Of Clouds, Seeds, and Apple Trees (Book 1)

by LotusTeaDragon

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

5:30 PM
Sweet Apple Acres Fields

"Is everything ready?" Doctor Green Clover called over to Twilight, who was barrel deep in diagnostic equipment. She looked up from her consoles at the sound of his inquiry.

"I've got it all set up, Doctor. It should now be possible to record all pertinent data while minimizing magic feedback. If all goes well, you will be able to recreate the results anywhere in Equestria, though, not to brag or anything, I'm not sure where you'll be able to find another magical user with the needed expertise on the same level as myself."

Doctor Green Clover chuckled, "Oh, that is very true, my dear Twilight, and I am certain you are not boasting. I have seen your skill, and you are every bit as amazing as a pupil of the Princess should be."

He walked over to where she was standing. "Actually", he continued, "I have a solution for that. When the data has been gathered, it should be possible for me to build an amplifying unit to allow lesser skilled unicorns to channel their magic more acutely. This will make it possible for widespread deployment throughout Equestria. We won't ever have to worry about a drought again. That is, of course, if all goes well today."

***

Applebloom made her way up the ramp to the clubhouse, opening the door and stepping inside. Nopony else was there as of yet, so she decided to occupy her time by writing in her journal. Nopony else knew about her journal. She was so secretive of the idea that she kept the journal in the clubhouse, away from any of her family.

Looking around to make certain no other pony was around, she stepped over to a corner of the clubhouse, and wrapped hard, twice, on a loose plank. A second later, it popped open and she removed a box with a combination lock on it. Opening the lock, she retrieved a small, dust covered, dog eared, book. Grabbing a pencil from the drawer nearby, she opened the book, and before writing, glanced out the window once more to make certain nopony was around. Seeing nothing, she began scribbling furiously.

"Dear Journal,

Last night, I found out that my big sister Applejack is in love with her friend Rainbow Dash. They both looked really happy together, and made me promise not to tell any other pony until they had talked to their friends first. Seeing them together makes me feel hopeful. It makes me realize that my feelings aren't wrong. I mean, if my big sister, who is the heart of honesty, can love another mare, who is the definition of loyalty, how could it be bad for me to have feelings toward another filly?

Ever since the Crusaders and I talked to Lyra and Bon-Bon, I've had this weight on my chest that I've just wanted to get rid of, to let it all go and tell that special filly how I feel. I mean, she's so sweet, and she's smart, and I just can't go a day without thinking about her. It's always scared me a bit, because I know how most ponies in our family feel towards that kind of thing. I'm not sure how big brother would take it, or Granny Smith, either, but they've always been kind to everypony. Surely they would be okay with this kind of thing.

Sometimes I just can't picture my life without her, either. I know I'm only 12 years old, but it really feels like love, and not just some infatuation. Unlike most ponies, I'm just not a filly interested in a colt, and seeing Lyra and Bon-Bon, and now Applejack and Rainbow Dash together, I think just maybe it's okay, and maybe one day soon I'll tell her how I feel.

Today, I'm going to tell the Crusaders about Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I know I promised not to say anything, but it wouldn't hurt to tell my two best friends. Of course, the other reason I'm doing this is to see if maybe she'll be happy to hear the news, and that might give me the last bit of courage I need to finally tell her how I feel."

Finished with her entry, she looked up to see the outlines of two ponies heading her way, coming just over the hill. She hurriedly placed the notebook back in the box, locked, and then in the hidden floorboard, making certain that there was no evidence of anything amiss.

As she looked out the window once more, she noticed that the sky had turned cloudy and dark, the wind whipping up and pushing hard against the clubhouse. The walls groaned ever so slightly with each gust, but Applebloom wasn't worried. She had built the clubhouse well, and after all, they needed the rain badly. She reassured herself of her own hoofwork as a strong gust caused a loud creak to resonate inside the clubhouse.

***

Rainbow Dash swooped down over Sweet Apple Acres, the wind whipping up her mane as she passed the barn. Spotting Applejack standing next to the scientist that came with Twilight Sparkle, she dropped down, and flared her wings, landing next to the orange pony.

"Looks clear, Applejack. I didn't see anypony around the area. So how's Twi doing?"

Applejack turned to her, "Ah think she's gettin' started, but ah ain't sure. I don' know much about magic and all that. Ah'm just a plain pony. Still..." she paused, looking up at the dark and foreboding sky, "ah'd say she's doin' somethin' right."

They both turned toward Twilight, who was stock still, her visage contorted in fierce concentration, as her horn lit up like a giant flare, illuminating everything a dozen meters away in every direction.

Doctor Green Clover was busy watching the various instruments the pair had setup to gauge the intensity and effectiveness of the storm.

"So far, so good! Can you boost your magic gain any further?" he called out over the wind to Twilight, standing a few meters away. The instruments were bathed in purple light, making it difficult for Doctor Green Clover to read some of the gauges, but it was only a minor concern.

Without nodding or opening her eyes for confirmation, Twilight increased her concentration, gritting her teeth in the process.

"Excellent! Winds now moving at 40 kilometers per hour, Miss Sparkle! Cloud cover approaching critical!" he called out, looking up at the sky overhead to see the last remaining clouds interlocking with one another, creating a dark grey ceiling, one that threatened a torrent of rain if all went well.

Pouring every last ounce of willpower she had, Twilight's horn glowed so brightly that everypony nearby had to turn their heads and cover their eyes with their forelegs. Finally, seconds later, out of sheer exhaustion, Twilight collapsed to the ground.

For a minute, everypony was silent.

Applejack watched her lavender friend catch her breath, waiting for any sign of success. After two minutes, there was nothing. Applejack felt for Twilight. All of that hard work didn't appear to do any good. She let her mind run to what would happen to her crops. No apples. No harvest. No money. No farm. Then it hit her.

Not an idea. Not the implications of the drought. Not a realization.

A raindrop.

A raindrop hit her squarely on the muzzle.

Another raindrop.

Then another.

And another.

Then, without any further warning, the deluge began.

***

The three crusaders looked out the window of the clubhouse, and watched as the rain began to pour down. They jumped up in excitement, running down the gangplank and out into the blissful downpour, giggling and screaming in joy as the rain fell upon their upturned, smiling faces.

Across town, Mayor Mare stared out her window and gasped in amazement as raindrops began leaving their tracks on the glass. She clasped her hooves together and cried out in jubilation, "It's raining! It's raining! I've done it! I'll win the next election hooves down for sure!"

Meanwhile, in the heart of Ponyville, ponies were running out into the street, laughing and playing in the rain.

Over at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie was hopping about, getting drenched, "Oh! Oh! Look at all this silly, willy, filly, dilly, rain! Ooh! We need to have a party! A rain party! We can have rain cake, and rain ice cream, and rain balloons, and rain doughnuts, and rain muffins and...!" she continued, firing off a litany of other confectionary treats as she bounced back into the shop to get started on her plans.

Near her cottage, Fluttershy was hurriedly getting her furry friends inside, under cover from the now torrential flood of precipitation. Even though she was outwardly panicked, in her mind, she was greatly relieved. Now everypony and every animal friend would have the water they needed, and they wouldn't have to be super scared of going without, and that made her feel warm, even as the cold rain coated her fur, matting it as she continued herding her friends inside the warm, dry, cottage.

Rarity stepped outside of her boutique, shrieked aloud at the surprisingly wet reception she received, and hurriedly ducked back inside, slamming the door.

***

Twilight Sparkle was overjoyed. The spell had worked, the rain had come, and all was going exactly as planned. She glanced over to the Doctor, who was vainly trying to cover his instruments with the tarpaulin he had brought with him. Twilight began to set it up for him, but found that she was unable to do so.

"Doctor!" she called as she ran over to where he was struggling with the tarp. He turned to her as Applejack and Rainbow Dash had galloped over to help. "Yes, Miss Sparkle?!" he replied, as Applejack and Rainbow Dash positioned the tarp in place. They ran underneath and stood next to the instrumentation, watching the rain as it fell in buckets.

"I can't seem to use my magic", she finished, as she ducked inside.

Doctor Green Clover nodded his head in response, "that is to be expected, Miss Sparkle. You have likely drained your reserves. It will be several hours before you can easily use your magic again."

Even though it was only temporary, it was still a bit unnerving to be unable to use her magic. Still, the cost was relatively low for what had been accomplished. She smiled as she looked around, the rain bouncing off leaves and grass, the dry earth of the field soaking up the water greedily.

A clap of thunder made them all jump as the tarp billowed about them from the buffeting winds.

"Do y'all know how long this here gullywasher'll last?" Applejack called to Twilight over the sound of the wind.

Twilight looked at Doctor Green Clover, who responded, "I am not exactly certain, Miss Applejack, but it should not last longer than a few hours. If all has gone as well as it has so far, the spell will have caused sufficient perturbation in the surrounding atmosphere to catalyze the machinery in Cloudsdale into re-engaging their previously maintained state."

Applejack paused a moment. "Uh, come again'?"

Twilight giggled, "He's saying that if everything goes right as it has, the rain will stop in a few hours, and Cloudsdale's factory can take over again. No more drought."

Applejack looked bashful. "Thanks, Twi. You know ah was never good at that ol' fancy sciency talk."

Twilight smiled, "No problem, AJ."

They turned toward the opening of the makeshift tent as a bolt of lightning shot down to the ground, illuminating the dark skies around it with a brilliant white flare.

"Oh my!" Twilight exclaimed, "I didn't think I managed to put that much power into it!"

Doctor Green Clover cleared his throat, "It seems you have, my dear. The instrumentation here", he said, motioning to the collection of devices that were beeping and humming, "shows that the storm has gained in strength. We may be seeing more than a few hours of rain. Still," he continued quickly, "I see no reason for alarm. All has worked out as it should, and there should be no trouble."

At that moment, several high pitched screams pierced the howling winds.

***

"Applebloom! Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle cried out as she pushed through the remains of their clubhouse. She hurried through the damage, shoving aside planks as fast as her small body could move them.

"Applebloom! Scootaloo!" she cried out again, desperately pushing aside a large board where the desk used to sit. Finally, she spotted a pink bow underneath a large wall stud. She rolled it aside, grunting in pain from the gash on her leg, and carefully pulled Applebloom from the rubble.

Laying the unconscious filly on a clean patch of grass, she checked to make sure Applebloom was okay. After hearing her heartbeat and steady breathing, she set off to find Scootaloo. Covering her face with her foreleg, as by this time the winds were whipping about, and the rain was almost blinding, she stumbled over an object poking up in the debris, tripping and going down onto her forelegs as she did.

Looking up, she saw the object. It was a scooter, with it's handle broken, and missing wheels. Sweetie Belle started searching frantically. She heard a muffled voice come from where the desk had been relocated by the wind, and raced over to it, pulling it off a dirty, scratched, and coughing Scootaloo, who appeared to be conscious.

"Scootaloo! Are you okay?!" Sweetie Belle asked, near tears. Scootaloo accepted Sweetie Belle's outstretched hoof, and climbed to her legs. She nodded, and shook her purple mane.
"Yeah", she coughed, "I'm alright! Just a little scratched up! What happened?! Where's Applebloom?! Is she okay?!"

Sweetie Belle motioned for her to follow her, "she's over here in the grass! I pulled her out from under some boards. She's breathing and everything, but I think she got knocked out!"

They made their way over to Applebloom's location, as Sweetie Belle leaned down to check her once more. Scootaloo spread her wings, wincing as she felt something twinge, and positioned it over her friends in an attempt to keep them from getting even more soaked than they were.

"Applebloom! Wake up!" Sweetie Belle called to her friend, tears in her eyes mixing with the rain as it fell from her muzzle. "Wake up, Applebloom! We hafta get out of here!" she cried, plaintively. She gentle rocked her unresponsive friend, shaking her by her shoulders.

"We've got to do something! We need help!" she yelled to Scootaloo over the roar of the wind.

Scootaloo looked at her two friends, friends who were in desperate need of help. She looked down at Sweetie Belle.

"You stay here and watch Applebloom. I'm going to go get help!" she said, her face set in determination.

Sweetie Belle, who was still stricken with fright over the state of her friend, merely nodded her head and turned her attention back to Applebloom.

With that, Scootaloo looked over to the rubble and her broken scooter. That option was out of the question. With no other choice, she bolted off in a swift gallop, heading for Sweet Apple Acres, the nearest source of help.

***

"What was that?", Rainbow Dash called out to Applejack, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Ah'm not sure, but it sounded like somepony is in trouble!" she exclaimed, looking at Twilight and Doctor Green Clover. The four of them filed out from under the tarp and looked around. The rain and wind made it difficult to see more than a few meters in front of their own muzzles.

"I can't use my magic to light anything around us, and I can't see anything more than a dozen hoofsteps ahead, can you Doctor?!" Twilight called out.

"I am sorry, I cannot, Miss Sparkle! It is too dark and the rain too forceful! I cannot see anything!" he replied, squinting and blinking his eyes in the torrent of water.

Applejack turned away from them at the sound of wingbeats. She saw Rainbow Dash preparing to take off.

"What are y'all doin' Rainbow?!"

Rainbow Dash looked to her with determination in her eye, "I'm going to find out where that scream came from. Somepony needs us, and I'm the best pegasus for the job!"

Applejack objected forcefully, "You'll get yerself hurt or worse! Ya cain't do it, Rainbow! We hafta find another way!"

Rainbow Dash shook her head, "There's no time and you know it!" She pointed her hoof toward the grove of trees on the far side of the hill, visible for a brief moment as lightning lit up the area around it. "I heard it come from over there! I want you, Twilight, and Doctor whatshisface to stay here! I'll be right back!"

With that, Rainbow Dash bolted into the air, her rainbow trail visible for a brief moment before disappearing into the gray cloudcover.

***

"Oh, Applebloom!" Sweetie Belle cried, stroking her friend's rain soaked mane as she huddled under a large flat piece of cardboard that offered little shelter from the storm, holding her still unconscious, but breathing, dear friend in her forelegs.

She looked down at Applebloom's peacefully sleeping face. She could only hope that Scootaloo had found help, and that they were on their way, because if anything happened to Applebloom, Sweetie Belle's heart would have been broken in pieces. She loved her friends, and would go through thick and thin with them together. There was nothing they couldn't do, nothing they couldn't accomplish. No mission too great, no dream too big for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

A roll of thunder erupted from above, startling her.

She looked out toward the direction of the treeline, hoping above all hope that help was on the way.

***

Comments

[Theta KnightMare]

You know, out of all the Crusaders I've seen Applebloom hurt the most in fanfics. Go figger.

[LotusTeaDragon]

1049208

Really? I wonder why? In my case, I know Applebloom's tough, I know she's a country girl, and that she can work her way out of any situation, so I put her in one where it wasn't so obvious or easy for her to come out of so readily.

[For The Plot]

1049208 figger? no offence, but that has to be the worst way to misspell figure.

[For The Plot]

C-C-C-C-C-C-CLIFFHANGER! damn you

[Fort Impression]

Good job! Very interesting to see this other ship come about. What I am wonder is how will the other crusader feel about this? Also I caught this in the story:

Looking up, she saw the object. It was a scooter, with it's handle broken, and missing wheels. Applebloom started searching frantically. She heard a muffled voice come from where the desk had been relocated by the wind, and raced over to it, pulling it off a dirty, scratched, and coughing Scootaloo, who appeared to be conscious.

I do believe you meant Sweetie Belle. Of course Pinkie Pie is going to throw a party about it. Why wouldn't she?

[LotusTeaDragon]

1049364
I live to serve. Also, to make people frustrated.

1049458
Doh! I'll go back and fix it. That's what I get for staying up all hours of the night and publishing new chapters!
Also, yes, Pinkie Pie will party for any reason whatsoever. I love her for it. LOL

[Fort Impression]

1049616 Yeah, me too. It's quite alright. I plan to have my new chapter done by the end of tomorrow. I hope I can do that, I got two small sections and one fairly length one to deal with, and the chapter will be complete. Being half asleep, I might mess up along the way, and it makes me think if I should write anymore than I already have. I tend to write a bunch of non sense when I'm half asleep, and when I get back to it, I am gravely confused about what I trying to imply in my sentences.

[LotusTeaDragon]

I'll look out for any egregious errors, and let you know. In the meantime, get some sleep!

[LurkingToRead]

"Do y'all know how long this here gullywasher'll last?" Applejack called to Twilight over the sound of the wind.

“Gullywasher” is the best word I’ve heard in a while. Could also be a dirty synonym for fillyfooler… if you catch my drift.