy with a chance of terrors.

[Kevin Lee]

I was thinking Sapphire was from the period of Sombra and the Chrystal Empire. But is she instead a pre-unification pony?

[Kevin Lee]

Thud.
"What the buck‽" cried out Sapphire as she looked at the window where the noise came from, only to see Rainbow's face compressed onto it. "Rainbow Dash?"

Birds can't see glass...

Neither can pegasi....

[Navieka]

I can think of one reason for her reaction about clouds.
topatoco.com/graphics/00000001/cpb-glowcloud-glow.jpg

[Greatazuredragon]

"Get me the buck away from here!"
"Whoa, stop that Sapphire!"
"No! You are not bringing me into that death trap!"
"...That's my home you're talking about," Rainbow complained

Fear of Clouds...Is there even a name for such a fear?
(Quick trip to Mr. Google)
Huh what do you know, it actually exists: Nephophobia

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

"Yeah... awesome... just go before it’s too late, and remember that I'm still rooting for you in spirit," Sapphire replied. As the others finally gave their goodbyes before setting off to the competition, Sapphire thought to herself, I may be fine now... but Twilight has a point. What in Equestria made me so terrified of clouds?

That’s what I wanna know.